Campbell Road had a bad reputation from the moment it was built in 1865, on land known as the St Pancras’ Seven Sisters Road Estate. It was a long street just to the west of Fonthill Road, off Seven Sisters. Building along the street was done piecemeal and took a long time. Over susequent years, the demand fell and poor people – unable to afford to buy or rent a whole house – started taking rooms in the properties.
In 1880, the first lodging house opened at 47 Campbell Road, licensed for 90 men. This marked the beginning of numerous similar establishments in the area. By 1890, Campbell Road had the highest number of doss house beds on any Islington street. The residents, facing extreme poverty and overcrowded conditions, often spilled onto the streets. The area gained notoriety for its dire conditions, with inhabitants resorting to selling window glass and the police avoiding the neighbourhood due to its lawlessness. It became a hub for career criminals, marked by insularity and territorial rivalries.
Campbell Road residents hesitated to disclose their address, fearing job discrimination, especially for positions in the numerous small factories in Islington. In an attempt to improve its image, the road’s name was changed to Whadcoat Street in 1937, but the negative perception persisted. Slum clearance initiatives began in 1952, leading to the demise of Campbell Road and the construction of the Six Acre council estate in its place. Today, only the name Whadcoat Street on a brick wall remains as a reminder of the once-notorious Campbell Road. Local residents still reference “doing a Campbell Bunk” or “getting-away-with-it” when recalling the area’s history.
