Plaque: Samuel Palmer fountain - re-opened
Erection date: 8/10/1994
This drinking fountain was restored by The Heath & Old Hampstead Society with funds generously donated by members of the Palmer family, The Gerald Palmer Trust, London Borough of Camden, English Heritage, Heritage of London Trust, Drinking Fountain Association, Hillsdown Holdings plc, Belsize Residents’ Association, Fitzjohn’s Residents’ Association, Tavistock Clinic Foundation and by many local people.
Mrs Peggy Jay, President of the Heath & Old Hampstead Society and great niece of Samuel Palmer performed the re-opening ceremony 8th October 1994.
Stephen Coultas - Architect
Waymans - Builders
Site: Samuel Palmer fountain (2 memorials)
NW3, College Crescent
2017: Maybe we are just unlucky but every time we come here this fountain-shelter is lost in amongst the florist's stuff. They are taking the micky, really, aren't they? We don't know who is responsible for the Christmas lights but, from Google Street View it seems they went up in winter 2014 and have not been taken down since then. Also the decorative finial has been topped with what looks like a stuffed duck. Our feeling is that someone needs to restore some dignity to this little building - Camden Council, we're looking at you!
The red and grey brick building immediately to the south of this shelter (outside our photo, to the left) is 40 College Crescent, the house built by Palmer. From Lost Hospitals of London we learn that Palmer bequeathed the house to a hospital charity and that it was, 1904-48, a children's hospital. Then it was used for training nurses, then as a nurses home. It was sold in 1995, became a budget hotel and is now, 2018, Palmers Lodge, a backpackers' hostel.
