Some history on Hampstead in London

London | Hampstead

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© Image from author's photographic archive. DO NOT COPY

An Edwardian view of Church Row, a thoroughfare lined with early 18th-century houses. Architectural historians, however, lambaste Gardnor Mansions, a fragment of which can be seen to the far right of this image.¹ Criticised for debasing the harmony of the Georgian streetscape, the apartment block was erected in 1898 and named after Thomas Gardnor, a wealthy upholsterer who, as landowner, developed several streets in the vicinity. The curious house adjacent to Gardnor Mansions features late 18th century weatherboarding added to an older property, an early case of incongruity on Church Row but now deemed to augment the thoroughfare. This view is looking towards the Church of Saint John, though the dedication changed a few years later to St. John-at-Hampstead. The church was erected in the mid-18th century, replacing an older edifice deemed unsuitable as Hampstead grew in size and popularity. Further population growth in the parish necessitated two significant enlargements to the building during Victorian times.

© Image from author's photographic archive. DO NOT COPY

Captured around 1911, this photograph shows Hampstead General Hospital on Haverstock Hill, a building demolished when the Royal Free Hospital was opened in the mid-1970s. Accompanied by a guard of honour by the 1st C.B. Royal Fusiliers, City of London Regiment, the foundation stone of this new building was laid on October 21st, 1902, by Princess Christian, third daughter of Queen Victoria.² The new hospital was erected to provide better health care for the growing population, the Hampstead Home Hospital and Nursing Institute on South Hill Park Road not being able to provide sufficient capacity.

© Image from author's photographic archive. DO NOT COPY

A post-war photograph of Holly Bush Hill. There is a blue plaque on the building central to this imaage. Not only does the blue plaque survivie but the building itself is still standing. Mind you, it is in a part of London where buildings are more likely to survive. The reason for the blue plaque is that the portrait painter, George Romney, lived here. Accessed via Holly Mount, the old Holly Bush Inn overlaps in that it used part of the old house. Although the artist only lived here for a short period in his later days, it is known as Romney's House because it was built specifically for him. Leaving his studio at Cavendish Square, George Romney moved in during 1797.³ Following his death in 1802, part of the house was incorporated in an assembly room which was built several years later. In 1833 the Hampstead Scientific Society used the artist's studio as their headquarters, remaining until the opening of the town hall in 1876. From 1912 the building was used as the Hampstead Constitutional Club.³ In the 1950s the house was used by Star Sound Studios to record the popular sci-fi radio programme "Dan Dare." In addition the Perry Mason detective series for Radio Luxembourg.⁴

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"Yesterday, at the Hampstead Police Court, Andrew Leach, 30, barrister-at-law, of 8, Oakhill Park, Hampstead, was charged with feloniously and violently assaulting Annie Naomi Bird, on the 9th inst., at the above address. The prosecutrix deposed that she was a single woman. On Thursday March 9th, she had been in service at the house of prisoner's father as housemaid for nearly a fortnight. She could not tell her exact age, but was about twenty. On the evening of the 9th inst., between seven and eight o'clock she went into the room downstairs where the servants worked. Prisoner went downstairs and asked for the cook. She told him the cook had gone out with the parlour maid. He then told her to fetch a plate, which she did, and held under a lamp Mr. Leach was filling. Suddenly he caught hold of her, kissed her, and assaulted her. Her clothes were torn by him. She screamed, but was frightened. She told him he was hurting her, but she could not get any strength to speak. Prisoner was standing all the time. He was excited and she thought the worse for liquor. He released her at last, and told her to bathe her face. He said he was sorry for what he had done. She told other servants on their return what had happened. On the following Monday she went to a friend of hers, a nurse, at Kensington, and told her about it. She continued to live in the house until Friday night last. In reply to prisoner at the first examination [which evidence was now read over] prosecutrix repeated that he did attempt violently to assault her. She told him she was not anxious to proceed with the charge. On the Wednesday following she had to wait on prisoner, and told him she should leave when his mother returned. He said he had been to the priest and confessed all. She told him that if he had not ruined her she ought to have recompense for whatever he had done. She did not say that "£5 was nice little bit," She screamed out at the time. In reply to questions from Mr. Wontner, prosecutrix stated she struggled for about ten minutes. She resided as much she could, but finally prisoner desisted of his own accord, and his brother came into the house soon afterwards. On the following Wednesday she told him she should leave his mother's service on the Saturday when Mrs. Leach would return home. The next day he told her he had been to see a doctor, and that the doctor said she was not to be frightened. He wished her to go and see this doctor, whose address he gave her and said the parlour maid should accompany but she did not go, in consequence of a communication from her friends. Prosecutrix was cross-examined by Mr. Grain on the evidence and as to her conduct with a footman in a previous situation, and as to the kind of songs she was in the habit of singing. She denied that she hid ever represented that she had appeared the stage in public. After hearing further evidence, the Bench intimated their intention of committing prisoner for trial at the Central Criminal Court, accepting the same bail as before; and Mr. Grain reserved his defence. A remand until next week was ordered for the completion of the depositions."
"A Barrister Charged With Indecent Assault"
Portsmouth Evening News : March 25th 1882 Page 2

"Ernest James Marvin, 29, farrier, a powerfully-built man, was indicted for an offence under the Criminal Law Amendment Act also for assaulting William Bannister, a Metropolitan Police officer, in the execution of his duty. The complainant is a domestic servant residing at Harlesden. On the evening of April 11 she, in company with a man named Barker and his wife, was proceeding along Parliament Hill, Hampstead, when the prisoner suddenly sprang from some bushes, and addressing Mr. Barker said, "Is this young woman [referring to the complainant] with you" On receiving an affirmative reply, the prisoner said, "You have no right to have two women," and immediately seized the complainant, threw her to the ground, and assaulted her. Cries for help attracted the attention of some passers-by, and after a severe struggle the prisoner was arrested. The prisoner conducted himself in the most extraordinary manner during the hearing of the case, and abused the complainant in disgraceful language. The Recorder at length interposed, and cautioned the prisoner that if he did not conduct himself he, the Recorder, would commit him to prison for contempt of Court. The Prisoner [defiantly[: "You can commit me, if you please: but you have no right to do so, unless it is for high treason." [Laughter.] On the complainant replying in the negative to a question from the prisoner, the latter exclaimed, "Oh, you wicked little hussy," and as she left the witness box he shouted, "Go down, and may the devil follow you from here and everywhere." His Lordship again admonishing the prisoner, Marvin replied, "You don't know who you are addressing, my lord. I am a descendant of the royal house of Marvin." The prisoner continued to insult the Recorder, and to fling gross epithets at him, until the counsel present, by audible and indignant comments, protested against the turbulent abuse to which he had been subjected. The prisoner called the witnesses rogues and vagabonds, and advised the Recorder to save his soul by immediately turning a Roman Catholic; he also knelt in the dock, and pretended to be engaged in profound meditation. A warder attempted to raise the prisoner, but the latter turned, and said, in an angry manner, "You bastard, if you were saying your prayers, I would not interrupt you." The Prisoner remarking that he had nothing to say in his defence, the Recorder, addressing the jury, said: "The prisoner says that he leaves the case to you, and so do I." The jury immediately returned a verdict of "Guilty." A second indictment was then proceeded with, and the prisoner continued his conduct during the remainder of the case, and ultimately he was convicted and sentenced to nine months' hard labour in each case."
"Indecent Assault On A Woman - Extraordinary Scenes In Court"
Reynolds's Newspaper : May 31st 1891 Page 1

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References
1. Cherry, Bridget & Nikolaus Pevsner [1998] "London 4 : North" London : Yale University Press. p. 220.
2. "Hampstead Hospital" : St. Pancras Gazette; October 25th, 1902. p.5.
3. "Romney's House, Hampstead" : Hampstead News; November 12th, 1931. p.2.
4. "Dan Dare At Historical Home - Romney's House Ban" : Hampstead News; April 5th, 1956. p.1.

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