Forum Topic

The Brentford Project  (Ballymore) and the new street names!

Part of the new development is now open to the public... in particular that entrance near St Lawrence Church.You can make your own judgement about what you think of it all.I wandered round recently looking for Sam's Coffee Shop. It opened some 10 days ago and is called SAM'S LARDER. It's in a street called KINGHAM AVENUE which is littered with overhanging structures thatyou may or may  not find overpowering.Another 'street' is called BRADSHAW YARD which was half expected.A tall block of apartments is calledHOLLANDBURY perhaps linking Frank Holland 's old Piano Museum with the project.What would our Nigel Moore RIP think of the new RIDGEWAYS WHARF I wonder.Hopefully it will be some kind of water feature to break up the sights all round.Last but not least so far..I noticed a new street called BRENT WAY!So Brentford will now have two of those !

Jim Lawes ● 540d10 Comments

Here's a bit of history.In July 2017, following a cleaning inspection with Hounslow Highways, I wanted them to clean this path which was not in their routine cleaning plan. They went to try and find it on Brentford Dock but I pointed out it was on the more sophisticated side of the Brent.I Wrote "I think this footpath needs a name as at the moment it confuses everybody.I suggest Creek Alley: it’s descriptive and a bit of a pun if you’re an old git and remember the Mamas and the Papas first hit single (Creeque Alley)"By December 2017 I heard; "The Council’s local historian (Mr. James Marshall) has conducted a history search for the Brentford Wardabout footpath and the following names have been proposed:(i) Montgomary's Wharf/Walk/Lane/Pavement. (note that for a footpath Walk is the appropriate suffix we use)(ii) Saw Mill Wharf/Way(iii) Timber Wharf Walk/Way(iv) Timber Yard/Walk/WayPlease note that the name “Montgomary” has been used in Chiswick to label a block of flats, hence it is more than likely to receive an objection from the London Fire Service.In June 2018, I heard this from officers:"First phase of this Street Naming and Numbering consultation has been completed.London Fire service has objected on the name “Montgomery’s” on the ground of duplication in the surrounding area. Royal Mail has no objection to any of the names.We did not receive any response from the Residents Association regarding this matter.We will serve a “Notice of Intent” for a statutory period of one month in the location to get further view of the local residents whether they have any objection or not on the following names:Street/Footpath Name:  (i) Sawmill Wharf Walk(ii) Timber Wharf Walk(iii) Timber Yard Walk"I liked Timber WHarf whereas Steve Curran (in his ward, after all) preferred Sawmill but he graciously submitted to my superior taste.Looking on Ballymore stuff many months ago I saw Monty making a late run. I wonder whether they can overcome the Firemen's displeasure about Monty

Guy Lambert ● 520d

Guy mentions that the COLOURFUL CAR PARK was possibly going to called MONTGOMERY something or other.But Monty was much associated with Chiswick not Brentford. He flirted there, lived there,got married there and has Council homes named after him.Regarding the other Jim's indepth posting. I personally like the "Yard' term. I'm reminded  that the Kings Cross hot spot is called YARDS too.

Jim Lawes ● 520d

Core blimey Tim ...that's an outstanding explanation.So it doesn't concern Frank Holland at all!How can the Road Naming Team be so sophisticated on the one hand.. and yet duplicate Brent Way on the other.NO WAY would be a good name for the Pathway to Brent Dock Estate.

Jim Lawes ● 521d

Hollandbury and Lewis('s Incomparable) were new to me as apple varieties but they are indeed in Pyrus Malus Brentfordiensis.For Hollandbury, Ronalds wrote"A very large and beautiful sauce apple; tankard-shaped with four or five slightly projecting ribs; both eye and stalk rather deeply seated in a narrow cavity.it is of a straw colour, three-fourths covered with unmixed crimson. The fruit has a very elegant appearance on the tree for some time before gathering, but liable, from its weight, to be blown down in tempestuous weather.The tree is diffuse in its growth, and the leaves unusually small for a large sort; it is a good bearer,and in use from October till Christmas."The online version (with coloured plates) is available athttps://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00010106/00001/images

Tim Henderson ● 521d

On the subject of names of roads already taken, Some years ago in my former life as a member of Hounslow council, I suggested that where this occurred as in long roads - Twickenham Rd., Uxbridge Rd. etc. which can run through several neighbourhoods - that the useful thing might be to put the postcode on the street signs, so that people not familiar with an area would find that helpful. It never saw the light of day, so shows what I know! Really though can't see any reason why it couldn't be used in this case?

Vanessa Smith ● 522d

a few years ago when we improved the footpath opposite Morrisons down the side of Heidelberg I wanted a name for it because Hounslow Highways couldn't find it when I reported anything,I proposed Creeque Alley which I thought would be a bit of fun after a song from my yoof or just call it Point Wharf Lane which it runs into, but I didn't know I was treading on quicksand. About a year later I heard from the name executive - we were offered Timber Wharf Walk (chosen by the Syon cllrs), Montgomery Wharf (which I have a feeling it will be named when the Ballymore Car Park opens and a similar one which I forget. The name had to feature a firm or trade that was there in the 18th century and it was beyond the pale to adopt an adopted path the same as an unadopted one that linked to it.When they wanted to name roads around the football ground (not real as it turned out) i suggested they should be after Bees heroes of earlier years or someone famous locally EG Tommy Cooper and someone else but TC was from Chiswick not Brentford and the other one (forget) was still alive - both nonoes. The roads were finally called North, South, East and West roads despite them already been a North one already in  Brentford.I suggested Beldam Road in the Reynard development but told that was impossible because there's a Beldam Close in Feltham.

Guy Lambert ● 522d

Jim - LB Hounslow have a Street Naming & Numbering Team which comes up with new street names in consultation with local historians and the emergency services. I believe that Kingham Avenue is named after Joseph Kingham & Sons, wholesale grocers, who began business in the 1870s at 86 High Street and later moved to 40 Kew Bridge Road.Three of Ballymore's blocks - Hollandbury, Calville, and Lewis - are named after varieties of apple described in Hugh Ronalds' beautiful book of 1831. The block called Hugh House is named after the man himself.I don't think that there will be a road called Brent Way. I guess that this is being used by the marketing people because they looked at an old map!Ballymore eventually gave up on the ridiculously twee idea of using the term "lanes", and the suffix "yards" will be used throughout. Catherine Wheel Road will revert to its original name of Catherine Wheel Yard.

Jim Storrar ● 523d

Some 10-15 years ago on this Forum...there was much discussion about matters "South of the High Street" and in particular NIGEL MOORE (RIP) used the word YARDS regarding the future developments...that were being proposed all that time ago.I recall Nigel mentioning YARDS in relation to his Western Australian home in Perth too.Nigel struggled with the Canal Authorities for years. He won in the end...but his battle against cancer was sad and too great. RIP Nigel.. and best wishes to his best friend Gill.

Jim Lawes ● 523d

The 'yards' were initially going to be called 'lanes - and 'lanes' is still to be found on some of the (old?) Ballymore literature. I have been assured by Jim Storrar of Brentford Voice that the word 'yard' will be used. This, I believe, reflects the usage of years gone by. I believe, also, that new names of roads have to be approved by the Council. (I don't know about buildings.) Correct me if I'm wrong, somebody!

Anne England ● 524d

Was there a questionnaire asking the people of Brentford to name Roads-Blocks of flats ect,if not why

Andrew Buckland ● 524d