,No39 of the CAMDEN HISTORY SOCIETY JAN 1977

Two Hampstead Schools Sights and Sounds of - our January Event Somers Town 1800-1939. at University College School, at the Polytechnic of North , Frognal, NW3, on 27 January Prince of Wales Road, NW5, at 7. 30 pm. 1 7 February, 7. 30 pm Two of the most illustrious north Architecturally Somers Town was a London schools are the subject of our casualty of, first, a building slump and, January talk. South Hampstead High second, the railway age. It began School for Girls was founded a hundred promisingly enough. The land, owned years ago in Winchester Road and by Baron Somers for the most part, was moved to Maresfield Gardens in 1882. developed by his principal landholder Our speaker, appropriately, is Miss Jacob Leroux. Clarendon Square was Prunella Bodington, headmistress for its P!"incipal feature within which stood 15½ years and the author of the recent the unusual 15 - sided Polygon, a group centenary publication about the School. of houses. In No. 29 The Polygon lived The other establishment is University William Godwin and his wife Mary College School which has buildings in Wollstonecraft, the champion of women's Frognal and Holly Hill, and which was rights. Their daughter, Mary, who founded in 1907. The _speaker, a famil- wrote 'Frankenstein' in 1818, married iar name in Hampstead, is the former Percy Bysshe Shelley. headmaster Mr CD Black-Hawkins. The new buildings of Somers Town in the early part of the 19th century Thomas Shepherd and attracted a good many French emigres, his London fleeing from the French Revolution. Then there was a sudden slump in house Burgh House, NW3, on 10 February buying and this, together with the new at 8pm rai:l.ways, killed any cohesive plan for Thomas Shepherd is the best known the area. illustrator of early .London buildings. However, as anyone living there will Many of his drawings feature Camden tell you, until quite recently there was buildings still standing and his work is a definite community and the tape-slide indispensable to publishers looking for show. by Dr John Broad of the Poly- illustrations for a London book. His technic will be of great interest in show- work is the subject of a talk by John ing this. Phillips, the GLC curator of maps and prints, in a joint event with the His- NEW STREET NAME torical Association. Camden History The Society was consulted about an Society will be mounting an exhibition appropriate name for the passageway at the same time, showing some of the linking Oriel Place and Heath Street Shepherd prints in the Camden collec- in Hampstead. After consulting The tion. An event not to be missed. Streets of Hampstead and other records of the area, we made various suggest- ions and, of these, 'Bakers Passage' was chosen as the official name. · Henry Bassett, Architect OTHER SOCIETIES Henry Bassett, who had to pull down two LAMAS are organising a trip of partic- houses near the Chalk Farm railway ular interest to historians and archae- bridge (The Story of Fitzroy Bridge, ologists, to Austria and Northern Italy at September Newsletter), was evidently the end of July, which lasts two weeks. architect for quite a number of houses in The tour includes Innsbruck, Salzburg, the neighbourhood. He showed a model Vienna, Verona, Padua and Venice. . of 'a pair of Italian villas, now being The cost is £180. Full particulars erected in Gloucester-Road, Regent's- from Lawrence Snell, Newman College, Park' at the Royal exhibition Bartley Green, Birmingham. in 1844, which Sir John Summerson The Greater London Industrial Archae- (Architectural Review August 1948) iden- ology Society is holding a talk on 1 7 tifies as 8 and 10 Gloucester Avenue, February on Late Roman and Anglo- now demolished. George Bassett Junior, Saxon Industrial Archaeology. The probably a near relation, bought at the speaker is Brian Adams. Admission Southampton Estate sale in 1840 the plots is free and the talk will be at the City both sides of the then Gloucester Road of London Polytechnic in Jewry Street, south of the canal down to the present EC3. Cecil Sharp House and to the railway bridge on the east side, which makes it Bound for Success likely that Henry would design houses on Camden History Review now has its these sites. George himself appears in own binder: it is black with gold the Directories from 1846 in the second lettering and holds ten copies house from the railway bridge. You can get one at CHS meetings Sir John Summerson also thinks that or order it by post Henry Bassett was architect for the Members' price: £1. 25 spiendid Italianate terrace in Gloucester Postage and packing: 45 pence extra Crescent backing on to Parkway, and this is surely correct as Henry was the Reviews Nos 1-4 are available , purchaser of this plot at the Estate sale. price 75p each (postage 14p) A characteristic of Henry Bassett's CHS Publications, 28 Willoughby Road style seems to have been a wide over- London, NW3 hanging eaves supported by frequent consoles: "this appears on the Gloucester HAMPSTEAD MAP 1762 Crescent terrace and on 194 and 196 Regent's Park Road, the two houses The New Year has started well with which did not have to be pulled down, photographic copies of a map of Hamp- and it was also on the Gloucester Avenue stead dateµ 1762 being added to the houses which, sadly, are demolished. Local History Library at Swiss Cottage. Henry Bassett was born about 1803 and There is no other map for Hampstead won the gold medal of the Society of for the period which can compare in any Arts in 1823 and of the Royal Academy way with it for detail and information. in 1825. He was of 'Prowis Place, Haverstock Hill', presumably Powis The _original, together with a field book Place, in 1840, and died intestate showing land ownership and occupation, before 1 7 March 1847 when his widow were discovered in a solicitor's office was granted the property at the north by CHS member. David Sullivan, while end of Gloucester Avenue where the researching among manorial records. Pembroke Castle now stands, originally Malcolm Holmes to have been road. He left an infant Local History Librarian son. The Bassetts were Surveyors to the Southampton Estate; Henry appears in the 1840s and George (Senior?) in the 1830s. But for his early death, Henry Bassett might have become one of the better known Victorian architects.

A nthonv r'nonPr A HUNDRED YEARS OF ST PANCRAS Camden at War GARDENS Our last three Reviews have taken as One of the pleasantest, and least known, their themes Edwardian, Victorian and small open spaces in the Borough is Georgian Camden, in that order: so St Pancras Gardens which surround special features on Stuart and Tudor the old St Pancras Church in Pancras Camden must follow in future editions. Ro~d. They are on the site of two burial . But I would like to interrupt oµr back- grounds, the one belonging to St Pancras wards march of time with a more gen- Church itself, and the other - a piece of eral theme, Camden in Wartime, and I land acquired by St Giles-in-the-Fields invite contributions from our members. for burials which their own burial ground could not accommodate. The graveyards Various wartime subjects keep cropping had particularly grisly histories, which up in our researches: Civil War defen- might weH make the subject of a lecture . ces, the 18c and 19c local Volunteers, for the Society one day, and eventually reminiscences of World War I, air- were reduced in size by the coming of raids iri the last war: any aspects of the railways. In 1817 they were laid war on the home front, not forgetting out as public gardens and few tombs the Home Guard, will be included. There will be room, of course, for were left in their original position but 1 certainly the Sir John Soane monument · other articles also in Camden History and that of the Cecil Rhodes family are Review - 5, but will prospective con- worth seeing. tributors, please, contact me first, and at the latest by the end of February. There is related a tale about Thomas Chatterton, the poet, to bear in mind Christopher Wade (794 2752) while you walk round inspecting the POSTCARDS tombstones. He was amusing himself The Society has recently acquired a one ·day reading the epitaphs in St Pan- number of sets of 5 sepia views of the cras Churchyard when he fell into a Highgate area in the 1920's. There are fresh-dug grave. A friend helped him two views of St Jo'seph's Retreat; two get out, whereupon Chatterton said 'My views taken from Highgate Archway over dear friend, I feel the sting of a speedy the stretch of road now partly widened dissolution. I have been at war with or under threat of widening. These two the grave some time, and find it not so views are particularly interesting show- easy to vanquish as I imagined; we can_ ing the transport of the time and the find an asylum from. every creditor but morning traffic situation. The last view, that. ' In three days time he committed more strictly an Islington one, is of the · suicide in Holborn and was buried, it is Great Northern Hospital in Holloway thought, in StAndrews Burial Ground Road. in Gray's Inn Road. This interesting set can be obtained at HAMPSTEAD CONSERVATION the very reasonable price of 25p plus -A NEW GUIDE self-addressed 4 x 9 stamped envelope A very good map of Hampstead has just from CHS Publications, 28 Willoughby been published showing the designated Road, NW3. They are mint cards - conservation areas and those specially surprise your friends with what, at listed buildings within them. It is by first glance, looks like one of those Nancy Hill and is published by the Hamp- postal items that get delayed in sorting stead ConservationAreaAdvisory Com- offices for 50 years! mittee. The publication, attractively laid out, was designed by David Morgan. Copies can be obtained from the Acorn Press, Finchley Road, or else from our own Publications Secretary at 28 Willoughby Road, NW3. It will, of course, be on sale at our bookstall at future meetings. The price is 40p, plus postage. A Square Deal to being rehoused in decent accommoda- tion and were often antagonistic to the THE BATTLE FOR TOLMERS SQUARE increasing numbers of squatters coming by Nick Wates publishe-d by Routledge into the area. and Kegan Paul, £2. 95 The squatters on the other hand, par- ticularly in North Gower Street and Many publications covering aspects of Tolmers Square, often contributed to Ca'inden's life and history have been the preservation and repair of the build- published in the last few years but there ings which had been allowed to become have been only a handful as well re- derelict. One particularly successful searched and documented as this book improvement to the environment was the by Nick Wates. community garden in Drummond Street, Gradually he chronicles the long, involv- created from seized vacant land. Un- ed story of the attempts to redevelop the fortunately, the enthusiasm for this area, mainly for offices, which started appears to be disappearing and it is over seventeen years ago. Through the rapidly returning to the character of a skilful use of interviews, 'confidential' parking lot. reports, correspondence4 unpublished The controversy raised by the Tolmers minutes and other sources, he describes Square saga helped to change, radically, the conflict of interests over the pro- Council attitudes towards major re- posed developments, involving property developments and public participation developers, community groups, squat- in them. Any suggestions now of a joint ters, political parties and the local redevelopment involving private enter- Councils - a struggle closely followed prise and the Council is a political hot by press and T.V. potato regardless of how beneficial the Supporting this are 174 photographs s~heme could prove. both past and present, maps, tables, The appendix by Tim Wilson on the plans and statistics, all presented in a historical development of the Tolmers readable form. Many of the photographs Village area, while adding little in the suffered in quality from being too small way of new information, has presented and were often captionless, but on the an accurate and readable account from whole they helped capture the atmos- Domesday to date. phere of the situation which had been caused by the phenomenal rise in office Malcolm Holmes rents and property values in London and the opportunity for large capital WHY .DO LOCAL HISTORY? gains. The fears of another Euston Centre In the current issue of The Local His- wiping out a whole community caused torian (volume 12, nos. 3-4, 1976, opposition to unite (usually!) against pp 158-60) Susan Beckley, an assistant the various schemes produced by the local archivist in Wales, seeks the developers Stock Conversion and reasons for the current popularity of Camden Council. Often, however, the local history. Her article may be con- opposition from outside the area seem- suUed at Swiss Cottage Library but, in ed to be centred more on the thoughts brief, ·she says that local history groups of 'immoral' profits to be made by the promote social contacts; help members, developers (one estimate gave £12 especially newcomers to an area, to million) rather than on the suitability identify with the local community; assist of the development. in keeping traditions alive and in pre- It was at times difficult to present a serving historic buildings; and provide united opposition to the various plans a stimulating occupation for our in- creasing leisure time or retirement when even the activists in the Tolmers years. She says that as more people Village Association were sometimes become disillusioned with national seen as unrepresentative of local government, so they give more im- op1mon. Some of the long- standing portance to their own locality. residents saw the attempts to protect dilapidated buildings as being a barrier Cherry Lavell Anecdotes of a Boarding School; or, an The Mystery of an Antidote to the Vices of those Useful 18th Century 1 Hampstead' Seminaries, also published in two vol- umes. Subsequent editions and later Author titles usually bore no date or place; and Collectors of early children's literature the author's pseudonym was altered to have read about an anonymous woman "M- . p e lham II m• some - such a$ in the author who is known to have flourished 1806 Jingles: or Original Rhymes. in the 1 780s and whose real name was only disclosed in 1869 as being Dorothy CHR 4 Kilner. Her most popular book was called The Life and Perambulation of Extract from letter to CHS Publications a Mouse, first published in 1783 and from F John Napthine of Belchamp 1784 under the pseudonym of "M. P. ", Walter, Suffolk with many subsequent editions during 'My first twenty years were lived in the nineteenth century, none bearing the Kentish Town: then I lived in Hampstead author's real name. Doro~hy's connec- 30 years: in Hendon 20 years. I am tion with Hampstead remains a mystery now nearer 84 than 83 and living in that members of the Camde:r:i History Suffolk (my ancestral county) but oh! Society might like to try to solve. how I love Camden and rejoice in the Dorothy Kilner was born in 1755, and work of yourself and all your helpers died ih 1836 in her own home in Leyton- and correspondents. stone Road; she never married. She I should like to take this opportunity of attended the parish church in West Ham, saying how astonishingly good is the where many members of her family 4th Camden History Review with such were buried. No family.records exist erudite articles and illustrations. of her staying in Hampstead, yet several of her books include "Hampstead" at The awe-inspiring energy of research the end of the author's Dedication, and the presentation of it is beyond the together with the pseudonymous "M.P." range of ordinary thanksgiving. 1 which it is known stood for Maryland Point where the Kilner family had settled LAST RESORT FOR MR HOWELL in 1759 when this address was a hamlet Mr Denis Howell, the Minister respon- in the Essex countryside. ( Daniel Defoe sible for coping with the Drought of last refers to Maryland Point in his famous year, has not needed ideas for inducing Tour. The Kilner home was a double- rain. However, in case the same prob- fronted Queen Anne house, demolished lem arises this year, he may care to in1927.) take note of what happened on Hampstead Heath in 1921, which was also a very Since Dorothy Kilner' s original child- dry year. "· ren's books now fetch high prices at such auctions as Sotheby' s and are listed About 2000 people, including a repre- in all the better known collections from sentative of the meteorological office, the British Library to the Library of gathered there to see Brocks, the fire- Congress and Toronto Public Library, works manufacturers, put on a display as well as running to at least twenty- of 'rain rockets' in an attempt to end the nine known different titles (including drought. There were loud explosions for several American editions and also 15 minutes, but no rain, which was just translations into French), this author's as well as no one had been sufficiently connection with Hampstead would be confident to take an umbrella. one to be proud of, if it could be estab- lished in detail. As it is, "Hampstead" occurs at the end of the Dedication of the following first editions dated: "Jan. 23, 1781" in The Holiday Present; "April 9, 1781 and April 22, 1783" in the two volumes of A Clear and Concise Account of the origin and design of Christianity; and "Oct. 18, 178 2" in Postcard Views of Hampstead

, - Church Raiv. - LL No40 of the CAMDEN HISTORY SOCIETY Mar 1977

A Tour Round the Museum St Pancras Station and of London in March Hotel- Our April Event The Society has arranged two tours April 28th, 7. 30pm, at the Methodist around the splendid new Museum of Church Hall in Birkenhead street, W.C.l. London this month. They are on Tues- day March 22nd at 5. 30pm and on Monday Anyone who has been on one of Mr Charles March 28th at 3.00pm, the latter tour Lee's tours of St Pancras Station and •for those who find the daytirre more Hotel will know that an illustrated convenient. We are to rreet Rosemary talk by him on the sarre subject by him Weinstein at the entrance hall .. is a treat not to be missed. The The Museum, housed in an adventurous building and the sr:>eaker need no intro- new building, is a developrrent of the duction. joint collections of the old London HAMPSTEAD GRAVEYARD Museum in Kensington and the Guildhall Christopher Wade reports that the Museum. Nearest tube stations are group of rrerrbers indexing the narres of St Pauls or The Barbi can. those buried in Hampstead Churchyard has logged 1000 narres "

ST. PAN·CRAS STATION, 1890 DAVID SHEPHERD S.Av.A. Best Sellers NEW PUBLICATIONS This is the tinE of year when we Really, news of things to COIIE. analyse our sales of CHS Publications The. Society, apart fran reprinting largely for the benefit of our annual ' M3dieval Camden, is publishing a accounts, but also to learn as much as booklet entitled Roman Camden. The we can about who reads what and where. Borough Council are publishing soon This year we have been impressed by the a new set of postcards of Blocmsbury numbers of Reviews ordered and sold by anaJ a 1so two maps are being reprinted.' the Trade in Camden and have compiled a These are Newton's map of Hampstead, Best Seller Chart, showing who has sold and the Sorrers Town portion of the how many. Our publications are on sale cl796 St Pancras map. The-Local History in about 20 shops in the borough (not to Iepartrrnnt are also preparing a slide IIEntion the Willoughby Road Distribut- pack on Highgate Cerrntery. ion Centre) and soIIE of them have acc- ounted for a remarkable turnover of stock. The two chart-toppers for the Camden Oral History last twelve rronths are the Regent Book- Project shop in Parkway, Camden Town and the A project to record Camden's history High Hill Bookshop in Hampst~ad. Each orally has been set up as a W. E. A. has sold over 200 copies of our Reviews. Equal third are the Owl Bookshop in course in association with the Camden Kentish Town and Bobbies, the news- History Society. It will attem_tt to agents in Swains Lane, Highgate. They record the recollections of local people are closely followed by the Brunswick about local events, industries and :WJ:inimart in Brunswick Square, and coomunity life, as well as the social Sheppards the second-hand bookshop in effects of, and responses to, national Royal College street, with the and international events. This will Highgate Bookshop not far behind. Com- involve not only interviewing, editing ing up on the rails is the new Museum and transcription, but also background of London, which has such an attractive research, preparation of stimulus bookstall that they have twice sold materials and exhibitions_. It is out of Camden History Reviews. hoped to involve those interviewed in other aspects of the work and in c.w. future interviews. WHITING LOCAL HISTORY COURSE One of the first fields. of interest will be the Second World War and its impact There is to be a week's course on WRITING LOCAL HIS'IORY at Flatford Mill on Camden. The tutor /organiser is Brian Foster, 42 Oakford Road, N.W.5 Field Study Centre, unde:.~ the auspices..- ' (267 8368). He would welcorre any help. of the University of Cambridge Board of Extra-Mural studies. This is from 13--20th April. MEMBERSHIP The course will concentrate on the most The IIEn:bership of the Society is now difficult and rewarding part of the local 572. Recent new IIEmbers include the historian's work - the analysis and 11useum of London, Mary Adams, Mrs I . interpretation of his varied sources w. Barnett, Mrs D. Butt, Mr and Mrs J. Con- and the writing-up of the results. nor, Judi th Edwards, Mrs M Engler, Mr and Students are invited to bring along Mrs M Festing, Miss V. Festing, Prof. L examples of their own work, finished Forster, Mr and Mrs Fryxell, Dr and Mrs or l.:lllf inished. The Director of Gary, Miss M I lott, Mrs J Layton Mr M Studies is David Dyrrond, editor of the lewis·, Miss C Mainds, T McCarthy: M. Local Historian. Ward, Mrs M Harriott, Mr L Millington The cost is £45 for tuition and Miss Rita Spurdle, Mr N Thomas, Drs c'.B. acconmodation. llitails fran The and C.J. Williams, Mr E. Wolfe. Director, Board of Extra-Mural Studies, Madingley Hall, Madingley, Cambridge. HENRY BASSETT Following Anthony Cooper's note on Henry Bassett, architect in our last newsletter TRANSPORI' GIDUP Hugh Pocock has deposited at Swiss Cot- ' tage Library a great many biographical The Transport Group IIEet next at Swiss details of the Bassett and Pocock fami- Cottage Library on Tuesday, April 5th lies. Interested rrenbers should contact at 5. 3opm Malcolm HolIIEs there for details. PUBS OF ST PANCRAS MORE STREETS OF HAMPSTEAD Public houses play an important part R.B. Snaw writes: in the history of any area. It is May I please correct a staterrent on surprising just how long-lasting they p.39? Martin Shaw lived locall~, yes - are . Even in rrodern tirres the pub is at 18 Belsize Lane at the tirre you either kept or replaced in new develop- speak of. But he never bought logs in rrent. A 1721 list of pubs in the parish his life, or at least not before he was of St Pancras contains quite a few which 80. It was his habit to buy a tree for are still thriving and rrernbers may be about 5/-, and himself to saw and split interested in the complete list for it into logs for the fire. I rerrernber that year, derived from the Licensing a particular occasion when as a vecy records at the Middlesex Records young child I had difficulty in carrying Office. an ice-cold rretal wedge from the house Hole in the Wall, Tottenham Court to the tree on Ivy Bank, a distance I King David suppose about equal to the· length of Ye Tun (Goodge .st) the platfonn.of Hampstead Heath station. Cow and Hare (on the site of the My father found the exercise congenial, present St Annes church) Highgate and conducive to nrulling over in his hill mind whatever he was canposing at the tirre. The Angel, Highgate He indulged in it rrost afternoons for a Bird Cage couple of hours between lunch and tea. I Brill rerrernber my pride on the first occasion Milford Fann (presumably Millfield I was allowed to wield the axe and split fann in Highgate) a log for myself. Black Horse (Tottenham Court) Ye Cock (Tottenham Court road) ARCHAEOLOGY IN ACTION Ye Garden House, Black Mary's (Grays Inn Road area) The current exhibtion at the Church Fann Ye Greyhound, Cain Wood House Museum, Greyhound Hill, Hendon, Crab tree (Tottenham Court road) has been rrounted by the Hendon and Adam and Eve, Tottenham Court District Archaeological Society, and is Horse and Groom (Kentish town) as excellent as their last . Its title Blue Posts, Tottenharp Court rd 'Archaeology in Action' not only suggests Swan, Kentish town the many trerrendously interesting Adam and Eve, St Pancras facets of archaeology that the well-dis- Carpenters Ams, Highgate played exhibits derronstrate, but also the great range of activities of HADAS Bull and Gate, Kentish town as a society. 'I\vo Brewers Black D::>g There are displays of finds from their Pindar of Wakefield ( Grays inn rd recent digs, notably those fran the area) :Mesolithic site on West Heath. :Methods Red Lyon, Battle Bridge of excavation, and also long operations White Hart, Battle Bridge of processing and recording finds are Ye George (nr St Pancras church) described so that one has the dual Three ';I'unns (Grays inn rd area) interest of both seeing the artifacts Ye Last (now the Bull and Last, themselves and how they fit into the Highgate road) context of an excavation. Ye Bull, Kentisl:i town ( now the The other activities of HADAS, such as Asserrbly RoOIIE) recording burial grounds, and the sur- Oxford Ams, Kentish town vey of the parish boundaries of Barnet Bulls Head, Tottenham Court are also illustrated. Anglers, Kentish town ( now the Jolly Anglers, Kentish town rd) The exhibition is well worth a visit Kings Ams, Tottenham Court and runs until March 27th. It is open Garden of Eden, Tottenham Court on weekdays from 10. 00-12. 30 and 1. 30 Castle, Kentish town to 5.30, and on Sundays from 2.30-6.00. Joanna Wade John Richardson WILLIAM GEORGE JENNINGS Goodbye St Matthews ( l 79~ -1843) In what must be record tiITE the Exhibition of watercolours of Hamp- Church Corrmissioners have declared stead and Highgate at Martyn Gregory redundant and derrolished a very sub- · stantial church. This is St Matthews Gallery, 34 Bury Street, SWl. 8-23 a reasonably attractive Gothic P,ile in December 1976 Oakley square, N. W.1. The Borough Oh dear! Where did the captions for the Council admit to having received noti- fication frcm the Corrrnissioners of their paintings come from? Alas, certainly intent but as it was received just not a result of careful consideration of before the Christmas holidays the matter local scenes of Hampstead and Highgate. could not be brought before the approp- The watercolours, from a recently riate cornnittee. There is no doubt that the Conmissioners discovered portfolio dated June 1843, have acted with indecent haste in this, showed mainly rural scenes. The style, no doubt because they would have antici- at times reminiscent of George Shepherd, pated iocal oppostion from conservation- seemed almost to depict an earlier ists. The Church is in a privileged period of Hampstead and Highgate' s position in that they are not bound by history than mid 19th century. the sanB planning restrictions that apply to a private landowner. Ironically Unfortunately, when discovered, none the Goverrurent has announced that it of the pictures had labels and, while has put aside a substantial sum of attempts had been made to identify rroney to help conserve old churches which is granted on condition that scenes, cautious suggestions advanced the Church Comnissioners give up such by members of the CHS and others were privilege. obviously seized upon as firm indication of locality. For the record, the church was con- secrated in 1856 and was designeci. by Could Rosslyn Hill really have looked J. Brandon. It was beautifully posit- like the picture shown for that street in ioned on land donated by the Duke of the 19th century? The scene of the Bedford and its derrolition will allow us to see, looking south, the full 'Cow and Horse:- site of the vicarage horror of those towers on Hampstead and gardens of St Anne's Church, West road by Mornington Crescent. Hill' while exact in caption seems un- I understand that the Church might related to local topography. And so one have considerable legal difficulty could go on. in using the ground for any other Would it really have detracted from the purpose. That' 11 learn 'em. exhibition to use "possibly" before many J.R more captions or even "unidentified". "Jack Straw" SANDWICH STREET CHURCH GOES St Mary's German Lutheran Church in Sand- LOCAL HISTORY DIARIES wich street has been derrolished together with the accompanying school buildings in Mr Ken Ellis, an adult education tutor, Thanet street . We are indebted to the attempted recently to set up an ILEA Annual Report of the Kings Cross Comnun- class in diary-writing. He contends i ty Association for the following details: that the keeping of local diaries is The church and the school were designed good local history in the making and by W.M. Teulon (1823--1900), brother of is keen to encourage the rather neglect- the better known S . S. Teulon. The church, ed art of diary-writing. Unfortunately called the St Pancras Mission House, was there was insufficient response to opened on 3 April 1873, and the church this and the class had to be abandoned. school the year before. Since World War He is, however, willing to have I I the church building has been leased another try, this tire with private and subsequently sold to the German tuition. Any interested renber Lutheran congregation .. The school was should contact him on 485 9035. The not used as such after the outbreak of fees are £1.50 per private session war. W. M. Teulon lived in the area for and 60p a person at group.sessions. many years, between 1854 and 1867 at 42 Guilford street and later at 18 Upper Woburn place. No41 of the CAMDEN HISTORY SOCIETY MAY1977

Institute we cross the road to Dyne The Annual Meeting House, Southwood Lane (part of Highgate and Dick Whittington School) for the talk by Caroline Barron on Dick Whittington. The Annual Meeting of the Society is on May 18th. It will be followed by Dick Whittington is much in the news a talk on Dick Whittington by Caroline lately with a battle raging as to where Barron. his corrrremorative stone should be The Annual Meeting part of the evening sited. will be held at the Highgate Ll.terary Whittington, of course, is a London and Scientific Institute, in South folk hero, his position reinforced Grove, Highgate Village, at 6. 30pm. by his escalation to pantomirre figure. Unfortunately there is a lot of in- The Agenda will be: fonnation to depress the romantics, but ·a) Minutes and matters arising on the other hand plenty of facts to b) Apologies delight the historian. Caroline c) Reports fran the Chairman, Treasurer Barron is a noted authority on London and Publications Secretary history and we look forward to a d) Election of officers and Council fascinating talk. e) Resolutions (if any) This part of the rreeting is being held f) Any other business in association with the Homsey Historical Society. It starts at In connection with i tern ( d) you are 8pm. invited to send in nominations to the Secretary or else to propose at the Annual General Meeting. Two Canal Walks in June The present officers are: David Thomas, leader of our Industrial Archaeology Group, is leading two walks President- Sir Jarres Brown along the Regent's Canal in June. The Vice Presidents- Charles lee, Sir Colin first one will be along the beautiful Anderson, Sir , Michael stretch from Ll.ttle Venice to Camden Robbins and Professor F.M.L. Thompson Lock. This will be on June 22nd rreeting Chairman - John Richardson 6. 30pm at Warwick Road tube station. Vice Chainnan- Cherry Lavell (who does The second stretch is from Camden Lock not wish to be nominated this tirre) to Islington, a less familiar walk, rrost Secretary - Jenny Stevens of it opened to the public fairly rec- Meetings Secretary - unfilled ently. It is a stretch dear to the Treasurer - Jane Rarrsay hearts of industrial archaeologists and Publications Secretary - Christopher one that David Thomas knows a great deal Wade about. For this walk meet at Camden Archivist - Malcolm Holmes Town tube station at 6.30pm on June 30. The present CDUNCIL (which should consist of the 7 officers above and 9 REMINDER FROM THE TREASURER others) consists of: Mrs Ramsay thanks all those who have Coral Howells, Christina Gee, Horace so promptly sent in their subscription Shooter, E.G. Brassington, John Lawson, renewals, and would be grateful if Gillian Tindall, Anthony Cooper, Viv- anyone who has not yet renewed, could ienne l\brris do so now. Renewal fo:rm3 were. enclosed with the March Newsletter. After the Annual Meeting, which should finish at 7.30pm there will be refreshrrents available. From the Hampstead Heath walk To Shelley at Penshurst in June 30th July, 1977 Sunday, June 26th, 2.30pm, rreeting With the help of Christina Gee and at Jack Straw's Castle the Keats-Shelley Memorial Association Christopher Ikin and David Sullivan of the the Society's Annual Outing is a really Heath and Old Hampstead Society will lead attractive one this year. We shall be walks on various parts of the Heath which going to Penshurst Place, nr Edenbridge, illustrate its history. Tea will be pro- Kent to visit the Shelley Exhibition. vided and there will be a collection for We shall be going by coach. The price, the H&CHS funds. which includes entrance fees, coach ride and cream tea is £3.50p Most of us have walked on the Heath and know the pleasure of this. To have in This is an advance notice and more addi tiorr two excellent guides to enlarge details will appear in the July Newsletter our knowledge and appreciation of this but rrerrbers ought to make their reserv- marvellous piece of open space makes for ations early. They should be sent to a rremorable event. Christina Gee at Keat' s House, Keat' s Grove, N. W. 3. First ccrne, first served! It is expected that a large number of rrembers will want to care on these walks and we are afraid that numbers have to ROBERT THOMAS CROSFIELD be limited. To reserve a place, on a Mr George Ingram is researching into first care, first s~rved basis, please the life of Robert Thomas Crosfield send a stamped addressed enveloEe to ( Crossfield) and wonders if any rrenber Christopher Wade, 28 Willoughby road, can help with info:nnation. He writes: N.W.3 Crossfield was buried at Hendon, St HEATH AND OLD HAMPSTEAD'S Mary' s Churchyard in 1802. In 1796 he was acquitted at an Old Bailey trial 80th BIRTHDAY for conspiring to kill George III by Apart fran the historical Heath Walk on rreans of a poisoned dart or arrow pro- June 26th, a joint event with the ms, the pelled fran an air-gun. Heath.and Old Hampstead Society is cele- brating its 80th birthday with a party at He was a rrenber of the London Corres- Kenwood, a walk round Hampstead and an ex- pond~nce Society, which quickly collect- hibition at Swiss Cottage. The walk will ed a large rrenbership throughout the be on Sunday, June 19th, starting at 2. 30 country - the king and his governrrent from the Hanpstead Comnunity Trust's build- were apprehensive of this rroverrent, ing at 78 Harrpstead High street: it will which after a tine -hey managed to be led by Christopher Wade and will con- suppress. centrate on the Conservation Area. It is not known why Crossfield was buried at Hendon - he·is known to have The exhibition at Swiss Cottage Library had several addresses in the· east end will run fran July 5th to August 13th and of London. But many people buried will be ,called 'Protecting Hampstead Heath': at Hendon did not reside locally, sare it will include old prints, water-colours cal!B from Hampstead and Highgate etc. and photographs from Camden' s Local Hist- · Does anyone know if he did? ory collection He acted as a ships' surgeon and gained Further details about the H & ClIS from his qualification at Leyden University the Hon. Sec, 117 Heath st, N.W.3 in Holland. He was sorretirres called Ibctor Crosfield. Members with information should contact VAIE OF HEALTH'S 200th BIRTHDAY Mr Ingram at 53 Selbome Gardens , N. W. 4 It is exactly 200 years since the Hamp- FESTIVAL Tl ME stead Water Company drained the marsh of Would you like to help promote the ClIS Hatchett' s Bottom, built the new reservoir and its publications by running a ClIS and thereby founded the Vale of Health as stall at your local street festival? it is today. To celebrate this bicentenary You would? Then get in touch with the Vale of Health Society, backed by the Christopher Wade ( 794 2752) . Serre of ClIS and the Heath and Old Hampstead Soc- the first festivals of the season are: iety, is organising an Open Aftemoon on Sunday, July 3rd, from 2-6pm. There will June 4 Fi tzrovia, Priory be conducted tours , sorre gardens on view, '' 7 Gayton (Hampstead) possibly an exhibition, certainly cups of " 11 Falkland tea. July 2 Queens Square '' 9 BloOOEbury, Albert street , Kin!!S Cross New Books on the Discovering l.Dndon Villages by John Wittich (Shire,50p) Northern Heights Again, Hanpstead and Highgate are included, Harnpstead, Highgate Village and Kenwood with brief, practical walkabout guides, A Short Guide by Ian Norrie (High Hill reasonably up-to-date and reasonably Press, £1.20) priced. The author has revised and enlarged two earlier guides and amalgamated them into Hampstead Cop.servation Guide a corrpanion volUIIE for The Streets of Mentioned in our January Newsletter, Hanpstead. Cbe of its many attractions remains the best value for money ( 40p) is Norrie's personal and pl.ID.gent carrnent and is also available from the CRS on all and sundry - for instance, on the bookstall. Heath Street Baptist Cllapel, which is variously described 'beastly' , 'ghastly' , 'grossly out of proportion' and a 'massive c.w. horror' . A new feature is a nurrber of People Need Roots - tne story of the suggested Walks, the first Urban Trails St Pancras Housing Association, by Irene for Hanpstead, but readers should not Barclay (published by the Association, rely on the skeleton map included in the 1976 , hardback £2. 50, paperback £1. 50) new book, vmich is thoroughly beastly and grossly out of proportion. They Irene Barclay tells the story of the should buy a Map of Hanpstead and High- Association: how it was fonred and how gate Village (25p), which is, of course, it functions and is financed; of the also published by Ian Norrie acquiring of land and the rebuilding of properties; of the people involved - the organisers, tenants, children, friends The Kindling and the Flarre and supporters; of its achieverrents from A Centenary Review of the History of 1924 through the war years to the South Hanpstead High School by Prunella present day, and of the changes in the Bodington (Published by the School and lives of the people living in St Pancras available there of from the ms bookstall, during thoseears. (paperback) at £1.00. The emphasis of the book is that the Qie of its distinguished Headmistresses, fundam2ntal aim of the Association was not Miss Bodington covers the school's pro- just to provide new-blocks of flats for gress from Winchester Road to its present people living in slum properties in SOIIBrs eminence in Maresfield Gardens. The story Town, but to rehouse them without dis- is well iliustrated with old photographs rupting the connrunity and to provide com- and with the sort of tale she told so munal facilities such as gardens, play-• well at her recent aIS lecture. areas, club houses etc. Holy Trinity School, 1876-1976 Although Irene Barclay does not speak much of herself, a picture errerges of sorreone Another lively and well-illustrated with incredible energy, dedicated to her history from a tiny Church school tucked work and her belief that people need behind the vast South Harnpstead High. It roots. includes 'A Pupil's Memories' by is the sum total of their respon- Matthew, Bedford New Town ( to give it its sibility. 'Iheir buildings are cherished official title) was declared redundant by a great many people and the Carmiss- under an Order of 27 October 1976. It ioners should evolve ways of asking had not been a Parish Church since Jan- them as well. uary 1956, when the parish was united with that of Old St Pancras. 'Ihe struc- I would have thought too that the fact ture was found to be dangerous, and a that the long-standing marriage of Mr draft derroli tion order was sent to Camden and Mrs lee was at St Matthews would in Council on 22nd Novenber 1976; it was itself have warranted its preservation! advertised in the Camden Journal on Nov 26th. The full statutory notice for Advance Notice objections was given, expiring on 29th We have been asked to include in llicenber. It appears that the rrenbers the Newsletter a brief, advance notice of the lliveloprrent Control Panel of Cam- of·events to be covered by the next den Council did not learn of the letter Newsletter, so as to give more notice until 26th January and no one seems to to rrenbers. have noticed the official advertiserrent. By then it was too late to object, and So, here is advance notice that 1977 demolition began o:n 14th February. For is the centenary of the opening ~f the the record, I may say that the demolition little known St Pancras Gardens (next order was confinred .on 17 January 1977. to St Pancras Old Church, Pancras Road) and that Mr Charles lee will be giving Perhaps I should declare an interest by a talk on July 20th on the history saying that my wife and I were married of that area. It will be at the iri this Church, and that I had the Working M8n's College, in Crowndale privilege of writing a short history road, at 7. 30pm of this Church, which was published in' To complerrent the talk we are very llicember 1931. pleased that on the Saturday morning ( 11 am) following the talk the Rev. John Richardson writes: R. Coogan will be conducting a tour I am grateful, as always, for a factual round the gardens and the old church - correction by Mr lee. I took my infor- a rare opportunity to see inside mation from the generally reliable source this charming building of Walter Brown's St Pancras Book of Dates. This Newsletter is edited by John Richard- I am, however, not at all impenitent son and all contributions, letters etc at my description of 'indecent haste' ; should be addressed to him at 32 Ellington Mr lee's useful chronicle of events can street, N. 7 only serve to increase one's suspicion that the Church Carmissioners jumped '.!HE SOCIEIY for joy at the lack of reaction fran Cllainnan - John Richardson Camden and set to work to demolish before Vice-Chairman - Cherry Lavell the general public becarre aware of what Secretary - Jenny Stevens, St Pancras was happening. The Comnissioners are Library, 100 Euston road, N. W. 1. not beginners in the matter of buildings. Treasurer - Jane Ramsay, Swiss Cottage 'Ihey know that if their proposal was Library, N. W. 3 known to the public there .would have Publications Secretary - Christopher been considerable agitatiorr for a period Wade, 28 Willoughby road, N. W. 3 of consideration. A notice in a local paper is not enough in these days of neighbourhood societies and conservat- ionists. What would have happened, for No42 of the CAMDEN HISTORY SOCIETY JUL 1977 St Pancras Gardens and Summer Outing to Penshurst Their History- our July There are still a few seats left on the coach for the outing to Penshurst Place events Kent. The date is Saturday, 30th July. ' Wednesday, 20th July, 7. 30prn at the We hope to visit Chislehurst (hare of Working Men's College, Crowndale Road, William Caznden) and Smallhythe Place N.W.l. (hare of Ellen Terry) on the way. Please St Pancras Gardens, previously two bring a packed lunch and pray for fine burial grounds, is the site of sare re.,,. weather. At Penshurst there will be markable history. Olarles Lee, the ex..- an opportunity to see the State Apart- pert on this area, is our speaker on ments and Gardens as well as the Shelley this subject and those who know Mr Lee Exhibition and the Toy Museum before a will have great expectations of the eve- cream tea at 4. 30. Tickets fran Mrs ning. Christina M. Gee, Keats House, Keats Grove, N.W.3 at £3.50 each. · The old St Pancras burial ground, was famous for being available to Ranan Catho- Incidentally Mrs Gee has asked us to lics in those difficult tiioos, for being point out to all those she has already thoroughly overcrowded, and being the sent coach-boarding instructions to, resting place of Jonathan Wild, the thief- that the Camden Town pick-up point is taker, and Earl Ferrers a celebrated at Bayham street where the 31 bus murderer. It also held the bodies of terminus is. William Godwin and his wife Mary Wool- stonecroft, Paoli the Corsican hero and Burgh House various relatives of Cecil Rhodes. Menbers will have seen the frequent re- In 1803 the church of St Giles-in-the- _ports in the Ham & Higb about Burgh Fields, having run out of burial space in House' s sufferings and the Council's con- their own cemetery, purchased the ground cern about who should have stopped the next to the St Pancras cerretery. This rot when. The recent suggestion that contains the bodies of John Flaxman, the this beautiful and historic bUilding sculptor, Sir John Soane amongst many shc;>Uld be ysed as a Local History Centre other well-kna.vn people and accarrrodate Caznden's Local History Collection is naturally of great interest On the Saturday rroming after this the to our Society. Your Council at their Rev~ R. Coogan, Rural Iean, has kindly last meeting fraiood a resolution welcan,- agreed to conduct rrembers over the gard- ing the proposal in principle provided n ens and old St Pancras Church, site of that the Council will repair and maintain one of the oldest churches in London. the building in a way appropriate to a We IIEet at 11am at the Olurch in Pancras Grade Che house. This resolution was Way. expressed in a letter to the Ham & High. We hear also that the Buildings, Works and Services Canni ttee of Camden Council has pushed the scheme further ahead by agreeing to the proposal at corrmittee There is an interesting exhibtion on at stage·. the Karl Marx Memorial Ll.brary in Clerk- enwell Green. It is called 'A People's History of Clerkenwell' and has a wide range of fascinating material. The library and building are worth visiting too. It runs until July the 15th, week- days 2.30-7.30, weekends 2.00-6.00. Roman Camden PHILIP LAYMAN-HERBALIST AND L As a canpanion to Medieval Camden DISTILLER RE we have now published Brian Robertson's Sydney Arrobus has kindly passed on to n< researchei' on Ranan Camden, based on a us a letter fran a friend who mentions his at paper he delivered at our Archaeological wife's uncle, a Philip Arthur Layman, who M: Symposium way back in 1971. The article' lived at 7 Pandora road. Fran there he iI includes a map of all the Ranan finds in ran the Herbal Research Centre fran which T< the area and photographs of sare of them. he maintained, with his wife, a remarkable Cl 'Iwo appendices give illustrated reports mail-order business of herbal cures etc, on Ranan remains by 18th century anti- and he also kept bees in his garden. In TI quaries. There is also a selective a 1934 newspaper cutting he is described bE Reading List about Inndon in Roman times. as a journalist and advertiserrent designer d< Ranan Camden is available to CBS rrent>ers and was fined £ 10 for ''possessing an1 a for 3op at our bookstall or for 39p by illicit still and depositing spirits at S1 post. You can use the order form with his address with intent to defraud his ()) Majesty of the duty" . 'Ihe sti11, made H this Newsletter. Kj fran banana skins in an old oil can was described by the magistrate as a "foul ic KEEPING THE MARKS OF TH,E PAST and filthy mixture" and "a lethal type of be pl 'Ihe Royal Veterinary O:>llege has ex- cocktail. II pressed a wish to present to the Borough ir a wooden garden seat, suitably inscribed. Tr in caIIreIIDration of the Queen's Silver Advance Notice wt Jubilee. The O:>llege is obviously Toe ill-fated talk on 'The Work of conscious of its links with the area, Rescue' by Robert Kiln has has to be having been located on its present site cancelled once more as Mr Kiln is going since 1791. It is hoped the seat will to America. We are having instead a Tc be placed in St Pancras Gardens. talk by llisrrond O:>llins on 'The West CE If only this would encourage other finns Heath Escavations - Early Man in Hamp- cc and institutions to leave sane form of stead' . This will be at Swiss O:>ttage tt permanent :rremorial to record their own library on 22nd Septenber, 7.30pm o1 long associations with Camden, or per- by haps ensure the preservation of their Gillian Tindall's.pook on Kentish Town in own historic features.i will be published by Maurice Temple- ti Smith in Septeni>er and Miss Tindall will le Far too often landmarks outside factor- be giving a talk on the subject on st ies and other buildings disappear, sane.,. October 18th at the North London Poly- do times to b~ scrapped, sanetimes sent technic, Prince of Wales road, N. W. 5 th elsewhere. Alas for the O:>ade stone at 7. 30pm in horse outside the forrrer Voile and my Wortley premises in Bidborough Street 1 Even further ahead there will be a ru and the B~ack Cats outside the old change of date and venue for Christopher Va Carreras building at Mornington Crescent, Wades talk 'Han:pstead Through Artists' ce now dispersed to Jamaica and Bristol. Eyes' li But there are still many plaques, old La; signs, lamps and relics of earlier industr- ~tails of all these events will be co: ial ages attached to the buildings of the given in later Newsletters. Va Borough, that just a little thought Thi could protect and preserve. LAUDERDALE HOUSE 99] Perhaps the CHS could award an annual We are happy to report that the accolade to whichever firm or institution other stately, but neglected, his- toric.house in Camden, Lauderdale NE in the Borough has done most that year to conserve, restore or otherwise en- House, is fast approaching its re- awakening. The Friends of Lauderdale hance an hi~torical building or other feature. While not in the srure league House have secured a grant towards the cost of an administrator and plans are Ms as the Queen's Award to Industry, it Ch: might, in a local context, provide sane now being made for a programne of repair and activities. More news next acJ encouragerrent to others. Fe: Newsletter. Mri 'Jack Straw' SOI R ce: Local History Publications THE RATEBOOKS ARE BACK ! Reproductions of maps and postcards are An audible sigh of relief recently echoed. ncm available frcm all Camden libraries around the Camden Archives store at .S and Keats House. The maps are Newton's John' s Mews, Holborn when the last of Map of Hampstead 1814 which was used the 4838 volumes of large, heavy rat-e- in Park's History of Hampstead, Scmers books were returned to the shelves. Town cl790, and a set of Holborn post- 'lhe building, a store for a miscell- cards 1885-1955. aneous collection of Council document$ The postcards have already proved to together with the Borough's ratebooks be a popular purchase, capturing as they for the 18th century to 1955, was closed do, life in past eras. The earliest is for major repairs to the strongrocm a street scene of Holborn frcm outside floors in March 1976. Unavoidable Staple Inn cl885. The others are New delays occurred as the whole of the oxford street 1903, Southampton Row site's redevloproont was under discussion 1908, Holborn Tram Station (beneath by Camden Council and until a decision Kingsway) 1952, and the splendid inter- was reached repair work could not start . ior of the Grand Restaurant of the Hol- born Restaurant cl954. Mr Cllarles Lee Camden's collection of ratebooks frcm the 18th century are r6Ilarkably can- provided valuable infonnation in help- plete and are usually a more reliable ing to date the street scenes. guide to dating the construction and The price is 25p each for the maps, alteration of buildings, and the period while the set of postcards is 30p. of occupancy of inhabitants than dir- ectories. Sanetimes additional inform- ation on, for example, owners, may be Vale of Health Reprint provided. While more recent ratebooks. To mark the Vale of Health's bicentenary are convenient to use, many of the 18th celebration9 this month, our Society has and 19th century ones are arranged in collaborated with Carlile House Press in the order in which rate collectors the reprinting of Helen Bentwich's history went round the streets. The route may of the Vale. It was originally published be up one side of a street, into a court by High Hill Press in a limited edition or side road, continuing along the in 1968 but has been sold out for sane street to the end, crossing over and tirm. It seermd top useful a piece of back down the other side - often without local history research to be allcmed to recording housenurmers. (Housenunbers stay out of print. Helen Bentwich had were not ccmpulsory until well into the done considerable original research into 19th century). For this reason anyone the naming of this new settlerrent (noth- wishing to use the ratebooks is strongly ing to do with the Plague of London), ,the reccmnended to first refer to director- mystery of Leigh Hunt's residence, the ies, maps and other sources and rude remarks of Charles Dickens and the then to fill in the gaps frcm the rate- Vale's notorious reputation in the last books. century. With its constel],ation of literary and artistic residents (D.H. Access to the store is by appointrmnt Lawrence, Stanley Spencer et al) and its only and anyone wishing to use the conservation problems of today, the books should contact Richard Knight, Vale's history continues to be lively. Holborn Library, 32 Theobalds road ( 405 The new edition is a paperback and costs 2706). Staff will be available to 99p (Order fonn enclosed) assist with information on the volt.n:nes. Malcolm Holmes Local History Librarian NEW MEMBERS The new rrerrbership total is 622. New CHALK FARM STREETS GROUP roonbers recently enrolled include: TO BE FORMED Ms P Beesley, Ms G. Brangwyn, Miss C. Under the leadership of Anthony Cooper Chacksfield, Miss P. Charla, Dr M. Corm- the Society is forming a group to work ack, Mr and Mrs C. I:Ban, Mr and Mrs W. on the history of the streets of Chalk Featherstone, Miss J. Hamilton, Mr and Fann. We need researchers, walkers, Mrs Metcalf, Mrs A. Morris, Ms L. Nichol- typists and people with long memories son, Miss M. Prest, Miss M. Ryan, Miss for this. Those interested should E. Silverton, Ms J. Sno.vden, Ms M. Spen- contact Mr Cooper atq8 Regent's Park cer and Ms Unennan road, N.W.l (722 7063) The Annual General Meeting stephen Geary - A Doubt Resolved '!he Annual General Meeting, which Historical writers using secondary was added to by a talk by Caroline sources of information will be well aware Barron on Richard Whittington, was of the problem of conflict between stand..- a great success. We are grateful to ard works of reference. A long.,....standing the Highgate Literary and Scientific doubt concerning the age of the archi- Institution for their kind hospitality tect Stephen Geary has been resolved re- for the first part of the rooeting and cently, and the facts are worthy of to Highgate School for the second. record, and annotation in the sources roontioned. Geary is perhaps best knc:mp_ Caroline Barron's talk dispelled, un- today as the architect of Highgate and fortunately, all the myths about Dick other cemeteries, but his work in Camden Whittington, but the reality was just also resulted in the name Battle Bridge E. as interesting. being changed to King's Cross. Writers 01 in recent years have probably relied on Those elected for the caning year H.M. Colvin's "Biographical Dictionary OUr ,and are: of English Architects, 1660-1840, '' which was published in 1954. This gave tha President: Sir James Bro.vn his date of birth as cl797. However, and Vice Presidents: Sir John Betjeman, Frederick Teague Cansick, in the second of Charles lee, William Maid!rent, Sir volUire of his ''Epitaphs in the Church- and John Sumrerson, Professor F.M.L. yards and Cemeteries of St Pancras'' (Jan 'lhe 'Ihanpson and R. Michael Robbins 1872) gave a transcription of Geary's it Cllainnan: John Richardson tarn wording which said "who departed hav Vice-Cllainnan: Gillian Tindall this life August 28th 1854 in the 75th of Editor of Publications: ~ristopher year of his age." Frederick Miller in are Wade "St Pancras Past and Present (1874) also 'Ihi Secretary: Jenny Stevens gives this date o;t death and says '' in Treasurer: Mrs Jane Ramsay his 75th year." Similar statements are Cot Archivist:. Malco1m Holrres made by Frederic Boase in "M'.:>derr). Eng- lish Biography'' Vol 1 ( 1892) . J aires K, Coomi ttee rrenbers: E.G. Brassington, Stevens Curl adopted the same particulars Anthony Cooper, Mrs Cllristina Gee, in his fascinating volUire "The Victorian bf G.D. Gregory, John Lawson, Miss ~irdre Celebration of ~ath'' ( 1972) , quoting ta le Faye, Olerry Lavell, Horace Shooter both Cansick and Boase. and Rosemary Weinstein. To '!he Publications Editor reported another Until recently the principal evidence of year of productivity and profits. The for the younger age was a brief obituary 'Th 4th Camden History Review and the new ' note in the "Gentleman's Magazine" (Oct Soc Binder for Reviews were both selling 1854) which said "aged 57.". Enquiry of the well. Review no. 2 and NEdieval Camden the library of the Royal Academy of Arts obe had both been reprinted without an produced the statement that Geary was !Pol increase in selling price. Ranan Camden admitted to the Royal Academy Schools I Mis had made a timely appearance· for the on 14th November 1817, aged 20. His Soc AGM. Distribution of our publications work was shown in Sumner Exhibitions be- her had been much boosted by new outlets at tween 1814 and 1838. Eve the GLC Boorkshop, the V&A bookstall It appeared theref ore, that Cansick, and the Museum of London. Over 5000 The Miller and Boase were in error and the and Reviews had been sold in the last four obvious thought was that a transposi t.,,.._ years. Thanks were due to our voluntary and ion of figures was the initial cause. boo distributors, designers, stall..-manners Malcolm Holrres searched the burial and the Thames Television, who were~ register for Highgate Cemetery and The plugging '!he Streets of Hampstead in a found that Geary was recorded as aged I boo forthcaning programne (July 22nd, 6pm). f 56 at death. Then, a few months ago, I Help was still wanted at Street Festi- the tonb was located. This says " in the vals. More material for the Review, 57th year of his age". The discovery THI based on members' own original research confirnE the conjectural transposition Cha would be welcome. of figures and resolves the doubt. Vic Sec Char41es lee Lib 'I're This Newsletter is edited by John L Richardson and all contributions, letters Edi etc should be addressed to him at 32, w Ellington street, N.7. No43 of the CAMDEN HISTORY SOCIETY SEP 1977

Early Man in Hampstead - COADESTONEHORSEFOUND our September talk Dr Hartston writes: Our society is always envious of the energy My eye alighted on Jack Straw's column on ,and success in the archaeological field p. 2 of the last Newsletter, wherein he that has been associated with the Hendon gave the impression that the Coade stone and District Archaeological Society. One horse which used to adorn the Riding of their main digs has been on West Heath Stables in Bidborough street, is lost. and many important finds have been made. Not so. 'Ihe dear horse - alas painted a revolting puce colour, is in excellent con- The area is close to our ovm borders and it is therefore of particular interest to dition in the 'back yard' of Bidborough House and in the possession of the London have Desmond Collins speak to us about one Borough of Camden. I suggest it be of the most important digs in the London o:ffered to the Royal Veterinary College in area for sane tirrB. exchange for the park seat they're•offer- This talk is on Septeni>er 22nd at Swiss ing. A sort of 'Equus pro sede'' if my Cottage library, starting at 7. 30pm schoolboy Latin still holds water. Kentish Town and its fields ADVANCE NOTICE We are now able to be certain of the date beneath - Gillian Tindall's of Christopher Wade's talk 'Hanpstead Through Artists' Eyes' . It is on Nov 8th_ talk in October at Rosslyn Hill Cbapel, N,W,3, starting at To coincide with the publication this month 8pm. This will be a joint event with of Gillian Tindall's book on Kentish Town the Cllapel. 'The Fields Beneath' (see review) the Society has invited her to talk to us on An area that has never yet been dealt with_ the same subject. This will be on Oct- in any of our talks is Cllalk Fann. On ober 18th at 7. 30pm at the North London Deceni>er 8th Anthony Cooper will correct Polytechnic, Prince of Wales Road, N.W.5. this at Swiss Cottage Llbrary, beginning Miss Tindall is Vice-Cbainnan of this at 7.30pm Society and she is familiar to most for ~tails of both talks will be in the next her many books and regular articles in the Newsletter. Evening Standard. The book is a treasure-house of new research and interpretations of Kentish Town history and will be on sale on the History Society bookshop that evening. The talk is as highly recorrmended as the book.

THE SOCIETY Cbairman - John Richardson vice-Cbairman - Gillian Tindall Secretary - :Miss Jenny Stevens, St Pancras Llbrary, 100 Euston road, N. W. 1 Treasurer: Mrs Jane RanEay, Swiss Cottage Llbrary, N.W. 3 Editor of Publications: Cbristopher "Apparently this street is noteworthy Wade. 28 Willoughby road, N.W.3 for the fact that it's ofno historical interest whatsoever." Archaeology in Camden Book Reviews The report given below has been canpiled 'IHE FIRST 'IHIR'IY YEARS by Cherry Lavell from information kindly supplied by Irene Schwab of the Inner Ion- Those who have wondered at the origin of don Archaeological Unit. the narre Rackstraw House, at the corner of Primrose Hill and Adelaide Road, will The Unit paid a lightning visit to Camden find enlightenment here (as well as in last spring when a site becarre available in 'More Streets of Hampstead').' This Platt Yard (between Platt street and Pur- building is one of the near dozen hanes chese street). Most of the site was cov- and flatlet-houses run by the Hampstead ered by thick concrete, but enough space Old People's Housing Trust, of which the remained for two east-west trenches to be enterprising and energetic Marjorie Rack- dug by machine and examined by rrembers of straw was the founder and remains the the Unit. Both trenches showed evidence of nresident. The history of the Trust so heavy waterlogging of the site until at far 1947-77 has now been diligently least the 17th century. Underneath the pre- ccmpiled' and ' imaginatively recorded by sent cobbled surface of the yard was brown W.R. Page and attractively published by soil make-up containing a brown-glazed the Trust ( £ 1 paperback) . For local earthenware candlestick of 17th or 18th historians it has that special bonus century date. Below this was a layer of missing from so many local chronicles, an black waterlogged clay, which in ordinary index. circun:stances might have contained seeds or other plant remains giving a clue to what FRINGE BENEFITS was growing in the area at the tirre; but of Some recent publications from neighbour- these the Unit could find no trace, and per- ing boroughs and history societies, all hans the chemical conditions of this soil available at the CHS Bookstall: we;.e particularly destructive. Below the black clay was a layer of blue clay which Victorian Jubilee (ed: Edward Samnes), proved, when examined scientifically, to be a glossy Jubilee salute from the Hendon the original or bedrock yellow clay which and District Archaeological Society, had been altered by lack of oxygen when the chronicling sane events which t90k place black layer acclilIIUlated above it. Under- in 1887 and 1897 in the Borough of neath the blue clay was the undisturbed Barnet . ( 50p) yellow clay. Apart .from three sherds of Money, Milk and Milestones ( ed Brigid pottery and a clay pipe, all of 17th century Grafton Green), a lively miscellany of date, nothing else was found. The results excerpts from HADAS newsletters. Apart were ho.vever interesting since they provided from the subjects in the title, there are archaeological confirmation that this area short pieces on trade tokens, historical was too marshy for rredieval habi tatio°'. hedges and 'an unusual pillarbox in Irene also says that the Unit would welcane Golders Green' (35p) volunteer help, especially at weekends, from Hampstead Garden Suburb 1907-1917 anyone willing to turn up at the Shadwell site currently being dug (telephone the by Brigid Grafton Green in her capacity Unit at 242 6620 for details). as the Suburb's Archivist: this authori- tative record, published by the HGS Exhibitions by the Unit are plamed as foll- Residents' Association, is well illust- ows: County Hall ( tentative dates- 17th rated with old photographs, portraits and Oct to 4 Nov); Central Llbrary, Islington maps. (50p) ( 4-29 Iecember); Central Llbrary, Tower Hamlets (24 Oct-17 Iec). The Unit are also Memories of Homsey by Edwin Monk, with running an evening class, primarily for historical notes by Joan Schwitzer and beginners, at the City University on Monday with many illustrations and maps. The evenings from 6. 30 to 8. 30, starting on 26 first Occasional Paper to be published by September, with a strong errphasis on local the Homsey Historical Society, these are and practical work. Volunteers to work on the personal recollections of a nonagen- finds processing are welcorre at the Unit's arian with a vivid topographical memory. HQ, Irrex House, 42 Theobalds Road, on Tue- (90p) sday evenings from 6 to 9pm, starting on 20th. September. 'The Unit would also be "Ihe Site of Southwood Park glad to hear from anyone who would like to by Ralph B. Pugh, the story beneath help with site-watching or with background 75 lmrury flats in Southwood Lane I High- research on indivictual sites. So, even if gate reprinted from a Homsey Society there is not much doing in Camden at the Bulletin. (48p) marent, any would-be diggers can gain sane useful experience ready to help in our (continued back page) own patch when the need arises. still, Miss Tindall reveals, sane isolated The Fields Beneath architectural evidences of the 18th cent- The Fields Beneath: The History of One ury past which were not destroyed by I.Dndon Village (255pp Maurice Temple railways and progressive urbanisation, Smith, £8.50) houses that . are now so disguised that it by Gillian Tindall requires energy and intelligence to ferret One of the best things about the Camden them out. History Society is that it encourages As a historical documentary, the shape of local residents to explore the history the book follows the emergence of Kentish of their own area and to define their Town as a village with a separate ident- sense of attachment to the place where ity fran St Pancras in the 16th century. they live. And when a local resident The stages of its growth and change are produces such a history as Gillian Tindall traced fran its days as a rural village, has done for Kentish Town in 'The Fields through its errergence as a country re- Beneath' , it should be read by all of us, treat for 18th century middle-class gen- both for its special interest as the tleIIBn who also had business in the City, record of one London village and as a and a place of resort for daytrippers model of the way local history may be who sought fresh air in the pubs and presented. pleasure-gardens of Kentish Town, to its The title should not mislead anyone into decisive development in the 19th century thinking that the book is an elegy. Far as an urban comnuni ty. The old estates fran it, for the author's voice speaks like the Southampton Estate were sold up out for Kentish Town with an enthusiastic for building terrace houses and light sense of personal comnitment. She argues industries. vigorously against the outsider's view She discusses the radical influence of of 'darkest Kentish Town' and convinces railways on the area, both their irnred- us that it is as fertile for local iate effects and the long-term ones on historians as the more obviously pictur'S'" roads and cornnunications. Sane of her esque areas of the borough. All that is most stinrulating corrments are those on needed is a discriminating eye and an 19th century middle and working-class intelligently infornEd mind, both of which values and aspirations, so extending the Miss Tindall possesses and persuades her range of interest fran Kentish Town in readers to share. It is an unusually particular to a more general sociologi- vivacious historical documentary, where cal discussion. much' painstaking research combines with a knowledge of present reality to give The book has both the toughness and the history a human face which is recognis- oddity of historical fact. Miss Tindall able to all of us. Miss Tindall situates has studied the Manor and Court Rolls, her record of Kentish Town within a defi~ the later Census Returns, newspaper cut- nite tradition of historical research tings and maps, as well as collecting a going back to William Wodehouse's book wealth of private docurrentation. compiled shortly after 1700, and inc- What I most like is the sense the book luding the 18th and 19th century accounts gives of the dailiness of Kentish Town of Dr Stukeley, William Elliott, J, Bem1ett life. Miss Tindall has done more than and J.F. King's Panorama. record the metarrorphosis of a village; It is a pity that printing costs prevented she has demonstrated with a novelist's the incil.usion of visual material in the imagination the continuum of human behav- text for there is the remarkable 19th iour which shows less fundaroontal changes ' . century docurrent of King's Panorama plus in the human psyche than in the environ- the London Transport photos of 1903/4. rrent. These both provide rich visual records The book ends with a wonderful kaleido- which would have supplemented the text scope view of the disparate elerrents very welL which make up life in Kentish Town today. The final image is of the recorder, "In The book begins by evoking the present an upstairs roan of a house opposite condition of Kentish Town with a lively saneone is typing.'' The author is social awareness and then moves back in clearly not like Isherwood's Cam2ra but tiIIB to reveal the past which has given a local resident who knows her area inti- the present its form. Indeed, vestiges mately and who has created out of her of it are still visible in the lines of personal interest a thoroughly researched roads and garden walls which follow and engaging account of what Kentish Town ancient field boundaries or the under- has felt like as a place to live in ground presence of the Fleet. There are through all its vicissitudes up to the present time . Coral Howells ( continued from p2) Homsey, Highgate and the V. C. H by 14 May 1872. Alderman Sir Sydney Hedley Michael Wright, Ralph B. Pugh and Water low has granted to St Bartholemew' s T.F.T. Baker, a collection of essays Hospital free from rent for seven years a on these areas and in particular their mansion and 4acres of grolllld known as relation to the Victoria County History Lauderdale House at Highgate, as a conv- being ccmpiled about them. There is alescent Hare for patients of this Hosp- also an interesting history of the ital. He promised to make alterations Val project itself and its 165 volUires, and additions for 35 patients and to fur- nish the house at his own expense. Cllristopher Wade (Ref Ha 1/23, pp561, 562) 23 May 1872 Thanks is noted to Sir Sydney Waterlow for his 'nrunificent offer' LAUDERDAI.E HOUSE at great cost to himself, to give the Governors the opportunity to establish Dr N. Ker ling from St Bartholarew' s a convalescent Hane for patients Hospital writes: (Ref Ha 1/23 p565) In Peter Barber's article on Lauder- 8 July 1872 The convalescent Horre was dale House in aIR4 he states that 'Toe opened by the Prince of Wales story of the house following Lauderdale's departure is one of gentle, lllleventful 13 Feb 1879. In 1878 339 patients came to Highgate. An average of 29 patients a day and largely unrecorded decline until were nursed. Toe total number of patients 1889' when it was presented to the Ion- since July 1872 was 2345. The expenditure don county COuncil. over 1878 for the Hospital was £1371. I enclose sare information from the Thanks are conveyed to Sir Sydney Waterlow Minute Books of the Governors of St Barth- and the Governors inforrred him that they olorrew' s Hospital. You will see that the are ready to move out at short notice as house served a useful purpose from 1872 they wish to establish a convalescent home to 1882. as an integral part of the Hospital

A rare postcard of a building now derrolished. Toe present building was erected in 1937. Toe large chinmey in the background is part of the Borough council's Electricity Generating Station. No44 of the CAMDEN HISTORY SOCIETY NOV1977 ampstead Through Artists' The History of Chalk Farm Eyes - Our November Talk in December Tuesday, Nov 8th at 8pm Thursday, Dec 8th at 7 30pm Rosslyn Hill Chapel, N. W. 3 Swiss Cottage Library Ole of Constable's many views of Hampstead Heath features a handsatre windmill some- Many of us think of Chalk Fann as a rather where below Jack Straw's Castle. Hampstead indefinable area. Is it part o:Z Hampstead was famous for its windmills, but was there or camden Tovm.? Can those people in West really one in the middle of the Heath? Or Ken.tish Town fairly claim to be part of did the painter take out his artist's lic- Chalk Fann when they sell their houses? ence and import one fran his native Suff- Anthony Cooper might well attempt a defi- be olk?. nition in his talk which is sure to pa.eked. with previously unearthed. facts In this lecture, Christopher Wade will be and a measured. architectural appreciation. looking at a large selection of paintings This is the first talk we have had on Chalk and prints of old Hampstead and carrrenting Fann and is sure to be a popular one. on their usefulness and otherwise to the local historian. The works will include THE MENDES DA COSTA FAMILY some by Cllatelaine, Constable, Madox Bro.vu, Du Maurier, Robert Bevan and the Camden l'IBTibers of the Society anJ of the Highgate Town Group. Many of 'the pictures concerned Literary and Scientific Institution are can be seen in public galleries in this reminded. that on Decanber 6th, Peter country. Others will be by obscure but Barber of the British Museum, and a member valued local artists from the last three of both organisations, will be giving a centuries talk on this prom:inent Highgate Jewish fawily. It beg·ins at 8.15 ana will be ( This is a joint event with the Rosslyn at the Institution. Hill Chapel)

The Cb.alk Fann Tea Gardens will feature in Mr Coopers talk in Decanber Our Fifth Review THE REV R CONYERS MORRELL .As we go to press we hear that Camden Hist- In 1935 there 'Na.S published. TThe Story of 7 ory Review No.5 is also being printed. You Agar Town' a lx>oklet which is now a coll- can find out the contents of the latest ector's piece. It 'Na.S written by the review on the enclosed hand-out , which is Vicar of St Thcxr.as, Agar Town who 'Na.S the also an Order Form. I beg you to use it IT1.inister there fran 1914-1948. The because not only is this Review our very church was eventually dEl!Dlished. and a own publication which needs your support housing estate covers the site. but because it is a rich collection of E highly readable and well-illustrated arti- The author, the P.ev. Conyers M'.:>rrell, has I cles about our own patch of 1.Dndon. The recently died. aged. 94. He 'Nas Mayor of spec,ial feature this year is ' Camden at St Pancras 50 years ago and helped. to War', but the majority of contributions organise the Agar Dramatic Club and the are about peaceful subjects - art, archi- Agar Band, later called., (so Mr Lee tells tecture, archaeology, education, numis- me) , the Wrotharn Syncopators. matics, books and how we celebrated Vic- 1 toria's Diarrond Jubilee in 1897. 'The THE INWOOD FAMILY C Review has been edited by Cllristopher Wade l: and designed by Mildred Na.smith ... and We have been sent, by Ms Gladys Chacks- it still costs the sarre as No 1 - 75pence! f ield, a long and detailed genea.logical t survey of the In-wood family (see CHR 4) • i Sbould any member wish to consult this BOUND AND DELIVERED account of a highly tal~ted. archite::::t- ! 2 Now that there are five Camden History ural family, Malcolm Holmes, Cam:len's I fl/ Reviews to keep clean and tidy, you should Archivist, has a copy. I also have (if. not already) our special I BINIER. This is a handsane, black, thick ST PETER'S CHURCH, BELSIZE SOUAREj binder labelled CAMDEN HISTORY REVIEW in i gold letters. It is not only very handsane Mr Howard Isenberg writes to say that he I and unites your Reviews into the nucleus of is writing a pamphlet on the history of I 4 a Camden History Encyclopedia but it stops St Peter 's Church, Belsize Squa:r;e, N. w. 3. · 1 your friends fran filching your precious If anyone can help with material please s copies. You can buy Binde~ at our meet- write to him at .Q Newton House, Abbey rd, s s ings or order them by post ( £ 1. 35 plus 45p N.W.8 packing and postage) . C 2 IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM 1' Manbers doing research may like to know If you would like all our Reviews (Nos l...-0) t ready bound in a Binder, you need only ,send sanething of a little-known archive t £5 to our publications office and they will centre - that of the Imperial War Museum. i be delivered free to any address in Camden, The Department of Documents at the This will save you sane time, trouble and Museum holds an expanding archive of pri- postage - and it will, incidentally, make a vate papers which records the experiences splendid Cllristmas Present for your friends, of men, v.anen and children in war-time relations and Camden-lovers everywhere. during this century. Most of these docu- ments take.the fonn of letters, diaries You can order Binders and Reviews and our or rnerroirs. The scope of the archive other publications, which all make ideal is such that .:i,.t covers the interests of Cllristmas presents (how about Roman Camden both social and military historians and as a stocking-filler?) on the enclosed Order Form. collections ranging fran the papers of private ~oldiers to field Marshals, Cllristopher Wade fran· to warren doctors, are held here. HADAS PUBLlCATIONS The acquisition of new material is an Our Hendon friends in HADAS have kindly imr:ortant :rart of the work of the Depart- been distributing our leaflets in their ment of Documents. By its very nature, area and we are glad to reciprocate this however, first-hand evidence of how the month with their hand-out. Particularly 'Na.rs of this century were fought and topical is their Victorian Jubilee and what life 'Na.S like in wartime is extrane- much of what they did in Barnet must have ly vulnerable and easily lost unless happened in Camden too. steps are taken to preserve it~ The 11!-J.seum would therefore be very happy to hear frc:m anyone who has material which they might wish to deposit. The CHS History Essay Prize sT PANCRAS oLo CHURCH APPEAL The Carrden History Society announces an Those Members 'Who were part of the many ESSAY COMPEI'ITION for the best stories that went round old St Pancras Church a of any remarkable residents of the Carrden few rronths back will not need. convincing area and their contribl'tion to the local that the church deserves any effort to carrrn.rriity. There will be prizes of £25 restore it. worth of books and book tokens and t.11.e best An appeal is to be launched on November entries will be published. in the Carrden 18th to finance a major restoration pro- History Review. grarrme and details of this will be The prizes for this canpetition will be circulated in the next Ne.vsletter. supplied franrnoney donated by Lionel Leventhal Ltd, High Hill Bookshop and O,d Bookshop. NEW MEMBERS 1) The Cared.en Characters can be famous Ms Judith Barry, Miss W. Birley, Ms or unknown, great or small, dead or alive, Christine Burden, Mrs C. Castledine, but preference will be given to lesser- Lady Richard Clarke, Ms Fiona Friend, known people of earlier years (not later Mr P. Goldman, Mrs H. Guest, Ms Sandra than W:>rld War II) and to those thoroughly Jenkins, Mr J. Jones, Rev S. Kirby, involved in the life of the camn.mity. Mr and Mrs W. Stead 2J The Judges will be Gillian Tindall, Malcolm Holmes and Christopher Wade. THE SOCIETY Chairman - John Richardson vice-Chairman - Gillian Tindall 3) Prizes of at least £5 will be awarded Secretary - Miss Jenny Stevens, St Pancras to the best essays fran entrants under 18 Library, 100 Euston road, N.W.l years of age. Treasurer: Mrs Jane Ramsay, Swiss Cottage 4) Entries should be between lCXC and Library, N. W. 3 1500 words in length and typed in double Edi tor of Publications: Christopher spacing (or very clearly -written) -on one Wade. 28 Willoughby road, N. W. 3 . side of the paper only. 'I'hey should be sent to: This Newsletter is edited by John CHS Essay Canpetition Richardson. IteIIE for publication 28 Willoughby Road should be sent to hiln at 32 Ellington N.W.3 Street, N.7 (607 1~28) to arrive by 30 June 1978. Results will be announced. in Cx:::tober 1978 on publicat- ion of Carrden History Review No.6.

~!!llll!ll!!//lliit;.Special Offer for members 50p. (inc. postage) A map showing interesting or typical Victorian Hampstead houses together with illustrations of famous past occupants - like this line drawing of Elgar and his house - 1.s available from CORTINA 24 NETHERHALL GARDENS NW3. The map comes With an explanatory leafiet containing brief notes on ·\ the illustrated houses. Cheques made payable to Eric Wade for 50P 1 Hampstead, \Vhite St,,ne Pond

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