Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Vol 8 No 4 Winter 2018-19 incorporating Islington History Journal £5.25 Showing the way in heritage The drive to get Islington’s heritage recognised and the establishment of the borough’s official guides Council sets out 15-year plan l Heritage at risk highlighted l Planning system ‘chaotic’ l Making TV history programmes l The Copenhagen Tunnel l Going by coach from King’s Cross l The emigrant type founder l Darwin’s ‘idiots’ and other animals l Last orders at the Prince of Wales on Boxing Day 1944 l Books and reviews l Events and exhibitions l Letters and your questions About the society Our committee What we do: talks, walks and more Contribute to this and contacts he Islington journal: stories and President Alec Forshaw Archaeology & History pictures sought Vice president Mary Cosh TSociety is here to Chair Andrew Gardner, investigate, learn and celebrate We welcome articles on local [email protected] the heritage that is left to us. history, as well as your Vice chair George Allan We organise lectures, walks research, memories and old Secretary Morgan Barber-Rogers and other events, and photographs. Membership, publications and publish this quarterly A one-page article needs events Catherine Brighty, journal. We hold 10 about 500 words, and the 8 Wynyatt Street, EC1V 7HU, meetings a year, usually at maximum length is 1,000 020 7833 1541, catherine. Islington Town Hall. words (please do not submit [email protected] The society was set up in articles published elsewhere). Treasurer Philip Anderson, 1975 and is run entirely by We like pictures – please check [email protected] volunteers. If you’d like to we can use them without Academic adviser Lester Hillman get involved, please contact infringing anyone’s copyright. Journal editor Christy Lawrance our chairman Andrew Committee members Michael Gardner (details left). www.facebook.com/ Ever wondered…? Harper, Derek Seeley, Samir 8 www.islingtonhistory.org.uk groups/islingtonhistory.org.uk Do you have any queries about Singh, Zena Sullivan, Alys Islington’s history, streets or Barber-Rogers buildings? Send them in for Journal back issues and extra copies our tireless researcher Michael How we use your data Reading and other readers to We hold names and addresses Journal distribution is answer. Please note we do not to provide membership overseen by Catherine keep an archive or carry out services. If you would like Brighty (details left). family research. your details removed from our Contact her for more l See Letters, page 6 records, contact Catherine copies, back issues, if you Brighty (above). We do not pass move house and about Copyright details to third parties unless membership. Back issues Copyright of everything in we have to by law or for society can also be downloaded this journal lies with the purposes; the printer deletes via our website at www. creator unless otherwise label information after use. islingtonhistory.org.uk stated. While it can be difficult to trace copyright ownership $ (photocopies acceptable) of archive materials, we make Join the Islington Archaeology & History Society every effort to do so. Membership per year is: £12 single; £15 joint at same address; concessions single £8/joint £10; Editor – and a new editor corporate £25; overseas £20; life: £125 (renewal forms sent out when due) Christy Lawrance From the next issue, the editor I/We would like single/joint/concession/joint concession/corporate membership and enclose will be Jane Parker, who leads a cheque payable to “Islington Archaeology & History Society” for ....................... local history tours and runs the www.janeslondon.com Name(s) ..................................................................................................................................... website. She can be contacted on journal@islingtonhistory. Address ...................................................................................................................................... org.uk .................................................................................,................................................................... The Journal of the Islington Tick here to go on our email list. Email address ................................................................ Archaeology & History Society is published four times a year Tel no (in case of membership queries) .................................................................................. Indexed by EBSCO Please return this form (photocopies acceptable) to: Catherine Brighty, Islington Archaeology ISSN 2046-8245 & History Society, 8 Wynyatt Street, London EC1V 7HU We will not give your details to third parties unless required to by law Printed by PrintSet, 15 Palmer Cover: Islington Local History Centre/Clerkenwell and Islington Guides’ Association. History Local Guides’ Cover: Islington and Islington Centre/Clerkenwell Place, London, N7 8DH 2 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Winter 2018-19 Vol 8 No 4 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Incorporating Islington History Journal Vol 8 No 4 Winter 2018-19 A chance to have a say in our heritage’s future slington Council has set out its 15-year plan for the borough (news, page 5). IConflict can arise between preserving Contents heritage and meeting social and economic needs, it notes, and appears to address this partly through “innovative” reuse of News 4 heritage. Warehouse conversion, anyone? Council sets out long-term plan, heritage at risk highlighted, public lacks faith in At the same time, a report by Town & ‘chaotic’ planning system, Greenham women sought and 150 years of Post Office cats Country Planning Association calls the plannign system “chaotic”. Its says people Your letters and questions 6 feel ignored or even dismissed and jargon A ghost sign, a Victorian pub, a place by the waterside and all names rude and grand excludes non-professionals. Being involved in a consultation (or even Making history 8 a planning application) can be extremely Making history programmes for TV means telling stories like a Hollywood movie and frustrating. It can feel that whoever is working with magical or monstrous presenters running the exercise is just ticking the “we’ve consulted with the public” boxes. The Copenhagen Tunnel 10 However, the draft local plan still A trio of railway tunnels carry the mainline railway tracks out of King’s Cross station. provides an opportunity to influence the council’s long-term approach to our The emigrant type founder 12 heritage. If people don’t get involved, Henry Thitchener sailed with his family to Australia in 1876 to seek his fortune there is a risk the council may believe residents aren’t interested or think the Darwin’s ‘idiots’ and other animals 14 draft local plan is just fine as it is. Why were so-called ‘idiots’ of important to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution? So make your voice heard – to officers, local councillors and the local papers – to Showing the way 16 help preserve the heritage of the borough The drive to get Islington’s heritage recognised led to the Clerkenwell and Islington for both now and the future. Guides’ Association, now 30 years old Boxing clever Last orders at the Prince of Wales 18 As the Lost Trades of Islington exhibition The final evening of those killed in a pub by a V2 bomb on Boxing Day 1944 opened, the journal received an email about a 19th century type founder from Going by coach from King’s Cross 20 Clerkenwell, who set up shop in Australia King’s Cross played a central role in the development of travel by coach (see letters, page 6, and The Emigrant Type Founder, page 12). Islington’s old Publications 22 industries may have a global reach. A train tunnel, glassworks archaeology, Islington’s Jewish community, life in prefab homes, a 500-year-old charity, a Caledonian Park walk and models to make Goodbye This is my last issue of the journal. Many Events 24 thanks to all of you who sent in articles, Days and evenings out letters and photographs over the years, which made the journal what it is. Directory 28 Societies, museums and resources Christy Lawrance Editor Islington Archaeology & History Society events 31 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Winter 2018-19 Vol 8 No 4 3 news In brief Register highlights heritage at risk How Essex Road Cinema buildings, places of got its name worship, former prison cells, The society’s volunteer public buildings and railings researcher, Michael Reading, are among historic structures has written a history of Essex in Islington deemed at risk by Road, looking particularly at Historic England. why it was given this name Its 2018 Heritage at Risk after being called Lower Street Register – the 20th year of the for over 800 years. The booklet register – includes landmarks gives a brief history of Islington such as the Finsbury Health up to the mid 19th century, Centre and the Holloway and discusses its perceived Odeon, although restoration Tudor connections. It also works are planned for the latter. reproduces some outspoken The former Mecca Bingo in At risk: cells at the House of Detention in Clerkenwell correspondence over the name Essex Road, built as the change in the Islington Gazette. Carlton Cinema in 1930, is also Caledonian Clock Tower, and St Mary’s in Upper Street. l Copies of Why Essex Road? at risk, with damage to the Union Chapel and Finsbury The register also covers