Du Cane Court

{{Short description|Residential building in London, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

File:Du Cane Court 184.jpg

Du Cane Court is an Art Deco apartment block on Balham High Road, Balham, south London. A distinctive local landmark, it comprises 677 apartments and was believed to be Europe's largest privately owned apartment block when it was built in 1937.{{cite web|url=https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/property-8-outstanding-art-deco-homes-050004932.html|title=Property: 8 outstanding Art Deco homes|date=17 June 2022|website=Yahoo Finance}}

It was a popular place to live for many music hall stars in the 1930s and 1940s and boasted a social club, on the top floor, before the area was converted into flats. Past residents have included the comedian Tommy Trinder.{{cite book |last=Vincent |first=Gregory K. |title=A history of Du Cane Court : land, architecture, people and politics |publisher=Woodbine |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-9541675-1-6}} Currently comedian and writer Arthur Smith, the self-styled 'Bard of Balham', is a resident.{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=Karen |title=Arthur Smith: Don't pay me in cash, I'll just put it in the bin |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/arthur-smith-dont-pay-me-in-cash-ill-just-put-it-in-the-bin-0fprgnln3 |access-date=13 September 2020 |work=The Times |language=en}}

File:Du Cane Court, Balham, London-6850667563.jpg

During the Second World War it was speculated that Du Cane Court had escaped bombing because it was planned for use by military officers in the event of a successful German invasion.{{cite news|last=Taw|first=Susannah|title=Streets of London: Chestnut Grove, SW12|url=http://www.timeout.com/london/property/features/3511/Streets_of_London-Chestnut_Grove_SW12.html|work=Time Out|access-date=19 May 2010|archive-date=23 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100623044448/http://www.timeout.com/london/property/features/3511/Streets_of_London-Chestnut_Grove_SW12.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Noble |first=Heather|title=The Story of Bevin's Babes|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/67/a2872767.shtml|publisher=BBC}}

Similar Art Deco residential buildings in London include Florin Court, Cholmeley Lodge, Hillfield Court & Nell Gwynn House which was designed by the same architect George K. Green