"the durdans" is the name of our new home we have just bought.
We would like to know what is the meaning of "durdans"? and what is the origin 
of the name?

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Request for Question Clarification by clouseau-ga on 18 Jan 2004 14:20 PST

Hello northnorfolker,

What country are you located in? Do you have an idea when your home was built?

These answers might be helpful in researching for you.

Regards,

-=clouseau=-

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 18 Jan 2004 16:07 PST

Hello northnorfolker-ga,

You may already be aware that "The Durdans" is the name of a famous
home in England, and is well-known among the horse racing set, and to
those who are familiar with English peerage.

If you are looking for information on this famous "The Durdans", I can
readily provide it for you.

"Durdans", itself, is an old family name in England and Ireland, I
believe, and not a very common one at that.  As to the actuall meaning
of the name itself, I have not seen anything that ascribes any
particular meaning to the name "Durdans".  If you are expecting an
answer that expains the original meaning of the word, I'm afraid I
won't be able to help you (although perhaps some other researcher
could).

Please let me know what sort of information you would like as an
answer to your question.

Thanks...and conratulations on your new home.

pafalafa-ga

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Clarification of Question by northnorfolker-ga on 19 Jan 2004 13:59 PST

to Clouseau:  We live in England (in the County of Norfolk).  The
house was built around 1910 and we have been told it was built as a
Childrens Home.

to pafalafa-ga:  We know that Lord Rosebery had a house in Epsom named
the Durdans and perhaps if we knew why he chose that name for his
house it might help in our search.

Durdans appears to be a variant of Durdins/Durdens. According to A
Dictionary of English Surnames (Reaney and Wilson), Durdins/Durdens is
from the French Duredent, meaning "hard tooth." They trace it back to
William, Roger Duredent, 1148-54.

hlabadie-ga

Hello northnorfolker,

I've been unable to find enough to post that might be useful to you as
an answer. But I thought the following might have some interest for
you:

From a page on street naming:

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:-YnUFEetvVIJ:www.southall.co.uk/htm/culture/roads/roadbdy.htm+durdans+%2Bchildren&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

The area - is this near you? If so, this might be of interest:

Waxlow Ward

This is an area which comprises approximately the area bounded in the
north by the Borough Boundary, in the east by Allenby Road, in the
south by Dormers Avenue and Cranleigh Gardens, and in the west by the
Grand Union Canal. The word 'Waxlow' is taken from the Waxlow Manor
Farm situated in this area. The only important highway in this ward
before 1930 was Sparrow Lane. In 1930 this Lane was built up between
Kings Avenue and Mornington Road and became Allenby Road.



Durdans Road
Was also built in 1833 but unlike other roads seems to have been
shortened rather than lengthened, since it originally joined Lady
Margaret Road according to Kelly's Directory, but has no direct
connection with it now. This road was probably named after a local
resident, for there was a plot of land near the south end of Allenby
Road called Durdans Orchard and there were also ten cottages in North
Road called Durdans Cottages.

And I hope this is not your new home, though it looks like the
neighborhood is on the rise again after a stint as a drug dealing
neighborhood:

http://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/archive/n170703_10.htm

"...Ray Alland, the council?s Kentish Town housing manager who also
chairs Kentish Town?s panel, said: ?Three years ago, if you?d asked me
if it was possible to turn around Durdans House in Farrier Street I?d
have said no. People hated living there..."


And last, a listing of cat fancier's clubs:

http://www.messybeast.com/retro-clubs.htm

LIST OF CAT CLUBS AND SOCIETIES (1903)

The Blue Persian Cat Society, founded 1901. Hon sec, Miss Frances
Simpson, Durdans House, St Margaret's-on-Thames. Annual subscription,
5 shillings.


I'm afraid that is all I am able to uncover.


Regards,

-=clouseau=-

I wonder if your house could have been named by someone who admired
Lord Rosebery, either as a politician/prime minister or as a racing
man?

(I see there is a Rosebery Road with Lord Rosebery pub in Norwich.)

It might be helpful if you could find out more about the benefactor/s
involved in starting the children's home.

Here are some Norfolk history links:
http://www.poppyland.co.uk/federation/members.htm
http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/leisure/archives/nroindex.htm
http://www.uea.ac.uk/~s090/genuki/NFK/places/

It seems there was no-one called Durdans in Norfolk in 1891 or 1901.
http://www.btinternet.com/~e.c.apling/1891Census/NameIndexD.htm
http://www.census.pro.gov.uk/

Good luck - Leli