General Brixton history - photos, stories etc

[friendofdorothy]

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I like the way the whole junction seems clear of signs, road marking and 'street furniture' it looks so much more tidy than now.

 

[friendofdorothy]

I vaguely remember the pavement being much narrower than it is now, Could be wrong mind!

Looks like the railings made it a bit narrower. I think the widened all the pavements along the high street when they redid then all a few years ago.

 

[editor]

A little feature:
Local history: the bombed and broken Tinworth Fountain in Kennington Park

 

[RoyReed]

A little feature:
Local history: the bombed and broken Tinworth Fountain in Kennington Park

I love the close-up detail you've got of the base:

It reminds me of the amazing Doulton tiles in the lobby of the Lloyds Bank on the Strand.

 

[editor]

Here's another of my features on obscure footnotes from Brixton's history:

Brixton history: Robinson’s Teeth Institute and Parke’s Drug Stores of Electric Avenue

 

[SpamMisery]

Terrible they allowed an 'iconic Electric Avenue building be turned into an advertising billboard'. I feel sure they will have damaged the brickwork

 

[editor]

Terrible they allowed an 'iconic Electric Avenue building be turned into an advertising billboard'. I feel sure they will have damaged the brickwork

Slight difference, sunshine.

Besides, that was then, this is now (or at least was before they moved it to completely cover up the Art Deco façade of the old Woolies building).

 

[Crispy]

From Feb's chat thread:

There’s been various mentions of WWII bomb damage in Brixton, but has anyone mentioned WWI bombing by Zeppelins?

A view of damage to homes in Baytree Road in Brixton, following a raid by 12 German naval airships on the night of 23 - 24 September 1916. The foreground is littered with timber and rubble, and the interior of the house is clearly visible. A water tank and bath can be clearly seen in the centre right of the photograph. http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205213212

Bomb damage to houses on Baytree Road in Brixton, London, following a German air raid during the First World War. A bathtub lies amidst the rubble and paintings can be seen hanging on the walls of one of the exposed rooms.http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205214732

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s4xVywBr3RmFyS7q_qx0akQ!2e0

I'm pretty sure these are either 47 and 49 or some even-numbered houses on the other side of the road (hard to pick them out on streetview) on Baytree Road, rebuilt with flat-walled bay windows instead of the arc shape that all the others have.

 

[editor]

Brixton ten years ago:

http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2015/03/...vis-sign-and-herne-hill-velodrome-march-2005/

 

[CH1]

Brixton ten years ago:

http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2015/03/...vis-sign-and-herne-hill-velodrome-march-2005/

Despite the grand resurfacing of Coldharbour Lane in 2005 we are still waiting for the repaving. I have been here nearly 30 years and nothing doing yet. Just proves how unlitigious we are round here. Those "Have you had an accident which wasn't your fault" phone lines might find customers down Coldharbour Lane.

 

[Casaubon]

In the early 80s my local was the George Canning (a.k.a. Hobgoblin, Hootananny). It was a real landmark, featured on the destination boards of the 159.
This photo’s from ’84 (or maybe ’85).




The landlord was Gordon Petrie, a very imposing Guyanan. He was a big bloke, with a classic ‘strongman’ physique, trim waist and huge chest and shoulders. If anyone was daft enough to pick a fight with him he’d pick them up one-handed and toss them aside. I think he’d been brought in to ‘tame’ the Canning.
For all his physical prowess, unless severely provoked he was a very unassuming, softly-spoken, modest and retiring bloke.

From the 50s to the 70s he was a professional wrestler. Sometimes he fought under his real name, usually as Prince Kumali, but also as Big Brutus, Great Malumba, Lawrence Liger, Giant Zulu Warrior and others.
He fought in the biggest venues worldwide, including the Royal Albert Hall, and on Saturday afternoon televised wrestling.

He died in January this year.
Biography - http://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/kkostas.htm

 

[editor]

Here's a fairly comprehensive new piece I've spent untold hours researching!

Brixton History: over 120 years of the Brixton Tate Library in photos

 

[editor]

Another history feature:

Brixton history: 110 years of Atlantic Road – Pococks, padded cells and David Greig

 

[editor]

Another piece of obscure local history for you all:
The curious case of the Edwardian couple cuddling on the top of Brixton Hill

 

[GarveyLives]

In the early 80s my local was the George Canning (a.k.a. Hobgoblin, Hootananny). It was a real landmark, featured on the destination boards of the 159.
This photo’s from ’84 (or maybe ’85).

View attachment 68858


The landlord was Gordon Petrie, a very imposing Guyanan. He was a big bloke, with a classic ‘strongman’ physique, trim waist and huge chest and shoulders. If anyone was daft enough to pick a fight with him he’d pick them up one-handed and toss them aside. I think he’d been brought in to ‘tame’ the Canning.
For all his physical prowess, unless severely provoked he was a very unassuming, softly-spoken, modest and retiring bloke.

From the 50s to the 70s he was a professional wrestler. Sometimes he fought under his real name, usually as Prince Kumali, but also as Big Brutus, Great Malumba, Lawrence Liger, Giant Zulu Warrior and others.
He fought in the biggest venues worldwide, including the Royal Albert Hall, and on Saturday afternoon televised wrestling.

He died in January this year.
Biography - http://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/kkostas.htm

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The George Canning is more likely to have featured on the destination boards of the 2A and / or 2B (which stopped 50 metres away) than the 159 which ran up and down Brixton Hill five minutes walk away. it certainly gave its name to the first bus stop on Tulse Hill, which is now known as "Brixton Water Lane".

Sad to hear of the passing of the landlord, Gordon Petrie. He would have been a well-known figure in the local community. Was there any mention in the local press?

 

[CH1]

The George Canning is more likely to have featured on the destination boards of the 2A and / or 2B (which stopped 50 metres away) than the 159 which ran up and down Brixton Hill five minutes walk away. it certainly gave its name to the first bus stop on Tulse Hill, which is now known as "Brixton Water Lane".

Sad to hear of the passing of the landlord, Gordon Petrie. He would have been a well-known figure in the local community. Was there any mention in the local press?

I'm sure I saw "George Canning" on the number 3 a lot - sometimes the 3 even "turned" at the George Canning (I think it came down from Camden in those days - or maybe even Chalk Farm. No Googleable evidence though).

 

[thatguyhex]

My new obsession is collecting 78s. Here's one I got today.

 

[CH1]

The landlord was Gordon Petrie, a very imposing Guyanan. He was a big bloke, with a classic ‘strongman’ physique, trim waist and huge chest and shoulders. From the 50s to the 70s he was a professional wrestler.He died in January this year.
Biography - http://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/kkostas.htm
View attachment 68859
View attachment 68860

I managed to find and upload this Kenny Everett sketch from around 1980 or 81 where Kenny manages throw 4 wrestlers - including Gordon Petrie/Prince Kumali.

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

 

[editor]

Brixton ten years ago:

The long-lost Queen in Bellefields Road.

Brixton Ten Years Ago: Crack City, Jacaranda Gardens and the old Queen’s pub, May 2005

 

[Puddy_Tat]

on tweeter today

 

[editor]

Fabulous set of 80s pics here:

https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatBrixtonProject

 

[CH1]

Fabulous set of 80s pics here:

https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatBrixtonProject

I remember Tescos in Popes Road - but can't place this camera angle. I'm wondering if it is Brixton Station Road - maybe Tescos had the corner arch space?

 

[editor]

A piece about Brixton Road:

Brixton history: a busy Edwardian scene on Brixton Road

 

[editor]

I like this pre-1914 photo of the corner of Brixton Road and Coldharbour Road.



Note the cabs lined up on the corner and what looks like public conveniences by the junction.

 

[editor]

Just posted a feature on the long lost Brockwell Park bandstand.

http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2015/07/...rockwell-park-bandstand-in-archive-postcards/

 

[SpamMisery]

Looks like mother nature reclaimed it!

 

[teuchter]

Maybe a bit "niche" but if you watch from about 9 mins in, you can see a train driver's view passing through Brixton (then Loughborough Junction, Denmark Hill and Peckham) in 1999:

 

[boohoo]

Just posted a feature on the long lost Brockwell Park bandstand.

http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2015/07/...rockwell-park-bandstand-in-archive-postcards/

And the bandstand featured in the Mauleverer Road mural

 

[CH1]

Maybe a bit "niche" but if you watch from about 9 mins in, you can see a train driver's view passing through Brixton (then Loughborough Junction, Denmark Hill and Peckham) in 1999:

Certainly is niche - almost as mesmerising as a Philip Glass opera (123 12 12 12345 etc)

I was amazed at how bendy the track is. Throws more light on Network Rail's excuse for not progressing a Brixton interchange. Wonder how safe all those nuclear waste flagons are passing during the night - especially now they have dispensed with guards and guards vans on heavy goods trains.

My own little niche is this - I was fascinated by what appear to be electrical sub stations at Nunhead Junction and between Ravensbourne and Shortands. These are similar in style to the one at Loughborough Junction by the scrap yard. Would they all be contemporaneous?

Is the film for training purposes - like a flight simulator sort of thing, or just for fun?