What’s in a Name? A talk by Pete Smith

What’s in a Name? A talk by Pete Smith

Join Pete Smith for a talk on alleys in the City of London

By Shoe Lane Library - City of London Libraries

Date and time

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 13:00 - 14:00 GMT+1

Location

Shoe Lane Library

1 Little New Street #Hill House London EC4A 3JR United Kingdom

About this event

  • Event lasts 1 hour

This page is for online tickets for this event - please see our separate page for in-person tickets.

Pete Smith is a Cambridge English Literature graduate who worked as a university lecturer, specialising in 19th century literature and visual art. He retired as Head of English and acting Dean of Arts at Brunel University.

Since then, he has qualified as a City of London and City of Westminster Guide, and works as a freelance guide, lecturer and writer on London history. He recently published A-Z London Hidden Walks, a collection of twenty walks in and around London.

The Square Mile is famous for its medieval street plan of narrow, winding lanes and alleys, which has survived the Great Fire of London and two World Wars. These lanes and alleyways have generally retained both their oddities of layout and their often very strange names.

Discover: what went on in Love Lane; why Gutter Lane isn’t such a bad address; what was sold in Friday Street; if the Crutched Friars really needed crutches; what, if anything was rude about Rood Lane; whether you could find a nanny in Poppins Court or a branch of IKEA in Wardrobe Place; and how many gophers may pop up in Gopher Lane.

This event will be delivered both in-person and online. To book an in-person ticket, please visit our in-person booking page.

People with in-person tickets will be able to watch the talk at Shoe Lane Library, and those with online tickets will be sent a Zoom link before the event. If you would like to change your ticket type, please email us at shoelane@cityoflondon.gov.uk.

Looking for more compelling stories from Shoe Lane Library? Check out our profile for more talks, events, lectures and historical discussions!

If you have a disability you wish us to consider when attending our events, please inform the staff in advance.

Frequently asked questions

Can I join the event in-person?

Yes - the event will also be hosted in the library. Please see our separate event page in the description to book, or contact the library directly.

Will the online event be recorded?

Unfortunately we do not record our events for later viewing, however guest speakers may be happy to share resources and slides at their discretion.

Organised by

Books, computer access, study areas, workshops, children's spaces, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and more - all located just off of Fleet Street. As one of City of London's public libraries, we are open to anyone who lives, works, studies or is a regular visitor to the City of London.