Third Angel

Plymouth Stories

From 1 – 3 July 2022, we chalked a giant map of Plymouth onto the paving stones of The Piazza, at the top of Plymouth’s Armada Way. Each evening it rained: on Friday night so much that we had to start almost from scratch on Saturday, on Sunday morning just enough for us to have to do some maintenance work.

We asked the people of Plymouth if they would like to rename a street after a hope, dream or ambition for the future. We chalked their new street names onto the map, and gave them a Title Deed bookmark to record their renaming. We listened to the stories they told us. 

Scroll down for more images and stories from our three days on The Piazza. There were too far many to list them all, but here are some from each performer:

NISHA:
Before we had even drawn the grid squares, Phoenix approached us, asking what we were doing, after observing us prepping the space in our red dungarees. Phoenix renamed Armada Way (where we were standing on The Piazza) as ‘Phoenix Way’. They told us they had changed their own name after seeing and encountering a series of repeated synchronicities of the ‘phoenix’ in the past week or so. Marking how they themselves had risen from the ashes and beaten certain challenges they had been facing. It was apt that this should be our first renaming of the streets in Plymouth.

Raman renamed Somerset Place as ‘Hope Street’. Never let hope leave.

Kareem renamed Greenville Road as ‘Save the Whales’.

Sam renamed Melville Road as ‘Bee Run’. He actually lives in the little land by the school which is too small to see on the map. He has put pots out for the bees and the hope is that all of Melville Road will follow suit.

Sarah renamed Manor Gardens as ‘Sumptuous Soup’ in honour of the soup kitchen and how it helped, supported and transformed her life (and others) after facing difficulty with being homeless. She is no longer homeless now and helps out on a regular basis.

BEE:
Matt renamed The Pavilions to ‘Black Diamond Pavilions’. Matt is a proud ‘Janner’ who loves comedy, live music, and whatever else is playing at Plymouth Pavilions. His sister takes him to see shows, where they have a great time together.

‘Black Diamond is the rarest gem of them all,’ he says. ‘And the Pavilions is where to go to have the best night in Plymouth possible. It’s really unique, truly one of a kind.’

Matt’s hope for the future is that the Pavilions will stay open forever, continue being such an incredible venue hosting a plethora of fantastic events for everyone in Plymouth to enjoy, and to always be his favourite place to go with his sister.

GILL:
Chris renamed Royal Parade as ‘Interesting Street’. A member of the Magic Circle, Chris offered no direct reason but did perform the most mind-boggling close-hand magic ever encountered. He held a Desire Paths clip-board flat to use as a make-shift table. He placed a 2p coin and a £2 coin flat, on to the clip board. He covered the 2p with the £2, flicked the £2 coin and the 2p was gone. GONE! Taking the ‘table’ to another TDP team member in astonishment, Chris was invited to undertake the process again. No-one could unpick how he had done it. Interesting Street indeed! 

Chris & Charlie renamed The Box as Panda Box because they met there in January of this year and have been dating ever since. Both Chris & Charlie are from China where Pandas are the National Animal. It was the first time Chris had ever been to Plymouth so they met on her very first trip here! Awwwww. 

Arabella & Dan were visiting from Southampton where they are both in their 3rd year of their Marine Biology Degree, and were in Plymouth to undertake research in to copepods - small fresh-water-dwelling crustaceans! They mentioned that that in the right circumstances these little animals can move faster than a bullet being fired! Arabella renamed Pottery Road as ‘“Just Keep Swimming” Lane’, quoting Dory in Finding Nemo. Dan renamed Park Avenue as ‘Plastic Free Way’.

CALLUM:
Ariel & Mallory renamed Tavistock Road as Marsha P Way after Marsha P. Johnson the American Gay Rights activist who was a key part of the stonewall riots, because they want us to continue the fight they started all those years ago.

Fenna, who is 5 years old, renamed Freeman’s Wharf as Paramedic Road as when she grows up she wants to be a Paramedic. The grown up who was with her told me that Fenna’s mum had been in Derriford Hospital for the last two weeks and since then she had found hospitals and Doctors and Nurses fascinating.

Tommy, Basil & Hector renamed The Union Rooms pub on Union Street to The Very Not Racist Pub after Basil had experienced a racially charged interaction there with a bouncer but they still wanted to visit as the pints where cheap.

Wendy & Dave renamed Mutley Road to Neighbourly Road as they want to have a nicer, more warm and  friendly atmosphere to live in as they felt they missed out when their street didn’t hold a party for the recent Jubilee.

Anne Marie renamed Devonport Road to Stop Bullying Disabled People Road after she told me of her own experiences on the bus and while shopping in the city centre.

Kenneth changed Alexandra Road to Free Hong Kong Road in support of his friends who were pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong as he wishes to see the state free again. He shared a photo of the street with them via a messaging app.

BEE:
Where Emmanuel grew up, he learned that sometimes the simple pleasures in life are the ones most worth finding and hanging onto. That when the world is filled with chaos and trouble and problems, the only way to make it through is to find the moments of joy, happiness and fun.

Emmanuel has renamed Western Approach to ‘Fun Filled Road’, so that people may find their way and fill their life with fun, which is the absolute best way to live.

LAURA
A couple wanted to rename Embankment Way to Bradford/Bristol/Plymouth/Newquay Way, to chart their journeys from their respective homes, to Plymouth where they now live and Newquay, where they hope to move to. They are keen to create distance between themselves and their parents.

Robert, who was born at Freedom Fields Maternity Hospital before it was demolished, was with his two friends, and their carer. They live in assisted living accommodation and are learning about budgeting, diet and keeping house. They were in town to do some food shopping together. Robert was keen to rename Ocean Street to Sausage & Chips Street as this is his favourite meal.

Alexandra wanted to rename any street Easy Way, as she feels that life is difficult for most people in Plymouth right now and that we all deserve things to be a little easier.

Nicole and Tim changed Beaumont Road (where they live) to Lottery Street. Nicole wants to win the lottery so that she can share the money out on good causes, as she wants to change the world for the better. However, she confessed that she has never bought a lottery ticket!

Flamingo Crescent/Swan Lane/Pride Street/Hope Road – 4 teenage girls – Liga, Noah, Lotus and Mya (aged13) didn’t mind what streets were renamed but were really keen to share positivity with fellow passers-by, and chose these road names to reflect that. What they love about Plymouth includes the weather, the seafront, the history, animals and people. They would like people in Plymouth to be more tolerant and for everywhere to have better disabled access.

BEE:
Meghan is an aspiring writer and loves to pour herself into books. She believes that books capture her imagination in a way nothing else can, creating an incredible world she loses herself in for hours at a time. Her mum concurs, delighting in funding her reading habits! To reflect her love for literary arts, Meghan chose to rename her favourite street in Plymouth, Torridge Lane, to ‘Writers Way’.

Meghan’s dream for the future is to one day become an author herself, writing hundreds and hundreds of books for people of all ages to enjoy. She would love to even write a movie one day.

Meghan’s mum’s dream is for Meghan to find her way in the world and always do what she loves and to have her heart lead her down whichever path she desires.

ALEX:
Kyra and Tyler renamed Wolseley Road as KYLER BOULEVARD, because they are cousins and also best friends, and they hope that is always true.

Bobby renamed Keyham Road CLAIRE’S ROAD, in honour of Claire’s Law, which is so important for so many women.

Maya and her parents chose to rename North Prospect Road, because it is nice and long. Maya had a few tries before she got the wording exactly right: NO GRUMPY PANTS HERE ROAD.

Sam and Tammy arrived together with other friends. Tammy renamed Mutley Plain TREVI ROAD, in recognition of the work Trevi do protecting vulnerable women. She and Sam are fundraising for them right now, so Sam renamed Ford Park Road SKYDIVE AVENUE, because although they’ve never been in a plane before, they’re going to jump out of one to support Trevi.

The Whittingham-Ford Family were in Plymouth to see The Play That Goes Wrong at Theatre Royal, and to take the kids’ grandma out for a birthday tea. They renamed two streets (perfectly within the rules as there were four of them with us). Segrave Road became FREEDOM BOULEVARD. And Outland Road became HAPPY BIRTHDAY HILARY ROAD. As we were finishing for the day, on their way to the restaurant, they brought grandma, Hilary, to see her street as a birthday surprise.

Judy changed the name of Central Park to REWILDING WAY, in celebration of the Rebel Botanists.