After all, it is named after a prominent figure born in England more than 200 years ago.

But Lords Place, as stated in the Orange City Council's Orange Wiki site, has a far simpler explanation.

"Lords Place was so called because the track led from Blackman's Swamp up Bletchington Hill to Simeon Lord's place," it says.

Lord, who owned land around Orange, is far removed from the aristocracy.

The Australian Dictionary of Biography records he came to Australia as a convict.

"He was convicted at Manchester Quarter Sessions in April 1790 of stealing 21 pieces of cloth, 100 yards (91 metres) of muslin and 100 yards of calico from Robert Peel and associates. Lord escaped with a sentence of transportation for seven years," it said.

"Emancipated early and helped by his master, Lord seems to have begun his mercantile career as one of the shadowy figures who retailed spirits and general merchandise bought in bulk by officers of the New South Wales Corps."

He went on to become a notable figure in colonial Sydney before obtaining land near Orange.

Lords Place (which appears on old maps with an apostrophe as Lord's Place), has been a major part of Orange for many years.

Historian William Folster said in the Central Western Daily in 1949, there were plans to change its name to King Street.

"The move was frustrated by interested people, particularly Mr L A Lane, a solicitor whose relatives had friendly associations with the Lord family long ago," he said.

The Orange Wiki also said Joe Glasson was quoted in the Central Western Daily on 30 July 1953 as saying there were also a colloquial name for the street. "Lords Place was once known as Shark's Avenue. Presumably because of the number of solicitors and stock and station agents who had their offices there," it said.

In 1892 the National Advocate said Lords Place was used for public horse sales. "Horses under the hammer go through their performance in the street. This system suits the attendants at the opposite marts very well, but it is beastly inconvenient and obstructive to the ordinary traffic," it said.