History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

These adjoining houses in West Hampstead, which were built in the 1890s, have an interesting history. The Caerthillian Nursing Home first opened in No.87 about 1925, and ten years later expanded into the premises next door. The principal, Edith Wyatt was the daughter of one of the first owners of the houses. This advert from 1938 mentions the recently introduced Minnittis Apparatus, which was a nitrous oxide gas and air mask to help the mother during delivery of the baby. Before the NHS, middle class parents paid to have their children born in a private maternity home.  The writer Jackie Collins, sister of Joan, was born there in 1937 while her parents were living in Hillcrest Court at the top of Shoot-Up Hill. Dusty Springfield (real name Mary O’Brien) was born at the nursing home in 1939. The O’Brien’s had lived locally in 104 Sumatra Road from about 1933 to 1938. Her birth certificate says Mary was born 16 April at 87 Fordwych Road. When her father registered the birth on 23 May...

After several years of research, and with the technical expertise of Adrian Hindle-Briscall, we have published two unique and free online maps. One map covers the studios, record companies, record shops and clubs in North West London from Finchley Road, through West Hampstead, Kilburn, Willesden and Harlesden. The other looks at the musicians, producers and managers who lived the area.  Screen shot of Map 1 Map 1 includes the well-known Decca Studios in West Hampstead as well as the now unknown site of the Edison National Phonographic Company. Did you know about Master Rock studios in Kilburn High Road where many famous bands made records? This area also had Island, Trojan and Zomba Record companies. There were Irish clubs like the Banba in Kilburn, the Purple Pussycat disco in Finchley Road, and music venues such as the popular Gaumont State, The National, the Mean Fiddler and today’s The Fiddler. Map 2 shows the homes of three of the Rolling Stones; Mick Jagge...