John Leo Waters

HIGHGATE NEW TOWN AND BALMORE ST (THE BAY) - "WORST STREET IN NORTH LONDON”

There are many streets in London which could lay claim to being 'the worst streets in London' at the turn of the 20th century. North London had several streets which were considered dangerous and 'off limits' to the forces of law and order. Campbell Bunk was probably one of the most notorious but another, Balmore Street, has also entered the annals of notoriety

The building of Kings Cross (1852) and St Pancras Railway Stations (1868) along with the the Kings Cross Goods Yards meant there was a huge demand for cheap unskilled labour in the second half of the nineteenth century.
A huge influx of labourers and their families - mainly Irish - in the latter years of the century put a great strain on an area that was already blighted by slums such as Agar Town and Somers Town. It was decided that a 'New Town' would be built to accomodate some of these poorer working classes.

Highgate Newtown was built during the 1860's, 1870's and 1880's. It comprised a small area of terraced streets built to house these labourers and railway workers. Bertram and Winscombe Streets and part of Doynton Street were the first to be built followed by Retcar, Lulot, Colva and Raydon and the completion of Chester Road.
These 'new' houses were far from perfect and there were many initial problems.

This is from Holborn Journal - 1868
HOUSES WITHOUT A DRAIN
'The report of the Sanitary Committee with reference to the shocking state of the drainage of a large number of houses erected in Highgate New Town, and the existence of a foul ditch or open sewer 900 feet in length was read. Mr. Watkins, chairman of the Sanitary Committee, stated he had no idea until he viewed the property that they had houses, in the parish in such a state as they found these. It really was very serious affair. Builders were there erecting a large town of some 131 houses and a 12-inch pipe was the only medium of carrying off the sewerage, which it did into an open cesspool 900 feet long by 4 or 5 feet wide, which the committee could scarcely go near.
One large house, built for a public-house, at the corner of Chester and Bertram-roads, called the Totnes Castle, was in a fearful condition. On going down the staircase, there was quite a miasma from the stench and filth in the cellars. The floor appeared dry but when a stick was pushed into it they found four inches of soft filth. It was a matter of consideration with the committee whether the house should not be closed.'

Within a matter of years the area had become notorious and the haunt of criminals. Gangs of teenagers and children such as the 'Highgate New Town Gang' and 'Dick Turpin Gang' featured regularly in the press of the day - both local and nationally.
Colva Street was considered the hub of this criminal fraternity and was avoided by the constabulary unless they were in sufficient numbers to be safe from attack.
The triangle of streets that constituted the New Town was soon considered to be one of the 'most dire slums' in North London.
The suffragette newspaper The Common Cause described Highgate New Town as a 'notoriously rough quarter' (1910)
The Labour Party writing in the Daily Herald said of the area - 'Hundreds of kiddies in this district are underfed and there are terrible slums, especially in Highgate New Town' (1913)

In an effort to turn the tide it was decided to change the name of the most notorious street from Colva Street to Balmore Street. The exercise proved pointless as changing the name did nothing to keep the gangs of offenders off the streets.

Balmore Street would eventually become known to one and all as 'The Bay'. It is not certain as to how it aquired this nickname but legend has it that it was likened to the notoriously rough area of Tiger Bay in Cardiff by a Police Inspector who had worked in both areas. Whatever the reason the name stuck and the Bay was how it became known.

One good thing that always could be said of the Bay was that there was a wonderful sense of community in the street. The years of poverty at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth century had instilled a sense of 'togetherness' in the residents. People looked out for each other and 'watched each other's back'. The terraced back to back houses were very similar to what could be found in the East End of London and the working class cities of the North. Everybody knew everybody and houses were often occupied by two or three generations of one family to say nothing of uncles, aunts and cousins.

Every street had it's gang of kids and pitched battles between different streets would often take place on the local bomb site or 'debris'.

The criminal element of the street that was so prevalent in the early years had certainly abated as the twentieth century moved on although there were still quite a few 'villains' about and ducking and diving was often the order of the day!
In his excellent book 'London Born', Sidney 'Cabby' Day describes Balmore Street in the thirties and forties as a 'street where there was so much villainry going on, so many drunks and gambling and Gawd knows what, that at night the police would only come down in pairs'

One notorious spot in the mid sixties was the 'mission' (St Anne's Mission Hall opened Jan 1885) which was being looked after by a local 'character'. I can remember some very dubious characters being put up there and some notorious parties took place there!

Balmore Street still exists - well, half of it does! These days it is a very different place with current house prices starting around £630,000 - a far cry from being one of the 'most dire slums' in North London. Most of the streets that made up the 'triangle' are gone having been replaced by a 'new' Highgate New Town in the 1970's and The Totnes Castle is now an upmarket gastro pub called The Star serving such delights as Smoked Mackerel or Octopus - I just hope they had that cellar cleaned out!

These are just a small selection of the clippings from the press relating to Colva/Balmore Street and Highgate New Town back in the late 1890's and early1900's. Some serious sentences handed out!! There were literally hundreds of articles to pick from!! - One or two familiar names mentioned?

HIGHGATE ROBBERS.
William Reeves (21), Thomas Simkins (17), and Joseph Conway (17). all labourers, residing at Highgate New Town, were charged on remand with highway robbery. Conway was further charged with using violence, —Miss Stainsforth stated that she was walking along the Archway road on February 28th, when she was attacked by the three prisoners. Conway knocked her down and stole her purse, which contained 8s. The men then ran off. It was then about eleven in the morning. Reeves and Simkins were arrested in the district few days subsequently, and Conway was arrested at Barnet on the following day be was about to join the militia. The prisoners pleaded guilty.—Detective Sergt. Nicholls said the men were members of Highgate New Town gang that was continually committing shop larcenies.—Reeves and Simkins were awarded two month’s each, and Conway three months with hard labour.

BAD LADS.
Wm, Bishop, 18, van boy. of Doynton-Street, Highgate New Town, and Thomas Wright, 17, labourer, of Colva-street, Highgate New Town, were charged on remand with being concerned together in stealing a wooden sleigh, value 10s,, the property of a boy named C. Newton Bussell, of Southwood avenue.—Three previous convictions were proved against Bishop, one of which was for stealing £1 Is 5d from a boy.—Detective-Sergeant Hall said that the two lads were pests to the neighbourhood. They would do no work and were thieving every day.—Bishop was sentenced to three months, and Wright to one month's hard labour.

DICK TURPIN GANG.
At Highgate Police Court on Monday, Reuben Sims, 14, factory boy, of Vorley road; Alfred Johnson, 15, errand boy, of Colva street; Henry Pettifer, 12, school boy of Bertram-street and William Sear, 12, school boy, of Colva-street, all members of a band known in Highgate New Town as the Dick Turpin Gang, were charged with stealing, on August 11, a sewing machine, of the value of £2. the property of Mary Spring, of 118, Highgate Hill; Sims, Pettifer, and Johnson were also charged with stealing a tricycle horse, value 10s. the property of Mr B. C. Johnson, of Cromwell Place, Highgate; and Johnson was further charged with wilfully damaging an apple tree to the extent of £1 in the garden of Brookfield, Westhill, Highgate.
Jane Dennis, 34. a married woman of Colva-street, New Town, was charged with feloniously receiving the tricycle weII knowing it to have been stolen.—Evidence was given by Detective Sgt. Nicholls, Y division, who said that Johnson was the ringleader the gang, which numbered 12 in all.—All the prisoners pleaded guilty. —Jane Dennis was bound over under the first Offenders’ Act to come up for judgment if called upon ; Johnson and Sims were each sentenced to 14 days imprisonment, to be followed four years in a reformatory; Pettifer was sentenced to receive six strokes with the birch rod and Sear was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment, followed by five years in a reformatory

THE BIRCH FOR THREE YOUNG THIEVES.
Edward Martin, thirteen; Harry Edwards, eleven; and William' Edwards, thirteen, schoolboys, of Winscombe Street, Highgate Now Town, were charged with being con- cerned together in stealing two tins of salmon from a grocer's. shop in - Chester Road, Highgate New Town.
In Highgate New Town there is a gang of youths and boys who call themselves the Dick Turpin Gang. Members of this gang are constantly getting into trouble and appearing at this court, it was said.
Osborne, 69 V R, deposed that he saw the three prisoners with another boy in Dartmouth Park on Tuesday morning week. Two of the prisoners had each a tin of salmon under his coat. He arrested those boys, and took the third prisoner into custody at night, but he had not found the fourth boy. Mr. Buckingham, grocer, identified the tins of salmon as his property.
These boys and others were constantly entering his shop.
Mr. Tubbs: As customers?
The Witness: No, sir.
Mr. Tubbs: You mean they "sneak" in.
The Witness: Yes, and then steal anything they can lay bands on.
He saw these boys in his shop on Tuesday week, and afterwards missed the salmon. Martin's mother gave her boy a very bad character. She was sorry he was her son, and wished the Bench would send him to sea. The police-constable (re- called) said that Martin was birched by order of this Court some time ago. The school attendance officer gave all the boys a bad character. Mr. Cory Wright said that six strokes of the birch had not done Martin any good. They would try what twelve strokes would do this time. Martin set up a tremendous howl, and said he would rather go to sea. Harry Edwards was ordered to receive six strokes with the birch, and his brother William eight strokes.

DARTMOOR CONVICTS LAMENT.
Four schoolboys. named Thomas Dennis, Arthur Waller. Frederick Wright, and William Allen, living in Colva-street, Highgate New Town, were before Mr. Curtis Bennett. at Marylebone charged by the St. Pancras Borough Council with stealing an iron tank trolley from a field at York Rise Mr. Whelan, an industrial schools officer, put in a plea on behalf of the boy Arthur Waller. aged nine years, on account of the exceedingly bad home influence under which be had been brought up.
His father, a bricklayer, he said, had not contributed to the home expenses for eighteen months, and such, apparently, was his character that his own son, a lad of twenty years of age, who was now undergoing ten years' penal servitude at Dartmoor for highway robbery, had written home attributing his downfall to the father's bad influence, and advising his mother to leave him.
Mrs. Waller, who was described a respectable and hard-working woman, explained. with tears in her eyes, that what her son meant was that if the home influence had been different be might have been a free man instead of a convict. Her husband, she said, had been a burden to her all her married life.
Mr. Curtis Bennett: Why don't you leave him?
Mrs. Waller: Well, I want to do the best for my home and children.
Continuing, she entreated the magistrate not to take the boy now before the Court from her. Whatever her husband might be, she was willing to work for her children, and to take this boy from her would be to deprive her of her one object in life. Mr. Curtis Bennett remanded the boy to a home, and ordered the other three boys to receive twelve strokes of the birch.

ILLEGALLY REMOVING GOODS.
John Claridge, of Colva-street, Highgate New Town, was summoned for frandulently removing his goods to avoid distraint.—Mr. A. M. Forbes supported the summons.—Mr. Fraser, of the firm Messrs. Fraser and Heigh, said that the defendant owed 13s rent and moved the goods after notice.—The wife appeared and said her husband had been out of work in consequence of the coal strike, so when distraint was threatened she moved the goods for the sake of her little children. —The Bench ordered defendant to pay 2s. per week off the arrears, and consented pay the costs out of the poor box. Luke Harrap, of 30, Colva-street, Highgate New Town, appeared to similar summons

ADJOURNED CASE.
John Whiting, 18, of 20, Winscombe - street, Highgate New Town, and James Mellasan, of 17, Colva-street, Highgate New Town, were charged together with stealing a shilling from William John Heulett, of Doynton street, Highgate'New Town.— At the previous hearing Henlelt, who is errand boy, said that the prisoners stopped him and his brother the previous Wednesday night and demanded some tobacco. As they were unable to comply with the request, the prisoners set upon him and threw him to the ground. In the meantime Heulett’s big brother had fled from the struggle, and the prisoners did likewise after having a shilling out of tbs younger brother’s waistcoat pocket. —The prosecutor did not appear at the present hearing, and Inspector Kennedy said he had reasons to believe he did not intend to. —The Bench insisted upon the case being proceeded with, and adjourned it for a week for the attendance of the prosecutor.

VIOLENT ASSAULT. Yesterday, at the Clerkenwell Police-court, Elisabeth Miles, 39, married, of Colva-street, Highgate New Town, was charged with being drunk and disorderly at Junction-road. Charles Miles, 39, a labourer, and Michael Draper, 40, were charged with assaulting Wm. Mosey, a School Board officer. When Mrs. Miles was taken into custody she struggled violently with Police-Constable Jane, 692 Y, and her husband made an attempt to rescue her. The complainant Mosey went to the officer's maistance, when Miles struck him a heavy blow in the right eye. Draper afterwards struck him, felling him to the ground, and while he was down kicked him in the jaw. Mr. d'Eyncourt ordered Elizabeth Miles to pay 21s., or 14 days ; Charles Miles 40s. and 20s. costs, or one month ; and sent Draper to gaol for two months

THREATENING TO KILL A WIFE.
At the Highgate Police Court, William Brooker, gardener, of Colva Street, Highgate Newtown, was summoned by his wife for threatening to kill her.— Esther said she had been married to the prisoner for years, and there were five children. Three months after they were married he threatened to kill her, and through that was discharged from his employment. He was continually drunk, and the other day he stood over her with knife and threatened to kill her. He had told her he would " swing for her." She could really live with him longer, and asked the Bench to grant her a separation. —Defendant denied the allegations made against him.—The bench said they not grant a separation for threats, but the prisoner would be bound over for six months keep the peace, himself in £10 and one surety in £10.—Defendant said he could not find the surety, and the Bench said that in default he would be imprisoned for three months with hard labour.

CABMAN'S SINGULAR STORY
A cabman told a singular story at Highgate, on Saturday, to the effect that he drove three men for three hours, and the only "payment" he got was with a shovel. On Friday "night a working man hired him from the Highbury Station rank, and the cabman drove him and two companions about Holloway for three hours. The man then ordered him to his house at Colva Street, Highgate New Town. The cabman drove there, and was invited in to supper, " a common thing," added cabby, "but I said, I don't want no supper ; I want my money.' " He eventually went in for his money, and refused repeated invitations to sup. "I'll show you," said the man, " how we pay cabmen," and struck him on the head with "a great big fire shovel." A wild scene ensued, during which a woman forced open the room door "with a spoon," and he escaped. Mr. Glover granted a summons for the fare, and another for the alleged assault

THREATENING A CONSTABLE
Alfred Kelly. 23. a labourer, of Noel Place ,Wood green, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Colva street. Highgate New town, Salurday evening. Police-constable 19s Y. who proved the offence, said Kelly used very bad language. and was very violent when arrested, and large crowd collected and endeavoured to rescue him from custody, the constable being badly illtreated . On the way the station the prisoner threatened 'blow the constable's brains out' when he was released from prison. Kelly admitted being the worse for drink, but denied using bad language. Called as witness was Mrs, Allen, a laundress, who said the man was perfectly innocent. He was the worse for liquor, but did not use bad language. A fine and costs was inflicted.

A HOOLIGAN.
Alfred Johnson, 18, a bottle washer, of Colva street, Highgate, was charged with assaulting: Police-constables Gaynor. 669 Y, and Smith, 747 N, at Chester-Road. Highgate New-town. The officer, Gaynor saw prisoner and a number of other lads amusing themselves by pushing pedestrians from the pavement. Gaynor seized Johnson, and he struck the officer several in times in the face and kicked him on the left leg. Police-constable Smith came to Gaynor's assistance. and Johnson kicked him on the leg. The officers were followed by a disorderly gang in their passage to the police - station and were hustled and threatened. Mr. d'Eyencourt sent Johnson to gaol to do a month's hard labour.

ALLEGED ASSAULT.
Edward Amos Giddy, Colva street, Highgate New Tom, was summoned for unlawfully
assaulting and beating William Endersby.—Prosecutor said that on October 21st he was in Brunswick road, when defendant, who was passing, stopped his horse and abused him. Witness told him to wash his month out, and defendant drove away. Half an-hour later, witness met defendant in Colva street. He at once threw down his stick and after challenging witness to fight struck him in the month. The cause of the trouble was a judgment which witness had obtained against defendant in the County Court.—Mrs. Livings, of 4, Colva street, who was subpoened for the prosecution, said she was passing at the time and saw two two men face to face, but although she saw defendant's arm up she saw no blows struck.—Defendant elected to be sworn, and denied striking prosecutor. On the other hand he alleged that Endersby was continually annoying and insulting him.—Defendant was eventnally bound over to keep the peace for six months, and ordered to pay the costs.

ONLY BOXED HIS EARS.
Thomas Roberts, of Colva street, Highgate New Town, appeared to a summons for assaulting Robert Liddall, a lad 12 years old.—The lad stated that he was playing ball in the High-street and accidentally knocked defendant’s son down. Defendant rushed at him and struck him on the eye and ear. His eye was blackened and his ear had discharged since.—Defendant did not call witnesses but said complainant frequently ill - used his children. Once he pushed a little girl down some steps, and on another occasion threw some flour in his boy's eyes. On recent occasion be also struck pony belonging to defendant, cansing it to bolt. He also denied that be did no more than box the boy’s ears.—The Chairman said defendant had taken the law into his own hands, and would be fined 10s and 5s 6d costs

MANSLAUGHTER
John William Peters, 20, French polisher, of Bertram-street, Highgate New Town, was charged with the manslaughter of William Meard, of Colva- street, Highgate. — lt appeared that the two men were in a public-house at Junction-road, when they quarrelled over a game of " shove-ha'penny," and the Prisoner struck the deceased. The quarrel was subsequently re-newed in Bicker ton road, when Prisoner was alleged to have struck Meard behind the ear, and the latter fell on the ground. This happened on the 19th inst., since which the injured man had died. A detective met the Prisoner in Junction-road on Wednesday, and told him he should take him into custody for the manslaughter of Meard. The Prisoner replied, " All right call and tell my father l am locked up. He is in the Junction Arms. He has been and seen the deceased. He told my father he brought it all on himself. I have been in this neighbourhood ten years, and only had about four fights. I don't like it." — Mr. Paul Taylor granted a remand.

CONTRADICTORY EVIDENCE.
Henry Willian Picppiatt, of 33, Colva street, Highgate New Town, was charged with violently assaulting Joseph Joshua Kipping by throwing a paraffin lamp and striking him on the head.— Joseph Joshua Kipping, who wore bandages all over bis head, said he lived 33, Colva street, Highgate New Town. Prisoner lived in the same house. On Saturday night when preparing for bed he heard a noise downstairs, and prisoner saying that be (complainant) lived on his daughters. He went down to the kitchen and told defendant he ought to be ashamed of himself for making such a statement. Prisoner picked up a box lid and attempted to strike complainant, but he warded off the blow and struck prisoner in self-defence.
Complainant’s daughters then persuaded him to upstairs, and while leaving the room prisoner threw a lighted paraffin lamp at his bead. A wound was caused by the blow, and all his hair was burnt off. He walked the police-station, and his injuries were dressed by the police divisional surgeon, and prisoner was charged. Complainant added that prisoner after the first assault picked up a piece of burning lamp and threw it at his eldest daughter, causing injury to her face and arm. He could not say whether prisoner was drunk or sober, as it was all done in minute. Prisoner cross-examined complainant, who denied that he was drunk. He also denied that the lamp was pulled down with shelf during violent straggle.
Rosina Kipping, daughter of complainant, was in her bedroom at about 12 o’clock when she heard prisoner abusing her father alleging that he lived on their wrong-doing. There was struggle, and prisoner attacked her father with piece of wood a yard square. He defended himself against prisoner, who deliberately threw lighted paraffin lamp his head. His hair was in flames, and she put the flames out with her hands. Prisoner then threw the lighted wick her sister, burning her face and arm. She led her father to the station. Prisoner was charged, and asked witness to persuade her father not to press the charge and then he would settle all expenses. —Prisoner denied that he made this offer.
Emma Kipping, another daughter, was in bed on Saturday night and heard some one screaming, ’ Fire. ’ She rushed downstairs. Prisoner was there with lighted burner in his hand, which he threw her face. She was burnt on the cheek and arm. The first assault was committed before she arrived, she saw prisoner assault her father earlier in the evening.
Acting- Sergeant Morris, 55S V, was called to the house, 33, Colva-street. He heard screaming and shouting. There was crowd outside, and a woman screaming. She said, “For God’s sake inside.” He saw complainant with his head and face covered with blood, and sheet partly wrapped round his head. He said prisoner did it. Witness found prisoner in one of the rooms on the ground floor nursing a baby, and told him the charge. made statement then, but at the station he said, “I did not throw the lamp. It was quite an accident it slipped out of my hand.” Prisoner made some statement the prosecutor the station to the effect that he would pay.
Mary Ann Aldridge, a lodger in the same house, came home from shopping about 12.10. Prosecutor was holding prisoner by the throat, and his danghters were calling out, Pay him, father.” She went upstairs, and a quarter of an hour after she beard screams of " Fire,” and found that lamp had been broken.
Prisoner, in his defence, said the prosecutor was a noisy man, and on Saturday was quarrelling with his family. Prisoner called to him not to wake the children, and he came down with his daughters and brutally assaulted prisoner in his own kitchen. There was a violent struggle, and the mantle-shelf and lamp were pulled down and the prosecutor was injured.
The Bench, after consideration, fined prisoner for the assault, 7s 6d doctor’s fee, and 10s 6d coats, or in default one month with hard labour. —Prisoner asked for three days in which to get the money, and the application was eventually granted.

THE BIRCH FOR BAD BOYS. Albert Hearst and Albert Ford, of Upper Holloway, and Albert Thompson, Highgate New Town, schoolboys, were each ordered to receive six strokes with the birch for stealing from No. 22, North-hill, Highgate, a collecting box, containing 2s., for the Metropolitan Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital. Cecil Tilley, 13, William Day, 12, William Hillman, 11, and Albert Thompson, 11, all of Balmore-street, Highgate New Town, were ordered receive six strokes with the birch for being concerned in stealing and receiving the sum of 8s. from shop till at 46, Northroad, Highgate, the property Ada Appleton

"NOT HALF HUNGRY."
Alfred Hallam, 13, schoolboy, of Balmore-street, Highgate New Town. was charged with stealing a loaf of bread, worth 2d., from the shop of Herbert Claude Frisker, of Retcar street. The prosecutor said the prisoner and other boys were outside of his shop on Tuesday night, when this lad went in, stole a loaf, and ran away. He dropped the loaf, and then said he had been induced to take the loaf by other boys' who said they were not half hungry. They had also (he said) taken a cake. The boy's mother gave him good character—a regular attendant at school, and a member of the Church Lads Brigade. Mr. Fordham told him it was fortunate he had this good character. Eight strokes with the birch rod.

Also, for a flavour of the times