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12 February 2019

Primrose Hill Beaches

Last month I put together a collection of coal hole cover plates that I'd snapped in Primrose Hill. I mentioned that one name was the most common here. I didn't actually compile a chart or count every plate I saw that day but I think I saw more for George Beach & Company of Camden Town than any other company.
Every area tells me the story about its local supplier. Sometimes a property developer will use a trusted supplier for his whole terrace (as per the line of Charles plates in my previous post) or they engage a local ironmonger. If plates need to be replaced at a later date then homeowners will have more than likely used they nearest local tradesman. And here that go-to supplier appears to have been Mr Beach.
Below are five different cover plates from this area and you can see how Beach's name and the designs have changed over time.

Sorry about the picture quality – these were taken late afternoon when the light was fast fading
I have attempted to put them onto chronological order (reading top row L-R and then bottom row).
Logic tells me that the one shown top left is the earliest – it has just the name and looks to be an adaptation of a simple design that seems to have been widely available as a sort of template/mould.
Then the second pic shows the name shows Geo as an abbreviation for George and the address at 167 High Street, Camden Town. This was next-door-but-one to The Black Cap public house. I can't actually date tit specifically but I would guess it's approx 1880s as by 1895 Geo Beach & Co Ltd is listed in the directories as being at 167-169 with a shoe shop also at No.169 intimating that Beach had also acquired premises at the rear.
The pics top right and bottom left are, I think, the same design, but one has lost its centre section. George is now using a pretty eight-pointed star motif which, again, is a common/standard design as it includes the words Patent Plate at the centre. Note also that the specific company address has been dropped from here onwards. And he's reverted to just the initial G for his first name.
Centre bottom has a less fussy star design but it shows that it is now a limited company as confirmed by my 1915 directory which also has the company listed as wholesale ironmongers at 63 Seymour Street. This is an up-market move as it's on a corner of the southern end Edgware* Road, a stone's throw from Marble Arch. Perhaps next time I am wandering in that area I might find some Beach cover plates showing that location.
The last pic is the most recent as it shows the addition of N.W.1. which is the area code for Camden. This numbering system was introduced in 1917.  Beach looks to have adapted the previous design here – a ring of dots replaces the word patent plate at the centre and eight ventilation holes have been added to allow for air to circulate in the coal bunker below.
Today 167-169 Camden High Street is home to the local branch of Carphone Warehouse. If you look up at the top edge of the building you will see a circular motif containing a shield with the cartouche PS or SP. I am still trying to find out who or what these initials signify. I am guessing this is the first owner of the building.

As ever, all contributions welcome via the comments section here or just email me: jane@janeslondon.com 

*sometimes written as Edgeware

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Thanks, Jane