Green Lanes,Harringay before the building of Salisbury Promenade c1905

Comment by Arkady on October 1, 2021 at 9:59

What used to be behind those hoardings? I'm not sure I've ever seen a picture of whatever the 'original' configuration of that T-junction was. The current corner building makes me angry every time I see it.

Comment by Hugh on October 1, 2021 at 10:15

On the corner was the Coliseum Cinema. Brief history here. See also my Harringay cinemas article on Wikipedia.

Comment by Jon C on October 1, 2021 at 14:51

I'm confused. If the Coliseum Cinema was demolished to build Salisbury Parade (a distinctly Art Deco-style row of buildings), then surely this photo must be in the 1920s or 30s, rather than 1905 - especially since the first photo in the collection you linked to shows the cinema still standing circa 1913.

Comment by Arkady on October 1, 2021 at 14:54

The cinema was on the corner, the Salisbury Parade is next door, a bit further up Green Lanes

Comment by Jon C on October 2, 2021 at 1:03

The Coliseum Cinema, which faced the Salisbury Hotel, is absent from this picture so presumably had been demolished.

Comment by Hugh on October 2, 2021 at 2:13

No, Jon. As my links show, the Coliseum was built in 1910 and demolished after a mystery fire at the very start of this century. The photo above was taken before the cinema was built. 

Comment by Jon C on October 3, 2021 at 1:26

Oh - so it was the same building? I thought the one pictured in the c1913 picture, with all its decorative finishes to the roof-line and that elaborate circular window, had been replaced by the far more angular structure that was in such a sorry state before it "went on fire". Hence my thinking that it formed part of the construction of the "Art Deco" parade. It just goes to show, I need to read more of your impeccable research...

Comment by Hugh on October 3, 2021 at 4:54

Yes, the same building. There was only ever one Coliseum building. It had got in to a very bad state. Local rumour has it that the fire, soon after it had been acquired by a developer, was too convenient not to have had a helping hand.  It’s a shame. Although, had it survived, it’s difficult to imagine that its potential would ever have been put to any use.

Thank you for your kind words. 

Comment by Richard Woods on October 7, 2021 at 16:27

What is amazing is that from my memories of this area through the 50s I would have 'expected' the Coliseum to be visible in this picture - it always "seemed" to be 'just' across the road from the Salisbury!

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