Tottenham. From “Totham,” a corruption of Toot ham, the house or hamlet by the beacon.
Tottenham Court Road. So called ever since the days of Elizabeth because it then led to “Tottenham Court.” This was an ancient manor, originally belonging to St Paul’s, and held in the reign of Henry III. by William de Tottenhall.
Touched him on the Raw. Reminded him of something which hurt his feelings. This expression arose out of an ostler’s solicitude to avoid a sore place on a horse while grooming him.
Toulon. The Telonium of the Romans, so called after Telo Martius, the tribune who colonised it.
Tractarians. Those Oxford men who assisted Dr Pusey with the composition of the famous “Tracts for the Times,” as well as those who accepted the opinions expressed therein.
Trafalgar Square. From the Nelson Column, set up in 1843, two years before the square itself was laid out as it now exists.
Traitors’ Gate. The riverside entrance to the Tower of London reserved for State prisoners convicted of high treason.
Tramway. An abbreviation of “Outram way,” after Benjamin Outram of Derbyshire, who was the first to place his sleepers end to end the whole length of the rails, instead of crosswise, as on our railways. Long before this, however, the word “Tram” had been applied to a coal waggon or truck in the colliery districts, while the rails on which a vehicle ran bore the name of a “Tramroad.”
Transformation Scene. So called because in the good old days of Pantomine the Fairy Queen was at this juncture of the entertainment supposed to transform the chief characters of the “opening” into Clown, Pantaloon, Harlequin, Columbine, and Policeman.
Transvaal. Expresses the territory beyond the Vaal River.