From vintage school lockers and assembly chairs, to quirky scientific equipment and traditional leather bingo cards, a host of artefacts from Hornsey Town Hall are set to go under the hammer next week at an auction in aid of local charities.
Whether you’re a history buff, a telly addict, a collector of curios or a fan of vintage, the auction will offer a rare opportunity to own a small slice of the Grade II* Listed landmark’s history.
Much of the building’s most iconic Art Deco fixtures and fittings – including all the listed items, the grand piano, committee room tables and original doors and flooring – will be carefully restored and preserved for future generations to enjoy as part of the Town Hall’s redevelopment.
Other loose non-listed items, including original lockers, smaller tables, assembly chairs and filing cabinets – as well as lighting rigs, theatre equipment and disused props – will be available to buy. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Mayor of Haringey’s Special Fund, which supports local charities mental health Mind in Haringey and Studio 306.
The items will be auctioned at a special event at the Town Hall on Wednesday (March 7) before restoration of the elegant building – which has featured in hit TV shows including Netflix’s The Crown and movies such as Jekyll and Hyde and In the Loop – gets underway this summer.
An auction preview, offering people the chance to browse items in advance, will be held from 10am-6pm on Wednesday 7 March, with the auction itself running from 6.30-8.30pm on the same day.
A full catalogue of available items, along with information on registering interest in the auction can be found below:
- Plans to restore Hornsey Town Hall and remove the building from Historic England’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ register were approved by Haringey Council in December.
- The multi-million pound proposals led by developers Crouch End (FEC) Ltd include a new arts centre, café, flexible community and events spaces and a quality hotel,. There will also be new housing, including 11 social rented homes, a newly landscaped Town Hall Square and a new “Town Hall Gardens” public space.
- Crouch End FEC will invest more than £36million in restoration and refurbishment, including more than £20million in repair and heritage works to preserve historic parts of the building, including the council chamber