The real stories behind funny Leeds place names

Here are some of the real stories that lie behind those names:

MABGATE, LEEDS

On the face of it, the name Mabgate may seem fairly innocent.

And thousands of people every day must travel through the area, which lies just outside the city centre, without knowing the saucy origins of its moniker.

But the truth behind the name is that Mabgate is thought to have once been home to one of the city’s red light districts.

The name is actually believed to have come from the original title of Mable-gate, which has since been contacted to the current name.

According to experts, Mable was a middle English term used to describe “loose women.”

The origins of the name Charlie Cake Park may well be one of the city’s sweetest stories.

Local legend in Armley, where the park is a much-loved feature of the local community, has it that a pedlar named Charlie used to sell popular cakes and pastries through the Pudsey, Kirkstall and Bramley areas.

On his travels through the various towns of the district, Charlie was said to have often rested his horse on the triangular-shaped patch of land at the top of Armley Town Street, which was officially called Whingate Park.

The baker was said to have sold his wares to local residents- including shortcake in the same triangle shape as the park- and quickly became a popular figure.

So much so that the patch of land, which was originally owned by the Gotts Family, became known as Charlie Cake Park after the pedlar’s death.

The name of Charlie Cake Park has spread far beyond Armley too.

The park features in best-selling novel A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford, which is partly set in Leeds.

THE CANADIAN ESTATE, CHAPEL ALLERTON

A touching gesture lies at the heart of the story behind Chapel Allerton’s Canadian Estate.

In a little patch of the village just of Harrogate Road a number of streets named after parts of Canada can be found by anyone who cares to look.

The estate of around a dozen streets include Ontario Place, Toronto Place, Montreal Avenue.

The name may seem like the modern whim of a trendy developer, but the truth lies with a tribute to the wife of the former owner of the land.

It is believed the Canadian Estate derives from the wishes of the family of famous clothing manufacturer Sir John Barran, who served as Mayor of Leeds from 1870 to 1871.

Flats built on the site of the Dominion Cinema and Bingo Hall are named Dominion Close in reference to Canada.

The street name Alaska Place has also been mistakenly included in the estate- Alaska actually being part of America.