Gibson Gardens is a historic tenement
block of flats
An apartment (American English), or flat (British English, Indian English, South African English), is a self-contained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) that occupies part of a building, generally on a single story. There are man ...
in
Stoke Newington in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, England.
The flats were built by the
in 1880 and named in honour of
Thomas Field Gibson
Thomas Field Gibson FGS (3 March 1803 – 12 December 1889) was a Unitarian silk manufacturer and philanthropist. He supported several novel initiatives to enhance British manufacturing quality and international trade while improving life fo ...
, who was a Director of the Association from its inception. It originally comprised three brick blocks of flats and a row of 'cottages' which originally housed older relations of people living in the blocks. A further block (the 'paddlesteamer' block) was built later. They were originally called Gibson Buildings and were some of the first quality dwellings for working and lower-middle-class families in London.
The buildings are located near the corner of Northwold Road and Stoke Newington High Street (A10), close to
Stoke Newington Common.
They were renovated in 1975 but many period features survive, including the rare
cobblestone street surfaces.
Gibson Gardens was a location for shooting the video of the 2007 single ''
Back to Black
''Back to Black'' is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. Winehouse predominantly based the album on her tumultuous relationship with then-ex-boyfrien ...
'' by
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz.
A membe ...
and the 2015 film ''
Legend
A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess ...
'' starring Tom Hardy. Scenes from the "Screen Two" presentation "Heading Home" (1990) starring Gary Oldman, Joely Richardson, Steven Dillane & Stella Gonet was also shot in the Gardens.
The alleged Russian spy
Anna Chapman
Anna Vasilyevna Chapman (russian: А́нна Васи́льевна Ча́пман; born Anna Vasilyevna Kushchenko on 23 February 1982) is a Russian intelligence agent, media personality and model who was arrested in the United States on 27 Ju ...
and her husband lived in Gibson Gardens for a period around 2002.
Report in Stoke Newington Gazette 2 July 2010
Bibliography
* ''The Gibson Gardens History and Cookbook'', Centerprise Trust, 1984 ()
* ''Gaslight on the Cobble: Family life in Gibson Gardens and Stoke Newington 1923-1955'' by Doris Robson, Paz Publications, 1998 ()
* ''The Alternitive Guide to the London Boroughs'', Open House, Edited by Owen Hatherley, 2020 ()
Nearest station
Stoke Newington railway station
Stoke Newington is a London Overground station on the Lea Valley lines, serving the Stoke Newington area of the London Borough of Hackney. It is down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between and . Its three-letter station c ...
External links
Article & photographs on local history website
References
{{coord, 51.5637, -0.0720, region:GB_type:landmark, display=title
Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Hackney
Residential buildings in London
Stoke Newington
Streets in the London Borough of Hackney