The Box at Hendon Central Circus - S28

Photos tagged by Frith as from circa 1955 --

EDIT: First photo has been identified as being post 1961 and the second as post 1947, but taken well before the first.





Blowups --



Current street view --



The two low buildings at the end of the street have been removed and replaced by an open area.

View of the Box Site --



Box Site Street View URL:  http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Hendon+Central,+Hendon,+London,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=51.58299,-0.227278&spn=0.003813,0.018668&sll=51.579378,-0.241624&sspn=0.000922,0.001711&oq=hendon,+London,+United+Kingdom&hnear=Hendon+Central&t=m&layer=c&cbll=51.58299,-0.227278&panoid=B-YRUAJXn19OsdEsLDMERg&cbp=11,239.09,,0,8&z=16

Another photo of this Box from some time in the 1960s --



A blowup --

The single decker bus has a number plate ending in 'G', dating the picture as August 1968 at the very earliest.

A couple of new photos showing this Box from the other direction.

From circa 1960 --



From circa 1965 --



These photos show that the center of the circus and the sidewalk between it and the Box was changing throughout the 60s, and are both quite a bit different than they are now. They also show a much better view of where the Box actually was. As a result, a revision to the Site street view is in order.

The Box was actually here --



Revised Box Site Street View URL:  http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Hendon+Central,+Hendon,+London,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=51.583003,-0.22728&spn=0.004213,0.021071&sll=51.579378,-0.241624&sspn=0.000922,0.001711&oq=hendon,+London,+United+Kingdom&hnear=Hendon+Central&t=m&layer=c&cbll=51.583083,-0.227383&panoid=MhVCtMlK9l1hKZWW79NnvA&cbp=12,244.46,,0,3.57&z=16

Just realised that the first two pictures that start this thread can't both be circa 1955. The lower picture is the earliest with all the old style cars and new looking Underground sign on the wall of the building opposite while the top picture shows more modern cars and the Underground sign has been removed with a patch of clean wall showing where it had once been.

Another thing that is puzzling me. I cant figure out whether the box was moved sloghtly nearer the road or the road moved towards the box although I'm leaning to road widening and lastly what is the frame or fence that appears to be around the box in the first picture?

Yes, as we've discovered before (most recently with the Warlingham Box), whenever Francis Frith give a "circa" the date can be as much as seven or eight years off. More than a bit frustrating when you are trying to pin things down. That first photo looks mid to late 50s, the second late 40s. I should have noticed that myself - good catch.

It was definitely the road that was widened. You can see that the line in the sidewalk between the two different types of paving surfaces hasn't changed between the two pictures, while the curb line has been severely cut back leaving the Box closer to the curb. Then a lot more was done around the circle itself a few years later, diminishing the circle and extending the sidewalk in that direction in stages, and in the process making the Met List's description of the Box's location no longer accurate.

First pic in thread marked 1955 is post 1961 as there is a Vauxhall Victor FB in the shot

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_Victor

I'd put the second picture is post 1947 as there is a Ford Pilot

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Pilot

Excellent! Thanks for narrowing things down domvar.

I was going to say, we need a TARDIS nut who is also a classic car nut.

Here's this weeks Hi-Res Photo.....Enjoy!

That one's beautiful, Pete.  Probably one of the nicest, clearest photos we've seen. 

A blowup of the latest Hi-Res photo --



The photo clearly shows "GAUMONT" on the roof of the building. That theatre opened as the Ambassador Cinema on 15 February 1932. It was renamed Gaumont in 1949, so this photo can be narrowed further as being after that.

Both OS maps that mark the Box site show it, the buildings and other topographic details in the same position, before the curb line was changed and the Box was resited behind the new railing. They also show that as originally sited it was actually 20 yards northwest of Central Circus rather than the 15 yards indicated in the original Met List.

From the 1935-1936 OS map, right about when it was erected for its January 1936 commission date ("P.C.B." at centre of map) --



And from 1956 --

Here's the other Hi-Res Photo I have of this box (which states  about 1965...But who knows?!?)

Incidentally another great photo that makes a good Desktop picture!   

Another nice one Pete.

A blowup --

Date wise it's close but there is a Vauxhall Cresta Estate in there so post Jan 67.