A couple of local street names are on The Bulldog’s scribbling pad today. Balliol Street, the leafy residential avenue running from Bayview Ave to Yonge Street, is named after Balliol College at Oxford University. Balliol was founded in 1263. It may or may not take its name from the 13th century King of the Scots, John Balliol. What’s certain is that Balliol Street’s tricky juxtaposition of the vowels “i” and “o” has lead to the widespread incorrect pronunciation Bal-oil. Balliol started out and is still pronounced by many (or most) people as Bay-lee-all. Which brings us to Laird Drive. This street takes its name from the middle name of Canada’s eighth prime minister Robert Laird Borden. His mother was Eunice Jane Laird. Borden served as PM from 1911 to 1920, which all good Leasiders will recognize as the period in which the town was founded. Some depictions of Borden make him look like a curmudgeon but the others say he was actually fairly good company.
