The university received its charter in 1845 as “Queen’s College, Belfast” and opened four years later. The 1854-1855 Belfast Street Directory lists “Queen’s College” and “Rev Dr Henry President, Dr Andrews, vice-president”.
Part of University Street from Botanic Avenue to Ormeau Road had been called Fitzroy Avenue before it was changed by the council. It would seem not all the residents were happy about the change as can be seen from this letter:
Names of Streets
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN WHIG
Sir - The Town Council of Belfast some time ago, very properly, I think, changed the names of some of our streets, giving one name instead of two or three, to long, connected streets. They converted Fitzroy Avenue into University Street, of which the former was a continuation, although some of the inhabitants would have preferred the old name. This was all very well; but they gave the name of Fitzroy Avenue to the street which commences at College Green and ends at Ormeau Road. This seems to me a misnomer. The word avenue means a street or ally leading to a place or house, and the word prefixed to it should designate the place or house to which it leads - thus, Botanic Avenue, leading to the Botanic Gardens, is correct. I walked to the end of the street now called Fitzroy Avenue and looked in vain for Fitzroy House or Fitzroy anything. Ormeau Avenue would not have been so much of a locus non lucendo. There is another misnomer in the new part of University Street. Over the name at the corner is a board calling the row of houses Fitzroy Crescent. These houses form no crescent I can see, but seem to be built in a straight line. Hoping the Town Council will correct these blunders. I am yours, &c, M.S. (Northern Whig - Saturday 16 May 1874).