'Gadget King' and architect honoured
7:24pm Tuesday 29th January 2008 in Latest Football News By Elizabeth Pears
A cartoonist and a property developer joined the list of former Haringey residents to have plaques unveiled in their honour this week.
William Heath Robinson (1872-1944), best known for his cartoons of intricate machinery, and nick-named The Gadget King, lived in Southwood Avenue, Highgate, for the last nine years of his life.
Born in Islington to a family of artists, he began his career as an illustrator for classic children's books such as Arabian Nights and fairy tales from Hans Christian Andersen.
Also being celebrated is former Muswell Hill resident William Jeffries Collins (1856-1939), an architect and property developer who played an instrumental role in the design of the area.
Collins purchased the Fortismere and Firs estates in 1898, followed by 23 acres of land at the foot of Muswell Hill, where he built and sold traditional family homes. The plaque in Cranmore Way, where he lived between 1902 and 1911.
The plaques were unveiled by Mayor of Haringey Sheik Thompson and a representative from the Heath Robinson Foundation on Monday.
The scheme was started by John Hadju, chairman of Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association, to commemorate Haringey residents of local or national significance.
Mr Hadju said: "We are proud to acknowledge the contribution of so many famous people from so many different fields who lived and worked in our borough. As more plaques are put up, our famous people will be known not just to the residents in Haringey but to everybody in London and for posterity."
Plaques commemorating crystallographer William Barlow and South African anti-apartheid leader Oliver Tambo were the first of six to go up.
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