Dirtey Street

[chocks2]

Can anyone tell me when Dirtey Street changed to Deritend and are there any known origins to the name Dirtey Street.

 

[chocks2]

Dek. I know very little about Dirtey Street other than, in 1535 the historian, John Leyland wrote "I walked along a pretty street that I now know to be called Dirtey Street (Deritend) and crossed a quaint little brook at the ford by the bidge (River Rae) and proceeded up a mean hill of a quater mile (Digbeth) into the village of Birmingeham.

 

[davidfowler]

Hi chocks. Don't know about 1535 but on the excellent Peter Walker's map of 1553 - which was a "conjectural map" drawn about 1880 by Joseph Hill - it's already shown as Deretend.
(Replacement but certainly a version of above map)

 

[mike-g]

I read somewhere ( and I can't remember where ) that the name is because all the rubbish and floatsom from the river came to rest around the area, the area got the name dirty end

 

[chocks2]

For those of you that would like to know more, I found an interesting piece and explination on bildargue.jimdo.com i know many of you are familiar with this website but for those who are not, just go to the website, click on D then Deritend to find the article.l

 

[mikejee]

According to Hutton, Leland was not certain about the name , but staed it was "as I remember".
Bill Dargue ( https://billdargue.jimdo.com/placenames-gazetteer-a-to-y/places-d/deritend/ ) quite reasonably points out that Leland probably missheard deritend and named it dirtey end.
mike

 

[chocks2]

I agree Mike. thats what I have read this afternoon. I have spent hours today researching the man himself who it seems was not only hard of hearing but he couldn't spell his own name either. In some documents he signed as Leyland and in others as Leland. Unless anyone knows different we can assume he made an error. Who knows eh?

 

[col h]

I always though Dirty End was so called because of all smoke from the nail casting workshops in the area.

 

[chocks2]

Col, Maybe Leland was right then but if it was so bad why on earth would he refer to it as a pretty street? Confusing isn't it?

 

[dek carr]

Chocks the date you gave in post #3 1535 would that area have been built up at that time ?Dek

 

[chocks2]

Sorry Dek but I can't remember! Only joking!!
I guess that it would have been by reading between the lines of Lelands writings. It was the main metal working area of Brum at the time.

 

[Wendy]

Brilliant thanks Topsy. One I hadn't seen. Carl and Malcolm look so young a great historical film though.