General Brixton history - photos, stories etc

[Puddy_Tat]

today's from flickr



Brixton Hill facing south with some classic road sign

Former tram shed (now back in use for buses) up for sale - London Transport hung on to it for a few years after trams ended but the building that's now Arriva London's garage on Streatham Hill (built on the site of tram depot that had in part originally been built for cable trams) was big enough for the buses that replaced the trams that had previously lived at both sites.

 

[cuppa tee]

today's from flickr



Brixton Hill facing south with some classic road sign

Former tram shed (now back in use for buses) up for sale - London Transport hung on to it for a few years after trams ended but the building that's now Arriva London's garage on Streatham Hill (built on the site of tram depot that had in part originally been built for cable trams) was big enough for the buses that replaced the trams that had previously lived at both sites.

Must be the fifties...that vans got a Tony Curtis haircut.....

 

[editor]

I like this:



Brixton Roller Skating Rink – memories from the late 1950s

 

[editor]

This came up in ebay just labelled 'Brixton'. Any idea where? I thought it may be one of the shops that got flattened to make way for the Barrier Block/Moorlands Est but I'm not sure at all. There's a tram stop in the middle of the road so that narrows it down a bit.

 

[madolesance]

Possibly the same folks- CLARE & SONS, UNDERTAKERS, 214-216 BRIXTON HILL - Landmark

 

[editor]

Possibly the same folks- CLARE & SONS, UNDERTAKERS, 214-216 BRIXTON HILL - Landmark

I saw that but I don't think it's the same business - this lot do 'bargains for furniture'!

 

[madolesance]

I saw that but I don't think it's the same business - this lot do 'bargains for furniture'!

Undertakers and Upholsterers. Slight change in their business model. Furniture still features.

 

[editor]

Undertakers and Upholsterers. Slight change in their business model. Furniture still features.

Like a Poundload for death and furniture! They've got all you need!

 

[editor]

Boy oh boy has the Albert changed

Brixton Ten Years Ago: Live gigs at the Prince Albert & Windmill and Rushcroft Road eviction, March 2009

 

[Puddy_Tat]

This came up in ebay just labelled 'Brixton'. Any idea where? I thought it may be one of the shops that got flattened to make way for the Barrier Block/Moorlands Est but I'm not sure at all. There's a tram stop in the middle of the road so that narrows it down a bit.

View attachment 165852

1919 London County Suburbs directory lists Clare & Sons, furniture removers, at 262, 266 - 270 Brixton Hill. Furniture selling seems a more likely sideline for a removals firm than for an undertaker...

These addresses are now part of New Park Court, which I can find references to in 1935

1895 OS map doesn't show property numbers, but has a few properties at an angle to the road with a bit of open yard in front of them, about opposite where the junction of Holmewood Road is now.

1951 OS map has New Park Court where it is now, but has the mini roundabout sort of thing at the junction of Holmewood Road

Current Street View

 

[Puddy_Tat]

on the Flickr today



Detail of the tram puts this somewhere between 1907 - 1913

west side buildings broadly unchanged, with successors Nat West (on Street View at least) still occupying the London County Westminster and Parrs bank building on the corner of Brighton Terrace. The Savoy Turkish Baths (sign to the right) more or less where the Underground Station is now.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

on teh tweeter today

 

[Puddy_Tat]

and

 

[CH1]

on the Flickr today



Detail of the tram puts this somewhere between 1907 - 1913

west side buildings broadly unchanged, with successors Nat West (on Street View at least) still occupying the London County Westminster and Parrs bank building on the corner of Brighton Terrace. The Savoy Turkish Baths (sign to the right) more or less where the Underground Station is now.

Any idea about the sign which apparently advertises pianos available? Was that a musical instrument shop? (opp side of Brighton Terrace to the bank)

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Any idea about the sign which apparently advertises pianos available? Was that a musical instrument shop? (opp side of Brighton Terrace to the bank)

from the 1911 London Suburbs directory.

In answer to your question, yes.

Craven and Company seem to have had a few places in the South London suburbs at the time (reference here) - these look mostly like shops rather than where they actually made pianos.

 

[CH1]

View attachment 167614

from the 1911 London Suburbs directory.

In answer to your question, yes.

Craven and Company seem to have had a few places in the South London suburbs at the time (reference here) - these look mostly like shops rather than where they actually made pianos.

The was a piano manufacturer in Clapham Park Road - but this was Welmar Welmar Pianos of London
The factory has now been turned into a "mews"

 

[Puddy_Tat]

The was a piano manufacturer in Clapham Park Road - but this was Welmar Welmar Pianos of London

on a bit of fairly hurried searching, i can't trace craven & co's factory. of course some companies described themselves as 'London' meaning the head office was London, but the works was out of town somewhere

 

[madolesance]

And there is ‘Piano House’ on Brighton Terrace.

 

[RoyReed]

on a bit of fairly hurried searching, i can't trace craven & co's factory. of course some companies described themselves as 'London' meaning the head office was London, but the works was out of town somewhere

Craven and Co had several shops (I think, not factories) around south London - list here about 4/5 of the way down the page.

 

[CH1]

And there is ‘Piano House’ on Brighton Terrace.

Maybe the name Piano House is inspired by Craven's shop?
I guess it might take a review of Kellys etc in the archives to find out what went on in there.
In any case the Piano House/Pavilion Surgery building can't be much earlier than 1900.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Maybe the name Piano House is inspired by Craven's shop?

dunno. Piano House was Bon Marche's 'furniture depository' (1911 London Suburban Directory) and still has a Bon Marche Depository ghost sign (street view here)

In any case the Piano House/Pavilion Surgery building can't be much earlier than 1900.

1894 map does not show it, or the Empress Theatre across the road - 1950 map of same point does

 

[editor]

dunno. Piano House was Bon Marche's 'furniture depository' (1911 London Suburban Directory) and still has a Bon Marche Depository ghost sign (street view here)



1894 map does not show it, or the Empress Theatre across the road - 1950 map of same point does

The Empress opened on Boxing day 1898...

 

[editor]

The then future King Edward VII opening Stockwell Station, the southern terminus of the City & South London Railway, in 1890.

 

[editor]

Some more Brixton history

Brixton history – Claribel Road (formerly Holland Road North), London, SW9

 

[Puddy_Tat]

on teh tweeter today from robnitm

January 1981

 

[CH1]

on teh tweeter today from robnitm
January 1981

I'd query the date on that. Lambeth Building Society & Truform (ie Beehive) are right. But Lloyds Bank does not look right.
The Black Horse is there on Truform's wall, but the bank sign doesn't looks like Lloyds Bank to me. Also the unit next to it is derelict.

I know Lloyds closed that branch around 1986 - and moved Brixton accounts to Camberwell. My guess is the photo is 1986 or 1987.

 

[editor]

It's a poor copy, but here you can see the Bovril sign in all its original glory! And look how nice Tate gardens once were.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I know Lloyds closed that branch around 1986 - and moved Brixton accounts to Camberwell. My guess is the photo is 1986 or 1987.

dunno.

Lettering looks the right shape for LLOYDS BANK but can't make it out clearly.

Bus looks like a Routemaster on the 2B which isn't a lot of help as that puts it anywhere from mid 60s to late 80s

None of the cars are obviously as late as 1986/7 which isn't conclusive.

The clothes look earlier than 1986 / 7 but again not conclusive.

It's a poor copy, but here you can see the Bovril sign in all its original glory! And look how nice Tate gardens once were.

and with the Metropolitan Borough of Lambeth bogs fully functioning

 

[Puddy_Tat]

can't think where else to post this, came up on Tweeter -

This pamphlet was published by the BBC Caribbean Service around 1959 when total migration to Britain from the Caribbean peaked. Originally a series of radio broadcasts, it was primarily written by Caribbean men who were already living in London – including the novelist Samuel Selvon.

Link here. Click on the 'view images from this item' and the whole thing seems to be there.

 

[RoyReed]

It's a poor copy, but here you can see the Bovril sign in all its original glory! And look how nice Tate gardens once were.

View attachment 169448

Great photo!

That's an earlier iteration of the Bovril sign. The one you can see now has all of the letters the same height, with no strap-line underneath. I'm guessing this is 1930s and the current one is 1950s or early '60s.

What does it say above Bovril? It looks like the top half of the letters has been cut off. Brixton Free Press?

Oxade (the ad to the left of the Capstan ad) was a brand that sold powdered lemonade and orangeade.

E2A - In the early 1930s the Oxo company launched several new products, all in tablet form. There was Oxade Cocoa, Oxade Lemonade and Orangeade. There were also table jellies and Oxo toffees. None were successful. So totally had Oxo established itself as being synonymous with beef that it was not easy for it suddenly to become synonymous with oranges and lemons.