the "Tudor" style building opp the prison entrance

[mccliche]

my ex-flatmate has just moved into this place...from his description it sounded a very weird place...i saw it last night and it is

almost resembles butlins style holiday accomodation with a classic 30's pool in the middle

the must be some story/background to this building...anyone???

[christonabike]

Full a weirdo's apparently

Or at least a few little Hitler types who seem to think that residing there for longer than other people means they can lord it over newer residents

All word of mouth mind

I live around the corner so if you find out that non-residents can use the pool, let me know

Ta

:)

[boohoo]

Tudor Close. Built about 1931.. I think... Very typical of it's time offering small living spaces in the suburbs with swimming pool and it use to have tennis courts out the front - hence big garden. Young upwardly mobile couples of the 1930s could live and play in the same area...

[trashpony]

My friend used to live there.

[charcol]

Full a weirdo's apparently

Or at least a few little Hitler types who seem to think that residing there for longer than other people means they can lord it over newer residents

All word of mouth mind

As someone who lives there I can understand why you are saying that, but we don't all behave in the same way!

I'm in the process of looking at the building's history. Apart from a photo (http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/pr/250361724/Science_&_Society_10318650.jpg) taken shortly after it was built (where it looks even more Butlin's than it does now) I have found most information from Lambeth Council's appraisal of the Rush Common and Brixton Hill conservation area (http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/093890C5-9B39-4980-84A3-581F678320FA/0/RushCommonAndBrixtonHillAppraisal.pdf) the most useful source of information.

In short, it was built around 1933 and designed in the 'nostalgic Tudorbethan' style by an architect called A W Reading*. It was seemingly built as a private rented block to cater for young and single people who weren't served by the existing Victorian and other Edwardian properties elsewhere in Brixton. I have been told that it was popular with musicians who often worked in the many nearby music halls at the time, but don't have any evidence to support this.

The pool and fountain were there from the start, along with tennis courts on the Rush Common area to the front of the block. I don't know when the courts went, but the mature trees suggest it was some time ago.

*A W Reading could be one of two architects that RIBA has on file. I am due to visit their library later in the week to see if the papers they hold will provide any clues.

[brix]

Someone who used to live there told me that the John Lewis Partnership built it in the 30's as accomodation for their staff. Don't know if that's true or not though.

[ianw]

As someone who lives there I can understand why you are saying that, but we don't all behave in the same way!

I'm in the process of looking at the building's history. Apart from a photo (http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/pr/250361724/Science_&_Society_10318650.jpg) taken shortly after it was built (where it looks even more Butlin's than it does now) I have found most information from Lambeth Council's appraisal of the Rush Common and Brixton Hill conservation area (http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/093890C5-9B39-4980-84A3-581F678320FA/0/RushCommonAndBrixtonHillAppraisal.pdf) the most useful source of information.

In short, it was built around 1933 and designed in the 'nostalgic Tudorbethan' style by an architect called A W Reading*. It was seemingly built as a private rented block to cater for young and single people who weren't served by the existing Victorian and other Edwardian properties elsewhere in Brixton. I have been told that it was popular with musicians who often worked in the many nearby music halls at the time, but don't have any evidence to support this.

The pool and fountain were there from the start, along with tennis courts on the Rush Common area to the front of the block. I don't know when the courts went, but the mature trees suggest it was some time ago.

*A W Reading could be one of two architects that RIBA has on file. I am due to visit their library later in the week to see if the papers they hold will provide any clues.


Interesting stuff. I've always wondered about the pool - where exactly is it, and how big is it? That link to the photo doesn't work by the way.

[brix]

Interesting stuff. I've always wondered about the pool - where exactly is it, and how big is it? That link to the photo doesn't work by the way.

This might work: http://www.ssplprints.com/picdetails.php?typecoll=0&collid=2275&imgnum=96561&page=1&imgcoo=1142om6

[brix]

This might work: http://www.ssplprints.com/picdetails.php?typecoll=0&collid=2275&imgnum=96561&page=1&imgcoo=1142om6


It doesn't seem to work :o

Try this: http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10318650

[tommers]

This might work: http://www.ssplprints.com/picdetails.php?typecoll=0&collid=2275&imgnum=96561&page=1&imgcoo=1142om6

that is a great site...

[gaijingirl]

I considered buying a flat there years ago - and regret not doing so tbh..

It was just a studio - in an auction and the only thing I could have come close to affording - even back then. I went and had a look though - it's a pretty cool building, although the pool was full of leaves.

[mccliche]

that old photo is pretty good

shame it doesn't have the tennis courts still

the bloke who showed my friend round said they have a couple of reasonably wild pool parties during the summer ;)

[charcol]

*A W Reading could be one of two architects that RIBA has on file. I am due to visit their library later in the week to see if the papers they hold will provide any clues.

The A W Reading referred to as the architect in Lambeth Council's appraisal was Albert Frederick Warth Reading. According to his obituary in the Febraury 1963 edition of the RIBA Journal he was born at Dehra Dun, India in 1880 and died on 14 Dec 1962.

Tudor Close is listed as one of his most notable designs, along with:


Bushey Health Clinic
The facade of Woolworth's in Tottenham Court Road


He also designed a hotel and another building in South America, which suggests he lived there in later life after resigning as a RIBA fellow in the early 1950s.

Does anyone know where Woolworth's used to be located on Tottenham Court Road? If the building does still exist I can't place it. Presumably it's been knocked down.

[ianw]

Do you have any modern day photos of the pool, Charcol?

[charcol]

Do you have any modern day photos of the pool, Charcol?

http://r.foxtons.co.uk/1202398281/isln0059773_large-1.jpg

I don't have any to hand, but Foxton's do. This is a photo of the pool with its cover on, facing west towards the side of the block that overlooks the A23.

The current pool was built inside the original pool last year after it reached the end of it's natural life, so it's a bit smaller than it used to be. It remains a decent-sized pool though - just under 20 metres long I think.

Aside from that, one of the only other things to change has been the removal of the mini-pitched roofs above the gates that still surround the pool.

[snowy_again]

Does anyone know where Woolworth's used to be located on Tottenham Court Road? If the building does still exist I can't place it. Presumably it's been knocked down.

I'm probably wrong, but when i worked on Alfred Place, we were always told that the current Paperchase building was once the Woolies.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl but looking at that, I can't work out how it would be.

More useful posts from me shortly. I'm not having a good day. :rolleyes:

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I used to go for midnight swims there when I knew someone who lived there.

Unfortunately he hung himself in there :( and I no longer had the permission of a friend to use it

[story]

Blimey Minnie_the_Minx...

:(



I think Nick Cave lived there for a while, either during or just after the Birthday Party days.

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Blimey Minnie_the_Minx...

:(



I think Nick Cave lived there for a while, either during or just after the Birthday Party days.



and his flat was absolutely tiny

(I don't think he hung himself 'cos of the flat though) :(:D

[whitedove]

I think it looks lovely..like having your own little community.

great i surpose if everyone gets on well..And that pool awwwww

[OpalFruit]

Weren't they - and other similiar developments - built in the great wave of enthusiasm for health and efficiency, that led to developments by Le Corbusier in France, and Pullman Court built in 1936, heavily influenced by European modernist architecture, and also including a pool. Other blocks on Streatham High Rd also had pools - The High certainly had one, and maybe still does. Not sure how the Tudorbethan effect crept in o Brixton Hill - but the craze for pools in blocks was going strong. All in the age of Lidos, too.

[brix]

Weren't they - and other similiar developments - built in the great wave of enthusiasm for health and efficiency, that led to developments by Le Corbusier in France, and Pullman Court built in 1936, heavily influenced by European modernist architecture, and also including a pool. Other blocks on Streatham High Rd also had pools - The High certainly had one, and maybe still does. Not sure how the Tudorbethan effect crept in o Brixton Hill - but the craze for pools in blocks was going strong. All in the age of Lidos, too.

Sadly the pool at Pullman Court seems to have been covered over :( http://housingprototypes.org/images/pullman%20court_06.jpg

[lang rabbie]

Sadly the pool at Pullman Court seems to have been covered over :( http://housingprototypes.org/images/pullman%20court_06.jpg

Some residents are still looking at renovating it.

Unfortunately, I think the one at The High is completely forgotten - it was in a very sorry state when I last saw it, along with the adjacent space formerly occupied by the "residents club for billiards, table tennis and dancing."

There was also a pool behind Leigham Hall/Streatham Court.

[ringo]

I have a mate who lives there. She reckons the neighbouhood watch side isn't too bad and it's a very friendly and social place to live.