Hillyard Street was originally called Russell street.
It is likely that the name Russell Street was in honour of Lord John Russell a Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century, click here for more info. As for the current street name it is very likely that the street is named after Anne Hillyard, the widow of a clergyman who stumped up a huge amount of money for the founding of Stockwell Orphanage in 1867 . Russell Street can be seen on maps as far back as 1837. Heavily bombed in WW2 there are no surviving original buildings.
Charles Booth’s Map of London Poverty research took him to Russell Street in 1895. See below for how he graded this street…
Although it might look a bit more like pink in this print checking his notebooks Booth actually colour coded Russell Street as ‘Purple”, see the key here:
For more on how our area was graded on the Poverty maps click here.
British History online tells us about the houses that once stood on Hillyard Street:
“Nos. 37–61 (odd) Hillyard Street: Formerly Nos. 11–23 (consec.) Russell Street
Nos. 37–61 form a continuous well-maintained terrace of three-storey houses, each two windows wide, of which Nos. 37–47 form one group and Nos. 49–61 another. The groups are similar and of the same height to their parapets. The former group has a linking band at first-floor sill level while the others are linked at first-floor level. The ground floor windows and doorways have round arches springing from stone imposts; the first-floor windows have gauged flat arches set in shallow semi-circular headed recesses. The terrace is devoid of ornament except for the castiron guards protecting the first-floor windows of Nos. 49–61. December 31, 1822; James Crundall.”
I have just found out that my great grandfather was living at number 26 russell street in 1881 at the age of 4 yrs
Details about the building of the above chapel can be found on http://www.brixtontabernacle. wordpress.com
I remember an Aunt and Uncle residing at 28E Hillyard Street that still actually exists, as flats originally built to blend in with other dwellings around the corner in Cranworth Gardens. I was about five going on six when our parents used to take us to visit them from 1971, just prior to their daughter’s wedding that year. We visited regularly throughout the 1970’s but became more sporadic during the 1980’s.
As you passed what was a bank and turned left into Hillyard Street from the Brixton Road, I can recall a small recreation grassed area on the left in Hillyard Street that I believe was fenced but could gain access through a gate. Can anyone remember this? Also, it would be interesting to know when the flats were built where our Aunt and Uncle lived for so many years until the 1990’s Lastly, does anyone possess photographs of Hillyard Street around early to mid 1970’s?
26 and 28 Hillyard Street were rebuilt after the war in 1949. I live in 28C below your Aunt and Uncle’s flat at 28E.
26 and 28 Hillyard Street were rebuilt after the war in 1949. I live in 28C below your Aunt and Uncle’s flat at 28E.
I lived in Hillyard Street from 1967 until 1978 – in one of the prefabs on the left hand side from Brixton Road. I went to Durand school and my mum also worked at the school
I lived at 26F Hillyard Street from 1949 to 1960 I remember Astrid and Ingrid Anderson living next door at 26E and my friend Patrick ( AKA Patsy ) and his sisters Jean & Yuna. Who lived at 28E. I would love to hear from any of you. My name is Peter Garwood and I have a sister Anne.