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Around Finsbury Park – 1990

Around Finsbury Park: On Sunday February 25th 1990 I began a walk from Finsbury Park Station

Bookmarks, 265, Seven Sisters Rd, South Tottenham, Haringey, 1990, 90-2f-42 — *Bookmarks, 265, Seven Sisters Rd, Finsbury Park, Haringey, 1990, 90-2f-42*

The Bookmarks shop was at 265, Seven Sisters Rd, Finsbury Park and was home to the Bookmarks Publishing Co-operative which had been established in 1979 to publish books and pamphlets by members of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP). In 1998 it moved to 1 Bloomsbury Street and is now Britain’s largest socialist bookshop and now sells a wide range of “non-fictional and fictional books that concern politics, economics, anti-fascism, anarchism, labour history, trade unionism, arts and culture, anti-racism, the environment, biographies, and feminism.”

Two doors beyond this at 269 was the former entrance to a cinema, built in 1909 as Pyke’s Cinematograph. Later it was combined with the larger Rink Cinema behind it at 10 Stroud Green Road and when I took this picture it had closed as a club and became as a large sign indicates ‘LONDON’S LATEST LUXURY TENPIN BOWLING ALLEY!’ with its entrance in Stroud Green Road around the corner. There is now a Lidl here.

House, 169, Queen's Drive, Finsbury Park, Hackney, 1990, 90-2f-43 — *House, 169, Queen’s Drive, Finsbury Park, Hackney, 1990, 90-2f-43*

After the railway station – at first Seven Sisters Road station – opened in 1869 the area around it was opened up to speculative building, with trains taking workers into the City at Moorgate station in around 15 minutes. This very substantial Victorian detached house was one of those on Queen’s Drive, just a few yards from Finsbury Park and a short walk to the station which would have provided a home for a well-paid city worker and his family and a servant or two.

Houses, Queen's Drive, Finsbury Park, Hackney, 1990, 90-2f-45 — *Houses, Queen’s Drive, Finsbury Park, Hackney, 1990, 90-2f-45*

Further down Queen’s Drive were more very substantial semi-detached residences and although much of the area had deteriorated particularly since the war these houses still seemed in good condition. This was clearly built as one of the posher streets in Finsbury Park and had remained so, although many of these large houses were now dividied into flats and some had been replaced by later and larger blocks of flats.

*House, Brownswood Rd, Wilberforce Rd, Finsbury Park, Hackney, 1990, 90-2f-31*

A strikingly vertical house on the corner of Brownswood Road and Wilberforce Rd, though in fact is I think actually only the same height as the house opposite, also with a full height attic window. There are similar houses on all four corners of the junction. The large block of flats looks very near but is on Citizen Road around a kilometre away to the south-west.

Squat, 63, St Thomas's Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2f-36 — *Squat, 63, St Thomas’s Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2f-36*

Two adjoining doors of 63 and 65 St Thomas’s Road both have notices on them from the squatters, on the left door warning that the premises are occupied and that any attempt to enter without permission is a criminal act, while on the right visitors are told they need to knock and shout up up to people on the upper floors. Squatting in a residential building in England only became illegal in September 2012.

Stop the Roads, poster, St Thomas's Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2f-21 — *Stop the Roads, poster, St Thomas’s Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2f-21*

YOUR LAST CHANCE TO STOP THE ROADS states a poster for a march from Kings Cross to Archway on 24 February 1990, the day before I took this picture. In 1989 Margaret Thatcher had outlined plans for a £23 billion trunk road enlargement programme in the Roads for Prosperity white paper, designed to assist economic growth, improve the environment, and improve road safety. It led to years of protest with many schemes being cancelled though others, including the M3 extension at Twyford Down, the Newbury bypass and the M11 link road went ahead.

To be continued

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More from Tollington Park – 1990

More from Tollington Park – 1990 continues my walk which began at Kings Cross on Sunday February 11th 1990 with the post Kings Cross and Pentonville 1990. The previous post was Fonthill & Tollington.

*House, Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-12*

Tollington is a district whose name dates back at lease into Saxon times. According to Eric A Willats’ ‘Streets With A Story‘, from which much of the information in this post comes, “It was spelt ‘Tollandune’ in the Anglo-Saxon Charters meaning the hill or pasture of Tolla. ‘Tolentone’ meant a pannage for hogs, a place of beechwood and mast. This area and Holloway were all then part of the Great Forest of Middlesex. It
had various spellings Tolesdone, Tolyndon, Tallingdon and Tallington.”

Modern development of the area, then farmland, began early in the 19th century; “About 1818-1820 ‘a pretty range of villa residences were erected in the Italian style by Mr. Duerdin, with stabling and offices attached, from the designs of Messrs. Gough and Roumieu.’” These are now 96, 102, 106 and 110 Tollington Park.

*House, Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-13*

Like many other early and mid-19th century developments the villas were first given their own distinct subsidiary names and only became numbers in ‘Tollington Park’ in 1871, Willats gives the following details:

After 1871 subsidiary names were abolished, e.g., Belmont Terrace became nos2-6, Birnam Villas 8-10,St Marks Villas 16-22, Claremont Villas 24-36, Duerdin Villas 44-56, Fonthill Villas 60-70, Syddall Villas 59, Syddall Terrace 63-73, Regina Villas 89-101, Shimpling Place by 1882 nos15-155 Upper Tollington Park, Harrington Grove 1848/9 became after 1894 47 to 67 and 52 to 70 CHARTERIS ROAD. Nos96 to 108 have been attributed to Gough & Roumieu, built 1839-40

*House, 53, Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-14*

This corner house has been significantly modernised but retains its tall archway and fits in well with the adjoining houses out of picture to the left. It doesn’t get a mention on the fine map of ‘Historic Tollington’ which was “created by the incredibly vibrant Tollington Park Action Group in 1994.” As well as the plan of the streets this contains informative annotation on 26 sites in the area and would have been very useful to me as a guide to the area which I photographed four years before the map was made.

*House, 20A, Turle Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-15*

Willats suggests the road was “Probably named after a John Turle of no.11 Tollington Park who was at that address in 1830 and in 1833.”

*George Orwell School, Turle Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2d-65*

The former Tollington Park School first opened in 1886. It gained some new buildings to add to its Victorian main block in 1930 but these were demolished by bombing in 1940. I think my picture shows the new extension built in 1955.

It was renamed by the Inner London Education Authority in 1981 after Eric Arthur Blair, better known as George Orwell, in 1981. He had lived not far away at 27b Canonbury Square from 1944-7. The name of this ‘secondary modern’ school was changed when it was merged with Archway Secondary School and it disappeared in 1999 following a damning Ofsted inspection of all Islington’s schools, re-emerging as Islington Arts and Media School.

The school’s most famous former pupil is photographer Don McCullen who was born and grew up in Finsbury Park nearby.

*St Marks, church, Church Hall, Moray Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2d-53*

Work began on building the church in 1853; its architect was Alexander Dick Gough (1804-71) who lived at 4 Tollington Park. He was a pupil of Benjamin Dean Wyatt and for some years worked in partnership with Robert Lewis Roumieu; their work together in North London included the Islington Literary and Scientific Institution (now the Almeida Theatre), the rebuilding of the Norman St Pancras Old Church and several Italianate villas in Tollington Park mentioned above.

After their partnership was dissolved in 1848, Gough designed or redesigned over a dozen churches in North London and elsewhere, many now demolished, along with other buildings. St Mark’s required some structural alterations in 1884 and was renovated in 1904.

*Tollington Court, Tollington Place, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2d-54*

These 1938 flats are on the corner of Tollington Place and Tollington Park and I was standing a few yards down Moray Road to make this picture, with the square and fluted round pillars of St Mark’s Mansions, 60 Tollington Park, at the left. This building is locally listed as a semi-detached Italianate villa dating from around 1850.

*St Marks Mansions, Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2d-55*

This shows the neighbouring semi-detached villa of St Mark’s Mansions and the poor decorative state of many of the buildings like this long converted into flats in Tollington Park. The area has been considerably gentrified since 1990 and it is hard to believe the state of the properties then when you look at them now.

See what Tollington looked like in the 60’s & 70’s has a collection of pictures by Leslie William Blake taken before the area had begun to receive any real investment following extensive bomb damage in the war. The article states “it wasn’t until the late Sixties that any real investment began” to come into the area, and my pictures from 1990 show that there was still much to do.

More pictures from my walk in a later post.

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Fonthill & Tollington – 1990

Fonthill & Tollington continues my walk on Sunday February 11th 1990 which began at Kings Cross with the post Kings Cross and Pentonville 1990. The previous post was Caledonian Road, Barnsbury & Lower Holloway – 1990.

*Tower House, 149, Fonthill Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-32*

The Tower House it at the south end of a late Victorian terrace at 141-9 Fonthill Road close to the junction with Seven Sisters Road. This was the factory and showroom for Witton, Witton & Co. In an advertisement in Musical Opinion & Music Trade Review they describe it as ‘BRITAIN’S FINEST FACTORY’ producing ‘”THE IDEAL BRITISH PIANO” Specially made for Variable Climates’. According to the Pianoforte-makers in England web site the company was formed in 1874, although earlier Wittons had made pianos from 1838. They held two patents related to pianos. The name continued in use after production went abroad in the 1930s. Their grand pianos are said to be not well made.

By 1990 the tower had lost its top floor topped by a cupola. Like much of Fonthill Road the building was mainly in use by clothing manufacturers and wholesalers in 1990.

*Goodwin St, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-35*

The 3 storey house in this picture is still present on Goodwin Street, a turning off Fonthill Road which now leads through City North House to Finsbury Park Station. This is 11 Goodwin St, owned by the Trustees of Peace News and the home of CND, the Campaign Against Arms Trade as the hanging sign above the double door indicates, along with various other groups. I think the right hand door was number 13, though the numbering around here seems rather random.

*Shops, Fonthill Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-36*

The rather strangely staggered roofline is still there at 138 Fonthill Road and all the shops are still in the clothing trade, though I think all the names are changed. Photographer Don McCullin grew up in the area in the 1940s and described the area as “a battlefield” and later he was to photograph on many real ones, including in Cyprus.

It was the Cyprus emergency with the UK fighting EOKA in the the late fifties and the later war between Greeks and Turks that led to many Cypriots to come to live in North London – and a number of them set up clothing factories and wholesale businesses here – and others from Turkey, the Caribbean and Africa came too. At first shops here were simply wholesale, but then many began to open on Saturdays for retail sales, and the street was crowded with people – mainly women – buying real bargains.

*Fonthill Metal Co, Fonthill Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-21*

I don’t think any trace remains of the Fonthill Metal Co or the garage next door on Fonthill Road which were almost at the end of Fonthill Road close to Tollington Park. There used to be many similar small scrap metal dealers who would pay cash on the spot for non-ferrous metals – Copper, Brass, Lead, Zinc and Ali – aluminium.

BRAIZERY here means copper pipes and other material which has been soldered and so contains small amounts of other metals, particularly tin and lead. If you have a decent load of this you can probably get around £6 a kilo for it – but no longer on Fonthill Road.

*Velvet Touch, Fonthill Rd, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-22*

Later retail clothes shops elsewhere in the country found they could buy clothing cheaper abroad than garments made in the UK, and manufacturing here started to fall away. Slowly more and more wholesalers welcomed retail customers and many new wholly retail shops opened.

More recently the retail trade has fallen away too as the area becomes increasingly gentrified. Most of the clothes still on sale are now made abroad, particularly in Turkey.

Velvet Touch at 1 Fonthill Road was at the far end to the other clothing manufacturers, wholesalers and importers and although you can still read that line of their shopfront, (rather faded now) their name and the large sign on the side wall are long gone and I think the building is now residential. The very small window on the first floor is still bricked up.

*St Mellitus, RC, Church, Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, Islington,, 1990, 90-2c-23*

Built as the New Court Chapel in 1871 by Congregationalists from New Court, Carey St, Lincoln’s Inn Field after their chapel had been demolished to build the Royal Courts of Justice.

The Neo-classical church, designed by C G Searle seated 1,340 and in the early years was often full in the early years, but after the war congregations dropped away. It was sold to the Catholic Church in 1959, becoming St Mellitus RC Church. St Mellitus was the first Bishop of London in 604CE and later in 619CE became Archbishop of Canterbury.

*House, Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-24*

Tollington Park was one of the first streets in this northern part of Islington in Finsbury Park (estate agents like to call it Stroud Green, but that seems rather a stretch too far) to be laid out and its grand semi-detached villas date from the 1830’s and 40’s.

Before that cows had grazed its fields to supply milk to London across north Islington which had what was claimed to be the largest dairy farm in the country, run by Welsh dairy farmer Richard Laycock.

By WW2 the area had deteriorated and become a poor working-class area. It was heavily bombed in WW2 and much still remained in a mess twenty years later. By the 1970s it was home to many migrants from across the world, including “Welsh, Irish, Jamaican, and others from all over the world.”

*House, Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, Islington, 1990, 90-2c-26*

Many of the damaged properties and some others were demolished in 1970 to form a park, Wray Crescent, and gentrification of the area set in. The Friends of Wray Crescent history page contains a number of pictures of Tollington in the 1960s and 1970s, taken by Leslie William Blake when “local campaigners and the Tollington Park Action Group began to fight to preserve some of the buildings, including the creation of the local conservation zone.”

Houses like those in my picture are now all or almost all a number of flats. Only 4 houses in Tollington Park are Grade II listed (along with the two churches) but many are locally listed including these two at 104 and 106, thought to have been built in 1840.

Westcombe Park and Blackheath 1990

Westcombe Park and Blackheath: On Saturday 20th January I got off a train at Westcombe Park station to begin another walk. Westcombe Park is in the London Borough of Greenwich and is at the east of Greenwich and north of Blackheath. Twelve years after I made this walk the Westcombe Park Conservation Area was designated in 2002.

*House, 146, Humber Rd, Westcombe Park, Greenwich, 1990, 90-1h-21*

Banker John Julius Angerstein (1735-1823) bought a large part of what had been parkland around a large country house to build his own house, Woodlands, now a Steiner School and the only listed building (Grade II*) in the area.

It was only when a large area of land was sold in 1876 that residential development of the area was begun – after a false start the Westcombe Park Estate Company was formed in 1878. They laid out roads, drains and sewers and offered freehold and leasehold plots for sale with only fairly loose guidelines over what could be built.

The Woodlands, Mycenae Rd, Westcombe Park, Greenwich, 1990, 1990, 90-1h-23 — *The Woodlands, 90, Mycenae Rd, Westcombe Park, Greenwich, 1990, 1990, 90-1h-23*

The development from then on was piecemeal and sporadic and by 1900 much was still undeveloped – and the estate company went into liquidation and the remaining land was sold off cheaply. There are a few properties from the 1880s, rather more from the 1890s particularly in the roads close to the station from which city clerks could travel into work. Although Woodlands is the only nationally listed building in the area, there are many locally listed buildings.

*The Woodlands, Mycenae Rd, Westcombe Park, Greenwich, 1990, 90-1h-24*

*Houses, Beaconsfield Rd, Vanburgh Park, Greenwich, 1990, 90-1h-12*

These houses are in the Blackheath Conservation Area and are on the north side of Vanburgh Park, so their frontages facing south with views across the common. The road at right angles in the picture is Beaconsfield Rd. These 3 storey locally listed Victorian villas date from 1860-1866 and were designed by architect Henry William Spratt.

*Tree, Bower Avenue, Greenwich Park, Greenwich, 1990, 90-1i-62*

From Vanburgh Park I walked across into Greenwich Park and then went down Bower Avenue where I found this massive tree trunk.

Vanbrugh Terrace, Greenwich, 1990, 90-1i-32 — *Vanbrugh Terrace, Blackheath, Greenwich, 1990, 90-1i-32*

The Grade II listed buildings of Vanburgh Terrace date from around 1840. I think this view is from somewhere near Charlton Way or Maze Hill. The terrace faces west across the parkland.

My walk will continue in a later post.

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Chapel, Gothic House, the Globe and Great West Road – 1990

Chapel, Gothic House, the Globe and Great West Road: Continuing my walk on Sunday 7th January 1990 – the previous post was The Great West Road and a Missing Lion – Brentford.

*Jubilee Chapel, Primitive Methodist, New Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1f-26*

Built in 1897, the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, the church closed in 1964 when a new church opened in Clifden Rd. The Primitives had joined with the Wesleyans and United Methodists in 1932. The building is a rather curious design laid out along the road with a tower like this at each end and five bays between, the central one with what looks as it should be an entrance with taller brickwork and a triangular pediment above a large oval-topped window. You can see a little of the interesting brickwork in my photograph. The windows now have some delicate metal protection in front of them and the building is still in use, I think by an Electrical contactor. It is locally listed for its architectural and social significance.

*House, Hamilton Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1f-11*

This Gothick style house at 17 Hamilton Road stands head and shoulders above its neighbours with a basement, steps up to a grand doorway and the fine decoration below its distinctive oriel window. It is capped on one side with an attic gable, making it three and a half storeys. Locally listed.

Performance, Windmill Rd, Great West Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1f-13 — *Performance Cars Ltd, Windmill Rd, Great West Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1f-13*

Although it might gain no stars for its uncompromising 1930s architecture this building for Performance Cars had a blunt and striking appearance and I was sad to see it was about to be demolished, one of many losses of buildings along the Great West Road. It’s a shame it was not saved, although the adjoining workshops were no great loss. Most of its site is now empty or parking for another motor dealer. I took this picture from underneath the elevated M4.

The Globe, Boston Park Rd, Windmill Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1f-15 — *The Globe, Boston Park Rd, 104, Windmill Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1f-15*

The Globe pub on the corner of Boston Park Road and Windmill Road is still open and is a popular traditional pub which still has some original features.Though it is no longer run by Fullers you may still be able to get a pint of London Pride. My picture just shows a little of the large globe let into the parapet above the corner of the building.

The pub was built in the 1880s and acquired by Fuller Smith & Turner in 1908. It is named in an impressive series of reviews of Brentford’s pubs written by ‘Wandering Tom’ and published in the County of Middlesex Indepent in 1996 but he tells us nothing mopre than its name. Unearthed by Vic Rosewarne as part of extensive research into Brentford’s pubs, these notes have been re-published as part of the Brentford High Street project.

Macleans, Great West Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1f-16 — *Macleans Toothpaste, Great West Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1f-16*

Finally two pictures – more to follow later – of another and more important loss of the 1920’s factories that lined the Brentford section of the new Great West Road. This was Maclean’s Toothpaste factory, opened in 1932 and together with the neighbouring Trico was demolished in 1992.

Trico Products Windscreen Wiper factory, No. 980 Great West Road, opened in 1928. The Trico business relocated to Pontypool, South Wales in 1992 and the building was demolished.

Macleans, Great West Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1g-01 — *Macleans, Boston Manor Rd, Brentford, Hounslow, 1990, 90-1g-01*

Initially the Macleans site, along with the adjoining former Trico factory next to the Grand Union Canal was to be a UK headquarters for Samsung, but plans fell through with an Asian financial crisis and instead building a new headquarters of GlaxoSmithKline was begun in 1998 and completed in 2001. Designed by Hillier with RHWL and Swanke Hayden Connell it was the biggest single commercial development of the time, and one of the few more interesting new buildings on the Great West Road.

GSK announced they were selling it in 2021 and the last of their staff left the building in 2014. There are now plans being made for what will probably be the largest ever development in Brentford.

More from Macleans and Trico in a later post.

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Chiswick Waste, Stamford Brook, British Grove & St Peter’s Square

Chiswick Waste, Stamford Brook, British Grove & St Peter’s Square: The fourth post on my walk which began at Kew Bridge Station on 10th of December 1989. The previous post was Bedford Park – 1989.

Chiswick Waste, Scrap Metal, Chiswick High Rd, 1989, 89-12b-31 — *Chiswick Waste, Scrap Metal, Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12b-31*

Bedford Park had played an important role in the development of suburban housing for the affluent with the Garden City movement, but after wandering around surrounded by red brick for more than an hour I was glad to get away from it and back to something rather different.

We sometimes think of recycling as being new and green, but it has long been important in our economy. Back in my young days there were ‘pig bins’ for waste food on our street, my father spent half an hour or so neatly smoothing out and rolling our waste newspapers into a neatly tied package to put out on the bin for salvage, and as kids we would eagerly search the neighbourhood for bottles to return to shops and scrap copper, brass, aluminium, lead and zinc to take to our local scrap dealer for pennies. When you only got 6d a week from your parents for pocket money every little helped.

Of course dealers like this one largely worked on an industrial scale – the prices here are in pounds per hundredweight – and a hundredweight was 8 stone – 112 lbs or 50.8 kilograms.

*House, Stamford Brook Road, Hounslow, Hammersmith & Fulham, 89-12b-23*

Stamford Brook is now be called one of London’s “Lost Rivers”. Wikipedia has a lengthy description of its complex courses with at least three sources, its six strands and four mouths into the Thames. When the county of London was carved from Middlesex in 1889 its most western course formed the boundary between the London Borough of Hammersmith and the Middlesex urban districts of Brentford and Chiswick – and since 1965 between the London Boroughs of Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham.

One northern part of the river is the Bollo Brook, and some of its water was diverted to the lakes at Chiswick House which still have and outflow to the Thames. But most of the rest of the river had been culverted by 1900, largely becoming a part of London’s sewage system. Hopefully the opening a few days ago of London’s supersewer will end the use of two of the mouths at Chiswick and Hammersmith being storm overlows and discharging untreated sewage into the Thames.

*Grove House, 66, British Grove, Chiswick, Hounslow, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12b-14*

British Grove also has a culvert running under it through some of Stamford Brook was diverted. There was a track here from at least the 18th century. The houses on Chiswick High Road immediately west of British Grove, some listed and dating from 1830-40, are named as British Terrace on the 1873 OS Map and British Grove appears as a narrow track along the boundary between Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham with houses only on its west side and the name British Grove across the long back gardens of the houses on the west side of St Peter’s Square. It had previously been a southern part of Chiswick Field Lane and

Later parts of those back gardens were built on and Grove House at No 66 appears to date from around 1930. It is now four flats.

Island Records, Royal Chiswick Laundry, British Grove, Hounslow, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12b-16 — *Island Records, Royal Chiswick Laundry, British Grove, Hammersmith, Hounslow, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12b-16*

British Grove has a several small claims to fame. It was here around 1863 that Frederick Walton first made linoleum having taken over the British Grove Works in 1860 from rubber manufacture Richard Beard. Unfortunately Walton’s works burnt down in 1862. They were insured and were rebuilt but were too small and Walton moved to Staines which became the centre for the development and manufacture of lino – though later much was made at Kirkaldy. The Staines works closed in 1974.

The Royal Chiswick Laundry was built in the rear garden of 22 St Peter’s Square in the 1890s, facing onto British Grove. The laundry closed in 1968 and the works were used briefly by “a company that added soundtrack to film before the property in 1973 became the offices, recording studios and premises of Island Records, who moved in with a staff of 65.” Their recording studio included “the base of the chimney, which was occasionally used in recordings to add reverberation” to vocals.

Many locals were relived when Island Records moved out and were in 2005 replaced by architects who retained and restored much of the buildings which were renamed Island Studios.

House, St Peter's Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-65 — *House, St Peter’s Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-65*

This is No 22, the house in whose back garden the Royal Chiswick Laundry was built, at the south-west corner of St Peter’ Square. The houses in the square were built in 1825-30 and 32 are Grade II listed.

Houses, St Peter's Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-52 — *Houses, St Peter’s Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-52*

The square was developed piecemeal by builders working to a master plan by the landowner George Scott on part of his Ravenscourt Park Esate, “mostly built in groups of three, with stucco fronts, pediments and Ionic porches.” Between these houses you can see the square chimney of the Royal Chiswick Laundry. And you can admire the architectural detail.

House, St Peter's Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-41 — *House, St Peter’s Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-41*

Number 27 seems to be disappearing under foliage.

House, St Peter's Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-42 — *House, 27, St Peter’s Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-42*

Two lions look rather angry at each other beside the stairs to the door of Number 30, with an eagle above the doorway.

Houses, St Peter's Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-43 — *Houses, St Peter’s Square, Hammersmith, Hammersmith & Fulham, 1989, 89-12c-43*

Some of the houses have gateposts with large pineapples – and perhaps others once did. And here again that impressive work above the side gates, as well as an eagle above the front door.

I took a few more pictures around the square, which really is worth a visit, before dragging myself away from one of London’s finest squares towards St Peter’s Church where the next account will begin.

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Bedford Park – 1989

Bedford Park – 1989: This is the third post on my walk which began at Kew Bridge Station on 10th of December 1989. The previous post was Turnham Green – 1989.

House, Priory Gardens, Bedford Park, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-12 — *House, Priory Gardens, Bedford Park,989, 89-12a-12*

Conveniently a large plaque on the house tells me this is Prioy Gardens and gives the date of its construction, 1880. The London Borough of Hounslow street sign confirms the street name and tells me it is in Chiswick, true, but more specifically it is in Bedford Park. Yet a third street name can be seen on the wall of the house in case anyone was still in doubt.

This Grade II listed house at 1 Priory Gardens is a part of the Bedford Park Estate, “a pioneering commercial development of some 350 houses and a few public buildings built between 1875 and 1886 by inexperienced developer Jonathan Carr.”

The estate was planned “to create a community of like-minded middle class aesthetes who were defined by modest financial resources and significant artistic aspirations” and was generally regarded soon after as ‘The First Garden Suburb’ and had a great influence on later suburban housing.

The whole estate reflects the Queen Anne Revival style of the period which the listing calls ‘Picturesque‘ and is also known as Domestic Revival. Most of the houses and public buildings on the estate built before 1880 were designed by Richard Norman Shaw, the leading architect of this style, but this was one of the earliest by his protégé E J May who had taken over as Estate Architect. A planning application to demolish the house and develop the site was turned down in 1973 and it is now the headquarters of the Victorian Society.

*Flanders Rd, Bath Rd, Bedford Park, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-14*

The Tabard Inn at the right of this row also dates from 1880 and is Grade II* listed, one of the public buildings in the area designed by Richard Norman Shaw. This building was was “a pioneering ‘improved’ pub and represented a rejection of the Gin Palace in favour of a more traditionally inspired and respectable inn” and retains much of its original interior features. The exterior of this group of properties was inspired by the well-known Staples Inn on High Holborn – which some may remember featured on tins of Old Holborn hand rolling tobacco.

To the left of the pub is the managers house, and closer to my camera at left are the Bedford Park Stores. Wikipedia has a long and interesting entry on this group of buildings. The stores later became a showroom for coachbuilder H. J. Mulliner & Co.

The buildings of Bedford Park which had become run-down and many in multi-occupation by the middle of last century were saved from ruin by an influential campaign by the Bedford Park Society and all of Carr’s buildings were listed in 1967. Ealing and Hounslow Councils created conservation areas covering the estate in 1970.

*Houses, Rupert Rd, Priory Avenue, Bedford Park, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-16*

This is I think 15 Priory Avenue, one of 4 houses at the crossroads with Rupert Road, where I could have faced in any direction and photographed a listed house, or walked down either of the roads lined with them. I think this was the most distinctive corner, but it was a rather overwhelming ensemble.

*Wendy Wisbey Agency, Bath Rd, Bedford Park, Turnham Green, 1989, 89-12b-63*

Back on the Bath Road the Wendy Wisbey theatrical agency, address 2 Rupert Road, occupied what had previously been The Phildene Stage School. In 2010 it became part of Orchard House School, now part of Dukes Education.

This was another building designed by Richard Norman Shaw. Unfortunately because of the mass nature of the listing of buildings in this area the listing text is almost devoid of any information.

*Wendy Wisbey Agency, Bath Rd, Bedford Park, Turnham Green, 1989, 89-12b-64*

Another picture of this agency which was also a dance school which shows the fine window at the east of the Bath Road frontage.

*Houses, Bedford Park, Turnham Green, 1989, 89-12b-51*

Another picture from Bedford Park showing some rather less grand houses. I can no longer recall the exact location – perhaps someone wlll be able to recognise it.

St Michael & All Angels', Parish Hall, Woodstock Rd, Bedford Park, Turnham Green, ,1989, 89-12b-44 — *St Michael & All Angels’ Parish Hall, Woodstock Rd, Bedford Park, Turnham Green, ,1989, 89-12b-44*

The Parish Hall adjoins the church and is listed together with it. The church by Richard Norman Shaw was built in 1880 as a central element in the new Bedford Park Estate, but the parish hall was a later addition in 1887. The front of the church and the hall face The Avenue but there is a small grassed area in front and the street sign in the photograph is for Woodstock Rd.

The central pillar seems remarkably stout and the decorative ironwork includes two angels above each door.

I left the church and walked down past Turnham Green Station to Chiswick High Road to continue my walk. More later.

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Turnham Green – 1989

Turnham Green – 1989: The second post on my walk which began at Kew Bridge Station on 10th of December 1989. The previous post was Kew Bridge & Gunnersbury 1989.

Empire House, Chiswick High Rd, Turnham Green, Hounslow, , 1989 89-12a-64 — *Empire House, Chiswick High Rd, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989 89-12a-64*

It might be thought odd that this tall office building which was built starting in 1959 should have been called Empire House, when the British Empire was almost completely gone, but the Empire from which this tower got its name was the Chiswick Empire, built for theatre owner and manager Oswald Stoll at 414 Chiswick High Road, replacing some shops and a smithy which opened in 2012.

The architect was the leading theatre architect Frank Matcham and it was a grand example of the Edwardian ‘Jacobean’ style. Built to seat 4,000 it featured mainly variety shows, but also more serious theatre and perhaps was in its heyday in the 1940s and early 50s. Wikipedia has a great list of some of those who appeared in its final years “Tommy Cooper, Max Miller, Max Bygraves, Julie Andrews, Morecambe and Wise, Ken Dodd, Max Wall, Dickie Valentine, the Ray Ellington Quartet, Peter Sellers and Dorothy Squires (1952), Laurel and Hardy on a return visit (1954), Al Martino, Alma Cogan, Terry-Thomas (1955) and Cliff Richard (1959).” Cliff wasn’t quite the man who brought the house down, with the final shows being by Liberace with the theatre being demolished within a month of his stepping away from the piano.

I don’t know who was the architect responsible for Empire House. It has recently been bought and redeveloped into flats and town houses.

*Sandersons Wallpaper. Factory, Barley Mow Passage, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-52*

This elegant wallpaper factory was designed by C F Voysey and built in 1902. It was the only commercial building designed by the celebrated Arts & Crafts architect and designer and is Grade II* listed.

Arthur Sanderson & Sons Ltd, now just Sanderson, was founded in Islington in 1860 and made fabrics and wallpaper. The company came to Chiswick in 1879 and this building was an extension on the other side of the road to their earlier factory, built in 1893. After a fire in 1928, the company moved to Perivale selling off the Voysey building. They had also built a factory in Uxbridge in 1919 to produce fabrics. Sandersons moved back to into the Voysey building in 2024.

Sandersons had bought the business of Jeffrey & Co who had printed William Morris’s wallpapers and in 1940 when Morris & Co dissolved they also bought the rights to use the Morris name.

*House, Dukes Avenue, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-41*

Dukes Avenue runs south from Turnham Green towards Chiswick House. Lord Burlington’s grandson was able after the Chiswick enclosures act of 1814 to build the road from his estate to Chiswick High Road. The road is lined with lime trees.

Houses along here seem seldom to be sold, but one went recently for over £3 million. Most appear to be large, solid and Edwardian but of no great interest.

*Gateway, House, Dukes Avenue, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-42*

*Devonshire Works, Dukes Avenue, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-43*

This former Sandersons factory, the “Devonshire works”, was used for light engineering in the 1960s by Evershed & Vignoles of Acton Lane. From 1971 it stood empty until restored by the Cornhill Insurance Co. as the Barley Mow Workspace, for individuals or small firms of designers or craftsmen, the first of whom arrived in 1976.”

*Devonshire Works, Dukes Avenue, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-44*

After Lord Burlington who built Chiswick House died the property was inherited by the Dukes of Devonshire. I think this works probably dates from 1893.

*Chiswick Memorial Club, Afton House, Bourne Place, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-45*

Afton House, built around 1800 is the only remaining example of the grand houses which were bilt in around 1800 along Chiswick High Road, and it Grade II listed. In the 1850s it was called Falkland House and was a school, but was renamed Afteon House in 1861. From then until 1887 it remained a school but then became a laundry until 1913. Empty and bcoming derelict it was bought in 1919 by Dan Mason of the Chiswick Polish Company (best remembered for their Cherry Blossom Shoe Polish) and given as a club for ex-servicemen.

*Linden Gardens, Chiswick High Rd, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-34*

Dr Ralph Griffiths who founded the Monthly Review and edited it for 50 years was one of the many “noble, artistic and scholarly residents” of the area in the 18th century and he lived in Linden House where Linden Gardens now is. He was a London bookseller and publisher Ralph Griffiths, with “bookshops at St. Paul’s Churchyard from 1747 until 1753, then at 20 Pater Noster Row until 1759, and finally on the Strand near Catherine Street until 1772 – all under the sign of the Dunciad.”

Griffiths was notably involved in the 1746 publication of Acanius or the Young Adventurer, a fictionalized account of the Young Pretender, and may have been its author. The government attempted unsuccessfully to suppress the book and it remained in print for over 150 years.

*Chiswick Fire Station, Chiswick High Rd, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-36*

Chiswick Fire Station at 197 Chiswick High Road is an elegant building with a tower and is now a bar and restaurant. It was for sale when I made this picture. Built in 1891 the tower at right was used to hang up fire hoses to dry and also to store the long fire escape ladder. A new fire station was built in 1963 and this became redundant.

*War Memorial, Turnham Green, Hounslow, 1989, 89-12a-26*

Erected in 1921 ‘In grateful and affectionate memory of the men of Chiswick who fell in the Great War, 1914 – 1918’ this simple obelisk is a rather plain reminder of their sacrifice designed by Edward Willis FSI, Engineer and Architect to the Chiswick Urban District Council. More names were added after the Second World War. There seems to be little reason to justify its Grade II listing

I walked on to Bedford Park. More from there in a later post .

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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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Houses, Trees & Walks – Highgate 1989

My wandering around Highgate on Sunday 19th November, continued. You can read the first part of it at Highgate – Mirrors, Mansions & Luxury Cars which had ended at the Kingdom Hall on North Hill.

*Tree, Southwood Lane, Highgate, Haringey, 1989 89-11e-25*

One thing that I seldom resist on a walk is a passage and a little further down North Hill I found Park House Passage. And after photographing the rather fine house beside it (4 North Hill, not digitised) I went down it to The Park, confusingly not a park but a street, with houses only on the north side. I took several more pictures not on line including two of a large block of flats two the south on Hillcrest, perhaps built later on the parkland which had given the street its name. But trees along the road meant they could not be seen as clearly as I would have liked.

But I saw the ash tree in this picture after I turned on to Southwood Lane in front of some modern housing largely hidden behind an old wall. Both house and tree are still there, though of course the tree has grown considerably. Most of the ash leaves had fallen but some were still holding on and contrasted greatly with the evergreen shrub at the bottom of the frame.

Highstone House, Jackson's Lane, Highgate, Haringey, 1989, 89-11e-11 — *Highstone House, Jackson’s Lane, Highgate, Haringey, 1989, 89-11e-11*

A little further down Southwood Lane I turned into Jackson’s Lane, named after Joseph B Jackson, who lived in a house named Hillside, demolished to build the late Victorian Hillside Mansions and the street Hillside Gardens.

Highstone House is the first house down the street on a very narrow section of the road and it is now rather hidden as the wrought iron gate has been replaced by a solid wooden one.

House, 62, Jackson's Lane, Highgate, Haringey, 1989 89-11e-14 — *House, 62, Jacksons Lane, Highgate, Haringey, 1989 89-11e-14*

I photographed another house on the opposite side of Jackson’s Lane and then turned around to return to Southwood Lane photographing this house close to the junction at 62 Jackson’s Lane.

*Park Walk, Southwood Lane, Highgate, Haringey, 1989 89-11f-52*

Almost opposite was Park Walk, leading from Southwood Lane to North Road, so I had to go down it. I think the white house on Southwood lane is possibly a detached part of the property on Jackson’s Lane in the previous picture.

*Park Walk, Southwood Lane, Highgate, Haringey, 1989 89-11f-53*

The flats which can be seen through the trees are I think on Hillcrest, and are perhaps Cunningham House or Tedder House. Park Walk took me back to North Hill, opposite the High Point flats.

*Highpoint, North Road, Highgate, Haringey, 1989 89-11f-44*

Berthold Lubetkin designed the Grade I listed High Point 1 flats built in 1931 in the International Modern style as housing for the employees of Sigmund Gestetner but they never got to live in them. Also involved as structural engineer was Ove Arup. I think my picture deliberately avoided taking a standard view of them showing them as a modern masterpiece but instead concentrated on what I take to be an architectural joke at the entrance with pilotis and caryatids.

The flats are on one of the highest points in Highgate and the name above the entrance is clearly High Point, but they are usually referred to as Highpoint. This is Highpoint 1 and later in 1938 Lubetkin added the adjoining more luxurious Highpoint 2 in a similar design. He lived in the penthouse on Highpoint 1 until then.

Le Corbusier visited the flats in 1935 and called them “an achievement of the first rank” and many architectural critics consider them among the finest flats built and among Britain’s finest buildings. Of course they have been much photographed and I didn’t on this occasion do more than take a few frames as I walked past – only this one online.