Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Vol 7 No 3 Autumn 2017 incorporating Islington History Journal Empire remembered A green plaque for one of London’s most famous venues Pink Floyd’s controversial children’s choir l The wartime youth club at Canonbury Tower l A charity’s 500-year history reflects social change l Being evacuated in the Second World War l A trip to the Postal Museum and Mail Rail l Memorial to Islington’s Boxing Day tragedy l Policing same-sex desire 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 heIslington journal: stories and President Archaeology&History pictures sought AlecForshaw TSocietyishereto Vice president investigate,learnandcelebrate Wewelcomearticlesonlocal MaryCosh theheritagethatislefttous. history,aswellasyour Chair Weorganiselectures,walks research,memoriesandold AndrewGardner, andotherevents,and photographs. [email protected] publishthisquarterly Aone-pagearticleneeds Secretary journal.Wehold10 about500words,andthe MorganBarber-Rogers meetingsayear,usuallyat maximumlengthis1,000 secretary@islingtonhistory. IslingtonTownHall. words(pleasedonotsubmit org.uk Thesocietywassetupin articlespublishedelsewhere). Membership, publications and 1975andisrunentirelyby Welikepictures–pleasecheck events volunteers.Ifyou’dliketo wecanusethemwithout CatherineBrighty, getinvolved,pleasecontact infringinganyone’scopyright. 8 WynyattStreet,EC1V7HU, ourchairmanAndrew Thejournalispublishedin 02078331541,catherine. Gardner(detailsleft). www.facebook.com/ printandonlineinpdfform. [email protected] 8www.islingtonhistory.org.uk groups/islingtonhistory.org.uk Deadlinefortheautumn Treasurer issueis4November. PhilipAnderson, phlpandrsn6@btopenworld. Journal back issues and extra copies Ever wondered…? com Doyouhaveanyqueriesabout Academic adviser Journaldistributionis Islington’shistory,streetsor LesterHillman,former overseenbyCatherine buildings?Sendtheminfor visitingprofessor,London Brighty(detailsleft). ourtirelessresearcherMichael MetropolitanUniversity Contactherformore Readingandotherreadersto Journal editor copies,backissues,ifyou answer.Pleasenotewedonot ChristyLawrance movehouseandabout keepanarchiveorcarryout Committee members membership.Backissues familyresearch. MichaelHarper canalsobedownloaded lSeeLetters,page6 DerekSeeley viaourwebsiteatwww. 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ISSN2046-8245 Pleasereturnthisform(photocopiesacceptable)to:CatherineBrighty,IslingtonArchaeology &HistorySociety,8WynyattStreet,LondonEC1V7HU PrintedbyPrintSet,15 Palmer Wewillnotgiveyourdetailstothirdpartiesunlessrequiredtobylaw Place,London, Cover: Islington Local History Local Cover: Islington Centre N78DH,www.printset.co.uk 2 JournaloftheIslingtonArchaeology&HistorySociety Autumn2017 Vol7 No3 Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Incorporating Islington History Journal Vol 7 No 3 Autumn 2017 Protect heritage while listing is being decided hundred years ago, Holloway was a fashionable shopping area, with A long parades of shops and grand Contents department stores. The centrepiece of one of these terraces was a magnificent two-faced Victorian News 4 clock, beneath an octagonal cupola and Memorial board to Boxing Day tragedy placed at Paradise Park, Clerkenwell Green above decorative swag details. It survived to get revamp and suffragette statue, landmark clock lost and a former music hall for over 100 years. gets a green plaque Sadly, over recent years, the clock fell into disrepair. Panels were lost from the Yourlettersandquestions 6 faces. Then it was taken down. The silver-topped SS Islington baton, an old school photograph, a reserved Around the same time, a developer occupation in a syphon factory, variations in street widths, the grand house of deliberately destroyed a Jacobean ceiling Wedmore Street, the wandering church organ and a goat society to prevent a building from being listed. This type of action is not new. When ThewartimeyouthclubatCanonburyTower 10 developers heard that the 1927 art deco Fred Pullen, aged 91, talks about his time there during the Second World War Firestone factory was to be listed, they had bulldozers on site within days. PinkFloyd’schildren’schoir 12 In Wales, buildings being considered How a bunch of Islington kids got to perform on Pink Floyd’s most successful single for listing are given interim protection while their status is decided. There is a Leavinghomesinwartime 14 campaign to bring England’s law into line An Islington boy is evacuated to the countryside with this, which we should support. Such a move may help to highlight Apostaljourney 16 society’s disapproval when heritage assets A trip to the Postal Museum and down Mail Rail are lost – and even make people think before they remove landmarks like Centuriesofcharity 18 Holloway’s clock. The Cloudesley charity is 500 years old. What is the story behind its longevity? For now, let’s hope the terrace’s owners realise how lost it looks without its Policingsame-sexdesire 20 centrepiece, and repair the clock and To mark 50 years of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act, we take a look at how the reinstate it in its rightful place. state and society viewed same-sex relationships Goingunderground Publications 22 It might seem strange that tickets to travel A charity’s history reflects social change, a Clerkenwell church, Smithfield’s story, underground in cramped railway carriages modern city architecture and lots of old maps are selling out – after all, many Londoners experience something similar every day. Eventsandreviews 24 Yet it is without doubt a thrill to travel The film of Dunkirk, a visit to the Royal Mews, plus days and evenings out along the dimly lit tunnels of Mail Rail on a railway line that was inaccessible to the Directory 28 public for so many decades. Societies, museums and resources Christy Lawrance IslingtonArchaeology&HistorySocietyevents 31 Editor Come to a talk or join us on a walk Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society Autumn 2017 Vol 7 No 3 3 news In brief Memorial to Boxing Day tragedy at the gates to Paradise Park Cut VAT on building inLiverpoolRoad.Morethan peoplewhohavestoriesof repair, tax office told 340peoplewerecasualtiesof familyorfriendsaffectedby VATonthelabourelementof thiswartimeattack,inwhich thistragedy.Hecanbe allhousingrenovationand 73peoplewerekilledand86 contactedviaourFacebook repairshouldbecutto5%,as seriouslyinjured. groupatwww.facebook.com/ isthecaseintheIsleofMan, Theboardisverynearthe groups/islingtonhistory theHeritageAlliancehassaid siteoftheformerPrinceof Hewroteanarticleabout inresponsetotheOfficeof Walespubwhichwas theattackandpeopleaffected TaxSimplification’sreviewof destroyed. byitintheDecember2016 VAT.ItsaystheVATregimeis Thetextontheboard,most issueofthisjournal. amajorthreattoheritageand ofwhichwaswrittenbyBill theindustriesitsupports,asit Patey,says:“Thetraumatic incentivisesdemolition.Arate impactofthisattackwasfelt of20%VATischargedon bymanysurvivors.Some maintenance,comparedwith familiessufferedsignificant 0%onnewbuildings. lossesoflifeorhomes.One Acommemorativeboard familylivingoppositethe Views on the planning dedicatedtothecasualtiesofa PrinceofWalespublichouse system wanted V2bombingattackonBoxing lostsevenchildrenand Day1944hasbeenplaced anotherfamilycelebratingan TheTown&Country nearthegatestoParadise engagementlostfiveofits PlanningAssociationhasset Park. members.” upareviewtoidentifyhow IAHSmemberBillPatey BillPateyisstillresearching theplanningsystemcanbe campaignedforthememorial andwouldliketohearfrom madefairerandeffective whileprovidingmorehomes. Thedeadlineforcomments ontheRaynsfordReviewof Green plaque for music hall Planningis31October. lwww.tcpa.org.uk/ TheFinsburyParkEmpire The Finsbury raynsford-review Theatrewasduetobe Park Empire commemoratedwithan when it Islington’sPeople’sPlaqueas opened in Fewer council historic 1910 thejournalwenttopress. advice specialists Themusichallandvariety Thenumberoflocalauthority theatrewasoneofthemost historicadvicespecialistshas