South Hornsey facts for kids

A map showing the South Hornsey ward of Stoke Newington Metropolitan Borough as it appeared in 1916.

South Hornsey was a special area in Middlesex, England. It had its own local government from 1865 to 1900. Think of it like a small town or district that managed its own local services.

What Was South Hornsey?

South Hornsey was a specific area that was part of the larger parish of Hornsey. A "parish" was a traditional local area, often linked to a church. South Hornsey was given its own local government to help manage things like public health and local services for the people living there.

How South Hornsey Started

In 1865, a law called the Local Government Act 1858 was put into action in the southern part of Hornsey. This meant that a special group called the South Hornsey Local Board was created. Their job was to look after the area and make decisions for its residents.

South Hornsey's Unique Shape

Most of South Hornsey (about 172 acres) was in the Brownswood Park area, which is south-east of Finsbury Park. But it also had two smaller parts (about 60 acres in total) that were separate. These smaller parts were surrounded by other areas called Stoke Newington and Islington.

Later, in 1888, Islington and Stoke Newington became part of a new area called the County of London. This meant that the separate parts of South Hornsey became like "islands" of Middlesex county, surrounded by the new County of London. These "islands" are called exclaves.

Becoming an Urban District

Another law, the Local Government Act 1894, changed things again. South Hornsey became an urban district. This meant the South Hornsey Urban District Council took over from the old local board. At the same time, South Hornsey also became its own separate civil parish.

Why South Hornsey Changed Again

In 1899, a new law called the London Government Act 1899 was passed. This law aimed to make local government in London work better. It divided the County of London into new areas called metropolitan boroughs.

Because of this, South Hornsey Urban District was ended in 1900. Most of its area, which had about 16,703 people, became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Stoke Newington. A small part of South Hornsey, which didn't have anyone living in it, was added to the nearby Borough of Islington.

The old records from the South Hornsey Local Board and Urban District are now kept safe by the archives department of the London Borough of Hackney.