Pitt Lane
Pitt Lane, starts between 141, (S & R Swanson), and 143, (R. W. Bayes), Commercial Street, and runs up to Hillhead. Near the top, on the north side, there is a connection to the rear of the Gladstone Terrace houses.
Also near the top, on the south side, are the studio and offices of BBC Radio Shetland
It was named Pitt Lane in 1845 by the Commissioners of Police, after William Pitt, British Prime Minister during the reign of George III. Its earliest known name was Mowbray's Closs, and it is presumed that it was so named as merchant John Mowbray, a son of a Kirkwall, Orkney, merchant, who had involvement with the town from at least 1699 to 1721 was living in the closs in at least 1716. The name remained until 1819 when Captain Thomas Leask, originally a native of Whalsay purchased from Magnus Jamieson, a shop, house, and tenement block, at the north side of the foot of the lane, then commonly known as Mowbray's Houses the site of which today are occupied by 143 Commercial Street and part of the Grand Hotel. Thereafter it started to become known as Leask's Closs, however Lerwegians were apparently reluctant to change and adopt the new names as they came along, as it is noted that the lane was still being referred to as Mowbray's Closs as late as 1847.
The 1851 Census records the lane as having 107 residents.
 Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives. |
 Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives. |
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