Think Notting Hill, the film, then wonder about Notting Hill, the place. Historian Fiona Rule has all the answers in her latest book, Streets of Sin. Rule has researched her subject meticulously, and presents it in a way that is accessible, and fascinating.
She takes us through the area, much as she does in one of her walks, tracing Notting Hill from its beginnings in the mid 1700s to the present. It began as a small rural community, some half an hour’s walk from the edge of the metropolis, and that half an hour was to be crucial in the initial failure of Notting Hill as a money spinning residential area for its developer. It was just too far from the centre to work as well as Marylebone or any of the closer developments.
Rule lifts the layers of Notting Hill’s history, revealing dreams gone wrong, broken people, piggeries, Rachman, the Profumo affair, and London’s first race riots. Add a dollop of characters such as the murderer Christie, and the musician, Hendrix, give it a good stir, and here you have, ladies and gentlemen – Notting Hill.
I found Streets of Sin unputdownable. OK, my own research as an author leads me to devour anything historical, but walk these streets, put places to names, see what’s under the surface and you’ll be hooked. It is an easy read, an informative read. I loved it.
About the author: London-based historian, researcher and bestselling author Fiona Rule is widely respected as a specialist in the history of the capital and the Victorian era. She has appeared as an expert on several radio and television programmes including BBC London’s Breakfast Show and The Robert Elms Show, Find My Past and The Great British Story with Peter Snow. Her previous critically acclaimed historical titles include The Worst Street In London (Ian Allan 2008, reprinted 2009, 2010, 2012) London’s Docklands (Ian Allan 2009) and London’s Labyrinth (Ian Allan 2012).
Streets of Sin: A Dark Biography of Notting Hill by Fiona Rule (published by History Press 8th August RRP £17.99 hardback) is available to purchase online and at all good book retailers. For more information please visit www.fionarule.com or follow her @Fiona_Rule