"Academy Street was so called after the Academy was opened. Its former name was Linen Hall Lane, from the Linen Hall which stood there. The church ranged at one side of it...." (George Benn, A History of the Town of Belfast, vol. i, 1877, p. 530).
"So called from Belfast Academy. Originally it was a short street called Academy Row. Belfast Academy was founded by Dr James Crombie, who after being licensed for the ministry, came to Belfast in 1770 and founded the Academy in 1785-86. Before the Academy was built the passage was called Linenhall Lane, from the second Linen Hall, built in 1754, and removed in 1754 to make room for St Ann’s Church" (John J Marshall, Belfast Telegraph, 30/12/1940).
The following information comes from the Belfast Street Directory of 1819: “1786 – Belfast Academy, Donegall Street, founded. Present principal, Dr. Bruce.”
Although the name Academy Street was first recorded in 1815 (IHTA xii), the street first appeared unnamed on a town plan of 1757, and was also named Linenhall Lane (1774), Academy Row (1790) and Academy Lane (1794).