Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Vol 4 No 1 Spring 2014 incorporating Islington History Journal
The rail that carried the mail
Plans for a postal museum could see mail trains run at Mount Pleasant again
Growing up in wartime Islington l A tidal mill that ground grain for gin and bread l Union Chapel organ sounds brilliant once more l Seven Sisters stories l George Orwell’s Cold War l Exhibition review: the first Britonsl New book on Jewish communities in Islington l Books, including bargains l Your local history questions answered l News and events About the society
Our committee What we do: talks, walks and more Contribute to this
President: Rt Hon Lord he Islington journal: stories and Smith of Finsbury Archaeology & pictures sought Vice president: Mary Cosh THistory Society is here Chairman: Andrew Gardner, to investigate, learn and We welcome articles on local [email protected] celebrate the heritage that is history, as well as your Secretary: Peter Fuller, left to us. research, memories and old [email protected] We organise lectures, photographs. Membership, publications tours and visits, and A one-page article needs and events: Catherine publish this quarterly about 500 words, and the Brighty, 8 Wynyatt Street, journal. maximum article length is EC1V 7HU, catherine. The society was set up 1,000 words. We like [email protected], in 1975 and is run entirely receiving pictures to go 020 7833 1541 by volunteers. with articles, but please Treasurer: Philip Anderson, check that we can reproduce phlpandrsn6@btopenworld. Keep in touch online them without infringing com We have a website at anyone’s copyright. Committee members: www.islingtonhistory.org.uk www.facebook.com/groups/ The journal is published in Kathleen Frenchman, and a Facebook group at islingtonhistory.org.uk print and online in pdf form. Michael Harper, Deadline for the summer Derek Seeley issue is 30 April. Academic adviser: Lester Journal back issues and extra copies Hillman, former visiting Ever wondered…? professor, London Journal distribution is Do you have any queries Metropolitan Business overseen by Catherine about Islington’s history, School, Brighty (details left). streets or buildings? Send London Metropolitan Contact her for more them in for our tireless University copies, back issues, if researcher Michael Reading Journal editor: Christy you move house and and maybe other readers to Lawrance, christy@ about membership. Back answer. Please note we do islingtonhistory.org.uk, issues can be not carry out family research. c/o 6 Northview, Tufnell Park downloaded from www. l See Letters, page 6 Road, N7 0QB clcomms.com/iahs. Copyright (photocopies acceptable) $ Copyright of everything in Join the Islington Archaeology & History Society this journal lies with the creator unless otherwise Membership per year is: £10 single; £12 joint at same address; concessions single £6/ stated. While it can be joint £8; corporate £15; overseas £20. (Membership renewals are sent out when due.) difficult to trace copyright ownership of archive I/We would like single/joint/concession/joint concession/corporate membership and materials, we make every enclose a cheque payable to “Islington Archaeology & History Society” for ...... effort to do so.
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Cover picture: Royal Mail Group/British Postal Museum & Archive Museum & Mail Group/British Postal picture: Royal Cover N7 8DH, www.printset.co.uk
2 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society
Incorporating Islington History Journal Vol 4 No 1 Spring 2014
A market would open Smithfield up to all
s the journal was going to press, the public inquiry into ASmithfield Market was coming Contents to an end. While Smithfield is just over the border in the City, it will affect Islington – Islington Council was one News 4 of those to object to plans to replace Museum acquires Halliwell collage, Clerkenwell fire station closes, gruesome much of it with office blocks. Roman remains, the public’s favourite tube poster and gay marriage history Some of us may see parallels with the story of the Royal Agricultural Hall Letters and your questions 6 in Angel, once so derelict that trees Umbrella making, a German family myth and help with readers’ research grew out of the floor. It was threatened with demolition before being reborn as Seven Sisters stories 9 the thriving Business Design Centre. A project researches Seven Sisters Road’s long history of culture, arts Recently, SAVE Britain’s Heritage and politics and the Victorian Society put in a planning application for a public Mail collections 10 market at Smithfield. They are An new museum will open up centuries of mail history – and visitors may supported by Eric Reynolds, famous for even get to ride on the underground postal railway Camden Lock Market, Gabriel’s Wharf and Spitalfields Market, and Cathedral Glorious once more 12 Group, a developer with a track record The organ at Union Chapel sounds as brilliant as it did when it was built of working on heritage buildings. It’s not just about people seeing Orwell’s Cold War 14 bland modern offices instead of grand How George Orwell’s work was influenced by political circumstances Victorian buildings. A market would allow the public inside to see the A tidal mill tale 16 magnificent soaring interiors and the London’s only tidal mill ground grain for penny loaves and gin; plus strong curves of the ironwork. For free. National Mills Weekend Less notable buildings than Smithfield have been listed. Had the A child in wartime Islington 18 general market been given this Growing up with bomb blasts, rationing and lots of family nearby protection, a Spitalfields-type market might be open and people able to Publications 20 wander in and marvel already. Launch of The Jewish Communities of Islington, 1730s-1880s, plus types of Turning the Royal Agricultural Hall heritage asset, medical histories and a couple of bargains – once home to livestock shows, athletic events and Cruft’s dog show – Review: the first Britons 23 into a business centre seemed an An exhibition brings the story of the earliest humans in Britain to life extraordinary idea at the time. A new Smithfield Market, backed by Events and exhibitions 24 commercial as well as heritage Talks, walks and exhibitions expertise, may be as successful. Directory of societies, museums and resources 28 Christy Lawrance Editor Islington Archaeology & History Society events 31
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 3 news In brief Fire station closes after 140 years Smithfield Market’s future in the balance Clerkenwell Fire Station the fire brigade branch of the – the oldest fire station in London County Council The public inquiry into the Europe, which opened in architects’ department, is redevelopment of Smithfield 1872 – closed on 9 January. listed grade II. Built 1912-17, Market was taking place as Islington Council led a it replaced a fire station built the Journal went to press. group of local authorities in on the same site in 1871-73. This will decide whether to a legal challenge to stop fire Firefighters and their allow most of the site to be service cuts, but this was lost. families used to live in flats demolished to may way for The closure has ended on the upper floors. office blocks. SAVE Britain’s several hundred years of There are two wooden Heritage and the Victorian firefighting in the area. doors on the Farringdon Society with Camden Clerkenwell’s parish fire Road side of the building. Market developer Eric engine was used during the The narrow one was used Reynolds have submitted Clerkenwell Fire Station: doors Great Fire of 1666. for handcart fire engines plans for a modern market. are designed for horse-drawn Clerkenwell Fire Station, and the wider one for horse- and handcart fire engines designed by HFT Cooper of drawn engines. Voices of scientists recorded for archive Designer of best tube poster trained in Islington Over 100 British scientists and engineers have been A poster by an artist who recorded for a British Library trained at an Islington oral history archive. This tells college has been voted the the stories of remarkable best London Underground scientific and engineering poster of all time. discoveries as well as Brightest London is Best personal recollections. Reached by Underground was l www.bl.uk/voices-of- designed by Horace Taylor in science 1924 and shows the underground as bright, King’s Head to live on popular and fashionable. Taylor attended Camden as a pub theatre School of Art in Dalmeny The King’s Head Upper Avenue as well as Royal Street is to continue as a Academy schools. He worked pub theatre, its new owner, as a stage designer and real ale pub chain Young & newspaper cartoonist before Co, has said. There has been focusing on commercial art. a King’s Head pub on the Over 42,000 people chose site since the 1500s; it is from the 150 posters in mentioned in Samuel Pepys’ London Transport Museum’s diaries. The current building Poster Art 150 – London dates from 1860. Underground’s Greatest Designs exhibition. Brightest London got 1,752 votes. The Camden School of Art was founded in 1881 in Parkhurst Road, moving to Dalmeny Avenue in 1889. The London Manual (probably of 1908) states the school provided “drawing, Post stories and pictures, and design, modelling; courses read and comment about for training art teachers; heritage on our Facebook page bookbinding, dress fashion at www.facebook.com/groups/ The artist often included himself in his posters – he’s the man on the design, lithography,
Clerkenwell Fire Station: Jonathan Thacker/geograph.org.uk; poster: London Transport Museum/Transport for London; Museum/Transport Transport poster: London Thacker/geograph.org.uk; Station: Jonathan Clerkenwell Fire Halliwell coll a ge: Islington Museum; Good Intent: Christy Lawrance islingtonhistory middle escalator with the beard and top hat needlework, &c.”
4 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 Islington makes history First signs of Roman with first gay marriage Halliwell work acquired London headhunting or under new law gladiator fights Britain’s first gay marriage is Evidence of Roman due to take place in headhunting or gladiatorial Islington. Peter McGraith combat has been revealed and David Cabreza are due by forensic research into to get married at midnight human bones found at a on Friday 28 March, as soon Walbrook stream site. as a new same-sex marriage The site is likely to have law comes into force. been the burial ground of Islington Council leader the victims, mainly young Richard Watts said: “It’s men, whose remains showed fitting they have chosen signs of a violent life. It is Islington for their history- the first such evidence of its making ceremony because type found in the capital. since the first-ever gay The 39 skulls and one rights demonstration at femur were discovered 1988, Highbury Corner in 1970 we but forensic analysis was have been at the forefront of completed only recently. the equality movement.” Museum of London research osteologist Dr Wellcome releases Rebecca Redfern, who led the study, said there was no thousands of images sign of social unrest or battle Over 100,000 manuscripts, in London at the time, and photographs, paintings, forensic analysis of injuries etchings and advertisements sustained was carried out. have been made available “It has led us to two online through Wellcome A collage by Kenneth and his partner playwright possible outcomes – these Images. They include works Halliwell went on display at Joe Orton. The couple were are fatally injured gladiators, by Vincent van Gogh and Islington Museum as part of jailed in 1963 for adding text or the victims of Roman Francisco Goya, Thomas LGBT History Month. and pictures to the covers. headhunting – a tantalising Rowlandson, James Gillray The £2,800 collage, Untitled Halliwell lived with Orton prospect,” she said. and Robert Cruikshank. The No 2, was bought with a in Noel Road. He killed “This is the first time that earliest item is a 2,000-year- lottery grant. The council bid Orton then himself in 1967. we have evidence of these old Egyptian prescription on for the collage at an auction l A book, Malicious Damage: types of violent acts in papyrus. – which was filmed for the the Defaced Library Books of London. The next step in the l http://wellcomeimages.org BBC’s Flog It! show. Kenneth Halliwell and Joe research is to look at where Untitled No 2 joins the Orton by Ilsa Colsell, which these people came from.” Early kitchen shows fire council’s collection of book reproduces the covers, is on Heather Bonney of the jackets defaced by Halliwell sale at the museum for £35. Natural History Museum, use and domestic ritual who completed microscopic The world’s earliest hearth analysis, said: “These has been found in Qesem Time called on Good Intent pub individuals probably met a Cave, Israel. The hearth, in violent end, and their heads the centre of the cave was The Good Intent, by the were then separated and 4m2, larger than others of its Whittington Park, is to be deposited. Some had time, so may have been used demolished to make way for sustained numerous injuries, by a group of hominims in a six luxury homes. which provide a fascinating domestic ritual. This may The High Court rejected insight into violent activities reflect a development in the the council’s bid to overturn in Roman London.” nature of fire use. the Planning Inspectorate’s l Redfern R, Bonney H l Shahack-Grossa R et al decision to approve the plans. The Good Intent: a pub has (2014) Headhunting and (2014) Middle Pleistocene The council said this went been on the site since 1830 amphitheatre combat in (300 ky ago) Evidence for the against its pub protection Roman London, England: repeated use of a central policy but the judge said the There has been a pub on new evidence from the hearth at Qesem Cave, Israel. overall aim of the policy had the site since 1830. The pub Walbrook Valley. Journal of Journal of Archaeological been satisfied if not its opposite – the Black Horse Archaeological Science 43: Science 44: 12-21 precise requirements. – closed a few years ago. 214-226
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 5 Letters and your questions We welcome letters. Our researcher Michael Reading can answer your questions, so get in touch if you have a query about Islington, or can answer or add to anything here
The umbrella makers of is much shorter list, all for umbrella trades, I gained the extended Hitchings Elmore Street tradespeople, but no the impression that most family. In the 1901 census, I wonder if you can help me Bingles. A second disc for would be very small Caroline Hitchings and Lily find some information on this year, which includes the businesses. Bingle were living at umbrella making in trade directory, lists six We are also looking at the 58 Oakley Road and both Islington 1880-1940. categories of trades under situation of over 100 years were listed as umbrella I can find very little Umbrella: ago. Many consumer goods cover makers. information about this, l Umbrella and parasol bought then were made in The 1871 census shows which may have been a makers Britain but many trades have two Hitchings families – small, family-based industry l Umbrella furniture makers since been lost to overseas William aged 47, born in done from home. l Umbrella gingham makers suppliers. Holborn, living at no 10 The censuses of 1901 and l Umbrella handle makers The businesses I (street name illegible, in 1911 show my relatives the l Umbrella stand makers suggested were taken at St Leonard’s parish, Bingles were living on l Umbrella stick makers. random for their nearness to Wenlock Ward, Hackney). Elmore Street. Several The largest group is Elmore Street, but there He is listed as neither generations lived in a umbrella and parasol were others not too far employed nor unemployed number of houses on either makers, which contains over away, easily reached by – would that make him self side of the street. 300 names – but not Bingle. public transport, which employed? The women were listed as I also looked up Bingle in would have been a tram. The family on Elmore umbrella cover makers. I Elmore Street for 1912 and I could not find an Street included John expect this involved 1921 without success. umbrella trade association Hitching aged 34 (cousins or needlework piecework done In 1906, there was an but you could try the brothers of William?), an by women at home. umbrella stick maker and an umbrella firm of James umbrella maker. Did the Bingles umbrella and parasol maker Smith & Sons, Hazelwood He lived there with his manufacture umbrellas at at 137 and 150 Balls Pond House, 53 New Oxford wife and children, as well as home or in a nearby Road respectively, and an Street, London WC1A 1BL, his mother Caroline, aged workshop? Would the men umbrella furniture maker at www.james-smith.co.uk, 70. They had a domestic have been involved in 127 New North Road. These which was established worker, so must have been making the ribs as labourers, are all fairly close to Elmore in 1830. doing well. Caroline or were they involved in the Street. To end on a personal note, eventually moved across overall production and London Post Office street in 1947, at the age of 14, I Elmore Street to live with distribution of the finished directories are available on began piano lessons at her son James and his product? microfilm at the London 51 Elmore Street, and family. Jennifer Leith Metropolitan Archives and continued for about four The lack of an umbrella [email protected] run from 1800 to years. Sadly, I no longer play. trade association has made approximately 1990. it difficult for me to find out Michael Reading writes: It is probable that your Jennifer Leith replies: where the workshops and The London Post Office relatives were employees of I was wondering if I got the factories are. street directory CD for 1880 one of the many umbrella name or address wrong, so I would love to hear from shows a list of residents in makers, and several may forwarded your reply to my readers who have any Elmore street, but no one have worked for the same sister in Canada who is the information on umbrella named Bingle. employer. family genealogist. She said making or family histories The list of the CD for 1906 Looking through the lists I had the surname wrong on showing relatives were Elmore Street – the umbrella makers. Hitchings family, who lived Jennifer Leith When one researches family myths and at number 11, were all [email protected] umbrella makers, according legends that have been handed down by to the 1871 census. The mysterious German word of mouth, they are often not what My grandmother, born in family and a bakery fire has been believed for so long 1883, was Lily Bingle. She On behalf of Trevor Hill, I went to live with her aunt am doing some research on Caroline Hitchings, part of the origins of the Kessel
6 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 family who owned a bakery Pre-1970s pictures of New at 261 Holloway Road. North Road area sought They were Heinrich and We are building pocket Ella Elisabeth Kessel parks on the north side of (formerly Jacobi), and the canal where New North Heinrich was a “master Road intersects with St Paul, baker”. Apart from a family Rydon and Linton Streets. photo taken by JH Killick at Do you know where I 399 Holloway Road, the might find some pre-1970 only thing that is known photographs or illustrations about them is that they had of this area? Do any readers three children. have any? When a fire broke out in Joe Radmore the bakery in 1896 only their [email protected] youngest daughter survived; she was only a couple of Michael Reading writes: weeks old by the time. She People watch floodwaters rise in Ipswich in January 1887; at the The London Metropolitan was taken care of by the time, umbrellas were made in home-based businesses in Islington Archives hold a large Paine family who treated her collection of photographs of as their own daughter but four children, not three. She www.agfhs.org. parts of Islington. Many never adopted her. had the four children in five Finally, no 261 Holloway were taken after 1950 to She married and had four years, starting at the age of Road is now a modern approximately 1970. The children, one of them being 32; she expired at the age of building, with the ground collection is organised Trevor. He only learned 39, probably through floor occupied by the alphabetically by street name about his German roots exhaustion. London Coffee Club and so look for streets nearby as when he was about 11 years By 1902 they were flats on the upper floors. well as New North Road. old, but then and even later orphans after Henry died, This enquiry has strayed There is also a good was not allowed to talk the eldest 11 years old and into family history, which is collection of maps and about this. the youngest aged six years. not the society’s forte, but, photographs at the Islington Now, aged 88 years, he is The three boys – if they having begun searching, I Local History Centre. desperate to learn anything survived to that time – was interested enough to about his German ancestors, would have been old continue. Looking for Canonbury since the sources are very enough to fight in the relatives and their homes scarce. 1914-18 war, so a search of Martin Herzog writes: Before moving to Would you be able to the Commonwealth War Thank you so much for your Canonbury Square, my assist me in my research? I Graves website may be research, for sharing its ancestors lived at 9 Astey’s am looking for anything that appropriate. rather surprising results, and Buildings in Islington. could help trace their history If you subscribe to one of the numerous new leads. According to A History of back to Germany, such as the genealogy websites, you The census figures show the County of Middlesex: articles about the fire in the can search for birth, marriage that the Kessel family Volume 8: Islington and Stoke local press or records of the and death references. history has become Newington Parishes (1985): bakers’ guild. Through the sites, you can something of a riddle. “Thatched House Row was Martin Herzog contact the General Register Why would Trevor’s built on the Lower Street martin.herzog@virginmedia. Office to obtain certificates, mother tell him that she was frontage between 1758 and com which cost £9.25 and take the only one of the family 1762, and behind it Astey’s about 10 days to arrive. rescued from the fire which Buildings and Pleasant Row Michael Reading writes: If there was a fire, it may may or may not have been were built facing each other It is often the case that well have been reported in taken place? Didn’t she across the New River by when one researches family the Islington Gazette, which want him to ask further John Astey between c1761 myths and legends that have is available on microfilm at questions about her and 1764.” been handed down by word the Islington Local History siblings? What would have Does your society have of mouth, they are not what Centre. become of them? Were they any photos of this property has been believed for so The London Metropolitan adopted by other families? or road before they were long, as you will see from Archives’ information leaflet Descendants of them could redeveloped? my research. no 17 is The German still be around.... Maybe a My Deane ancestors lived Information from the Community in London. You reader knows someone. in Canonbury Square and 1881,1891 and 1901 censuses could also contact Anglo- This will all be very Cloudesley Cresent. I’d be shows that all the Kessel German Family History exciting for Trevor. interested in hearing from family survived any fire in Society, 4 Channel Heights, Martin Herzog anyone with links to them. the bakery of 1896 and that Bleadon Hill, Weston-super- martin.herzog@virginmedia. Christopher Deane
“Henry” and “Edda” had Mare, Somerset, BS24 9LX, com [email protected] Commons of Queensland/Wikimedia State Library Oxley Library,
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 7 Michael Reading writes: looking for an author for its Astey’s Buildings were on proposed book Islington the east side of the New Through Time. River, with Pleasant Row on Books in Amberley’s the west side. Built in Through Time series show 1761-64, they became pairs of pictures of the same Astey’s Row from 1820. view, one historic and From 1879-80, Astey’s Row recent. They usually have incorporated Canonbury 90 photographic pairs. Cottages (1824) and Tufnell Authors provide text and Place (1817), and was images, which Amberley renumbered throughout. puts together and publishes. Pleasant Row is now Authors receive an 8% net Pleasant Place. royalty on copies sold, as In 1893, the New River well as a 50% discount on was covered over the length all Amberley books, of Astey’s Row to its end at Garden at Astey’s Row built over the New River, with the late 19th including their own the Thatched House public century flats to the left (which they would then be house, now named the free to sell on). In addition, Embassy. We are looking for My favourite Taylor story authors receive 10 free The covered ground residents of Tufnell Park who so far is from his own copies of their book upon was used partly for have lived there for 20 years manuscript 150 Years Not Out publication. commercial purposes and or longer and people from about a day he was invited Elizabeth Watts partly left as waste ground. Seven Sisters Road to talk to preach in 1940. After the Commissioning editor, In 1956, this area was turned about their history and tell service, he was invited then Amberley Publishing, into an ornamental garden their stories. to stay with the deacons for E.Watts@amberley-books. as a continuation of the We are also looking for coffee. The deacons feared com New River Walk. photographs and the chapel could be in In 1897-98, two blocks of memorabilia from these areas danger from enemy bombs Old Islington pictures on flats were built in Astey’s to record and contribute to so retreated down into “a Italian website Row and remain today – both heritage projects. labrynth of basements”. I recently came across a Lincoln House and If you are interested in Taylor felt this might put website containing a lot of Worcester House. interviewing people, we can him in greater danger from historical photographs while The remainder of Astey’s train you in oral history the buildings collapsing searching for images of my Row was rebuilt after an collection. above him. Containing area in Bexley in Kent. HE bomb penetrated To participate, please himself, he entered a dimly As I work in Islington nos 4-5, demolishing the contact me or drop in to our lit room – to find himself and receive your journal, building and part of no 6 on tea party on the first Friday confronted by a lion. I thought your members 16 September 1940. The of each month at 4pm-5pm, The lion turned out to be would like to see it. Go to Thatched House was Unit 35, Studios, 10 Hornsey stuffed. It belonged to the http://tipsimages.it, click the destroyed on the night of Street, N7 9EL. scouts, who’d brought it search button and boxes will 8 March 1941 with The Seven Sisters project back some years before. appear underneath, click considerable loss of life. (see opposite) runs until Taylor doesn’t record what “Immagini editorial” - then The society does not June. became of the lion. search away. hold any archives or Nessa Finnegan Andrew Gardner I sent it to my local photographic collections, nessa@therowanartsproject. [email protected] studies and they had never but there is a large collection com, 020 7700 2062 seen the majority of the of photographs at the Author wanted for images on there. London Metropolitan Rev Taylor, George Orwell illustrated Islington book Clare Lodge Archives. and the chapel lion Amberley Publishing is By email I know this area very well, I’m looking for anyone who as I was born just 50 yards remembers Rev Ronald from the Thatched House. Taylor, minister of Union Send letters to [email protected] or Chapel 1940-80, who would c/o 6 Northview, Tufnell Park Road, N7 0QB. Letters Talk for Tufnell Park tales to allow me to record their may be edited. Say if you would like your email/postal and Seven Sisters stories memroies – I have some address printed, so readers can contact you Do you live in Tufnell Park? wonderful printed material Have you ever lived or about him. I’d also like to Note: the society won’t trace your family tree, but can worked on Seven Sisters record anyone with help with, say, a business a family member ran or a Road or know someone memories of George Orwell, place where they they lived.
Stephen McKay/geograph.org.uk who has? even if just by sight.
8 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 Seven Sisters stories
Seven Sisters Road’s long history of culture, arts and politics is the subject of a heritage project. Lilia Prier Tisdall explains
here does this mysteriously evocative name for the double- Above: the In A History of Islington, Mary Astoria cinema/concert hall), the Wdecker clogged thoroughfare that Seven Sisters in Cosh writes – with a better sense Seven Sisters Road has been links Holloway to Tottenham by 1830; below: of political correctness – that visited by just about any famous way of Finsbury Park come from? postcard of they were ceremoniously planted rock/pop star you can think of, Seven Sisters Trees, is the answer. Seven elm by the sisters when they were including Frank Sinatra, Ray Road at trees encircling a walnut tree at Finsbury Park, about to be separated or to Charles, Duke Ellington, The Page Green, at the Tottenham looking east, commemorate the burning of Beatles, and The Who. Jimi end of the road, to be precise. circa 1910 protestant martyrs. Hendrix first set fire to his guitar We can trace the intriguing Another suggestion is that on its stage. The Red Rose Club formation back to the 1630s they are the remnants of some at 129 Seven Sisters Road was when William Bedwell, vicar and ancient pagan ritual, dating back home to the North Islington chronicler of Tottenham history, to before the Romans settled in Labour Party during the 1980s as cited them as one of the top three this area. Finally, the most boring well as launching the careers of attractions in the area. This does explanation is that elm trees can comedians such as Jimmy Carr, not tell the whole story though, grow naturally in a circle.... Russell Brand and Richard for how did these trees become Whichever story is true, it Herring, to name a few. known as the seven sisters? Here provides a nice green bit of Less showbiz, but with an a pleasing little puzzle remains. history for a rather long stretch important legacy, 225 Seven There is a letter in the Islington of concrete. Sisters Road opened its doors in Local History Centre which 1983 as the first ever Black Art explains that the road is “said to Play to politics Gallery, which aimed “to actively have been named from seven Today, the Seven Sisters Road is promote and support the trees, which were planted by the subject of Holloway-based continued development of seven sisters, one of them a arts charity Rowan Arts’ latest Afrikan-Caribbean visual and cripple. Of the trees, six are heritage project. oral arts as routes of positive supposed to have grown straight, Laid down in 1832, the self-expression by our and the seventh to have been modern road traverses the three community”. deformed, it having been planted boroughs of Islington, Haringey Rowan Arts is investigating the by the cripple”. and Hackney, passing three way such history still links underground stations, one large Holloway to Tottenham, and is park, one river and countless collecting the memories of those pound shops and pawnbrokers. who live, work and play on the Dig a little deeper, and one Seven Sisters Road. n soon discovers that the Seven l To find out about the project, Sisters Road has a fascinating please contact Nessa Finnegan cultural history encompassing on 020 7700 2062, nessa@ cinemas, dance halls, concert therowanartsproject.com or visit venues, art galleries, sports www.rowanarts.net. grounds and political activism. Thanks to the Rainbow Theatre Lilia Prier Tisdall is heritage project
(built in 1930 and formerly the assistant at Rowan Arts Commons; postcard: www.harringayonline.com Wikimedia Sisters: Seven
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 9 as a Victorian five-wheeled cycle. As these exhibits do not have Mail written descriptions or signs, curator-led tours are the only way to understand the stories collections behind them. New museum At the moment, the archive contains just four glass cases for displaying items and the archive is running out of room. In An new museum will open up centuries of mail addition, water from the River history – and visitors may even get to travel on Fleet sometimes permeates a basement wall. the postal railway, says Harry Huskisson 1 The BPMA is working to build a new, national museum due to open in 2016 not far from idden away on a centuries, from Stuart monarchs 1: Mail Rail car; Freeling House. Much of the small Islington through industrialisation and 2: railway funding for this has been side street and penny postage to the global mechanics; secured. A permanent home for next to the conflict and rapid technological 3: postman operating mail country’s oldest change of the 20th century. route control mailH centre at Mount Pleasant, As well as ledgers, pension panel Freeling House in has been records and minutes – and home to the British Postal sheets of Penny Black stamps – Museum & Archive (BPMA) the archive holds many secrets. since its foundation in 2004. Unexpected items include The unimposing building belies telegrams relating to the sinking the riches within. Combined of the Titanic and a first edition with a huge museum collection of James Joyce’s Ulysses, in a warehouse in Debden, intercepted in the post for Essex, these tell the extraordinary being obscene. story of 400 years of Britain’s Permanent display space is social and communication limited and, 15 miles from the history through one of our most archive, the museum store is familiar services – the post. home to the BPMA’s larger Postal services in the UK can exhibits. The store opens 2 be traced back to 1516, when occasionally so visitors can see Tudor court official Brian Tuke the collection (see Events, page was given responsibility for the 26). Items range from the small, the collections is planned, regular running of the King’s such as letter boxes, to the very including interactive exhibition Posts by Cardinal Wolsey, then large which include pneumatic space with five zones to explore, chancellor to Henry VIII. underground mail cars, a state-of-the-art search room However, more than a century alongside some curiosities, such and archive repository, research would pass before the public facilities and a learning space could use the service, when increasing access to the Charles I opened his Royal Mail, collections and offering a creating the service still known resource for thousands more by the same name. visitors than currently possible. The BPMA reveals the story of this service from 1635 to today, Reopening the railway illuminating the role it has In addition to the new postal played in shaping our shared museum, the BPMA has grand national heritage. ambitions to open part of the old Post Office underground Collection spanning 400 years railway – Mail Rail – to the With documents dating back to public for the first time in the reign of Charles I, the Royal its history. 3 Mail archive holds records of Mail Rail ran industriously Britain’s postal service over four under the streets of London
10 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 4 largely unnoticed for more than 4: loading post three-quarters of a century, from onto a train; Whitechapel in the east to 5: operating a Paddington in the west. shunt vehicle; 6: the railway in It was the world’s first c1969; driverless, electrified railway and 7: descent to the 5 remains the only purpose-built Mount underground mail transit system. Originally designed to avoid travel a 1km loop of track under the congestion and fog of Mount Pleasant in purpose-built London, it transported the passenger cars, replicating the capital’s mail 70-90 feet below trains used on the network London’s crowded streets from and allowing them to enjoy a its opening in 1927 to being sensory experience of Mail Rail mothballed in 2003. first hand. It ran continuously – including On their journey visitors will throughout World War II – for up see Mount Pleasant station, old to 22 hours a day around its six Mail Rail trains, industrial and half mile network. Some of apparatus and the impressive the original 1926 locomotives are feats of industrial engineering still used for maintenance work the system boasts. to this day. The experience will be 6 While the railway has for many accompanied by a guide and years drawn attention from audio and visual displays along curious and industrially minded the route, bringing the journey Timing critical people eager to go down into to life. The plans for Mail Rail hang in the tunnels and explore this Alongside this ride, the BPMA the balance. The BPMA has to hidden subterranean world, also intends to open the old car raise £2m by the end of March to until now it has rarely been depot, where the engineers used take over the car depot space, possible. All that is, hopefully, to work on the trains, as an The images paving the way for a visitor ride. about to change. exhibition space where visitors numbered 1 and Raising this money will unlock a The BPMA plans to offer will be able to learn more about 7 are by potential £4.5m Heritage Lottery visitors the opportunity to this remarkable system. Jonathan Fund grant and allow the first Bradley, who phase of the Mail Rail project to photographed open alongside the new postal the whole Mail museum in 2016. Rail network. The BPMA is in discussion His images appear in Mail with a number of trusts, Rail: an foundations and businesses, but Exhibition of still requires project sponsors to Photographs, a ensure that this rich part of our free display in industrial, social and the BPMA communication heritage is not search room at lost forever. n Freeling House l oT find out more about the plans and Britain’s postal past, The journal’s cover image see www.postalheritage.org.uk shows the car depot and Harry Huskisson is communications 7 workshop in manager at the British Postal
1932 Museum & Archive Mail Group, courtesy BPMA all other images: Royal Photography; Pictures 1 and 7: Bradley
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 11 1,700. Work started in early 1876. Both Cubitt and Allon disliked Glorious once more the idea of the organ as a visual feature, and it was placed behind and below the pulpit. The congregation would concentrate The organ at the Union Chapel now sounds as on the music, which would have brilliant as it did when it was built in 1878. Janet an ethereal quality. Allon intended to reinstate the Holdich organ, Gilbert tells the story of its restoration but Holdich protested: “I refuse to build any organ that is buried in a pit.” Allon sold Holdich’s Removing the organ to what is now the United organ: the stage was taken Reformed Church in Hinckley, down, Leicestershire – it is still there. scaffolding put Allon commissioned a new up, and covers organ – the third in 25 years – protected the from Henry Willis. “Father” Willis pews and pulpit had an unmatched reputation for the quality of his instruments and the marriage of his designs with spaces. He built around 2,000 organs, including those at St Paul’s Cathedral, Alexandra Palace and the Royal Albert Hall. Willis provided a three-manual organ with 37 stops, with much of the workings several feet below floor level, to enrich resonance. It his,” said the engineer Allon installed a new organ, built had cutting-edge hydraulic disapprovingly, gazing by London manufacturer Gray & blowing equipment, with a at me sternly over his Davison. wooden lever for hand blowing half-moon glasses, “is Membership increased. After in case of hydraulic failure. It is the dirtiest instrument capacity was doubled to 800, regarded as one of Willis’s finest “TI have ever seen.” Allon commissioned another organs, partly because its tonal I had just started working for organ, from GM Holdich, based design is so exquisitely in Union Chapel’s organ project. at 261 Liverpool Road. This keeping with the chapel. Here I was, facing the leader of organ, with three manuals and The new Union Chapel was the restoration team from organ 38 stops, was installed in 1867 inaugurated in December 1877 builders Harrison & Harrison – and the Gray and Davison organ and 3,500 people packed in to and he was shocked. I was at a sold to a church in Brighton. hear Charles Spurgeon preach. loss. How had it come to this? The need for space became The following March, he returned To find out, we need to skate acute, it was decided to pull down to preach at the inauguration of back to the mid 19th century, the old chapel and build a larger the organ – where he criticised and examine the role of music one in its place. An architectural the large sums being spent on and the organ in the chapel’s competition was held; Allon said “worthless noiseboxes” which history. It’s 1844. Queen Victoria the whole congregation should be “drowned the only sound of is on the throne. Charles Dickens able to see and hear the preacher, praise God cared to hear, the has published A Christmas Carol. and the preacher should be able Samuel Morse has sent the first to see all the congregation. The telegraph. At the Union Chapel, acoustics should be suitable for Henry Allon, aged 26, has been both preaching and prayer. The appointed as minister. congregation would sing in From the outset, Allon harmony, so there was no need promoted music in worship. He for a choir area. brought in new hymn books, and The competition was won by the congregation practised James Cubitt, who designed a four-part harmony in weekly huge irregular octagon, topped classes led by organist Henry with a dome, with unimpeded Gauntlett, who composed Once sightlines and stunning in Royal David’s City. In 1852, acoustics, which would seat
12 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 human voice”. He then said he would like to see every organ in the country smashed up. The congregation hissed. The reputation of the music at Union Chapel grew. However, times were changing. In 1892, Allon died. Many people left Islington for the suburbs, and church attendance started to fall. The organ was played and tuned but little maintained. Around 1930, the hydraulic blowers were replaced with an electric system. In 1946, Monk and Gunther, a Tottenham firm, made some minor repairs. Attendance dwindled. There was no money for maintenance and, by 1981, demolition was Above: organ pipes are packed up; below: Harrison & Harrison’s restoration team considered. This was the catalyst for the formation of the Friends unashamed passion, along with complex art, involves regulating of Union Chapel. Repairs were an unsurpassed knowledge of the tone quality of each pipe, carried out and the chapel took the history and workings of while tuning sets the pitch. on a new life – and income these huge, fragile instruments. As news of the restoration stream – as a concert venue. Back at the ranch, the hydraulic spread, more and more organists blowers were being hauled back came to play for an hour or two. Nearly worn out into life. It was a huge For many, it was like seeing an By 2007, the organ was becoming undertaking by small firm old friend. The organ now sounds unreliable. In 2012, the Heritage Duplex led by James Richardson- as brilliant as it did in 1878. Lottery Fund awarded 75% of Jones. When the blowers were In July 2013, a launch week of the cost of organ repairs and an opened for the first time in 80 concerts in all types of music outreach programme. By then, years, James found to his shock celebrated the organ. That week, the organ had around 18 months that they hadn’t been drained I could face Czes, the team of playable life before it became before being closed. They held leader who had startled me all irreparably damaged. the blackest of dirty water, some those months ago. His verdict: Organbuilders Harrison & of which had leaked out and had “It’s wonderful. It’s world class. Harrison in Durham were caused no end of damage. James You should be very proud.” n selected to restore its musical reclaimed as much original character and mechanism. In material as possible, made other Janet Gilbert spoke to the IAHS on summer 2012, concerts were parts and spent hours cleaning, the restoration; this was followed by suspended while work started on scouring, polishing and coaxing an organ recital by Adrian Gunning the laborious and filthy task of the system to work. We now have dismantling the organ. The stage the only working hydraulically was taken down, scaffolding put blown organ in the country. up and a crane brought in to In January 2013, the first of the extract larger parts. For weeks, pantechnicons rumbled back. workers unscrewed, pulled apart, Again, we stopped concerts. The labelled, checked and packed stage came down, the scaffolding parts in size from smaller than a went back up, and the team thumbnail to larger than the cleaned, hammered and built. pulpit. All except some large, The men were very professional, undamaged pipes were driven to always ready to explain what was Durham in three pantechnicons. going on or share a pot of tea. In October, a group toured the They set up a bath next to the workshops in Durham where pulpit, filled daily with hot water staff combined skills such as and Fairy liquid in which the cleaning, soldering, carpentry, pipes were cleaned. Quite a sight. and French polishing, with a Tuning and voicing took five or
delicacy of touch and an six weeks. Voicing, a hugely www.danielasbrisny.co.uk Daniela Sbrisny
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 13 Orwell’s Cold War
Andrew Gardner reflects on George Orwell’s writing around the time he lived in Canonbury, and how his work was influenced by political circumstances
s the 70th anniver- indeed Nineteen Eighty-Four. sary of the V1 bomb Nineteen Eighty-Four’s origins that devastated predate Animal Farm’s, and took Compton Terrace a much greater time to coalesce. approaches, It is possible that Orwell’s early GeorgeA Orwell is of particular thoughts took root, if George Orwell’s 1933 press card photo interest. On and off, he lived at imperceptibly, in his mind during 27b Canonbury Square from and after the Spanish civil war. being drawn by German 1944 to 1948, as his letters and The lost struggle there presented journalists and broadcasters is of papers show. itself more clearly in Animal Farm Europe as a vast fortress, of He also spent time reporting with its parallels in Homage to course the German people will from France during the Catalonia, in which he wrote: “It be the master race, and the other liberation, and writing on the Isle was the first time that I had ever European peoples will be of Jura after the war when being been in a town where the reduced to varying degrees of “smothered under journalism” working class was in the saddle.” serfdom. No doubt the main became too much for him. object of this new turn in Even in 1949, he reckoned he Fortress Europe German propaganda is to had about 10 years and two Nineteen Eighty-Four really began reconcile the German people to more great novels left in him. to take shape during Orwell’s a prospect of endless war and at It was in 1945 that Animal BBC broadcasts on the battle of the same time to persuade the Farm was finally published after Stalingrad: “Evidence Allies that further attacks are a year of rejections by publishers. accumulates that the Germans useless. It must be admitted, With the UK still in alliance with are now thinking in terms of a however, that the picture of the Soviet Union, most felt the merely limited victory. They are Europe as a huge self-contained satire to be so acute as to be talking of their impregnable slave camp is not altogether untouchable. position on the Atlantic coast fanciful” (BBC News Review, The advent of the Cold War and of the power Europe has to 17 October 1942). changed that and, with the be self-sufficient in food and raw The question was not as much novel’s success in the US in materials when scientifically which latter-day empire would particular, royalties were organised. The picture which is be the victor as much as whether sufficient that he could refuse to accept any payment for copies translated into the Slavonic and East European languages. Therein lies a confusion, which persisted through to the end of the cold war and beyond. Although he had selected the Russian Revolution to characterise his satire on “revolution gone wrong” in Animal Farm, it was intended to act as a warning against Oceana totalitarianism. So Eurasia misunderstood was this that the Eastasia 1970s South American Disputed dictatorships saw such a champion of anti-communism Orwell’s vision of the postwar world as imagined in Nineteen-Eighty-Four, with two empires that they never banned it – nor locked in an impasse and the balance of power held alternately by a third power in the far east
14 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 either would reign differently. By the time Hitler and Stalin had consolidated their power at home in the 1930s, both were moving towards precisely the same system of government, which was national socialism – an anathema to Orwell. It was not lost on him that the camp at Buchenwald remained in operation after 1945 under new ownership. Whichever side won Europe – and it should not be forgotten that communism came close to winning Greece, Italy and France – it was clear that the US would dominate those opposed. Not for A German crew rolls out a V1 rocket bomb: the population in Nineteen nothing did Orwell rename Eighty-Four would not have to fight but fear of war could keep them in line Britain Airstrip One. His geopolitical picture of the are protected? n 2. Burmese Days postwar world was clear – of two l The society holds walks on 3. A Clergyman’s Daughter empires in an impasse that George Orwell’s Islington. Email: 4. Keep the Aspidistra Flying 5. The Road to Wigan Pier neither could win or lose, with a [email protected] 6. Homage to Catalonia balance of power held by a third for more information 7. Coming Up for Air power in the far east allied 8. Animal Farm alternately. He was not far wrong Andrew Gardner is chairman of the 9. Nineteen Eighty-Four in his vision. Islington Archaeology & History 10. A Kind of Compulsion (1903-36) 11. Facing Unpleasant Facts (1937-39) The question remained for his Society 12. A Patriot After All (1940-41) dramatis personae: who would 13. All Propaganda is Lies (1941-42) participate in this future conflict? Further reading 14. Keeping Our Little Corner Clean Hand-to-hand conflict from Orwell G, Davison P (1998, now out (1942-43) street to street and house to of print) The Complete Works of 15. Two Wasted Years George Orwell. Secker & Warburg, house then cellar to cellar as in (1943) London. 16. I Have Tried to Stalingrad was not realistic, The Complete Works of George Tell the Truth neither was the nuclear option. Orwell includes all his known letters, (1943-44) That answer came in the papers, BBC transcripts, essays, 17. I Belong to the development of the V1, the articles and fiction. Volumes 1-9 Left (1945) rocket bomb. His fictionalised contain Orwell’s works unedited; 18. Smothered volumes 10-20 gather the all his population would not have to Under Journalism known work in a chronology that (1946) fight actively, but could be kept shows the development of his 19. It is What I sufficiently scared to believe in it. thought. Think (1947-48) Winston Smith is employed to Numbers and names of volumes: 20. Our Job is to Make Life continually alter the truth, but it 1. Down and Out in Paris and London Worth Living (1949-50) is Julia’s revelation in the novel, not his, that perhaps they are being continually bombed by their own side. As it turned out, Above right: In Winston remained closer to Homage to events than Julia in a constant Catalonia, bombardment of words. Orwell wrote: The Soviet Union is long gone. “It was the first The parallel today – and the stuff time that I had of countless conspiracy theories ever been in a – is of an endless war fought by town where the propaganda. Are we told daily working class was in the of new enemies to fill the void? saddle.” Right: We hear helicopters all night plaque marking and police sirens in the early Orwell’s time at hours. Are they protecting us or Canonbury
are they to make us feel that we Square Archive; V1: German Federal Commons; Map: Chmod007/Wikimedia Holt Canonbury Square: David
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 15 A tidal mill tale
The House Mill has ground flour for penny loaves and grain soon became two of the largest distilleries producing alcohol for for the 19th century gin craze, and is one of the few grade I the gin trade. listed industrial buildings in London. Brian Strong tells its story Lefevre’s place was taken by his former apprentice, Daniel Bisson, who was also of Huguenot extraction. In 1763, he he House Mill at ounces heavier than those baked built a house for his son, the mill Bromley-by-Bow is in the City. manager, also named Daniel. In London’s only In 1727, the Three Mills site was 1776, he built a huge new mill on surviving tidal water acquired by a consortium led by the site of a previous mill, mill and is arguably Peter Lefevre, whose father was a between the two houses in Tthe largest surviving tidal mill in Huguenot refugee. The purpose which he and Daniel jnr lived, the world. was to build a distillery. This was hence the name House Mill. It has been the site of milling the height of the so-called gin After both died, the site was since the time of the Domesday craze and, by 1732, the first acquired by Philip Metcalfe, who Book, when there were eight distillery buildings as well as a rebuilt the timber-framed House water mills on the river Lea, in brewery were in operation. Mill after a fire in 1802 which the manor of West Ham. Almost Lefevre soon moved on to set burned it to a shell, though the certainly they were tidal mills, up another distillery, the Four front brick wall, with a cartouche using the huge amounts of water Mills Distillery just downstream in Bisson’s name, survived. In brought up the Thames and the on the Middlesex side of the 1817, Metcalfe also built the Lea by the tide. The site became river. Three Mills and Four Mills Clock Mill, again on the site of known as Three Mills by early medieval times. Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the mills belonged to the Abbey of Stratford Langthorne (where Stratford is today). They were then sold into private hands. At that time, they would have been milling grain to provide flour. In 1598, John Stowe recorded in his Survey of London Above (l-r): the House Mille, the that in living memory the “Bakers rebuilt Miller’s of Stratford” (modern Bow) were House and the permitted to bring their carts to Clock Mill. sell bread at specified points in Right: the the City of London, provided approach along that their penny loaves were two Three Mill Lane
16 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 an earlier mill. The third mill built Above: early in the 19th century was a approaching the windmill, which appears to have Clock Mill on disappeared by about 1840. It Three Mill Lane; bonded warehouse, causing a handful of industrial buildings in right and below: was replaced by a steam engine. huge fire. One of the houses was London to have that status. waterwheel and Three Mills seems to have interior of the destroyed and the other was Eventually, agreement was gone through hard times in the House Mill never lived in again. Yet reached to set up a charitable mid 19th century, but little is strangely, both mills survived. trust to take over the House Mill known about this. In 1872, the After the war, the House Mill and the site of the miller’s house. site was acquired by Nicholson’s was used as a warehouse for a The House Mill building has Gin and the mills continued to time then left derelict. In the been restored, assisted by grants grind grain for the distilling 1970s, the Clock Mill was from English Heritage and process up to World War II. converted to offices. It was then government inner city In its last phase of operation, proposed to demolish the House regeneration funds. The miller’s the House Mill had four water Mill as part of a redevelopment house has been rebuilt to the wheels, operating 12 pairs of scheme. This led to a public 1763 design, with reused 18th millstones. The Clock Mill had outcry. The House Mill was listed century bricks, assisted by three water wheels, operating as grade I – one of only a European Union funding. The another six pairs of millstones. trust is now negotiating with the In 1938, both mills were able to Heritage Lottery Fund so operate for 6-8 hours on every machinery can be restored to tide. The steam engine operated working order. n a further eight pairs of millstones which could be operated for Brian Strong is a volunteer at the 24 hours per day if required. House Mill This indicates the huge throughput of milled grain Visiting the House Mill required for the distillery. The House Mill is open every An unusual feature of the Sunday from 11am-4pm, May- House Mill is that eight of the October. Group visits at other times pairs of millstones were built to may be arranged by calling the design of 19th century 020 8980 4626 engineer Sir William Fairbairn, who invented a system of “silent millstones”, which operated on a National Mills Weekend combination of gravity and centrifugal force to feed the grain Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 May l www.nationalmillsweekend.co.uk into the stones. As far as is known, this is the only example National Mills Weekend House Mill is – include waterwheel and Merton of this equipment surviving sees mills around the Brixton Windmill, Abbey Mills waterwheel. anywhere in the world. country open to visitors. Keston Windmill, Shirley l Search for mills to visit The mills continued to operate Sites you can see in Windmill, Wimbledon and check opening times until the Blitz when, on London – as well as Windmill, Kew Bridge at www.nationalmills 15 October 1940, an incendiary Three Mills Island, where Steam Museum weekend.co.uk
bomb fell on a four-storey all others: House Mill Mill Lane: Christy Lawrance; Three Pictures from
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 17 A child in wartime Islington
Patricia Payne’s early childhood involved bomb blasts, rationing, lots of family members nearby and a father away in the army
was born in 1938 in coming, the siren would warn us. “Dad was a Rationing started, but I can’t Outram Street at the York Once the siren started, we all chindit, fighting remember the amount of food Way end of Copenhagen had to rush to the air raid shelter. in the jungle”: we were allowed, very little I Street. We mostly had them in our back chindits at rest in know, but it did us no harm. It My mum told me that yards and, for those who didn’t, a jungle bivouac was a big worry for the Ibefore the war she’d take me in they were in the streets. housewives though. my pram to the cattle market in When the warning came at All us kids thought about was Market Road and I hated it and night, Mum would wake me, put sweets being rationed. There was screamed every time. I have no on my “siren suit” (like a onesie) no milk chocolate and the sweet recollection of that, but I do and rush me to no 22 where all coupons in the book were for remember a greengrocer in the women and my boy cousin 4oz, but we used to buy 2oz so Copenhagen Street giving me a could all be together until the all the shop keeper had to cut the banana when Mum was on her clear. Because my cousin and I coupon in half. We used to get way to Chapel Street. That was only knew the war, we weren’t our sweets, shampoo and some before I was one; Mum said the scared, but obviously all the bits and pieces from a shop that greengrocer closed down as war women were. We used to put our was in the middle of Outram started in 1939. heads out to see if we could see Street called Parkins. It was now 1939, and we were the planes. Outram Street was cut in half at war. Dad had been called up We were comfortable in my on side by a court way (alley) to join the army. I can’t auntie’s shelter, with comfy into the next street. It’s strange; remember where he was chairs, and auntie was one the because of that court way, the stationed at first, but eventually few to have electricity, my uncle kids from the top half didn’t play he was sent to Burma to fight the having rigged up an extension with those from the bottom half. Japanese; he was a chindit, lead, so we had a two-bar We were friendly but two fighting in the jungle. Dad never electric fire on plus a little stove different groups. There were spoke about it after the war had where she made hot cocoa. quite a few kids in the street, as ended, but I have since read a the houses had three storeys – book about the chindits and it ground, first and top – so there broke my heart, what they went were three families in each. through. So now it was Mum We had no hot water, no and me. She put on a brave face, electricity, no bathroom, no like thousands of women. She garden and an outside loo for didn’t know if she would see everyone in the house. No one Dad again. bought a house then, we all just A few of the family lived in had two or three rooms. The tin Outram Street. We lived at no 19, bath in front of the fire was hard one granny, grandad and uncle to fill and to empty. But we were lived at no 2 and the other all clean. granny, two uncles, auntie and The mums in the street cousins all lived at no 11. One swept in front of their house uncle was in the fire brigade, one every morning and cleaned the “We had to have identity cards”: sixteen-year-olds was in the air force and one was receive adult ID cards at the Islington Labour Exchange. front door step. I wish that still a parachutist in the army. Patricia D Harding (centre right), a typist telephonist for went on today. The windows We had to have identity cards a building contractor, was a member of a girls’ club were cleaned regularly, except and gas masks. called the Copenhagen Recreation Club. Posters in the when they were knocked out by When the bombs started room encourage people to serve in the forces bomb blasts.
18 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 I wasn’t evacuated during the war. Living near King’s Cross station was dangerous but I’m still here. Mum had gone back to work full time in a greeting card factory in City Road. My granny looked after me. Mum also did “out door” work – lots of women did that. She used to tie pretty bows on cards at home, so the kitchen table would be full of reels of coloured ribbon in the evening. Although the war was on, Granny still took us out and about. I remember one day going the Queen’s Crescent in Kentish Town to see her sister. One the way home, the siren went and we were under a railway bridge Bomb damage at Barnsbury Road, which crosses Copenhagen Street, in 1940 at the bottom of Goodsway for the duration of the bombing. I had no gardens, we made use of knew Granny was scared. this, playing on it, making houses We had no hot water, no electricity, Apparently, when the sirens from the bricks. Sometimes we went, I used to run up and down found flowers still growing (from no bathroom, no garden and an the street warning everyone to go the houses that had gardens) outside loo for everyone in the into the shelters – I was only four. and we’d put them in the houses. house. No one bought a house – One lunch time, the warning Boys played there too. came and Granny and I went Sometimes we’d find wood; we we all just had two or three rooms into her shelter with the upstairs could break it or one of the dads facilities. Well, my God, that was would chop it, and we would sell a heavy bombing and really near; it. We would earn enough money did during the war). She lived in the whole place shook and the to go to the pictures as the the next street. She said to Mum: noise was deafening. When the Mayfair was only 10d or “Are you Mrs Ramsey?” all clear came, we came out and Saturday mornings at King’s “Yes.” there were no stairs – and no Cross was 6d. We also collected “Your husband is waiting for passage or front door. Firemen empty bottles to take back to a you in York Way for you, George. were outside to help us, together shop for money, or old rags (yes, We didn’t want to give you a with my auntie shouting: we recycled then). shock, by just turning up.” “Where’s my Pat?” “Thank you, thank you,” said What had been hit was A night-time knock at the door Mum. Copenhagen Street at our end My dad came home (thank God) She rushed to get some clothes and, because our house was the from Burma. I remember that on and went down to York Way. A sample child’s nearest, we’d been blitzed badly. night clearly. She came back with Dad and his ration book: “All Mum heard about it and ran all As I said before, Mum did out kit bag, and said to me: “Here is us kids thought about was the way home from City Road. door work in the evenings and, your daddy.” I was seven and sweets being Our house wasn’t too bad, just while she worked, my granny only knew him by photos. rationed” no windows. from no 11 came in to play with I gave him a big The part of Copenhagen Street me. Because there were lots of hug. He had tears that had been hit was at the coloured ribbons, I liked to tie in his eyes and bottom of Outram, Delhi, bits in Nana’s hair, fingers and couldn’t believe Havelock and Pembroke Streets. toes. Being a lovely granny, she how I had grown. There had been lovely little kept them all on when we went Granny had to go double-fronted houses (more to bed. We all slept in the same back to her house like cottages) there, plus a pub bed. Granny always brought her with her pillow called the Golden Lion. The own pillow with her. and ribbons house at the bottom of the above Well, we’d all gone to bed and everywhere. n streets was blitzed worse, being all gone to sleep, then there was the nearest. a knock on the door. Mum went Next issue: When the war ended, there was to answer it. It was a lady who Patricia starts
lots of debris around and, as we worked on the railway (as they school Commons Museum/Wikimedia War all other images: Imperial Archives; Ration book: the National
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 19 Publications and bookshop
A new publication from the society unveils the surprising history of Islington’s Jewish communities, plus types of heritage assets, Camden review, medical histories and bargains in our bookshop
The Jewish Communities of an absolute familiarity with Inquisition; German- Islington, 1730s-1880s by the published literature, speaking Ashkenazi Jews Petra Laidlaw was launched Petra Laidlaw has provided came to Islington from at the Islington Museum at an illuminating study of the central and eastern Europe, the end of January. communities of Jews who seeking to escape anti- made their home in the Semitic prejudice and The Jewish Communities of parishes that comprise the grinding poverty. Petra Laidlaw at her book’s Islington, 1730s-1880s modern borough of Immigrants from these launch at the Islington Museum Petra Laidlaw Islington. This high-quality two groups combined to £9.99 + £2.60 p&p, Islington research is then brought to create a Jewish community What comes across Archaeology life by revealing sketches of in Islington that numbered, strikingly is how similar the and History prominent personalities in by the 1880s, about 4,000 Jewish experience in Society, the Jewish communities and people – or 5% of the entire Islington was to that of 2013, 101pp a clarity of writing that Jewish population in Britain. other immigrant groups. plus index, makes this book an engaging They chose Islington Initially isolated, confronted appendixes and compelling read. because it was a growing by prejudice and possibly and Although Jews had settled borough, which provided a discrimination, they bibliography on this island in the medieval range of housing – from congregated in particular Islington is, as the author period, the 19th century saw grand squares to areas, on particular streets, notes, “not generally the beginnings of a much impoverished dwellings – in developed their own set of thought of as a place with larger wave of Jewish close proximity to the institutions (such as shops much of a Jewish history”. arrivals fleeing persecution commercial centres of and synagogues), and This book corrects that and seeking a better life in London and an array of gradually assimilated into misconception. Through Britain. Sephardic Jews who synagogues. Islington’s the wider community. Some intensive research in local had lived on the Iberian reputation for tolerating converted to Christianity, archives, careful sifting peninsula had been forced dissent and dissenters also, others abandoned religion through newspapers and to convert to Catholicism or no doubt, proved attractive entirely. Many moved to journals of the period, and were hunted by the and was enhanced by these other parts of London and Jews’ arrival. further afield. The author takes pains to There is no synagogue left Reviewers wanted demolish simplistic in Islington, and the Are you interested in reviewing books or attending generalisations about the remaining Jews in the exhibitions for the Journal? If so, contact editor Christy Jewish community that borough are essentially Lawrance on [email protected], and say if developed. While a number invisible, but that absence you have an area of interest or expertise. of Jewish immigrant families makes this fascinating in the borough achieved account of the contribution Journal back issues extraordinary success – a that Jewish immigrant We have some back issues of the Journal. Some have prime minister of Great families made to the sold out, so contact Catherine Brighty on 020 7833 1541 Britain and a prime minister development of Islington in to find out if we have the issue you would like in stock. of New Zealand, as well as the 18th and 19th centuries the first proprietor of the all the more important. Buying from us Daily Telegraph and the Dr Thomas Lorman is a Listed opposite are books, maps and other items that founder of the Reuters news researcher at University you can order using the form overleaf (photocopies agency, to give a few College London fine), or buy at our meetings and at local fairs. examples – the community was also composed of the We also take bulk and trade orders – contact Catherine infamous as well as the More books and order Brighty on 020 7833 1541. famous, the impoverished as form overleaf well as the prosperous.
20 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 Buy from the society store New books
The society stocks books, postcards, maps and more – some are New City. Contemporary listed below. Where no price is given or if you wish to order several Architecture in the City items or in bulk, please call Catherine Brighty on 020 7833 1541. of London Alec Forshaw, with Historical maps photography by Alan Ainsworth Our old Ordnance Survey maps cover Islington and other parts of £19.95 + £1.60 p&p, Merrell, London – they have a high turnover so call us on 020 7833 1541 to 224pp; available from the IAHS check if we have your area. The City of London saw massive redevelopment over the past 25 years. This looks Book title Author Price p&p Total at its architecture from office (£) (£) (£) blocks to shops, cultural An Architect in Islington Harley Sherlock 14.99 2.60 17.59 institutions and public Angus McBean in Islington Mary Cosh, ed 4.00 1.10 5.10 spaces and includes over 200 photographs. The Building That Lived Twice Alec Forshaw 20.00 2.60 22.60 Photographs from the book Church Design for Congregations James Cubitt 11.00 1.40 12.40 go on display at the Cinemas of Haringey Jeremy Buck 9.99 1.40 5.39 Barbican in March. See The Contexting of a Chapel Architect: Clyde Binfield 18.00 1.90 19.90 Events, page 26. James Cubitt 1836-1912 Criminal Islington Keith Sugden, ed 5.00 1.40 6.40 Bag a bargain! 53 Cross Street. Biography of a House Mary Cosh and 9.95 1.90 11.90 Two IAHS books are on sale. ON SALE Martin King Dead Born Joan Lock 7.99 2.20 10.19 53 Cross Street. Biography Dead Image Joan Lock 7.99 2.20 10.19 of a House Mary Cosh and Martin King, Discover De Beauvoir Town and Environs Mike Gray and Isobel 1.50 0.69 5.19 with photographs Watson by Pauline Lord. Discover Stoke Newington. A Walk David Mander and 4.95 1.10 6.05 Hardback. Through History Isobel Watson £9.95 (was £20) Dissent & the Gothic Revival Bridget Cherry, ed 15.00 1.40 16.40 + £1.90 p&p This book is a An Historical Walk Along the New River Mary Cosh 4.00 1.10 6.69 must for An Historical Walk Through Barnsbury Mary Cosh 4.00 1.10 5.19 anyone Islington’s Cinemas & Film Studios Chris Draper 5.00 1.40 6.40 interested in Islington: Britain in Old Photographs Gavin Smith 12.99 1.40 14.39 the history of home decor. It tells the story Islington: the Second Selection Gavin Smith 12.99 1.40 14.39 of how one house changed Islington’s Cinemas & Film Studios Chris Draper 5.00 1.40 6.40 from 1785 when it was built London Cat 1 James Dowsing 3.50 0.69 4.19 to today, illustrated with glorious colour photographs. London Cat 2 James Dowsing 4.50 0.69 5.19 London Dog James Dowsing 3.50 0.69 4.19 Only Bricks and Mortar Only Bricks and Mortar ON SALE Harry Walters 5.00 1.40 8.39 Harry Walters New City: Contemporary Architecture in Alec Forshaw 19.95 2.60 22.55 £5 (was £7.99) the City of London + £1.40 p&p A tale of 20th Century Buildings in Islington Alec Forshaw 14.99 2.60 17.59 growing up London’s New River in Maps. Vol I Part I Michael Kensey £20 and working London’s New River in Maps. Vol I Part 2 Michael Kensey £25 class life from The Squares of Islington Part II. Islington Mary Cosh 7.50 1.40 7.90 the 1930s Parish through World War II Other items to the 1970s in the notorious Old Ordnance Survey maps 2.50 0.69 3.19 council tenements known as Union Chapel mug 6.00 2.20 8.20 the Cottages in Popham Road, where Cathy Come New River Tea Towel 6.00 1.40 7.40 Home was filmed.
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 21 Camden History Review, of building and operating the Introductions to Heritage Issue 37 underground. It examines the Assets (Buildings) Camden History Society health hazards created, and English Heritage £5.95 +£2.50 p&p the railway company’s claim Free to download This volume contains six that, on the contrary, the The illustrated volumes in substantial, well-referenced underground atmosphere this series summarise and interesting articles by was good for your health. building types, especially academics and researchers. The final article tells the those that have been little It opens with a piece that Euston Square station in 1985: dramatic story of a gas studied. Many are postwar highlights tragic local cases of review gives detailed history explosion on Albany Street in and relatively common. nurse children (boarded with 1848, which caused a huge another family and often Jerome, and of a less well fire, widespread damage and Buildings and Infrastructure neglected), baby farms known one – tailor, numerous injuries. There was for the Motor Car (money-making exercises) speculator and bon viveur only one fatality, a 15-year- John Minnis, Kathryn A Morrison and babies abandoned by Donald Nicholl. old nursemaid. The inquest www.english-heritage.org.uk/ desperate mothers. A wide ranging history of that followed attracted great publications/iha-buildings- An account of two local Gower Street (later renamed attention, but there was infrastructure-motor-car/ farmhouses is followed by Euston Square) underground insufficient evidence to find This gives looks at buildings items on the Camden station, which can reasonably the London Gas Company and road connections of a famous be claimed as the world’s guilty of negligence. systems resident, author Jerome K oldest, covers the challenges Anne Carwardine often taken for granted. Buildings How to Cure the Plague 19th century. It runs from Medicine and Science in included and Other the strange – eating only the 1860s. Proceedings of here include Curious boiled carrots for a fortnight the Sixth British Congress factories, Remedies to treat asthma, highly on the History of Medicine filling Julian Walker recommended in the 18th Wellcome Library stations, showrooms, car £10, British century – to the repulsive, Free, http://wellcomelibrary. parks and transport cafes, Library such as the Anglo-Saxon org/player/b20086155 motels, service stations and Publishing, practice of painting warts Searchable recently digitised domestic garages. bl-shop@ with a mixture of mouse write-up of 1967 congress bl.uk, 020 blood and dog urine. examining the dawn of germ The English Public Library 7412 7735 However, the introduction theory, medical attendance 1945-85 This is an illustrated points that while remedies on royalty, the impact of Elain Harwood compilation of some of the were often based on Darwin’s Origin of Species on www.english-heritage.org.uk/ most curious and disturbing superstition, many herb- medicine and biology, publications/iha-english- treatments for illness from based treatments formed the antiseptic surgery, health in public-library-1945-85/ the middle ages to the basis of modern medicines. the navy and more. This looks at postwar library buildings, and how they $ have been adapted. It also Publications order form (photocopies acceptable) highlights how original features, such as light Name ...... fittings, stained glass and shelving, are at risk through Address ...... refurbishment or conversion...... The Late 20th-Century Tel no/email (in case we need to contact you about your order) ...... Commercial Office www.english-heritage.org.uk/ Title(s)of publication Cost publications/iha-late-20th- ...... century-commercial-office/ The considers designs from ...... buildings that exhibited continuity with prewar ...... structures through use of Total cost ...... stone and classical detailing, to office towers, out of town Please make cheques payable to “Islington Archaeology & History Society”; send this form business parks and “high (photocopies acceptable) to IAHS, 8 Wynyatt Street, London EC1V 7HU tech” designs, with exposed
Euston Square: Dr Neil Clifton/geograph.org.uk structures and glass facades.
22 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 The first Britons
An exhibition that brings to life the story of the earliest humans in Britain, going back a million years, is not to be missed, says Jon Cotton
he discovery of ancient on the beach – virtually doubled human footprints on the time frame. the beach at The exhibition, in the museum’s The stars of the and across Europe and Asia. Happisburgh in Jerwood Gallery, is divided into show: two This is a do-not-miss show: all Norfolk provides the six sections: First Arrivals, life-size and of the iconic British human perfectly timed backdrop to the 950,000-700,000 years ago characterful fossils and associated finds have T models of a Natural History Museum’s new (Happisburgh and Pakefield); Neanderthal been assembled in one space for exhibition on the first Britons. Rhino Butchers, 500,000 years (left) and an the first time. So the Boxgrove For it seems likely that these ago (Boxgrove); The Big Freeze, anatomically tibia, the wooden spear tip from ephemeral traces – first spotted 450,000 years ago (Anglian modern human Clacton, the Swanscombe skull, in May last year and since (above). Below: the Red Lady of Paviland and the washed away by the sea – are the Gough’s cave Gough’s Cave cannibalised skull very earliest evidence for a cannibalised cups are all present and correct. human presence yet recognised skull cup The London region has in these islands. Dating to contributed some equally iconic around 950,000-850,000 years faunal specimens – these include ago, they comprise the imprints the cut-marked brown bear claws of an adult and several children from Grays Thurrock and the cave likely to belong to a species of lion skull from Crayford borrowed early human known as Homo back from the Museum of antecessor – Pioneer Man. London’s prehistoric gallery. The exhibition, Britain: One The many objects are invitingly Million Years of the Human Story, displayed and enhanced by celebrates the work conducted by sound and film clips – a hyena the Ancient Human Occupation circling a kill, a deft flint knapper of Britain (AHOB) project. at work and so on. Perhaps the And what work there is to stars of the show are the two celebrate! Ably led by Professor life-size, stunningly characterful Chris Stringer, the 50-strong reconstructions of a Neanderthal team of researchers have utterly and an anatomically modern revolutionised our understanding ice-sheet diverts the Thames); human which dominate the sixth of early hominins in this country. Neanderthal Beginnings, 400,000- section. These, like the rest of this When AHOB was launched in 180,000 years ago (Swanscombe well-paced exhibition, breathe 2001, the earliest human and Crayford); A Deserted Island, new life into what it was like to be presence in Britain had just been 180,000-60,000 years ago (lions human in Britain up to one million backdated to around 500,000 and hippos in Trafalgar Square); years ago… and still counting. n years ago, as the Boxgrove finds and Humans Return, 60,000- l Britain: One Million Years of the trumped those from 12,000 years ago (Kent’s Cavern, Human Story runs at the Natural Swanscombe by 100,000 years. Creswell Crags and Gough’s History Museum until 28 Initial re-evaluations by AHOB Cave). A seventh, concluding September 2013. See www.nhm. of old material from Westbury- section, the Human Story ac.uk/britainmillionyears sub-Mendip then new of Britain Today, uses discoveries from Pakefield quickly the DNA results of six Jon Cotton is a prehistorian pushed this back to around celebrities (including and archaeological 700,000 years ago. Since then, a Clive Anderson, Bill consultant. He worked for the string of extraordinary finds Bailey and Sian Museum of London for over further along the eroding north Williams) to trace the 30 years as a field archaeologist Norfolk coast at Happisburgh dispersal of anatomically then as senior curator, prehistory
– culminating in the footprints modern humans out of Africa and public archaeology History Museum Natural
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 23 What’s on Events, exhibitions, courses, walks and more. Contact details of organisers are in the directory on page 28 – events may change or need advance booking. Islington Archaeology & History Society events are listed on the inside back page
Tuesday 11 March, 8pm from the Saxons to the Saturday 15 March, 3pm model layouts, behind-the- The Sandridge Coin Hoard Hundred Years’ War Edna Manley: Gallery Talk scenes tours, heritage bus Lecture by David Thorold, Talk by Dr Simon Thurley. Gallery talk on Jamaican runs, a mini bus rally, a bus keeper of Archaeology for St Free, Museum of London, sculptor Edna Manley. pit tour, rides on the Albans Museums. Gresham College event Free, Petrie Museum, 020 miniature railway and films. Avenue House, 17 East End 7679 4138, www.ucl.ac.uk/ £10/concs, London Transport Road, N3 8QE. Hendon and Thursday 13 March, 6pm museums/petrie/whats-on Museum Acton Depot, District Archaeological Gresham and Defoe www.ltmuseum.co.uk. Society (underwriters): the origins Saturday 15 March, 5pm of London Marine Insurance The Thames – a journey Monday 17 March, 1pm Wednesday 12 March, 8pm Talk by Dr Adrian Leonard through time The Second World War: She dared to be a doctor: on history of marine Walk led by London City shellshock to psychiatry the story of Elizabeth insurance underwriting back guide Pat Smith. Historical Talk by Dr Roderick Bailey. Garrett Anderson to the 1400s, followed by a Association, book on 020 Free, Museum of London, Talk by Eleri Rowlands. reception. 7323 1192, jillkilsby2012@ Gresham College event Union Church Hall, N8. Free, Barnard’s Inn Hall, live.co.uk Hornsey Historical Society Gresham College Thursday 20 March 7.30pm, Saturday 15 and Sunday Who lies in Highgate Wednesday 12 March, 1pm Friday 14 March, 8pm 16 March, 11am-5pm Cemetery? Entertainment in London in Remarkable pots and Get behind the scenes at Highgate Society, 10A South the 18th Century extraordinary uses – some London Transport Museum Grove, N6. Camden History Talk by Mike Rendell. unusual byways of Depot Society, joint meeting with Free, Museum of London, archaeological ceramics Weekend of bus-themed the Friends of Highgate Gresham College event Talk by Jacqui Pearce. activities to celebrate Year of Cemetery 8pm, £1, Jubilee Hall, 2 the Bus, including a steam Wednesday 12 March, 6pm Parsonage Lane. Enfield bus, a replica of Hancock’s Thursday 20 March, 7.30pm War halls: royal houses Archaeological Society 1833 Enterprise (pictured), Film: City of Ships Port of London Authority 1951 film of London Docks. Led by Ray Newton and SERIAC 2014: Bricks, Bugs and Computers John Tarby. Industrial archaeology conference Latimer Congregational Church Hall, Ernest St, E1. Topics include the river Wandle’s industrious history, Handley brickworks, early East London History Society computing in Croydon (including a 1930s film), unusual building materials, fermentation industries, the Surrey Iron Railway (pictured left, with horse power) and Tuesday, 25 March, 1pm secret underground London. The museum and historical collections of the Bank of The day will be followed by visits to Shirley England Windmill or Croydon Airport, or a walking Talk by Jennifer Adam. tour via Park Hill water tower and Surrey Free, Gresham College, Street Pumping Station. Barnard’s Inn Hall
Saturday 12 April Wednesday 26 March, 8pm £12, Royal Russell School, Croydon The Turin Shroud Talk by Colin Barratt Organised by Great London Industrial St John’s Church Hall, Friern Archaeology Society, 12 Barton Close, London Barnet Lane. Friern Barnet E9 6EZ, [email protected], 020 8658 8666 & District Local History Society
24 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 Tuesday 1 April, 1pm £8.30/concessions, booking Gideon Mantell: unfair required, London Canal dismissal? Museum Talk by Professor Joe Cain. £4, booking essential on 020 Tuesday,13 May, 8pm 7869 6568, Hunterian The Bishop’s hunting park Museum in Highgate Lecture by Malcolm Stokes. Tuesday, 1 April, 6pm Avenue House, 17 East End The girl of the period Rd, N3. Hendon and District Talk by Professor Lynda Archaeological Society Nead, on how 19th century fashion blurred the Saturday 10 and Sunday boundaries between “pure” 11 May and “fallen” women. National Mills Weekend Free, Museum of London, See the Enterprise – the first ever mechanically propelled public Mills open around the Gresham College event service bus – on 15 and 16 March at the London Transport country. www.nationalmills Museum’s depot. Enterprise’s company office was in City Road weekend.co.uk Tuesday 8 April, 6pm Meet the curators – a Tuesday 15 April, 6pm Free, St Sepulchre Without Tuesday 13 May, 1pm fusion of worlds: ancient The referendum on Europe, Newgate, Gresham College Eccentric – the life of Egypt, African art and 1975 event William Price identity in modernist Talk by Professor Vernon £4, booking essential, 020 Britain Bogdanor Thursday 1 May, 3pm 7869 6568, Hunterian Talk by curators of A Fusion Free, Museum of London, Middle class recruits to Museum of Worlds exhibition. Gresham College event Communism in the 1930’s: Free, Petrie Museum. Book family members’ memories Wednesday 14 May, 1pm via http://fusionofworlds. Wednesday 16 April, 6pm and other reflections How to place slavery into eventbrite.co.uk Humanity and a million Workshop led by Professor British identity years of sea level change Nicholas Deakin, followed Talk by Dr William Pettigrew. Tuesday 8 April, 8pm Talk by Dr Nicholas by evening drinks reception. Free, Gresham College, Restoring House Mill Flemming on evolution and Barnard’s Inn Hall, Gresham Barnard’s Inn Hall Lecture by Brian Strong. climate change. About 3,000 College, booking required. Avenue House, 17 East End prehistoric sites have been Wednesday 14 May, 6pm Road, N3 8QE. Hendon and found on the sea floor. Tuesday 6 May, 1pm The iconography of District Archaeological Free, Museum of London, The Gresham Ship: an blindness: how artists have Society Gresham College event armed Elizabethan portrayed the blind merchantman recovered Talk by Professor William Friday 11 April Saturday 19 April,10.30am- from the Thames Ayliffe, including changes in The excavations and 1pm and 2pm-4.30pm Talk by Dr Gustav Milne. attitudes towards blind fieldwork of Enfield Black History Studies Tour Free, Museum of London, people over the years. Archaeology Society 2013 of the British Museum Gresham College event Free, Museum of London, and AGM £10, Black History Studies, Gresham College event Talk by Dr Martin Dearne 020 8881 0660, 07951 Wednesday 7 May, 6.30pm and Mike Dewbrey. 234233, info@ A bolt from the blue? Thursday 15 May, 1pm 8pm, £1, Jubilee Hall, 2 blackhistorystudies.com England in 1914 on the eve Education, research and Parsonage Lane. Enfield of war government in the ancient Archaeological Society Wednesday 23 April, 6pm Talk by Nigel Jones. Greek World Playing catch-up: palaces Institute of Historical Talk by Professor Eleanor Saturday, 12 April, 2pm from the Hundred Years’ Research, Senate House, Dickey. What does the hearth tax War to the Wars of the Roses Malet Street, WC1E 7HU. Free, Gresham College, tell us about London on the Talk by Dr Simon Thurley. £3, Historical Association, Barnard’s Inn Hall eve of the Great Fire?’ Free, Museum of London, 020 7323 1192, Talk by Dr Andrew Gresham College event [email protected] Thursday 15 May, 1pm Wareham. Day trip to historic Institute of Historical Thursday 24 April, 1pm Sunday 11 May, 11am, 12pm, Portsmouth harbour Research, Senate House, Music in context: in 2pm, 3pm and 4pm Trip organised by Hendon & Malet Street, WC1E 7HU. abstract – Schubert Guided tunnel boat trips District Archaeological £3, Historical Association, Talk by Professor Fifty-minute guided tour Society. £40. www.hadas. 020 7323 1192, Christopher Hogwood plus through London’s longest org.uk, 020 8449 7076. Book
[email protected] performance. canal tunnel. by Tuesday 15 April. Museum Transport London
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 25 through London’s longest canal tunnel. £8.30/concessions, booking required, London Canal Museum
Thursday 12 June,1pm Good, bad and ugly: the history of polio vaccines Talk by Professor Gareth Williams. Free, Gresham College, Barnard’s Inn Hall.
This near-pristine Roman sculpture of an eagle holding a snake – described as “among the very best Friday 13 June statues surviving from Roman Britain” – is on display at the Museum of London until April, possibly Walbrook Square longer. It dates to the first or second century AD, and is believed to be from a mausoleum unearthed excavations and Temple of near the Minories in the City of London Mithras Talk by John Shepard. Friday 16 May Fifty-minute tour through Free, Museum of London, 8pm, £1, Jubilee Hall, 2 Life and death in Pompeii canal tunnel. Gresham College event Parsonage Lane. Enfield and Herculaneum £8.30/concessions, booking Archaeological Society Talk by Paul Roberts. required, London Canal Thursday 5 June, 6pm 8pm, £1, Enfield Museum Continuity and Archaeological Society development in architecture Booking now for the Tuesday, 27 May, 600pm Gresham special lecture, summer Tuesday 20 May, 6pm Britain and 1914 given by RIBA president 28 July-1 August The growth of Talk by Prof Vernon Bogdanor. Stephen Hodder, followed Training dig Euroscepticism Free, Museum of London, by reception. Covers main tasks Talk by Prof Vernon Bogdanor. Gresham College event Guildhall, Gresham College associated with an Free, Museum of London, event, booking required excavation. £100 for the Gresham College Wednesday, 4 June, 6pm week. Magnificence: a tale of two Sunday 8 June, 11am, 12pm, Bexley Archaeological Sunday 25 May, 11am, 12pm, Henrys 2pm, 3pm and 4pm Group Contact Pip on 2pm, 3pm and 4pm Talk by Dr Simon Thurley on Guided tunnel boat trips principalfieldofficer@bag. Guided tunnel boat trips palaces of Henry VII and VIII. Fifty-minute guided tour org.uk
Ongoing signs, ceramic tiles, Horses to Horsepower. Historic almshouse tour ephemera and ticket http://postalheritage.org.uk/ Visit the Geffrye’s restored Behind the scenes at the machines. page/onlineexhibitions 18th-century almshouse, Archaeological Archive Last Friday and Saturday of which has been taken back 11am, 2pm, first and third Friday every month (not Tour of the British Postal to its original condition and and Saturday of the month December), £12/concs, book Museum & Archive store offers a rare glimpse into Tour the world’s largest on 020 7565 7298 or at Curator-led tour, plus time the lives of London’s poor archaeological archive and www.ltmuseum.co.uk to look around by yourself. and elderly in the 1700s handle some of the finds Includes a fleet of postal and 1800s. from more than 8,500 The British Postal Museum vehicles and over 200 post £2.50/concs, various times, excavations. £5, Museum of & Archive: online boxes, from one of the first [email protected]. London, book ahead, www. exhibitions boxes trialled in the UK to uk 020 7739 9893 museumoflondon.org.uk/ Online exhibitions, modern designs. tours including the Great Train http://www.postalheritage. Mail Rail: a photographic Robbery, Diamond Jubilee, org.uk/page/museum-tours exhibition Behind the scenes at the the People’s Post, the Post Photos taken all in recent museum depot Office in Pictures, the Clerkenwell and Islington years cover the whole the Tours of London Transport World’s First Scheduled Guides Association: walks network, from the tunnels to Museum’s depot in Acton. Aerial Post, Victorian Guided walks around the underground stations. The museum store houses Innovation, Brunel and the Islington and Clerkenwell Free, British Postal Museum over 370,000 objects, Mail, Mount Pleasant – the led by one of the mayor of and Archive, www. including road and rail Largest Sorting Office in the Islington’s official guides. postalheritage.org.uk/page/
MOLA/Andy Chopping. MOLA/Andy vehicles, bus and rail sheds, World and Moving the Mail: www.ciga.org.uk mail-rail-exhibition
26 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 Exhibitions hospital acquired infections Until Sunday 29 June than in battle. John Pantlin: photographing Until 15 March Free, British Library, www. the mid-century home Portals to the past bl.uk/beautiful-science A small display photographs Archaeological finds from of homes in the 1950s and Crossrail excavations, Until Tuesday 27 May 1960s by British including skulls from Roman The Brits Who Built The photographer John Pantlin, London, a Roman cremation Modern World 1950-2012 from RIBA’s Robert Elwall pot, 9,000-year-old flint and Exhibition showing vast Photographs Collection. 16th century jewellery. change brought to the Free, Geffrye Museum Free, Crossrail Visitor world’s cities by British Information Centre, behind architects from the postwar Until Sunday 6 July Centre Point, 6-18 St Giles years. Over 190 Carscapes: how the motor High Street, WC2H 8LN. photographs, drawings, car reshaped England Tuesday-Saturday from models and other materials Dramatic aerial photographs 11am. www.crossrail.co.uk/ are on display in the RIBA’s show the surprising archaeology. new architecture gallery. grandeur of motorway Pin with dragon’s head, The exhibition is part of a design in an exhibition Until Sunday 23 March AD950-1000. See Vikings: Life RIBA season inspired by the exploring how motoring Beyond El Dorado: power and Legend, until 22 June BBC series The Brits Who heritage has developed its and gold in ancient Built The Modern World. own art and architecture. Colombia Victorian comics to titles Free, Royal Institute of £4/concs, Quadriga Gallery, The truth behind the myth such as Batman, exploring British Architects Wellington Arch, 020 7930 of El Dorado is revealed in political and social issues 2726, www.english-heritage. this exhibition. On display raised. Until Sunday 15 June org.uk/quadriga are more than 300 objects British Library, http://www. Empire builders: 1750-1950 made of gold and other bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/ The origins of British Until Sunday 13 July 2014 precious metals from comics-unmasked/ architectural influence William Kent: designing pre-Hispanic Colombia. outside and within the Georgian Britain £10/concessions, British Until Saturday 24 May Empire are explored through William Kent was the most Museum A fusion of worlds: ancient drawings, watercolours, prominent architect and Egypt, African art and photographs and models. designer in early Georgian Until Wednesday 26 March identity in modernist Britain Free, Victoria and Albert Britain. This exhibition will New City Exhibition exploring how Museum, London bring together over 200 Exhibition of photographs modernist artists – Jacob objects including drawings from New City: Contemporary Epstein, Edna Manley and Until Sunday 22 June 2014 for buildings including the Architecture in the City of Ronald Moody – have been Vikings: life and legend Treasury and Horse Guards, London by Alan Ainsworth inspired by Ancient Egypt. This exhibition features designs for landscape (see Publications, page 20). Free, Petrie Museum, 020 many archaeological gardens, sculpture, furniture, Free, Barbican Library 7679 4138, www.ucl.ac.uk/ discoveries and objects silver as well as paintings museums/petrie/whats-on never seen before in the UK, and illustrated books. Until Sunday 27 April alongside artefacts from £9.concs, Victoria and Albert The Cheapside Hoard: Until 26 May various collections. New Museum. London’s lost jewels Beautiful science: picturing finds have changed our The Cheapside Hoard, a data, inspiring insight understanding of the nature Until Sunday 28 September significant discovery of 16th Beautiful Science explores of Viking identity, trade, Britain: one million years of and early 17th century how understanding has magic and belief and the the human story jewels and gemstones, offers evolved alongside the role of the warrior in Viking A major exhibition insights into Elizabethan ability to represent, society. At the centre of illustrating life in prehistoric and Jacobean London. graph, and map the exhibition will be Britain. On show will be the Museum of London £10/£9/ data. Going back to the timbers of a 37m skull of the earliest known concs the 18th century, it Viking warship, the Neanderthal in Britain, the looks at John longest ever found. Clacton spear, the oldest 2 May-19 August 2014 Snow’s use of maps £16.50/concs, British wooden spear in the world, Comics unmasked: art and to identify the Museum, www. skull cups, animal remains anarchy in the UK source of cholera, britishmuseum.org or and models of early Britons. The UK’s biggest exhibition then how Florence 020 7323 8181 Some objects will be on of British comics will feature Nightingale used display for the first time. original artwork and bizarre graphs to Emerald watch: see l Review, page 23 objects covering the form’s demonstrate more Cheapside Hoard, £9/concs, Natural History
tumultuous history from solders were dying of until 27 April Museum Museum of London watch: Museum Haithabu; emerald Wikinger Pin:
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 27 Place, WC1X 0DL, and store clockmakers.org/museum- Directory at Debden, Essex, 020 7239 and-library 2570, info@postalheritage. org.uk Cockney Heritage Trust History, civic, amenity and archaeology www.cockneyheritagetrust. societies, museums and online resources British Vintage Wireless com Society [email protected] Courtauld Gallery Somerset House, WC2R Check opening times before Bank of England Museum Brixton Windmill 0RN, 020 7848 2526 visiting. If you would like Threadneedle St, EC2R 8AH, 020 7926 6056, www. [email protected] your organisation listed here 020 7601 5545, www.bankof brixtonwindmill.org/ or to update details, email england.co.uk/museum Cross Bones Graveyard editor Christy Lawrance on Bruce Castle Museum www.crossbones.org.uk [email protected]. Barnet Museum and Local Lordship Lane, N17 8NU, uk or c/o 6 Northview, History Society 020 8808 8772, museum. Crossness Pumping Station Tufnell Park Road, N7 0QB www.barnetmuseum.co.uk [email protected] 020 8311 3711, www. crossness.org.uk Alexandra Palace TV Group BBC archive Burgh House and Runs museum. Tony Wilding, www.bbc.co.uk/archive Hampstead Museum Docklands History Group 71 Dale View Avenue, E4 New End Sq, NW3, 020 7431 020 7537 0368, info@dock 6PJ, 020 8524 0827 Benjamin Franklin House 0144, www.burghhouse.org.uk landshistorygroup.org.uk Craven Street, WC2N 5NF, Alexandra Palace TV Society 020 7925 1405, info@ Camden History Society Dictionary of Victorian Archives: 35 Breedon Hill BenjaminFranklinHouse.org 020 7586 4436, www. London/Cat’s Meat Shop Road, Derby, DE23 6TH, camdenhistorysociety.org Encyclopaedia and blog, 01332 729 358, apts@apts. Bethlem Royal Hospital www.victorianlondon.org org.uk, www.youtube.com/ Archives and Museum Camden New Town History aptsarchive Monks Orchard Road, Group East London History Society Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3BX, www.camdennewtown.info 42 Campbell Road, E3 4DT, All Hallows by the Tower 020 3228 4227, www. [email protected]. Crypt Museum bethlemheritage.org.uk Camden Railway Heritage uk 020 7481 2928, www.ahbtt.org. Trust uk/visiting/crypt-museum/ Bexley Archaeological Group 21 Oppidans Road, NW3, Enfield Archaeological www.bag.org.uk, Martin [email protected] Society Amateur Geological Society Baker: 020 8300 1752 www.enfarchsoc.org 25 Village Road, N3 1TL Canonbury Society Bishopsgate Institute Library www.canonburysociety.org. Estorick Collection of Amwell Society and Archive uk, 1 Alwyne Place, N1 Modern Italian Art 8 Cumberland Gardens, 230 Bishopsgate, EC2M, 020 39a Canonbury Square, N1 WC1X 9AG, 020 7837 0988, 7392 9270, www. Cartoon Museum 2AN, 020 7704 9522, info@ [email protected] bishopsgate.org.uk/ 35 Little Russell Street, www.estorickcollection.com WC1, 020 7580 8155, www. Ancestor Search Bomb Sight cartoonmuseum.org Alexander Fleming Museum Guidance on where to look. Online map of WW2 bombs St Mary’s Hospital, Praed www.ancestor-search.info in London 1940-41, Chartered Institution of Street, W2 1NY, 020 3312 www.bombsight.org Building Services Engineers 6528, www.imperial.nhs.uk/ The Angel Association Heritage Group about us/museums www.angelassociation.org.uk British Airways Heritage www.hevac-heritage.org/ andarchives/ www.britishairways.com/ Archives Hub travel/museum-collection/ City of London Friends of Hackney http://archiveshub.ac.uk/ public/en_gb Archaeological Society Archives [email protected] Hackney Archives, Dalston Arsenal FC Museum British Museum Sq, E8 3BQ, 020 8356 8925, 020 7619 5000, www.arsenal. Great Russell Street, WC1, Clerkenwell and Islington [email protected] com 020 7323 8299, information Guides Association @britishmuseum.org 07971 296731, info@ciga. Friern Barnet & District Association for the Study org.uk Local History Society and Preservation of Roman British Postal Museum and www.friernbarnethistory. Mosaics Archive Clockmakers’ Museum org.uk. Photo archive: www. www.asprom.org Freeling House, Phoenix Guildhall Library, www. friern-barnet.com
28 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 Friends of the New River Islington Museum Head 245 St John Street, EC1V c/o Amwell Society 4NB, 10am-5pm, closed Weds and Sun, 020 7527 Foundling Museum 2837, islington.museum@ 40 Brunswick Square, WC1, islington.gov.uk, www. 020 7841 3600, www. islington.gov.uk/museum foundlingmuseum.org.uk Islington’s Lost Cinemas Freud Museum www.islingtonslostcinemas. 20 Maresfield Gardens, com NW3, 020 7435 2002, [email protected] Islington Society 35 Britannia Row, N1 8QH, Friends of Friendless www.islingtonsociety.org.uk Churches www.friendsoffriendless Jewish Museum churches.org.uk www.jewishmuseum.org.uk
Garden History Society Joe Meek Society 70 Cowcross St, EC1, 020 7608 www.joemeeksociety.org 2409, gardenhistorysociety.org Dr Johnson’s House Geffrye Museum 17 Gough Square, EC4, 136 Kingsland Road, E2 www.drjohnsonshouse.org 8EA, 020 7739 9893, www. geffrye-museum.org.uk Stairwell in Dr Johnson’s House, where Samuel Johnson compiled Keats House his Dictionary of the English Language in the 18th century 020 7332 3868, keatshouse@ Georgian Group cityoflondon.gov.uk 6 Fitzroy Square, W1T 5DX, Hendon and District Tottenham Lane, N8 7EL, [email protected] Archaeology Society hornseyhistorical.org.uk Kew Bridge Steam Museum 020 8449 7076, secretary@ Green Dragon Lane, TW8, 020 Grant Museum of Zoology hadas.org.uk Hunterian Museum 8568 4757, www.kbsm.org 020 3108 2052, www.ucl. RCS, 35-43 Lincoln’s Inn ac.uk/museums/zoology, Heritage of London Trust Fields, WC2, www.rcseng. Locating London’s Past [email protected] 020 7730 9472, www. ac.uk/museums www.locatinglondon.org heritageoflondon.com Gresham College IanVisits London Canal Museum Free lectures on different Historic Hospital Admission London blog and listings, 12-13 New Wharf Road, N1 topics, www.gresham.ac.uk Records Project including historical events. 9RT, 020 7713 0836, www. www.hharp.org/ www.ianvisits.co.uk canalmuseum.org.uk Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society (GLIAS) Historical Association, Islington and Camden London Fire Brigade Museum 14 Mount Rd, EN4 9RL, 020 Central London Branch Cemetery 020 8555 1200 x 39894, 8692 8512, www.glias.org.uk 020 7323 1192, www.history. High Road, East Finchley, www.london-fire.gov.uk/ org.uk, [email protected] N2 9AG, 020 7527 8804, OurMuseum.asp Guildhall Library www.islington.gov.uk/ Aldermanbury, EC2V 7HH, Historic Towns Forum Environment/cemeteries London Lives 1690-1800 020 7332 1868, textphone www.historictowns forum.org www.londonlives.org 020 7332 3803, guildhall. Islington Local History [email protected] History of Harringay Centre London Metropolitan www.harringayonline.com/ Finsbury Library, 245 St John Archives Hackney Museum group/historyofharringay St, EC1V 4NB. 9.30am-8pm 40 Northampton Rd, EC1 1 Reading Lane, E8 1GQ, Mon and Thurs (shuts 6pm 0HB, 020 7332 3820, ask.lma www.hackney.gov.uk/ Honourable Artillery every other Monday); @cityoflondon.gov.uk, www. cm-museum.htm Company Museum 9.30am-5pm Tues, Fri and cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma City Road, EC1, 020 7382 Sat; closed Weds and Sun; The Hackney Society 1541, www.hac.org.uk closed 1pm-2pm; 020 7527 London & Middlesex Round Chapel, 1d Glenarm 7988; local.history@ Archaeological Society Road, E5 0LY, 07771 225183, Hornsey Historical Society islington.gov.uk, www. 020 7814 5734, www.lamas.
[email protected] The Old Schoolhouse, 136 islington.gov.uk/heritage org.uk Commons Bill McIntyre/Creative
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 29 London Museums of Health Museum of London Proceedings of the Old Theatres Trust and Medicine Archaeology Bailey 020 7836 8591, www. www.medicalmuseums.org Mortimer Wheeler House, www.oldbaileyonline.org theatrestrust.org.uk 46 Eagle Wharf Road, N1, London Socialist Historians 020 7410 2200, www. Ragged School Museum Transport Trust Group museum oflondon 020 8980 6405, www.ragged Lambeth Rd, SE1, 020 7928 http://londonsocialist archaeology.org.uk schoolmuseum.org.uk 6464, www.transporttrust.com historians.blogspot.com Museum of London Rescue/British Twentieth Century Society London Vintage Taxi Docklands Archaeological Trust 70 Cowcross St, EC1, 020 7250 Association 020 7001 9844, www.museum www.rescue-archaeology. 3857, www.c20society.org.uk www.lvta.co.uk oflondon.org.uk/docklands org.uk Union Chapel and Friends London Transport Museum Museum of the Order of Rowan Arts Project of the Union Chapel 020 7379 6344, www. St John Islington arts charity. 020 Compton Avenue, N1 2XD, ltmuseum.co.uk St John’s Gate, EC1M 4DA, 7700 2062, www. www.unionchapel.org.uk/ 020 7324 4005, www. therowanartsproject.com pages/friends.html LT Museum Friends museumstjohn.org.uk 020 7565 7296, www. Royal Air Force Museum Victoria & Albert Museum ltmuseum.co.uk/friends Musical Museum 020 8205 2266, www. Cromwell Rd, SW7, 020 399 High Street, TW8 0DU, rafmuseum.org.uk/london 7907 7073, www.vam.ac.uk London Underground www.musicalmuseum.co.uk Railway Society Royal Institute of British V&A Museum of Childhood [email protected] National Archives Architects (RIBA) Cambridge Heath Road, E2 020 8876 3444, www. 66 Portland Place, W1B 1AD, 9PA, 020 8983 5200 London Westminster & nationalarchives.gov.uk www.architecture.com Middx Family History Society Victorian Society www.lwmfhs.org.uk National Piers Society Science Museum 020 8994 1019, www. www.piers.org.uk Exhibition Road, SW7 2DD. victoriansociety.org.uk Markfield Beam Engine and www.sciencemuseum.org.uk Museum Newcomen Society for the Wallace Collection Markfield Park, N15, 01707 History of Engineering and Sir John Soane’s Museum Hertford House, Manchester 873628, [email protected] Technology 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Sq, W1M, 020 7563 9500, 020 7371 4445, office@ WC2A 3BP, www.soane.org www.wallacecollection.org Mausolea & Monuments Trust newcomen.com www.mmtrust.org.uk Smithfield Trust Wallpaper History Society Newington Green Action 70 Cowcross St, EC1, 020 7566 wallpaperhistorysociety.org.uk Marx Memorial Library Group 0041, [email protected] 37a Clerkenwell Green, EC1 020 7359 6027, www. Walthamstow Historical 0DU, 020 7253 1485, info@ newingtongreen.org.uk Society of Genealogists Society marx-memorial-library.org 020 7251 8799, www. www.walthamstow New River Action Group societyofgenealogists.com historicalsociety.org.uk/ Medieval Pottery Research [email protected], Group 020 8292 5987 Society for the Protection Wellcome Collection www.medievalpottery.org.uk of Ancient Buildings www.wellcomecollection.org North London Railway 37 Spital Sq, E1 6DY, 020 Museum of Brands Historical Society 7377 1644, www.spab.org.uk John Wesley’s House and 2 Colville Mews, Lonsdale www.nlrhs.org.uk Museum of Methodism Road, W11, 020 7908 0880, Stuart Low Trust 49 City Rd, EC1, www.wesleys [email protected] Northview – a Rare Survivor www.slt.org.uk/ chapel.org.uk/museum.htm www.northview.org.uk Museum of Domestic Design Royal Archaeological William Morris Gallery & Architecture (MoDA) Pauper Lives in Georgian Institute Forest Road, E17, 020 8496 020 8411 4394, www.moda. London and Manchester [email protected] 4390, www.wmgallery.org.uk mdx.ac.uk/home http://research.ncl.ac.uk/ pauperlives Thames Discovery Wilmington Square Society Museum of London Programme www.thewilmington 150 London Wall, EC2Y Petrie Museum of Egyptian Mortimer Wheeler Hse, 46 squaresociety.org 5HN, 020 7814 5511, Archaeology Eagle Wharf Rd, N1, 020 info@museumoflondon. UCL, Malet Pl, WC1, www. 7410 2207, enquiries@ Women’s Library Collection org.uk ucl.ac.uk/museums/petrie thamesdiscovery.org [email protected]
30 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 Islington Archaeology & History Society Events
Wednesday 19 March, 8pm, Islington Town Hall Wednesday 18 June, 8pm, Islington Town Hall Sir Edward Watkin: visionary or lunatic? Samuel Plimsoll: the campaign to save Richard Wallington, chairman of the Friends of Union lives at sea Chapel Nicolette Jones, author of The Plimsoll Sensation: the Great Campaign to Save Lives at Sea Extending the Metropolitan Line to Manchester and After Nicolette Jones moved into Plimsoll Road in Finsbury Paris, a tower to rival the Park, she became curious about Samuel Plimsoll, after whom Eiffel Tower and a tunnel the road and the local pub were named. below the English Channel were some Edward Watkin’s Researching his life, she discovered a story of a timeless fight ideas. to bring in life-saving safety measures on ships. He Watkin’s Folly in Wembley was encountered much resistance from shipowners, including Sir Edward (1819–1901) was intended to rival the Eiffel Towr some fellow MPs but, among the public, his campaign a railway entrepreneur and inspired novels, plays, music hall songs and poems. MP. His projects included the expansion of the Metropolitan Railway, the high-speed Great Central Main Line and an Annual general meeting attempt to dig a channel tunnel to connect his railway empire to the French rail network. His iron tower in The June talk will be preceded by the AGM at 7.30pm. Wembley, which would have been taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, became known as Watkin’s Folly. Sunday 30 March Walk: Jewish Islington 1730s-1880s Wednesday 16 April Dr Who: the first 50 years This walk is organised by Petra Laidlaw, author of The Jewish Communities of Islington, 1730s-1880s (see page 20). It goes Andrew Cartmel, former script editor through some of the main Islington areas in which Jews of Doctor Who were living and worshipping during 1730-1880. More information and to book, contact Petra Laidlaw on Andrew Cartmel, who was the script [email protected]. editor on Dr Who for its last three series, gives his perspectives on the first 50 years of the programme.
Andrew Gardner, whose father worked on Dr Who from 1963 to 1967, will speak briefly on why much of the BBC archive is missing, and on efforts to put it back together again.
Wednesday 21 May
Our May meeting was being arranged as we went to press. Check our website at www.islingtonhistory.org.uk and our Facebook group (right) at www.facebook.com/groups/ islingtonhistory for updates on this and other meetings
The Islington Archaeology & History Society meets 10 times a year, usually on the third Wednesday of each month at 8pm, at Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1. £1 donation/free to members. Everyone welcome. Dalek: Moritz B/Wikimedia Commons Dalek: Moritz B/Wikimedia
Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Spring 2014 Vol 4 No 1 31 The Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Back page picture These are some of the 2,200-plus pipes in the Union Chapel’s organ – the only working hydraulically blown organ in the country – now restored to its 1878 glory. See page 12 Daniela Sbrisny www.danielasbrisny.co.uk Sbrisny Daniela