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St John’s Road & East Hill, Battersea – 1990

St John’s Road & East Hill, Battersea: My next London walk was on Sunday 4th March 1990 and began at Clapham Junction station, which is not in Clapham but in Battersea. The London and South Western Railway, London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the West London Extension Railway deliberately chose the misleading name for their interchange station as Clapham was so much more respectable than the rather working-class industrial Battersea and so would be more acceptable to the upper and middle class customers they wanted to use their trains.

Shop window, St John's Hill, Battersea, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-51 — *Shop window, St John’s Hill, Battersea, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-51*

I walked south through the tunnel under the lines inside the station and made my way out to the exit onto St John’s Hill, Battersea, where I found this shop window with an intriguing range of content. at top left are directions ‘IF YOU NEED AN AMBULANCE’ and in the centre’ AND IN THE CENTRE ‘PLENTY OF MEN’S OVERCOATS ALL SIZES FORM £2.50 to £4=’ followed by the opening hours, the days listed in the rather odd order ‘MONDAY THURSDAY SATURDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY FRIDAY’.

On the bottom at left is a purse with a chain and then an incomprehensible rectangle, perhaps written in some alien language from outer space. Next is what I think could be a collapsed Japanese-style lampshade and then a 12 inch vinyl record cover for Star Wars and other space themes by Geoff Love and His Orchestra, a 1978 LP. Inside the shop – perhaps a ‘charity shop’ – there appears to be another basket full of what look to me like 78’s, but most of what we can see is reflections of the opposite side of the stree – and my body as I made the photo.

*Entrance, Plough Rd, Battersea, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-53*

A short distance up the Hill I turned right into Plough Road and photographed this rather strange brick wall with an door-less doorway leading into what looks like a rubbish yard. I carefully lined up a block of flats in the aperture for the picture, but can tell you nothing more about it.

Shops, St John's Hill, Battersea, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-55 — *Shops, St John’s Hill, Battersea, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-55*

Back on St John’s Hill at No 80 was KEARNS ANTIQUE COPIES, since replaced by a larger block, Langford Mews. The two properties with the roof balustrade are still there but the unnamed 76 now has an extra storey. But to my delight, HAPPY VALLEY is still there, looking much the same and still a Fish and Chicken bar. I think this building probably dates from around the 1850s. To its right is another new block with ground-floor retail which has replaced H J Golding & Co Ltd and the building to its right.

Shops, St John's Hill, Battersea, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-41 — *Shops, St John’s Hill, Battersea, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-41*

Shops and houses on the north side of St John’s Hill on each side of Louvaine Rd. These terraces probably date from around 1870 by which time most of the street was built up. The church in the distance, St. Peter and St Paul’s Church (now the LARA community centre and nursery) was built around 1868. These buildings are since 2009 part of the St John’s Hill Grove conservation area.

Brian J Reed, Silverline Press, St John's Hill, Battersea, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-42 — *Brian J Reed, Silverline Press, St John’s Hill, Battersea, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-42*

Two businesses both doomed by changes in technology, with electronic components being replaced by integrated circuts and much of the printing business being transformed by computerisation. The works through the gateway is now part of a Sainsbury’s Local with a shop front a little further up the street.

*Gateway, LCC, East Hill Estate, East Hill, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-44*

Further along the street St John’s Hill becomes East Hill and it was here that the London Country Council built their East Hill estate in 1928, having bought the site five years earlier. These Grade II listed gates date from 1851 and were preserved from St Peter’s Hospital (Fishmongers’ Almhouses) formerly on the site and re-used as the main pedestrian gateway to the new estate. The almshouses had been built to house 42 residents along with a chapel, hall and library and rooms for the medical officer, clergyman and paymaster. They replaced those in Newington, South London dating from 1618.

The 1928 LCC estate was demolished in 1981 and replaced by the more modern flats on the site in my photograph.

*Garden, Birdhurst Rd, Trinity Rd, Wandsworth, 1990, 90-2j-45*

The Trinity Road dual carriageway had started to be planned when Wandsworth Bridge was build in the 1930s as a part of extensive road and motorway schemes which included a real South Circular, but only materialised in the 1960s as a rather forgotten part of London’s Ringway schemes, intended at some date to link up north of the river with the West Cross Route at Shepherds Bush.

Fortunately sanity prevailed and after a few disastrous short sections of road were built most of these schemes were abandoned. I’m unsure when this section of Trinity Road was converted to dual carriageway, going under the A3 and East Hill and the famous square roundabout were built, but I think some time around 1970.

This small garden is immediately north of East Hill on the corner of Birdhurst Road and has now lost all of its railings and is surrounded by a ring of rather delicate-looking metal bollards. A board about environmental improvements has a graphic including Battersea’s most famous building.

Crouch End & Upper Holloway – 1989

The final post on my walk on Sunday 19th November 1989 which had begun in Highgate. You can read the previous part at A Reservoir, Flats, a Cockerel and a Café.

Gateway, Albert Mansions, Crouch Hill, Crouch End, Islington, Haringey, 1989 89-11i-61 — *Gateway, Albert Mansions, Crouch Hill, Crouch End, Haringey, 1989 89-11i-61*

I walked down Haslemere Road and then turned down Vicarage Path, following this to Crouch Hill.

Albert Mansions, described by various estate agents as “a hidden gem in Crouch Hill” dates from 1903. Although the driveway is clearly marked ‘PRIVATE residents only‘, Vicarage Path goes past the building and emerges at the side of the left gatepost in my photograph. I clearly found this gateway more interesting than the actual mansion building where three and four bedroom leashold flats now sell for approaching a million.

House, Heathville Rd, Highcroft Rd, Crouch End, Islington, 1989 89-11i-64 — *House, Heathville Rd, 6, Highcroft Rd, Crouch End, Islington, 1989 89-11i-64*

I walked down Crouch Hill and turned west down Ashley Rd. When I reached Highcroft Road I saw an interesting roof a short distance down and walked up to take this picture. Taken from just across the street it rather fails to show clearly the pyramidal cap to the roof, which is more evident in the previous frame (not on-line) taken of the row along this side of the street. But does give a good idea of the architectural detailing, including a fancily written date which I can’t quite read but is perhaps 1897 or 9 and a rather striking head – I wondered who was the model for this intense face. I’m rather suprised that this building does not appear to be locally listed

*House, Highcroft Rd, Crouch End, Islington, 1989 89-11i-65*

This locally listed house at 3 Highcroft Road was built in 1875 as the vicarage to St Mary’s Church opposite, and has rather fine porch with a somewhat ecclesiastical look. Like many of the large vicarages provided for Victorian clerics who were expected to have large families and servants I imagine it was sold off some years before I made the picture.

*Houses, Hornsey Rise, Upper Holloway, Islington, 1989 89-11i-66*

I returned to Ashley Road, walking past St Mary’s church without photographing it. Most of our Anglican churches seem to have been photographed time after time from the Victorian period on, not least because many vicars with time on their hands took up photography as a hobby. I seldom chose to add to the multitude.

There is a line of similar fine houses between Ashley Road and Shaftestbury Road, at 2-20 facing Elthorne Park, but I chose to photograph these because of the wall with its sculptures and irorwork in front of what I think was 6 Hornsey Rise. The wall and ironwork are still there but the figures next to the pavement have long gone. At the right of the picture you can see the Shaftesbury Tavern.

*House, Hornsey Rise, Upper Holloway, Islington, 1989 89-11i-53*

Hornsey Rise was developed from 1848, although it only got the name almost 40 years later replaceing the different names of various short lengths such as this. This picture gives a closer view of one of the two ornamental gates and the house , with the doorway to number 4 at the right of the image.

*The Shaftesbury Tavern, Shaftesbury Rd, Hornsey Rise, Upper Holloway, Islington, 1989 89-11i-54*

This pub at 534 is the last building on Hornsey Road, which becomes Hornsey Rise beyond Shaftesbury Rd. According to its local listing it “was built in 1858, by speculative builder Thomas Beall, as the area around it began to be developed. It is a handsome well-preserved building with contrasting brickwork in red and London stock, and pilasters and arches at the upper storey level. “

I choose to photograph not the main pub building but its “1897 addition” on Shaftesbury Rd. However CAMRA states that the pub itself was built “in 1897 with rich wood and glasswork, so typical of the golden age of pub-building.” Looking at the pub exterior I am inclined to believe them and the current building probably replaced or significantly altered Beall’s. As they also state, “The pub was restored in 2014 from a ‘very tired’ state by the small pub chain Remarkable Restaurants Ltd“.

*Shops, Fairbridge Rd, Hornsey Rd, Upper Holloway, Islington, 1989 89-11i-55*

I continued walking down Hornsey Road I photographed this handsome late Victorian building at 471 Hornsey Rd on the corner with Fairbridge Road. Then it was a timber merchant with T C TIMBER on the first floor corner blind window and a rather jaunty-looking painted figure of a town crier in ancient dress looking like a poor piece of advertising clip-art in that above it on the second floor. The shop is now Hornsey Carpets and that figure now looks very washed out and on the first floor is some strange image I make no sense of.

*Kokayi, Supplementary School, Hanley Rd, Upper Holloway, Islington, 1989 89-11i-56*

Further down Hornsey Road I went down Hanley Road where I photographed the doorway of the Kokayi Supplementary School. A charity of this name was later registered in 1997 “To advance the education of children and young people particularly children and young people of African and Afro-Caribbean descent by the provision of a supplementary school: By the provision of advice and guidance in matters concerning their education and career development; And by such other charitable ways as the charity through its trustees may from time to time decide.” The charity was removed in 2014 as it had ceased to function.

I was at the end of my walk and made my way to Finsbury Park Station. It was several weeks before I was able to go out and take photographs again.

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Alaska, The Grange and Leather, 1988

The previous post of this walk, Alma Grove & Grange Road, Bermondsey, 1988, ended on Grange Road.

Alaska, The Grange and Leather, 1988: The area of Bermondsey south and east of Bermondsey Street used to be known as The Grange, though I think now estate agents have re-christened it Bermondsey Spa. It was once the farm or grange of Bermondsey Abbey which covered much of the locality from the Norman conquest until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII. Bermondsey Priory was established by Cluniac monks around 1089 and enlarged into an abbey around three hundred years later. Estate agents have renamed the area Bermondsey Spa.

Alaska Works, Grange Rd, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10m-14-Edit_2400 — *Alaska Works, Grange Rd, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10m-14*

The gateway on Grange Road with its carved seal was the works entrance to C W Martin & Sons Ltd who made products from sealskins, mainly imported from Alaska and Canada. The Alaska factory dated from 1869, though it was only taken over by Martin and a partner four years later. The seal skins were de-haired, dressed and died in the factory, which employed around a tenth of all UK fur workers. In its final years until it closed in the 1960s it was owned by Martin Rice Ltd.

Traditionally sealskin was used to make waterproof jackets and boots by the Inuit and other aboriginal people, and seal fur was used for warm coats. Sealskin made tobacco pouches for sailors and sporrans for Scotsmen. Although there are now bans in many countries on the export and import of seal pelts, the trade continues, and seal fur is still used as trims by some of the leading fashion brands.

Alaska Works, Grange Rd, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-64-Edit_2400 — *Alaska Works, 61, Grange Rd, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-64*

The market for seal products diminished in the twentieth century and Martin’s increasingly moved into other fur products such as sheepskin jackets and the cleaning of fur coats etc. In 1932 the factory was rebuilt in a striking Art Deco design by Wallis, Gilbert & Partners and it was partially rebuilt after being damages in fire damage. It closed in the 1960s. At some time the legend MARTIN’S on the tower was replaced by the ALASKA now present.

The building was redeveloped as offices in the early 1990s and converted to residential use together with new development on the former Grange Road Baths site later in that decade. Like many former industrial and commercial buildings of merit it reflects a long-held prejudice of the listing authorities and is unlisted. For many years too there was (and perhaps it persists) a peculiar snobbishness among architectural historians and critics against what the called ‘moderne’ buildings.

88-10n-55-Edit_2400 — *Jaguar Specialists, Grange Rd, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 Car side and wheels on brickwork. 10n53*

Perhaps surprisingly, this house at 8 Grange Road with its neighbours in a row of four houses to the left of the picture was Grade II listed in 1972. They date from around 1800.

Jaguar Specialists, Grange Rd, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-53-Edit_2400 — *Jaguar Specialists, Grange Rd, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 Car side and wheels on brickwork. 10n55*

What attracted me was of course the unlisted (and since removed) part car body advertising the Jaguar Specialists above its ground floor windows. You can just see some marks left by this on the brickwork, but the name board has gone without trace. Above the archway at right is still the notice GREATER LONDON COUNCIL PRIVATE ACCESS DO NOT OBSTRUCT and there is not a gate across the entrance

Former, Bacon's School, Grange Rd, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-42-Edit_2400 — *Former Bacon’s School, Grange Rd, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-42*

Josiah Bacon who had become wealthy as a leather merchant left an annuity in 1703 of £150 a year to establish a Free School, at first in St Mary’s Church on Bermondsey St. It later moved to a building on Grange Road which was replaced by this one in 1890. The school moved to Pages Walk in 1962, later becoming a City Technology College. It moved to Rotherhithe in 1991 and is is now co-educational secondary school and sixth form with academy status since 2007.

London Leather, Hide and Wool Exchange, Weston St, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-35-Edit_2400 — *London Leather, Hide and Wool Exchange, Weston St, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-35*

I’ve written at some length before about the London Leather, Hide and Wool exchange in Weston Street. Leather traders had moved from Leadenhall Street in the City to a new Skin Market on an adjoining site in 1832-3 and 50 years later decided on building a new headquarters for the Leather Industry next door, engaging noted local architect George Elkington. Perhaps his flamboyant and eclectic design was made to please the committee responsible, and it was described as ‘an ornament to the district‘.

London Leather, Hide and Wool Exchange, Weston St, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-34-Edit_2400 — *London Leather, Hide and Wool Exchange, Weston St, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-34*

It’s overdone porch is supported by Atlas on each side, with a head in the centre that reminds me of Old Father Thames. Above the ground floor windows are five roundels representing various stages of the preparation and sale of leather; fellmongering to scrape the skins clean, tanning to harden the leather, flattening the skins, storing them for sale and finally a customer inspecting a hide.

London Leather, Hide and Wool Exchange, Weston St, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-33-Edit_2400 — *London Leather, Hide and Wool Exchange, Weston St, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-33*

Originally on the rounded tower at the corner with Leathermarket street there was a clock and above this a balcony and cupola, but these were not replaced after wartime damage. The building had a club area for the leather merchants on its first floor as well as public rooms and a tavern at the rear, now a pub. The exchange closed in 1912.

London Leather, Hide and Wool Exchange, Weston St, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-21-Edit_2400 — *London Leather, Hide and Wool Exchange, Weston St, Bermondsey, Southwark, 1988 88-10n-21*

Bermondsey had a long history of tanning leather and in 1703 The Master, Wardens and Comonalty of the Art or Mistery of Tanners of the Parish of St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey of Surrey received a royal charter making them a guild responsible for the training of tanners and the inspection of tanning within a 30 mile radius of Bermondsey, which continued in force until 1835. Tanning was one of the major industries in the area, but the last tannery in the area closed in 1990. The guild still exists and awards bursaries and prizes etc to young people in the area.

My walk around the leather district will continue in a later post.