Other

Hornsey Central Hospital war memorial - pier heads

Inscription

1914  1919

We think these stones topped the gate piers at the street entrance to the memorial building.

Site: Hornsey Central Hospital war memorial and others (10 memorials)

N8, Park Road, 151, Hornsey Central Health Centre

There are 10 memorials in this area around the the war memorial building in our photo. The two pier heads are to the right of the building, at the entrance to a small area of grass which contains 3 uncomfortable-looking benches which seem to be constructed from other architectural stone-work from the demolished buildings.

The two VC pavement plaques are laid in the terrace to the right of the war memorial building.

To the right of the steps there is a disabled access ramp, the walls of which have been used to hold the other 6 plaques, rescued from the old buildings.

From the magnificent Lost Hospitals of London: The Hornsey Cottage Hospital was built by Hornsey Borough Council on land donated by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The foundation stone was laid in 1907 but the Hospital did not open until 1910. See this 1910 map.

The building was extended in 1924 as part of a War Memorial for those killed during WW1. See this 1935 map. In 1927 it changed its name to Hornsey Central Hospital because of nursing staff recruitment problems - nurses were unwilling to work in a 'cottage' hospital. The Hospital was further extended in 1938 and again in 1956. It closed in 2001 and the buildings became derelict and were squatted until 2007, when demolition began.

From the Imperial War Museum we understand that in 1925 (or 1924 according to the stone itself) the South Ward (the War Memorial extension according to the stone itself) was erected and the foundation stone was laid by Mrs Anderson. Seems likely that the memorial stone for James Anderson, financed by his mother, was unveiled at the same ceremony. 

Hornsey Historical Society has a photo of the war memorial building and other hospital buildings which have since been demolished. This article describes how residents were involved in deciding on the form that the Hornsey war memorial should take. They voted overwhelmingly for this building "the hospital entrance on the main road (Park Road) would have a special feature, ‘of an artistic memorial design’, with an entrance hall hung with marble tablets recording the names of the Fallen". The War Memorial building was opened on Armistice Day, 11th November 1921 and dedicated by the Bishop of Willesden.

The IWM site seems to suggest that the building in our photograph is the 'Hornsey memorial chapel' but we don't think that's right - there are no religious symbols on the building, nothing church-like at all, and the HHS article makes no mention of a memorial chapel.

The Wellcome Collection holds the hospital's 1929 Annual Report which has a good photo showing the layout of the buildings on Park Road.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Hornsey Central Hospital war memorial - pier heads

Subjects commemorated i

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came a...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Hornsey Central Hospital war memorial - pier heads

Also at this site i

Hornsey Central Hospital - foundation stone, 1907

Hornsey Central Hospital - foundation stone, 1907

To the glory of God and for the healing for the poor this stone was laid on 7...

Read More

Hornsey Central Hospital - foundation stone, 1911

Hornsey Central Hospital - foundation stone, 1911

This is probably the 'opening' stone for the hospital which was begun in 1907...

Read More

Hornsey Central Hospital war memorial

Hornsey Central Hospital war memorial

This plaque is placed above the door of the War Memorial building. It seems t...

Read More

Hornsey Central Hospital war memorial - Brett Cloutman VC

Hornsey Central Hospital war memorial - Brett Cloutman VC

{Beneath a representation of the Victoria Cross medal:} Major Brett Cloutman,...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

St Mary's Hospital - Fifth Army

St Mary's Hospital - Fifth Army

W2, Norfolk Place, St Mary's Hospital - Cambridge wing

The red fox was the insignia of the Fifth Army.

2 subjects commemorated
Battle of St Vincent frieze

Battle of St Vincent frieze

NW1, Euston Road, Triton Square

See "2018" below for the event that this relief depicts. Camden's Public Art List of Major Works in the Borough (warning: large file) sa...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
St Botolph's information board

St Botolph's information board

EC2, Bishopsgate, St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate churchyard

The church has two information boards, both of a standard design, which we would not normally collect but this one has some good history....

11 subjects commemorated
Croydon aircraft

Croydon aircraft

CR0, Purley Way

{On an information board attached to the terminal building, behind the plane:} De Havilland Heron The aircraft on display is a De Havilla...

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Harlesden Clock Tower

Harlesden Clock Tower

NW10, High Street Harlesden

As often happens with memorials of this period the 'G's and 'C's are difficult to distinguish  - we think we've got them right. The body...

1 subject commemorated, 7 creators

Previously viewed

Lord's cricket ground

Lord's cricket ground

Thomas Lord laid out his original cricket ground in Dorset Square in 1787. It was used mainly by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) which was founded there in the same year. Following a dispute over...

Place, Sport / Games

6 memorials
Downhills Primary School

Downhills Primary School

Multi-national school with 94% of its pupils drawn from ethnic minorities and 70% taught English as an additional language. In 2012, the then Education Secretary Michael Gove cited that the school ...

Place, Education

1 memorial
Westminster City Council

Westminster City Council

The ancient parish of St Margaret's was divided into St Margaret's and St John's in 1727 but it was still run as a single vestry. In 1855 the two parishes were reformed into the Westminster Distric...

Group, Politics & Administration

183 memorials
French Protestant Church

French Protestant Church

Persecuted in France, about 50,000 Huguenots fled to Britain where Edward VI granted them asylum. The French Protestant Church of London was established by Royal Charter in 1550. It took over the T...

Building, Religion, France

3 memorials
William Faithorne

William Faithorne

Draughtsman and engraver

Person, Art

1 memorial