Paton’s Lane or Patons Lane? #dundeewestend

Further to the recent discussion about the spelling of Strawberrybank (or is that Strawberry Bank?), residents have queried the spelling of Paton’s Lane or is that Patons Lane, without the apostrophe?

I sought the advice of the City Archivist who has helpfully responded as follows :

“The Dundee directories, electoral registers and Ordnance Survey maps include the apostrophe whilst the valuation rolls do not. Curiously the street name appears to be listed both with and without the apostrophe on the One Scotland Gazetteer of addresses.

According to Gillian Molloy’s ‘Street Names of Old Dundee’ the street is thought to be named after James Paton, a manufacturer in Hawkhill who took possession of land in the Seafield area of the Estate of Blackness in 1815.”

The photo above is of the lane in the past. The first door on the right of the photo is numbered 19 and the one next to that 21. The industrial building is number 23 and according to the 1965 Dundee Directory was occupied by the joinery company McTavish, McAinsh & Sons.