Street names

The origins and history of placenames, nicknames, local slang, etc.
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tilly
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Joined: Mon 11 Jan, 2010 2:32 pm

Re: Street names

Post by tilly »

A very interesting post like you i would like to know the answer. i hope someone knows the answer we have some very knowledgeable people on this site.
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

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buffaloskinner
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Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Street names

Post by buffaloskinner »

Below are three comments from the Leodis site

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

They may help to solve your query

:o It is believed that many years ago, the Mabgate pub was linked by an underground tunnel to the palace pub in Leeds city centre, and apparently, some evidence of this was found when works were carried out on the site of the old woodpecker junction. It is also thought that the Mabgate pub earned its name from the olden day prostitutes, known as Mable's, who used to frequent the pub, and the area around it.

:o There is an old 19th century word "Mab" which meant:- To dress in a slack, slovenly, or careless manner. It was also used along with, Slattern, Drab, Frowdie, Harlot, Hellicat, Hobby-Horse, Hoyden, Jade, Slut, Strumpet, Tassel, Mouldy-Pudding, Loose-Stocking, Kicksy-Wicksy, or one of over a hundred and fifty, or more, colourful expressions that were used to describe "The Ladies of the Night". In the 19th century, Mabgate itself may well have been "Mabs' Gate".

:lol: Around about the mid 80's, The Mabgate was run by a couple I knew and (I think) they'll had just moved in and I vaguely recall giving them an helping hand one day and we moved something and there was this archway with a wooden door which I think was locked, obviously down in the beer cellar. The 2 sons said they would search for the keys when the pub shut in the afternoon. It was quite exciting really, a bit like an Enid Blyton novel. Anyhow, we went back a bit later and, I can't recall if there was a key or we bashed our way in, but anyway, we managed to get in and the room / tunnel went back a few feet and was bricked up. I'd imagine we'd have declined sledge hammering it down or the whole pub could have come down on our heads OR the River Aire could have cascaded in...Sadly there was no treasure trove or even a time capsule. The couple ran this pub until around, maybe 2000...
Is this the end of the story ...or the beginning of a legend?

SFrench
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Joined: Thu 02 Jul, 2020 8:58 am

Re: Street names

Post by SFrench »

Thanks!
Still a bit unclear on the Mab/Mable difference and how Mable came to mean high status but the secret tunnel sounds interesting - any ideas what it was used for?

SFrench
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Joined: Thu 02 Jul, 2020 8:58 am

Re: Street names

Post by SFrench »

Also, came across an old discussion on this site from 13 years ago - seems the tales of a tunnel may have been just that!
See viewtopic.php?f=14&t=151

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blackprince
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Re: Street names

Post by blackprince »

SFrench wrote:
Sat 29 Aug, 2020 6:08 pm
Sorry if this has been covered already but does anyone know the origin of ‘Mabgate’? Wikipedia says that ‘mab’ is an old word for prostitute and in an article in YEP it stated that it’s short for ‘Mable-gate’ with ‘mable’ also an old word for prostitute although the dictionaries say that ‘mable’ is slang for a classy or high status woman. Can anyone shed any more light on this?
I wonder what the ladies of Mablethorpe think of this explanation :)

I assume that the gate means street from the Viking word gata. Or was this pub near a significant gateway to Leeds?
It used to be said that the statue of the Black Prince had been placed in City Square , near the station, pointing South to tell all the southerners who've just got off the train to b****r off back down south!

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