Ian Curtis' house

This is Ian Curtis' former house.

It is located at 77 Barton Street in Macclesfield, England.

On May 18th, 1980, the Joy Division lead singer committed suicide at this address following a battle with depression and epilepsy.

The two-year period leading up to his death had been a tumultuous one.

While his post-punk band was on a steady, upward trajectory, Curtis began to struggle with personal problems.

He started experiencing epileptic seizures in 1978. Although he was prescribed various medications, they failed to bring his condition under control. Furthermore, he continued to drink, smoke, and maintain a busy touring schedule.

His worsening health caused him to collapse during several live performances.

At the same time, his epilepsy medication was causing a notable shift in his personality. His wife, Deborah, and his bandmates later recalled how Curtis started having extreme mood swings. On one occasion, he said that he felt "claustrophobic", almost as if he were "being pulled down."

In the autumn of 1979, he began having an extramarital affair with a Belgian woman named Annik Honoré. Despite being "torn" and "plagued by guilt" over his infidelity, he continued to pursue the relationship.

When his wife learned of the affair, she took their infant daughter and moved into her parents' house, leaving him at 77 Barton Street by himself. She also initiated divorce proceedings against him after he failed to cut off all contact with Honoré.

In 1980, Curtis' began exhibiting signs of depression. One night, he reportedly got drunk and cut himself with a large kitchen knife. Then, on April 6th, 1980, he attempted to overdose on his own medication.

After being discharged from the hospital, he was picked up by the boss of his record label, who immediately drove him to his next rehearsal.

Anxious, overworked, and depressed, the singer became withdrawn and reclusive.

On May 17th, 1980, Curtis had his final conversation with his wife, Deborah, at this house on Barton Street. That evening, he asked her to drop the divorce proceedings. Although she didn't commit to doing so, she did offer to stay the night, as she was worried about his health and his recent suicide attempt.

Initially, he accepted her offer. However, when she returned after a quick visit to her parents' house, he informed her that he had changed his mind and that he wanted to spend the night alone.

Once he was by himself, Curtis wrote a love letter to Deborah while he stared at photographs of their wedding day and their one-year-old daughter. He also watched the German tragicomedy Stroszek (1977) and listened to Iggy Pop's album The Idiot.

Then, in the early hours of May 18th, 1980, the 23-year-old committed suicide in the kitchen by hanging himself with a piece of washing line.

Photos

Photos of the house and other related images.

77 Barton Street

This Google Street View image of 77 Barton Street was taken in June 2015.

The unassuming, red-brick terraced house is situated near the corner of Barton Street and Newton Street in Macclesfield.

Ian Curtis committed suicide in the kitchen, which we have highlighted in red.

In 2015, the house was purchased by entrepreneur Hadar Goldman, who planned on turning it into a Joy Division museum and a "digital hub". Following the sale, he said that he expected to be able to erect a plaque on the exterior wall by the summer of 2016.

However, these plans have yet to come to fruition.

When asked about the delay, Goldman explained that he became "busy" with other matters. He also ran into difficulties while attempting to get the relevant approvals from the local council.

Although Goldman's friends are currently renting the house, he still expects to implement his original plans.

Comments from local town councillors suggest that converting it into a museum may be problematic, as it is a small residential property with a narrow staircase. Therefore, it is likely that extensive renovations will be required.

However, doing so while retaining the original layout may prove to be very difficult.

Curtis' former house

This Google Street View image was captured in November 2020.

Wife and daughter

Curtis married his wife, Deborah, in 1975. At the time, he was 19 and she was 18.

The couple had a young daughter named Natalie (pictured with Deborah on the right).

Deborah initiated divorce proceedings after Curtis failed to cut off all contact with his mistress, Annik Honoré. However, he committed suicide before the divorce could be finalized.

Curtis' daughter, Natalie, grew up to become a photographer.

During an interview in 2021, Natalie said that she doesn't feel angry about her father's suicide, as he was clearly ill and going through a very tumultuous period in his life.

Annik Honoré

Curtis began an affair with a Belgian woman named Annik Honoré after they met at a gig in 1979.

Although Honoré claimed that their relationship was strictly platonic, Curtis' wife and bandmates have stated otherwise.

During one interview, Honoré said that a physical relationship between the two was impossible due to the singer's epilepsy medication. She also claimed that his marriage had ended before they met.

The Joy Division frontman refused to cut her out of his life, despite his wife's threats of divorce. His bandmates have said that he was torn between staying with Deborah or starting a new relationship with Honoré.

Following Curtis' suicide, Honoré went on to become a tour manager for the electronic music group Front 242. During the late 1980s, she became a civil servant in Brussels.

On July 3rd, 2014, she died of cancer at the age of 56.