…Sir Rodric Braithwaite A lesson in perestroika and its aftermath

Sir Rodric Braithwaite, (British including their next door they had five children though River: the World Ambassador to Moscow from neighbours. At that time sheep tragically one died when very Turned Upside Down’ (2002); 1988-92 and author of three grazed on land that is now young. He now has four ‘Moscow 1941: A City and its major books on Russian issues, occupied by large blocks of flats grandchildren and his daughter People at War’ (2006) and the last entitled Afgantsy: facing the fields that were part has moved in to live with him ‘Afgantsy: The Russians in The Russians in Afghanistan of a former Express Dairy Farm and they have many visitors Afghanistan 1979-1989’ (2011). 1979-89) has lived in the (bordered by Arden Road). who come to stay. As he reminded me, “We in Suburb since the age of five – He thinks that Dame Henrietta Was it difficult having a life Britain lost our empire gradually notwithstanding a career that Barnett made serious mistakes in the service and different over many years and we are took him and his late wife Jill in her conception of the Suburb postings abroad? Sir Rodric still adjusting to our reduced around the world for long spells. by disallowing any shops and agreed the family had to cope role in the World. lost its His father was a musician public houses in Central Square, with “quite a lot of moves empire much more recently and and a conductor at Sadlers the original centre of the old though not as many as some,” very suddenly and is having to Wells. In 1937 when Rodric was Suburb as this would have the children had all gone to come to terms with its change five years old, his parents, created a more vibrant hub. boarding school as a result. in circumstances and loss of assisted by his grandfather, As the Suburb expanded north By contrast, his son, also a influence and domination bought 23 Linden Lea and from towards East Finchley, the career diplomat was adopting and territory.” then until the age of seven he Market Place on the main road a different strategy and was On spies and spying. “I walked to and from King Alfred dividing the two halves educating his own children in knew from my time in Vienna School though he was to finish provided essential shops. local day schools. Their last that I didn’t want a career in his schooling at Bedales. From Sir Rodric met his late move was the important intelligence, though the Russians there he went into the army wife Jill while they were both appointment as British probably thought I was a spy. where, when only eighteen, working in the diplomatic Ambassador to Moscow in Their spies were relatively easy he worked in military service in ; she had to 1988 until 1992: this proved to identify – they were the intelligence in Vienna and his give up her job and a promising to be a very ‘interesting’ time brightest ones who, unlike the natural talent for languages career in the service when they during which the regular Soviet diplomats, were and existing knowledge of married. When asked if she was and its empire collapsed very allowed to go out and about, German proved to be of real very disappointed Jill said that rapidly and a struggle ensued and whom you met in value. From the army to she had been brought up to between the Soviet Communist unexpected places.” Cambridge where he graduated expect that. How times and Old Guard and Boris Yeltsin’s On Burgess and Maclean: with a first class degree in expectations change! After take over. Jill went with her “They should have been sacked French and Russian and went starting their married life in Russian friends to the barricades years before they defected – for into the Diplomatic Service. London in a ‘dismal’ flat in to support Yeltsin as gun fire drunkenness and incompetence.” Rodric Braithwaite has Golders Green they bought a was blasting nearby. Lastly, why the Suburb? retained his love for the Suburb house in Temple Fortune Lane “Not the usual role of an Do you stay for passive or for (and is a committed North of in 1967 and then in 1975 Ambassador’s wife but I was positive reasons? the River man). He recalls that moved to the house in which rather proud of her.” He laughed. “A bit of both. until the late 1940s-50s, Linden he still lives in Hampstead Way, Sir Rodric received his It’s very difficult and a lot of Lea and most other Suburb though sadly Jill died in knighthood in 1994. He bother to clear the house and roads were unpaved and there November 2008 after a continues to take an active sell up and it’s a very pleasant were few cars. He heard year-long illness. During my interest in Russian political place to live – so I will stay.” German quite a bit when a child conversation Sir Rodric often affairs and has written three Sir Rodric was a patron of the as there were so many Jewish mentioned her vital contribution major books which reflect his Suburb centenary celebrations refugees moving into the to his life and career with great knowledge of Russian history, in 2007 and is one of the patrons Suburb from Nazi Germany love, admiration and affection; people and politics: ‘Across the of the Proms at St Jude’s. Garden Suburb Design Guidance A fully illustrated Design Guidance for the Suburb has been produced by the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust and Barnet Council. This full-colour publication gives advice on repairs, alterations and extensions to properties and on works to trees and gardens. Copies are available to collect from the Trust Office and Garden Suburb Library, or by sending a self-addressed A4 envelope stamped with £1.33 to: Trust Education & Publications Assistant, 862 Finchley Road, London NW11 6AB A digital copy is available on the Trust’s website www.hgstrust.org

862 Finchley Road, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London NW11 6AB · 8455 1066 · mail @hgstrust.org · www.hgstrust.org

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