"...on the application of Mr James Dempsey a new street situate off York Road be named Skegoniell Street". (9th March 1898).
"That Mr. James Alexander, of York Road, be informed, in reply to his letter of 3rd Inst., to Councillor W. E. C. McCammon, that the name York Road applies to the road from York Street to City Boundary, and the Committee do not see their way to make any change". (21st October 1902).
“A letter, dated 23rd Inst., addressed to the Lord Mayor, from Mr. James Alexander, in reference to the naming of York Road was submitted, and the consideration thereof deferred.” (28th October 1902).
"Letter dated 25th Inst. addressed to the Lord Mayor from Mr. James Alexander, 1 Glenarm Terrace, complaining that the name of Shore Road has been changed to York Road read and referred to the Assistant Surveyor for report". (24th February 1903).
"That Mr. James Alexander, of 1 Glenarm Terrace, York Road be informed in reply to his letter of 23rd ult. addressed to the Lord Mayor, that the Committee have again looked into the question of naming the street known as York Road and find this is the only name by which it has been officially known, and do not see their way to depart from their resolution of 21st October last". (10th March 1903).
York Road is the continuation of York Street which leads northwards from the city centre, and like York Street it is named after Frederick, Duke of York (1763-1827), second son of George III. See York Street for further details on Prince Frederick. York Road becomes Shore Road at the junction where Skegoneill Avenue intersects. The name York Road is first recorded in 1815 on Mason's town plan.
There was a railway station, the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway terminus, at the corner of York Road and Whitla Street, opened in 1848. Later it was part of the Midland Railway. Trains from here served destinations to the north of Belfast. This was one of three main stations in Belfast, the other two being at Great Victoria Street (for the south) and Queen’s Quay (near where the SSE Arena stands today, for the east). The Midland Hotel was convenient to the station. It was badly damaged during an air raid in April 1941 (the Belfast Blitz). It was later rebuilt in much simpler, utilitarian form. The street-name Midland Terrace is now a reminder of the hotel and the railway terminus, which are long gone. York Road Station closed in 1992 and was replaced by Yorkgate Station located nearby, which was not a terminus. In 2024 a new station was opened on a new site, once again with a name change to York Street Train Station.