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Ilkeston - A Royal Connection
w/e 25 May 2025
All of this week's pictures were taken with a Nikon D3300
I pass Coronation Street on an almost daily basis but this week
it crossed my mind about how many other street names in Ilkeston
had a Royal connection. The name Coronation Street first appeared
on OS maps about 1913 so presumably it was in recognition of
King George V and his wife Mary's Coronation in 1911.
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Queen Street on the other hand, on the other side of South Street
to Coronation Street, is shown on earlier maps and being crossed
by Albert Street is named in honour of Queen Victoria and her
husband Prince Albert.
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The later tree-lined extension of Queen Street to Oakwell Drive
and the Rutland Recreation Ground was named Queen's Drive.
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This is a view of Albert Street from Derby Road with the URC
at the other end beyond the Queen Street/ Queen's Drive junction.
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Going back even further in history to the Regency period (1811
- 1820) could be the reason for the naming of Regent Street.
King George III became mentally ill and his eldest son became
Prince Regent to act in his father's place following the Regency
Act of 1811. Following his father's death he became King George
IV in 1820.
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Another of Ilkeston's old streets is King Street which sits either
side of Station Road. This could and may be named in honour of
any number of Kings.
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But King George Avenue is undoubtedly named after King George
V who visited the town with his wife Queen Mary in 1914 to open
the Ilkeston County Secondary School. This later became the Grammar
School and is now the Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy.
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Another tree-lined Ilkeston Street with King in its name is Kingsway
which runs from high on Longfield Lane down to Little Hallam
Lane. The 1913 OS map shows houses on most of Kingsway but the
parallel Queen's Avenue has only a couple at that time.
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By the time of the 1938 edition of the OS map Queen's Avenue
had been almost fully developed but in contrast to Kingsway,
it was not tree-lined and now it offers much more extensive views
than its neighbour.
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A much more recent development is off Ebenezer Street where one
small cul-de-sac is a nod to the past. It's called Victoria Street.
Thinking about it there are several more streets that could,
in name alone, be a connection to Royalty. For example, Queen
Elizabeth Drive and Windsor Crescent, both at Kirk Hallam. There's
also Kingston Avenue at Hallam Fields, Charlotte Street (there
once was a Queen Charlotte), Balmoral Road, Charles Close, Catherine
Avenue, Sandringham Place and even John Street if you want to
go back that far! OK I admit some of them are a bit tenuous but,
although it's not a street, there's always Victoria Park of course.
But I'm sure there are more. Tudor Place anyone? Other suggestions
welcome.
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