National Institute for Medical Research. The Ridgeway Mill Hill London

Construction start 1938. Sadly torn down for new housing in 2018.

The copper clad roof on the skyline called “The Lavatory Window view”  
in my home in the 1950s.

©MRC

Formal names.

• 'The National Institute for Medical Research' - NIMR - from 1937 to 2015
• ‘The Francis Crick Institute – Mill Hill Laboratory’ From 1 April 2015 for a short period to its vacation and move to the Francis Crick Institute in Camden by the end of 2016.

Other names have included.

•  ‘The Mill Hill Depot’ or ‘HMS Pembroke’ when occupied by the WRNS from 1942 to 1946.

•  ‘Dales Folly’ by those who did not agree with the move from Hampstead to Mill Hill in 1950. This after Sir Henry Dale the NIMR Director from 1928 to 1942.     

•   Nikolaus Pevsner rather insultingly called the building a ‘bulky, brown brick colossus.'

• The original 'cruciform property and sprawl of industrial boxed buildings' should never have been allowed in first place. Recent comment by a Mill Hill resident.

Since the middle of February 2019 I have been collecting pictures and stories about the building structure as an obituary and scrap-book because I would be sad if the building were forgotten. There are several publications about the people and their achievements, including the excellent MRC book recording the 100 years of NIMR. So I do not want to duplicate these.

I have a number of pictures from the time of its opening in 1950 and post vacation in 2016 but few in-between. Any photos taken during its construction from 1938 to 1940 and while occupied by the WRNS would be welcome.

I know at least one other person who has catalogued the building’s history. Several have written webposts. I would like to make contact with any others or people who worked there who have views on the building design as a place in which to work.

To make contact just use comment below or email - Alexander@allrighters.com. Thanks.