London Trivia: 'What's in a name?" of Tube stations?
Nov 20th, 2008, 11:08 AM
#81
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MARBLE ARCH
Of course named for the Marble Arch near it - at Oxford Street and Edware Road - erected originally in front of Buckingham Palace - and moved here in 1850-51 - 'where it was the entrance to Hyde Park until 1908.
Nash 'more or less designed it after the Arch of Constantine in Rome - made of Carrara Marble.
All hail the conquering Brits!
Of course named for the Marble Arch near it - at Oxford Street and Edware Road - erected originally in front of Buckingham Palace - and moved here in 1850-51 - 'where it was the entrance to Hyde Park until 1908.
Nash 'more or less designed it after the Arch of Constantine in Rome - made of Carrara Marble.
All hail the conquering Brits!
Nov 20th, 2008, 12:45 PM
#87
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Better let flannerpooch take over ole man - what is the title of this thread?
<London Trivia: What's in a name of Tube stations>
Yours of course and of course Hainault is NOT French though one could make a basis for many many English words being really of French origin.
<London Trivia: What's in a name of Tube stations>
Yours of course and of course Hainault is NOT French though one could make a basis for many many English words being really of French origin.
Nov 21st, 2008, 02:46 AM
#88
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The Essex Hainault claims its names derives from old English (which makes a certain sense) and has no connection with Philippa of Hainault, wife of Edward III. That Hainault is now a part of France and what isn't is in Francophone Belgium. She reputedly persuaded him to release the Burghers of Calais after he had set out to execute a few for resisting his siege army (as in the Rodin sculpture, a copy of which can be seen in the Victoria Gardens next to the House of Lords).
It wouldn't be surprising if property developers (even centuries back) managed to create some kind of association with royalty, especially one that's always had a good press.
It wouldn't be surprising if property developers (even centuries back) managed to create some kind of association with royalty, especially one that's always had a good press.
Nov 21st, 2008, 06:54 AM
#89
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flanner - my apologies for getting it wrong once again - i guess you are saying that in addition to Bernard Hinault, famous French Tour rider there was an English Hinault riding as well?
HINAULT TUBE STOP
'not of French origin but corruption of earlier Hyneholt - derived from OE hiwan - 'household' and holt (wood) - meaning 'household on the land with a wood' Modern spelling seems to arise from a fictitious link with a Philippa of Hinault'
HINAULT TUBE STOP
'not of French origin but corruption of earlier Hyneholt - derived from OE hiwan - 'household' and holt (wood) - meaning 'household on the land with a wood' Modern spelling seems to arise from a fictitious link with a Philippa of Hinault'
Nov 21st, 2008, 07:51 AM
#92
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MINDING THE ABOVE GAP
COVENT GARDEN
once the walled enclosure of monks of Westminster Abbey - 1491 'Covent Garden' (from the old French 'couvent'.
So Covent Garden is one Tube station with a French derived name
COVENT GARDEN
once the walled enclosure of monks of Westminster Abbey - 1491 'Covent Garden' (from the old French 'couvent'.
So Covent Garden is one Tube station with a French derived name
Nov 21st, 2008, 08:20 AM
#94
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"Why is it Covent but not Convent?"
Wrong question.
These places, the OED says, were first known in the 14th century as couvents - apparently taken from the French, even though the first reference (Wycliffe) was in English.
However, as every fule kno, they were called conventa in Latin - and Latin was the language they were most often referred to in. So by about 1550, the word morphed into the "more correct" (cos thats how them Latins said it) "convent".
'Convent' is a pig-ignorant pedant's invention, in other words.
Now being sensible fruitsellers, costermongers, hookers and their punters, the Covent Garden community had a far better grasp of English than the pretentious show offs who'd invented 'convent'. So they kept on speaking proper English
Wrong question.
These places, the OED says, were first known in the 14th century as couvents - apparently taken from the French, even though the first reference (Wycliffe) was in English.
However, as every fule kno, they were called conventa in Latin - and Latin was the language they were most often referred to in. So by about 1550, the word morphed into the "more correct" (cos thats how them Latins said it) "convent".
'Convent' is a pig-ignorant pedant's invention, in other words.
Now being sensible fruitsellers, costermongers, hookers and their punters, the Covent Garden community had a far better grasp of English than the pretentious show offs who'd invented 'convent'. So they kept on speaking proper English
Nov 21st, 2008, 10:20 AM
#96
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WATERLOO
'though commonly (and erroneously) thought to have been named to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo, the name really comes from a public Loo that once stood here and which was periodically flushed with water - thus the name Waterloo.'
'though commonly (and erroneously) thought to have been named to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo, the name really comes from a public Loo that once stood here and which was periodically flushed with water - thus the name Waterloo.'
Nov 21st, 2008, 12:01 PM
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I always thought it was funny (and probably not coincidental) that the Froggies used to enter London through a station named for the scene of Napoleon's comeuppance.
For many years, Waterloo was the northern terminus of the boat trains serving the Dover and Folkestone ferries, and after that the Eurostar from the channeltunnel.
For many years, Waterloo was the northern terminus of the boat trains serving the Dover and Folkestone ferries, and after that the Eurostar from the channeltunnel.
