London Appreciation Society [Founded in 1932 by Dr H.L. Bryant Peers]

Secretary: John Mann, 109 Chatsworth Road, London NW2 4BH. T 020 8459 5419

Website: www.las.org.uk

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The Society is a secular, non-political and non profit-making organization for adults interested in the past, present, and future of London

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President: Dr Simon Thurley CBE

Vice-Presidents Roger Cline Valerie Colin-Russ The Ven. Peter Delaney Gerald R Charles Dickens Andrew Davies Jonathan Fryer

Committee Chairman: Christopher Claxton Stevens Deputy Chairman: John Mann Secretary: John Mann Registrar: Clive Page Treasurer: John Tritton Assistant Treasurer: Mary Moore Programme Co-ordinator: Julia Foyle Tour Leader Co-ordinator: Patricia Howard Jacqueline Anda Shelagh Blackham MBE Arthur Fordham Mary Lewis Daphne Steele

Officers Membership Secretary: Christine Bevan Committee Secretary: Roger Cline

Honorary Life Members John Barrett Valerie Colin-Russ Don Buchanan Daphne Hart Roger Cline Anne Oxenham

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Programme Organisers Shelagh Blackham Liz Harwood and Robin Key James Nadarajah Rosemary Bolingbroke Carole Lee Arthur Fordham Joy and Mike Lever Anne Ramon Julia Foyle [IT Support] Margaret and John Mann Daphne and Chris Steele Simon Gillingham Gayna Martine and Simon Masterton Smith Judith and Richard West

Tour Leaders John Ackroyd Geoff Donald John Mann Jacqueline Anda Paul Dye Mary Moore Rosemary Bolingbroke Mary and Keith Evans Pamela Mundy Christopher Claxton Stevens Simon Gillingham Anne Oxenham Roger Cline Pat Howard Chris Redfern Valerie Colin-Russ Mike Lever Hilary Taylor Julie Crouch Rhoda Lewis John Tritton John Dodwell Judith West

Contacts If you have a query, please email or write to the relevant Officer below, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope if you need a reply by post.

Printing services or non-receipt of Blue Book Colin Watson, 22 Leonard Avenue, Morden SM4 6DW Email: [email protected]

Non-receipt of booking confirmation Dr Clive Page, I Durler Gardens, Luton LU1 3TA Email: [email protected]

General Enquiries and Information Don Buchanan John Tritton Email [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Membership Enquiries or Change of Address or Email Christine Bevan, 52 Greenwich Park Street, Greenwich, London SE10 9LT Email: [email protected]

Queries about Paper Booking Forms Mary Lewis, 64 Ferndown Avenue, Orpington BR6 8DF Email: [email protected] Tel: 01689 810466

Correspondence to the Committee Roger Cline, Flat 13, 13 Tavistock Place London WC1H 9SH Email: r [email protected]

Suggestions for Future Events The Secretary at the address at the top of page 1 Email: [email protected]

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Booking arrangements Those previously deterred from booking events on-line by the need to pay by direct-debit should note that we are now also allowing on-line booking combined with payment by cheque, so there are now three booking options. In order of the Registrar’s preference these are: 1. Book on-line by starting at the LAS home page www.las.org.uk then follow the obvious links. After the deadline the fee will be collected by direct-debit. If you have already set one up and used it at least once in the year it should still be active so no further action is necessary. We aim to return on-line booking confirmations by email within a week of the booking deadline. 2. Book on-line as above but pay by posting us a cheque before the booking deadline. Please write on the cheque the maximum fee in words but leave the figures box blank for the LAS to complete when the actual amount is known . Post the cheque to the address shown below. If the names on the cheque and booking form differ please enclose a note to clarify. No SAE is needed as your booking confirmation will be returned by email. 3. Book by post and pay by cheque: printed forms are enclosed for those who have used them in the past. For cheque instructions see above. Either send us your email address or enclose a stamped addressed envelope for your booking confirmation. There is no longer any additional fee for booking by post. Please allow two weeks for your confirmation to arrive by post.

Where to send postal bookings and cheques Mary Lewis, 64 Ferndown Avenue, Orpington BR6 8DF

General Booking Rules . Any two members may book on the same form whether they have the same address or not. In such cases an event requested by both will be allocated to both members or to neither. If there are two direct-debits in force then the fee will be split appropriately between them.

Please remember to give your order of preference for each event. These guide the allocation of events and also give the LAS useful information on which events are most popular. When the same event is available on two or more dates/times you may select any or all: the booking program will allocate you a place at no more than one of them. Multiple requests for the same event may, exceptionally, be given the same order of preference value.

Before the booking deadline guests may be invited only to events where this is explicitly shown in the Blue Book, but applications for guests will not be successful if an event is fully booked by members.

Whenever tickets are needed for an event such as a concert the Tour Leader will hand them out on the day at the designated meeting place.

Please note the booking deadline (see page 5): all postal and on-line bookings received on or before that date will be included in the general ballot. After that, typically, only a small number of events will have vacancies. The on-line booking form will be updated to show which events are still available for late bookings and at that stage applications for guests can be made for all such events.

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What to do if you cannot use a place you have been allocated Most events are oversubscribed so we try to re-fill vacancies wherever possible from the waiting list. If you cancel your place and we are able to refill it then you will automatically be given a credit for it in the next booking period.

• If you can access the Internet the events booking section of the LAS website now allows you to notify us that you wish to cancel a place that has been allocated to you. If there is a waiting list and there is enough time then all those on the waiting list will told of the vacancy by email. We have found such vacancies are quickly filled, so waiting list members should not delay making their application. Once the place is filled the event will disappear from the list of events with spare places.

• If you cannot access the Internet then please telephone Joy or Mike Lever on (020) 8462 9241. They have volunteered to use the on-line system on your behalf.

Note that a few hosts insist on having in advance the names of every member of any visiting group “for security, you know”. Asterisked events in this Blue Book are 29, 68 and 76. If you have to drop out of such an event LAS will not be able to replace you or allow you a credit, but it is still helpful to know if you are not planning to attend, so please use the cancellation system outlined above anyway.

Dietary Requirements. When you book an event which includes a meal for which we have to pre-order we will send you details of any choices available.

Insurance against Injury or Loss. LAS tries to ensure that all the venues we visit and all the guides we use are fully insured and LAS also has its own Public Liability Insurance. But the Society and its officers cannot be held responsible for death or injury to members or loss or damage to property at any time or however caused.

General Data Protection Regulations. These Regulations came into force on 25 May 2018. They require LAS to tell you what data about you LAS holds and how we use it.

The only data we hold is what you provided on your membership application form and booking forms: i.e. title, names, postal address, telephone numbers, email address, your status within the LAS such as officer or committee member, any dietary or access needs, which events you applied for and booked, and what method you use for booking and payment. The data are stored on paper or on the personal computers of the Membership Secretary, the Registrar and where necessary other members helping to run the Society.

The LAS also stores some data on an external database in order to operate the event booking system and so that the LAS can send emails to all members. Only those who help to run LAS have access to your data and only for the purposes of running the society. We do not share any of it with any other organization.

The secure servers of Go Cardless store the bank account information you provided to them for direct-debits, but these details cannot be accessed by the LAS.

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Attending Events

• The Blue Book is prepared some months before events take place so it is in your interest to check the details of travel arrangements before you set out. For National Rail telephone 03457 484950, website www.nationalrail.co.uk : for Transport for London telephone 0343 222 1234, website www.tfl.gov.uk. • Unless the Blue Book mentions car parking explicitly, assume there is none. • Always meet, please, at the designated meeting place and not at the venue if this is different. If some members go directly to the venue this may be inconvenient for the hosts as well as causing problems for the Tour Leader who is expecting to assemble the whole group at the meeting place before proceeding to the venue. • Some stations have more than one exit. Please make sure you go to the one mentioned in the Blue Book. • Please give your name to the Tour Leader when you arrive at the meeting place. • Please have your Booking Confirmation Form with you. It may be needed. • Please try not to arrive more than 30 minutes before the advertised time and do not enter the building if the Blue Book says wait outside. • Events start promptly at the advertised time, so please aim to arrive up to ten minutes early so that you can find the group and give your name to the tour leader before the event starts. It is sometimes possible to leave instructions about how to find a venue at for example a ticket office or nearby shop. Tour Leaders will do whatever is possible to help latecomers without affecting the enjoyment of members who have arrived on time . But latecomers do run the risk of missing an event. • Some of the places we visit still have a formal dress code. Others have high expectations of their members and staff. Please dress appropriately for each occasion.

Booking Deadlines Because many LAS events are over-subscribed we hold a ballot for places. Only forms received by midnight on the appropriate date shown below will be entered in the main ballot. Forms received subsequently will be processed in further batches about every two weeks.

For events in January to March (events 1 to 52) the booking deadline is Saturday 30 November For events in April to July (events 53 to 120) the booking deadline is Saturday 15 February .

Subscriptions for 2020 These are due by 31 December 2019. Most members will pay with their bookings for January-March, but if you wish to renew without booking for events, please say so by going online or sending a postal note with a cheque to Mary Lewis (see page 3) and give details of any change in your contact details including telephone numbers and any email address. Payment from any Direct Debit you have set up will NOT be taken automatically.

The LAS Committee The Committee will meet early in February, April and June. If you have a matter you would like included on the Committee agenda please notify the Committee Secretary in good time.

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Wednesday 1st January 1. It's the Brand New Year Quiz! Start 2020 with a fun and sociable evening. You certainly can arrive already organised with a table of four, but there is no need. Why not just turn up and we will fit you onto one of the 6 tables with a glass of wine and some nibbles. Meet some new members, or reacquaint yourself with some you’ve already met and pool your knowledge about London. The prize might not be worth winning, but the journey to it will be a bit of a laugh!

Meet: Outside Captain Bligh House, 100 Lambeth Road, SE1 7PT, opposite the Imperial War Museum (shelter under Pub canopy on corner if raining) (Nearest station: Lambeth North (Bakerloo) Exit the station and cross over the road to the church opposite. Continue down Kennington Road then turn left at the Three

Stags Pub into Lambeth Road. Captain Bligh House is a few doors down on the left. About 350 yards walk.) Ti me: 5:30 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (24 places) Fee: £9 This house has quite a few stairs and is not wheelchair accessible

Monday 6th January 2. Goldsmiths' Hall The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths is one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies and their Grade I listed Hall is the third on the site, having been first built as an assay office and headquarters of London’s goldsmiths in 1839. Little is known of the first building but the second was erected in 1634 -1636 and was restored after the Great Fire. It lasted for almost two centuries before being demolished in the late 1820s. The current Hall retains most of its original features, having been restored after bomb damage in 1941 and given a major refurbishment in 1990. The Hall has been described as ‘retaining the charm of an urban palazzo’ containing several magnificent rooms including the Livery Hall, Drawing Room and the Court Room.

Meet: Reception, Goldsmiths' Hall, 13 Foster Lane, EC2V 6BN (Nearest station: St Paul's (Central line) about 200 yards. Many buses to St Paul's.) Time: 12:30 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (40 places) Fee: £6 A lift is available if needed. There are toilets/cloakroom on site and cafés in Foster Lane.

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Wednesday 8th January 3. Pub Lunch at The Friend at Hand This quirky pub was established in 1797 and was formerly known as The Handsome Carriage. One of the most notable historical figures to have frequented the pub is TS Eliot. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature and the Order of Merit, Eliot was a distinguished poet, playwright and publisher (at Faber’s in Russell Square nearby) who wrote about the Friend at Hand pub in his book ‘Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats’, a collection of poems about the psychology of cats which inspired Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical 'Cats'.

Meet: The Friend at Hand 2-4 Herbrand Street, WC1N 1HX (Nearest station: Russell Square (Piccadilly) Turn left out of the station and left again

into Herbrand Street. About 75 yards.) Time: 12:30 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (15 places) This event is not bookable. See page 60 for further details.

Saturday 11th January 4. Spitalfields: Heart of the East End During this tour of the fascinating East End area of Spitalfields, next door to the City of London, Paul Baker will lead us to some wonderful Georgian buildings, as well as medieval remains, and will tell the continuing history of immigration in the area, from French silk weavers to Irish, Jews, Bengalis, Somali and others, and why so many waves of migrants have been attracted to the area. You will see Spitalfield’s gem, Christ Church, and a Huguenot Chapel which became in turn a synagogue and then a mosque. You will also see intriguing street art and marvel at how the area has been gentrified, attracting artists like Gilbert and George, Tracey Emin, and many more.

Meet: Outside Whitechapel Art Gallery, Whitechapel Road (Nearest Underground station: Aldgate East. The Gallery is next to the Whitechapel

Road exit.) Time: 11:00am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Tuesday 14th January 5A. A Winter's Tale in Clapham Although tens of thousands of middle-class terraced houses were built in London at the end of the 19 th century, very few have retained their character and fittings through changes in fashion and the ravages of time. This is a rare opportunity to see the colourful and atmospheric interiors of such a house, along with the collection of antique, arts and craft, and contemporary furnishings

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which the owners have built up over nearly thirty years. Our Chairman, Christopher Claxton Stevens, will give an introduction and show us round. Wine and nibbles will be served to complete this unique experience.

Meet: Clapham South Underground Station, then a half-mile escorted walk to the venue. Time: 6:15 pm (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (18 places) Fee: £6 See also event number 5B. Please book for both events if you are available and then kindly stick to the date allocated.

Wednesday 15th January 5B. A Winter's Tale in Clapham Details as for event number 5A, except the date.

Meet: Clapham South Underground Station, then a half-mile escorted walk to the venue. Time: 6:15 pm (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (18 places) Fee: £6 Please book for both events if you are available and then kindly stick to the date allocated.

Friday 17th January 6. Dulwich Village Explored Blue Badge Guide Tim Kidd will meet us at North Dulwich station and lead us through Dulwich Village. Tim will explain the significance of Dulwich Park and the Dulwich Picture Gallery, both well worth exploring once the tour has ended in Dulwich Village.

Meet: North Dulwich station (Southern); DO NOT go to East Dulwich! (Trains from London Bridge, Buses 37, 42 & P4 pass the station.) Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Monday 20th January 7. London Scottish Regimental Museum In 1859 the London Scottish Rifle Volunteers was founded by Lord Elcho, later Earl of Wemyss and March, recruited entirely of Scottish men in London. The Boer War in 1900-1902 was the first war in which British volunteers were widely employed, and those from the London Scottish served with the Gordon Highlanders in South Africa. In World War I the Regiment won lasting fame by being the first Territorial Army Unit to see action in Belgium. Three battalions were raised and two Victoria Crosses were awarded to men of the 2 nd Battalion. In World War II, again, three battalions were raised and the Victoria Cross was awarded to Private Mitchell of the 1 st Battalion. Currently the London Scottish continue as an active Army Reserve unit and have undertaken tours of the

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Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan and Cyprus, and have deployed with various battalions of the regular Army around the world. During our tour with Curator, Andrew Parsons, we shall hear more about the history of the Regiment.

Meet: The London Scottish Regim ental Museum, London Scottish House, 95 Horseferry Road, SW1P 2DX. (Nearest station: St. James's Park (about 550 yards.) Take the righ hand exit from the station, turn right and h ead towards Victoria Street. Cross at the lights and continue straight into Strutton Ground, then at the end cross straight over Greycoat Place into Horseferry Road where the venue is on the right. The 507 bus from Waterloo and Victoria stations goes past the Museum.) Time: 11:30 am (Likely duration: 1 hour) (20 places) Fee: £6 Venue not suitable for wheelchairs. There are 10 steps to the entrance and internal steps to the balconies and galleries.

Tuesday 21st January 8. The Clockworks This gem hidden away in West Norwood, was founded a few years ago as a not- for-profit museum, workshop and library dedicated to the field of early electrical time-keeping. Dr. James Nye, its founder and owner, will take us on an in-depth tour of this amazing place. Please wear flat, comfortable shoes as we will be on our feet for quite a while.

Meet: The Clockworks, 6 Nettlefold Place, West Norwood, SE27 0JW (Nearest station: West Norwood (Southern) from Victoria or London Bridge then a 200-yard walk. From the sta tion turn right along Knight's Hill towards the church.

Nettleford Place is then on your left. Buses 2, 68, 196, 315, 432, 468 & X68 pass the station.) Time: 11:30 am (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (10 places) Fee: £9

Wednesday 22nd January 9. The Joe Lyons Story: Food for Thought The Lyons Tea Shops, the Corner House Restaurants and, of course, the Nippy waitresses, are all part of social history. But this is only part of the story. Our speaker Neville Lyons is distantly related to Sir Joe, co-founder of the catering company. Although Neville was not personally involved with the company, his relationship prompted the research that led to this talk. His Powerpoint presentation, with archival photographs, stretches from 1887 when J. Lyons and Co. was founded to sort out the indifferent catering at the late Victorian national exhibition halls. From small beginnings the company progressed into catering for the general public and became the first “food empire” in the world. We shall hear about all the company’s main activities, including many that are not so well known, like catering for the 1901 Cup Final at Crystal Palace, an Olympia

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banquet for 8000 Freemasons, and 15,000 guests at Royal Garden Parties, and the exploitation of their management skills by control of a wartime bomb- making factory. Neville’s talk includes many amusing anecdotes and many surprises along the way, including the manufacture of LEO, the world’s first business computer.

Meet: Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Square WC1N 3AT (Nearby stations: Russell Square (Piccadilly) about 0.3 mile and Holborn (Central,

Piccadilly) about half a mile. Many buses stop nearby in Southampton Row.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (90 places) Fee: £12 Bookings may be made for members' guests. Refreshments will be available after the lecture. There are several cafés, restaurants and pubs in or near Queen Square.

Thursday 23rd January 10. Discover Chinatown Celebrate the Chinese Year of the Rat as we explore the largest Chinese community in Europe and hear the history of immigration and the development of Chinatown. With Julie Chandler as our guide, hear about Chinese customs, sharpen up your chopstick etiquette and maybe pick up a few words of Mandarin along the way.

Me et: Piccadilly Circus outside the Criterion Theatre (Nearest station: Piccadilly Circus) Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (25 places) Fee: £10

Thursday 23rd January 11. Ethnic Meal: Start Chinese New Year with a Chinese Lunch This lunch and the previous event, a walk in Chinatown, can be booked separately. The tasty and very ample set menu will be Prawn Crackers, Chicken Sweet Corn Soup, Sweet and Sour Pork, Chicken in Green Peppers and Black Bean Sauce, Stir Fried Vegetables, Egg Fried Rice and China Tea. You will have to pay individually for drinks with the meal or desserts. Please say on the booking form if you would prefer a vegetarian meal: you will be entitled to a small refund on the day.

Meet: Golden Phoenix Restaurant, 37-38 Gerrard Street, London W1D 5QB. (Nearest station: Leicester Square. Take the Charing Cross Road west side exit. Turn left into Little Newport Street, the n right into Newport Place. Gerrard Street is first on left. The Golden Phoenix is then on the lefthand side. About 350 yds.) Time: 1:00 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (30 places) Fee: £24 The Chinatown walk of event 10 will end at the restaurant. Members who book only the meal should meet inside the restaurant.

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Friday 24th January 12. Langdon Down Centre This is the theatre wing of what was Normansfield Hospital, a Victorian establishment built by Dr. John Langdon Down after whom Down's Syndrome is named, dating back to 1868. It was a residential setting for people with learning disabilities. Dr. Langdon Down built this extraordinary theatre in 1877 and it was used for providing entertainment for the residents and staff, and also for the Sunday Service. It was fully restored in 2003 and is now a Grade II listed building used regularly by drama groups and for a variety of productions. The workings on stage are in their original form, and it is one of only two Victorian theatres in the country with the original workings. The Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability was created in 2011 in recognition of the outstanding work and historical information relating to John Langdon Down. During our tour, the Archivist, Ian Jones-Healey, will tell us more about the history of the Museum and Theatre.

Meet: Langdon Down Centre, 2a Langdon Park, Teddington, TW11 9PS (Nearest station: Hampton Wick. This connects easily with Waterloo, Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Wimbledon and Richmond. Turn right out of the station and then follow the road (under the railway bridge) for about half a mile. Langdon Park is on

the right an d they are in the big building on the right once in the Park. Buses 281 & 285 (towards Teddington) from the station stop outside the Park (Fairfax Road stop) about 5 minutes.) Time: 11:15 am (Likely duration: 2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10 There is free parking at the Centre. Refreshments have been offered.

Saturday 25th January 13. LAS Walkers: Exploring the Capital Ring The Capital Ring is an amazing circular walk round London, about 75 miles altogether, much of it through open countryside and green spaces, or along waterside. We are tackling the Capital Ring in easy stages and each walk is self- contained. New members are always welcome, so do join us whenever you can. Time: 10:30 am This event is not bookable. Please turn to page 60 for further information.

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Sunday 26th January 14. Clerkenwell - The City’s First Suburb Chris Ruff leads this tour round the City’s medieval suburb, revealing old monastic buildings, the court-house, the prison, the village green and the well that gave the area its name.

Meet: Outside Barbican Underground station Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Wednesday 29th January 15. Chelsea & Westminster Hospital Art Tour CWPlus is the official charity of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. It manages a collection of over 1,800 works of art displayed throughout their hospitals and sites to enhance the environment of their patients, visitors and staff. The charity continues to develop the collection by commissioning artists and designers to create work specifically for this purpose. During our tour with Grace Saull, Visual Arts Manager, we shall hear more about how this is done and see some of the works of art.

Meet: The Chelsea & Westminster Hospital Main Reception, 369 Fulham Road, SW10 9NH. Look for the Eduardo Paolozzi bronze statue just inside the main doors (Nearest stations: Fulham Broadway (0.7 mile) Buses 14, 211 & 414 from Fulham

Broadway station towards Chelsea or South Kensington, stop outside the hospital.) Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1-1½ hours) (15 places) Fee: £10 There is a hospital café and a variety of options on Fulham Road.

Wednesday 29th January 16. LAS History Group The London Appreciation’s fascinating story and its founder Bryant Peers’ notable contribution to tourism in London are surprisingly well documented. There is quite a lot about the London Appreciation Club (as it was originally known), its traumas in WW2 and its post-war resurgence. Started in 2018, the History Group will continue to meet throughout 2020 on the dates advertised in this Blue Book. New members may join at any time. The events are not bookable - just let the Secretary know (email or phone) if you intend to come to a meeting and be ready to pay a one-off fee of £5 on your first day. We already have a lot of material, much of it going back to the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, including a fair amount which illustrates the social history of the time as well as LAS history. If any member has any press cuttings or photos to do with LAS or

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its leading members, or other LAS records and memorabilia, including spare copies of old Blue Books, please tell the Secretary.

Meet: 109 Chatsworth Road, Willesden Green, NW2 4BH (Nearest stations: Wille sden Green (Jubilee) and Brondesbury or Brondesbury Park

(Overground), Bus 98 to Deerhurst Road stop) Time: 2:15 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (16 places) Refreshments will be provided.

Thursday 30th January 17. Meet & Chat: The Ledger Building This event is not bookable, just turn up at The Ledger Building (a Wetherspoon’s Pub) for a coffee or a drink. Those who wish can have lunch. Prices are reasonable and everyone orders and pays for their own refreshments.

Meet: The Ledger Building (a few doors down from the Docklands Museum) 4 Hertsmere Road, Poplar, E14 4AL (Nearest stations: West India Quay, Canary Wharf) Time: 11:15 am (Likely duration: Flexible)

Thursday 30th January 18. St. John's Gate Built in 1504, this is now the headquarters and Museum of the British Order of St. John and was the entrance to the English headquarters of the crusading Knights Hospitallers. During our tour we shall learn more about its history and traditions which go back to an ancient military religious order, founded in Jerusalem in the 11 th century to care for the sick and poor. We shall see the upstairs rooms in the gatehouse, the Priory Church and the 12 th century Crypt.

Meet: St. John's Gate, St. John's Lane, Clerkenwell, EC1M 4DA (Nea rest station: Farringdon. From tube station turn left and left again into Turnmill Street (from Thameslink/CrossRail exit turn right then left), then immediately right into Benjamin Street. Cross Britton St and continue straight ahead into Albion Pl ace. At the end of the road turn left into St John's Lane and the Gate is ahead. About 350 yards in total.) Time: 11:30am (Likely duration: 1-1½ hours) (15 places) Fee: £7 Limited disabled access to upstairs rooms, particularly the West Tower which has a 16th century spiral staircase. Photography is not permitted.

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Tuesday 4th February 19. Wilton's Music Hall John Wilton wanted to provide West End glamour, comfort and first-rate entertainment for East End working people and built this Victorian Music Hall in 1859 behind a row of buildings including (an ale house) on Graces Alley which themselves dated from the 1690s. Performers there included George Ware who wrote The Boy I Love Is Up in the Gallery and George Leybourne (Champagne Charlie). After 30 years the East London Methodist Mission took it over to give support to the local East End community for almost a further 70 years. When the building fell into disuse it was saved from demolition through a campaign which was supported by Sir John Betjeman. After restoration in the early 1980s the hall today is Grade II listed and presents a programme of theatre and music all year round. We shall have a guided tour of this unique building with very many original features over different levels. It is clear where houses were knocked together and the floor levels change!

Meet: Wilton's Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, Whitechapel, E1 8JB (entry is via a red wooden door where we will be met and directed to refreshments.) (Nearest stations: (i) Aldgate East (District, Ham mersmith & City) Take the Leman Street exit from the station and turn immediately right. Continue down Leman Street passing under the DLR railway line and turn left into Cable Street then right into Ensign Street (where Wilton’s is signposted) and left into Graces Alley (0.5 mile) OR

(ii) Shadwell (Overgro und, DLR Nat. Rail) Exit right onto Cable Street (there is a signpost to Wilton's opposite) Continue walking along Cable Street towards the City for about half a mile until the Wilton’s signpost at Ensign Street and into Graces Alley.) Time: 10:30 am (Likely duration: 1 hour) (20 places) Fee: £10 Please note: the building is being opened up for us so if you arrive early please wait to enter as a group at 10.30am. Once inside, we shall be going up and down several flights of stairs.

Wednesday 5th February 20. Discover the Secrets of St James’s Join Westminster Guide, Debbie Pearson, in the neighbourhood of St James’s Palace, where we will discover exclusive private members’ clubs, upmarket shops for extravagant purchases, the stories and secrets of famous residents, and a favourite haunt of royal wine lovers.

Meet: Green Pa rk Underground station, by the fountain outside the Buckingham Palace exit. Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

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Thursday 6th February 21. From Fleapit to Picture Palace: History of British Cinemas Andrew Davies tells the cinema story, from camera obscura and fairground booths through to the rise of purpose-built palaces including the ‘atmospherics’ such as the Astorias and gleaming Art Deco Odeons. Revel with him in this entertainment which gave so much pleasure to so many. Plus a short history of those gorgeous film posters!

Meet: LUMEN, 88 Tavistock Place WC1H 9RS (Nearest Underground stations: Russell Square and King’s Cross. LUMEN is a 1950 s brick church 80 yards east of the traffic lights at the junction of Judd Street and Tavistock Place, on the right before you get to the trees of Regent Square.) Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (60 places) Fee: £12 Bookings may be made for members' guests. Refreshments will be available after the talk. There are several cafés, restaurants and pubs in or near Kings Cross and Tavistock Place.

Thursday 6th February 22. Apothecaries' Hall The Society of Apothecaries is the largest of the City Livery Companies and unlike many, it remains at the heart of its original trade, with medical professionals making up the vast majority of its members. As a member of the United Examining Board, it continues to license doctors and offers eleven postgraduate medical diplomas. The Apothecaries had been members of the Grocers' Company, since they were originally spice-sellers, but by the 16 th century they had pharmaceutical skills and sought to establish their own company receiving their charter in 1704. The present Hall is built on the site of the Blackfriars Priory and replaces the original Hall which burnt down in the Great Fire in 1666. It is Grade I listed with its external appearance little altered since the late 18th century and has some of the best preserved Livery Hall interiors. Built around a secret courtyard, we will see the Great Hall, Court Room, and the Parlour containing the Society’s drug jar collection.

Meet: Reception, Apothecaries' Hall, Blackfriars Lane, EC4V 6EJ (Nearest stations: Blackfriars or City Thameslink. From Blackfriars : cross the road to the Blackfriars pub and turn right along Queen Victoria Street, passing under the railway bridge. Take the first left into Blackfriars Lane and continue into the bicycle path where the Hall is on the right. From City Thameslink: take th e Ludgate Hill exit

and turn right, then right again into Pageantmaster Court. Follow the road round to the left, then immediately right into Ludgate Broadw ay. At Carter Lane continue straight ahead into Blackfriars Lane and the Hall is a few yards along o n the left opposite the courtyard. Both about 200 yards walk.) Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (25 places) Fee: £16 There are some stairs but a lift is available. Toilet & Cloakroom available. Many local cafés.

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Thursday 6th February 23. Mr. Barry’s War Dr. Caroline Shenton is the prize-winning author of The Day Parliament Burned Down. She was formerly Director of the Parliamentary Archives and her latest book of the year, Mr. Barry’s War , tells the fascinating story of the struggles to build the new Palace of Westminster after the Great Fire of 1834. At a time when the building is in dire need of restoration and there is talk of moving parliament elsewhere for up to six years, come along to hear about how many of today’s problems originated in the Houses of Parliament’s creation. Meet: LUMEN, 88 Tavistock Place WC1H 9RS (Nearest Underground stations: Russell Square and King’s Cross. LUMEN is a 1950s brick church 80 yards east of traffic lights at the junction of Judd Street and Tavis tock Place, on the right before you get to the trees of Regent Square.) Time: 2.15 pm (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (60 places) Fee: £12 Bookings may be made for members' guests. Refreshments will be available after the talk. There are several cafés, restaurants and pubs in or near Kings Cross and Tavistock Place.

Friday 7th February 24. A Night of London Film A fascinating and fun evening spent in a tiny cinema with our expert Richard Dacre. He has a passion for film having managed cinemas and distributed films over many years. He has interviewed some of the greats of British cinema including Valerie Hobson, Stewart Granger, Peggy Cummins and Jean Kent. His highly acclaimed book about Norman Wisdom resulted in a string of documentaries including a ground-breaking South Bank Show. He is one of London’s most knowledgeable tour guides, and combines it with writing and presenting talks on classic films shot in London. He is particularly interested in how their original location landscapes have changed over the years. This time he will be talking about the East End locations of Sparrows Can’t Sing (1963) filmed at a time when the area was under threat from slum clearance and social planners. 'Sparrows' was directed by the legendary Joan Littlewood (with a little help from the Krays) and stars Barbara Windsor and James Booth plus a wonderful ensemble from the Theatre Royal Stratford East. Add to this a wealth of stories and film from Richard, who is even mentioned by Wikipedia in conjunction with this film! All accompanied by a glass of wine and a few nibbles, what more can you ask?

Meet: Outside Captain Bligh House, 100 Lambeth Road, SE1 7PT, opposite th e Imperial War Museum (shelter under pub canopy on corner if raining) (Nearest station: Lambeth North (Bakerlo o) Exit the station and cross over the road to the church opposite. Continue down Kennington Road then turn left at the Three Stags Pub into Lambeth Road. Captain Bligh House is then a few doors do wn on the

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left. About 350 yards walk.) Time: 5:30 pm (Likely duration: 1¾ hours) (22 places) Fee: £19 This house has quite a few stairs and is not wheelchair accessible. See also event number 38. Please book for both events if you are available and then kindly stick to the date allocated.

Monday 10th February 25. Stationers' Hall Six hundred years ago, most craftsmen in London were itinerant, but the manuscript writers and illuminators set up stalls, or stations, around St Paul’s Cathedral and Stationers became the obvious choice for the name of the guild that they established in 1403. They were granted the Royal Charter in 1557 having embraced printing when it came to England in the late 15th century. The site of the present Hall was formerly the site of Abergavenny House which was bought by the Company in 1606 but was later destroyed in the Great Fire. The current building dates from 1673 and was remodeled in 1800. Extensive restoration work was carried out after it received serious damage in 1940 and it remains one of the most beautiful Livery Halls in London. Since 2017 the adjacent Wren church of St Martin Within Aldgate has been managed by the Stationers Company and the tour will start there looking at its striking interior with stained glass windows and carvings dating back to the 12 th century.

Meet: Inside St Martin Within Ludgate, 40 Ludgate Hill, EC4 7DE, which is next door to the Hall (Nearest stations: City Thameslink (100 yards) or St Paul's (550 yards) Time: 3:00 pm (Likely duration: 1¼ hours) (40 places) Fee: £11 There are stairs but they are not steep. Toilets and cloakroom available. Refreshments have been promised.

Friday 14th February 26. Fleet Street and Smithfield Famous as the 'Street of Ink', though some would say the street of “drink”, Fleet Street is more than just a street of newspapers. We have the Demon Barber, Samuel Johnson’s watering hole, a gin palace, and of course the church which modeled the famous tiered wedding cake. A little further on we visit the ‘bloodiest’ spot in London; one time slaughter house, Protestant martyr’s execution place, and where Brave Heart William Wallace was hanged, drawn and quartered. And there’s also something for fans of Sherlock Holmes. Chris Rhodes will be our guide for a walk along this fascinating street. [Meeting details overleaf]

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Meet: Outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand WC2A 2LL (Nearest station: Temple (Circle and District), many buses serving Strand, Fleet St ,

Aldwych) Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (12 places) Fee: £10

Tuesday 18th February 27. The Great Exhibition of 1851 The Great Exhibition was the world’s first international exposition of manufactured goods, inventions, works of art and artifacts from many cultures. Starting from the Albert Memorial our walk with Ian Bevan takes in the site of the Exhibition in Hyde Park and the features of Albertopolis (Prince Albert’s museum and arts complex in South Kensington) that were built from the profits of the exhibition. The walk ends at the Victoria and Albert Museum which still contains many artifacts from the Great Exhibition.

Meet: The Albert Memorial, Kensington Gore SW7 (Nearest station: South Kensington. The 9, 10, 52 and 452 buse s run along

Kensington Road past the Albert Memorial, and 49, 70 and 360 also stop fairly near.) Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10 There are cafés at the V&A, and many cafés and restaurants between the Museum and South Kensington Station.

Wednesday 19th February 28. Emanuel School Emanuel School came into being through the will of Lady Anne Dacre in 1594 as the Emanuel Hospital (almshouses and school) for the bringing up of 20 children in ‘virtue and good and laudable arts’. Due to the interest of her cousin Elizabeth I they were established on a site in Westminster. In 1883 the school moved to the present buildings on the edge of Wandsworth Common which had been built as a school for children orphaned by the Crimean War. During our tour of the 12 acre site with the School's Archivist, Tony Jones, we shall see the remaining original buildings, the theatre, concert hall, classrooms and the extensive school fields.

Meet: Front entrance, Emanuel School, Spencer Park, SW11 1HS (Nearest station: Clapham Junction. Exit the station into St John’s Hil l. Turn right and continue for about 200 yards. Cross over the road and ur n left into Strath Terrace. On the other side of the railway bridge turn right onto a small green and follow th e path parallel to the railway line. At the end of the path turn right into Battersea Rise,

crossing over the railway again. Continue past the lo cked entrance (marked exit only) to Emanuel and instead turn left at the traffic lights into Spencer Park follo wing the school's perimeter. The gates to Emanuel are 200 yards on the left. Just over half a mile walk in total. Alternatively take the 77 bus towards Tooting Station (catch it

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around the corner by Debenhams/Arding and Hobbs) alighting at the Spencer Road stop - about a 10 minute journey.) Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 2 hours) (30 places) Fee: £5 Toilets on site, and many cafés near the station.

Friday 21st February 29*. Lunch at the Clink Restaurant – Asterisked Event Join us for some high-class dining within Brixton prison, with delicious food cooked and served by the inmates. The aim of this 100-seat restaurant is to provide prisoners with training and for them to gain qualifications which will help them find jobs and avoid re-offending on their release. Main courses cost from £16 to £22 and non-alcoholic drinks are available. Your fee includes £15 towards the cost of the meal and your additional payment must be by card or cheque, not cash! For clearance by security we will have to forward your details, including your date of birth. More information about dress code, lockers, menus and security checks will be sent to you individually.

Meet: The Clink Check-in Centre, HMP Brixton, Jebb Ave, London SW2 5XF (Nearest station: Brixton, (Victoria) Turn left at exit. At the second bu s stop, take 45, 59, 118, 159 o r 250 bus up Brixton Hill to Jebb Avenue. Walk on to, and cross at, the traffic lights into Jebb Avenue. Allow ½ hour from the tube to the prison.) Time: 11:40 am (Likely duration: 2 hours) (25 places) Fee: £16 No cameras. Wheelchair accessible. Security checks on arrival.

Tuesday 25th February 30. Wine Tasting in Kensington The former Barker's building has been transformed into a large food store with several different departments. Sitting in the wine department we will be offered tastings of a sparkling wine, two white and two red wines. The wines will be a mix of styles with some classic varieties and regions and some lesser known and interesting options also. To go with this we will be offered 3 cheeses; a cheddar, a soft cheese and a blue cheese. We will also be given bread and crackers with 3 different meats, with qualities that will match the different wines.

Meet: The Whole Foods Market, 63 – 97 Kensington High Street, W8 5SE. The wine department is on the ground floor at the back. (Nearest station: High Street Kensington (Circle & District) Turn right along the High

Street and walk for 150 yards.) Time: 6:00 pm (Likely duration: 1-1½ hours) (15 places) Fee: £21

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Thursday 27th February 31. Meet & Chat: The Ledger Building This event is not bookable, just turn up at The Ledger Building (a Wetherspoon’s Pub) for a coffee or a drink. Those who wish can have lunch. Prices are reasonable and everyone orders and pays for their own refreshments.

Meet: The Ledger Building (a few doors dow n from the Docklands Museum) 4 Hertsmere Road, Poplar, E14 4AL (Nearest stations: West India Quay, Canary Wharf) Time: 11:15 am (Likely duration: Flexible)

Friday 28th February 32. Canary Wharf This is the northern part of the strangely named Isle of Dogs, and the most redeveloped of all the former London Docklands. During our walk with John Morgan, we’ll visit Limehouse Basin where the Regent’s Canal meets the River Thames, and where it connects with the Lea Navigation system. For over 150 years London’s docks flourished but by the 1960s the arrival of container ships led to their demise. Canary Wharf is where the regeneration and transformation of former docks into the City’s new financial district has been most spectacular.

Meet: Limehouse DLR Station, Bekesbourne exit Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Saturday 29th February 33. LAS Walkers: Exploring the Capital Ring This event is not bookable. Please turn to page 60 for further information. Tim e: 10:30 am

Tuesday 3rd March 34. The Cartoon Museum Showcasing the best of British cartoon and comic art, the Museum has over 200 original cartoons, caricatures and comics. Stephen Marchant, Comic Art Curator and Learning Coordinator will talk about the history of British cartooning after which we shall be free to look round the galleries.

Meet: The Cartoon Museum, 63 Wells Street, W1A 3AE

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(Nearest station: Oxford Circus. Exit the station on the north side of Oxf ord Street and turn north in to Regent Street. Turn right into Margaret Street, then at the end of the road, left into Wells Street. The Museum is on the left. About 550 yards walk.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1-1½ hours) (30 places) Fee: £12 Refreshments will be provided on arrival.

Wednesday 4th March 35. London’s Royal Parks The mere mention of Hyde or Regent’s Park is enough to evoke the capital in all its glory for residents and tourists alike. They have a grand history – some royally owned as far back as the Norman Conquest, others acquired by Henry VIII during the Reformation – and since being opened to the public in the 18 th century they have hosted some of London’s great events, including the Great Exhibition and innumerable jubilees and celebrations. Join landscape architect, author and speaker Paul Rabbitts as he tells the story of London’s eight Royal Parks.

Meet: Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Square WC1N 3AT (Nearby stations: Russell Square (Piccadilly) about 0.3 mile and Holborn (Central,

Piccadilly) about 0.5 mile. Many buses stop nearby in Southampton Row.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (90 places) Fee: £12 Bookings may be made for members' guests. Refreshments will be available after the lecture. There are several cafés, restaurants and pubs in or near Queen Square.

Saturday 7th March 36. London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Founded in 1861, LAMDA is the oldest drama school in the UK, offering exceptional vocational training to actors, stage managers, technicians, directors and designers. In addition to the six degree programmes and two shorter courses currently validated by the University of Kent, LAMDA also offers a Foundation Diploma and a range of specialist short courses. In 2017-2018 it was part of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama, the Higher Education Provider through which it was founded and regulated. It is now registered separately with the Office for Students, and from 2019-2020 will operate as an independent Higher Education Provider in its own right.

Meet: Lon don Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, 155 Talgarth Road, W14 9DA (Ne arest station: Barons Court (District & Piccadilly). Exit station to the left then turn

left again onto Talgarth Road (A4) and LAMDA is less than 200 yards on the left.) Time: 11:30 am (Likely duration: 1 hour) (20 places) Fee: £11

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Saturday 7th March 37. Dickens to Diamonds: Hatton Garden Crossrail and 21 st century architecture are transforming Farringdon station, but behind the station the original street pattern and fascinating tales of the area remain. Join Blue Badge Guide and author, Rachel Kolsky, to discover social housing in Clerkenwell and London’s original Little Italy where Italian ice cream vendors and organ grinders contributed to a colourful street life, only a stone’s throw from the alleyways which inspired Fagin’s den and London’s diamond quarter, named after one of Elizabeth I’s favourite courtiers. After stories of cinema, machine guns and gem heists, you emerge in what was once part of Cambridgeshire.

Meet: In Cowcross Street just outside the exit from Farringdon station Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Sunday 8th March 38. A Night of London Film Details as for event 24, except the date. Please book for both events if you are available and then kindly stick to the date allocated.

Meet: Out side Captain Bligh House, 100 Lambeth Road, SE1 7PT, opposite the Imperial War Museum (shelter under Pub canopy on corner if raining) (Nearest station: Lambeth North (Bakerloo) Exit the station and cross over the road to the church opposite. Continue down Kennington Road then turn left at the Three

Stags Pub into Lambeth Road. Captain Bligh House is the n a few doors down on the left. About 350 yards walk.) Time: 5:30 pm (Likely duration: 1¾ hours) (22 places) Fee: £19 This house has quite a few stairs and is not wheelchair friendly.

Tuesday 10th March 39. The Cinema Museum For the past thirteen years, the Cinema Museum has been situated in the Master's House - the administration block of the former Lambeth Workhouse which Charlie Chaplin entered as a child when his mother faced destitution. The Cinema Museum's fascinating and comprehensive collection encompasses every aspect of going to the pictures, from the architecture and fittings of the cinemas themselves, to the ephemeral marketing materials that promoted the films of the moment. It now houses more than a million photographic images, including pictures of cinemas and cinema-going. Many unique films have been saved,

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copied and preserved, including around eighty titles from the Blackburn-based Edwardian film pioneers, Mitchell & Kenyon, and a collection of silent colour travelogues from early last century. During our tour we shall see and hear about many more of the treasures housed in the Museum.

Meet: The Cinema Museum, The Master's House, 2 Dugard Way, SE11 4TH (Nearest station: Kennington (Bakerloo) Turn right out of station and follow Kennington Park Road. Cross at the lights at the 'Toulouse Lautrec' Wine Bar a nd continue in the same direction, but on the other side of the road. Turn left into Dante Road and then take the second left into George Mathers Road. At the end of the r oad

follow the signposts to the Museum. A half mile walk. Alternatively exit the stat ion, cross over the road and go left towards Bus Stop KB (towards London B ridge) where the 133, 155, 333 or 415 bus will take you to the Newington Butts stop (about 5 minutes). Turn left into Dante Road and continue as above (200 yards) Time: 11:15am (Likely duration: 1-1½ hours) (25 places) Fee: £8 Comfortable shoes are recommended as there is quite a lot of standing.

Please see the Editor’s Postscript on Page 64

Wednesday 11th March 40. LAS History Group Please refer to event 16 for further information.

Meet: 109 Chatsworth Road, Willesden Green, NW2 4BH (Nearest stations: Willesden Green (Jubilee) and Brondesbury or Brondesbury Park

(Overground), Bus 98 to Deerhurst Road stop) Time: 2:15 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (16 places) Refreshments will be provided.

Thursday 12th March 41. The “Square Mile”: A Discovery Why are these the most fascinating 700 acres in the world? Because nowhere else can match its invigorating mix of architecture, history, people, churches and nooks and crannies. Glory in the City story with our long-standing friend and Vice President, Andrew Davies.

Meet: Outside on the steps of the Royal Exchange (Nearest station: Bank) Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

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Monday 16th March 42. Laban This is the largest purpose-built contemporary dance centre in the world, designed by Herzog and de Meuron who also designed the Tate Modern. They collaborated with visual artist, Michael Craig-Martin, to create an iconic and bold building. By day the building's semi-translucent cladding allows traces of dance and movement to be visible through the walls. By night, the building becomes a coloured beacon with light and movement spilling out, illuminating the surrounding area. "It is a building which champions the idea that intelligence, creativity, imagination and art make life better".

Meet: Reception, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Laba n Building, Creekside, SE8 3DZ (Nearest station: Cutty Sark (DLR). Turn right out of the station then right again onto Creek Road. Follow the road across the major junction and across the Dept ford Creek. Cross over the road at the pedestrian lights on the far side of the bridge and turn into the footpath directly in front of you. Follow the roa d round (or cut through the passageway in the glass building on your right) then turn left onto Creeks ide, where Laban is on the left. About a half mile walk in total. Alternatively upon exiting the station turn left on Creek Road then right at the corner to catch the 188 or 199 bus towards Surrey Quays from outside Greenwich Market for 2 stops. Alight at the Creekside stop, then as above.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (20 places) Fee: £13 Photography is allowed of the building and the exterior but not permitted in the studios or any other spaces when in use by students or staff. There is a café where members can wait and take refreshment before/after the visit.

Tuesday 17th March 43. North Side of the Strand With City Guide and Freeman John Halligan you’ll be walking through the historic area north of the Strand and into Lincoln’s Inn Fields. There’s plenty of variety and interest. The walk ends in Fleet Street, close to the Royal Courts of Justice.

Meet: Under the clock INSIDE Charing Cross mainline station Time : 11:00 am (Likely duration: 2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10 There are seats and free toilets in the station.

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Wednesday 18th March 44. BT Archives BT cares for the heritage that tells the story of the telecommunications revolution and Britain's part in it. Few companies in the world have a heritage as rich as BT, the world’s oldest and most established communications company with roots in the UK's Electric Telegraph Company, first incorporated in 1846. BT's history is a fascinating weave of technological innovation and corporate endeavour - both as a public service and as a private enterprise. After a talk by James Elder, Archives Manager, we shall see some of the interesting holdings.

Meet: BT Archives, 268-270 High Holborn, WC1V 7EE (Nearest station: Holborn. Take the right hand exit onto High Holborn and turn right.

The Archives are about 200 yards on the right.) Time : 11:30am (Likely duration: 1-1½ hours) (20 places) Fee: £8

Saturday 21st March 45. Benjamin Franklin House It was opened to the public for the first time on Franklin's 300 th birthday in January 2006, and has been brought back to its 18 th century lustre as a museum and educational facility. Dr. Benjamin Franklin - scientist, diplomat, philosopher, inventor and Founding Father, lived there between 1757 and 1775. During this period his main occupation as a colonial agent was mediating unrest between Britain and America. The house was built circa 1730, and the work-a- day Georgian building holds a Grade I architectural listing for its extensive original features, including fourteen fireplaces, ceilings, paneling, shutters, floors and a central staircase which Franklin claimed to use for daily exercise. In his words, "Faith is then the ground floor, hope is up one pair of stairs". During our tour we shall learn more about the work he did during his London tenure, all the while forging a hearty social life and close friendships with leading figures of the day. A demonstration of a replica of Franklin's glass armonica is offered on the 3rd floor.

Meet: Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, WC2N 5NF (Nearest stations: Charing Cross. Take the exit onto the S trand (south side) and turn left then the second left (by the red phone boxes) into Craven Str eet, where the House is on the left. About 200 yards.) Time: 12:00 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (15 places) Fee: £7 Access is limited for those with mobility needs. There are three flights of stairs and the floors and stairs are uneven in places. There are also few seats available in each room, but lightweight 'shooting sticks' are available.

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Monday 23rd March 46. Trinity House The Corporation of Trinity House is the General Lighthouse Authority responsible for Aids to Navigation around the coasts of England, Wales, Channel Islands and Gibraltar. Trinity House is the historic home of the Corporation and original parts of the house date back to 1796, including the Court Room with its beautiful painted ceiling. There are a number of model ships in the House as well as some very fine maritime paintings. There are also a number of portraits of past Masters of Trinity House and Elder Brethren. In 2014 the Corporation of Trinity House celebrated its quincentenary, and our tour with the Guide, Geoff Boyd, will cover elements of the 505 year old history of the Corporation and its modern-day function.

Meet: Trinity House, Trinity Square, Tower Hill, EC3N 4DH (Nearest station: Tower Hill. The house faces the Gardens in Trinity Square and is

about 100 yards from the station.) Time: 3:00 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (25 places) Fee: £11

Wednesday 25th March 47. Pub Lunch at the Market Tavern. The Market Tavern in Mayfair combines British pub hospitality with individuality, character and quirky charm. The Market Tavern is tucked away among the boutique shops and intimate cafés of London’s Shepherd Market, just south of Mayfair.

Meet: The Market Tavern, 7 Shepherd Street, Mayfair W1J 7HR (Nearest station: Green Park (Jubilee, Victoria and Piccadilly ) On leaving the station, walk along the non-park side of Piccadilly against the traffic and then tur n right into

White Horse Street. Turn left into Shepherd Stre et where the road forks at the Kings Arms. The Market Tavern is on the left a few doors down. About 350 yards walk.) Time: 12:30 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (18 places) This event is not bookable. See page 60 for further details.

Thursday 26th March 48. Meet & Chat: The Ledger Building This event is not bookable, just turn up at The Ledger Building (a Wetherspoon’s Pub) for a coffee or a drink. Those who wish can have lunch. Prices are reasonable and everyone orders and pays for their own refreshments.

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Meet: The Ledger Building (a few doors do wn from the Docklands Museum) 4 Hertsmere Road, Poplar, E14 4AL (Nearest stations: West India Quay, Canary Wharf) Time: 11:15 am (Likely duration: Flexible)

Thursday 26th March 49. Enlightenment The Enlightenment was an age of reason and learning that flourished across Europe and America from about 1680-1820. This rich and diverse permanent exhibition, housed in the King's Library, the former home of the library of King George III, uses thousands of objects to demonstrate how people in Britain understood their world during this period. Objects on display reveal the way in which collectors, antiquarians and travellers during this great age of discovery, viewed and classified objects from the world around them. During our tour we shall hear how our understanding of the world of nature and human achievement has changed over time.

Meet: The British Museum Information Desk, Great Russel l Street, WC1B 3DG (Nearest stations: Tottenham Court Ro ad or Holborn. Less than half a mile from

either.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (20 places) Fee: £9

Friday 27th March 50. Laughter in the Landscape Lester Hillman leads a circular guided walk, exploring all things humorous in the local landscape: including drama, giants of pantomime, clowns, cartoons, songs, literature and much more. The walk ends about 90 minutes later near where it started, handy for buses and refreshments.

Mee t: The Old Bull and Bush Public House, North End Way, NW3 7H E, opposite Golders Hill Park (Nearest station: Golders Green (Northern, Edgware branch) Turn left out of the station onto the main road and follow it for 0.6 mile. Alternatively the 210 and 268 buses from the station pass the door.) Time: 11:30 am (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (20 places) Fee: £10 Rainwear and sensible footwear recommended.

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Saturday 28th March 51. LAS Walkers: Exploring the Capital Ring This event is not bookable. Please turn to page 60 for further information. Time: 10:30 am

Monday 30th March 52. Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue The site was originally purchased by the then Merchant Seaman's Orphan Asylum in 1859. In the 1890s the old chapel building and annex at the site of the old Wanstead Hospital was bought and became the Synagogue. It is now a Grade II listed building which has been renovated and restored to a very high standard. Regular Shabbat services are held there, there is a Religion School for children on a Sunday morning and they also engage in Adult Education in conjunction with other neighbour synagogues. Many social events are hosted by the Synagogue and there is an annual Tea in the grounds in July. We shall hear more about the work and history of the Synagogue with the administrator, Frank Godson, who will be presenting slides and videos.

Meet: Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue, 1 Victory Road, Hermon Hill, Wanstead, E11 1UL (Nearest station: Snaresbrook (Central) Exit the station and go dow n the steps to the High Street. Walk for about 200 yards, past Sylvan Road towards the traffic lig hts then turn left onto Hermon Hill and either catch the W 13 towards South Woodford

(every 30 minutes) to Heronwood Hospital stop (2 stops), or continue along the road. Victory Road is then on the right with the Synagogue in the converted church - a half a mile walk in total.) Time: 11:30 am (Likely duration: 2 hours) (25 places) Fee: £7 Refreshments have been promised.

Thursday 2nd April 53. Sculpture in the City Since 2006 the City of London and local businesses have sponsored an annual display of sculpture and a linked education programme. Dozens of artists, many of them famous, have displayed their work, often works created especially for this event. Join Stella Ioannou for a lively exploration of a small corner of the City and get to meet some wonderfully innovative works of art.

Meet: St Botolph’s Church, Bishopsgate EC2M 3T L, by Kevin Francis Grey’s marble Reclining Nude I

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(Nearest station: Liverpool Street. Take the exit for Bishopsgate and continue d own Liverpool St. Turn right at the end into Bishopsgate and right again at the church, a 200 yard walk.) Time: 5:00 pm (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Monday 6th April 54. Tallow Chandlers' Hall The Tallow Chandlers’ Company was formed circa 1300 to regulate oils, ointments, lubricants and fat-based preservatives and to manage candle making using tallow (animal fats). The range of domestic goods that they looked after expanded greatly and they were granted a coat of arms by King Edward IV in 1456 and full Livery status in 1462. The site of the Hall was bought in 1476 and the present Grade I listed building completed in 1672 after the destruction of the original Hall in the Great Fire. Having survived the Blitz, it is one of the few Livery Halls to remain unchanged since then and during our tour we will see the beautiful staircase leading to the Banqueting Hall, Parlour and Court Room, and some splendid oak paneling.

Mee t: Reception, Tallow Chandlers' Hall, 4 Dowgate Hill, EC4R 2SH (Nearest station: Cannon Street or Bank. Many buses ) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (25 places) Fee: £7 The stairs are quite steep but there is a chair lift to the first floor. There are toilets and cloakroom on site, and many cafés nearby.

Wednesday 8th April 55. Grand Order of Water Rats The Grand Order of Water Rats is based in a pub on Gray's Inn Road. It was founded in 1889 by two music hall comedians, Joe Elvin and Jack Lotto. It started off with twelve members and now has about two hundred. It is a British entertainment industry and charitable organisation with an exclusively male membership. The money raised by organising shows, lunches, dinners and other events goes towards assisting members and dependents of the theatrical profession who are in need due to illness or old age. The money also goes to hospitals, health charities and benevolent funds. The tour includes a film, talk, a visit to the museum, coffee and biscuits. Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Peter Sellers and Tommy Cooper were all Water Rats. Companion Water Rats include Prince Charles, Prince Michael of Kent and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Meet: Main entrance to the Museum, Grand Order of Water Rats, 3 28 Gray's Inn Road, King’s Cross, WC1X 8BZ [continued overleaf]

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(Nearest stations: King’s Cross. From the main station entrance bear left at the traffic lights into Gray's Inn Road (one-way towards you) The venue is on the left, about 550 yards.) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 2-2½ hours) (45 places) Fee: £17 Refreshments have been offered. There is also a pub next door.

Thursday 9th April 56. Introducing London’s Black History Your guide will take you through hundreds of years of the African presence and contribution to London’s way of life. Discover secret alleyways and enormous buildings all connected to Africa and the Caribbean in ways the owners like to hide. Find out about Black loyalists and African revolutionaries. Uncover the submerged links between trade, religion, slavery and politics still evident in London’s streets and buildings.

Meet: St Paul's station at exit, above ground Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Thursday 16th April 57. St Lawrence Church, Little Stanmore St Lawrence, who was martyred in 258 AD on a griddle, is reputed to have told his executioners to turn him over, as he was "done on that side". It is perhaps unsurprising that he is known as a patron saint of cooks and restaurateurs. Also known as St Lawrence, Whitchurch, this Grade I listed medieval church, which still retains its 14th century tower, was rebuilt in 1715 by James Brydges, later Duke of Chandos who lived nearby. The highly decorated interior of the church is unusual being Continental Baroque rather than English Baroque in style. G.F. Handel was employed by Brydges in 1717-1718 as his composer-in-residence. This resulted in a number of works including the "Chandos Anthems" which are believed to be first performed in the church. At the east end of the church is the organ assumed to have been played by Handel. On our tour with Stuart Cawthorne we shall learn more about its fascinating history.

Meet: St Lawrence Church, Whitchurch Lane, Edgware HA8 6QS (From Canons Park (Jubilee) turn left and follow the road for about 350 yards. From Edgware (Northern) buses 79, 186 or 340 (towards Canons Park) from the attached bus station, stop outside the church.) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (20 places) Fee: £5

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The church and toilets are completely accessible but there are steps to the mausoleum and the family pews. There are cafés close to Canons Park station or a variety of establishments in Edgware.

Monday 20th April 58. Shaftesbury Theatre The Shaftesbury Theatre, the largest independent theatre in the West End and Grade II listed, was built in 1911 and opened on Boxing Day with a production of The Three Musketeers. Over the last 109 years it has seen many successes and many surprises, including the controversial five year run of Hair , a show that ended abruptly due to a ceiling collapse on the evening before its 2000 th performance. The Theatre is spread over 6 floors and does not have a lift. The tour will therefore involve walking up and down a lot of stairs.

Meet: Shaftesbury Theatre, 210 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8DP (Nearest stations: Tottenham Court Road (New Oxford Street ex it) then about 350

yards) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1-1½ hours) (25 places) Fee: £12 Tea and coffee have been promised in the Royal Bar after the tour.

Tuesday 21st April 59. Everything Stops for Tea London, tea capital of the world. But where does our tea come from, how does it get here and who chooses the blends, from a variety of countries, that we drink? Is it an art or a science? Mike Bunston, OBE is an eminent personality in the international tea trade with over 50 years of experience, having started as a tea broker in 1959. There isn’t a tea growing country in the world that he hasn’t spent time in and knows well, having first visited Africa when he was selected to manage the marketing for several plantations in Uganda. Rwanda followed four years later when little tea was grown there, with his influence being a major factor in the vast expansion of the tea industry there over the last 20 years. He served as Honorary Chairman of the international Tea Committee for 20 years, chaired numerous discussions between producers and consumer counties and is presently Honorary Tea Ambassador for Sri Lanka in the UK. He will describe the history of the tea trade, enlivened by his personal experiences and anecdotes while working in it, as well as a short film on tea in Sri Lanka. Having tickled our taste buds he will end by offering a tasting of a selection of different teas with accompanying biscuits.

Meet : Inside the Church Hall of St Botolph without Bishopsgate( at the rear of

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the church itself), Bishopsgate, EC2M 3TL (Nearest station: Liverpool Street. Take t he exit for Bishopsgate and continue down Liverpool St. Turn right at the end into Bishopsg ate and right again at the church, a 200 yard walk. ) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1-1½ hours) (60 places) Fee: £12 Bookings may be made for members' guests. There are toilets at the Hall, and cafés nearby.

Wednesday 22nd April 60. Vintners' Hall The Worshipful Company of Vintners is one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies and one of the most ancient. It probably existed as early as the 12 th century and received its Royal Charter in 1363 for the import, regulation and sale of wine and still maintains strong links with the UK wine trade. The Hall, built in 1671-1675 to replace the medieval one destroyed in the Great Fire, can no longer be appreciated externally as it has been added to and extended considerably since 1821, but the interior retains the paneled Court Room of 1671 and a handsome staircase from 1673 as well as other fine rooms from later periods. One of the rights of the Company involves the ceremony of swan upping, the annual census of the swan population on the Thames.

Meet : Entrance to the Vintners' Company, 68 Upper Thames Stre et, EC4V 3BG (Nearest stations: Cannon Street or Mansion House, both about 350 yards.) Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (30 places) Fee: £13 Toilets and cloakroom on site.

Thursday 23rd April 61. High Street Kensington Blue Badge Guide, Tim Kidd, will meet us at the Pret café and lead us via St Mary Abbots Church and Kensington Town Hall to the Design Museum where the walk will end. The Design Museum and Holland Park just to the north offer many lunch possibilities.

Meet: Kensington High Street station (Circle & District), at the Pret a Manger in the arcade leading to the High Street. Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

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Friday 24th April 62. An Address in Bloomsbury Urban Designer and Conservation Officer Alec Forshaw has enjoyed living in Great Ormond Street for a quarter of a century. Built in the late 17 th century his house was No. 13 and about 20 years later No. 49 was built just opposite. All this changed in the late 19th century when No. 49 was demolished and the houses were renumbered. Overnight No. 13 became No. 49. Alec traces the life and times of both No. 49s, the people who lived or worked there, and the activities and institutions which helped to mould this part of Bloomsbury into what it is today. His illustrated talk tells a rich and compelling story.

Meet: Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Square WC1N 3AT (Nearest stations: Russell Square (Piccadilly) about 550 yards, or Holborn (Cent ral,

Piccadilly) about 1/2 mile. Many buses stop nearby in Southampton Row.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (90 places) Fee: £12 Bookings may be made for members' guests. Refreshments will be available after the lecture. There are several cafés, restaurants and pubs in or near Queen Square.

Saturday 25th April 63. LAS Walkers: Exploring the Capital Ring This event is not bookable. Please turn to page 60 for further information. Time: 10:30 am

Monday 27th April 64. National Portrait Gallery: Archive and Library Tour Bryony Millan, Senior Library and Archive Manager, takes us on a special tour of the National Portrait Gallery's Archive and Library, showing material that is not normally displayed. She will focus on the first hundred years of the Gallery's history, from its foundation in 1856 through to the 1960s, using behind the scenes records from the Gallery's extensive archive. We shall hear where the Gallery was founded and where it moved to, about the first director Sir George Scharf, the Gallery's experiences in the First World War, encounters with suffragettes, the Bloomsbury set, through the Second World War and ending with the vitality of the swinging sixties.

Meet: Reception of the National Portrait Gallery offices, 39-45 Orange St (the road behind the Gallery parallel to Trafalgar Square) (Nearest stations: Charing Cross or Leicester Square) Time : 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (15 places) Fee: £8 No refreshments but there is a café in the basement of the Gallery itself, below the shop and an upmarket restaurant with fabulous views upstairs.

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Tuesday 28th April 65. Hammersmith Many pass through Hammersmith on the A4 trunk route without a passing thought for the original riverside village just a stone’s throw away. With John Morgan as your guide you will see architectural oddities, a Waterloo church, delightful nooks and crannies, great pubs and unexpected views of London. Hammersmith was a meeting place for radicals in the late Victorian period, and it was here that William Morris lived, worked and occasionally harangued passersby. The walk ends near Hammersmith underground stations with District, Piccadilly, Circle and Hammersmith and City lines.

Meet: Stamford Brook station (District) at exit Time : 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Wednesday 29th April 66. Ethnic Meal: Eat Hungarian Some rate this the best Hungarian restaurant in London. As you approach, admire its green wall. Inside Mihaly will explain the aquaponics system. You will eat off plates made by Mihaly himself, sit on chairs made by his son Tomas, and you may get to hear about The Rosemary’s partnership with local community groups like the Employment Project, Grow Wild, and New Cross Learning. The food is excellent. All the dishes are made on site, using organic ingredients sourced from local farms. You will have a free choice from the set menu (3 starters, 4 mains, 2 desserts). Each course includes vegetarian and vegan options. The fee is for two courses (main plus either starter or dessert). There’s also an extensive a la carte menu, at a slightly higher cost. Further details of the menu and the possibility of adding a third course will be sent shortly before the event.

Meet: The Rosemary, 178 New Cross Roa d, London SE 14 5AA, inside the restaurant. (Nearest station: New Cross Gate (4 trains ea ch hour from London Bridge). The Rosemary is a few yards from the junction of New Cross Road and Queen’s Road. It’s about 500 yards from the station,, but closer from bus stops. The 36, 53, 136, 17 1, 172, 177, 436 and 453 pass close by. Depending which bus you are on, get off at New Cross Fire Station, New Cross Bus Garage, or Besson Street.) Time: 1:00 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (40 places) Fee: £21

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Thursday 30th April 67. Meet & Chat: The Ledger Building This event is not bookable, just turn up at The Ledger Building (a Wetherspoon’s Pub) for a coffee or a drink. Those who wish can have lunch. Prices are reasonable and everyone orders and pays for their own refreshments.

Meet: The Ledger Building (a few doors down fro m the Docklands Museum) 4 Hertsmere Road, Poplar, E14 4AL (Nearest stations: West India Quay, Canary Wharf) Time: 11:15 am (Likely duration: Flexible)

Friday 1st May 68*. National Theatre Archive – Asterisked Event The National Theatre Archive holds artistic, technical and administrative records relating to the National Theatre from 1963 to the present day. Our tour with Assistant Archivist, Fran Horner, will focus on Dame Judi Dench, a star of the National Theatre, whose stage career has been documented through production programmes, prompt scripts, costume bibles, photographs and video recordings held in the Archive. We will have a chance to explore these materials, and view video clips of Dench performing on stage as Cleopatra from Antony and Cleopatra and as Desirée Armfeldt from A Little Night Music . We shall also visit the Stacks and the Research Room to view archive materials and other theatre treasures!

Meet: Reception of archive building, National Theatre Studio: 83-10 1 The Cut, SE1 8LL (next to the Old Vic theatre, not the National Theatre!) (Neares t station: Waterloo Exit onto Waterloo Road and turn right. Turn left at the

Old Vic and the Archive is next door. About 200 yards.) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £8 The Archive is fully accessible with a lift available. There is a café in the basement of the Old Vic Theatre (Penny’s, access from Waterloo Road) and others nearby.

Tuesday 5th May 69. Shakespeare in the City Shakespeare spent his working life in the City and led groups of actors and theatre owners in the square mile. With Tony Tucker as our guide we will visit sites from Blackfriars to Guildhall with connections to the Bard, his plays, his homes, and his theatres.

Meet: St. Paul’s Cathedral, on steps. (Nearest station: St. Paul's) Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

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Thursday 7th May 70. Behind the Scenes Tour of the South Bank Centre The Southbank Centre dates back to the Festival of Britain in 1951. One of the most important cultural destinations in the country, it hosts thousands of performances and millions of visitors every year. Our tour will offer a unique insight into the history of the site and the people who have shaped it. We will be following in the footsteps of world-famous orchestras and artists and we will hear behind-the-scenes stories and gain exclusive access to areas usually reserved for performers and Southbank Centre staff.

Meet: Welcome Hub, (Level 2 opposite Nels on Mandela Way), Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX (Neares t station: Waterloo Exit onto Cab Road, turn left and follow the railway along Sutton Walk, passing under the bridge. You should now see the Royal Fest ival Hall

to your left. Cross the road and go up the steps to th e Welcome Hub on your right. About 400 yards.) Time: 10:30 am (Likely duration: 1 hour) (40 places) Fee: £10 There are a lot of stairs but lifts are available. Refreshments are available to purchase at South Bank Centre before and after the tour.

Thursday 7th May 71. Pub Lunch at the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is one of a number of pubs in London to have been rebuilt shortly after the Great Fire of 1666. There has been a pub at this location since 1538. While there are several older pubs which have survived because they were beyond the reach of the fire, or like The Tipperary on the opposite side of Fleet Street because they were made of stone, this pub continues to attract interest due to the lack of natural lighting inside. Some of the interior wood paneling is 19 th century, some older, perhaps original. The vaulted cellars are thought to belong to a 13 th century Carmelite monastery which once occupied the site. The entrance to this pub is situated in a narrow alleyway and is very unassuming, yet once inside visitors will discover that the pub occupies a lot of floor space and has numerous bars and atmospheric rooms. In winter, open fireplaces give a cozy welcome. Look out for the plaques showing famous regulars in the Bar Room.

Meet: Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, 145 Fleet Street. EC4A 2BU (Nearest station: Blackfriars (Circle, District & National Rail.) Walk up Farringdon Street, turn left and continue along Fleet Street to Wine Office Court. A bout 500 yards.) Time: 12:30 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (10 places) This event is not bookable. See page 60 for further details.

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Friday 8th May 72. Historic Chiswick This walk with Ian Bevan includes the Georgian village with its old brewery, the smallest square in London, the parish church of St Nicholas and Chiswick House and gardens.

Meet: At the exit from Chiswick Railway Station, on the London bound side of the station. Not to be confused with Chiswick Park (Underground) station Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10 There is a café at Chiswick House. The 190 & 533 buses pass Chiswick House to Hammersmith.

Monday 11th May 73. Honeywood House Museum Honeywood House Museum is a Grade II listed building situated next to the picturesque Carshalton Ponds in the heart of the Carshalton Conservation Area. The family friendly museum re-opened in May 2012 after a complete refurbishment following a Heritage Lottery Fund grant. The building dates back to the mid-17 th century with Victorian and Edwardian extensions. It has a wealth of beautifully restored period details including a fine Edwardian billiards room, drawing room and Victorian scullery. The displays tell the history of the people of the borough from the early settlements to the present, including displays on the Tudors, the mills, and country houses of the Wandle. We shall hear an introductory talk before a tour of the Museum. Look out for the delightful collection of Edwardian toys on display in the Childhood room.

Meet: Honeywood House, Honeywood Walk, Carlshalton, SM5 3NX (Nearest station: Carlshalton (Southern from Victoria & Thameslink) If your train was travelling from Hackbridge, turn r ight out of the station, and then left into West Street (signposted). If the train was travelling fro m Sutton turn left out of the station and left again into West Street. Continue to the Water Tower and turn left into Festival Walk, then follow the path in the park to the Centre. About 550 yards.) Time : 11:00 am (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (10 places) Fee: £6 Wheelchair access is to the ground floor only. There is a tearoom on-site. See also event number 98. Please book for both events if you are available and then kindly stick to the date allocated.

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Tuesday 12th May 74. The Charterhouse Founded as a Carthusian Monastery in 1348 but adapted to become a Tudor Mansion, it is still an alms-house. During our unique guided tour by one of the resident Brothers, we shall visit the chapel, the Great Hall where the Brothers sit to eat their meals, the Great Chamber where Queen Elizabeth I held court during the first days of her reign, Wash-house Court associated with the medieval monks of the Charterhouse and some of the beautiful courtyards on this large site. The Charterhouse school, founded here in 1611, moved out to Godalming in 1872, but the presence of the pupils can still be felt!

Meet: In the first courtyard beyond the entrance gate, Charterh ouse, Charterhouse Square, EC1M 6AN (Nearest station: Barbican. Turn left at the exit from Barbican Station, then left again to walk along Carthusian Street to Charterhouse Square. Take the diagonal path across the middle of the square. This goes straight to the medieval g ateway entrance to Charterhouse. About 4 00 yards. Buses 4, 56, and 153 stop on Aldersgate Street, near Carthusian Street.) Time: 2:15 pm (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (20 places) Fee: £18 Many cafés nearby.

Wednesday 13th May 75. St Mary-le-Bow Church, Cheapside St. Mary-le-Bow church (Bow in this instance referring to an architectural feature of the Crypt) has the famous Bow Bells, which rang curfew in the Middle Ages and called Dick Whittington back to London from 5 miles away at Highgate Hill. The church was founded by William the Conqueror's Archbishop Lanfranc circa 1080, and the crypt survived the Great Fire. The main structure was then rebuilt by Wren and again following damage during World War II. The Rector or Matthew Power, the Parish Secretary, will tell us about the 1000 year history of the church and will give us a tour of the Church including the Hayward windows.

Meet: Inside the vestibule, St Mary le Bow, Cheapside, EC2V 6AU (Nearest stations: St Paul's and Bank. The Church is about halfway between the

stations, about 350 yards. Buses 8 & 25 from either station pass outside.) Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 1 hour) (25 places) Fee: £5 There is a café in the crypt (not wheelchair accessible) and others nearby.

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Thursday 14th May 76*. Royal Blackheath Golf Club – Asterisked Event The Royal Blackheath Golf Club is often heralded as the oldest golf club in the world and is housed in Eltham Lodge, a magnificent 17 th century building with many original features and described by Simon Jenkins in England’s Best Houses as a gem of Restoration architecture. When the Court of James VI of Scotland/James I of England arrived in Greenwich, its members looked for somewhere to indulge their hobby of golf, then unknown in England, and they settled on a sandy area near Blackheath (which was of greater extent than the present-day village) and within the grounds of Eltham Palace then still a Royal residence. The Club was formally instituted in 1608 and has been in existence on this spot ever since. We will be given a guided tour of the building and its principal rooms and then of their unique museum of golf memorabilia and historical artifacts. Refreshments will be provided upon arrival, before the tour which starts at 11am.

Meet: Assemble in car park at front door, Royal Blackheath Golf Club, C ourt Road, Eltham SE9 5AF. Enter the Club via their driveway on Court Rd. (Nearest station: Mottingham (Trains from Cannon Street and Charing Cross). Leave the station via the car park and turn left into Court Road. The club driveway is a bout half a mile on the right. You can take the 126 or 161 bus from outside the station (towards Eltham) to the Royal Blackheath stop, then walk back about 140 yards to the entrance to the Club. Car parking is available.) Time: 10:30 am (Likely duration: 1¾ hours) (20 places) Fee: £6 There are toilets on site. After the event you can visit Eltham Palace which has an entrance opposite the entrance to the Club’s drive (a half-mile walk door-to-door). The Palace has an excellent garden café but non-English Heritage members have to pay for entry. Another place to visit is Well Hall Pleasaunce, immediately north of Eltham Station on the 161 bus route.

Thursday 14th May 77. Pimlico: Hopes, Dreams, and Realities Mr Thomas Cubitt developed Pimlico in the 19 th century. On this walk Alan MacDougall traces the development of the area from marshy fields to Cubitt’s self-styled “South Belgravia” and on to today’s realities: the prison which prepared people for transportation, the private houses and several different innovative housing projects, the curious layout of some of the streets, the churches, including one for the rich and one for the poor, the contrasting squares, the canal that became a railway and the canal basin which became a station. Alan will explore all this to provide some account of the hopes, the dreams and the realities of the ever-changing people of Pimlico in times past.

Meet : Pimlico station (Victoria), at the ticket barrier Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

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Saturday 16th May 78. Epping and Ongar Heritage Steam Railway “Step back in time and experience the romance of travel in bygone times as you pass through picturesque countryside, beautiful forest and historic towns.” This is the longest heritage railway in Essex and the closest to London. A vintage bus on route 339 starts from the front door of Epping station and takes you to North Weald at the start of the line. There you can watch the steam engine being prepared before the journey to Ongar. Your ticket allows you to return on the same or later trains, although not all are steam trains. Ongar is a delightful village to explore with good pubs for lunch and the world’s oldest wooden church at nearby Greensted.

Meet: Outside Epping station (Central Line) Time: 10.15am (Likely duration: 2½-3 hours) (30 places) Fee: £14 The heritage buses are unable to accommodate wheelchairs. Toilets and some parking available at Epping station.

Tuesday 19th May 79. Chocolate Museum and Workshop Tucked away in a quiet Brixton street the Chocolate Museum opened its doors in March 2013, an independent museum established by French artisan chocolatier, Isabelle Alaya, who started her own brand, Melange Chocolate, in the UK in 2008. The collection details the history of chocolate around the world and encompasses a range of objects and memorabilia acquired over many years from different merchants and collectors. Isabelle will take us through the chocolate-making process from bean to bar, after which we can have a go at making our own truffles. Note: We have been advised that no ingredients contain nuts. Please see the website terms and conditions for further information regarding allergies.

Meet: The Chocolate Museum, 187 Ferndale Road, Brixton, SW9 8BA (Nearest station: Brixton (Victoria line or Southeastern). then about 350 yards walk. From the Underground station, cross the road, turn right and pass under the first railway bridge. Turn left at Marks & Spencer into Dorrell Place and turn right at the

end into Nurse ry Road, passing under the next bridge. Follow the road round to the left into Ferndale Road and the venue is on the left. From the mainline station, t ake the Atlantic Road exit and walk left towards the M&S shop, then as above. ) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (18 places) Fee: £19 The museum is in a basement and access is a little difficult.

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Wednesday 20th May 80. LAS History Group Please refer to event 16 for further information.

Meet: 109 Chatsworth Road, Willesden Green, NW2 4BH (Nearest stations: Willesden Green (Jubilee) and Brondesbury or Brondesbury Park

(Overground), Bus 98 to Deerhurst Road stop) Ti me: 2:15 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (16 places) Refreshments will be provided.

Saturday 23rd May 81. Ridley Road to the Rio: Dalston In and around Ridley Road Market, Dalston has been transformed over the past few years. Enjoy a tour with Blue Badge Guide and author Rachel Kolsky: explore the area, and feel the creative energy of the Arcola Theatre, street art and a community garden on disused railway lands. Jewish and historic connections abound, with splendid local authority buildings, the German Hospital, Shacklewell Lane Synagogue now a mosque, and the iconic Rio Cinema.

Meet: Outside exit from Dalson Kingsland Overground station (Dalston Junction Station is near, and many buses including 61, 149, 243 and 488.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Tuesday 26th May 82. John Milton: A Guided Walk John Milton (1608-1674) is arguably England’s greatest poet after Shakespeare. He was an outspoken protestant and republican, serving in Cromwell’s commonwealth government. He wrote some of his greatest poetry after going blind. Actor Lance Pierson leads a guided walk around the City of London to see the sites of six houses where Milton lived and worked, and his burial place. At each stop Lance will read the poem linked to that place, including extracts from Paradise Lost , Samson Agonistes and Comus .

Meet: Mansion House U nderground station, outside Exit 4 which is in Bow Lane by the junction with Queen Victoria Street. Time: 2:15 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (25 places) Fee: £10

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Wednesday 27th May 83. Canonbury Tower The first building on the site was erected by Prior Bolton of St. Bartholomew’s Priory as a summer retreat from the sights and smells of Smithfield and was later owned by Thomas Cromwell of Wolf Hall fame. Most of the building you see during the tour was built in the 1570s, when it was owned by the very wealthy Lord Mayor of London, Sir John Spencer. The tour, by a member of Islington Guided Walks Association, offers a rare opportunity to see inside a Tudor dwelling, complete with oak paneling, and to hear fascinating stories of the inhabitants of the Tower through the centuries – a dramatic elopement in a breadbasket, Francis Bacon, and Oliver Goldsmith’s battle with his landlady. The climb to the top of the Tower is rewarded with a stunning 360-degree view over London.

Meet: Canonbury Tower, Canonbury Place, N1 2NQ (Nearest station: Highbury & Islington (Victoria, Overground or Great Nor thern rail) Turn right from the station, cross Upper Street and continue round Highbury Corner to Canonbury Road. After 300 yards turn left into Canonbury Square. Continue for about 180 yards into Canonbury Place. The entrance to the Tower is through the white archway.) Ti me: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (20 places) Fee: £16 There are many narrow stairs. There are cafés at Highbury Corner and along Upper Street.

Thursday 28th May 84. Meet & Chat: The Ledger Building This event is not bookable, just turn up at The Ledger Building (a Wetherspoon’s Pub) for a coffee or a drink. Those who wish can have lunch. Prices are reasonable and everyone orders and pays for their own refreshments.

Meet: The Ledger Building (a few doors down from the Docklan ds Museum) 4 Hertsmere Road, Poplar, E14 4AL (Nearest stations: West India Quay, Canary Wharf) Time: 11:15 am (Likely duration: Flexible)

Friday 29th May 85. Annual General Meeting Agenda: to receive apologies for absence, to receive and approve the minutes of the AGM held on 31 May 2019, to receive the Chairman’s, Treasurer’s and Registrar’s Reports, to receive and approve the Accounts for 2019, to elect the

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Officers and Committee, to appoint an Auditor or an Independent Examiner, and consider any other business. Any motion or item for the Agenda must be submitted to the Secretary in writing not later than Monday 4 May. Nominations for election must reach the Secretary by Monday 18 May. Following the AGM, the Society will hold a reception with finger buffet, soft drinks and wine.

Meet: Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Square WC1N 3AT (Nearest stations: Russell Square (Piccadilly) about 550 yards, or Holborn (Central,

Piccadilly) about half a mile. Many buses stop nearby in Southampton Row.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (90 places no guests) No fee but please book if you intend to come.

Saturday 30th May 86. LAS Walkers: Exploring the Capital Ring This event is not bookable. Please turn to page 60 for further information. Time: 10:30 am

Monday 1st June 87. The Worshipful Company of Skinners The first skinners lived in the same areas of London, namely around Spital and in the area between Cheap and the river Walbrook, and they worshipped in the same churches. The part-religious, part-secular fraternities of men involved in the fur trade, eventually came together in one guild dedicated to Corpus Christi, which became the Skinners' Company. They obtained one of the first charters from Edward III in 1327, and a handwritten 17th century copy is still in the possession of the Company. During our tour of Skinners' Hall with the Beadle and Houseman, Phillip Ludgrove, we shall hear more about the Company's history and how it is involved in running schools, alms-houses and charities.

Meet: Skinners' Hall, 8 Dowgate Hill, EC4R 2SP (Nearest station: Cannon Stre et. Exit the station onto Cannon Street and turn

immediately left into Dowgate Hill.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1-1¼ hours) (25 places) Fee: £8

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Tuesday 2nd June 88. St Albans South Signal Box It is the largest preserved Midland Railway signal box in the UK, and one of the few preserved boxes that is open to the public and next to a busy main line railway. Depending on the weather, there will be a walk round the garden to hear about the history and preservation of the Signal Box, and outside railway and signaling artefacts. There will be a signalling demonstration on the operating floor upstairs in which members can participate. This simulates moving a train from Harpenden through St Albans and on to Napsbury.

Meet: St. Albans South Signal Bo x, 44 Charmouth Road, St. Albans, Herts. AL1 4SN (Nea rest station: St Albans City. Trains from St. Pancras International usually on the lower level. Fast trains take 20 minutes, stopping trains take longer. Lea ve the St Albans station by the small exit on Platform 4 and not by the main entrance and ti cket ha ll. Turn left and walk through the Ridgmont Road station car park. Ahead there is a sign for St Albans South Signal Box. Continue along the road next to the car park until you reach a mauve metal gate on the left, before the apartments at the end of the road. This is the entrance to the Signal Box garden.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (25 places) Fee: £5

Tuesday 2nd June 89. Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery, which opened in 1840 and covers 40 acres, is one of the so-called Magnificent Seven Cemeteries of London. It contains over 206,000 burials and is listed Grade I in the Historic England’s Register of Parks and Gardens. It is also a Conservation Area and a designated site of nature conservation interest. It contains what is probably the country’s finest architectural funerary complex and uniquely it is a nationalised cemetery and run by the Royal Parks. A £6.2m refurbishment, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, was completed in 2018. The aim of its Victorian designers was to create a garden cemetery that would be a serene and uplifting experience for visitors and this still holds true. Our tour, which includes the catacombs, will be led by Robert Stephenson, the leading London cemetery expert and qualified guide.

Meet: North Entrance, Brompton Cemetery, Old Brompton Road. SW5 9JX (Nearest station: West Brompton (Overground and District (Wimbledon branch)). Turn right out of station and the gates are a few yards on the right. Alternatively, turn left from the Warwick Road exit of Earls Court station (District, Piccadilly) and after

100 yds turn right into Kempsford Gardens whose end is opposite the cemetery gates (250 yards). Another option is to take the 74 bus at the Earls Court Ro ad exit from Earls Court station (one way only) which stops outside the Cemetery gates.) Time: 6:00 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £14 There is a café with facilities inside the North Entrance. 44

Wednesday 3rd June 90. Zoroastrians The origins of Zoroastrianism (also known as Zarathushtrianism, or the Mazdayasni or Zarathushti religion) are lost to antiquity, but it has left a timeless legacy to world religious thought that is as relevant today as when it was received over three millennia ago. Zarathustra, prophet of the world's oldest revealed religion, lived in remote antiquity sometime around the dawn of the Iranian Bronze Age, circa 1,800-1,100 BCE. He preached the monotheistic religion of the one supreme God, Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord). His message is a positive, life-affirming one, which demands not so much belief, as reason and action on the part of every individual. His was not a prescriptive ethic, based on obedience, fear or love, but rather, an ethic of personal responsibility. He asked his listeners to think with a clear mind and choose a life of intelligent reflection and active benevolence. A Zoroastrian is taught to lead an industrious, honest and charitable life. We shall have a tour in the striking Grade II listed, art-deco style building with Malcolm Deboo, and then learn more about Zoroastrianism.

Meet: The Zoroastrian Centre, 440-442 Alexandra Avenue, Harrow, HA2 9TL (Nearest station: Rayners Lane (Piccadilly and Metropolitan - Uxbridge branch) The

Centre is diagonally opposite the station.) Time: 4:00 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (25 places) Fee: £6 Refreshments will be provided.

Wednesday 3rd June 91. Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery has some of the finest funerary architecture in the country. It is a place of peace and contemplation where a romantic profusion of trees, wildlife and memorials flourish. An experienced volunteer guide will lead us round the western part of the cemetery, not generally open to the public. This is a repeat of the super tour in 2019.

Meet: Highgate West Cemetery, Swain’s Lane, London N6 6PJ (Nearest station: Archway (Northern line - High Barnet branch), exit the station to the left and turn left again to walk through the pedestrianised area and take the 143 or 271 bus (opposite McDonalds) towards Highgate to Waterlow Park and a 500-yard walk through the Park. The C11 bus which passes many underground statio ns including Finchley Road, Belsize Park and Archway stops in Swain’s Lane (Brookfield Park), then an uphill walk up Swain's Lane. There is on-street parking i n the evenings.) Time: 6:30 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £12

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Thursday 4th June 92. The Anatomists, the Resurrectionists and Changing Social Values Join Alan MacDougall as he leads this walk around the City, Smithfield and Clerkenwell commenting on the political, social and criminal implications of the Resurrectionists who thrived in the 18 th and 19 th centuries. You will hear about the daily lives of the people who obtained bodies by murder or stealing them from graves, and those who encouraged them by buying the bodies for anatomy schools. You will see where bodies were dug up, how and where people tried to protect the graveyards, the hospitals who bought bodies, where they were stored and sold, and to whom, as well as the areas where the Resurrectionists socialized, and where they were put on trial, imprisoned and publicly hanged.

Meet: Museum of London, 150 London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN, front entrance at the level elevated above the roadway (Nearest stations are Barbican (Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City) and St Pau l’s

(Central), both a 350-yard walk.) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Friday 5th June 93. Egypt in London For more than two hundred years the exotic Egyptian style in architecture has been a sign of our fascination with a civilization that has had a long-lasting and deep-seated influence on British culture. From its fashionable success in regency England to its varied uses in the 20 th century, Egyptian-style architecture has much to say about what ancient Egypt means to us. Author Chris Elliott will guide us through Egypt in London where more than half England’s Egyptian style hotels, cinemas, shops and much more, are to be found.

Meet: Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Square WC1N 3AT (Nearest stations: Russell Square (Piccadilly) about 550 yards, or Holborn ( Central,

Piccadilly) about half a mile. Many buses stop nearby in Southampton Row.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½ -2 hours) (90 places) Fee: £12 Bookings may be made for members' guests. Refreshments will be available after the lecture. There are several cafés, restaurants and pubs in or near Queen Square.

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Monday 8th June 94. Three Wheels Shin Buddhist Temple It was founded in 1994 as the London branch of Shogyoji and is the centre of a lively multicultural Shin Buddhist community. It hosts a wide range of religious activities that all are welcome to join, including daily services, retreats and meetings for children, students and adults. During our tour with Rev. Kenshin Ishii we shall hear more about its history and the work it does, and also take part in the Matcha Tea Ceremony.

Meet: Three Wheels Shin Buddhist Temple, 55 Carbery Avenue, W3 9AB. Please note: it looks like a private house with no signboard outside, so check the door number. (Nearest station: Acton Town (District & Piccadilly). Take the main exit from the station and turn left onto Gunnersbury Lane so you cross over the railway. Cross to the other side of the road at the zebra crossing and take t he next right into

Gunnersbury Crescent. At the end of the road turn right into Gunnersbury Gardens. Follow the road round until the next right (Carbery Aven ue) and the Temple is located a little further along on the right. About 500 yards.) Ti me: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (30 places) Fee: £10

Tuesday 9th June 95. The Village of Hampstead: A Delight From Mary Poppins, John Constable and Hugh Gaitskell to H.G. Wells, Kay Kendall, Jamie Oliver and the du Maurier family, Hampstead has always attracted the rich and famous – and with our Vice President and long-standing friend, Andrew Davies, we shall see why.

Meet: Hampstead Underground station (Northern line, Edgware branch) Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Wednesday 10th June 96. London Glassblowing Forty years is an impressive time in any field, let alone one as challenging as studio glass art. When Peter Layton set up the London Glassblowing Workshop in 1976 there was no blueprint or manual, and glass, as a medium of artistic expression, was still very much in its infancy, virtually unknown and without a market. The fact that he is still running a thriving gallery and studio four decades later is an extraordinary achievement. As Louise Thompson said, "Peter's faith that we will make bold and courageous choices underpins the creative energy that flow through the studio." Glass is magical and extraordinarily seductive. Every piece is a challenge and an adventure. [Meeting details overleaf]

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Meet: London Glassblowing Centre, 62-66 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3UD (Nearest station: London Bridge (about 550 yards). Take the exit into Tooley Street and turn right. Follow the curve of the railway round to the right into Berm ondsey Street and continue through the short tunnel under the railway. On leaving the tunnel, cross the road and continue straight ahead alon g Bermondsey Street. London Glassblowing is on the right.) Time: 11:30 am (Likely duration: 1 hour) (12 places) Fee: £4

Tuesday 16th June 97. Mander Organs Noel Mander started working on his own account in organ building in 1936. His lineage can be traced back to the 18 th century organ builder George Pike England. Following a break during the war years, the firm moved into its current premises in the East End of London in 1947. This was a Victorian school which had been closed down before the war and now belonged to the London Diocese. Here he rescued organs from damaged churches, providing rebuilt churches with instruments at reasonable cost in spite of the stringent times. During the 1940s the firm expanded rapidly and by the 1960s had been involved in a number of prestigious projects. Noel Mander's particular interest in antique chamber organs gained him unequalled reputation for their restoration to standards that, at the time, were well in advance of normal practice. In 1978 Her Majesty the Queen awarded him membership of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his services to organ building for over fifty years. Undoubtedly, the crowning glory of his long and distinguished career was the rebuilding of the Willis organ in St. Paul's Cathedral which was completed in time for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. Noel handed over to his son John on his own retirement and John in turn retired and handed over the firm to a cooperative run by the staff. The firm continues to make and instal many new organs for churches in many parts of the world as well as to refurbish older ones. In 2002 Mander Organs was awarded the 'Queen's Award for Enterprise', the only firm of organ builders ever to receive this honour.

Meet: Mander Organs, St. Peter's Square, E2 7AF (Nearest stations: Cambridge Heath (Overground, from Liverpool Street statio n) Walk along Hackney Road (500 yards) or take the 26, 48 or 55 bus from the stop N on Hackney Road just beyond the railway bridge, 3 stop s to Warner Place. Turn left into Warner Place then left into St. Peter's Close. At the church follow the road as it

bears left, into St Peter's Square (a further 350 yards Alternatively from Be thnal Green station (Central) take exit to the Museum of Child hood on Cambridge Heath Road and continue past the Museum to Cambridge Heath station (an additional 500 yard walk) or take one of the buses to Cambridge Heath station, then as above.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (20 places) Fee: £9

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Wednesday 17th June 98. Honeywood House Museum Details as for event 73, except the date and time. Please book for both events if you are available and then kindly stick to the date allocated. Meet: Honeywood House, Honeywood Walk, Carlshalton, SM5 3NX (Nearest station: Carlshalton (Southern from Victoria & Thameslink) If your train was travelling from Hackbridge, turn right out of the station, and then left into West Street (signposted). If the train was travelling fro m Sutton turn left out of the station and left again into West Street. Continue south to the Water Tower and turn left into Festival Walk, then follow the path in the park to the Centre. About 550 yards.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (20 places) Fee: £6 Wheelchair access is to the ground floor only. There is a tearoom on-site.

Thursday 18th June 99. A Search for Gin Lane The starting point for this walk is Hogarth’s famous print, a moving satire on poverty and abuse. In this walk with Anthony Davis we explore narrow alleys and hidden courtyards around Covent Garden to hear their infamous history and see how the area was in Hogarth’s time and how it has changed. One alley has associations with Nell Gwyn, another is where one of her 17 th century contemporaries was beaten up. We hear Charles Dickens’ comments on one of London’s most famous slums, see a hidden courtyard with spurious Chinese connections as well as modern buildings and a hidden garden. We may even find out where Gin Lane was and discover what happened to it. The walk ends near Tottenham Court Road station.

Meet: The corner of Cranbourn Street and Great Newport Street next to Aga tha Christie Memorial, a black marble slab (Nearest station: Leicester Square. Take exit 4 from the station, turn left at top of

steps, and the memorial is straight in front of you, about 15 yards away.) Time: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10 Public toilets in Leicester Square and at National Portrait Gallery down Shaftesbury Avenue. Any latecomers should go to Rose Alley leading from Floral Street to Long Acre and wait by Lamb and Flag pub, the third stop on this walk.

Wednesday 24th June 100. Crown Court Church of Scotland It is unique in its history as the 'Kirk of the Crown of Scotland' being the longest-established Presbyterian Church south of the border, dating from 1711. There has been a Scottish Kirk on the present site in Covent Garden since 1719,

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although the present building was completed in 1909, replacing the original. Crown Court Church takes its title partly from the Union of the Crowns, which took place in 1603, and partly from Crown Court, the name of the site on which it stands. This site was obtained from the Duke of Bedford at a peppercorn rent for the first year and then £14 per year for sixty years. The original building was consecrated as the new Kirk on 24th March 1719. During our tour we shall hear more about its history and learn the answer to what is Presbyterianism.

Meet: Crown Court Church of Scotland, Russell Street, Covent Garden , WC2B 5EZ (Nearest station: Covent Garden. The Church is across the street fro m the Theatre

Royal, Drury Lane, tucked away in a block of buildings beside the Fortune Theatre.) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (25 places) Fee: £7

Thursday 25th June 101. Meet & Chat: The Ledger Building This event is not bookable, just turn up at The Ledger Building (a Wetherspoon’s Pub) for a coffee or a drink. Those who wish can have lunch. Prices are reasonable and everyone orders and pays for their own refreshments.

Meet: The Ledger Building (a few doors down from the Docklands Museu m) 4 Hertsmere Road, Poplar, E14 4AL (Nearest stations: West India Quay, Canary Wharf) Tim e: 11:15 am (Likely duration: Flexible)

Saturday 27th June 102. LAS Walkers: Exploring the Capital Ring This event is not bookable. Please turn to page 60 for further information. Tim e: 10:30 am

Saturday 27th June 103. Amersham Fair Organ Museum It is the lifetime's collection of Mr A.E. (Ted) Reed who has been a fairground organ enthusiast for over half a century. It comprises some of the finest surviving examples of English fair organs anywhere in the country. Street barrel organs arrived in Britain in the first part of the 19 th century. From these basic tuneful instruments bigger 'paper' or book organs were developed. The introduction of amplified music on the fairs in the 1930s spelled the end of the

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fair organ's heyday. Many were destroyed but thankfully Ted Reed and pioneering preservationists like him saved some of these amazing instruments. During our tour we shall hear more about the history of fairground organs.

Meet: Amersham Fair Organ Museum, Unit 1-28 Plantation Road, Ame rsham, Bucks. HP6 6HJ (Nearest station: Amersham (Metropolitan or Chiltern) then a ¾-mile walk. Turn right out of the station along Chiltern Avenue and continue until the mini-roundabo ut at Woodside Road. Cross over the road and continue along the footpath beside St.

John's Methodist Church. Turn right where it emerges into Grimsdell's Lane, then at Plantation Road turn left into the small industrial estate between the houses. T he Museum is in the first big building on the left.) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 2½ hours) (25 places) Fee: £11 Refreshments have been promised. There is some on-street parking available on Plantation Road, off the main road. If you are driving it would be a kindness to call at Amersham station to see if you can pick up Blue Book-displaying fellow members. Such members might like to stand outside the station entrance with their Blue Book to the fore. Alternatively there are usually minicabs waiting at the station.

Tuesday 30th June 104. Ingatestone Hall "Sir William hath at his own great costs and charges erected and builded a new house, very fair, large and stately, made of brick and embattl'd." So, in 1566 wrote Thomas Larke, surveyor to Sir William Petre, about Ingatestone Hall, the new house that Sir William had built twenty-five years earlier in the midst of his Essex estates. Since then, the house has passed through the hands of fifteen generations of the Petre family who continue to own and occupy it today. The Hall stands in open countryside, one mile from the village of Ingatestone, and substantially retains its original Tudor form and appearance with its mullioned windows, high chimneys, crow-step gables and oak-paneled rooms, and is surrounded by ten acres of enclosed gardens comprising extensive lawns, walled garden and stew pond. During our tour we shall hear more about its history.

Meet: Ingatestone Hall, Ingatestone, Essex, CM4 9NR* (Nearest station: Ingatestone: Half-hourly trains from Liver pool Street towards Chelmsford. Turn left from the station and the Hall is half a mile along Hall Lane. By car: The village of Ingatestone lies off the A12 (Exit 28 from the M25) between Brentwood and Chelmsford. From the London end of the High Street, tak e Station Lane. Proceed over the level crossing and continue for ½ mile. * Please Note that the Ingateston e Hall postcode (CM4 9NR) is incorrectly logged on some satnav databases and shouldn't be relied on. Use CM4 9NS instead.) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (25 places) Fee: £10 Refreshments will be provided on arrival.

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Wednesday 1st July 105. Florence Nightingale’s London Famous as "The Lady with the Lamp", Florence Nightingale was a legend in her own lifetime, but the Crimean War was just two years in the life of a woman who lived to the age of 90. Upon her return from the Crimea she spent the rest of her life living and working in London. In the bi-centenary of her birth take a virtual tour of Florence’s London with Julie Chandler as our guide – the places where she lived and worked for fifty years, and along the way discover more about the life of this Victorian icon. Meet: LUMEN, 88 Tavistock Place WC1H 9RS (Nearest Underground stations: Russell Square and King’s Cross. LUMEN is a 1950s brick church 80 yards east of traffic lights at the junction of Judd Street and Tavistock Place, on the right before you get to the trees of Regent Square.) Time: 2.15pm (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (60 places) Fee: £12 Bookings may be made for members' guests. Refreshments will be available. There are several cafés, restaurants and pubs in or near Kings Cross and Tavistock Place.

Thursday 2nd July 106. Brewers, Burials, Performers and Preachers: the Barbican At first glance the Barbican might seem like a concrete jungle but Diane Burstein will help you find hidden gems in this area. Two historic burial grounds, the centre of World Methodism, the site of an Elizabethan theatre, a thriving weekday lunchtime foodie paradise, an 18 th century brewery, model social housing and one of London’s leading drama schools, all feature in this tour. And we won’t forget the famous Barbican Arts Centre, home to the best in music, film, art and international theatre. The tour is a repeat of her highly successful tour in 2019 and ends near Moorgate and Old Street stations.

Me et: The exit at Barbican Underground station Tim e: 11 am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10 Coffee and toilets at Pret à Manger around the corner from the station in Long Lane

Monday 6th July 107. Master Mariners The Honorable Company of Master Mariners was formed in 1926 and became a Livery Company in 1932, making it the first new Livery Company to be formed since 1746. In 1947 HMS Wellington was purchased as a floating Livery Hall, which seemed appropriate for a company of seafarers as it had become apparent that it would not be possible to build a Livery Hall in the City of London. HMS

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Wellington was originally launched as a Grimsby class sloop in 1934 for the Royal Navy and served as a convoy escort ship in the North Atlantic. There was a major refurbishment in 1991 and it now displays the Company’s marine paintings, artifacts, gold and silver plate and 18 th century charts.

Meet: Reception deck, HQS Wellington, Victoria Embankment, WC2R 2PN (Nearest station: Temple less than 100 yards) Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (20 places) Fee: £8 There are some steps up to and over the gap in the Embankment wall. The gangway to the ship can be steep depending on the tide. Sensible shoes are advised. Toilets/cloakroom on site. Refreshments have been promised.

Tuesday 7th July 108. Chingford: From Fields and Forest to Royals and Railways Once part of the long-gone Great Forest of Waltham, what is today Epping Forest was one of Henry VIII’s hunting grounds. After the Epping Forest Act of 1879 and the arrival of the railway Chingford and the Forest became a day out for East Enders. There were 100,000 people here one hundred years ago on Whit Monday 1920. This two-mile walk with Joanna Moncrieff ends at an attractive refreshment retreat about 10 minutes from Chingford Station, downhill. There are also two nearby pubs, with cafés and restaurants near the station too.

Meet: Outside Chingford station, at the only exit (Overground from Liverpool Street Station: trains at 03, 18, 33 and 48 minutes past

each hour take 27 minutes. Be sure to check most recent timetable.) Time: 11:05am (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £10

Wednesday 8th July 109. LAS History Group Please refer to event 16 for further information.

Meet: 109 Chatsworth Road, Willesden Green, NW2 4BH (Nearest stations: Willesden Green (Jubilee) and Brondesbury or Brondesbury Park

(Overground), Bus 98 to Deerhurst Road stop) Time: 2:15 pm (Likely duration: 1½-2 hours) (16 places)

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Thursday 9th July 110. Pitzhanger Manor Sir John Soane, one of Britain’s most influential artists designed and built Pitzhanger Manor in 1800-1804 as a rural retreat to showcase his skills as an architect, as a place of entertainment for his friends, and to show off his eclectic collection of art and antiquities which became the core of London's Soane Museum. The house was restored in 2019 and returned to its original design and is a rare example in London of a spectacular Soane building largely intact. A separate gallery has also been created to house exhibitions that offer new perspectives on Soane’s ideas and architecture. We will have a guided tour of the house and entrance to the exhibition.

Meet: Reception, Pitzhanger Manor Gallery, Mattock Lane, W5 5EQ (Nearest station: Ealing Broad way (District, Central & National Rail) Exit and turn left onto Station Approach/Ealing Broadway, turn right at the traffic lights. A t the next junction (by Marks & Spencer’s) turn left into the High Street. Turn right at the Drapers’ Arms pub and the Manor is across the gre en, with the entrance on the right hand corner at the front. About half a mile in total. Or take the 65 bus from the stat ion towards Kingston (Stop C) and alight at the Ealing Bro adway Centre (1 stop) then continue across the green as above (200 yards) Time: 2:30 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (25 places) Fee: £17 There are two cafés - any who wish will be able to explore the neighbouring Walpole Park.

Monday 13th July 111. Haberdashers' Hall The Haberdashers' Company holds records dating to 1372 and is one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies, having been given its first Royal Charter for the regulation of silk and velvet merchants in 1448. The Company now serves as a significant educational and charitable institution whilst maintaining its links with its heritage by giving awards for fashion education. The first Hall in Gresham Street was occupied by the Company from 1449 until 2002 when they moved to a new Hall in West Smithfield, which was designed by Sir Michael Hopkins and combined avant-garde with stately tradition. It is centered on a cloistered courtyard, has an orangery with sculptures and orange trees and a circular staircase leading to the Court Room, Committee Room and the Banquet Hall which is entirely oak paneled with a high vaulted ceiling.

Meet: Haberdashers' Hall, 18 West Smithfield, London, EC1A 9HQ, op posite St Bart’s Hospital (Nearest stations: Barbican. Turn right out of the station and right into Lon g Lane.

Continue until West Smithfield, about 350 yards.) Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 1 hour) (25 places) Fee: £7 There are toilets/cloakroom on site and many cafés nearby.

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Tuesday 14th July 112. Pub Lunch at the Grenadier Legend has it that Grenadier is named after young Cedric, a soldier who was caught cheating at cards and punished by being beaten to death. No one knows exactly when this ghastly deed occurred, but it is thought to have been in September as that is when ghostly happenings are rife. Visitors hang money from the ceiling in an attempt to pay his debt, but poor Cedric seems to remain trapped on earth.

Meet: The Grenadier, 18 Wilton Row, Belgravia, SW1X 7NR (Nearest station: Hyde Park Corner. Walk along Knightsbridge. Turn lef t into Wilton Place. At the end tur n left into Wilton Crescent then turn left into Wilton Row. The

Grenadier is then on the right near the end. About half a mile, with st eps up to the entrance.) Time: 12:30 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (15 places) This event is not bookable. See page 60 for further details.

Wednesday 15th July 113A. Emery Walker House Sir Emery Walker was an engraver, photographer and printer involved in the Arts and Crafts movement, and in the 1870’s became a neighbour and friend of William Morris. His house on the Thames has the most complete and authentic Arts and Crafts interiors in the country including hand-blocked Morris and Co. wallpaper and Philip Webb furniture, as well as many of his private papers and decorative items and ephemera.

Me et: Emery Walker House, 7 Hammersmith Terrace, W6 9TS (Nearest station: Stamford Brook (District) Exit right from the station and at the junction turn left, cross the road then immediately right to St Peters Square. At the south side of the square turn left towards St Peter’s Church and cut through Verbena

Gardens Take the underpass to cross the A4 into Black Lion Lan e. Turn right onto Hammersmith Terrace and no 7 is on the left hand side. A half mile walk. Alternatively you can walk 1 mile by the river from Hammersmith station.) Time: 11:00 am (Likely duration: 1¼ hours) (8 places) Fee: £13 There are a total of 46 narrow stairs between 3 floors and into the garden. No toilets on site but toilets are available for visitors at nearby Black Lion Pub. Please book all of events 113A to 113C you are able to attend and then kindly stick to the time allocated.

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Wednesday 15th July 113B. Emery Walker House Details as for event 113A, except the time. Please book all of events 113A to 113C you are able to attend and then kindly stick to the time allocated.

Meet: Emery Walker House, 7 Hammersmith Terrace, W6 9TS (Nearest station: Stamford Brook (District) See Event 113A) Time: 12:20 pm (Likely duration: 1¼ hours) (8 places) Fee: £13

Wednesday 15th July 113C. Emery Walker House Details as for event 113A, except the time. Please book all of events 113A to 113C you are able to attend and then kindly stick to the time allocated.

Meet: Emery Walker House, 7 Hammersmith Terrace, W6 9TS (Nearest station: Stamford Brook (District) See Event 113A) Time: 1:40 pm (Likely duration: 1¼ hours) (8 places) Fee: £13

Thursday 16th July 114. Heath Astronomy This walk led by Lester Hillman will explore all things astronomical and surprising space heritage in the heath landscape, along with links to literature, animals, communications, music, poetry and much more. The walk ends at South End Green, handy for buses, Hampstead Heath Overground and refreshments.

Meet: At the Parliamen t Hill Fields Bus Terminal, entrance to Hampstead Heath at the foot of Highgate West Hill (88, 214 or C11 bus to Parliament Hill Fields, or Overground to Gospel Oak (C11 to the right of the station exit) or just over a half mile walk, left from station into Gordon Hill Road and left again into Highgate Road.) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (20 places) Fee: £10 Rainwear and sensible shoes recommended.

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Monday 20th July 115. Nunhead Cemetery Nunhead Cemetery is perhaps the least known, but one of the most attractive, of the seven great Victorian cemeteries established in a ring around the outskirts of London, and at 52 acres the second largest. It was abandoned in the mid-20th century as it was nearly full but reopened in 2001 after an extensive restoration project funded by Southwark Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Many of the imposing memorials erected to the most eminent citizens of the day have been restored but much remains as woodland and is a Nature Reserve populated with songbirds, woodpeckers and owls.

Meet: Nunhead Cemetery, Linden Grove, SE15 3L P, in the Portacabin just inside the Linden Road gates and a little to the right. (Nearest station: Nunhead. Trains from Victoria (South Eastern) or Blackfriar s (Thamesl ink) Exit the station and cross the road into Oakdale Road for about 150

yards. At the mini roundabout turn right into Linden Grove and the entrance is about 350 yards on the left. There is limited free parking at Linden Road entrance.) Time: 1:40 pm (Likely duration: 1¾ -2 hours) (30 places) Fee: £5 Paths maybe a little muddy after rain. A short climb at one point. Toilets on site. Pubs and café at Nunhead Green.

Friday 24th July 116. The Supreme Court Established in 2005, it is the final court of appeal in the UK for civil cases, and for criminal cases from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It hears cases of the greatest public or constitutional importance affecting the whole population. It is housed, after refurbishment in 2007, in the former the Middlesex Guildhall, designed by architect James Gibson in 1913 in what Pevsner described as the ‘art nouveau gothic style’. The building in Parliament Square is situated opposite the Houses of Parliament and between the Treasury and Westminster Abbey.

Meet: Supreme Court (inside main entrance), Parliament Square, SW1P 3BD (Nearest station: Westminster (Circle, District & Jubilee) exit for Whitehall.) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 1 hour) (25 places) Fee: £7 Please arrive at least 10 minutes early as there is an airport style security check once you enter the building. There are toilets and a café on site. No cloakroom so bags to be carried throughout.

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Saturday 25th July 117. LAS Walkers: Exploring the Capital Ring This event is not bookable. Please turn to page 60 for further information. Time: 10:30 am

Saturday 25th July 118. Rickmansworth: Croxley Great Barn Croxley Great Barn is a hidden, medieval, monastic gem. Grade II listed, it is a timber-framed, aisled barn with a crown post roof. The oak timbers have been dated to AD 1397. Measuring 101 ft. by 40 ft. it is one of the largest barns in Hertfordshire. The barn is located at the edge of playing fields belonging to St. Joan of Arc School and is not often accessible. We will walk from the station for about half a mile to Caravan Lane where we will meet up with the other visitors. There is then a further 15-minute walk to the Barn. You can book for the full day or select just one of the two events. Priority will be given to members who book the full day tour.

Meet: Rickmansworth station. If travelling by car, meet at Caravan Lane, off High St, near the railway bri dge & adjacent to the school, where there is parking in the morning only. (Metropolitan line to Amersham or Chesham every 15 minutes. Mainline trains from Marylebone every 30 minutes. Freedom passes are valid. All day parking in the High Street, near the Coach and Horses pub.) Time: 10:15 am (Likely duration: 1½ hours) (20 places) Fee: £6 The walk to the Barn is along a rough, sometimes muddy, path. Strong shoes are recommended. You may wish also to book the afternoon event 119.

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Saturday 25th July 119. Rickmansworth: Museum and High Street Tour. Ann Vernau, the Secretary to the Three Rivers Museum, will give us a short introduction to the museum and the town. We will have chance to browse around the museum before going on a guided walk along the High Street. Basing House, the home of today's museum, was the home of William Penn. John Dickinson (paper), John Caius (founded Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge), and Feargus O'Connor (noted Chartist) are all connected with the town. The tour will finish back at the station. You can book for the full day or select just one of the two events. Priority will be given to members who book both.

Meet: The Three Rivers Museum, 46 High Street, Rickmansworth (Metropolitan line or surface train (see previous event details). From Rickm answorth station, turn right, right again under the railway bridge, straigh t ahead, then left into

the High St. After 600 yards, just past the library, turn left and the muse um is facing you. Parking is available on the High Street on Saturdays.) Time: 2:00 pm (Likely duration: 2 hours) (20 places) Fee: £6 There are lunch venues in the High Street e.g. the Coach and Horses pub is between Caravan Lane and the Museum.

Thursday 30th July 120. Meet & Chat: The Ledger Building This event is not bookable, just turn up at The Ledger Building (a Wetherspoon’s Pub) for a coffee or a drink. Those who wish can have lunch. Prices are reasonable and everyone orders and pays for their own refreshments.

Mee t: The Ledger Building (a few doors down from the Docklands Museum) 4 Hertsmere Road, Poplar, E14 4AL (Nearest stations: West India Quay, Canary Wharf) Time: 11:15 am (Likely duration: Flexible)

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LAS WALKERS 2020

The Capital Ring is an amazing circular walk round London, about 75 miles altogether, much of it through open countryside and green spaces, or along waterside. We made a start at Woolwich and will probably reach Ravensbourne in November 2019 (when we have an early Christmas lunch), ready to start there in January 2020.

We are tackling the Capital Ring in about 16 easy stages usually on the last Saturday in each month, so please reserve the last Saturdays of each month, ie. 25 January, 29 February, 28 March, 25 April, 30 May, 27 June and 25 July.

Each walk is self-contained and new members are welcome at any time. Do join us whenever you can. You will get clear notes about the arrangements for each walk once you have registered your interest and are on the mailing list. We’re a friendly group and you will be delighted to find how open and green London’s Capital Ring is.

For further details about each walk please contact: John and Margaret Mann at 109 Chatsworth Road London NW2 4BH 0208 459 5419 [email protected]

PUB LUNCHES

We are meeting at four pubs this season: on 8 January at The Friend at Hand, near Russell Square in Bloomsbury, on 25 March at The Market Tavern in Shepherds Market between Mayfair and Piccadilly, on 7 May at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in Fleet Street and on 14 July at The Grenadier in Belgravia.

The landlords need to know numbers in advance so if you are interested, please contact Arthur Fordham to book a place, on 01708 749594 or email at [email protected] He will then be able to give you more details .

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SOME LONDON EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS YOU MAY WISH TO VISIT

Paul Taylor compiled the first Blue Book list of exhibitions and events eighteen years ago, in 2001. There are now many more exhibitions and events, and many more ways of knowing what is going on.

The first Blue Book lists were quite short. They grew steadily, but our half yearly notes cannot possibly match the weekly and even daily updates some websites now provide. For some of these you need only to “subscribe” [at no cost] to get a daily update free.

So this Blue Book highlights just a few exhibitions and events, and gives details of how to get up to date information.

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

Until 5 January 2020 Beasts of London Museum of London 150 London Wall Barbican London EC2Y 5HN 0207 001 9844 London History narrated by the city’s animals

Until 26 January 2020 The Art of Innovation Science Museum Exhibition Rd South Kensington London SW7 2DD 0333 241 4000

Until 2 February 2020 William Blake Tate Britain Millbank Westminster SW1P 4RG 0207 887 8888

5 February – 19 April 2020 British Baroque: Power and Illusion Tate Britain, as above

Until 24 February 2020 Ducks after Dark Museum of London in Docklands West India Quay E14 4AL 0207 001 9844

Until 27 September 2020 The Krios of Sierra Leone Museum of London in Docklands, as above [The Krios are the descendants of poor black Britons, slaves, West Indians and others whom UK settled in Sierra Leone in the 18 th and 19th centuries.]

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ONGOING EXHIBITIONS

Interactive Model of Central London Building Centre 66 Store Street WC1E 7BT Their current exhibitions are always interesting too.

The World’s Largest City Museum Museum of London, 150 London Wall Barbican EC2Y 5HN

The City of London’s Museum Guildhall Yard EC2V 7HH 020 7332 3700

EVENTS

New Year’s Eve Fireworks from Victoria Embankment From 8 pm. Tickets £10 each from www.london.gov.uk/nye

1 January New Year’s Day Parade Green Park Station/Parliament Square 12 noon: 10.000 performers go from Piccadilly via Regent St and Whitehall to end at Parliament Square at 3pm. Details: 0203 275 6190 or [email protected]

5 January Twelfth Night Celebrations Bankside Join the Holly Man as he celebrates New Year with old and new festivities. Free and accessible to all: www.the lionspart.co.uk/twelfthnight

Thursday 16 January Lunch Market Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE 20 stalls offering delicious food 020 7332 3700

Thurs 5 March Lunch Market Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE 020 7332 3700

Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2020 Open Garden Squares Weekend Full details from www:londonopensquares.org

Wednesday 17 – Sunday 21 June Taste of London Regent’s Park

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For Up-to-Date News on Exhibitions, Events and Activities

1 www.ianvisits.co.uk provides daily and weekly updates of a huge number of intriguing things to do and places to visit. It’s well worth registering for this free service

2 www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2019/04/25a-calendar-of-the-city-of-London- traditional-ceremonies tells you exactly what its name suggests

3 www.visitlondon.com is the Mayor of London’s guide to what’s on. Look for Major Events in 2020 for month by month details of major events. These were not available when we went to print.

4 www.london-footprints.co.uk is another wonderful source of information about innumerable walks, with a section headed LINKS which has comprehensive lists to do with almost every aspect of London life, from museums and galleries to parks, gardens and fairs. Includes a list of City Livery Companies, their addresses and phone numbers.

5 www.londontown.com/London/London-Events-2020 provides up-to-date information about a wide range of activities.

6 www.cityoflondon.gov.uk is the corporation of the City of London’s website.

7 www.cityevents.co.uk includes details of recitals and concerts in city churches.

8 www.london-city-churches.org.uk provides full details of services, events, concerts and bell-ringing in City churches. Printed lists are available in city churches, or from Friends of City Churches, St Mary Abchurch, Abchurch Lane EC4N 7BA.

9 www.visitthecity.co.uk and www.cityoflondon.gov.uk provide lots of information about what’s happening in the City.

10 https://hidden-london.com is a mini-encyclopedia of information about London, hidden London and current events. Fun for browsing.

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Editor’s Postscript

This edition of the Blue Book has been expanded to over 60 pages because the directions as to how to get from the nearest stations to the venues have been made much more detailed.

In the Questionnaire which all 2019 members received with this book we ask whether the travel details for each event too long, too short, about right or do you consider them unnecessary so long as you have the postcode? I imagine every LAS member has a well-thumbed street atlas of Greater London.

The Committee looks forward to your answers

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