Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Green Lanes, Harringay, junction with Falkland Road c1905

The gap in between the shops in the centre of the picture is Falkland Road. Below is a snippet from the 1905 Kelly's Street directory.

3 members like this

View Full Size

Comment by Geraldine on December 4, 2020 at 10:16: I suppose Number 6 grew up to be W H Smith.

Comment by Hugh on December 4, 2020 at 17:54: I hadn’t noticed that. A quick look on the web informs me that the well known W H Smith was trading under that name (rather then William H Smith) from the middle of the nineteenth century. So maybe not - but who knows.

I wonder if it was someone trading in their own name and happy to use the benefits of the name matching the one of the larger store.

With regards to the larger firm, I hadn't realised that it was quite so old. It was founded in 1792. According to Wikipedia, it has been claimed that William H Smith, the eponymous son of the founder was the inspiration for the character of Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore.

Comment by Geraldine on December 4, 2020 at 18:00: Interesting. Thanks, Hugh. It seemed too much of a coincidence, the WH.

Comment by Roy aka Smiffy on December 18, 2020 at 15:29: Hugh, thank you for the Kelly's snippet - all adding a part of the puzzle.

At first glance I was confused at the location but seeing the distinctive roof of the Salisbury I realised that I was looking south it made sense.

The original card is postmarked 1908 and posted to a Hove in Sussex address.

Advertising