SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

The use of the road name 'The Calls' seems to be that used on most of the maps I've seen and all business addresses, but name signs on that road give it as 'Calls'. I have seen 'Calls' given for part of the road and 'The Calls' for most of it. I am wondering if there is an official name for all of the road? I am also curious how 'The Calls' came into use, as you do not for example hear of 'The Briggate' nor 'The Kirkgate'.

Here's a little bit from the 'Street Names' thread -Ian R PUser Location: Beeston, LeedsJoined on: 19-May-2007 23:02:51Posted: 57 posts # Posted on: 23-May-2007 23:46:35.    Hi,When I was at college we did a history of Briggate The area where Briggate meets the river at Leeds Bridge is where the original medieval settlement was.We were told that the streets around were named after the particular types of animal left grazing in them. ie Swinegate, Boar Lane and The Calls. The first two are obvious, but it was said that the calls came from 'cows' and over the years has mutated into calls. Dunno what you think of that.And -fluffysheepUser Location: LeedsJoined on: 16-May-2007 17:34:35Posted: 81 posts # Posted on: 25-Jun-2007 13:19:22.    Saw this on the tourist/historical information board outside the Parish Church/The Palace, a suggestion for where the name "The Calls" comes from."The area behind the Parish Church extending along the riverside to Leeds Bridge has for centuries been known as The Calls. It's name probably derives from the Latin 'callis' - a narrow track or from the wooden piles or 'calls' driven into the river bank to prevent it being washed away"         

Leodian wrote: The use of the road name 'The Calls' seems to be that used on most of the maps I've seen and all business addresses, but name signs on that road give it as 'Calls'. I have seen 'Calls' given for part of the road and 'The Calls' for most of it. I am wondering if there is an official name for all of the road? I am also curious how 'The Calls' came into use, as you do not for example hear of 'The Briggate' nor 'The Kirkgate'. A curious point. You do, of course, hear of The Headrow.

raveydavey wrote: Leodian wrote: The use of the road name 'The Calls' seems to be that used on most of the maps I've seen and all business addresses, but name signs on that road give it as 'Calls'. I have seen 'Calls' given for part of the road and 'The Calls' for most of it. I am wondering if there is an official name for all of the road? I am also curious how 'The Calls' came into use, as you do not for example hear of 'The Briggate' nor 'The Kirkgate'. A curious point. You do, of course, hear of The Headrow. That's true raveydavey. It is strange how some things sound right yet other things sound wrong. For example I would say to someone "I'll meet you on Briggate" whereas for elsewhere I would for example say "I'll meet you on the Headrow". "I'll meet you on the Briggate" and "I'll meet you on Headrow" sound horribly wrong!

Thanks chameleon for the interesting information in your post.

I remember many years ago reading in the YEP that The Calls was the route the Romans took to the river.

Leodian wrote: It is strange how some things sound right yet other things sound wrong. For example I would say to someone "I'll meet you on Briggate" whereas for elsewhere I would for example say "I'll meet you on the Headrow". "I'll meet you on the Briggate" and "I'll meet you on Headrow" sound horribly wrong! Off topic a bit, but there are other strange anomalies in the English language.We say the River Aire, or the River Thames, but not the Channel Bristol, or Estuary Humber.    

Interesting point Si, which I've never thought of. Saying the Aire River for example sounds very odd. As for my original query I have tried to think of other examples in Leeds where I would say "the" other than "the Headrow" and "the Calls" examples but I cannot think of any, though I think there must surely be some. Mind you 'The Calls' seems to be the name now mainly used for that road, but saying such as "I'll see you on the The Calls" sounds strange!

The 'River Aire'-style word order seems to be just a UK thing too - in other English-speaking countries such as Australia and America they use the reverse format, for example, the Murray River, Hudson River etc.

After a quick review of the city centre map, the only other "The" I can see in the city centre is "The Chandlers", which are those 80's riverside apartments behind the Parish Church off (spookily enough) The Calls....Funnily enough if you look at Google maps, there appears to be an interesting point about The Calls - the section from Maude Street to High Court is labeled separately as "Calls " and "The Calls". How odd!