Alfred Hitchcock the director, a mosaic tribute in London's Leytonstone station

London’s Hidden Tribute to Alfred Hitchcock

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Just a 20-minute tube ride from the heart of the city lies a largely unknown tribute to one of film’s most famous figures, Alfred Hitchcock.

The master of the macabre was born in the East London suburb of Leytonstone in 1899, just months before the turn of the century. To celebrate the centenary of the director’s birth, the local council commissioned the Greenwich Mural Workshop to create 17 mosaics to honour his life and works. It took seven months and over 80,000 tiles to complete the colourful pieces now on display throughout Leytonstone tube station. There are scenes from so many fan favourites that you’ll forgive them for not including them all!

Sadly in these times of social distancing and self-isolation, even a short trip on the Underground’s Central Line is unadvisable. So sit back and scroll down to explore this visual treat of a tribute:

Alfred Hitchcock sits on top a horse outside his father's store, circa 1906.
“YOUNG ALFRED OUTSIDE HIS FATHER’S SHOP” (Circa 1906)

 

Alfred Hitchcock directs
“HITCHCOCK THE DIRECTOR”

 

A scene from 1926's The Pleasure Garden
THE PLEASURE GARDEN (1926)

 

A scene from Number 17 (1932)
NUMBER 17 (1932)

 

A scene from 1932's The Skin Game
THE SKIN GAME (1932)

 

A scene from 1940's Rebecca
REBECCA (1940) (Photo Credit: London Walking Tours)

 

Cary Grant in a scene from 1941's Suspicion
SUSPICION (1941)

 

A scene from 1942's Saboteur
SABOTEUR (1942)

 

Hitchcock with Marlene Dietrich
“HITCHCOCK WITH DIETRICH” (Photo Credit: London Walking Tours)

 

The carousel climax of Strangers on a Train
STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951)

 

Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly in Rear Window
REAR WINDOW (1954) (Photo Credit: London Walking Tours)

 

Henry Fonda in The Wrong Man
THE WRONG MAN (1956) (Photo Credit: London Walking Tours)

 

Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief
TO CATCH A THIEF (1955)

 

The climax of Vertigo
VERTIGO (1958)

 

Cary Grant running from a cropduster in North by Northwest
NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)

 

Hitchcock directing Janet Leigh in the shower scene in Psycho
PSYCHO (1960)

 

Tippi Hedren in The Birds
THE BIRDS (1963)

Has this armchair tour put you in the mood for a Hitchcock film binge? Stream many of your suspenseful favourites on Amazon and Starz Prime Video.

All photos by the author except where noted.

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