Islington Studios

The studios building was originally built as a power station for the Great Northern & City Railway, and was acquired by the major American company Famous Players–Lasky which wanted to set up a British subsidiary.

In the late 1920s Gainsborough merged with the larger British Gaumont which owned the Lime Grove Studios.

Although it considered giving up filmmaking completely, it was decided to continue Gainsborough Pictures making slightly cheaper films.

The success of some of these late 1930s Islington Studios productions such as The Lady Vanishes helped Gainsborough to keep in business.

[3] The block's courtyard features a large sculpture of Alfred Hitchcock's head, by sculptor Antony Donaldson.