www.hgs.org.uk Issue 141 · Winter 2020 Young Suburbite RA Chair, Jean Neal is stays up to enjoy Emma Howard’s honoured to the NYE party email bag, p8 reveal all, p5 Should the Suburb MICHAEL ELEFTHERIADES stop the Fireworks? Like many inventions, fireworks there was a firework display stewards on hand, ensuring it were created by accident... and by because of a ‘letter’ written by was both dazzling and safe. the search for immortality. Around merchant Robert Laneham. His Yet, for all their beauty, we 800 AD, a Chinese alchemist eyewitness account, frustratingly, ought to be mindful that there mixed sulphur, charcoal, and doesn’t go into any detail about can be serious problems with potassium nitrate hoping to find the fireworks, but, he does write fireworks. An obvious one is the the secret to eternal life. Instead, that the “blaze of burning darts, noise which can terrify animals the mixture caught fire and gun- flying to & fro, streams and hail and young children. Fireworks powder was born. Legend has it of fiery sparks, lightnings of are also known to be a main that a little later, a Chinese monk, wildfire on water and land, flight contributor of accidents during stuffed bamboo with the saltpeter- & shoots of thunderbolts: all with parties and celebrations. Then, based gunpowder and launched such …terror and vehemence, of course, there is also the it into a fire causing a modest that the heavens thundered, the environmental impact. explosion and an impressive bang, waters scourged, the earth shook.” This year, China’s largest city, along with a bright spray of He was certainly impressed. Lucy Shanghai, replaced traditional sparkling white lights. Fireworks Worsley attempted to recreate fireworks with nearly 2,000 Taken earlier this year, this photograph demonstrates that Sunshine Corner, the gateway to the Suburb in The Great Wall on the Heath extension, has seen a great improvement since it was taken in hand by the HGS Trust. The work was done in association were born. The Chinese used them the event in a BBC programme drones which produced a with Stephen Crisp of SPC Design. to accompany many festivities called: “Fireworks for a Tudor stunning synchronised display. as it was believed fireworks Queen” https://www.bbc.co.uk/ Fitted with multi-coloured could expel evil spirits and programmes/b09cfwt4 lights, the drones flew high bring about luck and happiness. Fireworks are still very much above the city creating shapes, Fireworks were first introduced part of our lives today. It is text and even the figure of a in England at the wedding of difficult to imagine November man running across the sky. New Year celebrations Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. 5th without them and the New The effect was utterly amazing. On December 31 the HGSRA held position for the climax of the night, both inside St Jude’s and Their son, Henry VIII, continued Year’s Eve fireworks seem to get Such displays have led to the its final event of the year, the night. Luckily for once, the outside, as stewards and bucket the royal tradition of celebrating bigger every year. This year In prediction that China will New Year’s Eve Fireworks Party, wind and rain held off. collectors and especially to with fireworks. Elizabeth I was London, some 12,000 fireworks herald the end of fireworks, just in St Jude’s. As clocks struck midnight and Father Alan Walker, vicar of the absolutely fascinated by them, lit up the capital’s skyline. And, as it heralded their beginning. As for many years, people the church bell rang, Platinum church, without whom all this and this prompted Robert Dudley, once again, at St Jude’s, here in This then begs the question, quickly filled the church, enjoying Fireworks launched their special, would not have been possible. first Earl of Leicester, to organise the Suburb, a spectacular display particularly in this age of climate drinks and snacks made and spectacular display, illuminating Finally, and most importantly, an extravagant event, costing was arranged by the Residents change awareness, should the provided by local helpers who the night sky with multiple thanks to our generous sponsor, the equivalent of £24 million in Association. The display was fully Suburb continue with its annual also served them. At 11.45pm special effects. The Spaniards Inn, for their today’s money, at Kenilworth managed by a professional firm, firework display using traditional everyone moved into Central Many thanks go to all the contribution for this event. Castle in a bid to win Elizabeth’s risk assessments were carried fireworks? A spokesperson for Square to find a good viewing dedicated volunteers on the TONY BRAND hand in marriage. We know out and there were plenty of the Residents Association said CESAR RODRIGUEZ-DURAN CESAR RODRIGUEZ-DURAN “Moving to a Shanghai laser style display is not yet a viable option for the Suburb, but we are looking into a low noise option for this year’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. This is a very popular event with people giving great feedback but we realise it is not everyone’s cup of tea” What do our readers think? Please email your thoughts to us at [email protected] A stunning Chinese New Year Light Drone display. THE EDITORS (Above) Hardworking stewards take a break for a photo op. The Reverend Alan Walker counts down (Below) New Year revellers gather in St Jude’s before the firework display. to midnight. WE ALWAYS DELIVER ON CESAR RODRIGUEZ-DURAN OUR PROMISES For more than 40 years now, we have been serving the residents of the Suburb and we have enjoyed every moment. Whether your property is a cottage or a castle, destined for sale or for rent, we can surely handle it. We have the most comprehensive selection of properties under one roof. From our Global connections, we find the best buyers/ tenants from all over the world – not just from the immediate area. The 108th RA AGM As the longest serving agents in the area, we believe in good old- will take place on Monday 30 March 2020 fashioned service - no fuss, no obligation, please give us a call. at 8pm in the Henrietta Barnett School Hall, Central Square. CELEBRATING Nominations for posts of officers and members of the Council OVER must be received by 16 March 2020. The nomination should be submitted in writing, signed by the nominee, a proposer and a seconder and sent to: YEARS TRADING Christina Brownson, RA Administrator, PO Box 67700, London NW11 1NS (The AGM agenda will be available on the RA website - www.hgsra.uk/about/agm - by 23 March 2020) Jan White 1937 - 2019 Ten years at the Trust Jan White who died on 29 THE REVEREND ALAN WALKER Suburb. In between this, she Nick Packard joined the Trust as see the Suburb so the Trust November 2019 had lived in was a freelance editor and estate manager in 2009. He had organises talks and tours for the Suburb for 57 years. worked for a while at the previously worked as an estate them “to gently spread the Jan was born in 1937 in Polytechnic of Central London. agent in residential property. In message of what an interesting Tottenham where her father Jan also worked on the Priority so doing he realised when you concept it is and how well was a GP and her mother was Estates Project, which was are dealing with people’s homes, preserved it still is; after all, Sir the manager of the local labour concerned with the betterment the owners can be very emotional Nikolaus Pevsner, did describe it exchange. The events of 1939, and support of run-down and proprietorial. Moving home as ‘the most nearly perfect example when Jan was just two years old, estates in the capital. is, in fact, recognised as one of of that English invention and necessitated a move out of North On the local front, she became the most stressful thing that specialty, the garden suburb’. London to avoid the bombing very involved with Garden people go through (after death After 10 years with the Trust, and the family moved to Suburb School PTA and, with and divorce). Nick understood Nick is moving to the Crown Letchworth for the duration of friends, set up a local youth his job meant providing solutions Estate Paving Commission in the war. On their return, Jan club based in St Jude’s Church and that sympathy and kindness Regent’s Park. He accepted the became a pupil at City of Rooms that ran for many years. went a long way. and its emphasis on heritage. The job, because it has a number of London School where she was She also set up a regular clothes As the estate manager, Nick’s Trust has a long term horizon, and similarities to the Trust, not least made head girl and gained a swap for children’s clothing. job was to look after the 27 he saw his role as “improving the its heritage aspects, and, also place to read English at St Jan was also one of many local private roads, 50 communal financial performance, keeping because he wants to test himself Hilda’s College, Oxford in 1956. appeared to be worth a second friends and neighbours who gardens and 11 allotments, all good systems in place, and having out in a new environment. After university, Jan started look in daylight. They duly became involved in the annual owned by the Suburb Trust. He good people on the staff.” When asked about his best work at Hutchinson’s, the returned and were very impressed.