The story of Romilly Lodge, Hornsey Rise

This house was designed by George Truefitt and built in the early/mid 1860s on the east side of Hornsey Rise, about half-way down the hill. The photo was taken 100 years after the house was built, in 1960. Note the cross on the southern end of the roof ridge.

Extract from 1869 Ordnance Survey Map

By at least 1878 the occupant was City wine merchant Jospeh Spawforth. He named the house Sandall Magna, I assume after the suburb of Wakefield. Spawforth was probably living in the house from the outset. (See my note in the comments below).

A photo taken further down the hill at arond the turn of the century is posted here. 

Spawforth died twenty years later, in 1898. His widow stayed on at the house until her death in 1908, after which time the house was acquired by the Islington Board of Guardians. (Boards of guardians were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834. Boards administered workhouses within a defined area).

An advert in appeared in the Evening Standard for the sale of Mrs Spawforths effects. But none for the sale of the house. So perhaps the sale was by private agreement.

London Evening Standard October 31, 1908

The house name disappeared and it became simply 59 Hornsey Rise.

It was put to use as a children's receiving home. With accommodation for up to 74 children, it processed children newly arriving into the parish's care. 

By 1913, the five houses to the north of number 59 had also been acquired and had become part of the receiving home.

Extract from 1913 Kelly's Directory

After 1920, numbers 65, 57 and 59 were disposed of and the home was run from the three remaining houses.

Between 1930 and 1939, the house was run as the 'Council home for Mentally Defective Boys' and took the name Romilly Lodge.

Extract from 1944 Ordnance Survey map

Just after the war, until 1957, the house became Romilly Lodge Primary School.

Much of Hornsey Rise was redeveloped in the 1970s, including all of the wets side. All the houses, including Sandal Magna/Romilly Lodge were demolished.

They were quite some houses on the stretch. Just up the hill was 'Belmont', on the corner of Crescent Road.