N8 Crouch End, Hornsey, Turnpike Lane
Crouch End 1960-1990by TriciaWK |
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My recollection of growing up and living in this area is one of enforced social change. What was a very socially mixed area has become quite socially marginalised with mainly affluent incomers occupying properties previously owned or rented by a more stable. Crouch End as a 'desirable' area is no different from many other parts of London,Clapham, Battersea, Highbury who have undergone the same change. |
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Growing up in Crouch End in the 1960's meant knowing your neighbours and children going into and out of each others houses. Mothers were at home raising children so there was a constant presence from house to house. Cars were rare, on our small section of Coleridge Road there were four to five cars on the road, this meant games were played on the road and goal mouths were end to end in the street with occasional movement 'off pitch' when cars needed to get past. Children watching the games being played sat on the pavement steps and dangled their legs over the side. Although cars were infrequent they were still deemed dangerous by the days standards and so the main road (Crouch End Broadway) was rarely crossed, unless with a parent or when you became a teenager. |
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Friendship groups were determined in streets more or less adjacent to your home. Most homes had no car and so children friends lived close by or were from school. We did not mix with so did not know until we were older the children from the east side of Crouch End Broadway although some of our freinds had relatives that lived over there, you just did not cross the Broadway. Mothers needed to have their children in sight during the day so going that bit further meant another child could not be safely sent to see where you are or get you for an errand. |
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The Broadway had a great variety of, mostly small shops. Some of them were very exotic, Arctic Furs had two shopfronts near to the present Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet. I used to stare at the beauty and variety of furs from all over the world in the window but we never went in, that was the luxury of other well heeled locals. Sainsbury's had two deep shops near to Boots and everyone was served along the lengths of two long counters. If you needed butter or cheese these were cut, weighed and paper wrapped in front of you. All families shopped daily and so shops visits were frequent. Another favourite of mine was Wilson's department store it was similar to Jones Brothers in Holloway although less prestigious. My sister and I were given an allowance every now and then to cut a piece of hair ribbon which we could choose from the many rolls of ribbon fabric and colour in the haberdashery department. |
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When house prices began to rise in London my area changed and families began to move out. Some to take advantage of the difference in the money gained from the sale of their home and the price of their new one in suburbs further out, others when they were old enough to set up home and found they coudn't afford to. Thus Crouch End began the change which continued up to the present time forcing out locals and breaking up existing communities but formulating new homogenous ones. |
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