FURTHER to my recent article on the subject, I have discovered more of the background to Greenock’s street names.

In the Fancy Farm area can be found streets named after ancient Scottish kings or castles associated with them — Cawdor Place, Fergus Drive and Glamis Place.

I understand that an appeal by Greenock Burns Club (the Mother Club) led to our National Bard being remembered principally by Burns Road but also by Carrick Terrace, Glencairn Road, Jean Armour Terrace and Mauchline Terrace.

Renowned Clyde steamers of the past are commemorated by Darliada Road, Jupiter Lane, Kylemore Terrace and Minerva Terrace. In the Gibshill area the names Cobham, Keir Hardie and Lansbury are linked with Socialist leaders from days gone.

Names associated with areas south of the border include Cambridge, Cumberland, Devon, Dorset, Essex and Oxford.

I am unaware of any objection ever being made to these names being applied but I would be interested to know why they were chosen when one might have thought names more appropriate to the west of Scotland were available.

A Telegraph article of 1965 stated that the town’s shortest street was Wemyss Bay Street, a cul-de-sac about 50 feet long off Drumfrochar Road. The widest street was the Esplanade which varied in width, but at its broadest part — including pavements and verges — was 112 feet. Its average width at that time was 100 feet.

Wemyss Bay Street and the Esplanade remain today but Waverley Lane, which in 1965 was the narrowest street open to vehicular traffic, disappeared when the town centre was redeveloped.

It was less than 20 feet wide. The accompanying picture of Waverley Lane possibly dates to the 1930s.

Sugarhouse Lane, which ran north from the High Street, was another town centre thoroughfare that vanished.

In 1965 it was thought to be one of the oldest streets. It took its name from a sugarhouse built in 1765.