general question for Leeds residents

[Harlem]

My daughter lived in a 'harold' when she was at university in Leeds. It's certainly workers' housing, now student housing. Proper terraced back-to-backs, with no yards in between, and every now and again a yard that opens onto the street, now used for bins, but formerly for toilets, I think. Never did learn who harold was, though!

HW

[a-l]

Thanks for your reply Harlem . It piqued my curiosity especially with so many roads named after him yet nobody seems to know who he was.

[Harlem]

Daughter might Skype this w/e - she now lives abroad - I shall ask her if she ever found out.

HW

[a-l]

Thankyou Harlem.

[Harlem]

 So sorry, a_l. I forgot to post a reply. I probably forgot because I still don't know the answer. I did ask my daughter. She lived in Harold terrace many years ago, but she said she never did find out why the streets were all called Harold. She did often encounter people who were lost, she said!

Maybe if you posted the question on the Yorkshire board someone might answer.

Harlemswife

[Suzy W]

Here is a nice site which may give a few clues.  Just put Harold in the the search box

http://www.leodis.net/default.aspx

[ThrelfallYorky]

Streets seem often to be named after local worthies - Mayors or Councillors, etc. Perhaps "Harold" was the surname of the chairman of the local planning team when the area was developed?

[a-l]

Thankyou all for your replies, it intrigues me, you know how it is once curiosity takes control ! Where I live the streets are named after poets and authors so not difficult to recognise.                                    I suppose with Leeds being a transient population it doesn't help with local knowledge.