Aerial RAF Composite of Harringay sometime between 1943 & 1955 (see discussion)

Comment by StephenBln on July 7, 2008 at 6:09

Oh dear, I hate to be difficult, BUT I think the composite dates from about ten years after the war, say 1955 and not 1943 as mentioned.

All three bomb sites on Warwick Gardens can be seen..also Woodlands Park Road these date from early on in the war (1940/1), although the bomb site in Ritches Road seems to be missing ..strange? The Petrol station bomb damage at the Arena as well as the Falkland/Fairfax bombsite (1944) can be seen, although here the damage on Effingham is not shown..

The also seems to be a bombsite on Sydney Road, although I personally don't know anything about that one. Any information anyone?

The southern end of the map shows the demolition of Northumberland House has taken place. The photo here on HOL mentions 1955 as the date and lastly there are already LCC blocks built along Seven Sisters Road. The construction of Woodberry Down Estate did commence just before the war in 1938, so perhaps these are the early ones? I'm not sure. So, all in all, I think 1955/56 was the completion date of the composite. Any chance of something similar for further east?? Tottenham??

Comment by Hugh on July 7, 2008 at 9:34

Thanks Steve - good analysis - which I haven't done. Correcting mistakes is never "being difficult". I made the composite from a data source to which I sadly no longer can access and I can neither fill in the gaps to the east, west, north or south. (The 1943 date came from the source. It sounds like they were wrong).

Comment by StephenBln on July 7, 2008 at 15:32

I had another look at the composite and there were a couple of points I wanted to make.
That the bomb damage on Effingham Road can't be seen, suggests two different photos over the area Effingham to Falkland.

The same on the missing bomb site at Ritches Road. As far as I can remember, not from personal experience, but from heresay, There were usually five bombs in a stick... so imagine a straight line.. the bomber going south to hit the railway... first bomb Woodlands Park Road; second Ritches Road; then the three along Warwick Gardens, the last just missing the railway. In my youth, I knew an ex-Air Raid warden who worked on the site at the end of Warwick Gardens. He told me that the houses there had collapsed, but the rooves were intact and were laying on top of the rubble. He said it was very difficult to get the people out there. I've no idea if any or many were killed, my interest being that as a kid as I lived on that site in a prefab, before the present day flats there were built.

Here are a couple of stories. I personally don't think that they are quite accurate, but as I wasn't around I have to them at face value

Comment by John D on July 9, 2008 at 18:07

I believe the bomb damage on Sydney Road was a V2, therefore in 1945. Bruce Castle Museum has a picture

Comment by StephenBln on July 9, 2008 at 19:42

Thanks for that info John... I always thought a V2 landed on Hornsey Rail Yards.. Was that perhaps another one?

Comment by John D on July 9, 2008 at 19:55

There was another one in Tottenham Lane just opposite where Jewsons is at present. The site is now a community centre. Sadly a little girl was out playing and was never seen again. It must have been a scary time, given that there was no warning of the rocket's arrival.

Comment by Richard Woods on February 10, 2013 at 19:18

Hi interesting pic but I think must be earlier than 55. We moved into 86 Frobisher in 1946 and the site opposite had been hit by , I think, a V1. Anyway by 1955 two new houses had been built on the site; one of them lived in by Jack Sleigh the Wood Green horsemeat man (now there's topical). But the pre-fabs seem to be in at top of Falklands/Effingham so it is after 1947/8 I would suggest.

Comment by John Shulver on August 29, 2020 at 18:23

How very interesting all that.  I remember my mum, in the 50's, pointing out to me a large house opposite Medlocks, between Colina and Park Roads, in Green Lanes where a large fragment of "doodlebug" shell had fallen and lodged down the side wall.  The wall was still blackened by scorch marks.   Horrible times.

Add a Comment