Ker Street

Why is it called Ker Street? No-one is sure. Admiral Kerr was a prominent naval figure around the time the street was laid out in the 1820s, but it is not clear whether he had any local connections.

On the other hand, in 1814 there was a J Kerr, a blind basket-maker living in the neighbouring Duke Street, so perhaps he was the inspiration.

Or could it have been Thomas Ker? His is the only single "r" spelling and in 1780 he was one of the commissioners responsible for seeing that the Act for putting Plymouth Dock (Devonport) into good order was carried out. Then again it might have been someone else entirely.

Always an impressive thoroughfare, although most of the domestic buildings were replaced here in the mid-1960s, the presence of column, the Guildhall and Oddfellows Hall (the Ker Street social club) retains some of that early nineteenth century dignity.