Tufnell Park
Encyclopedia
Tufnell Park is an area of north London
, England which straddles the border of the London Borough of Islington
and the London Borough of Camden
.
up Dartmouth Hill and over Hampstead Heath
. For centuries the area was renowned for its dairy
farms which kept London to the south supplied with milk
.
It kept a rural air well into the 19th century in its important role as a base for a number of dairies supplying the capital. In 1753 the area became the property of William Tufnell who was granted the manor of Barnsbury by his father-in-law Sir William Halton. The manor (now demolished) stood on the site of the Holloway Odeon. The manor's gateposts can still be seen however towards the west end of Tufnell Park Road. Tufnell petitioned parliament for permission to develop his estate but the leases he was granted were left unused. William's father was Samuel Tufnell of Langleys in Essex. William also inherited Nun Monkton in Yorkshire and estates in Northumberland from his great uncle Nathaniel Payler. He inherited Pleshy from his godfather William Joliffe. These estates went to his older brother John Jolliffe Tufnell of Langleys.
The Tufnell Park estate passed to his brother George Foster Tufnell MP for Beverley (d 1798) then to George's son William Tufnell (d 1809) MP for Colchester who married in 1804 into a fortune owned by Mary Carleton (daughter of Thomas Carleton of South Carleton d.1829) both are buried at St Mary’s Islington, hence her maiden name appearing as two street names in N7. William was the brother of Lt. Col. John Charles Tufnell of Bath (leased Lackham House, Laycock in Wiltshire in 1877) banker m. 1796 Uliana Ivanova Margaret Fowell (d. 29/1/1848) daughter of John Fowell of Bishopbourne), they had 18 children on of which was Edward Wyndam Tufnell the first Bishop of Brisbane
The manor then passed to Henry Tufnell (d 1854) MP for Ipswich and Devonport, liberal chief whip, Lord of the treasury m. Anne Augusta Wilmot-Horton (daughter of the Governor of Ceylon d.17/9/1843), m. 2 1844 Frances Byng (daughter of Sir John Byng Earl of Staffford, d. 1846), m.3. 1848 Lady Anne Primrose (daughter of Earl of Rosebery, d. 1862)
The estate then passed to Henry Archibald Tufnell (d 1898) who died with no children then to Lt Col Edward Tufnell (d 1909) HM Inspector of schools, Factory Commissioner, Director Greenwich Hospital m. 1846 Honoria Mary Macadam (daughter of Col. Macadam Knight of Hanover, d.1877)
- who had laid out the Eton Estate in Chalk Farm. This initial work was largely limited to the area around Carleton Road. In 1865 the scheme was taken up by George Truefitt who developed most of the local villas and St. George's Church (1865) - built for Anglican secessionists. The housing stock was of a solid nature, and Tufnell Park kept its good name until the end of the century. Charles Booth
in his survey of London Life and Labour reported that the older streets (Anson Road and Carleton Road) housed a mixture of retired merchants and music hall artistes who were rich enough to holiday abroad over winter. He believed that second wave of building around Hugo, Corinne, Huddleston and Archibald Roads threatened to create a metropolis "from which the rich would soon be going". The private girls school established at the corner of Carleton and Brecknock Road was closed in 1878 after many of its pupils drowned in the disaster
Tufnell Park was more fortunate than several of its neighbours. Whereas roads and railway lines were sliced through Kentish Town
and Camden
in the 19th century, they mostly passed through Tufnell Park in tunnel, and Junction Road railway station
provided a direct link with central London. The shabby genteel reputation of Tufnell Park made it a standard comic reference in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. George and Weedon Grossmith locate their aspirational Mr Pooter in Tufnell Park (Upper Holloway) in Diary of a Nobody
. Julian and Sandy
the camp BBC home service comedians frequently referenced Tufnell Park as did the Guardian Newspaper's Biff cartoon
in the 1980s. Between 1999 and 2001, Tufnell Park was the location for Channel 4's comedy drama, Spaced
.
on the Northern Line
.
The nearest London Overground stations
are Upper Holloway
and Gospel Oak
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England which straddles the border of the London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
and the London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
.
Origins
Tufnell Park Road runs along the line of an old Roman road which stretches from the Roman camp beneath Barclays Bank and Batten's Carpets on the Holloway RoadHolloway Road
Holloway Road is a road in London. It is one of the main shopping streets in North London, and carries the A1 road as it passes through Holloway, in the London Borough of Islington...
up Dartmouth Hill and over Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath is a large, ancient London park, covering . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London clay...
. For centuries the area was renowned for its dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
farms which kept London to the south supplied with milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
.
It kept a rural air well into the 19th century in its important role as a base for a number of dairies supplying the capital. In 1753 the area became the property of William Tufnell who was granted the manor of Barnsbury by his father-in-law Sir William Halton. The manor (now demolished) stood on the site of the Holloway Odeon. The manor's gateposts can still be seen however towards the west end of Tufnell Park Road. Tufnell petitioned parliament for permission to develop his estate but the leases he was granted were left unused. William's father was Samuel Tufnell of Langleys in Essex. William also inherited Nun Monkton in Yorkshire and estates in Northumberland from his great uncle Nathaniel Payler. He inherited Pleshy from his godfather William Joliffe. These estates went to his older brother John Jolliffe Tufnell of Langleys.
The Tufnell Park estate passed to his brother George Foster Tufnell MP for Beverley (d 1798) then to George's son William Tufnell (d 1809) MP for Colchester who married in 1804 into a fortune owned by Mary Carleton (daughter of Thomas Carleton of South Carleton d.1829) both are buried at St Mary’s Islington, hence her maiden name appearing as two street names in N7. William was the brother of Lt. Col. John Charles Tufnell of Bath (leased Lackham House, Laycock in Wiltshire in 1877) banker m. 1796 Uliana Ivanova Margaret Fowell (d. 29/1/1848) daughter of John Fowell of Bishopbourne), they had 18 children on of which was Edward Wyndam Tufnell the first Bishop of Brisbane
The manor then passed to Henry Tufnell (d 1854) MP for Ipswich and Devonport, liberal chief whip, Lord of the treasury m. Anne Augusta Wilmot-Horton (daughter of the Governor of Ceylon d.17/9/1843), m. 2 1844 Frances Byng (daughter of Sir John Byng Earl of Staffford, d. 1846), m.3. 1848 Lady Anne Primrose (daughter of Earl of Rosebery, d. 1862)
The estate then passed to Henry Archibald Tufnell (d 1898) who died with no children then to Lt Col Edward Tufnell (d 1909) HM Inspector of schools, Factory Commissioner, Director Greenwich Hospital m. 1846 Honoria Mary Macadam (daughter of Col. Macadam Knight of Hanover, d.1877)
Development
Serious building began in the 1845 with a scheme sponsored by Henry Tufnell and designed by John Shaw JrJohn Shaw Jr
John Shaw Junior was an English architect of the 19th century who was complimented as a designer in the "Manner of Wren". He designed buildings in the classical Jacobean fashion and designed some of London's first semi-detached homes in the area close to Chalk Farm. Shaw retired in the early...
- who had laid out the Eton Estate in Chalk Farm. This initial work was largely limited to the area around Carleton Road. In 1865 the scheme was taken up by George Truefitt who developed most of the local villas and St. George's Church (1865) - built for Anglican secessionists. The housing stock was of a solid nature, and Tufnell Park kept its good name until the end of the century. Charles Booth
Charles Booth (philanthropist)
Charles Booth was an English philanthropist and social researcher. He is most famed for his innovative work on documenting working class life in London at the end of the 19th century, work that along with that of Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree influenced government intervention against poverty in the...
in his survey of London Life and Labour reported that the older streets (Anson Road and Carleton Road) housed a mixture of retired merchants and music hall artistes who were rich enough to holiday abroad over winter. He believed that second wave of building around Hugo, Corinne, Huddleston and Archibald Roads threatened to create a metropolis "from which the rich would soon be going". The private girls school established at the corner of Carleton and Brecknock Road was closed in 1878 after many of its pupils drowned in the disaster
Tufnell Park was more fortunate than several of its neighbours. Whereas roads and railway lines were sliced through Kentish Town
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
and Camden
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
in the 19th century, they mostly passed through Tufnell Park in tunnel, and Junction Road railway station
Junction Road railway station
Junction Road railway station was a railway station in London. The station was opened by the Tottenham & Hampstead Junction Railway on 1 January 1872...
provided a direct link with central London. The shabby genteel reputation of Tufnell Park made it a standard comic reference in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. George and Weedon Grossmith locate their aspirational Mr Pooter in Tufnell Park (Upper Holloway) in Diary of a Nobody
Diary of a Nobody
The Diary of a Nobody, an English comic novel written by George Grossmith and his brother Weedon Grossmith with illustrations by Weedon, first appeared in the magazine Punch in 1888 – 89, and was first printed in book form in 1892...
. Julian and Sandy
Julian and Sandy
Julian and Sandy were characters on the BBC radio comedy programme Round the Horne from 1965 to 1968 and were played by Hugh Paddick and Kenneth Williams respectively, with scripts written by Barry Took and Marty Feldman...
the camp BBC home service comedians frequently referenced Tufnell Park as did the Guardian Newspaper's Biff cartoon
Biff (cartoon)
Biff are British cartoonists, perhaps best known for cartoon strips appearing in The Guardian from 1985 onwards . Also featured on many postcards, Biff cartoons have appeared in books, Viz and, since 2001, the magazine of the Rough Guides.-History:Chris Garratt and Mick Kidd are the creators of Biff...
in the 1980s. Between 1999 and 2001, Tufnell Park was the location for Channel 4's comedy drama, Spaced
Spaced
Spaced is a British television sitcom written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright. It is noted for its rapid-fire editing, frequent pop culture references and jokes, eclectic music, and occasional displays of surrealism and non-sequitur humour...
.
Geography
Notable residents
- Writer Clive JamesClive JamesClive James, AM is an Australian author, critic, broadcaster, poet and memoirist, best known for his autobiographical series Unreliable Memoirs, for his chat shows and documentaries on British television and for his prolific journalism...
spent a large part of his early life in Britain living in Tufnell Park, and describes in detail his disdain for it in his book Falling Towards England. - Dr Crippen lived at 39 Hilldrop Crescent in Tufnell Park (now demolished), where he famously murdered his wife.
- Presenter Shazad LatifShazad LatifShazad Latif, is a British actor, who starred in the BBC TV series Spooks as the highly skilled technician and data analyst for Section D, Tariq Masood from series 8 to his death in series 10.-Early life:...
- Actor Ben MillerBen MillerBennet Evan "Ben" Miller is an English comedian, actor and director. He is perhaps best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, along with Alexander Armstrong. Together the pair wrote and starred in Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, and the more recent BBC television...
- Actor Bill NighyBill NighyWilliam Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
- Actor Damian LewisDamian LewisLewis was born in St John's Wood, London, the son of Charlotte Mary and J. Watcyn Lewis, a City broker. His paternal grandparents were Welsh. His maternal grandfather was Lord Mayor of London Ian Frank Bowater and his maternal grandmother's ancestors include Bertrand Dawson, 1st Viscount Dawson of...
- EX MP. Neil KinnockNeil KinnockNeil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
, Baron Kinnock of Beddwellty - EU MP Glenys KinnockGlenys KinnockGlenys Elizabeth Kinnock, Baroness Kinnock and Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead is a British politician....
- MP Jeremy CorbynJeremy CorbynJeremy Bernard Corbyn is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Islington North since 1983.-Early and personal life:...
- MP Tessa JowellTessa JowellTessa Jowell is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Dulwich and West Norwood since 1992. Formerly a member of both the Blair and Brown Cabinets, she is currently the Shadow Minister for the Olympics and Shadow Minister for London.-Early life:Tessa Jane...
- Actress Cathy TysonCathy TysonCatherine "Cathy" Tyson is an English stage, film and television actress.-Early life:The daughter of a Trinidadian barrister father and an English social worker mother, Tyson and her family moved to Liverpool when she was approximately two years old.-Career:Tyson attended the Everyman Youth...
- Actress Helen McCroryHelen McCroryHelen Elizabeth McCrory is a British actress. She portrayed Cherie Blair in both the 2006 film The Queen and the 2010 film The Special Relationship. She also portrayed Narcissa Malfoy in the final three Harry Potter films....
- Singer SuggsSuggs (singer)Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
- Academic and writer Professor Philip TewPhilip TewProfessor Philip Tew is an English academic. A professor in English in the School of Arts at Brunel University , Tew is a literary critic and theorist in the field of contemporary and modern British fiction after 1945, and of various strands of critical or 'high' theory, particularly metarealism...
lived in Tufnell Park 1988 - 2009. - Snooker commentator Jack KarnehmJack KarnehmJack Karnehm was a British snooker commentator, who was regularly heard on BBC television from 1978 until 1993, and a former amateur world champion and professional national champion at the game of English billiards.karnehmwas also a profesional snooker and billiards player.Besides his...
was born here) - Fictional Book Character James AdamsJames Adams (character)James Robert Anthony Adams is the main character of the CHERUB series by British author Robert Muchamore. He is a prominent part of all the First Series Cherub books: The Recruit, Class A, Maximum Security, The Killing, Divine Madness, Man Vs...
- Director Roger MichellRoger MichellRoger Michell is an English theatre, television and film director.-Personal life:He was born in Pretoria, South Africa but spent significant parts of his childhood in Beirut, Damascus and Prague as his father was a diplomat. He was educated at Clifton College where he became a member of Brown's...
- Comedian and Author Charlie HigsonCharlie HigsonCharles Murray Higson , more commonly known as Charlie Higson - also Switch - is an English actor, comedian, author and former singer...
- Composer, Singer and Song Writer A.R.Rahman
- DJ Zane LoweZane LoweZane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
- Presenter Jon SnowJon SnowJon Snow is an English journalist and presenter, currently employed by ITN. He is best known for presenting Channel 4 News.He was Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University from 2001 to 2008.-Early life:...
- Actor Michael GarnerMichael GarnerMichael Garner is an English theatre and television actor.-Education:Galliard Road Primary School, Edmonton. The Kings School, Grantham...
- Singer and X FactorThe X Factor (UK)The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
finalist Sophie Habibis
Transport
The nearest London Underground station is Tufnell ParkTufnell Park tube station
Tufnell Park tube station is a London Underground station in Islington close to its boundary with Camden . It is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, between Archway and Kentish Town, and in Travelcard Zone 2. It has distinctive Edwardian red tiling and has two lifts between the street...
on the Northern Line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
.
The nearest London Overground stations
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
are Upper Holloway
Upper Holloway railway station
Upper Holloway railway station is in Holloway, North London, near Archway . It is on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line, between and . It is operated by London Overground, and the service is usually one train every 20 to 30 minutes in each direction...
and Gospel Oak
Gospel Oak railway station
Gospel Oak railway station is in the borough of Camden in north London. It is on the North London Line and is also the western passenger terminus of the Gospel Oak to Barking Line...