Places / Streets etc that sound nothing like they are spelled

The origins and history of placenames, nicknames, local slang, etc.
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jonleeds
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Post by jonleeds »

Hi folks!This is something I've wondered about for while and I thought as its kinda locally relevant I might bring it up here. I'm puzzled about how come there are places - sometimes the name of a town, one example is Keighley, which I've always known as 'keithley' in pronounciation, but I can remember someone from the south once saying they were going to 'keyley' and I wondered where they were on about until I realised they meant Keighley. Then the other year when I lived for a short period in Stanningley, there is a road called Richardshaw Lane, however my then girlfriend laughed when I said I was coming down 'Richardshaw' lane, she told me that its called 'Rickershaw' Lane. And then there is this mate of mine who says that the little winding lane that goes from Meanwood Road to Scott Hall Road, that I know as Buslingthorpe Lane, is actually pronounced 'Bullerthorpe' Lane, although I'm sure that is somewhere over near Crossgates (or is it Croggy-gates!?). I'm sure many of these local pronounciations are repeated across the country in many forms. Can anyone think of any others particular to Leeds / West Yorkshire?
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Phill_dvsn
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Post by Phill_dvsn »

I can think of no better example than Slaithwaite the locals insist is called Slawit, just trying to think of similar Leeds places and streets, I'm sure there are many!
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chameleon
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Post by chameleon »

jonleeds wrote: Hi folks!This is something I've wondered about for while and I thought as its kinda locally relevant I might bring it up here. I'm puzzled about how come there are places - sometimes the name of a town, one example is Keighley, which I've always known as 'keithley' in pronounciation, but I can remember someone from the south once saying they were going to 'keyley' and I wondered where they were on about until I realised they meant Keighley. Then the other year when I lived for a short period in Stanningley, there is a road called Richardshaw Lane, however my then girlfriend laughed when I said I was coming down 'Richardshaw' lane, she told me that its called 'Rickershaw' Lane. And then there is this mate of mine who says that the little winding lane that goes from Meanwood Road to Scott Hall Road, that I know as Buslingthorpe Lane, is actually pronounced 'Bullerthorpe' Lane, although I'm sure that is somewhere over near Crossgates (or is it Croggy-gates!?). I'm sure many of these local pronounciations are repeated across the country in many forms. Can anyone think of any others particular to Leeds / West Yorkshire? Not sure how they arrive at Bullerthorpe Lane for Buslingthorpe Jon - and yes Bullerthorpe lane is in coltn I suppose more than Crossgates, joining the A63 to the A642 Aberford road and remains today depite its corruption by the Motorway. Regularly suffer subsidence too from the many mines in the vicinity!Not in Leeds, but I wonder how would anyone pronounce Belvoir? And the lady on Real Radio last year confusing everyone in Leeds talking about traffic problems in somewhere called Nose Thorpe!!!

raveydavey
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Post by raveydavey »

I've heard there are movers and shakers in the property business who refer to a place down they the river as "Gran-airey Wharf" (as in canary...), although I haven't heard this phrase used myself. Calverley is often mispronounced by oftcumdens, as is Oulton.PS - Chameleon, the Belvoir reference made me smile....Belvoir Castle indeed!
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jim
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Post by jim »

'unssli'?

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chameleon
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Post by chameleon »

raveydavey wrote: I've heard there are movers and shakers in the property business who refer to a place down they the river as "Gran-airey Wharf" (as in canary...), although I haven't heard this phrase used myself. Calverley is often mispronounced by oftcumdens, as is Oulton.PS - Chameleon, the Belvoir reference made me smile....Belvoir Castle indeed! Well the locals round there do beaver about a lot

jdbythesea
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Post by jdbythesea »

I used to have a mate who lived in Yeadon. He always called it Yeddan.JD

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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

What is the correct way to pronounce Harewood? (it is part of Leeds).I say the Hare bit as the animal so 'Harewood', but many say 'Harwood'. As for Harehills I don't think I've ever heard that said as Harhills! I recently had a walk near Appletreewick that I pronounce as 'Apple tree wick' but it is pronouced 'Aptrick' in dialect (I like that pronunciation). Beiing originally from Hareheills i would say the the correct pronunciation is Air-rills
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mhoulden
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Post by mhoulden »

There was a property show on C4 a couple of weeks ago where they pronounced Yeadon as Yeddon. I always thought it was pronounced Yeedon. I wouldn't be too surprised if at least one person has tried to pronounce it as Yaydon.

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BarFly
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Post by BarFly »

mhoulden wrote: There was a property show on C4 a couple of weeks ago where they pronounced Yeadon as Yeddon. I always thought it was pronounced Yeedon. I wouldn't be too surprised if at least one person has tried to pronounce it as Yaydon. I saw that too and didn't twig at first that they meant Yeaden. I've lived in West Leeds all my life and I've never heard it pronounced any way apart form "Yeedon".

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