9 THE ARCHER - 08717 334465 FEBRUARY 2010 Petition for better Acting up By Lucy Chamberlin bus service rejected East Finchley has long had a reputation as a hotbed of artistic and literary talent, and Transport for London has rejected a petition signed by now our neighbourhood can welcome another actor into its midst. Having lived in more than 400 people for a new bus route from North Muswell Hill since 1959, last October Heronimo Sehmi and his family made the small Finchley via East Finchley to the Royal Free Hospital, (but significant) move to Deansway in N2. on the grounds that the route would require a subsidy Heronimo has a vast array positive thing, especially estimated at more than £800,000 a year. of bit parts as well as more for young people.” Barnet Green Party, which “TfL bases its rejection of a new significant roles under his In his time, Heronimo raised the petition, has put for- route on its estimate that there belt, and in 2009 played Mr has run workshops for ward a modified proposal to run would be around 700 passenger Seppish, a headmaster and young people at the hourly journeys on the existing trips per day if a 20 minute chief werewolf in horror film Africa centre in Covent 603 route between Muswell Hill service was provided. People Nuryan, an all-British affair that Garden, not to mention and Swiss Cottage and to modify in East Finchley know that far employed a pioneering ‘split- schools in Haringey the route slightly to take it past more people than that would screen’ method. and Barnet. On his days the Royal Free. use it, reducing the amount of As a schoolboy, Heronimo off, he busies himself knew he wanted to act, and he horse riding, painting, 603 potential subsidy the route would require. “More and more Finchley people landed his first professional pot making and playing The daytime journeys would roles as a teenager. “I love por- his guitar. But his first help people to reach the Royal are being referred to the Royal Free Hospital. At the moment traying other people’s lives,” he love is the stage, and he Free while the evening buses says. “Acting gives you the con- reminisces about acting would be popular with people people have to take two buses and it usually takes them over an fidence to do things you never at The Globe “when wanting to attend social events thought you would. It’s a hugely it was only a tent”, in along the route, which goes via hour to get from East Finchley to the Royal Free.” a Brecht musical directed by He is keen to pass on his talents East Finchley, Highgate vil- Sam Wanamaker. to his two daughters, aged 20 lage, Kenwood, The Spaniards Other ideas dismissed Green Party Heronimo himself has done and 16. The elder wants to be Inn and Hampstead village. Transport for London has also a fair bit of directing, one high- a playwright, and the younger The 603 currently operates rejected other ideas for improv- in town light being Deathwatch in 2005. is already an artist. only four journeys each way ing bus routes between East and The Green Party is host- from Monday to Friday, two North Finchley, linked only by ing its spring conference at in the morning and two in the the 263. According to TfL’s artsdepot in North Finchley afternoon, mainly to serve north calculations, extending route from 18-21 February. The London schools. 17 to North Finchley would party says it is its first- East Finchley TfL figures queried cost around £1.2 million, while ever national conference Baptist Church Responding to the petition, diverting some 134 buses via East in north London and pos- Creighton Avenue David Brown, TfL’s managing Finchley would deprive the exist- sibly the first conference of East Finchley ing route of sufficient capacity at Tuesday’s 5pm or 6.45pm director for surface transport, a national party to be held peak times. Call Natalie on 07889 252548 said that a North Finchley to in the area. Royal Free route would not All ages welcome attract enough passengers to including children from 11 years old! justify the estimated subsidy. KALASHNIKOV KULTUR Bring this advert to your first session But Andrew Newby, of the Green By Ricky Savage, the voice of social irresponsibility and receive 50% discount on membership Party’s East Finchley group, said: St Florist’s Day Nudity and After the white Christmas and the wrong type of snow it’s time to emerge into the frozen wasteland of February and realise that things are still weird. And, after saying it with snow drifts, torpedoes now we’ve got to say it with flowers. Yes, folks, it’s St Florist’s An exhibition document- Day again. Once a year florists wake up, smell the coffee and ing the 175 year history of put up the prices. No wilting roses from the petrol station for the Welsh Harp Reservoir five quid; on St Florist’s Day it’s five quid a rose as the world has opened at the Church pays tribute to one of the world’s least known saints. Farmhouse Museum in Very little is known about St Florist, but according to one story he Hendon. was a flower seller in first century Rome who fell in love with a Vestal The free exhibition, which Virgin. Forbidden to speak to her on pain of death he gave her a red runs until February 14, docu- rose each day until, on the twelfth day, he was spotted by a high priest ments the fascinating history of and arrested. Demonstrating their highly developed sense of humour, the reservoir on the boundary of the Romans drowned him in rose petals. His last words were ‘a rose the boroughs of Barnet and Brent. for my rose’. Which should have been the end of it but for two things: Built to replenish water sup- firstly, the 12 roses he had given to the temple virgin never faded and plies lost by the many locks on secondly, roses grew on his grave, flowering every 14 February, the the Regent’s and Grand Union anniversary of his death. Canals, the reservoir opened in 1835. Originally used for This tragic tale of unrequited love was forgotten for nearly 2,000 swimming and fishing, the area years until a rose grower rediscovered it in the 20th century. And now, AYZELL on the anniversary of St Florist’s death, men everywhere pay tribute by LSOL ICI TO RSS became a popular recreational giving their beloved 12 roses. Well, that’s what the bloke outside the tube spot in the 1860s thanks to LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY skating, shooting and horse station who charged me 30 quid for a dozen roses told me. racing introduced by William Not everyone says it with flowers. The Japanese do it with chocolates, Would you like your family or friends to be able to help with Perkins Warner, the landlord but over there it’s the women who do the giving, the men have to wait your finances or personal welfare as you get older? of the now-demolished Welsh another month to return the compliment on White Day. Must make life LAYZELLS SOLICITORS interesting. 255 Muswell Hill Broadway, N10 1DG Harp pub, from which it takes have been practicing in this area for over 50 years. its name. But why stop with flowers and chocolates? The Anglo Saxons called February Mud Month and in the Ukraine it’s the month of ice. Better Please ring our Sally Bentley on 020 8444 0202 if you would like Over the years, the Welsh to discuss this further - home visits can be arranged if needed. Harp has also seen the test- still, go back to the old Welsh tradition and give your lover a wooden ing of torpedoes in the 1870s spoon. It’s more useful than a bunch of wilting roses bought from the and tanks during the First and petrol station. KF COMPUTERS & IMAGING Second World Wars as well FUJIFILM DIGITAL as some more unusual events 93 HIGH ROAD, EAST FINCHLEY, N2 8AG including the Hendon Nudist 50% More Free Riots during the hot summer 02088159898 of 1930, which saw fighting �������������������������������������  LAPTOPS & PCs SALE & REPAIR  PHOTO PRINTS ANY SIZE between some 200 Hendon  CUSTOM BUILT COMPUTERS  CUSTOM SIZE AVAILABLE  DATA RECOVERY/BACKUP residents and nude sunbathers. �����������������������������������������  CANVAS PRINTS & MOUNTING  REINSTALL SOFTWARES The Church Farmhouse Museum Web Design  DIGITAL CAMERAS & FRAMES ���������������������������������������  WIRELESS/WIRED NETWORKING in Greyhound Hill, NW4, is open  ALL ACCESSARIES AVAILABLE  ALBUMS TRI/MONO PODS Monday to Thursday, and Satur-  SAME DAY SERVICE  QUANTITY DISCOUNTS day from 10am to 1pm and 2pm �����������������  FREE LAPTOP/PC CHECKUP  BEST QUALITY & PRICES to 5pm, and on Sunday from 2pm ���������������� ��������������� to 5.30pm. 6 PASSPORT/ID PICTURES £4.99 ONLY