Postcards of Temple Fortune, part of the Raymond Lowe collection

Temple Fortune is the gateway to the Suburb. The main entry is Hampstead Way which was symbolically closed by gates once a year. The name Temple Fortune is reputed to come from the Knights Templar who held land in the district. The entry is magnificently marked by the two gateway houses, Temple Fortune House and Arcade House. These two buildings were designed by Arthur Joseph Penty (1875-1937) who joined the Parker and Unwin office. Both the Valentine cards show the tramway service which was later replaced by trolley buses. When these were axed they were replaced by buses, the service is now very much less reliable than it previously was. One of the most interesting spin offs of the views of the Temple Fortune is the names of the shops that occupied the ground floor of the two buildings. My earlier card only shows the name TEMPLE FORTUNE HOUSE ESTATEAGENCY, this makes the taking of the photograph and not necessarily when it was published pre 1915 when Coparts office was founded. My second card is post 1915 because the sign has changed to COPARTS ESTATE AGENTS. Presumably they then occupied the premises now used by Barclays Bank and not the offices at the beginning of Hampstead Way. This building, now occupied by M/s Freshwater, was inserted later cutting off the intended side rear view of Penty's building and causing the balconies facing Freshwaters to be removed. The most northerly shop was occupied by Vernon Hall who was advertising both as a photographic dealer and an optician. The two hand barrows in the roadway opposite Temple Fortune House belonged to Cook & Shuttler. One shop advertises as the French Cleaners , the coat of arms incorporated in the sign appears to be the same as that shown, on the earlier card, on Temple Fortune House. Further down the hill are M/s Pritchards, Restaurant, Luncheons,
Teas, Light Refreshments. The post box is still in the same place now as it was then, the rest of the street furniture has all changed including the trees. The rear elevations of the two buildings are now in a very neglected state. Photochrom Co. twin card shows Temple Fortune and Arcade Houses with buses circa mid l920s