Picture this. Two visitors to a village in Devon were left ‘shocked and extremely upset’ by what they saw. What did they see? Did they chance upon a terrible road accident or a building ablaze? No. Did somebody die? Not even that. What then caused these two outsiders to the village of Lifton to become shocked and extremely upset? Well, dear readers, it was the name of a street. “The name of a street?” I can see you asking. I hear you. I hear you! And not just any name of any street. No. The mere sight of this street name that almost required medical treatment was…wait for it…Darkey Lane.
The two visitors, one of Caribbean heritage, did not take kindly to a street being called ‘darkey’. “It’s offensive,” they cried. I wonder what the street thought of that! Never mind. I jest. So offended were these visitors, visitors mind you, that they made a complaint to the local council and demanded that the name, which they considered racist, be changed, pronto. Lord have mercy!
I think it is the most outrageous thing I have ever heard. How dare you, a tourist, a one-time day tripper to a place, which you may never visit again, ask the locals, who have domiciled in their village for goodness knows how many years, to do your bidding: to change the name of their street to suit you. A day tripper! Talk about bare-faced cheek! Darkey Lane was originally given its name because it is a sunken, tree-lined dark lane. And it has much to do with local Devonshire dialect and nothing to do with wishing to offend people or by being racist.
The poor parish council of Lifton, who felt they had no choice but to act, bowing to the woke brigade (personally, I would call them the fast asleep dumbos) had a consultation with the village people dem with the idea of changing the street name. Oh, by the way, if a change of name was agreed, it would cost £40 per household. Ha-ha! I know what you are thinking because I am thinking the same thing. As of January 2022, Darkey Lane in the village of Lifton, Devon is still alive and kicking! Ha. Ha. Ha!
