Fifty-six flats. That’s how many residences grace Belvedere Court. Imagine a time when these walls were new.
Belvedere Court stands proudly in Lyttelton Road East Finchley. It’s more than just apartments. It’s a piece of London’s history. Designed by Ernst L Freud son of the famous Sigmund Freud it was built in 1937 and 1938. The land belonged to the Church Estate Commissioners before that.
Initially the flats were for rent. Jewish families fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe found refuge here. Waste disposal chutes fitted kitchens and central heating were considered luxurious amenities then. These features represented the pinnacle of modern living in the 1930s.
Jerry Springer the famous television personality lived here as a child. Belvedere Court wasn’t always a smooth journey for its residents. In the 1990s the freeholder Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society tried to sell the building without offering it first to residents. That’s against the 1987 Landlord & Tenant Act. The High Court intervened. The residents eventually secured the freehold. The law was subsequently changed to penalize freeholders for similar actions.
Belvedere Court is a prime example of Moderne design. Streamline pavilion windows stone bands stepped entrances and Crittall windows are hallmarks of its style. Many original art deco features adorned the flats. Chrome door handles jade green bathrooms and globe lights were common. Sadly many were lost during modernizations. Despite this Belvedere Court was Grade II listed in 1999.
Today Belvedere Court stands as a testament to a time of both refuge and struggle. It shows a significant period of London’s history and architectural heritage. It reminds us of the importance of community and the fight for what’s right. Let us reflect on the lives lived within these walls. Let us appreciate the beauty and resilience of Belvedere Court.