Take a tour of Stroud Green’s musical heritage

The Hunter memorial organ at St Mellitus is one small part of Stroud Green’s rich and eclectic musical history. To celebrate it we’ve teamed up with Oonagh Gay and Susan Hahn, from Islington Guided Walks, to create a podtour which explores some of the highlights. This self-guided walk is the perfect way to make the most of your lockdown daily exercise: good for the body and enriching for the mind!

Focusing on the musical heritage of three significant communities in the area: the African-Caribbean, Greek Cypriot and Irish communities, you’ll visit the site of a piano factory, a former music hall and studios belonging to the oldest independent record label in the world; you’ll hear about ‘jelly mould’ cinema organs and memorable performances at the iconic Rainbow Theatre. Local residents – Sarah White of the George Padmore Institute; Alice Georgeou, whose Greek Cypriot father ran a cafe on Hornsey Road; and Geri Caulfield who saw The Pogues play at the now demolished Irish pub and venue, the Sir George Robey – also share their musical memories.

The tour is designed to be taken on location as a guided walk, but it also works as a documentary. You can listen from your favourite armchair and see the locations Oonagh and Susan are talking about in the photo gallery above.

If you are walking with us, take a screengrab on your mobile of the map in the photo gallery, download the podtour and head to St Mellitus Church on the corner of Tollington Park and Evershot Road, where Oonagh and Susan are waiting to tell you all about N4’s fascinating musical past.