La Beche - Lamb, Lambe Alley

A Dictionary of London. Originally published by H Jenkins LTD, London, 1918.

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'La Beche - Lamb, Lambe Alley', in A Dictionary of London, (London, 1918) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/dictionary-of-london/la-beche-lamb-lambe-alley [accessed 18 March 2024]

In this section

La Beche

See Beech Lane, Beech Street.

Labour in Vain Court

West out of Old Fish Street Hill, in Queenhithe Ward (O. and M. 1677-O.S. 1848-50).

Removed for the formation of Queen Victoria Street.

"Labour in Vain Yard" (Rocque, 1746-Strype, 1755).

Named after the sign "Labour in Vain." The sign was "Two women scrubbing a negro." It was also meant to typify the excellence of the ale brewed in the house, which defied the competition of the women brewers in the industry.

Labour in Vain Court

South out of Upper Thames Street at No. 51, opposite Bread Street Hill (Lockie, 1816).

Not named in the maps.

Labour in Vain Hill

The southern portion of Old Fish Street Hill was so called (W. Stow, 1722-Boyle, 1799).

Lockie, 1810, mentions it as a former name of Old Fish Street Hill.

Labour in Vain Yard

See Labour in Vain Court, Old Fish Street Hill.

Lad Court

In Wood Street (Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Lad Lane

West from Milk Street to Wood Street, in Cripplegate Ward Within, in continuation of Cateaton Street, now forms part of the present Gresham Street (q.v.).

Earliest mention : "Ladelane," 1301 (Cal. L. Bk. C. p. 238).

Other forms : "Laddelane," 14 Ed. II. 1320 (Cal. P.R. Ed. II. 1317-21, p. 589). "Ladellane," 1361 (Ct. H.W. II. 72). "Laddellane," 1419 (ib. 417). "Lad lane," 1445-6 {ib. 507). "Ludlane," 35 H. VIII. 1543 (L. and P. H. VIII. XVIII. Pt. 1, 554). "Lade Lane" otherwise "Ladde Lane," 1561-2 (Ct. H.W. II. 677).

Stow speaks of it as "Ladle lane," or "Ladle hall," corruptly called Lad lane (p. 298), and though the earliest form appears to be "Ladelane," this does not altogether disprove his statement, for the second "l" required to represent the pronunciation "Ladellane" might easily have been slurred over in ordinary speech and omitted by a scribe of the period, to whom the spelling of names often presented serious difficulties. On the other hand, Stow may himself have been in error in suggesting that the second "l" formed an integral part of the name. In either case it is not easy to discover a satisfactory derivation of the name.

Perhaps from A.S. "lad "="a way, path."

The name Gresham Street superseded the old appellation in 1845.

Lady Bitch's House

Opposite Banister's Court, now or later the dwelling of Dr. Salmon, a good large building, with a graceful front towards the Thames (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 194).

Site now occupied by the railway lines.

Lady Holles' School

At the south-east corner of Redcross Street, in Cripplegate Ward Without (O.S. 1880).

Lady's Yard

Out of Harrow Alley, Aldgate High Street, in Portsoken Ward (Lockie, 1816).

Not named in the maps.

Lamb (Ye)

A messuage so called in parish of St. Dunstan in "le Weste" on the north side of Fleatstreate, 31 Eliz. (Lond. I. p.m. III. 137).

The Lamb or Holy Lamb near Temple Bar in Fleet Street, 1653 (L. and P. Commoaw. V. 300).

Named after the Lamb, the arms of the Middle Temple.

No later mention.

Lamb Alley

West out of Bishopsgate, in Bishopsgate Ward Without, at No. 144 (O.S. 1880, and N. and Q. 11th S. III. p. 3).

First mention : 1614 (End. Ch. St. Botolph's Rep. 1901, p. 18).

Other names : "Lamb Alley," alias "Bell Alley," 1625 (End. Ch. Rep. 1829, p. 54). "Angel Alley" (O. and M. 1677).

In this map a small portion of Angel Alley running north is called "Lamb Alley."

Said to have derived its name from the sign of the "Lamb Tavern" (N. and Q. 11th S. III. p. 3).

The site is now occupied by Liverpool Street Station, etc.

Lamb Alley

West out of Abchurch Lane to Sherborn Lane (O. and M. 1677-Boyle, 1799). In Candlewick and Walbrook Wards.

Removed for the formation of King William Street and the western end not rebuilt, the site being occupied by offices and warehouses.

Name derived from the sign.

Lamb Alley

East out of Old Change, in Farringdon Ward Within (Strype, ed. 1720-Boyle, 1799).

Earliest mention : Tenements there left by John Harrison for the most ancient dwellers, decayed persons, within the parish of St. Augustine's, 1625-6 (MSS. Ho. of Lords in H. MSS. Com. 4th Rep. 8).

Site rebuilt, now occupied by offices and chambers, etc.

Lamb Court

North out of Lamb Alley, in Bishopsgate Ward Without (Horwood, 1799-Elmes, 1831).

First mention : "Lamb Yard" (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 108). "Lamb's Yard" (London Guide, 1758).

The site seems to be covered by "Blyth's Buildings" (q.v.) in O.S. 1848-51.

Lamb Court

West out of Lambeth Hill, in Castle Baynard Ward (O. and M. 1677).

See Green Arbour Court.

Lamb Court

West out of Abchurch Lane, south of Lamb Alley. In Candlewick Ward (O. and M. 1677, to Boyle, 1799).

"Lamb's Court" in Strype, eds. 1720 and 1755.

Removed for the formation of King William Street.

Lamb Court, Hart Street, Cripplegate

See Lamb's Chapel Court.

Lamb Yard, Lamb's Yard, Lamb Alley, Bishopsgate

See Lamb Court.

Lamb, Lambe Alley

Messuages and tenements called "Lambe alley" alias "Mayden allev," in Aldersgate street, in parish of St. Buttolph without Aldersgate, near "lez Werslers," 30 Eliz. (Lond. I. p.m. III. p. 110).

Not identified.

Qy.=Maidenhead Court, Aldersgate Street.