The subsequent episode in within the collection of posts on my stroll in south London on Sunday seventh Could 1989. The stroll started with Hanover, Belgrave, Chapel, Outlets, Taxis. The earlier publish was Herne Hill, Dorchester and Carnegie.
I wandered up Railton Street from the junction with Dulwich Street in the direction of Herne Hill station. Herne Hill solely seems to have gotten its identify comparatively not too long ago, with the Herne Hill Society stating that the primary documented reference dates from 1801. Earlier maps present it as King’s Hill or Dulwich Hill.
Neither of the 2 derivations they offer appears notably seemingly, with an Previous English root hyrne (nook, angle) hyll seeming unlikely from the late look of the identify and a roost of huge numbers of heron on the close by River Effra appears fanciful. Different prospects put ahead have been that it was named after a household known as Herne who apparently lived right here within the seventeenth century.
Maybe the identify actually does come from Herne the Hunter, the legendary resident of Herne’s Oak within the Windsor Forest some twenty 5 miles or extra to the west, transferred right here by an early developer of the world who maybe noticed oak bushes which reminded him of that place, maybe additionally listening to the rattling of chains and ghostly moans on this space. Who is aware of?
Railton Street was apparently one of many roads developed in 1868, a couple of years after the approaching of the railway, the station on this highway opening in 1862. Till then the world had been one in every of massive villas with leafy gardens for the rich, however quickly turned stuffed with “smaller homes for clerks, artisans, craftsmen and their households, the employees making the most of low-cost fares for commuting into London.“
The constructing at 222 Railton Street, right here the Herne Hill Bingo and Social Membership, was the Herne Hill Cinema, mentioned to have opened in 1914, though there seems in accordance with a postcard on Brixton Buzz to have been a cinema round right here sooner than that. It’s slender facade opened to a a lot wider auditorium behind which may seat 750.
Brixton Buzz quotes Cinema Treasures giving extra details about its 1932 design by George Coles and closure as a cinema in 1959, however says it continued in use as a bingo membership till 1986, then changing into shuttered and empty. Clearly it was locked and barred once I photographed it in 1989, and has a discover too small to learn on its door, however doesn’t look in too poor situation. It’s now a personal bar, however apparently the auditorium space behind was demolished and housing constructed on the location.
Herne Hill Station was opened on the backside of Herne Hill on Railton Street by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway in 1862. At first it was a terminus, with companies solely in the direction of Victoria, however a yr later the road was prolonged to Beckenham and by the top of the last decade there have been additionally companies to “the Metropolis of London, King’s Cross, Kingston by way of Wimbledon, and Kent, together with categorical trains to Dover Harbour for continental Europe.“
The constructing with its polychrome brick Gothic tower appears extreme for what was a small suburban station, and was actually meant to impress. The tower held the water tank wanted by steam locomotives. The Wikipedia article quotes The Constructing Information description of the station from 1863 as “spacious and handy … and of the perfect high quality” and states “an uncommon quantity of ornamental style has been displayed“. It turned an exempler of Victorian railway structure.
This view seems to be towards the nook with Rymer St, which now takes visitors from Railton Street to Dulwich Street as Railton Street a bit of additional north is now a no-entry avenue for motorised visitors aside from buses.
At left is 200 Railton Street and at proper, subsequent to an alley is an accomodation bureau and letting service at 289, now the house of Herne Hill Books. Apparently this stretch of highway was till 1888 referred to as Lett Avenue. The alley was as soon as a public footpath, and appears as if it was nonetheless in 1989.
This view nonetheless seems to be a lot the identical now, with the 2 19-storey blocks of Park View Home and Herne Hill Home in Hurst Avenue, every inbuilt 1966 with 72 flats, towering over the neighbourhood. Park View Home many be blessed with a view of Brockwell Park, however sadly you possibly can see it and its neighbouring tower from the park.
A more in-depth view of 200 Railton Street. I’ve been unable to seek out out extra about this constructing. Two of the three ground-floor outlets seem to have been transformed to to residential use by the point I made this image.
I walked again down south down Railton Street to the junction with Dulwich Rd, stopping to {photograph} this terrace of outlets at 315-323 Railton Street. That is now a pedestrian space and the outlets are reasonably totally different in nature.
I favored the signal at left on 315, ‘Solely the perfect is nice sufficient for me‘ although with the steel shutters up on a Sunday I couldn’t make certain what it offered, although I feel it was in all probability a greengrocers.
To be concluded in one other publish.
Tags: 1989, Bingo Corridor, Brixton Buzz, Herne Hill, Herne Hill Books, Herne Hill Cinema, Herne Hill Station, Lambeth, Lett Avenue, London, London Images, Could, solely the perfect, Park View Home, peter Marshall, Pullman Cinema, Railton Rd, Rymer St, outlets, The Grand Cinema, Victorian railway structure, Stroll
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