Wick Street Names

[trinkie]

Do you know where your Street Name originated?

Who was the
Smith of Smith Terrace?
Nicolson of Nicolson Street,
Huddart of Huddart Street - ( famous for Marine charts ??)
Murchison
Kinnaird
Rutherford
Henrietta
Miller
Dunbar
etc etc

[Lavenderblue2]

Do you know where your Street Name originated?

Who was the
Smith of Smith Terrace?
Nicolson of Nicolson Street,
Huddart of Huddart Street - ( famous for Marine charts ??)
Murchison
Kinnaird
Rutherford
Henrietta
Miller
Dunbar
etc etc

Another good one Trinkie - I wonder could the Smith be a link to William Smith the Boys Brigade founder. I know he was born in Thurso but it could be a County honour.
The Dunbar possibly after the Duff Dunbars?
Nicolson could be after John Nicolson of Canisbay who was a collector of Caithness antiquities.
Once again born in Thurso, William Miller was a Free Church missionary of many honours, who was apparently, (quote) was one of the most inspiring men the county has ever produced.

I maybe quite wrong but it's fun to try.

LB

[Dusty]

I'm a Miller and I'm claiming Miller Street coz it was probably named after one of my ancestors so there...

Seriously, what an interesting subject for a post, our local street names, like a lot more in our lives are taken for granted by the vast majority of us.
At a guess, as Pulteneytown was named after the British Fisheries Society chief director Sir William Pulteney, the rest of the street names may also have a similar type of connection.
I look forward to being enlightened, for I am sure that there are Orgers who will have this information or will find it shortly.

Dusty.

[Angela]

This is a great topic!

Looking at my family history, I can see that while most of my relatives were crofters or farm servants, by the late 19th/early 20th century quite a few were living in Pultneytown.

When my Mum retired and moved back to Wick in the 1970s, she lived in Dempster Street, my aunt and uncle were not far away in Lower Dunbar Street. I wonder who lives in their houses now?

I shouldn't think there was anyone important or famous enough in my family to have a street named after them but it would be interesting to know where the names came from - I must say I find those obviously named after women (e.g. Henrietta Street) particularly interesting.

[brandy]

ok what about vansittart?

[Angela]

ok what about vansittart?

That's an unusual name isn't it, brandy?

I think I'll take a look at my family tree (I'd put it away for the summer) and maybe post some of the addresses my relations lived at -maybe some Orgers will be living there now or there again, perhaps the houses will have been demolished

[johno]

That's an unusual name isn't it, brandy?

I think I'll take a look at my family tree (I'd put it away for the summer) and maybe post some of the addresses my relations lived at -maybe some Orgers will be living there now or there again, perhaps the houses will have been demolished

Hi Angela, Dempster street is as exactly as it was when built .there has been little or no demolition there except where the garage [Dunnet,s] is and that was an old church but the houses are all still intact & lived in.

[Lavenderblue2]

ok what about vansittart?

I wonder could this be a Dutch link - I am sure there was a trading link long ago - there certainly was with the flagstones because I think that's why there is a Rotterdam Street in Thurso..
Do you know if we could find out the true origins of these street names both Wick and Thurso it would make a great booklet with interest for both locals and visitors alike.
I would also like to see a booklet in memory of all the old shops we've been recalling - anybody from NOSN looking in?

LB

[trinkie]

Brandy, I have done a quick google - the peerage.com
and it came up with Henry Vansittart the first and last Baron of Bexley.... interesting.
He was a ship's captain.
Someone will tell us if this is the guy !

[trinkie]

By the way Brandy, when I was young it used to be called Fancy Tart Street !!
I was going to add that my grannie and her sisters lived there , but I dont think I'll bother now !

[johno]

Brandy, I have done a quick google - the peerage.com
and it came up with Henry Vansittart the first and last Baron of Bexley.... interesting.
He was a ship's captain.
Someone will tell us if this is the guy !

And doe,snt Bexley terrace lead into Vansittart street.

[Echidna]

ok what about vansittart?

In the Wick seaman's register of the 1890's my 2X great uncle David Alexander, fisherman born Keiss 1858, was living at 14 Vansittart St, Wick...

The register is available to view at ambaile.org.uk

I was having trouble deciphering the Street name from the handwriting and this excellent thread provided the answer. Thanks heaps

Echidna

[trinkie]

Echidna,

Most of Vansittart Street - as your grandfather would have known it - has now gone.
In the 1960s the old Fishermens' cottages were knocked down and
new houses put up, with running hot and cold water and inside toilets ! Such luxury.

My grannie lived in Vansittart street - so she would have known your grandfather! Her house was set in behind the main street. There was a flagstone square and a ''green'' for the washing line etc.
No flowers ! I may have said before, that a horse came in to eat the grass each year !
At the other side a row of coal sheds and the outside loos - all beautifully white-washed. At the back there was another outhouse - they were all stone-built with tiled roofs - where her husband kept his Coopering Tools, all beautifully cleaned and stored.

There was a pub down the road - near to No 14.
At the end of Vansittart Street was the ''Wallie'' where all the old Fishermen would sit and chat and look out for the Herring Boats coming in. Of course the Fishermen knew each boat - even at a distance and could tell what their load was like. Soon word was sent to the Fishing Yards that a certain boat was landing it's catch, and all the Fisher Lassies would be informed..... There would be a mad dash to get to the Yards, the Lassies now dressed in their Fishing Outfits complete with ''clooties'' on their fingers - no rubber gloves at that time, the clooties protected their fingers from sharp bones etc.

The Fishing Yard was now working flat out, with the Coopers banging away and the Lassies Gutting and Packing. There was constant chatter and singing....... and the SMELL !!!

[Ojibwa]

Anyone know how Baron's Well got it's name ?

[trinkie]

Ojibwa asked about Baron's Well......
All I have found out is that there was a Well in or near Willowbank.
I wonder who owned that land - He would have been the Baron I suppose .

I'll continue to ask around..... but you could ask in the Wick Library Archives section. They are usually very helpful.
Trinkie

[trinkie]

I understand Henrietta Street was once called Roseberry Street - is that correct?
I wonder where the name came from.
Trinkie

[johno]

part of henrietta street is roseberry terrace, from the girnigoe st juction[ ex police houses] to where the new houses on the old n,o.s.m.m.b garage used to be ,on that side.
i think that those houses can go under either henrietta st or roseberry tce

[lynne duncan]

I just put back a book to the library on the history of wick, didn't finish reading ti all got up to about 1800, but I think I remember that the henrietta area not street at this time was named after one of the dunbar's wife's. will go back to the library and check.

[trinkie]

I've just spotted another street name ..... MARCH Road Wick.

Now why March? Was there a famous March from this area sometime?
Or is it from the month ??

I bet from now on it will be remembered for the first spotting of the Grasshopper Warbler June 2007 - wouldn't that nice?

[trinkie]

A reminder to folk interested in Genealogy, here you will find the name of the street your ancestors lived in - and who the street was named after .

There has been a query about Davidson in Grant Street -
Grant Street ( or Ducksie as it is fondly called by the locals ) is listed on page 3 of this thread.
I'm sure if you want a picture of ''your street'' some kind person will be happy to oblige.