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Roads named after John Williams


Omen II

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Would you believe that there are two roads in London called John Williams Close, one located in Kingston-upon-Thames and the other located in New Cross Gate?  Fate took me past the latter today and I thought it would be cool (if only perhaps in the context of this message board) to take this photo of the street sign.

 

While I very much doubt that the road name has any connection with THE John Williams, the road does have a couple of dubious claims to fame in its short history.  It was actually built on the exact site of The Den, the former home ground of Millwall Football Club, which closed in 1993 when the club relocated to a new stadium nearby.  For the benefit of those of you from outside the UK and/or with little interest in football, Millwall had a reputation for having the worst hooligan problem in the country during the 1970s and 1980s and for away fans a visit to the Den could be extremely intimidating.  The approaches to the ground from the nearest railway stations were past scrapyards and under poorly lit railway viaducts, making it particularly hairy if you were not a Millwall fan.  The road was also the scene of a tragedy last year when a nurse was shot dead as she left work at a care home in John Williams Close - she had the terrible misfortune to be hit by a stray bullet fired in a gangland gun battle.  As you might have gathered, New Cross is not the most salubrious part of London.

 

Are there any other roads, buildings, etc. in your part of the world named after John Williams, or that coincidentally bear his name? If so, are there any equally dull factoids with which you can enlighten us or pictures that you can post?

 

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Jessie Lohner said:
Surely "our" John Williams is the most famous John Williams around.

So why shouldn't those closes named after him?

 

You are right of course, Jessie, but somehow I can't see Lewisham Council having the good taste to have done so.  Perhaps someone should ask them how the road came to be named? ;)

 

P.S. It is surely only a matter of time before someone posts that picture of the Australian scientist / Amish John Williams.

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I remember someone posted a picture of a street sign that said "Santa Olalla."

It was a town sign from here. Peio posted it IIRC.

When i lived in Italy i lived in the Giacchino street. It was another giacchino, but it was cool ;)

In my city, in a new neghbouhood they choose to name the streets with movies.

Hitch would love to live in 'The Birds' Street ;)

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I remember someone posted a picture of a street sign that said "Santa Olalla."

I'm sure John Williams Close has much more musical integrity as a street than Santa Olalla.

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Jessie Lohner said:
Surely "our" John Williams is the most famous John Williams around. So why shouldn't those closes named after him?

 

Out of interest, I e-mailed Lewisham Council to ask how John Williams Close in New Cross, London SE14, came to be named.  Apparently the John Williams in whose honour the road was named was a Lewisham Council environmental health officer who was killed by a drunk driver while on patrol.

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Ah...there's nothing like a clear photo taken from inside a moving car. I've taken many photos that way...and dare I say, many while driving.

Also near where I live, there is a road that meets with US 30 (the Lincoln Highway) called Goldsmith Lane or Road, something like that. I know I don't have a photo of that.

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  • 13 years later...

Wonderful news, disciples!

 

A little matter of fourteen of your Earth years after I visited John Williams Close in New Cross Gate, today I was able to visit John Williams Close in Kingston-upon-Thames while walking the London Loop, a 150 mile long-distance walk around London.

 

Kingston-upon-Thames is a much more well-to-do area than New Cross Gate, so this John Williams Close is a gated private road a mere stone's throw from the River Thames.  It is not far from Hampton Court Palace, where Henry VIII got up to all sorts of mischief, the fat fuck.

 

My odyssey is not quite over, because since my original post a John Williams Boulevard - named after a former leader of the council in that neck of the woods - has been constructed in Darlington in the northeast of this sceptred isle.  I have been to Darlington a couple of times but not since 2008.  My promise to you: I WILL try.

 

78CFDD55-F696-4A95-B3F4-1A77797C3700.jpeg

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When we were look at houses 6 years ago, I went to an open house on a John William St in one of the towns we were looking on.  I wish it had been the house for us!

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