Literary Road Map of Islington

Celebrate our borough's long, rich heritage of authors, screenwriters, poets and writers who live or work here

Literary Road Map of Islington celebrates our borough’s long, rich heritage of authors, screenwriters, poets and writers who have lived here, and the literary works which have been inspired by or set here.

Search the list below to see the novels, plays and poems which were written about Islington and the authors, such as Andrea Levy (1956-2019), who were born or lived in the borough, or Charles Dickens (1812-1870, who used various locations around Islington in their novels.

Also, look at our interactive map to see the literary connections to your area of Islington. To do this click on ‘Show Layers’, ‘Recreation & Leisure’ and check the ‘Literary Road Map’ box.

 

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  • Auto/biography

Jarman, Derek

1942-1994

The artist, filmmaker, LGBT activist and writer lived at 60 Liverpool Road at the beginning of his career from 1967-69.

Johnson, B.S.

1933-1973

Albert Angelo (1964). The author lived in Claremont Square.

Kanga, Firdaus

(1960-)

Trying to Grow (1991) The author and actor wrote his semi-autobiographical work while living in Islington.

Kippis, Andrew

1725-1795

Biographia Britannica (2nd Edition) (1778-93) The nonconformist minister and biographer is buried in Bunhill Fields.

Mant, Malcolm

30 Years Behind Bars: My Life & Times Running the British Pub (2018). Landlord of The Compton Arms in Canonbury for seven years.

Pepys, Samuel

1633-1703

The Diary of Samuel Pepys (1664/65). Pepys wrote about “gadding about” Clerkenwell on Lord’s Day, Oct 2 1664 with his son, while his wife was ill at home.

Orton, Joe

1933-1967

Entertaining Mr Sloane (1964), Loot (1965), What the Butler Saw (first performance 1969) and other titles. Orton lived with his partner Kenneth Halliwell at 25 Noel Road from 1959, writing his best known works in the bedsit flat until his death in 1967.

Swinnerton, Frank

1884-1982

George Gissing: a Critical Study (1912) and other titles. The biographer, novelist and essayist lived at 150 Farringdon Road as a boy from 1890-99.

Underhill, Rev. Stanley

1927-

Coming Out in the Black Country (2018). The Reverend is currently one of the 41 residents of Charterhouse.

White, Jerry

1949-

Campbell Bunk: The Worst Street in North London Between the Wars (2003). Set in Campbell Street (now Whadcoat Street).

Williams, Kenneth

1926-1988

The actor and writer was born in a house off Caledonian Road, where 13/15 Bingfield Street is now located.

Young, Hugo

1938-2003

One of Us: Life of Margaret Thatcher (1989). The journalist, biographer and political commentator lived in Islington.