Q: What is the origin of the phrase Old Lady of Threadneedle Street in relation to the Bank of England and how did the nearby Throgmorton Street get its name? - Doug McKenna, Stockton.

A: The term Old Lady of Threadneedle Street has been in use since the 18th Century. It partly reflects the historic status of the bank in relation to other banks and is partly derived from the sculpture of a woman above its entrance. The Bank is of course situated in Threadneedle Street. In the 19th Century the radical William Corbett famously described the directors of the Bank of England as the 'Old Ladies of Threadneedle Street' in response to their 'reactionary policies'.

The origin of the name Threadneedle Street is uncertain, but it could be a corruption of Three Needles that may have featured on a sign indicating the presence of needle makers in the street. At one time pictographic signs were commonly used to show the location of particular trades and outlets, at a time when levels of literacy were much lower than they are today. Pub signs featuring symbols like three horseshoes and crossed keys were a variation of this theme and are among the few remnants of pictographic signs today. A person seeing a sign with three needles would know that this was a place where needles were made, even if they could not read.

The London Stock Exchange is located on the corner of Threadneedle Street and Throgmorton Street. Events in the Stock Exchange are often referred to as 'activity on Throgmorton Street'. This street takes its name from Sir Nicholas Throgmorton, an Ambassador to Queen Elizabeth I.

Q: What are the duties of the Lord Lieutenants in respect of the counties they represent? - Chris Parker, Peterlee.

A: A Lord Lieutenant is the representative of the sovereign in a county. The office dates from the 16th Century, from which time the Lord Lieutenants took on the military duties of the High Sheriff. The holder of the Lord Lieutenant's office was regarded as the chief magistrate and chief executive and, until 1871, was also responsible for the local militia. Today, the office is mainly ceremonial and primarily concerned with royal visits to the county. In the North-East, there is a Lord Lieutenant for each of the counties of Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire and Tyne and Wear.

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