General Chat

Just watched a wonderful documenrty made in 1967 about the then disappearing London, Its not about the swining sixties everyone knows, its more Victorian than you could imagine, its on you tube in 5 parts the first part brought back childhood memories as its about Camden Town ( I grew up in Camden). Its a fantastic social commenrty. Part 4 almost had me in tears. Everybody should watch it wether your from London or not, the same things were going on all over the country. its called
The London Nobody Knows- with James Mason

Hi Gary - yes thanks for letting us know about the documentary. I've also watched the first part and am from the area originally too - I remember walking past the stables on the way to Camden Town regularly as a child with mum when we went shopping.

The OH would know Church Street Market - she's from that neck of the woods (we went to Queen's Crescent market ourselves).

I must look at the other parts to see if I recognise anything else.

Ed

Thanks for this Gary.

I was born and brought up in Islington and still live in London but now in the East.

There was, and is, no better place on earth imho.

Jean x.

thank you for this
really interesting viewing
Sue

Famous dates in Islington:
10th of March 1886 : 1st Crufts Dog Show
5th of August 1901 : Britains 1st Cinema Opens

From the days when it was a small village on the outskirts of London, Islington has been home to many famous men and women. Some of them lived here only briefly, others were born and died here.

The ever-changing and varied nature of the borough is reflected in the diversity of people commemorated. They range from scholars and scientists to actors and trade union leaders.

From classics to cults, many of the country's favourite authors have laid their hat in Islington.



Mary Wollstonecraft, the feminist writer, encouraged her sister to leave her husband in 1784, and the pair of them opened a school in Upper Street. After witnessing the French Revolution and having been abandoned by her partner, she returned to Finsbury Square in 1795 where she made a failed suicide attempt. She started a new life by moving to Cumming Street. Mary met William Godwin, a radical and liberal and finally seemed happy, but died shortly after giving birth to a baby girl, also named Mary, in 1797. Her most famous work was probably "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman".

Her daughter Mary, went on to marry the great English poet, Percy Shelley. She wrote "Frankenstein", the classic gothic horror novel, while staying at Lake Geneva in Switzerland with her husband and fellow poet, Lord Byron.



Charles Dickens moved to Pentonville in 1837, at the age of 25. Like many authors and poets after him, his fascination with the borough is reflected in the amount of references he makes about Islington in many of his novels, including "Oliver Twist".



Edward Lear, best known for his humourous verse, "The Owl and The Pussycat" and "Nonsense Songs", lived in Bowman's Mews, off Seven Sisters Road, in the 19th Century. He was also an accomplished illustrator, and was asked to give drawing lessons to Queen Victoria in 1846.



Evelyn Waugh moved to Canonbury Square in 1928, joyous at the praise he was getting for reviews for "Decline and Fall" and his new marriage. But his time at Canonbury was to be tinged with sadness. After going away to Oxford to write, he returned home to find his wife, also Evelyn, had fallen in love with another man. Broken hearted Waugh filed for divorce, and penned one of his most famous books, "A Handful of Dust".



George Orwell moved to 27 Canonbury Square in 1944, after being bombed out of his home in St Johns Wood. Shortly after moving to the area, Orwell found worldwide success with his political satire novel, "Animal Farm". In 1947, he began writing his most famous novel, "1984", about his nightmarish vision of the future. He died from tuberculosis, in 1950.



Douglas Adams, science-fiction and comedy writer, lived in Duncan Terrace during the 1980s, whilst he enjoyed huge success with his "Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series of popular books.



Nick Hornby, of "Fever Pitch", "High Fidelity" and "About a Boy" fame, has regularly featured the borough in his books. The novelist, who lives in Highbury, dedicated "Fever Pitch" to his beloved Arsenal FC. This best selling book was made into a film starring another Islington resident, actor Colin Firth.

One of the greatest film directors of all time, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, (1899-1980), began his legendary career at Islington Studios, in Poole Street (just over the borough border). Hitchcock started as a subtitler and collaborated with the owner of the studios and Gainsborough Pictures, Michael Balcon. His early experiences at Islington Studios obviously helped, as he went on to create screen classics such as 'Dial M for Murder', 'North by Northwest', 'Psycho', 'Rear Window' and 'Vertigo'.


Comedy actor extraordinaire Peter Sellers (1925-1980) was a pupil at St Aloysius College, in Hornsey Lane, from the age of 10. He returned to the borough in 1956, when he filmed 'The Ladykillers' with Sir Alec Guiness in Frederick Street.

Sir Walter Raleigh, (1552-1618), one of Queen Elizabeth I's favourite courtiers, is supposed to have moved into Upper Street, possibly at the site of the corner of Theberton Street, in 1575. It is believed that he left to go to court in 1580. Raleigh was probably most famous for introducing tobacco to England, as well as chivalrously placing his cloak over a puddle for the queen to tread on (although neither of these tales are confirmed). The queen's beloved servant lost favour after marrying behind her back, and was eventually beheaded by her successor, James I. It is alleged that another Islington resident, Sir Francis Bacon, trumped up the charges which led to Raleigh's death.



Sir Francis Bacon, Chancellor of James I, moved into Canonbury Tower in 1616. The poet and renaissance man of Queen Elizabeth I's court, he is also believed by some groups to have written some of Shakespeare's plays. He died in 1626.



Lord Fenner Brockway of Myddleton Square became a socialist candidate at the Finsbury Borough Council Elections, in 1909. The son of a clergyman, his political career lasted more than 40 years. As a pacifist he was a founder of the nuclear disarmament movement, which led to the creation of CND, and also fought for liberation in Africa and Asia, becoming Chairman of the Movement for Colonial Freedom.



William Caslon was successful as a type founder and the originator of the typeface that bears his name. First used in 1726, Caslon typefaces were popular throughout Europe and even reached the American Colonies where they were used to print the Declaration of Independence! It was his foundry that stood at Chiswell Street, from 1737 to 1909.



Marie Stopes was a pioneer in the field of birth control. Stopes, a graduate of Geology, Geography and Botany from University College London, set up the Mother's Clinic for constuctive birth control in Marlborough Road, with her second husband. The clinic remained there until 1925. The clinic survived despite much opposition, and now operates in more than 30 countries around the world.

For Gary:

Camden Town has existed only since the 1790s. Until then, the area north of Tottenham Court was given over to open land and fields. This green expanse was crossed by the (now vanished) Fleet river.

A few scattered farms and two coaching inns, the "Mother Red Cap" (now the "Worlds End") and the "Southampton" (now "Edwards"), marked a dangerous landscape frequented by highwaymen. Many an unfortunate ended his days swinging from the gibbet near what is today Camden Town underground station. The name Red Cap was derived from the story of an unfortunate old lady who lived near the inn during the seventeenth century and was reputed to have practised witchcraft. In fact, there's little to suggest that poor Mother Red Cap was anything but entirely innocent.

Charles Pratt (Earl of Camden) is usually credited with the establishment of Camden Town. As the first of a number of wealthy individuals involved in the development and urbanization of this part of London, his initial building programme focused on land on the east side of Camden High Street. Pratts role in shaping the area is marked by a street bearing his name in the heart of modern Camden Town.

By 1850, sleepy, rural Camden had been enveloped by the expanding metropolis and Camden Road railway station opened in that year. Railway and canal construction brought the first Irish settlers to Camden. This process was accelerated after 1840 by terrible famine in Ireland. By the end of the 19th century soot and grime from major railway terminals to the south covered a Camden High Street busy with shops, trams and horse-drawn buses.

The arrival of canals and then railways transformed the whole region; the Grand Union canal was completed in 1820; the first line to the Euston terminus opened in 1837.
By 1850, sleepy, rural Camden had been enveloped by the expanding metropolis and Camden Road railway station opened in that year. Railway and canal construction brought the first Irish settlers to Camden.

This process was accelerated after 1840 by terrible famine in Ireland. By the end of the 19th century soot and grime from major railway terminals to the south covered a Camden High Street busy with shops, trams and horse-drawn buses.

Even then, Camden Town was a centre for shopping and entertainment. Bowmans department store was very popular, and two big "Music Halls", the Camden Theatre (since 1982 the Camden Palace) and the Bedford regularly attracted big stars and large audiences.
The opening of Camden Town Underground station in 1907 marked the final integration of once rural Camden into the wider City.

During the Second World War the railway termini were an important target and the area around Mornington Cresent was badly damaged by bombing. Post-war, the gradual restoration of Camden Town coincided with its emergence as centre of Greek-Cypriot settlement in London. Camden is still cosmopolitan. Today, the area south of Camden High Street boasts Londons largest Bengali/Bangladeshi community

Sounds fascinating. Will watch it when OH is listening to the cricket.

Thank you Gary, that sounds so interesting - hope there's stuff about the East End on there too!

Carol, you forgot to mention ... Islington's most famous and best-loved daughter is ... our Aunty Jeannie :-)))

proud Londoner, Maz. XX

Yes theres east end stuff on there, Whitechapel-(even the yard where Jack the rippers second victim was found), Church street market, Pie & Mash shops! Buskers all sorts.

I've been trying to find old photos of where me and my ancestors lived, Have a few, They lived in Hampstead from the 1850's (they were Lamplighters) and most of the houses are are still standing, Then last night I googled where I lived til I was 10, I lived on the ground floor in a terraced house in fleet rd with my bro, sis, mum & dad. we had a front room (where my sister slept, And a bedroom where me my bro nd mum& dad slept, a kitchen & scullery and an outside loo. The bath was tin and hung on the back wall. Any way how shocked was I to find that that ground floor flat (Obviously its been modernised since the 60's) sold last year for £330,000 !!
Gary

sounds good Gary. I shall go and watch it. I love looking at the old London. I was born in Brixton in the 60's and spent most weekends/holidays etc at my nan's in Deptford...The terraced houses that once stood along the railway line there have now all gone. Such a shame as its old character has gone.....

I believe that the flat (top floor of converted victorian house) where I was born in Brixton is still there. Would love to go back and have a look...

Hi Whirley
Where in Brixton did you live! I once lived in Stockwell and now at Dulwich so not far away.

Did you know The first purpose built department store Bon Marche opened in Brixton in 1877, the store was built by racehouse owner James Smith, who financed the venture with the winnings from the previous year, during which his racehorse Rosebery won both the Cesarewithch and the Cambridgeshire.

In 1890 Stockwell became the southern terminus for London's First Tube and The World's First Electric Railway, The City and South London Railway.

The 1850s saw Angell Town, Brixton's largest single development, laid out around Wiltshire Road on property belonging to the Angell family. Between the 1860s and 1880s the small settlement underwent a huge transformation as railways and trams linked Brixton to Central London. Large houses were built along the main routes into Brixton attracting the middle classes, and in 1888 Electric Avenue became the first shopping street to be lit by electricity, with a protective iron and glass canopy for shoppers.

By 1925 Brixton was one of the best shopping centres in South London with department stores (including Morley's), a thriving market, shops, pubs, cinemas and a theatre.

The 1940s and 1950s saw a large influx of immigrants from the West Indies into Britain. The first immigrants arrived on the ship the Empire Windrush in 1948 from Jamaica, and were temporarily housed in the Clapham South deep shelter less than a mile away from Coldharbour Lane in Brixton. In 1998 the area in front of the Tate Library in Brixton was renamed Windrush Square to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush, and recognise the important contribution that the African Caribbean community have made to Brixton.

Famous Brixton residents
Throughout, Brixton has been the residence of many famous faces. Some famous names include David Bowie who was born on Stansfield Road, Vincent Van Gogh who lived in a boarding house on Hackford Road, CLR James, the writer and black activist who lived in Railton Road and former British Prime Minister Johm Major, who spent part of his childhood in a two room flat off Coldharbour Lane.

Thanks Gary will deffinately take a look.

Good grief.........The London Nobody Knows . I can remember as a kiddie seeing that film ( a B film ) at the pictures . I remember the voice of James Mason narrating it and a scene of Londoners eating jellied eels in a pub .
I was not impressed at the sight of mouths eating jellied eels at all........lol

Amanda : )

Hi Carol, I was born/lived in Talma road, number 47 to be precise.

I was very young when we moved from there, I remember Deptford as a child more than Brixton, but as said, I'd love to pop back there and see the top part of the house where I was born...

here's the link folks..

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=The+London+Nobody+Knows&aq=f

Hi Gary thank you my grandparents were married in St Silas penton street and g,grandparentsPark church Islington in 1868,will have to have alook
Dutch

Can you tell me where i can see this, as i was born in Islington and one of my brothers lived in Camden.

Sorry if i am bit thick But would love to watch it.

Sorry just seen the link, Oh dear must be more thicker then i was