Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Hanger Green (Chestnuts Park) c1910
It's interesting to see this photo entitled as Hanger Green as late as c1910.
Hanger Green was the name used for the common land near the junction of (present-day) St. Ann's Road and (present-day) Blackboy Lane.
This 1915 OS map shows that the structure in the middle of the picture was a drinking fountain. Beyond it are the public toilets. The chimney of the incinerator at St. Ann's Hospital is visible in the distance.
Hanger Green took its name from the Hangers, or great fields that lay opposite, as shown in the Dorset map of 1619 (south is up on this map).
St Ann's Road was originally known as Chisley Lane. It then changed to Hanger Lane, before settling on St Ann's Road by the end of the Nineteenth Century.
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Comment by John Shulver on March 16, 2020 at 17:59
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So interesting. Woodlands Park (Chestnuts) was our local park. Used to attend Woodlands Infant and Junior Schools 1953 - 1960. I knew nothing of this structure, it must have been perfectly flattened by my time. Maybe the tarmac playground area was built over it ? I do remember a large air raid shelter somewhere in that area also. The old map details are very interesting.
But I would question the chimney. I think that could well belong to one of the industrial laundries in the area ? One was further down St Anne's more or less behind the park and I think there was another off Hermitage Road area.
This is a great site, brings back many memories. I moved out to pasture in Norfolk in 72. But Harringay will always be my home !
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Comment by Hugh on March 16, 2020 at 18:49
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Oceana Laundry used to be between Cornwall Road and North Grove. Cyprus Laundry was towards the Green Lanes end of Hermitage Road. The chimney may have belonged to Oceana. But, here's how I judged it. From the juxtaposition of the drinking fountain and the small building, (which can only have been the loos), I think the camera was pointing directly towards the south east corner of the park. Working with that assumption, I'm guessing that the building in the distance in the centre of the photo is the old St Ann's Road Police Station. So the chimney must to the south of that. That would only leave something in the hospital. Though, having said that, the only chimney I know of was attached to the laundry / disinfecting area of the hospital which was much more to the middle of the site.
So, perhaps the camera was pointing further north than I first thought and what I thought was the police station was old Chestnuts house. In that case the idea of the chimney belonging to the laundry makes more sense. Thanks, John.
The 1954 OS suggest that the old toilet blcok was repurposed as an air raid shelter and new loos opened on St Ann's Road (now a cafe!)
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Well you are the undoubted expert on all this stuff Hugh and I honestly take my hat off to you.
I'm sure I speak on behalf of many but your dedication to this site is tremendous, second to none.
As for the chimney I too seem to think the old hospital chimney was more central to the site and would have been out of shot from this viewpoint. Keep it up
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