A cobbled Green Lanes by Northumberland House c1955

Comment by brian granville on November 20, 2021 at 0:20

I'm trying to work out exactly where this is.  Is the bus going down Green lanes towards the area and the shopping area?  As i remember it it was a slight gradient going down there beside the park.  Was Northumberland House the asylum?

Comment by Hugh on November 20, 2021 at 0:34

Northumberland House was a private psychiatric hospital, The entrance you can see in the photo was almost exactly where the entrance is today to the Rowley Road development.

Comment by Peter John Morris on November 20, 2021 at 9:47

I must have travelled up and down there dozens of times as a kid; no wonder the buses always seemed bumpy!

Comment by Straw Cat on November 20, 2021 at 19:25

Was this the place in which TS Eliot's wife was incarcerated?

Comment by Hugh on November 20, 2021 at 20:08

It was. My set of photos of the hospital have been used by two authors and one film production company telling her story. Not sure if they’re out there yet. 

Comment by Roy aka Smiffy on November 23, 2021 at 10:14

Another great picture Hugh, that brings back many memories of riding my bike from home in Woodberry Grove to see my friend Tony down the hill. A very bumpy ride - so sometimes risked going on the pavement.

The film 'Tom and Viv' (1994) is out. Based on the play

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_%26_Viv

Here is mention of Northumberland House:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivienne_Haigh-Wood_Eliot

Comment by John Shulver on November 23, 2021 at 13:55

Yes a great pic Hugh.  It's amazing what we forget eh !

Comment by Maureen Bamfield on July 28, 2023 at 16:59

Hi Brian Granvill. this building was on the left hand side going up the hill towards Manor House. A gate into Finsbury park was opposite. As a little girl I always entered the park through that gate as my Dad never allowed me to walk up Endymion road he said it was a red light area. Imagine my feelings when I was old enough to take that walk not to see any red lights ha ha ha. Oh those were the days of not knowing anything.

Comment by Victor Farthing on June 21, 2024 at 17:57

Hugh wasn't there a statue of Lions on each Pillars! 

Comment by Hugh on June 21, 2024 at 18:01

There was one over the centre of the entrance archway. See here for more info on that.

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