Postcards from Primrose Hill

This used to be St George’s Square, which was renamed Chalcot Square in 1937. It looks as if the image was taken in winter, as the trees are bare and the children are all wearing warm hats.

On the right, next to the street light, we see a child pushing another in what seems to be a home-made pushchair.

On the left, in front of the cast iron railings, is a group of, I think, 13 children posing for the photographer. It’s difficult to see: a few of them are blurry as they were probably impatient and moved while the photo was taken.

In the 1901 census, two talented sisters were living at number 6, St George’s Square: the artist Julia Bracewell Folkard (1849-1933) and writer Mary Howard Folkard (1854-1918).

Julia, a portrait and genre painter, was a student at the Royal Academy and later a painting of hers was acquired by the National Portrait Gallery.

Mary was originally an actress, but turned to writing in the 1890s under the pseudonym Mary H Tennyson; she published several novels and contributed to periodicals. By the 1911 census they had left this address but hadn’t gone far. Clearly the sisters liked living in the square as they had moved two doors down, to number 4.

By 1920, two years after Mary died, Julia was back living at number 6, where she remained until she died 13 years later.

At this time another sister, Elizabeth (1853-1932), had moved in with her; she was also a painter and died a year before Julia, both much older than poor Mary.

@old_primrosehill_postcards

By Night By Night By Night