of the CAMDEN HISTORY SOCIETY MAY 1970 The Society begins Vane House goes This is the first Newsletter of the Vane House, in Rosslyn Hill, has been Camden History Society and lists the under sentence for some time and now Mr initial activities to be arranged. A crash Anthony Greenwood has confirmed that course is planned for members who want there will be no reprieve. to know the basic history of the three parts of Camden. Research projects The house, better known as the Soldiers' are beginning and publications are being Daughters' Home, is not an .architectural talked about. gem, with .recent additions hiding what grace it had. The preservationist argu- There is no limit to the field of re- ment has, therefore, been rather weak search - very little has been done in a on this ground. This would apply, though, hundred years. The Victorian period, to a number of buildings which ought not for example, has left a great deal of to disappear. What the preservationists material, little of which has been class- have in mind is that environmental reasons ified and documented. The development should have more weight. If a street or of local government, health and education a building is pleasant, but without high improvements, transport and housing architectural merit, should it be saved, progress are all uncharted, just to name all other considerations equal? a .few of the more obvious areas. Vane House was built by Sir Henry Vane The metropolis sometimes makes in the 17th Century. He had been a Gov- people yearn for the rural life of, say, ernor of Massachusetts at the age of 23 'St. Pancras-in-the-Fields', but the qual- and entered Parliament in 1640. He was a ity of life then, even at first acquaintance leading member of the Commonwealth but in research, is a sobering discovery. refused to take part in the trial of Charles The 'highways and byways' mentality is I. After a breach with Cromwell he was all very well but what about the residents? imprisoned but this did not save him from What was their Utopia? To find that out being tried for high treason after the Res - is one of our aims. toration. He was executed on Tower Hill - The Society has set off well with a good Pepys has described this. membership total which could easily be An 18th Century resident was Dr Joseph doubled. The basis of any expansion, Butler, Bishop of Durham, who had a however, should be the activity of present great liking for stained glass. An occupier members and we hope that many will take in the 19th Century was Charles Pilgrim part in the various projects. who gave his name to the lane opposite. A slip is enclosed with this Newsletter for you to return. It is intended to give your officers an indication of the likely response to our first activities although St Pancras Anniversaries firm details and date.s are sometimes missing. It is possible that the crash 1970 course might be over-subscribed as There are a number of anniversaries accommodation is limited, but this is this year in Camden. This first list is something that can easily be repeated. from St. Pancras only. Hampstead and It would assist us, however, if you could Holborn events will appear in future edi- return the slip in the near future. tions. DEATH OF GEORGE WHITEFIELD social history of Camden. This subject, of course, covers a very wide range of Two hundred years ago George White .... activity and we have therefore asked Mr field died. He left his name to Whitefield's Leslie Newman, who teaches local his- Tabernacle in Tottenham Court Road and tory, to organise research projects under to Whitfield Street at the back. this heading. He had a busy, religious life and is said The subject covers treatment of the to have preached over 18, 000 sermons. poor, health, education, customs, commu- Banned from speaking in most churches nication, and the relationship between the he led the vogue for preaching in the open classes. Some of these items could well air. He was an Evangelist, classified as mean long-term research and it is the a Calvinist Methodist, and an early asso- intention to select fields in which findings ciate of the Wesleys. Despite a breach could be produced fairly quickly so as to with John Wesley they had an arrangement give members experience in completing that whoever should outlive the other would a project for discussion by the Society. preach the sermon at the funeral. In fact These findings would, of course, be el- Whitefield was buried in Boston, New igible for publication by the Society. England, and Wesley made his sermon in Tottenham Court Road. The entire chapel was draped in black for six weeks. Transport Project to start HOPE CHAPEL The Society is to set up a Research Pro- In Prince of Wales Road, near the Poly- ject into Transportation in the Borough. technic, is Hope Chapel. It opened there Mr Charles Lee, an expert on London in 1870 with seating for 200. It began in Transport has kindly agreed to give gen- Hatton Garden in 183 7, moved later to a eral guidance to the Project, and mem- site now covered by St. Pancras Station, bers who are interested are invited to fill went north to Camden Town and eventually in the enclosed form. bought the freehold of their present build- ing. CHALK FARM BAPTISTS 1000 Photographs to The foundation stone of Chalk Farm Catalogue Baptist Church was laid in the same year. When, in 1957, the Church was being re- The Borough Librarian has, in the local constructed, a bottle was discovered history collection, nearly 1000 old photo- underneath the stone, containing a copy of graphs of parts of Camden. These have the Camden and Kentish Towns' Gazette, never been catalogued. The Society has a forerunner of the North London Press. been asked if its members would help in this under the supervision of Mrs Gee, TRAMCARS the Borough Archivist. If you would like to help in this fascinating work, please The year 1870 saw the Parliamentary c0ntact the Secretary. sanction for laying tramways in St. Pan- cras. An article by Mr Charles Lee on the early implementation of tramways in Camden, will appear in a future News- Oldest Ratepayers in letter. St Pancras One of the members who attended the first meeting of the Society was Mr Basil Leverton, a partner in the firm of funeral Social History projects directors Leverton and Sons. They have been in business in St. Pancras since 1789 An analysis of the interests stated by and were then in the area off Hampstead members who completed application forms Road opposite Tolmers Square which was shows a large number interested in the then a reservoir. In 1834 the firm moved to Whitfield Street {then called Hertford New building for Hearts Street) and in 1889 transferred to Ever- sholt Street where the Post Office now of Oak stands. The bronze coloured tower block in Euston Road is the new headquarters of the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society. It was opened by the Queen Mother on April 16th. The Society began in 1842 when twelve NOTE'S AND QUERIES men, dissatisfied with the administration of another Provident Society, met at the Members will sometimes have local his - Bird in Hand tavern in Long Acre. John tory queries which other members may be Hadley was the first Chairman and the able to solve. You are therefore invited landlord of the tavern was treasurer. By to write to the Newsletter with your quest.,. 1863, with over 5000 members, they were ions or else with any other information still using the facilities of the Bird in you think might be of interest to readers. Hand, but then moved to Greek Street in Please address your letters to the Sec- Soho. More expansion in 1875 made them retary. move to Charlotte Street in Camden and in 1906 to Euston Road. Q 1: In his Camden Festival lecture on the Bedford Theatre, Geoffrey SIR JOHN WOLFENDEN Fletcher asked the audience whether anyone knew the name of the archi- becomes President tect. Called the New Bedford Sir John Wolfenden, C.B.E., Director Theatre it was built in the 1890' s and Principal Librarian of the British and the plans of the building have Museum has agreed to be the Society's disappeared. first President. Q 2: Where is the exact site of the orig- Also, Sir John Betjeman,. Sir Colin inal workhouse in the Frognal area? Anderson, Chairman of the Fine Art Commission, and Sir James Brown, Pres- Q 3: What is the derivation of Traitors ident of the Highgate Literary and Scien- Hill on part of the Holly Lodge tific Institution, have all accepted our estate? Miller, in his St. Pancra$ invitation to become Vice-Presidents. Past and Present, erroneously gives Parliament Hill as being called The Society also recommended that the Traitors Hill, but the 1796 survey Mayor of Camden, in office, should be map of St. Pancras shows plainly asked to become Patron of the Society. that is where the Holly Lodge flats Dame Florence Cayford, last year's are at the moment. Miller surmises Mayor, accepted our invitation. that the name arose when some Gun- powder Plot conspirators went there Plaque to Dickens House to watch the Houses of Parliament explode. However, the first refe - As part of the Dickens celebrations this rence found to Traitors Hill is not year the Dickens Fellowship in Doughty until 1691 in the Cantelowes Court Street received two plaques in April, both Rolls.