Dale Street was one of the original 'seven streets' of Liverpool. Records indicate that it housed more people than any other street in the town for several centuries running. As the name suggests, the street extended out to the dale which covered any area currently occupied by St John's Gardens. As early as 1361 Henry del Bank obtained a quarter burgage in Dale Street between lands of William del Acres and ‘Secmonlone’; it is likely that this was part of a strip extending back from Dale Street to the present Tithebarn Street. Sickman’s Lane is again mentioned in 1419 and 1449.