What's in a road name? Can you suggest one?

Have you ever wondered why your road has the name it does? For example, who was Sir John and why does he have a road named after him in Selly Park? And what about new road names?

Birmingham City Council is running a competition asking residents to suggest new street names (with the support of Odean Cinema Birmingham). The names should be historically, culturally or geographically relevant to the area. Names will be added to a list that will be available to construction companies who require a new street name.

For more information or to enter online please visit: www.birmingham.gov.uk/streetname

Alternatively you can post your proposed street name, how it is relevant to the area and that area to Birmingham City Council, Transportation Development, Ground Floor, 1 Lancaster Circus, Queensway, Birmingham B4 7DJ.

The closing date for entries is 17 July 2009. Winners will be notified and announced on 31 July 2009.

PS - The Sir John of Sir Johns Road fame was apparently Sir John Holder, a local brewer who owned what is now the Selly Park Tavern and lived on Moor Green Lane (source: Selly Oak and Selly Park (Joanne Butler, Anne Baker and Pat Southworth, Tempus Publishing Ltd)).