Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-31
Londoners Worried
Over Street Names
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
LONDON, December 16-London street
names are causing almost as much trouble
as the unemployed problem. or fiscal re-
form. Even the postal authorities are
beginning to be worried AS for strangers
IN the metropolis, it is practically useless
for them to ask their way about unless
they can give more detailed information
than the mere number OF the house and
name Of the street they want
The reason is simple enough. There are
literally hundreds of streets in London with
identically the same name. Even such
well-known places as Trafalgar Square are
duplicated in name in several places and
there are exactly 100 streets named after
Queen Victoria. To illustrate the position,
the story Of some American women who
recently wanted to know" might be cited.
They were looking for Bond street, and
followed the time-honored precedent of
asking policeman.
How do we get to Bond street," they
said.
Then the policeman asked u question:
DO you want Bond street, off Amwell
street, Pentonville, north; Bond street,
Vauxhall, southwest London; Bond street,
off Piccadily, west; New Bond street
Old Bond street-which?'
The ladies were staggered, but suggested
that out of the five Bond streets perhaps
It was the one off Piccadilly where the
rings come FROM"
In the addressing of London letters the
utmost confusion exists; and thus has
grown the custom of placing upon each
London envelope some initials indicating
the point of the compass in the direction
of which the street might possibly be
found. Some one has suggested that even
more exactttude could be obtained In the
indication Of letters by points of the COM
pass-something more than the mere IN"
indicating north; "S.W." indicating south
west: &c" showing the location to be
east central; and SO on. 1t has been sug-
gested that letters could be addressed to
Mr.. so-and-so, in such a street, northeast
by east-half east" and the postmen deliv-
ering the letters could be equipped with a
complete nautical outfit. But then even
this suggestion would scarcely work, for
during the winter months 1t would be al
most impossible for a postman to get the
sun" and his observations would come to
naught.
1t is not at all an unusual thing for
person living In John street to have his
letter go completely round the circuit Of
the city-from north to south, east and
west, and finally again to north before 1t
gets to hinl-for. be 1t known, there are no
less than forty-eight different John streets
in London. Besides this, there are bewilder-
ing compounds of John street that simply
drive you into a state of coma.
There's John Carpenter street, and John
Campbell road, and Johns yard, and Johns
news, and the changes are rung on John
SO much that If you are looking for man
who lives anywhere in a street with a
John to 1t you may as we'll employ a dis
trict messenger to locate him first before
you begin writing. Then, for instance, If
you wished your letter to reach him you
could address it thus:
JOHN JOHNSON,
''16 John street.
CT II
'Half way between st. Paurs Cathedral
and the Guildhall, just opposite ST.
Swithn's Church and round the corner
from the fire station. London
Suburban estate builders have run the
gamut of family names, one builder naming
his streets after his daughters, another
after his sons, &, third after his deceased
wffe's sister, and so on. And thus in Lon
don the man looking for a person in All
bert street has just seventy-eight different
Albert streets to select fronl-'fe pays his
money and takes his choice" so to speak.
Incidentally he may find going to all the
seventy eight Albert streets very instruct
I've. 1t Is one way of learning something
about London. Again, you may have
friend whom you promise to meet in
George street, not knowing there are fifty
seven other streets of the same name I'm
less you are very specific to indicate the
particular street. to name the exact dis
trict, to describe some conspicuous build
ing or to mention some famous landmark
of the place, you are as likely as not to
fail in the appointment. Speaking of these
family nomes, London has SO James streets,
20 AIfreds, "A Thomases, IS Henrys, 16
Alexanders, AZ Elizabeths, ii Marys 0
Mary AIMS, 3 Emilys, Emmas, ELIAS
and 2 Sophias.
Even the names of great statesmen have
been honored in many different parts of
London in endless duplication. There are
Gladstone streets, 10 Palmerstons,
Pitts, Z Beaconsfields, and so on.
Another favorite expedient in street
names is the adoption of the names of
flowers. There are "a Rose streets, s Vio-
let streets and a number of Daisy streets.
Not the least of the tasks before the Lon
don county council will be the straighten-
ing out of these oft-repeated names. Just
what plan will be adopted has not yet
been decided, but the change that limits
the use of one name to a definite area and
forbids It's use or repetition in that dis
trict will certainly be a welcome one both
to the postal authorities and the unhappy
citizens who have to live In streets with
fifty or sixty duplicated names all over