Historic memories from an old Stroud Greenian!

NorthNineteen

I took a photo from a book I own and I don't think it's avalaible online, I've realised the colours haven't come across great in my photo and most of the orange is actually general blast damage

NorthNineteen

I don't mind posting one or two more images if anyone is specifically interested in a location

JohnB

Thanks, fine for me!

krappyrubsnif

Yes pleaze. How many bombs wiped out the Lawson Court housing off Lorne, Victoria and Marquis?

JohnB

I think the only V2 in the vicinity was one on 31 Dec 1944 or so on the junction of Hanley and Regina Road. Went to see the aftermath. According to Google, you had an "eye witness " here a while ago. Not sure if the bomb or bombs near Lorne Road also affected the Osborn, but I thought it was another on the opposite side of SGR. The Osborn lost the upper stories.

krappyrubsnif

A bomb in Lorne Road where Lawson Court is now brought down the front room ceilings in our house and cracked the porch. Only recently mended. Back rooms intact.

JohnB

Memories of local cinemas.

From about 1940 t0 1948 (I was 3 - 11) I used to occasionally be taken to 3 local cinemas. The most frequent was the Rink, which had a main entrance at 269 Severn Sisters Road, (now Lidls) with a stalls exit on SGR. I remember seeing Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi ,Pinocchio and Gone with the Wind, all soon after their release. See

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/15136/

The most spectacular was the Astoria (Odeon Astoria) , later , I think, Rainbow. On the corner of Severn Sisters and Isenden Roads. This had an inner hall with a fantastic pool and fountain with goldfish. It held over 3000 people! In the ceiling were "stars" and clouds, and an organ would rise up onto the stage between the A and B movie.

https://www.islington.gov.uk/~/media/sharepoint-lists/public-records/leisureandculture/information/factsheets/20162017/20170117astoriarainbowcolmantocostello.pdf?la=en

The other one I was taken to sometimes was the ABC at 77 Muswell Hill. There was another there but I only remember the Ritz, as we called it. I remember being scared stiff on seeing "The Picture of Dorien Grey" in 1945, unsuitable for an 8 year old!

Cinema

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/17327

Films

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray_(1945_film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Demetrio_London (1943)

In WW2 there was no TV so the newsreels were the visual way of keeping up. Again, a bit traumatised by newsreel reports of the war, in particular the liberating of Belsen camp, that was horrifying.

Sometimes an air raid would interrupt things!

JohnB

Scruffy. 2 or 4 was next door to the Osborn; Is your father still around?

JohnB

Scruffy . This is a photo of me in about 1941 or 2 more or less outside your dad's house near the Osborn in Upper Tollington Park. There was a double strong wooden set of doors in the pavement for barrels of beer to be loaded from the Truman's horse drawn Dray to the cellar.

https://postimg.org/image/z906qlc11/

Arsenalred7

Dear John we are trying to get the WW1 memorial reinstated at Holy Trinity church Granville road Sadly we have no photos of the original which I believe was damaged during the bombing of the church in WW2, Do you have any photos thought you might have some at your christening.
Also do any readers have any great stories I lived in marquis road from 1958 - 1977
Merry Christmas mate

AniiMouse

John B this is fascinating, please keep it coming
North nineteen (cuz) what's the book, would love to get hold of a copy

Sutent

@JohnB I went to an Islington Lost cinema tour a few years ago. there are some photos below of the local old cinemas. There are also photos of the cinema where Lidl is now

https://postimg.org/gallery/2t09z7t4w/

JohnB

Arsenalred7,Stutent.

So far not found photos of Holy Trinity , will keep looking.

For all: found this site, great for old/new photos, mainly nearer Finsbury Park but still good. The one of the old entrance to the tube station is how I remember it.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/warsaw1948/sets/72157626005913574/

Merry Christmas and good 2018 to all - this is a very well organised site; I try to keep up to date on PC issues!!

JohnB

PS Grannie was a "clippie" (tram conductor) on the trams in Severn Sisters Road in WW1

gardener-joe

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gardener-joe

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Scruffy

JohnB, I checked: My father grew up at 4 Upper Tollington Park. Died in 2011, after some 52 years in Victoria Rd.

Interesting that your GM was a clippie on the trams. I understand there used to be a tram route that went over Crouch Hill — difficult to imagine!

JohnB

The trams in Severn Sisters Road were replaced by trolley busses. Maybe they should be resurrected in these days of moving to electric vehicles?

The memorial stone seems not to be around, even in records. My Dad's name is in the RAF church memorial book at the appropriate 1943 page when he was shot down (St Clement Dane's) and I think also at Runnymede. Buried in Holland near crash site.; 6 out of 7 crew KIA.

Scruffy, 4 Upper Tollington Park was next door but one to the Osborn pub side entrance so we were almost neighbours at one time. Other relatives lived in Stapleton Hall Road and Watersville Road and other places nearby.

JohnB

Arsenalred7

I expect you have this picture of the old church (Hornsey historical )


https://hornseyhistorical.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Holy-Trinity-Church-1.jpg

Arsenalred7

Dear John, Gardner Joe and all thank you for your replies. I think the plan Gardner Joe by the RIBA put on was probably executed if not it looks excacly like the base which still remains.
I have e-mailed Father Patrick as he has the contact details of someone already pursuing the reinstatement of the memorial. However I think it will depend on us providing proof of the original either in the form of a photo or agreed plan. I am away at the end the month until,February so I will investigate looking at the achieves of the Hornsey Journal .
Do you think the area was called Stroud green or crouch hall ?
Thanks to all Merry Christmas

JohnB

Arsenalred7. In the link from Gardener Joe, the site is quoted as "

Vicarage Green
Junction of Granville Road and Stapleton Hall Road
Stroud Green
London
N4 4EL
England

In wiki, link attached, Stroud Green is used as the place, particularly the Marquis road area re bombing and subsequent rebuilding

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Stroud_Green

Have a good trip and Merry Christmas! (PS Remember seeing Arsenal play in about 1945 or so with Dennis AND Leslie Compton!!)

krappyrubsnif

Were Dennis and Leslie Compton the Stroud Green greengrocer brothers with the shop opposite the Osbourne?

HolbornFox

My mum dated Steve Perryman!

JohnB

krappyrubsnif. No!!
See
http://www.blog.woolwicharsenal.co.uk/archives/5590

NorthNineteen

@AniiMouse the book is https://www.amazon.co.uk/London-County-Council-Damage-1939-1945/dp/0500518254

Scruffy

That's interesting about the Osborne originally having three floors. I remember it only from the '70s and '80s, when I'm sure it had only two. On saturdays there used to be a stall outside the Osbourne, selling ready-to-eat seafood. In those days the nearest competing pub on SGR was the Earl Of Essex (now the World's End)—The White Lion wasn't built until the late '80s.

trainspotter

There's a great photo of the old Stroud Green station in the entrance of the Mind office (Station House, next to the Londis).

trainspotter

I think it's this one https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjBqoTFzbHYAhWEyqQKHR_bDgIQjRwIBw&url=http://blog.rowleygallery.co.uk/tag/bob-dylan/feed/&psig=AOvVaw0LUK3cZ0PvMgDcLFXizZjU&ust=1514718830202384

Arkady

http://cdn.rowleygallery.co.uk/2014/05/0112.jpg

Sutent

What an amazing photo