Photographs of London’s Kings Cross Before the Change – c.1990

Before the money moved in, Kings Cross was a place for born-and-bred locals, clubs and crime

 

The gas holders by London’s Kings Cross Station have been moved, and Culross Buildings and Culross Hall in Battlebridge Rd were demolished around 2004 for the comprehensive redevelopment of the area. The flats built in 1891-2 were home to 150 people. The housing co-operative that oversaw them was keen to show passersby that the place was home to many, painting a sign on the building’s wall.

 

 

By the mid-19th Century, King’s Cross was the busiest goods handling area in Britain. The construction of the King’s Cross Goods Station, opened in 1850, King’s Cross station in 1852, the Great Northern Hotel in 1854, the Metropolitan Railway
(the first underground station in the world) a decade later, St Pancras Station in1865-69 and the Midland Grand Hotel (St Pancras Chambers) in 1868-76.

A shift in goods movement from rail to road reduced the area. The passing of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) Act in 1996 began a new chapter in the evolution of the area. Through the extension of St Pancras Station, the King’s Cross area has become an international terminus for trains to Europe via the Channel Tunnel.

Planning policy emphasis varies across the Conservation Area, a zone initially designated by the now-defunct Greater London Council (GLC) in March 1986. The designation straddled the boundary between Camden and Islington and included the Conservation Area to the east of York Way. The Conservation Area has been enlarged on two occasions since 1986. In 1991, the boundary was extended to the south of Euston Road to include the area between Judd Street, Argyle Street, Swinton Street and King’s Cross Road. The Conservation Area was extended to the north west in 1994 to include the area surrounding St
Pancras Gardens.

 

German Gymnasium, Cheney Rd, Kings Cross, 1990

 

Kings Cross

Fete, Camley St Natural Park, 1991

King’s Cross derived its name from the sixty foot high structure which was erected as a memorial to King
George IV in 1830-35. Built at the junction of the New Road (Euston Road), Maiden Lane (York Way) and Gray’s Inn
Road, this structure was removed within fifteen years.

 

Kings Cross

Kings X Radio Cars, Kings Cross Road, 1989

Kings Cross

Recycling Machine, Camley St Natural Park, 1991

Kings Cross

Camley St Natural Park, 1991

Viaduct, Kings X Goods Yard, Kings Cross, Camden, 1989

Gasholders, Camley St Natural Park, 1991

kings cross

Western Goods Shed, Kings X Goods Yard, 1989

Gas Holders, Regent’s Canal, 1985

76-78, Caledonian Rd, 1986

Eastern Coal Drops, Kings X Goods Yard, Kings Cross, Camden, 1989

Before redevelopment, in the 1980, Kings Cross was a place for clubbing – Bagley’s, The Cross and topless Australians at Sunday’s The Church. Coal Drops Yard was a place for drug taking, squats and prostitution:

“We’d have squatters throw illegal raves that took a trip to the high court to have evicted. People would get through the fence, and you’d see the girls wandering up here with the blokes. We’d shout out so they knew someone was watching them, then go picking up needles and all that. We were supposed to report everything to the police, but it became easier just to go and have a chat. The regular squatters used to be nice as pie. I got on great with them. We’d say, ‘come on lads, you know you can’t stay here, but see you again same time tomorrow. Just make sure you’re not here when the demolition starts’.”

– Allan Horton, who worked at the Yard (via)

 

kings cross

Argyle Walk, 1986

Argyle Walk, Kings Cross, Camden 86

144-6, Kings Cross Rd, Pentonville, Islington, 1992

Lloyd’s Diary, Amwell St, Kings Cross, Islington 1986

Argyle Walk, Kings Cross, Camden 86

Kings Cross

Garage, SMT contracts, 30-32, York Way, 1990

Triplet, Gas Holders, Goods Way, Camley St, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Dodd’s The Printers, 1990

Gasholders, Culross Buildings, Battle Bridge Road, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Dancers, Mural, Stanley Buildings, Pancras Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Kings Cross Radio Cars,  1990

Camley Street Natural Park, 1990

Gasholders, Goods Way, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Gasholders, Goods Way, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Under the 1864 Viaduct, Kings X Goods Yard, King’s Cross, Camden, 1989

St Pancras Cafe, Pancras Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Gasholders, Goods Way, Kings Cross, Camden, 1989

Railway Tavern,Jaidee, SMT contracts, 26-30, York Way, Kings Cross, Islington, 1990, 90-8a-53 The Railway Tavern and I think the rest were demolished in 2003

Connaughts Café, York Way, Kings Cross, Islington 86

Dodds the Printers, Kings Cross Road, King’s Cross, Camden, 1989

140-142,Kings Cross Rd, Pentonville, Islington, 1992

Houses, Frederick St, Kings Cross, Camden, 1986

Gasholders, Pancras Rd, Goods Way, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Cumberland Gardens, Great Percy St, Kings Cross, Camden, 1992

Eastern Coal Drops, Kings X Goods Yard, King’s Cross, Camden, 1989

Stanley Passage, Pancras Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

C S K X, Initials of Camley St, Kings Cross, Camden, 1991, 91-5a-41

G Franchi & Sons, Locksmiths, Pancras Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990, 90c01-02-22

St Chad’s Place, Kings Cross Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Kings Cross

Pentonville Rd, Grays Inn Rd, Kings Cross, Camden 86

The Saloon, Hairdresser, 205, Kings Cross Rd, St Pancras, Camden, 1986

Grays Inn Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Connaughts, Kings Cross Garages Ltd, York Way, Kings Cross, Islington, 1990, 90-8a-52

G Franchi & Sons, Locksmiths, Pancras Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990, 90c01-02-34

Former Kings Cross Laundry, York Way, Pentonville, Islington, 1989, 89c04-02-31

Gasholders, Pancras Rd, Goods Way, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990, 90c02-04-63

The Granary, Kings X Goods Yard, Kings Cross, Camden, 1989

Gulf Tanker, Grange Motors, York Way, Kings Cross, Islington, 1990, 90-8a-54

Kings Cross Aquarium, Caledonian Rd, Pentonville, Islington, 1990

Bridge, Granary, Regent’s Canal, Kings Cross, Camden, 1985

Ideal Stores, Jaguar Daimler Motors, Jahn, York Way, Kings Cross, Islington, 1990

Kings Cross Goods Yard, York Way, Camden 86

St Pancras Cafe, Pancras Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Kings Cross

The Union Tavern, pub, Kings Cross Road, 52, Lloyd Baker St, Kings Cross, Camden, 1992.

A pub here in the 1740’s was called The Black Bull or The Bull in the Pound. It was renamed The Union Tavern in 1807 and rebuilt around 1820. The current building dates from 1878.

 

Great Northern Hotel, Pancras Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Whidborne St, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Dancers, Mural, Stanley Buildings, Stanley Passage, Pancras Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Bus Shelter, Euston Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1986

Gas Holders, Camley St, Goods Way, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

The Caxton Printer, Kings Cross Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Burning Poll Tax Demands, Cromer St, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Corner Cafe, Phoenix Rd / Midland Rd

Regents Canal, Granary, Kings Cross Goods Yard, 1989

The Granary, Kings X Goods Yard

Gasholders, Goods Way, Kings Cross, Camden, 1989

King’s X, Railway Lands, Planning for Real, Tonbridge St, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Viaduct, Kings X Goods Yard, Kings Cross, Camden, 1989

Lloyd’s Diary, Amwell St, Kings Cross, Islington 86

Posters, Grays Inn Rd, Kings Cross, Camden, 1990

Caledonia St, Kings Cross, Islington 86

 

The Granary, Kings X Goods Yard, 1989

All Photos courtesy of Peter Marshall.

More from him on Flashbak here Peter Marshall.

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