The stories behind our street names

DAKIN ROAD (Chamberlin Road)
Dakin Road was named after a Norwich tea king who devoted much of his time to public life.

William Howard Dakin (right) was born at Great Yarmouth in 1829 and became a senior partner in the firm of Dakin & Co, tea merchants, first in Davey Place and then Bedford Street.

They also handled the famous Norwich Ninham’s cake mixes and other products that have now been given a new lease of life.

William was Mayor of Norwich in 1889 and was a leading member of a host of organisations. He had been a member of the council for many years and became an Alderman of the City.

He was also chairman of the Norwich City Asylum Committee from 1882 to 1907 and chairman of the City Mission and Trader’s Association.

He was also Senior Deacon of the Unthank Road Baptist Church and for more than 40 years superintendent of the Sunday School.

At the age of 75 he was described as “upright and vigorous as he was 30 years ago”.

He also had a very fine beard!

DARRELL PLACE (Cadge Road)

ONE of the best loved doctors that ever worked in Norwich — one who dedicated his life to looking after the sick and the poor in the city slums.

Harrington Wyndham Darrell.

His name was Harrington Wyndham Darrell but he was known to everybody as “Dr Harry” — a man with a big heart and our very own “Dr Dolittle.”

In a world before the NHS, Harry would treat anyone, whatever the size of their wallet, and he represented people in one of the toughest of all the districts — Ber Street.

When he died in 1920, aged 56, hundreds of people lined the streets from his home in All Saints Green to St Peter Mancroft where his funeral was held.
Harry loved people and he also loved animals. Especially horses and dogs.

He was said to have one of the largest studs of racing harness horses and ponies in England — more then 25 of them, many imported from Canada and America. He also had a big kennel where he kept the biggest and smallest dogs in the country.

In fact he usually carried one of his “toy” dogs in his pocket as he went about his business in Norwich. After he died a drinking trough for horses was erected in All Saints Green. It was later moved to near the Shirehall.

Members of the Darrell family at the dedication of the restored water trough at Castle Meadow with former Mayor Ron Borrett.

When Castle Mall was built it was moved again and rededicated two years ago on Castle Meadow. Members of his family travelled from Bermuda for the simple ceremony with the then Lord Mayor Ron Borrett.

Dr Harry had quite a background.

Born in Bermuda he was the second son of Sir John Darrell, Consul for the Netherlands in the old British Colony. Educated in Toronto he arrived in London to train as a doctor and then arrived in Norwich. He worked as a doctor in the city for more than 35 years — during which time he cared for a lot of people and animals.

Dr D was also a member of the Norfolk and Norwich Kennel Club and was also interested in ornithology especially foreign birds. Give him a thought next time you pass by his memorial in Castle Meadow.

DANIELS ROAD (Newmarket Road to Ipswich Road)
Today the popular and busy garden centre is called Notcutts, but it used to be Daniel Bros., and the name of the road reminds us all of its history.
In the early part of the century Daniels had shops in the Royal Arcade and in Bedford Street with nurseries at Newmarket Road.

DAVEY PLACE (The Walk)
COLOURFUL Alderman Jonathan Davey (1760-1814) lived the high life at Eaton Hall where, by all accounts, he gave some grand parties.
In 1812, just before his death, he invited freemen “of the blue and white interest” to dine with him beneath the trees at Eaton.
According to a report at the time: “The guests numbered 500 and were refreshed by Alderman Yallop at his cottage with a pint of beer each — 600 of which were swallowed in 20 minutes.”
There is also a story that Davey once declared: “I mean to put a bullet in the King’s head.”
Some took his remark as a serious threat to the life of King George III, but soon after he bought the old King’s Head Inn on The Walk. It was demolished and a great hole appeared in the front of the old building.
Davey Place was built in 1812/13 with a new King’s Head at the end.
Jonathan Davey was Sheriff of Norwich in 1800. He married Emma Cozens, daughter of Jeremiah Cozens, and they had three daughters.
He died in 1814 and was buried at the Baptist Meeting House, Colegate

DENMARK ROAD (Magdalen to Sprowston Road)
The “House of Lepers” and the chapel on its north side which became the Lazar House library was built by Herbert de Lozinga in 1119.
In 1547, it was granted to Sir Robert Southwell and John Corbet.
In the early 19th century it was owned by farmer William Denmark and the chapel was used as a barn.
More recently there was a belt of woodland running alongside the north side of the present road.
In the first years of the last century many tram workers lived in these parts because they were close to the Electric Tramway Company sheds.

DENMARK OPENING (Sprowston Road)
Another commemoration of William Denmark, farmer of the 1820s and later his sons.
Up until about 1880 the land around the Opening was farm land and then, about the turn of the century, allotment gardens were cultivated.
The houses nearby on Sprowston Road were built between 1883 and 1907.

DE HAGUE ROAD (Corie Road)
From 1774 to 1826 the office of Town Clerk of Norwich was held by Elisha De Hague and his son of the same name.
They were a father and son who were powerful civic figures in old Norwich.
The elder was born in 1717 in the parish of St Michael Coslany and was appointed Speaker of the Common Council of the City in 1754.
Then in 1774 he became Town Clerk and he held this office until his death in 1792.
For more than 25 years he was also the Norwich Postmaster.
His portrait, painted by Adolphe, is in the city collection.
His son was Town Clerk from 1792 until his death in 1826.

DEREHAM ROAD (from St Benedict’s Street)
Just picture the scene… When Queen Elizabeth I left Norwich through St Benet’s-gates to Dereham Road in 1578 they were, according to a report at the time: “Hanged with cords made of herbs and flowers, with garlands, coronets, pictures with cloths and a thousand devices.”
At the time it was said the Queen told those who pushed the boat out for her in Norwich: “I have laid up in my breast such good will as I shall never forget Norwich.”
Nor did Norwich ever forget the visit — it was also claimed that “the trainees of Her Majesty’s carriage left the plague behind them” and thousands died.

DON PRATT COURT (Mousehold Street)
SO many of our roads are named after people long forgotten, but not this one. Don Pratt, who died earlier this year, was a man who devoted his life to helping others. He was, in every sense of the word, a true man of the people. One who rose from humble beginnings to represent Norwich with style, dignity and humour. Don, a great family man who was married to his sweetheart Dorothy for more then 60 years, was Lord Mayor in 1971 when he turned in the twinkling of an eye from playing host to the Queen Mother to having a laugh with young boxers at his beloved Lads Club.

He was one of the best-loved and most popular characters to become our first citizen in recent years and when elected he said: “I can’t hope to be the best Lord Mayor the city has ever had, but I am going to be the best Lord Mayor Don Pratt can be.”
Born and bred in Norwich he went on to spend 27 years serving as a Labour city councillor. People of all ages and from all walks of life went to him with their problems and he always did what he could to help them.

Looking back to his early years he recalled how, as a young boy, he sat with his widowed mother before the Norwich Board of Guardians worrying whether they would be given an extra few shillings to keep them going.
“I was seven when my father died in the 1920s.
“There was mass unemployment. Housing was poor, welfare services almost non-existent,” he said.
“I was increasingly moved by the feeling that there must be something better than the system we were living under at the time,” explained Don.

The former pupil at Nelson Street School served an apprenticeship with Thompsons the tinplate company.
After serving in the RAF during the war he joined the engineering merchants Herrells and became deputy managing director.

When he became Sheriff in 1978 his colleagues on the council decided to name a sheltered housing project at Mousehold Street after him in honour of his work on the social services committee.

After he stepped down from the council Don continued to be involved with a host of activities and organisations. He loved football — local clubs and his Canaries — and the world famous King Street Lads Club. But above all he loved his family and the people of Norwich.
He died in March leaving children Don, Sylvia, and Rodney and several grandchildren.

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