General Brixton history - photos, stories etc
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Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
not quite sure about that.
the third one i've seen before and yes it's brixton - think the track is under repair rather than being installed - the cable system was replaced by electric conduit rather rapidly in 1904. the tram looks slightly later than that.
the middle one can't be 1907 - there's a belisha beacon to the right, and they didn't come in until the 30s. I also don't think it's Brixton - see the 5th photo in this set - new tracks being laid around the south side of Westminster Bridge during 1950 for a new road layout (much to London Transport's annoyance as by that time they knew it would only be in place with trams for a couple of years)
i'm not sure that the top one isn't from the same general location / time as well.
editor
hiraethified
Yes, it's just the bottom one showing Brixton but the image came in a batch of three and it was interesting to see what goes on under the road!
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
students in action at the London County Council School of Building, 1939
on tweeter today from London Metropolitan Archives
(on Ferndale Road - Street View here)
editor
hiraethified
Added a piece on Herne Hill
Herne Hill history – Edwardian postcards, a long-lost cinema and horse drawn traffic
Herne Hill history – Edwardian postcards, a long-lost cinema and horse drawn traffic
editor
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sealion
Conformity is the last refuge of the unimaginitive
A bit on Brixton night life way back
History is made at night: 1987: dancing in Brixton and beyond
History is made at night: 1987: dancing in Brixton and beyond
editor
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editor
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editor
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Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
yes -
1 - can just about make out 'Hinton Road' at first floor level on Mr Davies' shop
2 - the (horse) tram tracks match 1894 mapping (Hinton Road tramway did not get electrified)
3 - 1911 London Suburbs directory has 223 Coldharbour Lane (corner of Hinton Road) as "Davies, Alfred William, baker"
editor
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I'd love to see what Loughborough House looked like when it was new. All its character has been destroyed in its recent shoddy conversion. .
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
1950 map suggests that some of the demolition may have been done from above
and the ...ON on 214 probably Mr Ohlson, pawnbroker / second hand clothes dealer - as in this here brixton buzz piece a while back
ETA -
At that time, Loughborough Junction would have had all six platforms (the two still in use, two on the Loughborough Road curve and two on the Cambria Road curve) in business.
LCDR wording on the bridge suggests possibly not too long after the LCDR and the South Eastern entered joint management as the South Eastern and Chatham in 1898, but not sure how quickly they 're-branded' in those days.
Horse tram track says definitely before 1914 - it's a bit late to start searching out the works of reference on this.
Not sure why the Prince of Wales feathers on no. 224 (shop on corner of Loughborough Road) - 1911 directory puts this as "Barlow, Francis Robt. chemist"
and the ...ON on 214 probably Mr Ohlson, pawnbroker / second hand clothes dealer - as in this here brixton buzz piece a while back
ETA -
At that time, Loughborough Junction would have had all six platforms (the two still in use, two on the Loughborough Road curve and two on the Cambria Road curve) in business.
LCDR wording on the bridge suggests possibly not too long after the LCDR and the South Eastern entered joint management as the South Eastern and Chatham in 1898, but not sure how quickly they 're-branded' in those days.
Horse tram track says definitely before 1914 - it's a bit late to start searching out the works of reference on this.
Not sure why the Prince of Wales feathers on no. 224 (shop on corner of Loughborough Road) - 1911 directory puts this as "Barlow, Francis Robt. chemist"
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Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
further edits today -
South Eastern and Chatham Railway identity started 1899 not 1898
The tramway in the photograph is part of the network of the London Southern Tramways Company - Loughborough Junction was effectively the centre of their network, with lines to Camberwell Green, Vauxhall (via Stockwell Road), Brixton (terminus was Coldharbour Lane just before the junction with Brixton Road) and via Milkwood Road and Tulse Hill to West Norwood.
The tram depot on premises behind the 'Old Queens Head' on Stockwell Road (which I think has been mentioned somewhere on Urban) was one of theirs, and some of the railway arches around Loughborough Junction were used as stables / granary / workshops.
Their line towards West Norwood opened as far as Herne Hill in 1884, and through to Norwood in 1885.
The Company was taken over by the London County Council in 1906, and the lines rebuilt and electrified - Coldharbour Lane going electric in 1908 and to West Norwood in 1909. The low railway bridge in Hinton Road meant that the route was diverted via Herne Hill Road / Wanless Road for electric trams.
(above from E R Oakley's history of the LCC Tramways)
So to put it another way, the photo must date from somewhere between 1884 - 1908.
List of shops from the 1904 London Suburbs Directory (online in Leicester University collections)
north side
south side
South Eastern and Chatham Railway identity started 1899 not 1898
The tramway in the photograph is part of the network of the London Southern Tramways Company - Loughborough Junction was effectively the centre of their network, with lines to Camberwell Green, Vauxhall (via Stockwell Road), Brixton (terminus was Coldharbour Lane just before the junction with Brixton Road) and via Milkwood Road and Tulse Hill to West Norwood.
The tram depot on premises behind the 'Old Queens Head' on Stockwell Road (which I think has been mentioned somewhere on Urban) was one of theirs, and some of the railway arches around Loughborough Junction were used as stables / granary / workshops.
Their line towards West Norwood opened as far as Herne Hill in 1884, and through to Norwood in 1885.
The Company was taken over by the London County Council in 1906, and the lines rebuilt and electrified - Coldharbour Lane going electric in 1908 and to West Norwood in 1909. The low railway bridge in Hinton Road meant that the route was diverted via Herne Hill Road / Wanless Road for electric trams.
(above from E R Oakley's history of the LCC Tramways)
So to put it another way, the photo must date from somewhere between 1884 - 1908.
List of shops from the 1904 London Suburbs Directory (online in Leicester University collections)
north side
south side
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
An update from the Tramway Village at Crich, Derbyshire - a London tram which spent much of its working life in the Brixton patch is coming together as part of an extensive restoration
(picture from British Trams Online)
London County Council no. 1 was new in 1932 as a prototype for a new generation of trams, and had a one-off blue / white livery - leading to it being known as 'Bluebird' (even after it reverted to standard red livery) - the new generation of trams didn't happen in London, as London Transport decided to convert tram routes to trolleybus operation instead.
It was first based at Holloway depot, and ran on Kingsway Subway routes including 33 to Norwood via Brixton.
(picture from LT Museum collection)
In the late 30s, it moved to Streatham Hill depot, and after the end of trams in London, it ran until 1959 in Leeds.
(picture from British Trams Online)
London County Council no. 1 was new in 1932 as a prototype for a new generation of trams, and had a one-off blue / white livery - leading to it being known as 'Bluebird' (even after it reverted to standard red livery) - the new generation of trams didn't happen in London, as London Transport decided to convert tram routes to trolleybus operation instead.
It was first based at Holloway depot, and ran on Kingsway Subway routes including 33 to Norwood via Brixton.
(picture from LT Museum collection)
In the late 30s, it moved to Streatham Hill depot, and after the end of trams in London, it ran until 1959 in Leeds.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
That Savoy Turkish bath place looks very exotic. There must be room for a student dissertation on Edwardian Orientalism here.
editor
hiraethified
I did a load of research on that place: Brixton history: Rance’s And Savoy Turkish Baths at 461 Brixton Road
Favelado
J'adore South Shore
This is the Brixton I know. I felt quite emotional looking at those photos. Despite their ordinariness, they took me back. I rarely miss London in general, but Brixton has a special place in my heart in a way that only one or two neighbourhoods in the world do (Rocinha in Rio is the other main one really).
I wish I could go back there and then for a day, or maybe a few weeks.
editor
hiraethified
editor
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Before the Great Wall of Brockwell went up:
My how things have changed: Brixton Ten Years Ago: Lambeth Country Show in photos, July 2008
My how things have changed: Brixton Ten Years Ago: Lambeth Country Show in photos, July 2008
