From Mr Malcolm Jackson Sir: With regard to Dot Wordsworth's
puz- zlement as to why we use the definite arti- cle with names of some roads and streets (16 October), I strongly suspect that the answer is as follows. Names that actually started off as names (i.e. imposed by the fiat of local councils or whoever) never get the definite article. Names which didn't start off as names but as commonly used meaningful descriptions, where the definite article would be required by normal English usage, have retained the article (thus the Old Kent Road, the Great North Road, etc.). Presumably (and I only sur- mise), the King's Road was not named as such by some local authority but was com- monly referred to in this way because it was the standard route by which the monarch and his retinue transferred themselves to some out-of-town residence (Hampton Court?).
Malcolm Jackson
Flat 7, 57 Crystal Palace Road, London SE22
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