History Finsbury

a map showing wards of finsbury metropolitan borough appeared in 1952

in middle ages finsbury part of great fen lay outside walls of city of london. gave name finsbury division of ossulstone hundred of middlesex.

in 17th century trees planted , gravel walks made, , area became place recreation. in 1641 honourable artillery company moved finsbury, still remains, , in 1665 bunhill fields burial ground opened in area. building on finsbury fields began in late 17th century. parish church of st luke s built in 1732–33, , @ end of 18th century residential suburb built centre @ finsbury square.

in 1832 parliamentary borough of finsbury created, covering considerably wider area. in 1857 finsbury park opened 3 miles north, enjoyment of residents of parliamentary borough. city of london yeomanry, founded @ time of second boer war, made headquarters in finsbury square.

the metropolitan borough of finsbury in county of london created in 1900, covering area of finsbury , clerkenwell. in 1938, dr. chuni lal katial elected mayor of finsbury, making him first asian mayor in united kingdom. in 1942 borough council erected controversial statue of vladimir lenin in holford square (now demolished). borough abolished in 1965 , absorbed borough of islington.