North Drive

James Gray: More photographs of February 12th, 1967, showing buildings within the extensive grounds [see also jgc_24_187, 188 and 189 on the Queen’s Park Terrace page and jgc_24_ 191 on the West Drive page]. Although most of this area will later be covered by the new houses now being built, fortunately the main building, the Italian Villa will not be destroyed as it is the subject of a preservation order. Whether those seen in these photographs will escape remains to be seen.

Alas, I was too optimistic! The unoccupied Italian Villa gradually fell into dilapidation and decay, until the cost of restoration was deemed to be prohibitive. Five years after I wrote the above commentary, demolition started in March 1972. jgc_24_190