london road with a mystery 'the' at the beginning -why?

[joko]

why are some london roads given the 'honour' of being called the kings road, the portobello road etc

these roads don't have the on the signs, so why?

other roads all over the country don't have this - is it some kind of bizarre arrogance of the people of london who live and work there and its just stuck over time?

there is a kings road near me and guess what...everyone here just calls it kings road.

any ideas?

[joko]

gef - is it broomielaw road?

[joko]

logman - thats my question - what is so important about them that they get a 'the' as far as i know they are just roads, like any other.

[jno]

Oxford Street is so named because the Earl of Oxford lived there. If it had been named because it was the route to Oxford, it would be Oxford Road and quite likely the Oxford Road.

[Gef]

No joko it is just Broomielaw.

[joko]

Gef -

Broomielaw, The
Named after the Brumelaw Croft, a stretch of land along the Clyde, the Broomielaw extends from Victoria Bridge to Anderston Quay in Glasgow. Originally the main port of Glasgow, it was remodelled by Thomas Telford as a steamboat quay for the thousands of immigrants who came over from Ireland in the mid 19th Century. It was also the place where many of the citizens of Glasgow embarked on their holidays, as they sailed 'doon the watter' on paddlesteamers heading for the resorts of the Clyde.

Not a road..... so doesn't really count

[Gef]

Sorry joko but it is a road. I live in Glasgow and I've driven my car along it - legally.

Have a look at this map http://www.multimap.com/map/places.cgi?client=public&lang=&advanced=&keepicon=true&quicksearch=broomilaw%2C+glasgow

[joko]

well, it doesn't really matter anyway - if it was called broomielaw road then maybe it would, but its called 'the broomielaw' because its a quayside, and a road came later.

besides, one road in scotland doesn't alter the fact that it happens with a lot of ordinary roads in london.

I love that name though - broomielaw ;o)

[Gef]

I agree joko it doesn't really matter. The Broomielaw is one of the best known places in Glasgow's history. If you get bored try a google search.

[orangey_500]

also, why do some countries have 'the' before it, like The Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates The Netherlands, The Algiers.?