The name of this site derives from Paul Scott’s novel Jewel in the Crown, the first novel in The Raj Quartet. Scott lived in Palmers Green as a child and young adult from the 1920s and 30s, when much of what we see today was bright and new and the large scale sale of farm and estate lands and the building of Edwardian Palmers Green was a very recent memory.
Most of us are lucky enough to live in rather beautiful houses because of the rush of speculative building just before the first world war, and just after. Have you ever walked the streets on a winters evening and admired the stained glass doors backlit by hall lights? The arts and crafts wood work? The neat tiled pathways? The trees all in a line?
So this website aims to celebrate Palmers Green and satisfy our natural curiosity about its streets and how they came about, and about those who live and work there now, and long before us. It aims to be about the sense of place which makes it special, and how we and our neighbours share and enjoy present day Palmers Green.
Hence jewel. It’s a bit over the top, I know. Palmers Green is certainly tatty round the edges. Idiot boy racers speed around it. Some people let their dogs poo all over it. But we still love it. Or at least I do.
4 replies on “About this site”
I started my life at 153 N. Circular Road in 1945 with my Dad and Mum, George and Ivy Martin. Moved from there to 22 Eleanor Road and then to 153 Pasteur Gardens. In 1969 I moved to America and in 1971 my Mum and Dad moved to Martham in Great Yarmouth. While at Pasteur Gardens, life was wonderful. I played tennis at Linden, Ellenborough and Oakwood tennis courts just down the road. I went to school at Minchenden in Southgate. To this day, I can remember the school song and most of the teachers. Miss Amiot, the music teacher was the best! I would go to the weir and ride the gypsies horses until I got caught by someone who told my Mum. I would walk to Palmers Green and buy cakes from the Lyons tea shop and walk to Broomfield Park with a neighbours dog that I would ‘borrow’ on a daily basis when not in school. I also as I became of age, frequented the Bird in Hand Pub just down the Road and roller skated at Ally Pally! Plus worked for 7 years at what was the Pearl Assurance Company in Holborn. Life was good. My Dad had a sister, Queenie Boldetti. She and her husband, Uncle Will, and my Nan lived at Tudor Lodge, Muswell Hill for many years. My Mum also had a sister, Aunty Em (Emily Stanton) who came up from Grays every week with chocalets for Mum and me and cigarettes for Dad. The more I look back, the more I realise the wonderful memories that I have. Final comment, my Dad went out and got a little television so that we could watch the Queen’s Coronation. How wonderful was that and what a wonderful example Queen Elizabeth has been to us all throughout her reign.
Met up with a very old friend recently. We were reminiscing about Hazelwood Junior School circa 1972-73 ish. I remember some of the teachers – Mrs Deas, Mrs Griffitths, Mrs Cannon. The head teacher was Mrs Gibbs. Does this jog anyones memory?
I agree, thank you for this site. I was born here and with the exception of a few gaps where I have moved out and returned, I have lived here for 40 years. Palmers Green is my home and is at the very centre of my heart. I too love the beautiful houses and the greenery and well kept front gardens.
It was a nice surprise stumbling across this site, to discover the heritage behind this town and explore history I never knew existed i’m glad there are people out there who actually value Palmers Green amid its negativity of modern life, my respect to the site creator for making this website, I hope this website brings joy to a lot more people.