I sat upstairs on the bus today, and from this new vantage point I noticed a building at the top end of Blackstock Road that had escaped my eagle eyes up to now. It's just as you go up the hill, before Highbury Vintners, on the right as you go travel from FP. It's possibly early Victorian/Georgian (I'm no expert) and is mostly hidden behind white hoardings. Any idea what it is/was?
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There were, in fact, 4 buildings on that site, 2 big gardens and tennis courts (the courts were always in a very sorry state). We also owned an ajoining building on Legard Road which was used as one of our services.
The buildings were built and used as the first children's homes of National Childrens Homes / NCH / Action for Children in the late 19th century, and as the central training school for house 'mothers' and 'fathers' who would then go out across the country to run other children's homes.
One of the side buildings was the girls' home and the other was the boys' home.
It was lovely working there, not least because of the peaceful gardens. And there was a lovely double height refectory area in the back building (Stephenson Hall) which opened onto the gardens. I worked in a really light open plan fundraising office at the rear of the building you see from the street, the office ran the width of the building.
The charity decided to sell up about 4 years ago and all the negotiation with Islington started in earnest about 3 years ago. It really wasn't fit for purpose as offices.
The council was very clear with guidelines concerning the development and the charity could not sell to developers who would not agree to comply with the council's restrictions. Also, a very big song and dance was made of the consultation with local residents, and any other interested party. Everyone was worried about the many trees and, quite rightly, wanted to preserve as much as the garden as garden.
We were all told 2 1/2 years ago that the office would be moving to Watford by July 2010, so masses of people left. Including yours truly. Who'd want to commute to Watford??
We rented the car parking areas at the front and back to Arsenal to use for their 'VIPs'.
We used to see Arsene Wenger and Nigel Stater around all the time (not together).
BTW - That bus stop was always the St Joan of Arc bus stop.
Much depends on the journey at the other end though.