January 2011 Vol 42 No. 1

Basement disaster - coming to a spot near you! photo: Andrew Morley Contents Coming to a Basement near you!

Page Coming to a Basement near you! ...... 1 Our front page picture demonstrates all too starkly the possible consequences of basement The Basement Campaign: has it been worth it? . . . 2 development, and why we are so concerned. Tony Hillier Its location in the area takes us outside the difficult geology of Hampstead and Chairman’s notes ...... 5 into the supposedly reliable London Clay Tony Hillier formation of NW1. It shows the most dramatic An award for Camden ...... 7 example yet of what can go wrong anywhere in Camden, if the proper technical investigations Greed, egos and yet another blot on the horizon . 8 are not carried out by properly qualified experts, both geotechnical and structural, before Athlone House -Sir Simon Jenkins speaks out being rigorously checked by the planning Heath Report ...... 10 authority. Two semi-detached properties (that Tony Ghilchik were similar to the ones on the right of the picture) have been unintentionally and quite Planning Committee Report ...... 13 rapidly converted into half a property. Douglas Maxwell Litigation is in progress, so we cannot be too Support the new Belsize Post Office ...... 14 explicit, but we understand that the then new Gene Adams owner bought the leasehold of the now missing half from Camden, and simply began excavation Town Report - Whitestone Pond ...... 15 with his own building operation. The two families Frank Harding in the neighbouring flats soon felt the effects. We have seen a photo taken from a first floor Imminent threat to local bobby on the beat . . . . 17 bedroom showing the house on the opposite side Jessica Learmond-Criqui of the road through one of the cracks! The two Oliver Rackham gives the Springett Lecture . . . . 18 families displaced by the collapse have been re- John Hunt housed pending a legal resolution. Books of interest ...... 21 It is just one more demonstration of why the Society is concentrating a great deal of its Invasive Crayfish on the Heath ...... 22 resources to address the problem of multiple applications for basement development locally. John Hunt In the following article Chairman Tony Hillier Bulletin Board: looks in detail at the scale of the problems and News of members; Burgh House; Hampstead & progress so far. Festival; Hampstead Film Society; Heath Walks ...... 24

1 The Basement Campaign: has it been worth it? by Tony Hillier

Increasing reports of damage to properties from we are still climbing than simply a hurdle we various basement excavations have clearly shown have already jumped. During the campaign we that action was required. We have made gratifying have encountered a number of problems with progress so far. and we are not through yet. the working assumptions held by many of the professionals who rightly regard themselves as Obstacles we all faced in 2006 experts in the general area of property The position is best explained by checking how development (as for example architects, many of the obstacles we all faced in 2006, as a surveyors, planners, builders, planning recent starting point, have been removed or got inspectors, planning lawyers). round. During this period the economics of house prices, building costs, the costs of buying First, many have been reluctant to shift from their and selling and moving have made the traditional stance that the issue of damage basement option appear attractive to prevention is not one for the planners at all, but householders trying to increase living space. should be left to the jurisdiction of Building Regulations. This is wrong, because Building New Planning Policies Regulations only address the actual building and There was very little protection for neighbours not its impact on neighbours. It is also unhelpful, written into the Camden Unitary Development because the powers once held by the tough and Plan. The new Local Development Framework independent District Surveyor were removed in (LDF) on the other hand contains some tightly the eighties and can now be contracted out written policies, which we helped draft and privately by the applicant to his own adviser. which since November 2010 give neighbours an excellent chance of making sure that the right Secondly, there is a widespread assumption that questions are asked and answered by developers, building basements will always cause damage and that the issue of neighbour damage must be and the neighbours can and should protect assessed before giving planning approval. themselves through private Party Wall dispute settlement after it has occurred. It is true that The earlier national policies, written in the the Party Wall Act must always be used to settle 1990s, are not as tightly drafted, and although these types of dispute. However, since November we used them successfully in some cases 2010 Camden has the powers under their new before November 2010, it has been open to LDF policies to require developers to show at the lawyers, planners and planning inspectors to planning decision stage how the level of decide (wrongly in our view) that they do not predicted structural damage can be minimised, apply to local geological conditions. These will and, if this is still unacceptable, to deny approval. now play only a secondary role locally. Thirdly, and this is the root cause of the Applying and Interpreting Planning Policies problem, the knowhow to make these Policy wording is not of course enough; judgements is rather obscure and very technical. Camden’s new policies need to be applied and It is therefore an important part of our strategy interpreted properly on each site for each to try to improve on the current situation, which application. Here again good progress is being is a lottery for applicants and objectors alike. made, but it remains more of a mini mountain All too often, totally inadequate geotechnical or

2 hydrological reports are put forward from At the time of writing we are working with organisations, which appear to be qualified, Camden to help ensure that this highly technical supporting potentially dangerous applications. and detailed paper is effectively summarised in Our immediate task is to persuade Camden that the Planning Guidance Notes which Camden is such matters should be in the hands of only due to introduce shortly. Camden is not able to those with adequate technical knowledge. It have on its staff the necessary specialists, but requires a combination of Chartered Geologists, must rely on the information presented by the Chartered Civil and Chartered Structural developer and, where appropriate, presented in Engineers with appropriate postgraduate opposition by the neighbours or local amenity qualifications (for example in the case of the societies. We are therefore concerned that geologists covering ground and/or groundwater Camden insists that only those with the proper conditions). The challenge for Camden is professional qualifications are entitled to therefore how to import this specialist knowhow undertake or critique this type of work. into the practical arena of the local authority What is also excellent is that Camden has made planning decision-making process in ways that provision for the developer to be required to are fair and not excessively burdensome on meet the costs of a third party review, if two either objectors or Camden itself. opposing technical reports are presented to it. Basement Impact Assessment Camden has also agreed to offer training We continue to work closely with the local programmes to relevant officers and Councillors planning authority to progress this crucial step as to help them deal with these technical reports. well. Camden also published in November 2010 an important guidance, written by Arup with The Importance of this Approach input from ourselves, for subterranean We believe that this whole approach is fair and development based on a detailed survey of local has benefits for all parties involved. For our geological, hydro-geological and hydrological members who wish to develop basements, it conditions. This proposes a four step Basement enables them to minimise their exposure to Impact Assessment (BIA). It comprises liabilities under the Party Wall Act, to minimise “Screening” to check whether there are ground delays and controversy by complying with stability or ground water issues which warrant Camden’s policies and to establish a framework detailed study; “Scoping” to design an appropriate within which they can act as good neighbours. BIA; “Site Investigation and Study” to establish For our members who face a next door technically the baseline conditions; and “Impact application, it gives them a reasonable chance of Assessment” to determine what impact the having a professional analysis of the risks they basement will have on the baseline conditions face done at the developer’s expense, which they and any mitigating measures. Camden then audits can still challenge at their own expense; this also this and decides whether the predicted impact is provides a strong factual basis on which an appeal acceptable. This is an excellent and, we believe, or a judicial review can be judged. For Camden, it unique approach deserving national recognition. sets out a framework, which reduces the need for in-house expertise and at the same time ensures

3 The Basement Campaign (cont) Society Events - dates for your diary

that they can reduce to the minimum the time otherwise wasted on arguments between the River Walks parties and themselves on highly technical The River Fleet from source to Thames matters, which are nevertheless essential to a two-part walk lead by making a proper determination. Robin Michaelson Article 4 Direction qualified and experienced Local authorities have the power to introduce City of London guide. special regulations limiting the rights given to May 14 10.30 am -12.30pm householders to develop certain parts of their Start: the War Memorial by Whitestone dwellings without seeking planning permission. Pond; Finish: St Dominics’s Priory Church, There is an anomaly in the law, although the Southampton Street, NW5 (corner of Fleet lawyers dispute exactly how to interpret it, which Road) does allow some basement applications to be treated in this way. This has only recently come May 22, 11am - 1pm to light. To make quite sure that all the work and Start: the Black Friar public house, 174 effort described above, which has gone into Queen Victoria Street, (close to Blackfriars strengthening the local policies and how to apply Station, Finish: St Pancras Old Church, them, will not be eroded, we have also asked Pancras Road Camden to introduce an Article 4 Direction to the Tickets £5 per person for each walk. northern part of the Borough. This will subject all Book early: numbers limited to 25 for each but the smallest applications to a BIA. walk. The costs To reserve places or for more information The Society spent around £8,000 from reserves please contact Frank Harding at in 2009 on technical advice and this year we [email protected] have spent around £41,250 on legal and or on 020 7435 3728 technical advice. The very generous support for our basement appeal last year has generated around £41,000 with Gift Aid. I hope you will agree that this has been money well spent. New Members’ Party Email address: reminder 24 February 2011 7.00 - 9.00pm If you have email, please email your name and street address to the Society at: Burgh House. [email protected] There is no keynote speaker; there is no This will enable us to update our dinner but rather drinks and canapés! Membership Records and simplify our communications with you. Invitations have been sent to all Thank you. new members

4 Chairman’s notes by Tony Hillier

I should like to begin by wishing all our members the familiar but much neglected Victorian house a very happy New Year, and asking you please with a huge and garish new palace, threatening not to forget to renew your membership. We rely the permanent degradation of this view from totally on your continued support. the Heath. We have included in the Newsletter some of the trenchant words of our patron Sir Thank you Simon Jenkins writing about this for the The Society also wishes to express our deep Evening Standard. It is also particularly gratitude for the exceptionally generous gratifying that two such exceptionally response to our funding appeal to help meet distinguished architectural historians as Joseph the costs of the basement appeal. 294 of you Rykwerts and Professor Robert Tavernor, and contributed sums between £5 and £1000 to such leading experts as the Heath writer reach a total to date of around £41,500 Deborah Wolton and David Altaras of Counsel, including Gift Aid. This shows exceptionally together with the Society’s solicitors Hunt & strong support in these difficult times. I have Lisners, have been willing to give their services summarised our strategy and the progress we to this important local cause. have made with this backing in the article that pro bono begins the Newsletter and comment below on The Planning Appeal the two recent high-profile cases. The appeal against refusal of planning permission for demolition is due to be heard in I have enclosed personal letters to thank all of February 2011, with a decision expected in you who contributed. I apologise that some of March or April. The Appellant is shooting for you may have felt neglected that I did not write an 8 day Public Enquiry. Fully costed for the earlier, but the delay was simply to save postage. time to prepare expert witness statements, to The Christmas Party give evidence, and to be cross-examined, and December’s party was once again a very popular for the legal team to prepare, make submissions and happy event. Around 180 people attended at and cross-examine, these can cost each party the Old Town Hall. Helen Marcus successfully tens of thousands a day. Members will be organised our new team, and she found the interested to know that the Enquiry will take Chamber Music Company to play some delightful place at Hughes Parry Hall 19 – 26 Cartwright palm court background music; the Mayor Gardens London WC1H 9EF between 10am and attended and a local firm of solicitors Manuel 5pm 15-18 and 22-25 February. Swaden kindly sponsored the costs of sending Closer Working with Residents Associations invitations, so we could meet the budget and For the past 15 months we have been break even. We thank them most warmly. wondering how best to improve our practical Athlone House working relationship with local Resident The Athlone House Working Group, which Associations. In January 2010 we called a pools our resources with those of the Highgate meeting at Burgh House to explore whether Society, is now ready to participate with the some formal ties might be appropriate. The City of London as Rule 6 Parties in defending feeling on this was negative. This January we Camden’s refusal of the application to replace held another meeting. It proved popular and

5 Chairman’s notes (cont)

we plan to make such meetings regular events, They have engaged the services of the country’s probably every six months. leading experts in hydrology and reservoir management. They have begun a programme of The practical outcome was that we received extensive consultation with the Society and all strong support for an initiative we are taking to other organisations who use the Heath and will Camden to introduce an Article 4 Direction invite public comment. The City will try with the across our area and beyond to make sure that advice of all of us to do the works in as smart a all basement development is properly way as possible: i.e. to minimise the adverse subjugated to the planning system. We also long-term effects, as well as the disruption during received an exciting report from Stephen Taylor the minimum two year period to complete the of a web-based common site and network for works. There should be for example a those local organisations who wish to permanent improvement in water quality. The participate and exchange views. Stephen and Society’s Heath Sub-Committee will keep you Kate Streeter of Burgh House are developing informed of what is proposed and how they will the practical implementation of an initiative monitor and respond to the proposals. which was mooted at last year’s meeting and which will be known as the “Hampstead Hub”. Basement Diary Flood and Water Management Recently there have been a number of high- profile decisions by Camden and the On 20 January the local press published the Inspectorate, some allowing basements to go City’s plan to raise significantly the dam heights ahead and some refusing them. I comment of the Highgate Men’s and Boating ponds and below on two. As we have emphasised before, the Hampstead No 1 pond (immediately above it is regrettably not open to us to prevent the South End Green) and to make other safety underground development of local property. modifications to many of the other ponds in the What we have set as our objective is that those two chains. This will change the look of the that are allowed must show that they have been affected parts of the Heath, including through the properly designed so that any damage to removal of many trees growing in the existing neighbours’ property is minimised to an barrages, and will increase the water depths. It acceptable level. This calls for a high level of will probably start in 2013 and cost in excess of expert investigation and judgement. £10million from the City’s own funds. It will disrupt wildlife, especially for the Bird pond, and We have approached this objective by two main change for years the visual appearance of these routes with some notable success as explained parts of the Heath for the worse. in the article preceeding this. One is lobbying Camden to change the wording and application Under the new Flood and Water Management Act of their policies. The other is by making written of 2010 the City has no choice in this and spoken representations to the Camden undertaking. The ponds are deemed high risk to Development Control Committee and the the lives of about 1000 people in Gospel Oak, Inspectorate on particular cases, with a view to Dartmouth Park and through the railways as far either set or avoid important precedents and of down as Kings Cross in the event of a 1 in a 100 course to stop individual applications which we year flood, which London came close to in 1975. consider dangerous. 6 An award for Camden Vicki Harding reports Two major basements have recently been given Our tree expert Vicki Harding reports that a the go-ahead which we have lobbied against. new annual award has been instituted by We wish to assure members that our arguments Barcham Trees for the local authority which have nevertheless safeguarded the position for has demonstrated most outstanding urban neighbours as far as we could reasonably forestry management. expect. We support the architectural and We congratulate Camden Council for gaining conservation aspects of the South Hampstead third place. Bristol City Council took the first High School rebuild. We were worried that their prize of £5,000 worth of 12-14cm girth geotechnical report, despite being produced by containerised trees, suitable for urban planting. well-qualified advisers, had completed only one Walsall Metropolitan Borough came second. of the four stages now required by Camden to complete a Basement Impact Assessment for the Judges Dr Mark Johnston, Jeremy Barrell, Les planning decision. Round and Martin Kelly assessed local authorities on criteria which included Camden acknowledged that this should not possession of a tree strategy and management establish a precedent and we were able to agree system, community involvement, TPOs and a strongly worded Condition to the approval, development sites and sustainable working which in effect calls for the three remaining practices. stages to be submitted for approval before works can be started. This exception to the rule was allowed, because the works must be carried out within an unusual timetable to fit in with the timing of the school terms, and because we accepted that the team advising the Governors Monicas Caterers is of the highest professional quality. would like to thank you for giving us the 9 Downshire Hill opportunity to provide the canapes for the Much more controversially the Inspector allowed Society’s Christmas Party the appeal on 9 Downshire Hill. We still disagree at Hampstead Town Hall. strongly with the Inspector’s assessment of the literally reams of technical analysis by which the Monicas Caterers developer argued that the damage caused to provide freshly prepared, sensibly priced neighbouring listed buildings would be quality food for all private and corporate acceptable. We have, however, through our events, at any venue. earlier interventions with Camden as well Web: www.monicascaterers.co.uk through our participation at the Public Enquiry, set a very high and expensive hurdle of technical e.mail: [email protected] investigation and analysis, which applicants must Tele: 020 7482 4276 now undertake to comply with Camden’s new development policies on basements.

7 Greed, egos and yet another blot on the horizon

Our Patron Sir Simon Jenkins speaks out against proposed plans for Athlone House

Our campaign to save the Heath skyline at Athlone crest of the Heath is “especially precious”. House rumbles on. As readers will know, a new Athlone House, a “mediocre Victorian mansion” owner, a Mr Naseer Al-Kharafi, is now trying to get is, as Sir Simon says, no architectural gem. But it planning law set aside for his own purposes, so does not destroy that vista. Now it has been that he can replace the House with a gargantuan “handed over to private developers, a breed palace. We must be grateful that Camden has held whose dream, since the Heath was created in firm so far and refused permission. We are most the 1860s, has been to build over it”. grateful also for the support for our campaign from A bold and bombastic Xanadu the Ham and High who have given it prominence. He describes the proposed 50,000 sq ft £100 Over 600 objections million, neo-classical house by architect Robert But the Kuwaiti billionaire seems determined to Adam as “this Xanadu”, ...... bold and use his unlimited resources to have his palace bombastic ...... an unashamedly dominant and destroy the centuries-old Heath skyline. palace, towering over the landscape...... a Some 600 organisations and individuals have mixture of Blenheim and Versailles...... Copper formally objected to the proposals – a splendid domes will rise over the trees of Kenwood and response to the leaflet we sent round. Highgate ponds. Terraces and grand steps will descend onto a ghosted ‘Capability Brown’ Tony Hillier has mentioned some of the eminent landscape. Ballrooms will spread, swimming voices who have lent their names to the protest. pools will delve into the hillside”. “Described Others include the Victorian Society, Lynne as “a magnificent new landmark” or, by its Featherstone MP, and Wesley Kerr, the former critics, “a mix of Stalinist palace and Victorian BBC journalist who now heads the Heritage lunatic asylum”, the new Athlone is intended to Lottery Fund's London committee. be a singular presence on the horizon...... ” Under the title over this page our distinguished Our skyline pockmarked by political deals Patron, Sir Simon Jenkins wrote a forceful protest in the Evening Standard last October. With his Sir Simon lambasts the planning laws that allow kind permission we give some excerpts below. such situations to arise. His analysis, that the history of this project “illustrates all that is most This precious vista vulnerable in London planning”, is well worth Sir Simon began by contrasting the environs of repeating here. Hampstead Heath with those of the great “In the past four years the local council, Camden, London parks, that had been scarred as “various has been blitzed with 15 planning applications developers bulldozed their towers through the for Athlone House, with various so-called planning system” so that these “now punctuate “sweeteners”. In planning law, these are meant every vista”. The view south from the Heath also to allow an outrageous planning breach, usually “had been wrecked by the Royal Free hospital in a high building, in return for some gift, usually Pond Street, but apart from Highgate radio mast, inexpensive, delivered to the council. Such gifts that to the north was a glorious illusion of the were normally an underpass or roundabout rolling uplands of , stretching for adjacent to a tower, as at Centre Point, Stag ever”. This vista north across London to the Place, Victoria or Euston Tower. Now they are

8 so-called “section 106 agreements”, usually for a case. These destructive and costly London school or public housing elsewhere in the arguments have always the same cause, the borough. The London skyline, once protected by authorities gutless in the face of serious money statute as in Paris, Rome or Amsterdam, is coming over a horizon it wants to spoil”. pockmarked by political deals”. For details of the appeal against refusal of One blot spoils the picture planning permission, see page 5. Sir Simon makes clear that he has nothing against the work of architect Robert Adam; it is the inappropriate context. “...... landscape is landscape and horizon is horizon. What is acceptable in one place is not on another. The rules governing city views and open spaces are meant to apply to everyone, not just those who cannot afford fancy architects and lawyers. Allow any exception and a planning rule is defunct. One blot spoils the picture”. Tellingly he makes the point that “The developers will point to every past concession that has been carelessly made by Camden planners, and cite Two views of the proposed “Xanadu”, which will tower over the every conceivable precedent. They will landscape. The new design is a storey higher than the current building be allowed to import a dozen “expert while the tower appears to be at least two storeys higher witnesses” to lend clout to their case”. “Money does the talking”. Athlone House could be saved or at the very least “rebuilt on its existing plan, invisible below the tree line. There should be no need for intrusive ostentation”. But Sir Simon expresses the fear that the hundreds of objections from across north London sent in to Camden “will be of little account” and that “money does the talking”. He hopes that “someone gets these professional mercenaries to reveal how much they are paid to lend spurious objectivity to their client's

9 Heath Report by Tony Ghilchik

With snow lying thick on the ground to highlight the prospect of a dreamed-about white Christmas, at least by children and Heath-lovers not trying to get away, it is hard to recall that the hot dry weather in early summer caused three of the Heath’s large veteran oaks, and many large branches, to fall. At that time barbecues were being a menace – especially as thistle seeds love the bare patches burnt into photo: Thomas Radice the grass by them. Economic problems bite be achieved without jeopardising what we Since then the City has received its 12th annual consider the essential elements of the Heath – Green Flag award, plus a Green Heritage award, set out a few years back in our Heath Vision for the way it manages our Heath – indeed this and there on our website. year the City won a total of 14 Green Flag I am pleased to report that the agreed awards for its various open spaces, with 7 of programme of repairs to infrastructure of the the sites also getting Green Heritage awards. Heath are excluded from this belt-tightening This exemplary performance is, however, under and we have already seen the benefit of the threat from the universal need to reduce public protected spend with the well-restored Hill expenditure, and although funding for the Garden Shelter, which was formally re-opened Heath comes not from the Public Purse but on 15th September. from the income on the City’s own funds built up since the Middle Ages, this too is under Pedestrian safety pressure. There is a need to find a 10% saving The section of North End Way through the in the already tight provisional 2011/12 budget cutting from the Bull and Bush up to the and we, like other local groups, will be talking Whitestone Pond is very dangerous for cyclists, with the Heath management about how this can and Camden proposed that the pavement

10 above North End Way be widened, by taking spreads over a large area of water in the land from the Heath, to allow shared use by summer, and turns red as temperatures fall in pedestrian and cyclist. We strongly opposed autumn. It can be a problem in the Heath’s this proposal, especially as North End Avenue, ponds as it can build up into such a dense the old road which runs past Pitts Garden cover of floating weeds that it reduces the light parallel to North End Way up to Inverforth level beneath the surface so much that House, could be acceptable as a shared use submerged weeds and algae die off and result path. Camden is to undertake a detailed in serious deoxygenation. feasibility study of this alternative route and we Last year Azolla was a problem on many of our would support the proposal, provided that it is ponds and a very thick layer virtually killed off not used as a precedent for more routes on the the lovely water lilies on the Viaduct pond; since Heath and that the only work to the path is the then a few leaves have re-appeared from time to removal of encroaching vegetation. time only to vanish again, probably gobbled up At the other end of the Heath, the high risk to by water birds. Azolla does not like very cold pedestrians from vehicles using the Highgate weather and winter’s last frosts seem to have Road entrance to the Heath has still to be pretty much killed it off as it has not been a addressed and local resident groups have been problem in any of our ponds this year. asked for their ideas. We can see no ideal Those of you who walk on the Heath Extension solution, but our suggestion is that any solution will have seen that two of the Seven Sisters should be based on first moving the Parliament Ponds (Nos. 2 and 4) have been de-silted – the Hill depot to the Kenwood Staff Yard to reduce bramble-covered area beside the pond No. 4 traffic, and then the tennis courts should be was flayed and covered with a foot or so of silt. moved to enable the existing pathway to be The area will remain fenced off whilst the silt widened just enough to reduce the risk to an dries out over the next few months, after which acceptable level. A small working group, it is to be harrowed and seeded with a wild including Jeremy Wright and representatives from flower mix. three other local groups, has been set up to discuss the options, and consultants will evaluate Kenwood all the proposals before any decision is taken. Over in Kenwood, we are pleased that English Threat from invasive water plants Heritage has now demonstrated that it can restore the grass damaged by the summer Water Fern, Azolla filiculoides also known as concerts audience within a reasonable time – Fairy Moss, Mosquito Fern or Red Water Fern, is this year the repairs were done in October; fine a free-floating, perennial, aquatic fern. for the re-turfing needed on the worst areas but Although native to North and Central America, it rather too late where re-seeding sufficed. In has been recorded in the UK for over 100 years future years the re-seeding is, we are assured, to and may well have once been native here as be done in September. spores have been found in sediments from the last interglacial period. As a floating fern, it can English Heritage is about half way through its occur in any depth of still or sluggish water, phased replacement of the roof of Kenwood

11 Heath Report (cont)

House. The 4th phase (of 7) was due to start in got so much good exposure, so visitor numbers the autumn, with the front of the house to be were very high the following year – when the done at the same time, but they have re-looked house will be open again. at both the length of time and the cost of these English Heritage is also working on a proposal repairs and have decided to do the rest of the to take advantage of the closed period to job, plus the south facade, as a single project. redecorate those parts of the inside which have This is much more cost-efficient and will enable not been done recently, but have still to get the key south facade overlooking the terrace to approval. be included within the original total cost. Large audience for Oliver Rackham The full programme is now being planned in detail, but the expected timetable is for the Our distinguished service wing to be done over the 2011/12 guest speaker winter and the exterior of the house from attracted by far around April 2012. When work starts on the the largest house all the paintings and other valuables will audience we need to be protected: from dust; from the have had in all increased security risks having scaffolding the years of this outside, and from builders erecting scaffolding series; an inside the house to reach the skylights. Some unprecedented paintings will go off-site, so they can be on 200 people came view somewhere, and others, too fragile to to Rosslyn Hill move, will be securely encased. Chapel for the Heath and We are very pleased that English Heritage is Hampstead doing all this work, but the downside is that Society’s fifteenth Annual Springett Lecture in keeping even part of the house open during this October. Professor Rackham rarely speaks in time would be very difficult and expensive, and London, and the audience came not only from the house will need to close for most of 2012. the local area but from throughout London. Our first reaction was surprise that closure was planned for the summer of the Olympics but The effect that changing land use and of English Heritage say that statistics from the becoming surrounded by an urban environment Athens and Beijing Olympics show that the has had on the flora of the Heath is one of Games actually reduced general tourist numbers Professor Rackham’s research topics. For those whilst the games were being held, as those not of you who could not make it, there is an coming for the Games decided not to come in outline of Professor Rackham’s talk later in this the Olympic year and those coming for the Newsletter (page 18) Games tended only to visit sites near where the The Society is most grateful to Allen Bordoley Games were being held. However, over the for providing and operating the projection longer term, those staying home and watching equipment. His expertise contributed greatly to on TV end up wishing to visit the cities which the success of the evening.

12 Planning Committee Report by Douglas Maxwell

In planning terms, the last few months of 2010 that a decision to grant planning permission for resembled the well-known curate’s egg: it was an earlier scheme was overturned by a judicial good in parts. There have been unsatisfactory review brought by the Society in 2007. planning decisions at appeal, but there have One effect of this decision has been to throw been good ones as well; and some issues that into sharp focus how the current legislation can have been rumbling below the surface for some be interpreted in ways that were probably never time are now being addressed in conjunction intended; and the Society is working with the with the Council. Council with the aim of closing these loopholes New planning policies in force so as to restore the position. You will have read in the last Newsletter of two Other decisions important new items of local planning policy, The development proposals at 94 South Hill which are now fully in effect. The first of these Park, 3 Kidderpore Gardens and 9 Downshire is the programme of Article 4 Directions for the Hill all went to appeal following refusal by the Hampstead, Belsize and Swiss Cottage Council. All of these are basement schemes, and conservation areas. These control smaller scale while the first was allowed, the second - changes which can have a significant effect on involving a very large basement under almost the appearance of the conservation area, and the whole of the curtilage, was dismissed. came into effect on 1 September 2010. The decision on 9 Downshire Hill is expected The second is the new Local Development as I write and if announced, it will be recorded Framework or LDF which replaces the Unitary elsewhere in this issue. Our thanks are due as Development Plan. After a lengthy passage always to Tony Hillier, for his unstinting efforts through its public examination stages the Core on all these cases, particularly the last. Strategy and Development Policies were approved by the Council on 8 November 2010 South Hampstead High School and now apply to new planning applications. At A well-attended Development Control Forum the time of writing, the Council is consulting on organised by Camden on 6 September saw a the first of the supplementary planning guidance revised scheme presented at the school by to accompany the LDF, and we expect to file Andrew Barnett and his colleagues from our comments on this during January 2011. Hopkins Architects. The proposals were for the Permitted development most part favourably received by those present. The progress made on these fronts has been A planning application has now been made and partly undermined by claims that some was considered in detail by the planning basement development falls within the committee which, in its response to consultation definition of permitted development ie. it does on behalf of the Society, supported the not require planning permission. A recent proposals in general terms. This is in line with consequence has been that, acting on legal the views expressed by local residents’ groups. advice, the council has granted a Certificate of However there were two main caveats to this; Lawfulness for works including a basement at the basement proposals and the arrangements The Garden House. Many of you will remember for coach parking at the school. We have

13 Planning Committee (cont) Support the new Belsize Post Office

by Gene Adams received a response to our comments from the The new post office which opened in Budgens school’s planning advisers, which at the time of on Haverstock Hill last year, and which took us writing is under consideration. six years to get, has been ‘granted’ as a trial run by PO Ltd. In truth we have Andrew Thornton, Athlone House Budgens Manager, to thank, and also Camden The Athlone House Working Group, a for giving its support. consortium of local bodies including the Heath and Hampstead Society, has been working to They have now been ‘granted’ (by kind helpful secure the preservation of this important house PO Ltd) a second counter because there is by way of the implementation of the original often a long queue. planning agreement, which the current owner In spite of this obvious need, and their written wishes to set aside. Instead he has proposed to assurances on many occasions saying that they demolish the property and build a new house “intended to return our post office which was of much larger size in a style which the Society closed in error”, we believe PO Ltd may well finds wholly unacceptable in architectural close it - again - if it is not a success . I don’t terms. For more details about the pending know the criterion for their judgement of appeal see the Chairman’s report. ‘success’ and it bodes ill that they continue to Impossible without refer to it as a 'trial'! The major cases described above are only part Therefore I urge all of you and all our of the planning committee’s work. It also organisations to keep spreading the word to reviews all planning applications made in the use it as often as possible, just in case some Hampstead area and comments or objects official turns up unannounced on a quiet day where appropriate. I would like to thank and makes a judgement. Gordon Maclean who continues to lead on this important work; and also my colleagues on the H&HS members please note! planning committee and the main committee, our local councillors, and especially all of you reading this – the Society’s members – for your Don’t forget to use the Hampstead Card support. The current list of The future? businesses taking part So what will 2011 bring? On 13 December we in the scheme can be saw the first reading of the Localism Bill which found on the promises to devolve more powers to councils and Society’s website community groups – including planning powers. Too early to say what the practical consequences www.heathandhampstead.org.uk will be, but it could represent an opportunity for Benefits offered are granted at the traders’ discretion. The the Society to contribute more to the planning Society cannot be held responsible for changes in terms or process; and we have already opened discussions availability of any discounts or offers with the Council. Watch this space!

14 Town Committee Report by Frank Harding

When I drafted the report of the Town Heritage and other plaques have been placed, Committee for the last issue of the Newsletter in they will take place later in the year. August, I said that I was “particularly aware of ....beginning with two River Walks the hot summer days we have been enjoying”. Four months and one issue later I am reminded In the meantime we are kicking off this series of the old adage that we have in this country a of walks with a two-part walk along the route great climate – it is the weather that is the taken by the River Fleet from its source in problem – as I sit warm and comfortable Hampstead to the point where it joins the River indoors with the snow on the Heath and in the Thames in the City. These walks will be lead by village, the airports closed and traffic moving Robin Michaelson, a qualified and experienced slowly over the icy roads. City of London guide, and will take place on May 14 and 22. The first will start at 10.30am at The committee has been closely monitoring the War Memorial at Whitestone Pond and finish Camden’s reactions to the early winter freeze at St Dominics’s Priory Church, Southampton and has thus far been reasonably impressed Street, NW5 (corner of Fleet Road) at with the efforts made to keep the main roads approximately 12.30pm. and bus routes clear and many of the side roads gritted from time to time. It would certainly The second will start at the Black Friar public appear that there is an improvement on the house, 174 Queen Victoria Street, near position last winter. Blackfriars Station, at 11am and finish at approximately 1pm at St Pancras Old Church, This has been a relatively quiet time for the Pancras Road. The reversal of what might have committee although much preparatory and been the expected route is due to the timing of planning work has gone on and continues the tides on the Thames. The price will be £5 behind the scenes. I am sure that some of our per participant for each walk. Please contact me plans will see the light of day during 2011. at [email protected] or on 020 7435 Victorian water mains and traffic in 3728 to reserve places on the walk – numbers Hampstead will be limited to 25 for each walk. The road closures and diversions of the spring Whitestone Pond in its full glory and summer to enable the Victorian water mains I previously reported that the work on and to be replaced were originally scheduled to last around the Pond was substantially complete. It until November; in the event the work was can now be seen in its full glory – and the finished some six weeks ahead of schedule – restoration is indeed glorious. There was a much to the relief of local residents and traders. formal relaunch early in October by the Mayor Our thanks go to the officers of Camden and the of Camden with thanks and compliments being works teams for having achieved this target. showered on the City of London and Camden Walks - a new initiative...... teams, English Heritage and Transport for London for their support and the Heath and Whilst we still intend to develop a series of Hampstead Society in general and Juliette walks in and around Hampstead passing by Sonabend in particular for their inspiration and those buildings on which Hampstead, English involvement throughout the process.

15 Town Committee Report (cont)

Renovation of Whitestone Pond launched

We have since received numerous letters and emails expresing pleasure and thanks for the great improvement to the area. The pictures on this page give some idea of the event. In conclusion, may I on behalf of all members of the Town Committee wish all our members and readers a very Happy New Year.

Above: Juliette Sonabend making her speech with Michael Welbank, Chairman of the City’s Heath Management Committee on the left and the Mayor of Camden on the right Below: Michael Welbank Left: Looking south showing the new reed bed Below left: Horsemen from The King’s Troop join the ceremony photos: John Hunt

16 Imminent threat to local bobby on the beat

By Jessica Learmond-Criqui

The sight of bobbies on the beat in our local success. Crime across Camden since the scheme communities is under threat. The Metropolitan was introduced has been cut by 20% and the Police Authority is currently reviewing police Safer Neighbourhood Team and the bobbies on services to see where it can make the 20% savings the beat have reduced the fear of crime it is required to make over the next 4 years. immeasurably. Addressing not simply crime itself, but the fear of crime, must be an objective A decision is being reached as we go to print which the MPA can be persuaded is worth about where the savings will fall and there is maintaining. The only credible way in which great concern among residents that the Safer this has been addressed over the past 5 years Neighbourhood scheme may be seen as a soft has been through safer neighbourhood policing. target and therefore removed. If this is of concern to you too, then please read on. The financial ring-fence which once defended the scheme is up for review. When the MPA The Safer Neighbourhood scheme, makes its decision, it will instruct the Borough The Safer Neighbourhood scheme, led by former Commanders to implement the decision. There Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, introduced is time, therefore (but not much time) to make bobbies on the beat 5 years ago across 624 wards your voices heard if this is of concern to you. in London. The team comprises a sergeant, two police officers and three police constable support Please write with your objections officers in each ward. Control over each team In order to keep this scheme, please write with was gifted by Sir Ian to representatives of the local your strongest objections to its removal to the community in each ward who formed a Safer following people who are all involved in the Neighbourhood Panel. The Panel regularly sets final decision: their team three or more crime-fighting priorities in - Kit Malthouse, Deputy Mayor the local ward on a regular basis. - Kirsten Hearn, MPA link for Camden The team is in addition to and works alongside - Brian Coleman, member of the Greater London the normal police service who continue to deal Authority with emergencies on the 999 dial code. Non- - Glenda Jackson, MP emergency issues are dealt with by the team I invite you to join this campaign to keep our and they concentrate their efforts, to tremendous local communities safer than they were 5 years effect in some wards, on particular criminal ago. Please write to these people today. activities which are prevalent in that particular ward. They do not work 24/7 as the normal police service does but they often work shifts to meet the needs of their priorities. Policing by consent The purpose of the scheme is to achieve policing by and through consent with the local community and to re-engage with the local community and, in general, it has been a great

17 Oliver Rackham gives the Society Springett Lecture

A summary of Professor Oliver Rackham’s lecture by John Hunt

Professor Oliver Rackham is a Fellow of Corpus Then there Christi College, Cambridge and Honorary came people Professor of historical ecology at the university. who grew He has been described as “a Renaissance man, crops, and kept an ecological Sherlock Holmes. He is also a cattle and national treasure. No other scientific writer has sheep, and so lucidly demonstrated that humans and over thousands woods are ancient partners of linked origins, of years created and could be so again”. He is renowned for the historic debunking myths and debating passionately, landscape of but remaining balanced and objective, backing farmland and up his ideas with detailed case studies and woodland. The general statistical and analytical arguments. composition of the woods Historic overview sometimes Professor Rackham opened with a historic changed. At overview of the development of woodlands, Epping Forest and ranged widely, including some interesting a most striking literary references. The generally accepted view change since is that in pre- Neolithic times, until the Professor Rackham addressing wildwood times the meeting photo John Hunt Mesolithic period, about 6,000 years ago, is the complete England was covered with continuous replacement of the Lime by Hornbeam. This was wildwood which may well have looked similar presumably completed by Anglo-Saxon times to the historic wildwood in North America. because there is an absence of Lime place- However this is now a matter of controversy. names such as Lyndhurst in the New Forest. Francis Vera’s rival theory is that wildwood was not continuous woodland; it was a shifting Highgate Wood has the remains of a Roman mosaic of woodland and grassland, one turning pottery industry which implies not just primeval into the other. Professor Rackham suggested wildwood, but managed woodland to provide that had Vera come to Hampstead Heath he fuel. Highgate Wood pottery site is one of the would have said that the Heath illustrated the few instances of a Roman fuel-using industry phase of the grassland turning into woodland located within what is still ancient woodland. as the woods adjoining the grassland expanded The 1086 Domesday Book records, though at their edges. unsatisfactory, seem to show that Middlesex Although this is still unsettled, analysis of was about 30% woodland, double the pollen grains provides a good deal of evidence percentage for England as a whole. The from all over the country about the composition description of Hampstead having wood for a of the woods: in pre-Neolithic times there were hundred swine implies at least 200 acres of many different kinds of woods but the woodland – perhaps more if it was Hornbeam commonest type was limewood. which did not feed pigs.

18 By the Middle Ages woods were managed in another product was charcoal. London was an two different ways. Coppicing was cutting trees excellent market for woodland produce down to the ground to produce multiple stems. although there was competition from This kept woods in existence, maintaining a Newcastle coal which had a lower labour cost. permanent supply of wood in the form of rods, Kenwood is an ancient wood surrounded by a logs and faggots, with a few trees left standing strong woodbank. It is now very shady with a for timber as beams and planks. Coppice- lot of holly, occasional service trees and not woods have various characteristics including much ground vegetation. The special feature boundary banks through or around them as at of Kenwood is the huge and ancient oak trees Kenwood, and big coppice stools; some can be which Professor Rackham reckoned to be late traced back to the 13th Century and might be 17th Century. They are much bigger than the many feet in diameter. timber oaks in most woods Coppicing gave rise to specialized crafts such as Woods could be grubbed out altogether to wattle hurdles, which go back to the Neolithic make farmland. Although woods were on the period, in situ hurdlework and fencing, and worse soils, there were times when even bad infill for timber-frame buildings. Faggots were farmland was preferred to woodland. It would in great demand for firewood and sea defences; have been the continuing use of the woods that prevented them from being grubbed out: 1660 - 1740 was a big period for grubbing out woods. Wood-pasture was a second typical use of common land, where the trees were sparse enough for grassland to grow between them for grazing. The trees might gradually disappear leaving pasture or heathland. This is probably the origin of Hampstead Heath, the oldest part of which probably goes back to Anglo-Saxon times or earlier. In the mid-19th century it was still a heath with few bushes. By the 1890s it was well on its way to becoming a woodland again. Parliament Hill was added to the Heath out of ordinary farmland: the oldest oaks on the Heath are some of those in the hedges that remain from the fields. An ancient The Professor went on to deal with parks with oak on the Heath particular reference to the of London’s deer parks north of Kenwood. Popular photo: misapprehension calls them ‘hunting parks’, but Jeremy Wright most medieval parks were actually deer farms.

19 The Springett Lecture (cont)

His own research, and that of Anne Rowe in so far, rather small. The apparently greater Hertfordshire, had found very few mentions of variability of weather is more significant. hunting in the deer parks; deer appear far more Another change is the local urban heat island often in the context of feasting than of hunting. effect of built-up London. Hampstead Heath It was difficult to see how it would be possible may already be experiencing some effects in to hunt deer in a park if two thirds of it was advance of general global warming. He asked woodland as the Bishop’s parks were in the the audience if there were already any signs of 17th century. He described how woods were this, and received several responses. His talk compartmentalised to keep the deer out of the was followed by a lively question-and-answer cut areas until the new shoots were large session. enough to survive being chewed up by them. Hunting in these parks did not become fashionable until Tudor and Stuart times. The Bishop of London’s estates were sold off in 1647 by Commissioners for the Sale of church land. What happened to the woods? The Professor traced the changing landscapes of Hampstead Heath and its surroundings, and the disappearance of the woods, through comparing maps, starting with Rocque’s maps of 1743 and 1754, and ending with Google Earth satellite images. By Rocque’s time most of the woods that appear in Domesday Book had gone, A packed house at Rosslyn Hill Chapel photo John Hunt presumably to farmland. Very unusually the Heath got bigger when Books by Professor Rackham that mention Parliament Hill was added to it, but it ceased to Kenwood and Hampstead Heath, may be of be a heath because after grazing ended much interest: of it reverted to woodland, particularly on Trees and Woodland in the British Landscape; Sandy and West Heath. The History of the Countryside; He ended his talk by referring to the effect of The Last Forest: global warming. The increase in temperature is The story of Hatfield Forest; Woodlands.

20 Books of interest

North and South in East and West Highgate Cemetery and The American Civil War (1861-1865) by Michael Hammerson Archeologist Michael Hammerson, a long serving some aspect of that era in very different ways, committee member of both Highgate Society and introduces cemetery visitors to an era which has the H&HS, has written a facinating and well affected our lives significantly, yet which is now illustrated booklet about neglected by our educational Highgate Cemetery throwing system and virtually forgotten light on a little known in Britain. connection to the American On August 12, 1864 The Times Civil War. It tells the story wrote “The country between behind the lives of the three the Rappahannock and the men buried at Highgate, one Potomac has become as of whom, Richard Booth, familiar to the English public as turns out to be the half-brother the space between St. Paul’s of the notorious John Wilkes and South Kensington.” Booth who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. The booklet is available from Highgate Cemetery, price £3, The recent discovery of three burials in Highgate A must for those of you keen Cemetery, each illuminating on local history.

Camden, a Political History Letter from a member After our piece about Pilgrim’s Lane in the last by Piers Wauchope issue we received the following interesting Camden History Society 40th anniversary information from Mr. Simon Raggett: Camden History Society’s first meeting in ‘The name change at Pilgrim’s Lane is not a 2011 celebrated its 40th anniversary in great myth. The name applied only to the narrow style by inviting Piers Wauchope, former curved bit of Pilgrim’s Lane between Leader of the Conservative Group on Camden Kemplay Road and Rosslyn Hill. The wider Council, to talk about his new book. Its straight road to the junction with Willow intriguing subtitle is How Labour lost its way Road was known as Worsley Road until and won and found its way and lost. 1968, and it was the name change for this The event took place in the Council Chamber portion that is attributed to Michael Foot. at Camden Town Hall, where the CHS was The house I write from from was 21 inaugurated, with a reception beforehand, Worsley Road until that date. I still have the kindly hosted by the Mayor. documentary evidence for this’. The book costs £14.95 and is published by However, the Pilgrim in question is the 19th Shaw Books. century landowner Charles Pilgrim - whatever Michael Foot may have thought!.

21 Invasive Crayfish on the Heath

by John Hunt

Non-native invasive crayfish are increasing their slow flowing water, and streams and rivers. range in many of London’s waterways and they It is a successful coloniser and an aggressive have been in the ponds on the Heath since competitor with native crayfish. It has a short life around 1991 having first been introduced into cycle and high reproduction rate. In comparison, the country from the early 1970s for the the native White-clawed species has a long life restaurant trade. cycle and low reproduction rate. This combined The Red Swamp Crayfish with its ability to grow and mature rapidly and It appears that the first to arrive were the Red to adapt to seasonal waters, has enabled the Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkia), a hardy establishment of the Red Swamp Crayfish as the freshwater crayfish from the USA, otherwise most successful freshwater crayfish in the world called Louisiana Crayfish. It is usually dark red during the 20th century. As with many pests in and can weigh up to 50 grams or more. Adults the world this proliferation is due mainly to reach 5.5 to 12 cms (2.2 to 4.7 inches) in length. commercial exploitation, particularly in the USA and Spain where it is a popular delicacy. Initially found in the Men’s Pond, it appears Fishing for crayfish (and a bent pin with a piece now to be ubiquitous in all of the Highgate of meat on the end is perfectly adequate!) has Ponds and more recently in the nearby Regents also become a popular pastime in this country. Canal, in London. However, so far these are the only known populations of Red Swamp It has contributed to the decline of native Crayfish in the UK. European crayfish by introducing interspecies competition and causing the transmission of the Unlike the native European crayfish species it is crayfish fungus plague, Aphanomyces astaci able to tolerate dry periods of up to four months. which our native Crayfish are susceptible to. It is therefore able to It also reduces the value of the freshwater occupy a wide habitats in which it occurs by consuming variety of habitats, invertebrates and macrophytes. thriving in warm, shallow wetland Its burrowing behaviour degrades river banks, ecosystems, such as and may also cause significant agricultural are found in natural problems. So far no such damage has been and agricultural reported on the Heath. Above: red swamp crayfish; areas throughout In Europe only physical and, to some extent, Below Turkish crayfish south central climatic barriers limit the spread of Red Swamp Europe, where it has Crayfish which is reported in the cooler been introduced. It is Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Switzerland typically found in and in large, expanding populations in the seasonally flooded warmer regions of Portugal, Spain and France.It swamps and may become a keystone species, affecting many marshes, wet components of the ecosystem and altering the meadows, reservoirs nature of native plant and animal communities. and permanent lakes,

22 The Turkish Crayfish crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) is The most commonly recorded invasive crayfish governed by geology and water quality. It is species in London is the Turkish, or Narrow- unlikely that there is or has been any or any clawed Crayfish, Astacus leptodactylus, significant population of native crayfish on the introduced to Central Europe in the 19th Heath.The species can be found in a variety of century from the Caspian Sea region. It can locations including canals, streams, rivers, lakes, grow up to 30 cm (12 in) in length but it is reservoirs and water-filled quarries, where it more commonly found at around 15 cm (6 in). occupies cryptic habitats. Populations are It is fairly docile, especially the male. concentrated in northern and central England in areas of chalk, limestone or sandstone deposits. On the Heath it is found mostly in the Highgate No.1 Pond. Its large, uniquely shaped long and The Noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) is the most narrow claws make it easily distinguishable from common species of crayfish in Europe, but is not the White-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius native to the UK, although now present in some pallipes), the UK’s only native. It favours sites. The Noble crayfish is also susceptible to relatively still waters. and populations in London crayfish plague and is in decline in Europe. are thought to be stable south of the River Consumption of the Noble crayfish in Europe Thames, and declining in the area to the north of has been documented back to the middle ages. the River Thames. They are, however, still Two more crayfish from N. America that pose a abundant in the Serpentine and also to be found threat to the UK’s indigenous crayfish, are The on the Grand Union Canal in West London. Signal crayfish and the Virile crayfish. Can they be managed? The Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) is The question of management is a difficult one. a large, aggressive species that has wiped out Many methods have been tried to reduce almost 95% of our native White-clawed Crayfish populations of invasive crayfish. Only the use of since it was introduced to Great Britain in 1976. predatory fish such as eels, burbot, perch and It is now the most widespread alien crayfish in pike has had any success and I have seen Europe, occurring in 25 countries, from Finland cormorants on the Heath catching them. The to Great Britain and from Spain to Greece. populations on the Heath are well established It is less prominent in London but has been and may be having a detrimental impact on recorded in a number of locations in Hillingdon invertebrate numbers and water quality, although borough, on the Fray’s river, River Colne and this is very difficult to establish. Once established, Grand Union Canal, and also on the Lower Lee, populations are thought to be almost impossible and the River Beam in the north-east of London. to eradicate, but sustained trapping may reduce numbers in the long term. The Heath is carrying The Virile crayfish (Orconectes virilis), has out some trapping and is in liaison with research been recorded in a number of locations along students and professionals to try and identify the River Lee and the Turkey Brook, in Enfield possible future management options. borough. This is the first occurrence of this species in the UK; its potential impacts are Other species largely unknown although it is also a potential The distribution of our native White-clawed vector of the crayfish plague.

23 Bulletin Board - News of members

Gerard Mansell 1921 - 2010

We heard with great sadness of to refurbish the house. the death of Gerry Mansell, As a Committee member aged 89, on December 18. of the Friends of His distinguished career with Hampstead Town Hall his the BBC - Controller, Radio 4 wide experience and 1965–9; Director, Programmes, contacts, and wise counsel BBC Radio 1970-72; Managing during the Lottery- funded Director of the World Service, multi-million restoration of 1972-81, and Deputy Director- the Town Hall, were General of the BBC, 1977 – 81, invaluable and has been well documented contributed hugely to the elsewhere. We remember and success of the enterprise. celebrate here his vital work He was able to persuade a colleague from his for the local Hampstead Community after his BBC days with expertise in such building projects retirement in 1981, which particularly involved to join the Project Board, and was ever ready to helping to steer two important local landmarks give unstintingly of his time – and his smoked through difficult rebuilding projects. salmon sandwiches, which became legendary! Gerry was born in Paris; his father, who had gone - to the various fund-raising events. to open the first French branch of Lloyds Bank, He was a good cook, a talented painter of was English and his mother was French. He spent landscape oils and still lifes, and a deep lover his early life in France where he was educated, of la France profonde. His kindness, humour, including at the Ecole des Sciences Politiques, and generosity, and sheer good fellowship will be was bi-lingual. The family narrowly escaped the remembered and treasured with deep affection German invasion in 1940, and once back in by all those who knew him. England he immediately joined the army serving first in the Royal Norfolk Regiment and then in Members in the New Year’s honours list the Durham Regiment, in the Western Desert, Sicily and north-west Europe. He was mentioned We warmly congratulate three Society in dispatches and awarded the Croix de Guerre. members who have been honoured with He left the army with the rank of major, aged just MBEs in the New Year’s honours list for their 25. After demobilisation he enrolled at Chelsea outstanding contributions to the arts. School of Art and in 1951 he began his career in Simon and Pamela Majaro founded the the newsroom at Bush House. superb Charitable trust, Cavatina with the Outstanding amongst his contributions to a aim of introducing school-children to the wide range of local charities and community treasures of the chamber music repertoire. organisations was his Chairmanship of the Susie Gregson has been the driving force Burgh House Trust, from 1995 to 2004. He behind the splendid St. Jude’s Proms which guided it skillfully through a crucial period of raises huge sums for charity and gives development which included obtaining a pleasure to thousands of local residents. £660,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund

24 Bulletin Board

Hampstead & Highgate Festival Festival Quiz Evening

a fun fundraising event in aid of the Exhibitions Hampstead and Highgate Festival The Exhibition Modernism in Hampstead Saturday 26th February 2010, at 7pm The Tradition of the new continues until Dining Hall, Highgate School February 27. Bishopswood Road, N6 4PB Marilyn Greene will lead a walk in connection the Exhibition on February 18th with questions related to Hampstead and at 11am Tickets from Burgh House Highgate set by the Festival’s own The next Exhibition opens on March 3rd Quiz Master Bob Rothenberg Past Poems and Personalities; a look at Enjoy dips, fish and chips and fruit which will Hampstead’s poets exploring their lives and be served during the evening where they lived. The total ticket price is £20 per person. Look out for the Poetry Slam in May To book tickets and for more information Support the Friends of Burgh House please contact Pippa Rothenberg on 020 8348 7771 [email protected] Honorary President Piers Plowright For more information or to join the Friends tel: Burgh House on 020 7431 0144 or Hampstead Film Society contact Dawn Somper at Hampstead Town Hall, [email protected] Interchange Trust, 213 Haverstock Hill. Burgh House Museum, Buttery, Bookstall Tuesday evenings @ 7pm: Exhibitions, talks, concerts and classes A wide range of world cinema, documentaries Burgh House, New End Square NW3 and must-see movies throughout the year. www.burghhouse.org.uk Tel: 020 7431 0144 Membership fee: £15.00 Adults Open Wed - Fri, & Sun, 12 - 5.00pm £10.00 Concessions/ Students/ Over 60 (Saturdays by appointment) £6.00 for one day membership Admission fee: £3.00 per film for members/ £5.00 for their guests. For more information: Tel: 020 7692 5811 Email: [email protected] www.interchange.org.uk/movies Hampstead Town Hall Centre, 213 Haverstock Hill, London, NW3 4QP

25 Heath Walks 2011

Walks are normally held on the first Sunday of 6 February 10.30am (meet at Burgh House) every month except January. Most start from Ponds of the Heath led by Marc Hutchinson, Burgh House, New End Square. London NW3 Secretary, Hampstead Heath Winter Swimming 1LT – 10 minutes walk from Hampstead Tube Club; member of the H&HS Committee and Station (for map see www.burghhouse.org.uk Heath Sub-Committee NB parking is extremely difficult, especially in 6 March 10.30am (meet at Burgh House) spring and summer. Starting times are either Curiosities of the Heath led by Thomas 2.30pm or 10.30 am (9.30 for birds), Radice, member of the H&HS Heath depending on season and subject matter. Subcommittee Walks last approximately two hours. They do 3 April 10.30am (meet in North End Way, on not necessarily follow made-up paths; you are Hampstead side of Inverforth House) recommended to wear suitable footwear as The Pergola, the Hill Garden and Golders Hill conditions may be rough or muddy. Park led by Peter Tausig, member of the You will be invited to make a minimum H&HS Committee and Heath Subcommittee donation of £3.00 per adult, to be collected at 8 May 9.30 am (meet at Burgh House) the beginning of each walk, to help support NB early start and that this is the 2nd future development of the walks programme Sunday of the month. and to promote the Society's activities Birds of the Heath led jointly by John Hunt, generally. former Chairman of the Marylebone The Society does not organise walks specifically Birdwatching Society and Sash Tusa, members for children but they are always welcome so of the H&HS Heath Subcommittee. long as they are suitably shod, can walk 5 June 2.30pm (meet at Burgh House) reasonable distances and are accompanied by Flora of the Heath led by David Bevan, an adult taking full responsibility for them. Conservation Officer and Past President, Please note starting times and meeting points London Natural History Society, and Fellow of the Linnean Society, London Further information from walks organiser, Thomas Radice, 3 July 2.30pm (meet at Burgh House) Caring Tel: 020 8455 1025; for the Heath: the work of the City of London mobile: 07941 528 034 or led by Richard Payne and Meg Game email: [email protected]

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