Romer Road SP2

I am very unsure about the derivation of the name ‘Romer Road’, but I think that it’s reasonably likely that it is named after Sir Robert Romer.

Sir Robert Romer was made Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Bath (G.C.B.) in 1901 ¹.

This is a link with the other roads on this estate:

• Wavell Road – probably named after Field-Marshal Viscount Wavell who was awarded the G.C.B. in 1941
• Godley Road – probably named after General Sir Alexander John Godley in 1928
• Radcliffe Road – possibly named after Robert Radcliffe, who was made a ‘knight of the Bath’ in 1509 ²

The last road mentioned here seems more tenuosly linked that Romer, Wavell and Godley who were all awarded the G.C.B. in the twentieth century.

An alternative thematic link might have been India:

• a different Radcliffe, Cyril John Radcliffe was the law lord most closely identified with partition in 1947
• Field-Marshall Wavell was viceroy of India from 1941 to 1947³

… but I can’t find any Indian connection for either Godley or Romer.

The other road on the estate is Highlands Road, which could be named after a Highlands regiment.

Update: Gen. Sir C.F. Romer

Update:The road actually seems to be named after Gen. Sir C.F. Romer. Gen. Sir C.F. Romer was the General Officer Commanding the Southern Command from 1931 to 1933. His official residence was Government house in East Harnham. Other G.O.C.s of Southern Command were:

• Gen. Sir A.J. Godley, from 16/06/24-16/06/28
• Gen. Sir C.F. Romer, from 01/03/31-18/02/33
• Gen. Sir P.P. de B. Radcliffe 19/02/33-09/02/34
• Field Marshall Lord Wavell 26/04/38-27/07/39

.⁴

Visiting Salisbury?

For accommodation, see the Hotels in Salisbury page.

Footnotes

1. thePeerage.com – Person Page 5786 [↩]
2. Oxford DNB article: Radcliffe, Robert [↩]
3. Oxford DNB article: Wavell, Archibald Percival [↩]
4. The History of Harnham, by the Harnham Women’s Institute, page 22, probably published in 1954, by the Tisbury Printing Works Ltd, Rollestone Street, Salisbury [↩]