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Journal of the Archaeology & History Society

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Vol 1 No 3 Autumn 2011 incorporating Islington History Journal

The life and crimes of Joe Orton

Major exhibition looks back at playwright Joe Orton, his life and work, and why he defaced Islington’s library books

Insanity in Islington l The world’s first spiral escalator l Could Benjamin Disraeli have been born in ? l Marie Stopes’s shocking clinic in l Festival of British Archaeology l A murder draws the crowds l When the building had a science laboratory l Your local history questions answered l News and events About the society

What we do Memories, reviews, old photographs, Islington Archaeology & ideas sought… contribute to this journal History Society Committee he society arranges President lectures, walks, visits We welcome contributions, streets or buildings? Send Rt Hon Lord Smith  Tand outings about  including articles on local them in for our tireless of the archaeology and history history, memories and more researcher Michael Reading of Islington. academic pieces. – and maybe other readers Vice-president We liaise with the council Each page takes about 500 – to answer. Mary Cosh and others in matters of words, and the maximum l See Letters, page 6 planning and development article length is 1,000 words. Chairman and acting to record and protect Email the editor for a copy Copyright secretary Islington’s sites that are of of our writing guidelines. Copyright of everything in Andrew Gardner archaeological and historical We like receiving pictures, this journal lies with the [email protected] importance. but please check that we can creator unless otherwise We also aim to document reproduce them without stated. While it can be difficult Membership and events archaeological findings in infringing anyone’s copyright. to trace copyright ownership Catherine Brighty the borough. Deadline for the winter of archive materials, we 8 Wynyatt Street Local historical and issue is 1 November. make every effort to do so.  literary walks are arranged EC1V 7HU for groups. Ever wondered…? Any questions? 020 7833 1541 Do you have any queries Contact editor Christy Why archaeology? about Islington’s history, Lawrance (details right). Treasurer Archaeology is not just Philip Anderson about what is buried; it phlpandrsn6@ includes structures and Join us and benefit from membership btopenworld.com fragments that still exist, and the people who lived, Members receive this restoration, architecture, Committee members worked and died in them. journal and are invited to  entertainment, health, crime Kathleen Frenchman We are here to investigate, 10 talks a year with guest and politics. Peter Fuller learn and celebrate what is speakers and other events. Members also receive  Michael Harper left to us. We run a wide range of the journal four times  Derek Seeley talks, with topics going from a year. Our website Roman gardens to the Non-members are always Academic adviser Go to www.iahs.org.uk to Routemaster bus, transport, welcome at talks – we invite Lester Hillman, former find out more about us and political and social change, a £1 donation towards the visiting professor, London our events. map-making, building speaker’s expenses. Metropolitan Business School, London (photocopies acceptable) $ Metropolitan University Membership form Newsletter editor Membership per year is: £10 single; £12 joint at same address; concessions £6; joint Christy Lawrance concessions £8; corporate £15 [email protected] c/o 6 Northview Name(s) ...... Road London N7 0QB Address ......

...... The Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Tel no/email (if we need to contact you) ...... is published four times  a year I/We would like single/joint/concession/joint concession/corporate membership, and enclose a cheque payable to “Islington Archeology & History Society” for ...... ISSN 2046-8245

Please return this form (photocopies acceptable) to: Islington Archaeology & History Printed by CLP Society, 8 Wynyatt Street, London EC1V 7HU 16 Baldwins Gardens

Cover picture: Islington Local History Centre Cover London EC1N 7RJ

2 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society

Incorporating Islington History Journal Vol 1 No 3 Autumn 2011

History brought to life is more than a subject

pending an afternoon with staff and students of the Rosemary SWorks School has proved to be Contents the highlight of the year so far for me. They had been studying dissent and revolution, looking at France, Russia News 4 and Cuba. After studying Animal Farm, Caledonian Road tube station listed Grade II they asked to walk the area George Tony Benn unveils Peasants’ Revolt green plaque Orwell knew during his most prolific time. I was taken aback by the Letters and your questions 6 intelligence of their questions. Pillar puzzle, church records, a house and a store on City Road The children then staged a play based on their interpretations of the novel Insanity in Islington 8 and performed their end of term The history of asylums and treatment – and some famous patients concert at Union Chapel. The chapel is not just about “big name” concerts – it is Festival of British Archaeology 10 for the community. A dig by Tower Bridge, Roman baths and a trip down ice wells It is wonderful to see young people like these who are growing to view Coffin plates 11 history and literature as disciplines, not Recognise an ancestor’s name? subjects. Those of us who are older can feel reassured we are not a dying breed. Spiral pioneer 12 The world’s first spiral escalator found abandoned in a tube station Inspiration around us Islington People’s Plaques have been A murder draws the crowds 14 installed, under both parties at the The killing of one of London’s first police officers caused a public frenzy town hall, to mark: ; Mary Wollstonecraft; the Peasants’ A Disraeli mystery 16 Revolt gathering at Barn; the Could Benjamin Disraeli have been born in Upper Street? Keskidee community centre; John Wright’s founding of the Little Angel An earlier stage 18 Theatre; and Crystal Hale for her work The Almeida Theatre’s early days as home to a literary and scientific society to save the City Road Basin and found the Angel Canal Festival. Each in their Borrowed books to guerilla artwork 20 own way provides inspiration. Why Joe Orton and defaced library books

Goodbye, Allie Holloway’s pioneering clinic 22 I am sorry that we have lost Allie The UK’s first birth control clinic was considered shocking Dillon from the Islington Local History Centre, who was due to talk to the London opens its doors: Open House preview 23 society this autumn. She has always been tremendously helpful. I’ve been Publications and bookshop 24 glad to earn her friendship, and wish her well in her new post in . Events 26

Andrew Gardner Directory of societies and museums 29 Chairman

Marie Stopes with nurses: photograph reproduced with kind permission of Harry and Jonathan Stopes-Roe reproduced with kind permission of Harry and Jonathan Marie Stopes with nurses: photograph Islington Archaeology & History Society Islington Archaeology & History Society events 31

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 3 news In brief Caledonian Road tube station listed Demolition of villa results in record fine Caledonian Road tube station was one of 16 “iconic” A Twickenham resident who London Underground demolished his 19th century stations listed this summer. house has been fined It was given Grade II status. £80,000, a record amount for The station, fronted with demolishing a house in a ox-blood red glazed tiles, conservation area without was designed by Leslie conservation area consent. Green and opened in1906. Richmond council pursued said the the case as a criminal matter. station was of architectural interest because of its red Two Temple Place tiled, original shopfront, mansion reopens tiling along passageways and at the platform levels – Caledonian Road tube station, designed by Leslie Green; below: Two Temple Place, WC2, including several aedicular metal roundel circa 1910 – very few of these are still in place known as Astor House, is signs – and its flight of stairs reopening in October. It will with rare pomegranate Hammersmith and Finsbury Holloway show publicly owned art frieze tiling (see back page). Park can still be seen. Road, the from regional collections. The The station served the English Heritage said: next station neo-Gothic house was built Great Northern Piccadilly  “The characteristic ox-blood along, also by . & Brompton Railway, which faience façades are instantly designed by l twotempleplace.org became the Piccadilly Line. recognisable and count Green, was Original signs pointing to among the most iconic of listed Grade ‘Bunnygate’ raises fears the first terminal stations at London building types.” II in 1994. of business bias Fenland council’s leader Tottenham recovers from riot Planning rules caused a stir this summer when he said the council condensed would remove provisions for archaeological investigation. Cllr Alan Melton also The government is consulting referred to historic on condensing planning environment professionals policy statements, including as “bunny-huggers” but later PPS5 on heritage, into a apologised for this. The single, shorter document. Heritage Alliance said: The Heritage Alliance is “While an isolated incident, alarmed by the Draft ‘Bunnygate’ is concerning in 1930s former Co-op building burnt out in the Tottenham riots National Planning Policy a climate of increasingly Framework‘s strong bias in business-led planning.” Much of Tottenham has Tottenham Civic Society favour of granting consent. been repaired since its High sent the IAHS the picture It is concerned that this Railway and postal Road was “smashed, torched above of the burnt building. could lead to decisions workers’ records online and looted by mindless “This is just one of the many being made without enough criminals”, according to the buildings destroyed or weight being given to Records of railway and Post Hornsey Historical Society. damaged in the High Road,” environmental, cultural and Office workers are now Its journal said the council she wrote. “In this building social considerations. available at www.ancestry. had “excelled itself by its – the carpet shop (ex Co-op Consultation ends on 17 co.uk. The 1.4 million speedy response”. It added: building) – there were flats October. See http://tinyurl. records in the postal service “It was heartbreaking to see on the top floors. Luckily com/3kemwo2. appointment books for the destruction but the residents managed to l The government has said it 1737-1969 show jobs held heartwarming to see the get out.” would reconsider proposals and locations. The railway community cohesion that Many Georgian buildings to make councils take employment records for followed. Residents and were also burnt out. financial matters into 1833-1963 contain a million council alike are determined Haringey council has set account in planning records showing positions, Tottenham will survive.” up a fund to help those decisions as we went to press

Tottenham phtographs: Carpetright as it was: Liz Ixer; after attacks: Joyce Rosser Joyce Liz Ixer; after attacks: Carpetright as it was: phtographs: Tottenham salaries and staff transfers. Joyce Rosser of the affected by the riots. (summer issue, page 6).

4 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 Turnmill building to Tony Benn looks back at Peasants’ Revolt at make way for offices Highbury Barn as green plaque unveiled This 1887 Turnmill building in Farringdon will be demolished next year and Tony Benn unveiled a green l Also this summer, replaced with a six-storey plaque to mark the Peasant’s the nephew of Walter glass and steel office block, Revolt in 1381 at the Sickert, Henry Lessore, despite objections from Highbury Barn Tavern this unveiled a green plaque English Heritage, the summer. commemorating the artist. Victorian Society and even The plaque is one of five The plaque is at council conservationists. Islington People’s Plaques 1 Highbury Place, N5, home Speaking to the Islington for 2011 voted for by more to the artist’s last studio in Tribune, Heloise Brown, than 3,000 residents. Islington, where he worked English Heritage’s The left-wing politician from 1927. conservation adviser, said: and former cabinet minister, Between 1924 and 1934 “The loss of historic material introduced by Jeremy Sickert lived and worked at in this location would Corbyn MP, described how several places in the significantly compromise thousands of peasants Tony Benn: Peasants’ Revolt borough, including Noel ’s historic revolted against a poll tax, campaigned for social justice Road, Quadrant Road and character.” introduced by Richard II. Park, as well as Several officials were which was burnt to the Highbury Park. Scientific discovery beheaded during the revolt, ground by rebels. Other plaques unveiled including Sir Robert Hales, An estimated 20,000 this summer recognised:  Laboratory equipment the lord treasurer, who  people converged at the in belonging to the scientist was in charge of collecting Highbury and destroyed Dagmar Passage, in memory who discovered carbon the tax. Highbury Manor, the fine of John Wright; and Crystal dioxide has been discovered He was prior of St John of moated house where  Hale, boat club pioneer, in in an archaeological dig at Jerusalem in Clerkenwell, Hales lived. City Road Basin. the University of Edinburgh. The 18th century items belonging to Joseph Black George Gilbert Scott bicentennial include ceramic distillation equipment made by Josiah This window at St Clement’s Sir George Gilbert Scott Wedgwood. Church on Davey Close, N7, was born 200 years ago on certainly has a touch of St 13 July. He has 607 structures Oxford bones may date Pancras Chambers about it, listed as historic, more than from St Brice’s Day which is not surprising since any other architect. both buildings were The church, now Human remains found in designed by Sir George converted into flats, was Oxford three years ago Gilbert Scott. listed Grade II in 1972. could be from the St Brice’s Day massacre of Vikings in 1100 ordered by Saxon king Ethelred the Unready, the Rats may not have carried Black Death BBC has reported. The bones of 35 men aged 16-25, Rats might not have been Many plague records have plague, he said. discovered at St John’s the carriers of the Black gone missing – and names He also questioned College, were examined  Death, according to research of those buried in whether bubonic plaque by osteologist Ceri Rallys  by former IAHS chairman emergency cemeteries were actually caused the of Thames Valley Barney Sloane. not recorded. Mr Sloane pandemic, as many of its Archaeological Services. In The Black Death in researched records from the symptoms appear in other London, Mr Sloane, formerly Court of Hustings of wills diseases. People may have Fat, old trees sought a made during the plague. been infected with bubonic archaeologist, wrote that the These showed the speed at plague bacteria but the The Ancient Tree Hunt aims disease spread too quickly to which the disease spread disease might have been to find and record “all the have been transmitted by between family members. caused by something else. fat, old trees across the UK”. rats and fleas. In addition, Black rat skeletons from He also believes that up to Find an ancient tree and your evidence from excavations the 14th century have been 60% of people in London name will be recorded next does not support the theory found, but not in high died in the Black Death, to it in the public database. that the disease was passed enough numbers to make higher than the usual l www.woodlandtrust.org.uk on by fleas on rats. them the carriers of the estimates of 35-45%.

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 5 Letters and your questions

We welcome letters. Our researcher Michael Reading can answer your queries, so get in touch if you have a query or can answer or add to anything mentioned here

Pillar puzzle in Tufnell Park In 1753, the area became there was a reply about Road from 1919 to 1927; my Has the society ever the property of William St Anne’ church. Could you mother had her 21st investigated the history of Tufnell, who was granted tell me where, if any, the birthday in the house. the two pillars topped by the manor by his father-in- parish records are, please? I have a copy of the 1894 balls on either side of Tufnell law, Sir William Halton. The I have often wondered Ordnance Survey map for Park Road, near the junction Tufnell family developed the whether I was christened, Highbury and Islington. This with Lady Margaret Road? surrounding land in the 19th although I was confirmed shows that Grove House I can’t find anything in the century. when about 12, and I believe and its surrounding grounds usual local history sources, It is probable that during you have to be christened were much larger than most and council officers have this period of development, before you can be confirmed. other properties in the area, no information. the two pillars were erected I have not found any physical giving me the impression Kathleen Greaves on the site of the original evidence of a church in the that the house had some kmgreaves34@googlemail. gateposts to the entrance to area when doing my own significance in the past. com the manor at the western family research. However, it would appear end of Tufnell Park Road. Thanks to Doris Evelyn from studying current maps Michael Reading writes: It is also possible that the Lea, my search may be over. of the area and Google The area where the two pillars stand on the Islington Once again, thank you for Earth that Grove House was pillars are situated in Tufnell borough boundary. Today, such an informative journal. demolished and the site Park Road was part of the the boundary lines cross the George Goodwin redeveloped and called medieval Manor of west side of Huddleston [email protected] Abbotts Close. Barnsbury or Bernersbury, road, crossing Tufnell Park I am wondering if you a much larger area than the Road a short distance east of Michael Reading writes: could give me an present day Barnsbury the junction of Warrender The London Metropolitan approximate date when this district in the south east Road and Corinne Road Archives holds the following occurred, and whether you of the borough. where the pillars stand. records for Islington have any old photographs or The Barnsbury manor I have no idea of the churches: maybe an old postcard of house was the only actual date the pillars were l Register of baptisms the house before it was medieval building built, but would think this 1867‑1963; demolished. mentioned in 1297. It was was some time during the l Register of marriages If you cannot help with ruined by 1388 and probably 19th century as the pillars 1867‑1963; any photographs, could you uninhabited by the 15th look particularly Victorian. l Register of banns direct me to a local museum century, although the 1931‑1941. or heritage centre? medieval site remained until Seeking church records The first two registers Stuart Green the 19th century. I read with interest the reply would seem to cover the [email protected], The moated manor house by Michael Reading about whole period of St Anne’s 11 Bruges Close, of Bernersbury stood behind my old school (letters, church’s existence. Chippenham, where the Odeon cinema summer issue, page 8). All these will be on Wiltshire, SN15 3SG now stands on Holloway On the opposite page microfilm. You can view (Letter passed to the IAHS Road. them and print off copies. by the Canonbury Society) In 1725, John Warminger, Michael Reading a carpenter, built a messuage As well as being Michael Reading writes: (a house with outbuildings Grove House, Alwyne Road You are quite correct that and land), probably in the used by the Home My late mother was born in Grove House, which is in disused moat. This was Guard, the houses London and, for many years the cul-de-sac end of known as Manor Farm or in Canonbury Park (1906-1939), the family lived Alwyne Road, appears on Manor House in the 19th Canonbury, in houses in the Ordnance Survey Map century and formed part of were a perfect various locations such as of 1894, as it does on the the demesne for 1804, 1822 playground for Alwyne Road, Alwyne Villas, previous edition of 1871. and 1862. St Paul’s Road, Canonbury Alwyne Road was started The house and moat were boys. No health Lane and Quadrant Road. at the Canonbury Road end, occupied by Manor House and safety then! My mother’s aunt lived in in 1848. Abbotts Close was School in 1851. Grove House in Alwyne built in 1955.

6 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 I have a map of Islington I would be grateful for any for 1853, but Grove House information on the store is not shown. In the next and would welcome a 20 years, the existing street photograph to put on my patterns were completed site. I will be happy to and all the houses built reference any help that as they appear on the is given. 1894 map. Dr Charles SP Jenkins PhD I would guess that Grove DSc (London) MD House was built around [email protected] 1865. I have no information on who built the house. Michael Reading writes: Looking at the census for I have searched all the 1871 might give a clue. sources I use for dealing On 24 August 1940, a with Islington enquires, but bomb fell on the corner of have found nothing on Canonbury Park North and Dawson’s department store. South (see your Ordnance I have a CD of the Post Survey map) and the houses Office Street Directory for at that point are classified 1935 and this lists Dawson on the bomb damage map Bros (London) Ltd, Drapers, as “seriously damaged, which occupied 139-149 doubtful if repairable”. City Road. I imagine the The map also shows store was there – at least Grove House classified as Tufnell Park pillar: replacing the entrance to a medieval manor or until after the second world “damaged beyond repair”. a Victorian marker of a borough boundary? war. I have checked my Looking at the bomb bomb damage map and this damage map, it is surprising shows the building having that Grove House was so addition to being used by I have a website – www. suffered no damage. badly damaged, as it was the Home Guard for eastend-memories.org.uk May I suggest two lines of some way away from the practice, these were a perfect – which has been archived enquiry. point of impact, and the playground for young boys. by the . Here I One, when the building houses behind it in No health and safety then! write about people and was closed, this may have Willowbridge Road appear I can refer you to two places that I knew as a child. been reported in a local unscathed. sources for additional Dawson’s was newspaper and some information. There may be a tremendously importance to historical information photograph of Grove House people living in the East End included. The Islington Dawson’s was in the collection held under when I was a child as it Local History Centre may tremendously Alwyne Road at the London accepted payment via a hold a cutting. Metropolitan Archives (see Provident cheque. This Two, there may be a important to people Directory, page 29). allowed the poor to pay for photograph in the London living in the East The LMA also holds essential goods over a Metropolitan Archives. End as it accepted microfilm copies of electoral number of weeks at a low rolls up to and beyond the rate of interest. This was Library ‘came up trumps’ payment via a war, although I believe those before the days of hire The journal has been Provident cheque for 1945-1950 were not in a purchase, cheque accounts forwarded a letter from a good enough condition and credit cards. researcher seeking to be filmed. Paper copies I have just written a story information on the Golden During the war, in of the electoral roll are held about Dawson’s for my site Fleece pub which was at 1942-1945, I lived with my at the Islington Local Sadly, I have no history of 216 Essex Road. grandparents in Alwyne History Centre. the building. I do not know Andy Moreton wrote: Villas and played with other I have a CD of the London who designed it, who “Islington Local History boys in Alwyne Road. Post Office Street Directory for owned it and when it was Centre came up trumps I have dim memories of 1935 and a Mrs A Hewitt is demolished. – I got chapter and verse.” going into the overgrown shown as living at Grove gardens at the end of Alwyne House, Alwyne Road. Road. This would suggest that the house was derelict then. Dawson’s City Road store Write to us at [email protected], via our website at There were several other I am looking for information iahs.org.uk or c/o 6 Northview, Tufnell Park Road, large houses in a similar about Dawson’s department London N7 0QB. If you do not want your address state in Canonbury Park store, which once stood on printed, let us know North and South. In City Road.

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 7 Insanity in Islington

Islington was a pioneer in the treatment of mental health problems, often offering humane care in public and private asylums. Kathleen Chater delves into the stories of madhouses before modern psychiatry and tells the stories of some well-known patients

ntil the develop- ment in the 20th century of  psychotropic drugs – those that Uact on the mind – not a great  deal could be done for the mentally afflicted. Those who suffered from a (curable) neurosis might be helped by removing the source of their problem or by talking, but psychosis is incurable and those with, for example, schizophrenia or life-threatening depression, could only be contained to prevent them harming others or themselves. The first and for many centuries the only asylum for the Dining hall, asylum, 1808: people with schizophrenia or severe depression insane in England was the were contained to prevent harm to themselves or others. By Thomas hospital of St Mary of Rowlandson and Augustus Charles Pugin, after John Bluck, Joseph Bethlehem, established at Constantine Stadler, Thomas Sutherland, J Hill and Harraden Bishopsgate in London in 1274. Originally it treated the physically ill but in 1377 it began afflicted. One of these was  Hoxton and Hackney particularly to take lunatics. It became on the road out of London  favoured. It was thought that the known as Bethlem and from it to Islington. cleaner air and rural setting comes the word “bedlam”. Dr James Newton had a house would help troubled minds. at Clerkenwell Green in 1672, In 1751, St Luke’s Hospital First Islington asylums where he said he had cured his for the insane moved from In the 17th century “mad first patient, a woman placed Moorfields to Old Street. doctors”, as they became known, there by parish authorities. What were called the visiting started to establish places where By 1678 he had moved to a physicians of this hospital they could treat the mentally former manor house and his usually also ran private asylums. “Madd House” appears in a  Visiting physicians Alexander map of 1720, at the top of  Sutherland and his son John had John Street, south of where a long association with this Sadler’s Wells Theatre stands hospital, as well as owning today. He died in 1750. premises elsewhere. John Around this time, another mad Sutherland had private doctor, William Battie, took businesses in Fulham, Chelsea London: Methuen & Co/Wikimedia Commons London: Methuen & Co/Wikimedia premises in Islington Road. By and Islington. 1754, he had also acquired The last was Fisher House  Newton’s madhouse. on Essex Road, more or less opposite the eastern end of Therapeutic rural Hoxton Cross Street. Built in the early The northern suburbs of the City 17th century by Sir Thomas Bethlem Hospital: the first and for many years the only became a popular place for this Fisher, it became a madhouse in

Pictures: Wikimedia Commons; dining hall: Pyne WH, Combe W (1904) The WH, Combe Commons; dining hall: Pyne Wikimedia Pictures: or House of Refuge. Asylum, asylum for the insane in England. By Thomas Shepherd kind of establishment, with the late 1790s and closed in 1844.

8 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 Famous patients One of the first – and perhaps most famous – patients in Fisher House was Mary Lamb, co‑author with her younger brother Charles of the children’s book Tales from Shakespeare and other works. Mary was the second surviving child of a servant to a lawyer at the Inner Temple. Her father seems to have had a stroke, which prevented him from working, and her mother had developed arthritis. She had to take in sewing to help support her family and, as the only girl, was also expected to care for her parents and run the household. St Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics, mid 19th century. John Sutherland, visiting physician at St Luke’s, She seems to have suffered also ran the private Fisher House asylum on Essex Road; its patients included Mary Lamb, who from bipolar disorder and in wrote Tales from Shakespeare with her brother Charles, and James Boswell’s daughter Euphemia 1796, in a fit of insanity, she stabbed and killed her mother. Charles placed her in Fisher periodically returned to asylums Johnson’s biographer James House, then under the day-to- when her mental health broke Boswell. She was declared day management of a woman down. Mary herself lived to the insane in 1816 and her called Jess Annandale. age of 82 and died in 1847. brothers, who put her into the The inquest brought in a asylum, paid four guineas a verdict of insanity and a Law tightened after royal attack week for her care, this later surprisingly enlightened decision Mary Lamb was fortunate that being reduced to £140 a year, was made to release Mary into she killed her mother when she the amount of an annuity she Charles’s care. did. In 1800 James Hadfield or received. She was discharged She remained in Fisher House, Hatfield shot at King George III “convalescent” in 1836. where she was treated with at the Theatre Royal in Drury kindness and even affection. Lane. This prompted legislation England’s first child clinic Charles, a clerk, who himself had which would have led to her Islington has another claim  mental health problems, took on being put into an asylum for life. to fame in the field of mental the responsibility of paying for Hadfield’s action was health. In 1929, the London her keep, at one guinea (£1.05) precipitated by Bannister Child Guidance Clinic, also per week, with some help from Truelock, a cobbler from known as the Canonbury  their older brother John. Islington. The two met when Child Guidance Clinic, was After six months, she was well both went to White Conduit opened here. enough to move to lodgings in Fields in Barnsbury to see a It was the first of its kind, Hackney and, a year later, was public execution. based on an American model able to rejoin Charles. They lived Hadfield believed that the and, in 1936, was the first in the happily together, writing and second coming of Christ was country to employ child entertaining literary friends imminent and his execution  psychiatrists and educational including Samuel Taylor by the British government  psychologists. Coleridge, William Hazlitt and would help bring this about. So, as you walk today  William Wordsworth, until his Truelock was also a religious through Islington and the death in 1834, although she fanatic and persuaded Hadfield surrounding area, think of the that “the Messiah would come role that it played in the out of his mouth” if the king  advance of treatments for The northern suburbs of the City also died. mental health problems for Both were detained in Bethlem both adults and children. n became a popular place for this – they had no relatives able or kind of establishment. The cleaner willing to pay for their private Kathleen Chater recently care – for the rest of their lives. addressed the Islington air and rural setting were thought A later patient at Fisher House Archaeology & History Society on to help troubled minds was Euphemia Boswell, the insanity and how it was second daughter of Samuel historically treated in Islington

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History & Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 9 Hundreds of people of all ages dug for archaeological finds at the ’s beach (left) before identifying them with the help of archaeologists (above). The beach was originally opened in 1934, to give London children their own seaside. The foreshore was covered in 1,500 bargeloads of sand, and a patrol boat Festival finds and watchman kept children safe as they played. It was closed in 1971 when the water was deemed unsafe for bathing but much of the sand remains.

Sites usually closed to the public were opened up for this year’s Festival of British Archaeology

Rare chances to descend into the Victorian ice wells at the London Canal Museum, dig for finds at Tower Bridge and visit Roman baths in the City were on offer at this year’s Festival of British Archaeology. These opportunities are not usually available to the public. This summer’s festival, organised by the Council for British Archaeology, presented hundreds of events run by museums, societies, parks, universities and heritage organisations in the UK.

The Billingsgate Roman House and Baths complex is a rare example of a building that was still in use in the 5th century when much of Roman London was in decline. Collected finds (in boxes) include “pilae tiles”, “pilae inc hoof print”, “tiles inc pila tile and roof tegula”, bricks and “mixed deposit”. On site during the festival were students from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London who have been working on the site at 101 Lower Thames Street. This summer, saturated old sand from previous works was removed and unstable surfaces consolidated with lime mortar. The remains were discovered in 1848 by workmen building the coal exchange. The house, which may have been a waterside inn or a private home, dates back to the second century. The baths were added the following year.

10 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 Two Victorian ice wells survive below the London Canal Museum at 12-13 New Wharf Road, near King’s Cross. The first ice well was constructed in 1857 or 1858 and the second in 1863 for , who imported ice from Norway and stored it in the wells. The wells were in use until at least 1902. Clockwise from left: eastern ice well, lit by oil lamp; western ice well); opening between the wells; western well showing hatch; plan for ice wells, with western well

shown top. Tucker Picture of western ice well and plan for wells: Malcolm

Islington burials: do you recognise any names?

Hundreds of coffin plates have been recovered from the burial ground. Do you recognise any of the names or addresses? They were provided by Derek Seeley of the Museum of London, an IAHS committee member. If you recognise any names, contact him at at [email protected]

Peters Thomas male 1849 iron 18 Nov 2 Suffolk St, Phillips John male 1852 iron 25 Jul 13 St John Street Road, Clerkenwell Phillips Katherine female 1832 iron 30 Dec 16 Owens Row, Goswell Road Pidd(ingto)n Caroline female 184.? iron 23 Nov Chapel Street, Pentonville Piddington Temperance female 1849 iron 24 Jul 5 Noels Buildings, Islington Pigg Richard male 1846 iron 8 Feb Milton Place, Holloway Piggot Dorothy female 1848 iron 5 Jun Noble Street, Spa Fields Pike James male 1846 iron 30 Aug James Place, Chapel Street, Pentonville Pinder? Charlotte Sarah female 1821 iron  Piper Richard male 1833 iron 23 Apr Tonbridge Street, Battle Bridge, St Pancras Pitkeathley Robert male 1821 iron  Pl(att) James male 1851 iron 23 Mar South Street, Islington Pl(um)ley (James) William male 1850 iron 5 Mar 16 West Street, Somers Town Plester John male 1827 iron  Plowright Hannah female 1829 iron  Pollard George male 1832 iron 11 Mar South Street, Islington Polle(y) Mary female 1847 iron 18 Apr 10 Wilson Street, Grays Inn Road

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History & Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 11 Spiral pioneer

The world’s first spiral escalator, unearthered in an Islington tube station, was extraordinary – but abandoned and forgotten. Mark Smulian reports

magine being able to ’s descend from street to track depot in Acton, has reassembled level at Holloway Road a short section of the spiral and station by means of  has found the original patent. something a little like an But even he is uncertain as to Iunpolished helter-skelter. how exactly it worked and why it For one day only in 1906 this was scrapped. was possible when an He surmises: “They must have experimental spiral escalator was concluded it did not work and tested at the station. was not safe as it would have It was roughly one person’s juddered and been uncomfortable width wide and had no steps. to use as it had no steps. Passengers stepped onto it and “You can see that it was held onto the side as it curled up experimental as some of the or down, leaping off at the top  pieces that were found and cut The rebuilt section of the spiral escalator in the London Transport Museum’s depot in Acton or bottom. out at Holloway Road have been The spiral was shaped like a precision cast, but some of the double helix, moved continuously, wood is just joinery.” Some of the The Holloway spiral stood and must have been a startling metal plates are thin, and clearly some 35 feet high and was 22½ innovation in its day. Yet it was not designed for long-term use. inches wide. The rebuilt section abandoned and forgotten, and Mr Shields knows from the is about six feet long; some other no one knows for certain why. patent that the spiral had a components are in the depot. It had been installed in a spare double helix shape in which a “Very little is known about it, no lift shaft at the station and was walkway moved round a central contemporary newspaper reports left there in disuse until it was core with two helical coils have been traced and we only dismantled when a conventional running counter clockwise. have one photograph of it while it lift was installed. The spiral was intended to was being built,” Mr Shields says. The lower portion of the spiral combine a traditional escalator’s It is known that the spiral was was left under the floor of the speed of moving people with the devised by Jesse Reno, inventor of current lift shaft. It must have small space required for a lift. the moving escalator, and William been deemed too difficult to Henry Aston held the patent. move and was simply concreted The only other spiral escalator over, where it remained for some in London that Mr Shields has 80 years before being rediscovered traced was an amusement during a lift refurbishment. attraction at Earl’s Court, also in Tim Shields, a curator at the the 1900s, called “Ballooning”, in which passengers ascended through scenes depicting various parts of the world.

Moving o see the spiral escalator, walkway, join a guided tour or pictures and attend an open day at the patent: wooden T depot near Acton Town station. treads are The depot houses the heritage moved by a of TfL and its predecessors that chain system; wheels at the cannot be exhibited in the main end of the treads museum at fit between rail because of space. Exhibits from flanges the depot go to Covent Garden

12 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 for special events, but are not Right: in1906 rotated there as a matter of course. – note the steep Inside the depot are horse slope; below: buses, trolleybuses, trams, buses Aston’s 1902 from the 1920s through to the patent Routemaster (including the second Routemaster built), underground trains, posters, signs, engineering components and almost every imaginable kind of memorabilia.

Heritage valued early on “London Transport and its predecessors realised the value of heritage early on and made an effort to acquire materials, something that became a statutory obligation in the 1950s,” Mr Shields explains. were used for other purposes when it was in place. There are Islington links to the and not scrapped, we still have Want to see an old “light box” exhibits. The depot boasts a them and can restore them.” ticket machine showing 40p number 29 bus dating from 1927, Islington’s Underground lines destinations, maps dating from whose route sign shows it are represented by a Victoria Line before the current line colours followed almost its present route, carriage of the kind that has only were settled, pre-internet travel although it continued to Victoria. just gone out of service – the enquiry machines or station A 1930s number 38 shows it too Queen travelled in this carriage signs with the old bull’s-eye running more or less its current at the line’s opening in 1967. logo? Head to Acton. n route, though continuing to There is also a Piccadilly Line Chingford Mount. train with single sliding door Mark Smulian is a freelance One loving restoration is a intended for a fast service from journalist: www.marksmulian.co.uk single-decker number 236, a 1931 Heathrow, but which did not bus found badly rusted in a field work well as the single door was l Guided depot tours take place on in Buckinghamshire, having been slow to let passengers out. the last Friday and Saturday of each used as a holiday chalet. It was The depot also houses month. The next open weekend is recreated correctly, right down to transport memorabilia that  on 8-9 October. Book at www. the fabric and the fare table. was too small or commonplace ltmuseum.co.uk or call 020 7565 “That needed careful research to attract much attention  7298. See Events, page 26 as there would otherwise be someone contacting us who disputed what the fare was,” Mr Shields says. The table shows it cost 9d to travel from to Leyton, again along a longer version of a route very similar to the current one. There are also Metropolitan Line carriages dating from 1887, which, like the 236 bus, had been left in a field, in this case used as farm sheds. “Uses like that saved them,” Mr Shields says. “Because they

Spiral memories sought Do you remember anyone reminiscing about the spiral escalator at Holloway Road, or the one at Earl’s Court? Also at the depot: a 1930s no 38 If so, Tim Shields at the London Transport Museum shows Islington as a destination; would be interested to hear from you. Contact him on this 236 bus was restored 020 7379 6344 or [email protected] accurately, right down to the

fabric and the fare table Christy Lawrance Museum; depot photographs: Transport Historic image and patent: London

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History & Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 13 A murder draws the crowds

The killing of one of London’s first police officers caused a public frenzy, with both the murder scene and the courtrooms attracting crowds. Anne Carwardine describes the events that led to a hanging – and an outcry in the coroner’s court

nly two people them, hitting the policeman in The others overpowered the were executed in the arm. After a brief struggle,  assailant, took away the pistols London in 1842. he ran off. and bound his hands. One of these was Hearing Moss’s calls of Surrounded by a large mob, he 23-year-old “Murder!”, waiter John Young was led to the station house on Obricklayer Thomas Cooper from and baker John Howard set off in Islington Green, where he gave Clerkenwell who, on 5 May, pursuit, calling others to join his name as Thomas Cooper and murdered policeman Timothy them as they went. his address as 1 Rawstorne Street Daly near to Highbury Barn. His They chased the man across in Clerkenwell. crime and its aftermath attracted fields, over hedges and along  His attitude remained sullen great public interest. the backs of houses, towards and indifferent, until Inspector Highbury. Thatcher charged him with A criminal chased… murder, upon which he turned A footpad, feared to be heavily …then cornered pale and became agitated. It armed, had carried out several Finally, he was cornered by a emerged that he was already robberies over two or three  large crowd against a fence on well known to the police, having weeks in April of that year. Highbury Park South. Police been arrested on a number of Superintendent Johnson of the Constable Timothy Daly, occasions for theft and for Metropolitan Police N Division convinced the pistols were not assaulting their officers. circulated a description and loaded, demanded that he At noon the following day, posted additional men to watch surrender and Charles Mott  Cooper stood before magistrate out for him. – another baker – tried to  John Greenwood in the dock of On the afternoon of 5 May, disarm him. the new Clerkenwell police court police constable Charles Moss The man fired at Mott, hitting on Bagnigge Wells Road (later was on duty near the Hornsey him in the shoulder, then at  King’s Cross Road). The court Wood House – where Finsbury the constable, who fell to the house had opened the previous Park is today – when he saw a ground dead. December, replacing the Hatton thin man with long brown hair, a Garden court. shabby blue coat, fustian trousers and bare feet who fitted the Crowded courtroom description. A crowd of people waited Moss gave chase. He got outside, hoping to catch a within a few yards of the man, glimpse of him. They yelled and who raised two long-barrelled hissed as he arrived. Others cavalry pistols and fired one of crowded into the courtroom and listened avidly as witnesses to the murder and to the earlier robberies gave evidence. The crowd in the They enjoyed a further moment of drama when Cooper courtroom enjoyed a fell violently ill, vomiting and further moment of appearing to be in great pain.  drama when Cooper He admitted to taking arsenic and laudanum during the  fell violently ill, pursuit and proceedings had  vomiting and to be suspended. appearing to be in Thomas Wakley, a surgeon, MP and He was taken ill again at a founder of The Lancet: believed further court session the next great pain Islington magistrates were showing day. However, at a third session contempt for the coroner’s role the following week, he was

14 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 he Old Bailey trial took place on 18 June. There Twas clear evidence of Cooper’s guilt and of his  criminal past. His lawyer  presented a defence on the basis of insanity, with supporting evidence from family members and acquaintances. After hearing contradictory opinions from other witnesses, the jury was not convinced and found him guilty. (It was not until the following year that the M’Naghten Rules set tests for establishing insanity as the ground for a “not guilty” verdict.) Cooper was hanged on 4 July outside Newgate prison, in front of a noisy and inebriated crowd. By the time of his trial and execution, public interest had tailed off from the pitch of Highbury Barn, circa 1819: Thomas Cooper was chased by a large crowd from what is now excitement shortly after the Finsbury Park to Highbury Park South. The Highbury Barn Tavern and other inns did a roaring murder. His hanging did not trade from people visiting the site of the murder attract the same attention as  that a few weeks earlier of  the notorious Daniel Good, who finally committed for trial at the them in the police court. He had killed and dismembered  Old Bailey. Crowds followed the even raised the matter with his lover. van that took him to Newgate home secretary James Graham. At the time it was committed, prison to await trial. The inquest was finally the Highbury murder was concluded at the third attempt, reported in great detail by  in front of around 600 observers the press and attracted  – including a number of huge public interest. It was t the same time as the respectably dressed women in estimated that as many as  court hearings, an inquest the gallery. 15,000 people visited the Awas being held into The accused had still not been location of the killing in the  Daly’s death in the dining hall  brought before the coroner’s days that followed it. (The exact of the Highbury Barn Tavern in court but had already been spot had been helpfully marked front of a jury of 14 ratepayers committed for trial by the with chalk.) from the parish of St Mary’s magistrate. The jury of Islington. Presiding was ratepayers, nevertheless, An original policeman Middlesex coroner Thomas pronounced a verdict of wilful The proprietors of Highbury Wakley, a surgeon, MP and murder against Thomas Cooper. Barn Tavern and similar  founder of The Lancet. They also issued a lengthy local establishments were  He had an ongoing dispute statement, complaining  said to have “reaped a plentiful with the Islington magistrates, that they had been treated harvest” from this interest. believing that they were showing discourteously and The victim, Timothy Daly, a contempt for the role of coroner. disrespectfully because the 42-year-old Irishman who had In his view, the inquest was the accused had not been brought been a policeman since the correct process for committing a before them. Metropolitan Police was set  person accused of murder to up in 1829, was well thought of trial, and Cooper’s case was a locally and several thousand prime example. It was estimated that as many as people attended his funeral at  St John’s Holloway. l Hundreds attend inquest 15,000 people visited the location Wakley was incandescent at  of the killing in the days that Anne Carwardine has been the police’s failure to bring  interested in history ever since the accused or witnesses to followed it – the exact spot had studying it in the 1970s. She is appear before the inquest and at been helpfully marked with chalk researching and writing a book

the magistrates for interviewing about London in 1842 Commons Wikimedia London News; Illustrated

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History & Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 15 Islington’s Disraeli mystery

Benjamin Disraeli had a wide circle of close and distant relatives in Islington, spanning several generations. Could he have been born in Upper Street? Petra Laidlaw investigates

plaque at her father Naphthali Basevi 22 Theobalds Road (1738-1808), a widower, was records Benjamin probably living at 6 Highbury Disraeli’s birth in Place. Either he or his son George 1804. It has also is recorded as living there during Abeen suggested , for at least a 1799-1808. It seems very likely century, that he was born in that Maria lived there too, and Upper Street and that he went to that her wedding to Isaac D’Israeli school in Colebrooke Row. took place at that address. Benjamin Disraeli: had relatives in Islington’s Jewish community Parents and grandparents Cousins and others Disraeli’s grandfather, Benjamin The Basevis were connected to Israel (1730-1816) – who the cream of Sephardi Both Benjamin senior and changed his name to D’Israeli – (Mediterranean Jewish) society, Isaac (?-1801) ended up in Stoke emigrated to London from Italy including the Lindo family. Newington. Jacob (?-1799) and when he was about 18. He Maria’s brother George Basevi his wife Clara (?-1813) lived at married twice. In 1756, he (1771-1851) married Bathsheba Paradise Row (now part of married Rebecca Furtado, who Lindo (?-1849) on the same day Islington Green) for the rest of died in 1765. Later in the same in 1791 on which their sister their lives. Clara’s sister Sarah, year, he married Sara Shiprut de Sarah (1772-1814) married who married Samuel De Castro, Gabay; they had one child, Isaac. Bathsheba’s brother, Ephraim lived in Canonbury Lane in the Isaac D’Israeli (1766-1847), a Lindo (1763-1838). 1770s then, after she was well-known writer in his day, George and Bathsheba’s widowed, for many years at and father of the former prime children would have spent 28 Highbury Place. minister, is usually said to have several years at Highbury Place. Ephraim and Bathsheba Lindo been born in Enfield. There is no Their second son, also called were second cousins twice clear evidence supporting this. George Basevi, became a removed of Ephraim Lopez The family lived there in the celebrated architect. Pereira, the eccentric second 1780s but, throughout the 1760s, Ephraim Lindo and Sarah, Baron D’Aguilar. He was his father is listed in rate books in meanwhile, were living at notorious for the conditions in Lower Street (now Essex Road) Barnsbury Place (on Upper which he kept animals – and in Islington “opposite the pump”. Street) in 1798-1800. They then indeed his servants – at He also owned property in the lived for a year in Islington Park “Starvation Farm” as it was City, so it is possible that Isaac Street, before moving to what is dubbed, close to Islington Green. was born there. Failing that, he now the top of Alwyne Place. Baron D’Aguilar and a Dr Isaac was probably born in Essex Road, They stayed there for most of the Henriques Sequeira (1738-1816) where he almost certainly spent rest of their lives. These locations are among the few people in this much of his early childhood. have been established from community who feature in readily Isaac married Maria Basevi Dent’s 1805 Map and Register available histories of Islington. (1775-1848) in 1802 and they of Islington. D’Aguilar’s sister Esther (1739- had at least five children, of There was a small but not 91) was married to Sequeira, an whom Benjamin was the second. insignificant colony in the centre eminent physician, and they lived At the time of Maria’s marriage, of the Islington at the time, just behind Upper Street for many mainly of wealthy Sephardim. years. A portrait of Sequeira by Many were connected by Thomas Gainsborough hangs in Disraeli spun many myths about his marriage to the D’Israelis. the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Benjamin D’Israeli senior’s Isaac Sequeira’s sister Rebecca origins, claiming various London brothers-in-law Isaac and Jacob was the grandmother of birthplaces at different times Furtado and their families lived economist David Ricardo in Upper Street in the 1770s. (1772-1823). While David may

16 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 not have lived in Islington, his widowed father Abraham (c1733-1812) spent the last years of his life in Canonbury Lane, near his relatives the Lindos.

Rumours over birthplace Disraeli spun many myths about his origins, claiming various London birthplaces at different times, though never Islington. His contemporaries added to the fog of rumour, which reached a peak around the time of his death, and carried on for some decades. One version that demands attention comes from the grandson of a Dr John Jeaffreson. Jeaffreson lived in Trinity Row, Upper Street, from about 1797 onwards. The grandson said that the D’Israelis lived “behind ”, but had Above: where moved “for a twelvemonth” to several families Trinity Row while their house related to was being refurbished. It was Benjamin here, allegedly, that Benjamin Disraeli lived; was born, Dr Jeaffreson himself left: Benjamin’s delivering him. father Isaac This could be true. Rate books D’Israeli; far left: the show Isaac D’Israeli living at notorious Baron King’s Road (now Theobald’s D’Aguilar at Road) in Holborn throughout Starvation Farm, 1802-1815. However, it is near Islington possible that Maria, whose Green mother had died by then, stayed with her elder sister Sarah Lindo in Canonbury when one or more whether from Canonbury or in Highbury Place. A wide circle of her babies was due. It is just as Theobald’s Road. of uncles, aunts, cousins and likely, though, that the story has Another supposed former more distant relations all lived in become distorted down the fellow pupil has said Benjamin’s the area. Disraeli mentions the generations. The story may be first school was Mr Potticary’s in Canonbury Tavern in his novel about Sarah herself. Blackheath. Benjamin went on to Endymion – it is little wonder that The Lindos, having left Higham Hall School in he knew it. n Barnsbury Place in 1800, stayed in 1817. He may for about a year (during which have attended all three. It is Petra Laidlaw has been researching time daughter Olivia was born) in unlikely that any documentary the 19th century Anglo-Jewish Islington Park Street, just around evidence will surface to settle  community for some years, and is the corner from Dr Jeaffreson, the question. now focusing on the Jewish before settling in Canonbury – community in Islington 1730-1880. . New York: Johnson, Wilson & Company/Wikimedia Commons; map: based & Company/Wikimedia Wilson Johnson, York: America . New in Europe and GalleryPortrait Women of Eminent Men and behind the tower – around 1801. Local claim to Disraeli Sources include rate books, maps, Extensive searching has yielded letters and publications: email Questions over schooling no convincing evidence for [email protected] for information. A number of biographers have claims about the prime minister’s The author would like to thank: picked up John Gough Nichols birth and schooling in Islington. Miriam Rodrigues-Pereira, honorary assertion that he was at school However, both of his paternal archivist of the Congregation of with Benjamin Disraeli at Miss grandparents and his maternal Spanish and Portuguese Jews; Mary Roper’s Academy in Colebrooke grandfather lived here. His Cosh; and staff at Enfield Local Row in the early 1810s. There father, Isaac, may have been born History Library, the National Library was a Miss Roper in Colebrooke in Essex Road and spent some of of Scotland and Islington Local Row at the time, and it would his childhood there. His mother History Centre, where Ben Smith Benjamin Disraeli: Duyckinick, Evert A (1973) Evert Duyckinick, Benjamin Disraeli: have been possible to get there probably lived and got married deserves special mention. Museum Twickenham Gutenberg The Project EBook of Curiosities Literature ; Baron D’Aguilar: courtesy of Commons; Isaac D’Israeli: E Baker (1805)/Wikimedia on map of Islington by

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History & Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 17 An earlier stage

The Almeida Theatre used to show very different kinds of productions from today’s – it started out as home to a society that promoted the arts and sciences, says Isobel Watson

1832 at a public meeting in the interest, and geological and Canonbury Tavern, having grown natural history specimens. The out of an primarily literary circle society also provided involving Charles Woodward FRS “philosophical apparatus” for of 10 Compton Terrace, who scientific experiments. became the first president. Within two years the membership – the majority of Society starts work whom were proprietors – had There were two main classes  outgrown Mr Edgeworth’s of members: proprietors, who premises, and a special could own £10 shares; and subscription was raised to subscribers. With the annual purchase land and build. subscription set at two guineas The first, abortive negotiation (£2.10), membership was very was for a plot in Islington High middle class. Street that had been run as a From the beginning, a small nursery. The site eventually number of women participated acquired, behind the gardens of as proprietors and subscribers, High Street houses, probably but were not expected to take an disappointed the purchasers as active part in business meetings being less prominent, and its and had to exercise their votes by “disadvantageous” location later proxy. The largest female occasioned some rather contingent were so-called supercilious press comment. “resident” members – relatives of other members who paid a Wild optimism subscription of one guinea. An architectural competition was Lectures and other meetings mounted, with a specified budget. n insurance policy The Almeida were first held at Mr Edgeworth’s The design accepted, out of a recently discovered Theatre is open Academy, which was at 107 field of 13, was by CH Hill, who by the Place in the for this year’s Upper Street (before Upper assured the institution’s building Sun indexing project London Open Street was renumbered). committee that his plans could House. See takes us back to the Early lectures were on subjects be executed for £1,900. When page 23 Aearliest days of the building that as diverse as electromagnetism, tendering proved this to be is now the Almeida Theatre. It French literature, botany and the wildly overoptimistic, the was first insured against fire by poor laws. Only politics and proprietors raised an additional the Sun Fire Office (LMA “theology” were off limits. The £1,000 and the previously reference Ms 11936/563/1278784). latter was later to cause unsuccessful architects were The building was created to be controversy with local clergy,  invited to resubmit. the permanent home of the but the society stoutly defended The design chosen this time Islington Literary and Scientific its prohibition which, it was by AD Gough. With his Society – the sort of society maintained, “is salutary and partner RL Roumieu, with whom formed to “promote the indispensable and consults the he later designed Milner Square, cultivation of the arts and honour of religion”. Gough went on to oversee the sciences” and for “the diffusion  The society quickly built up a construction. The first stone was of useful knowledge” that was  substantial library for reference laid in April 1837, followed by a a must for every mid-19th and circulation, and established fundraising dinner at the century community with a museum to which members Canonbury Tavern. intellectual pretensions. donated a miscellany of objects An “inaugural lecture” was held The society was launched in – art works, items of historical in the new 550-seater theatre in

18 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 January. By March 1838, the reported for 1840. However, this management committee were proved to be an anticlimax; the Early lectures were on subjects as desperate to move in to their artefacts uncovered, alongside new building. They seem to have the remains identified as those of diverse as electromagnetism, French achieved this, though the full a priest’s daughter, consisted of a literature, botany and the poor laws. fitting out was effected gradually handful of “common beads”. Politics and theology were off limits over that summer. The society took its lecture programme seriously, declining Opening ‘conversazione’ offers of lectures on insufficiently Final completion was celebrated elevated subjects. Yet it was not in 1890, it was renamed Almeida with a “conversazione” in too serious to host, for example, Street. This was an odd choice October, to which each proprietor “a lecture on lecturing and – although it refers to the Iron and subscribing member was lecturers” by comic writer and Duke’s Peninsular War campaign entitled to bring one lady guest. actor George Grossmith, who of the early 1800s, the siege of The institution was decked out lived in Barnsbury Square. Almeida in Portugal was a with paintings, engravings and French, not a British success. n sculpture for the occasion, coffee and tea were served, the y the early 1870s, the Isobel Watson is project president gave a lecture on the society had run its course. co‑ordinator, A Place in the Sun structure of plants, and the BThis may have been in company was entertained by the part the result of wider social or References and sources band of the Grenadier Guards. demographic factors or, more The Islington Literary and Scientific On the following two evenings, prosaically, a failure to renew the Society records are at the Islington the building was thrown open leadership required. Local History Centre for public viewing, and attracted The books were sold and the Other sources include: Jim Connell (1989) An Illustrated History of an estimated 700 visitors. building became a social club, Upper Street, Islington, The insurance policy doesn’t then a Salvation Army citadel, Digital Archive; and The Mirror, tell us much about the building then a factory-cum-showroom, 12 May 1838 except its main material of before being claimed for its new construction (brick) and its value life as a theatre. For more on the Place in the Sun (£3,000 – less than the cost of When it was built, the street indexing project at the London construction and fittings), was so new that it didn’t have a Metropolitan Archives, and how to though the fire risk of the name, so the building’s address use it, see the spring issue of this The “laboratory journal, page 14 “laboratory in the basement was merely “near the Upper in the story” [sic] was clearly of concern. Street”. Soon the new street basement” The Place in the Sun project has The basement also held a room became Wellington Street, concerned the created a digitised index of 154 for a porter or housekeeper, and presumably after the elder fire insurers fire insurance policy registers with upstairs were the reading room statesman. His lordship  details of more than 250,000 – at the front below the museum being popular in  policies, mainly issued on London – the library, classrooms and the street naming,  property, for 1790-1839. Search committee room. it on www.nationalarchives. The imposing though austere gov.uk/a2a building seems to have proved a success for the society. Membership climbed steeply until, in 1841, there were a few more members than would have fitted into the theatre, double the number when building began – not that they would have been comfortable had they all assembled; there were early complaints to the architects about “want of space between the seats”. Lectures, experiments, literary, language and musical classes, and the growth of the collections continued. “Few occurrences… have excited so much attention as the unrolling in the Theatre of a Mummy…” the society

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History & Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 19 Borrowed books to guerilla artwork

Playwright Joe Orton and his partner Kenneth Halliwell were sent to prison for defacing Islington library books. Why did they do this? Mark Aston looks at the couple’s short and influential time in Islington

n 1962, aspiring writer Joe in Islington’s public libraries. his murder at the hand of his Orton and his partner Their collage work began after jealous partner in 1967. Kenneth Halliwell were Orton and Halliwell moved to The now infamous doctored each sentenced to six Islington in 1959. The couple also book covers form the Joe Orton months’ imprisonment for removed illustrations from Collection at Islington Local I“malicious damage” to Islington library art books to wallpaper History Centre. It was fortunate Public Library books. their bedsit flat at 25 Noel Road, that they survived after the court They were found guilty of theft not far from the Angel. case. They are among the most and defacing library book covers Imprisonment proved difficult viewed items at the centre and by adding images, text and for Kenneth Halliwell and he will be on the major feature of narrative to the jackets’ blurb. tried to commit suicide while the Malicious Damage exhibition. In the process, Orton and inside. Joe Orton’s incarceration, Halliwell produced what would however, proved inspirational Life in Islington now be called guerrilla artwork, and he embarked upon what Aged 18, John “Joe” Orton met motivated by what they saw as was to be a successful but all too his long-term partner Kenneth the “endless shelves of rubbish” brief writing career, cut short by Halliwell, seven years his senior, in May 1951. Both were students at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. They later abandoned their acting careers to devote their energies to becoming writers. By 1959, they had moved to the tiny flat on Noel Road to concentrate on their writing. The two men spent much of their time using their local public Above: a library service – but not for the mischievous usual reasons. collage inflicted Enraged by library bookshelves on a murder weighed down by “so many mystery by rubbishy novels and rubbishy Orton and Halliwell, books” and lacking “good taste”, 1959-1962; left: Orton and Halliwell embarked Joe Orton in upon on an unusual and creative Islington, 1964 form of protest.

20 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 They systematically stole books Ortonesque fashion, the guerrilla from their local public libraries ”I used to stand in the corners after artwork that he and his partner- – Essex Road Library (now South I’d smuggled the doctored books in-crime created when resident Library) and the larger Central in Noel Road is key to that legacy. Library on Holloway Road – back into the library and then watch The surviving doctored library then, at home,“doctored” the people read them. It was very fun, book covers go far beyond being library book covers. simply historical items that were Anonymously returning the very interesting” subjected to malicious damage. altered covers with their books They are the catalysts that to the libraries, they enjoyed launched an extraordinary observing the reaction of readers carry on and not wanting his playwright’s career and a lasting when they selected a title with a partner to carry on without him, reminder of the life and crimes defaced jacket. Halliwell bludgeoned Orton to of Joe Orton and Kenneth Joe Orton later recalled: ”I death with several hammer Halliwell in Islington. n used to stand in the corners after blows to the head then took his I’d smuggled the doctored books own life with an overdose of Mark Aston is Local History back into the library and then barbiturate pills. Manager at the Islington Local watch people read them. It was Orton’s public life lasted barely History Centre very fun, very interesting.” four years but his influence as an Eventually, Orton and innovative playwright of l Malicious Damage: the Life and Halliwell were arrested and, on international standing remains Crimes of Joe Orton and Kenneth Tuesday 15 May 1962 at Old to this day. The same cannot be Halliwell in Islington runs from Street Magistrates’ Court, they said of Halliwell, whose life was Friday 14 October 2011 until pleaded guilty to a total of seven regrettably unfulfilled. Saturday 21 January 2012 at charges, including theft and Orton’s unique literary work is . Admission free. malicious damage. This included his legacy but, in typical See Events, page 27 the removal of over 1,600 plates from library art books. When later asked why he thought they had been given such harsh sentences, Orton replied: “Because we were queers.” Homosexuality was never mentioned during the trial – only “childishness”. The pair returned to Noel Road after completing their sentences.

Success and jealousy Success came shortly after for Orton. From May 1964, his award-winning play enjoyed a popular run in London’s West End and,  in August the same year, the  BBC broadcasted his radio play . In 1966, his next play, , won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play; the film rights later were sold for £25,000. Joe Orton had established himself as a significant writer but Orton and this put a terrible strain on his Halliwell’s relationship with Halliwell, who Islington flat was becoming increasingly after the police jealous of his partner. Halliwell raid in April 1962: the also suffered from a sense of couple stole inadequacy resulting from over 1,600 art Orton’s sexual promiscuity with book plates and other men. used them as

On 9 August 1967, unable to wallpaper Islington Local History Centre

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History & Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 21 Holloway’s pioneering clinic

Marie Stopes and her husband set up the first free birth control clinic in the British Empire 90 years ago, saying: “Our dreams and hopes have materialised in our simple little clinic in Holloway.” Christy Lawrance looks back at what was a shocking move

hen Marie Dr Marie Stopes was a pioneer Stopes and of sex education. The failure of her husband her first marriage led to her Humphrey study of sex and contraception Roe founded and her writing her best-selling Wthe Mothers’ Clinic for book, Married Love, in 1918. Constructive Birth Control at While best known for its 61 Marlborough Road, birth sexual content, the book was control was extremely  clear that birth control was controversial. It was not even essential for the health and even taught to medical students. survival of mothers and children. The Medical Officer of Health Having a child every year, she “entirely and utterly” disapproved wrote, “generally lowers the vitality of the clinic. Unsurprisingly, the of each succeeding child, and Catholic Church was fiercely surely even if slowly may murder opposed. The president of the the woman who bears them”. Mothers’ Union, meanwhile, feared for the “moral tone of the Scientific basis whole nation”. Stopes cited research showing Above: Marie flora in Canada. She coauthored The clinic opened in 1921 in an “while the death-rate of first- Stopes with a paper identifying the impoverished area, between a born infants is about 200 per nurses at the constituents of coal. She was also confectioner’s and a grocer’s. Its thousand, the death-rate of the first Mothers’ a writer, poet and playwright. Clinic; below: design was simple, to show that seventh-born is about 330, and She died in 1958 aged 78. At 61 Marlborough providing services to poor of the twelfth-born is 597 per Road now, with funeral, her friend Dr Adam Fox women need not be expensive. thousand. So that when ‘Nature’ Islington council said: “It fell to her… to espouse a Photographs of babies hung on has its way… nearly 60 per cent green plaque cause which was strange to most walls decorated with blue paint of those later ones die. What a and shocking to many, and to and white distemper. Windows waste of vitality! What a hideous see it at last generally accepted had bright blue curtains; a jar of orgy of agony for the mothers to without protest and widely flowers sat on a Jacobean table. produce in anguish, death- adopted as a matter of practice.” n doomed, suffering infants!” Female nurses, not male doctors She condensed her next book, Sources Convinced that women would Wise Parenthood, which was about Main source: Rose J (1992) Marie Stopes rather talk to female nurses than contraception, into a 16-page and the Sexual Revolution. London: male doctors, Stopes staffed the pamphlet in plain language. Her Faber and Faber Stopes, MC (1995) Married Love. A New clinic with women, including a publisher was horrified, so she Contribution to the Solution of Sex midwife. A woman doctor in published it herself in 1819. Difficulties. 29th edition. London: Victor Harley Street acted as an In the 1930s, she opened Gollancz. First published 1918 by honorary medical consultant. clinics in Aberdeen, Cardiff, AC Fifield Islington council At a meeting held two months Leeds and Belfast. Marie Stopes Women’s History Network after the clinic opened, attended International – the descendant of Both books are available from Islington by over 2,000 people, Roe said he the first clinic – now runs clinics libraries had been converted to birth around the world. In 1925, the control after seeing slums in Holloway clinic moved to Manchester. He said: “At last, our Whitfield Street in , W1. “What a waste of vitality! What a dreams and hopes have Dr Marie Stopes had an hideous orgy of agony for the materialised in our simple little impressive academic career. She clinic in Holloway.” was a fossil expert, leading a mothers to produce in anguish, By August 1924, 5,000 women fossil-hunting expedition in death-doomed, suffering infants!”

Marie Stopes with nurses: photograph reproduced with kind permission of Harry and Jonathan Stopes-Roe reproduced with kind permission of Harry and Jonathan Marie Stopes with nurses: photograph had attended the clinic. Japan and studying carboniferous

22 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 London opens its doors

A huge range of buildings, many normally closed to the public, throw their doors open for London Open House on 17-18 September

uildings open this year in Islington for London Open House run from the Victorian grandeur of Finsbury BTown Hall and the Union Chapel to modern homes with clean lines workplaces all feature. Museums full of natural light and more. opening include the Marx Ornate carving attributed to Memorial Museum, the London Grinling Gibbons can be seen at Canal Museum and the Museum the 1697 Oak Room in the New and Library of the Order of St River Head on Rosebery Avenue, John (spring issue, page 18). while the Grade II listed There will be exhibitions, walks, W Plumb Family Butchers in talks and children’s activities. Hornsey Road displays art Next door to Islington, St nouveau tiling, a geometric tiled Pancras Chambers will be open floor, scrolled meat rails and a in Camden, and Tottenham Civic mahogany cashier’s booth with Society and the Hornsey etched and brilliant cut glass. Historical Society are organising The Almeida Theatre (page 18) architectural walks. will be open, as will l Check the Open House in York Way. Places of worship, brochure or go to www. architects’ practices, schools, openhouselondon.org for full colleges, community centres and details of what’s open.

Open this year: clockwise from above: W Plumb Family Butchers, N19; Finsbury Town Hall, EC1; Express building, Fleet Street, EC4; City Hall, SE1; Limehouse Accumulator Tower, E14; Markfield Beam Engine, N15; St Thomas’s Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret, SE1 W Plumb: Open House London

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History & Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 23 Publications and bookshop

Little Italy, 20th century cities, New River faith held them firm. The dominant influence of walks and a look at Hornsey’s Historical St Peter’s Italian Church on Society – plus our own publications Clerkenwell Road and its associated schools is clear. The family histories are preceded by a historical A Better Life. A History of overview of the migrations London’s Italian Immigrant and the development of the Families in Clerkenwell’s Italian Quarter. A map at the Little Italy in the 19th and front helps readers to piece 20th Centuries together the “territory” and Olive Besagni its relationship to today’s Review by Peter Fuller local authority boundaries. This delightful book is a An excellent piece of local collection of around 40 oral history and a must for your histories illustrated with bookshelf. precious family Published by The Camden Streetlife photographs. It tells the History Society. ISBN 978 0 Leif Jerram stories of the Italian families 904491 83 8. Price £7.50 Streetlife looks at Europe’s who emigrated to the slums 20th century and the of Clerkenwell from the Little Italy. The Story of influence of city life. early 19th century, in search careers in which they London’s Italian Quarter Across Europe, between of a better life than they had endeavoured to gain a Tudor Allen 1890 and 1990, huge in the poverty-stricken rural livelihood. It looks at the The stories of Little Italy’s changes occurred as many hamlets of northern and devastating effects of two “ice cream, organ grinders people left the fields to work later southern Italy. world wars on these families and monkeys, hokey-pokey in factories and offices. It vividly describes their as well as their sicknesses, men, murder, gangsters and The central focus of these courage in the face of tragedies and triumphs. spectacular processions”. changes was the city. Social, hardship, childhood It also tells of marriages Published by Camden Local workplace and cultural memories and family within and outside the Studies and Archive Centre. changes took place because loyalties, teachers and community together with, of Available from the IAHS. Call of everyday city life. mentors, and the trades and course, how the Catholic 020 7833 1541 for price Streetlife argues that women were not liberated $ by laws but by their own Publications order form (photocopies acceptable) actions in bars, offices and homes. It says that, for most Name ...... people, culture has not been about museums and Address ...... galleries but dancing and clubbing, cinemas and living ...... rooms with televisions. It challenges familiar Tel no/email (if we need to contact you about your order) ...... clichés through asking: where did women transform Title(s)of publication Cost their position in society? When did sexual liberation ...... come about? Who ...... transformed European politics? Where should we ...... look for the century’s culture? Where should we Total cost ...... look for the guiding genius of the 20th century zeitgeist? Please make cheques payable to “Islington Archaeology & History Society”; send this Published by Oxford University form (photocopies acceptable) to IAHS, 8 Wynyatt Street, London EC1V 7HU Press. ISBN 978 0 19 280707 6, 352pp. £18.99

24 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 Only Bricks and Mortar Autumn strolls to discover the New River Harry Walters A tale of boyhood in the An Historical Walk Along better known as Stoke 1930s and lives transformed the New River Newington Castle. by second world war, in the Mary Cosh The walk is upstream but, notorious council tenements Historical walk along the regardless of which way you known as The Cottages in route of the New River, follow the route, rest Popham Road, which were from the New River Head assured you’ll be able to find demolished in 1978. at Sadler’s Wells, taking a pubs near both ends. Published by the Islington few diversions and going Published by the Islington Archaeology & History Society through Clissold Park and Archaeology & History Society £7.99 + £1.15 p&p past the wonderful £5 + £60 p&p Victorian pumping station Criminal Islington. The Story A Village in London. of Crime and Punishment A Historical Walk in the in a Victorian Suburb New River Conservation Edited by Keith Sugden Area in Islington Rookeries were criminal Amwell Society theatre, and, of course, the ghettos. They were the This fourth edition takes the arrival of clean water in backdrop to murder, theft walker around much of London. and radical activism. Amwell, where the New The architecture runs This history looks at crime River brought clean water  from Georgian Squares, and punishment in Islington, to London. industrial buildings social breakdown and It considers the area’s involved in water political history, and how history from rural pumping, to 20th century the rookeries were defeated. beginnings, gardens and modernism and beyond. Published by the Islington spas, to recent times, Special offer: £3 + free p&p Archaeology & History Society looking at Sadler’s Wells from the Amwell Society £5 + £1.15 p&p

Forty years of of Stroud Green; walk four history of the building trade Hornsey history describes Hornsey’s over 50 years. conservation area; and walk £6 + £1.50 p&p five goes from Harringay Hornsey Historical Society station back to Finsbury A Vision of Middlesex marks its 40th anniversary Park. All are well illustrated Janet Owen and John this year with photographic with maps, old photos and Hinshelwood history and a glossy bulletin prints, and include detailed A book of more than 120 looking back at its history. notes and references. photographs by the North And it’s brought out a new Well done Hornsey Middlesex Photographic history of Stroud Green. All Historical Society – another Society in the 19th and early available from the HHS at fine publication. 20th centuries of Haringey The Old Schoolhouse, 136 ISBN 978 0 905794 43 3, and further afield. Tottenham Lane, N8 7EL £7.50 + £1.45 p&p Review in the next issue. 124pp, A4, £15.00 + £2 p&p Stroud Green. A History 40th Anniversary Bulletin 52 and Five Walks The walks take in the This 48-page glossy bulletin John Hinshelwood historic heart of Stroud looks back over HHS’s Review by Peter Fuller Green, which is well lectures, its books and The fascinating history of complemented by the research, plus its stalwarts Stroud Green is brought diverse examples of and unsung heroes, and vividly to life by John domestic architecture in the political and social change. Hinshelwood from a wide two conservation areas. Illustrated throughout variety of sources and The history and the walks with drawings, maps  through five walks. together form an and photographs, it tells He sheds light on the informative guide. stories of both the area and people who lived in Stroud Walk one is around the its people. Starting with Green as it developed from Finsbury Park area; walk two Hornsey in 1971, its chapters a wet and marshy place in is along Stroud Green Road include town twinning,  the 16th century into a 20th and Crouch Hill; walk three art collections, Quaker century London suburb. is about the historic buildings history and a vivid personal

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 25 What’s on

Events, exhibitions, study days, walks and more. Information on organisers can be found on our directory, page 29. Islington Archaeology & History Society events are listed on the inside back page

Events can change so please Talk by Heather Knight of Mill and Wimpole Hall India Docks confirm details with event the Museum of London 9am, £27/£17. Book through Chris Ellmers organisers. To have your event Archaeology. Hornsey Historical Society Organised by the Docklands listed here, email: news@iahs. Organised by City of London History Group org.uk Archaeological Society Tuesday 20 September 2011 5.30pm for 6pm, Museum of 6.30pm for 7pm, St Olave’s Signs and the City London in Docklands, Thursday 15 September Church Hall, Mark Lane, Talks at London Transport Hertsmere Road, E14 4AL An Introduction to Family EC3R 7BB, free/£2. Museum with London www.docklands History www.colas.org.uk Design Festival. historygroup.org.uk Heather Gower 6.30pm-8pm, £8/£6/£4. 7.30pm, Trinity United 18 September 2011 Call 020 7565 7298 or go to Thursday 6 October Reformed Church, 58 Orford Summer Tunnel Boat Trips www.ltmuseum.co.uk The Norfolk Broads Road, E17 4PS Boat trips from London Talk by John Packman walthamstowwalks@mz48. Canal Museum through Saturday 24 September 7.30pm, London Canal myzen.co.uk, www.waltham Islington Tunnel and back, Pirates Study Day Museum stowhistoricalsociety.org.uk with a guide to explain the Academics discuss the 020 7713 0836, www. tunnel’s history. history and cultural canalmuseum.org.uk Thursday 15 September Trips at 11am, 12pm, 2pm, resonance of pirates and Victorian Working Horse 3pm and 4pm, lasting 50 piracy. Includes entry to Thursday 6 October and Horse World of London minutes. Book in advance Pirates: the Captain Kidd Medieval Misconceptions Camden History Society. through the museum. Story exhibition. Terry Jones, former Python, 7:30pm, , New 020 7713 0836, Various charges, Museum of Churches Conservation End Square, NW3. www.canalmuseum.org.uk London Docklands Trust annual lecture. 020 7586 4436, www. 6.15pm for 6.45pm, camdenhistorysociety.org Friday 23 and Saturday 24 25 September 2011 Geological Society, September Summer Tunnel Boat Trips Burlington Place, W1J 0BG, Friday 16 September London Transport Museum Boat trips from London £20 including drinks Archaeology Up Close Depot Guided Tours Canal Museum. Details as reception afterwards. Book Object handling session 11am and 2pm, depot at for 18 September. at www.visitchurches.org.uk 12pm-2pm, free, Museum of Acton. £10.00/£8.50. 020 7713 0836, or call 020 7213 0673 London Docklands. Booking in advance only at www.canalmuseum.org.uk www.museumindocklands. www.ltmuseum.co.uk or call Sunday 9 October org.uk 020 7565 7298 Wednesday 28 September Brixton Windmill open Human Osteology Exterior and first floors Friday 16 September 2011 Saturday 24 September Meet expert Jelena Beklavac open, plus prebooked tours The Theatre Coach Outing to Houghton 2pm-3pm, free, Museum of to all floors. London 2-4pm, Windmill Gardens, off Blenheim Gardens, SW2 London Transport Museum Friends: invitation Saturday 1 October 020 7926 6056, lrigg@ Brixton Windmill open lambeth.gov.uk IAHS members are invited If you would like to go to Exterior and first floors, plus www.brixtonwindmill.org/ to attend one of the another meeting, you’ll be prebooked tours to all floors London Transport Museum asked to join the London 2-4pm, Windmill Gardens, Saturday 8 and Sunday Friends’ talks free of charge: Transport Museum Friends. off Blenheim Gardens, SW2 9 October 020 7926 6056, lrigg@ London Transport Museum 3 October Crossrail If you would like to attend lambeth.gov.uk Depot Open Days 31 October London’s Docks a meeting, please email www.brixtonwindmill.org/ 11am-5pm (last entry 4pm), 28 November Lost London Guy Marriott in advance depot at Acton. 6.30pm, Cubic Theatre on Guy.Marriott@ Wednesday 5 October Booking in advance only at London Transport Museum. ltmuseum.co.uk Imagining a Soundscape www.ltmuseum.co.uk or call for the Earlier West 020 7565 7298

26 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 Tuesday 11 October tracing EC1’s hidden rivers, Fossils wells and water features. Malicious Talk organised by the Free, 2pm, book through Amateur Geological Society. Islington Museum Damage: the Life 7.30pm, The Parlour, and Crimes of St Margaret’s United Reform Thursday 20 October Joe Orton and Church, Victoria Avenue, N3. The Bricks that Built Victorian London Kenneth Halliwell Tuesday 11 October Camden History Society in Islington Silchester: the Revelation of 7:30pm, Charlie Ratchford an Iron Age and Roman City Centre, Belmont Street, NW1 Dr John Creighton 020 7586 4436, www. Friday 14 October Organised by Hendon and camdenhistorysociety.org until Saturday District Archaeological Society Friday 21 October 21 January, free 8pm, Avenue House, 17 East Archaeology Up Close End Road, N3 8QE Object handling session This exhibition tells the story of the creative and 020 8449 7076, hadas.org.uk 12pm-2pm, free, Museum of mischievous talents of playwright Joe Orton and his London Docklands partner Kenneth Halliwell when they lived in Islington. Tuesday 11 October Industries of Barking and Friday 21 October 2011 For the first time, it shows all the surviving doctored book Dagenham A Roman Landscape covers, as well as other material reflecting the life and Chris Foord Revealed: Excavations at work of Orton and Halliwell Organised by the Greenwich Syon Park Industrial History Society Bob Cowie Islington Museum, 245 John Street, London EC1V 4NB 7.30pm, the Old Bakehouse, Organised by the City of 020 7527 2837, [email protected] rear of Age Exchange London Archaeological Centre, 11 Blackheath Society See feature, page 20, and talks listed here on Village, SE3 6.30pm for 7pm, St Olave’s 17 November and 1 December Church Hall, Mark Lane, Saturday 15 October 2011 EC3R 7BB, free/£2 Local History Workshop: www.colas.org.uk History Group. 8pm, Avenue House, 17 East Guide to the 1911 Census 5.30pm for 6pm, Museum of End Road, N3 8QE for Local Historians Wednesday 26 October London in Docklands, 020 8449 7076, hadas.org.uk Led by John Hanson, author Archaeology Collections Hertsmere Road, E14 4AL. of Getting the Best from the and Archive www.docklands Tuesday 15 November 1911 Census. Meet expert Adam Corsini historygroup.org.uk Behind the Scenes at the Organised by the London 2pm-3pm, free, Museum of Royal College of Surgeons and Middlesex Archaeology London Docklands Thursday 3 November Late viewing of historical Society. The Wilts and Berks Canal specimens collected by John 10am-1pm, Museum of Friday 28 and Saturday Talk by Chris Coyle Hunter and other 18th and London. See Local History 29 September 7.30pm, London Canal 19th surgeons. Committee pages at www. London Transport Museum Museum 6-9pm, Hunterian Museum lamas.org.uk, or contact c/o Depot Guided Tours 020 7713 0836, www. Free, booking not required 9 Umfreville Road, N4 1RY, 11am and 2pm, depot at canalmuseum.org.uk email: johnhinshelwood@ Acton. £10.00/£8.50. Thursday 17 November btinternet.com Booking in advance only at Tuesday 8 November Kenneth Williams, Joe www.ltmuseum.co.uk or call Minerals and the Orton and the debacle of Sunday 16 October 020 7565 7298. Microscope Felicity’s 21st Birthday The Georgian and Victorian David Greenwood Christopher Stevens Development of Saturday 29 and Sunday Organised by the Amateur Author of Born Brilliant: the Stephen Humphrey 30 October Geological Society. Life of Kenneth Williams tells Organised by the Peckham Hauntings and Hangings 7.30pm, The Parlour, the story of the last week of Society Walk organised by Museum St Margaret’s United Reform the ill-fated 1965 tour of Joe 3pm, Goose Green Centre, of London Docklands. Church, Victoria Avenue, N3. Orton’s Loot, which starred St John’s Church, East Charges vary, book in Islington-born Kenneth Dulwich Road, SE22 advance. Tuesday 8 November Williams www.peckhamsociety.org.uk The Thames Discovery 6.30pm, Islington Museum Wednesday 2 November Programme Saturday 17 September Maritime Greenhithe Natalie Cohen Thursday 17 November Walking on Water David Challis Hendon and District A Load of Old Cobblers

Walk led by Dr David Green, Organised by the Docklands Archaeological Society Tom White Islington Local History Centre

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 27 Wednesday 30 November Fashion and Decorative Arts Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics Meet expert Hilary Davidson and Devotion in Medieval Europe 2pm-3pm, free, Museum of London Docklands until 9 October Thursday 1 December Malicious Collage: the Art Exhibition of over 150 objects from places in England. of Joe Orton and Kenneth including the Vatican, church treasuries, “There is Halliwell US and European museums and the much on  Talk by Ilsa Colsell, author of British Museum’s own collection. 300-500AD, Malicious Damage, a book on The ornate items, dating from the late also on St the crimes of Joe Orton and Roman period, trace the evolution of the Cuthbert and  Kenneth Halliwell. cult of the saints to the peak of relic St Thomas Becket, and material from 6.30pm, free, Islington veneration in late medieval Europe. Charles I, the only saint ever created by Museum Relics featured include three thorns the Church of England, though Victoria thought to be from the Crown of Thorns, revoked it.” 1 December fragments of the True Cross, the foot of  Canal Holidays 50 Years Ago St Blaise, breast milk of the Virgin Mary Above: reliquary bust of unknown female Talk by Roger Butler and hair from St John the Evangelist. saint, South Netherlands, c1520-1530. From 7.30pm, London Canal Andrew Gardner, IAHS chairman, said: the Museum of Modern Art, New York Museum, 020 7713 0836, “The exhibition is quite beautiful, with British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1 www.canalmuseum.org.uk exquisite works of art on display, some  Book at www.britishmuseum.org or 020 of which have never before been shown 7323 8181 Ongoing Until 30 October 2011 Organised by Walthamstow Alistair Douglas London. Costs £10/£8. Pirates: the Captain Kidd Historical Society Organised by the City of See www.lamas.org.uk or Story 2.30pm, Vestry House London Archaeological contact c/o 9 Umfreville The story of pirate Captain Museum, Vestry Road, E17 Society Road, N4 1RY, or email Kidd, how politicians and walthamstowwalks@mz48. 6.30pm for 7pm, St Olave’s johnhinshelwood@ business supported piracy, myzen.co.uk, www. Church Hall, Mark Lane, btinternet.com and pirate myths. walthamstow EC3R 7BB, free/£2 Various charges, Museum of historicalsociety.org.uk www.colas.org.uk Wednesday 23 November, London Docklands A Tall Story: Unravelling the Thursday 17 November Friday 18 November Genetics Behind Charles Wednesday 21 September Anthony Heap’s 1930s and Archaeology Up Close Byrne, ‘the Irish Giant’ and 5 October; Saturday 1940s Diaries Object handling session Professor Márta Korbonits 1 October Robin Woolven 12pm-2pm, free, Museum of History of unusual height Historic Almshouse open Camden History Society. London Docklands gene. Restored 18th century 7:30pm, Burgh House, New 1pm, Hunterian Museum almshouse, Geffrye  End Square, NW3. Saturday 19 November 2011 £3, book on 020 7869 6560 Museum 020 7586 4436, www. Sport in London or [email protected] camdenhistorysociety.org Local history conference on 16 September-31 December sport from medieval times to Friday 25 and Saturday Separation and Silence: Friday 18 November 2011 the present day. 26 November Wandsworth Prison The Enigma that is Shadwell 10am-5pm, Museum of London Transport Museum Exhibition on the prison’s Depot Guided Tours history, its inmates and the 11am and 2pm, depot at changes in the system. Course: Looking at Finds Acton. £10.00/£8.50. Includes photos taken by Booking in advance only at prisoners in the early 1990s. A 22-week course in post-excavation analysis run by www.ltmuseum.co.uk or call £3/£2. Hendon and District Archaeological Society. Sessions 020 7565 7298. start on 28 September at 6.30pm-8.30pm at Avenue 27 October- 29 January 2012 House, East End Road, N3 Saturday 26 November : Story, Mineral and Fossil Bazaar Memory, Myth Cost: £275 for 22 sessions. Contact: Don Organised by the Amateur First exhibition at Two Cooper on 020 8440 4350 or chairman@ Geological Society Temple Place, with the hadas.org.uk; or Jacqui Pearce on 020 8203 10.15am-3.30pm, St Mary’s . 4506 or [email protected] Church Hall, Hendon  020 7836 3715, info@ Lane, N3. twotempleplace.org

28 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 Societies and museums

He were list local history, civic, amenity and archaeology societies and a few museums. Most societies publish newsletters and organise talks and other events

Check opening times before Camden New Town History The visiting. If you would like to see Group 020 7435 2002, 100 London Road, SE23. your organisation listed here or Chairman: John Cowley, www.freud.org.uk Free. 020 8699 1872, update any information, email [email protected], [email protected] [email protected] www.camdennewtown.info The Friends of Friendless Churches Hornsey Historical Society Abney Park Trust Memorial Camden Railway Heritage www.friendsoffriendless The Old Schoolhouse, 136 Park and Nature Reserve Trust churches.org.uk Tottenham Lane, N8 7EL 020 7275 7557, www.crht1837.org hornseyhistorical.org.uk www.abney-park.org.uk Geffrye Museum Camley Street Natural Park 020 7739 9893, www. Hunterian Museum Amateur Geological Society 12 Camley Street, NW1 0PW, geffrye-museum.org.uk Royal College of Surgeons Secretary: 25 Village Road, 020 7833 2311, camleyst@ of England, 35-43 Lincoln’s Finchley, N3 1TL wildlondon.org.uk The Georgian Group Inn Fields, WC2, Tuesday- 6 Fitzroy Square, London Saturday 10am-5pm, www. The Amwell Society The Canonbury Society W1T 5DX, 0871 750 2936, rcseng.ac.uk/museums Elizabeth Thornton, www.canonburysociety.org.uk [email protected] 020 7837 0988, info@ Inland Waterways amwellsociety.org The Cartoon Museum Greater London Industrial Association 35 Little Russell Street, Archaeology Society (GLIAS) North-east London branch Association of London WC1, 020 7580 8155 14 Mount Road, EN4 9RL, chairman Roger Wilkinson, Pumping Heritage Attractions www.cartoonmuseum.org 020 8692 8512, secretary@ [email protected] http://freespace.virgin.net/ glias.org.uk lec.orm/alpha/alpha.htm City of London Islington Local History Archaeological Society Guildhall Library Centre Bexley Archaeological Group www.colas.org.uk, Aldermanbury, EC2V 7HH, Finsbury Library, 245 St John John Acworth, 40 The Priory, [email protected] 020 7332 1868, textphone Street, EC1V 4NB. 9.30am- Priory Park, SE3, jrm.acworth 020 7332 3803, guildhall. 8pm Monday and Thursday @sky.com, www.bag.org.uk Clerkenwell and Islington [email protected] (closes 6pm every other Guides Association Monday); 9.30am-5pm Tues, British Postal Museum and 07971 296731, info@ciga. Friends of Hackney Archives Friday and Saturday; closed Archive org.uk, www.ciga.org.uk Hackney Archives, 43 De Wednesday and Sunday; Freeling House, Phoenix Beauvoir Road, N1 5SQ closed 1pm-2pm; 020 7527 Place, WC1, 020 7239 2570, The Clockmakers’ Museum 7988; local.history@ www.postalheritage.org.uk www.clockmakers.org/ Hackney Museum islington.gov.uk museum-and-library 1 Reading Lane, E8 1GQ museum www.hackney.gov.uk/ Islington Museum Grade I listed 16th century Docklands History Group cm-museum.htm 245 St John Street, EC1V manor house, housing local 020 7537 0368 info@ 4NB, 10am-5pm, closed history collections. Free. docklandshistorygroup.org.uk The Hackney Society Wednesday and Sunday, 020 020 8808 8772, museum. Round Chapel, 1d Glenarm 7527 2837, islington. [email protected] East London History Society Road, E5 0LY, 07771 225183, [email protected] mail@eastlondonhistory. [email protected] Camden Civic Society org.uk Islington Society c/o 32 Hillway, London, N6 Hendon and District 35 Britannia Row, N1 8QH 6HJ, 020 8340 5972, EC1 History Archaeology Society www.islingtonsociety.org.uk [email protected] www.ec1history.co.uk [email protected] Dr Johnson’s House Camden History Society The Historical Association, 17 Gough Square, EC4, 020 7586 4436, jsramsay@ 40 Brunswick Square, WC1, Central London Branch Monday-Saturday, 11am tiscali.co.uk, www. 020 7841 3600, www. 020 7323 1192, stay@ -5.30pm May-Sept, 11am- camdenhistorysociety.org foundlingmuseum.org.uk cenlonap.co.uk 5pm Oct-April, 020 7353 3745

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 29 Kew Bridge Steam Museum Mausolea and Monuments New River Action Group Thames Discovery Green Dragon Lane, Trust 24 Lavender Road, EN2 0ST, Programme Brentford, TW8, 11am-4pm, 70 Cowcross Street, EC1M Frances Mussett 020 8363 7187 Mortimer Wheeler House, Tuesday-Sunday, 020 8568 Secretary: John St Brioc 46 Eagle Wharf Road, N1, 4757, www.kbsm.org Hooper, 020 7608 1441, Petrie Museum of Egyptian 020 7566 9310, enquiries@ [email protected] Archaeology thamesdiscovery.org Labour and Wait Brush University College London, Museum Marx Memorial Library Malet Place, WC1, www.ucl. Tottenham Civic Society Small museum in hardware 37a Clerkenwell Green, EC1 ac.uk/museums/petrie www.tottenhamcivicsociety. store, 85 Redchurch Street, 0DU, 020 7253 1485, info@ org.uk E2. www.labourandwait.co.uk marx-memorial-library.org The Peckham Society 67 Gordon Road, SE15 2AF, The Transport Trust The Charles Lamb Society Medieval Pottery Research www.peckhamsociety.org.uk Lambeth Road, SE1 7JW, 28 Grove Lane, SE6 8ST Group 020 7928 6464 202, www. www.medievalpottery.org.uk Railway Correspondence transporttrust.com London Canal Museum and Travel Society 12-13 New Wharf Road, N1 The www.rcts.org.uk Two Temple Place 9RT, 020 7713 0836 2 Colville Mews, Lonsdale 2 Temple Place, WC2R 3BD, www.canalmuseum.org.uk Road, W11, 020 7908 0880, Ragged School Museum 7836 3715, info@ [email protected] 46-50 Copperfield Road, E3 twotempleplace.org London Metropolitan 4RR, 020 8980 6405, www. Archives V&A Museum of Childhood raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk Union Chapel: Friends of 40 Northampton Road, EC1 10am-5.45pm, free, closed the Union Chapel 0HB, 020 7332 3820, ask.lma Fridays. Heath Rescue – the British Union Chapel, Compton @cityoflondon.gov.uk, www. Road, E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200 Archaeological Trust Avenue, N1 2XD, cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma www.rescue-archaeology. www.unionchapel.org.uk/ Museum of London org.uk pages/friends.html London & Middlesex 150 , EC2Y Archaeological Society 5HN, 020 7814 5511, www. The Smithfield Trust The Victorian Society 020 7814 5734, secretary museumoflondon.org.uk 70 Cowcross Street, EC1M 1 Priory Gardens, W4, Jackie Keily: jkeily@ 6EJ, 020 7566 0041, 020 8994 1019, admin@ museumoflondon.org.uk, Museum of London [email protected] victoriansociety.org.uk, www.lamas.org.uk Docklands www.victoriansociety. West India Quay, E14 4AL, Sir John Soane’s Museum org.uk The London Museums of open 10am-6pm, Monday- 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2, Health & Medicine Sunday, 020 7001 9844, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, The www.medicalmuseums.org www.museumindocklands. first Tuesday of each month Hertford House, Manchester org.uk, info.docklands@ 6-9pm, www.soane.org Square, W1M 6BN, free,, 020 The London Socialist museumoflondon.org.uk 7563 9500, www. Historians Group Spencer House wallacecollection.org http://londonsocialist Museum of the Order of 27 St James’s Place SW1, historians.blogspot.com St John 020 7499 8620, www. Walthamstow Historical St John’s Gate, EC1M 4DA, spencerhouse.co.uk Society The London Society 020 7253 6644, www. 37 Chewton Road, E17 Mortimer Wheeler House, museumstjohn.org.uk The Society for the Protection 7DW, contact@walthamstow 46 Eagle Wharf Road, N1 7ED, of Ancient Buildings historical society.org, www.londonsociety.org.uk The Musical Museum 37 Spital Square, E1 6DY, 020 www.walthamstow 11am-5.30pm Tuesday- 7377 1644, www.spab.org.uk historicalsociety.org London Transport Museum Sunday, www. Covent Garden Piazza, musicalmuseum.co.uk Southwark and Lambeth Wandsworth Museum WC2E 7BB, 020 7379 6344, Archaeology Society (SLAS) 38 West Hill, SW18 1RZ www.ltmuseum.co.uk The National Archives, Richard Buchanan, 79 wandsworthmuseum.co.uk Kew, 020 8876 3444, www. Ashridge Crescent, SE18 3EA London Transport Museum nationalarchives.gov.uk Friends Sutton House 183 Euston Road, NW1 2BE, www.ltmuseum.co.uk/ The National Piers Society 2 & 4 Homerton High 020 7611 2222 friends www.piers.org.uk Street, E9, 020 8986 2264, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ John Wesley’s House and Markfield Beam Engine Action main/w-suttonhouse Museum of Methodism Markfield Road, N15 4RB, Group 49 City Road, EC1, free, 01707 873628, info@ 020 7359 6027, www. The Streatham Society www.wesleyschapel. org.uk/ mbeam.org newingtongreen.org.uk www.streathamsociety.org.uk museum.htm

30 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 Events

Please check our website at www.iahs.org.uk for updates

21 September An opportunity to meet Islington South MP Speaker: Emily Thornberry MP 8pm, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, London N1

Members of the Islington Archaeology & History Society will be able to listen to and ask questions of Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South.

19 October Islington’s western shores: an armchair cruise down the Fleet Speaker: Lester Hillman 8pm, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, London N1

A few days off the full moon, Lester – a former coxswain – tonight steers the society down the Fleet river with a richly illustrated armchair presentation that deftly navigates past to future. Charting a course from the heady heights of through the Farringdon Valley and the Clerk’s Well, he will bring us to the tidal Thames.

Lester is academic adviser to the society. He will be familiar to members as a regular speaker and he recently focused attention on the Regent’s Canal, another waterway that helps define Islington.

16 November 2011 Wells and Brimtoy – toymakers of Islington Chris Rule 8pm, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, London N1

These two Islington firms were major UK manufacturers of tin toys in the 20th century. Chris Rule is a long-term Islington resident and a member of the Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society committee.

14 December 2011 Scotland Yard’s first cases Joan Lock 8pm, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, London N1

Joan Lock, a former police officer, will be talking about her new book, Scotland Yard’s First Cases, which is due out at the end of November. She is the author of eleven non-fiction police/crime books, including Dreadful Deeds and Awful Murders: Scotland Yard’s First Detectives 1829-1878 and books on the history of British women police officers, a subject on which she is an authority. She has also written radio plays.

The Islington Archaeology & History Society meets 10 times a year, on the third Wednesday of each month at 8pm, at Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1

Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2011 Vol 1 No 3 31 The Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society

Back page picture

Look out for this beautiful green pomegranate tile the next time you’re in Caledonian Road tube station – there is a rare frieze of them at the top of the staircase, along with original tiling. The station was listed Grade II this summer. See news, page 4