Du Cane Court
Encyclopedia
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
apartment block
Tower block
A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, office tower, apartment block, or block of flats, is a tall building or structure used as a residential and/or office building...
on Balham High Road, Balham
Balham, London
Balham is a neighbourhood of south London, England, and is part of the London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Lambeth.-History:...
, south London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. A distinctive local landmark, it was opened in 1937 and, with 676 apartments, is the largest privately owned block of flats under one roof in Europe. It is so distinctive (at least from a great height in the air) that it was reputedly used as a navigational landmark by German pilots bombing London during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
It was a popular place to live for many music hall stars in the 1930s and '40s and boasted a social club, on the top floor, before the area was converted into flats. Past residents have included the comedian Tommy Trinder
Tommy Trinder
Thomas Edward Trinder CBE known as Tommy Trinder, was an English stage, screen and radio comedian of the pre and post war years whose catchphrase was 'You lucky people'.-Life:...
. Currently comedian and writer Arthur Smith
Arthur Smith (comedian)
Brian Arthur John Smith is an English alternative comedian and writer. He was born in Bermondsey, South London, brother to Richard Smith...
, the self-styled 'Bard of Balham', is a resident.
It is rumoured that Du Cane Court was to be the chosen seat of government for Hitler's invasion should his armies successfully conquer the British, though no documentary evidence exists to prove this theory.