How Hampstead home inspired James Bond villain Goldfinger

Hungarian-born architect Ernő Goldfinger designed some of London's most striking high rise landmarks including The Trellick and Balfron Towers.

He came to London in 1934 but in 1939 when he wanted to demolish a cottage in Willow Road to build his own modernist home it drew fierce opposition from neighbours.

Ian Fleming, author and creator of the James Bond character, in 1958 the year before he wrote his novel Goldfinger (Image: PA)

One of those weighing into the row was future James Bond creator Ian Fleming, who reportedly objected to the loss of the Victorian cottage and Goldfinger’s modern style.

The spy thriller writer's disgruntlement against Goldfinger continued over a round of golf with John Blackwell - a cousin of Goldfinger’s wife Ursula.

Mr Blackwell reportedly described the architect as "humourless" and "domineering", and with an eye for an outlandish name Fleming went on to use Goldfinger as the eponymous villain in his 1959 novel.

Erno Goldfinger, left, designed the Balfron Tower in Poplar and lived in the 26 storey block for two months as a sociological experiment to study the living conditions of GLC tenants and use the experience when designing further homes. (Image: PA)

The seventh of the 007 spy novels, it depicted Auric Goldfinger as an eccentric Marxist and a crazed egoist.

When Goldfinger discovered the name of Fleming's novel he threatened to sue the publisher, Jonathan Cape, arguing that the rarity of the surname in Britain made the reference a clear and damaging attack on his reputation.

Architect Erno Goldfinger sparked fierce opposition from his Hampstead neighbours in 1939 when he demolished a Victorian cottage to make way for his modernist home at 2 Willow Road. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

The publishers reached an out-of-court settlement that included paying Goldfinger's legal fees, sending him six free copies of the book, and promising to refer to the character in the text as "Auric Goldfinger" to emphasise the fictional creation.

Future editions of the novel also included a prominent disclaimer stating that all characters were entirely fictitious.

That might have been an end to the matter except that the architect's house at 2 Willow Road was listed in the phone directory.

Trellick Tower in north Kensington was controversial when it was built in the 1960s but is now considered a masterpiece of modernist design. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

And when the 1964 movie became a hit, pranksters reportedly found it funny to sing Shirley Bassey’s theme song down the phone or impersonate Sean Connery with lines like: "Goldfinger? This is agent 007."

Aside from all of this Goldfinger designed schools for London County Council, and office complexes like Alexander Fleming House at Elephant and Castle.

He said of his concrete 1960s towers "everything I did, I did as if it was done for me".

He and Ursula lived in Balfron Tower for two months hosting champagne parties so the residents could share what they did and did not like about the flats - then used to feedback when designing Trellick Tower.

In Hampstead the pair rubbed shoulders with artists and emigres including Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson and Roland Penrose.

Goldfinger's once divisive buildings are now regarded as masterpieces of post-war architecture and are Grade II* listed.

He lived in Hampstead until his death in 1987 at the age of 85 and his family home at 2 Willow Road is now cared for by the National Trust and available to visit.