From 2 til 7, Winchmore Hill Green. Stalls, food, music, St Nicholas and snow. You’d be bonkers to miss it!
Category: History
Well, November seemed to go by in a whoosh. We confess to have been a little remiss on the posting front, so here’s an opportunity to catch up on all the news in PG…..
The Woodman reopened on 1 December following much local campaigning and bothering of Marstons. Its had a lick of paint but otherwise is just the same. Welcome back, and just in time for Christmas too…..
The Christmas lights were switched on at the Triangle to the ‘woos’ and ‘ahhs’ of Hazelwood School’s children, teachers and parents, and gave a public outing to MP David Burrowes impressive Movember face furniture. PGJITN was inexplicably humming YMCA for the rest of the day. Apparently the new look Burrowes rendered David Cameron speechless in the Commons, to the point where the PM forgot Mr Burrowes’ question. The ‘mo’ has not met with approval in the Burrowes household however so you may already be too late to witness the whiskers first hand. Its all for charity, in aid of men’s health and in particular the fight against prostate cancer, so please donate.
The Talkies Community Cinema presented the latest of its pop up cinema nights at Baskervilles couple of Fridays ago, with the film of Jonathan Safran Foer’s book Everything is Illuminated playing to a packed audience. The next showing is Baz Luhrman’s Strictly Ballroom at the Fox on 30 January – book now if you want tickets, its selling fast. Talkies are looking for some new venues so if you’ve any suggestions, please get in touch with David Williamson via their facebook page or the Talkies website www.talkies.org.uk. Its a really brilliant initiative, so please support it if you can.
Our neighbours in Winchmore Hill published a new hardback book of images of the area, past and present, following on from the fantastic exhibition at this summer’s Fancy Fair. If you would like to get your hands on one, the official launch is next week at the Queens Head from 7 and all are welcome…..
Winter is time for the shivers, and sure enough there were spooky goings on in Enfield. First of all Lazy Hound Productions staked out the Hop Poles. Then North London Paranormal Investigations spent some nervous hours in Enfield Fire Station. A NPLI film is in development. And closer to home, Joe Studman repeats his Darker Side of Winchmore Hill walk as part of the St Nicholas Fair events. Not to be missed but also not for the faint hearted. Wrap up warm and have some sturdy footwear.
Also this month we also learned that….
Joe Strummer was once a Palmers Green resident with his mate Tymonn Dogg, living in a house in Ash Grove they renamed ‘Vomit Heights’…. Ally Pally was subject of a £16 million bid to the Heritage Lottery fund, which, if successful, will restore the old TV studios, the Victorian Theatre, and the East entrance. And Alexandra Palace Park won a Green Flag Award and was voted one of the best in the UK (and second best in London)…..Fionn Wilson and Gosia Stasiewicz’ Space Art Gallery on Southgate High Street have fixed up a programme of exhibitions which spans well into 2014. The roster is truly amazing, so it should be a wonderful addition to local life, and attract visitors from much further afield. The gallery opens in December, with an exhibition of Fionn’s own work.
Finally, a last reminder that if you were planning a Sunday trip up town to see the Christmas lights and do some shopping you will need to do some serious planning – pretty much no direct trains to Kings Cross until Christmas on a Sunday, unless you get up early. If this is news to you, its probably because there has been virtually no information from First Capital Connect, including nothing at all in PG station – bravo chaps! – and just at the point where we are renewing our season tickets and feeling particularly begrudging.
But why not stay closer to home anyway, and attend one of the local fairs, events and bazaars happening in December. Winchmore Hill’s St Nicholas Fair on the Green from 2 til 7pm looks set to be fantastic. Snow, carriage rides, stalls and mulled wine and encounters with St Nicholas are all promised. And if you havent bought your Christmas Cards yet, there are some excellent options locally. Palmers Green’s Art Cove cards, available online or from Annita at the station kiosk, feature local artists. Local photographer, architect and urban designer Richard Crutchleys London Letters cards are also on sale at various local events, online and through Baskervilles. There is also still plenty of time to buy your charity cards at the United Reformed Church.
On into December then. May your tinsel sparkle and the needles stay on your tree.
Merry Christmas!
Sue, Palmers Green Jewel in the North
- If there is a topic you would like to write about, why not get in touch, especially if its about history and people? We would love to hear from you. There is a huge knowledge about Palmers Green out there … lets try and put it all together.
Coming soon
Friday 7 December Ricky Grover at the Electric Mouse Comedy Club at the Fox.
Saturday 8 December St Nicholas Fair Winchmore Hill Green. Following on from the summer’s fantastic Winchmore Hill Festival: this!
Saturday 8 December North London Symphony Orchestra perform at the United Reformed Church 7.45 pm – Wagner, Mahler and Franck
Sunday 23 December Candle lit carol service at St John’s – 9 lessons and carols 6.30
Sunday 30 December Floating Lanterns on the Boating Pond, Broomfield Park
3-6 January 2013 The LIttle Mermaid panto at the Intimate Theatre, Acorn Theatre Company
5-9 March 2013 Anything goes at the Intimate Theatre, presented by Finchley and Friern Barnet Operatic Society
8-9 June 2013 – Open Studios and Art Trail weekend, Southgate and Palmers Green
Categories
The Woodman revived!
The Woodman on Bourne Hill is to reopen under new management.
Banners went up outside the pub a few days ago. PGJITN hopes that the traditional feel of the pub will be retained, there will be nice beer, a fine Sunday lunch and that the new tenants will be able to develop a positive relationship with owners Marstons.
Welcome back!
A fascinating collection of historic photos of Winchmore Hill collected together as part this summer’s N21 festival is now available in book form.
“Journey through Winchmore Hill, Past & Present”, gives a unique pictorial comparison between old and present day images and is accompanied by descriptive text extracts from Henrietta Cresswell’s book, “Memories of a Lost Village”, the full text of which is included. Its also packed full of little known facts about the area – Did you know, for example, that Winchmore Hill could have been a fashionable health spa or that smuggled goods were once sold on The Green?
The hardback book will have a limited edition of 200, and contains 160 full colour pages, with foil blocking on the cover, printed endpapers and two bookmark ribbons.
The book receives its official launch on Tuesday 4 December at the Queens Head, starting from 7 – all are welcome. You can also get your copy at Saturday 8 December’s St Nicholas Fair on Winchmore Hill Green, about which more soon, or order online at www.N21.net/pastandpresent info@N21.net.
Better get yours quickly – before they sell out.
Categories
Meet the Hop Poles poltergeist …
Ever wanted to be part of a real ghost investigation?
Lazy Hound Productions will be staking out Enfield’s Hop Poles tonight to see if George, the pub’s resident poltergeist, will put in an appearance. The ghost is said to be that of a pot boy who was killed on Lancaster Road over a hundred years ago. According to the site, the pub is scary enough for a Sky TV to have fled, leaving their equipment behind them.
The investigation begins at 9pm and participants will be provided with including Infrared Cameras, Digital Voice Recorders and EMF Meters. Those with a nervous disposition should not attend.
For further information, advice on last minute ticket availability and future events, call 07920 875840, email bookings@lazyhound.biz or call into The Hop Poles. For more scary videos visit http://www.lazyhound.biz/
Hear a spooky voice (or a creaking door) recorded at the Hop Poles here.
Its been a busy October for us Palmers Greeners. A few of the things we learned this month …
Enfield Council, together with the Broomfield House Trust and Friends of Broomfield Park put in a £4 million bid to the Heritage lottery fund to restore Broomfield House. There is a new website to accompany the bid. We should find out whether it has been successful in February 2013 … David Burrowes MP could be getting his edges tweaked in the new constituency boundary changes prop0sed by the Boundary Commission. The changes are currently subject to consultation … Theresa May announced that Palmers Green hacker Gary McKinnon will not stand trial in the US after a long national campaign. David Burrowes threatened to resign as PPS if McKinnon was extradited … Well over one thousand people in people in Enfield had already signed up to the petition about local control of GP services as part of the campaign being run by 38 Degrees – sign and view the latest total visit http://action.38degrees.org.uk/ccg_postcode. A meeting was held at the Harvester in Arnos Grove to discuss how to ensure the Clinical Commissioning Group being established for Enfield takes into account the wishes of local people …
Worried about neighbours building a sky scraper in their back garden and overshadowing your dahlias? Enfield Council said no how, no way, were they going to implement the government’s changes to the planning system, while in another part of the forest, delegates at the recent conference of Civic Voice also called on the government to scrap the proposals … The North West London Waste Authority began a charm offensive, with a stall in Morrisons and local leafleting. There, a massive incinerator on your doorstep at Pinkham Way doesn’t seem nearly as bad now, does it? …..
If you are planning a Sunday trip up town, First Capital Connect provide some advice on how you can get there in only an hour and a half – pretty much no direct trains to Kings Cross until Christmas on a Sunday, unless you get up early. ……. heading the other way up the railway line, a new farmers market opened at Crews Hill. Good reports so far and we wish them well but it is a little bit naughty to say on their website that they are the first and only farmers market in the borough of Enfield. It would be lovely if a few more people could visit our long established farmers market in Palmers Green – Sundays, station car park. There have been a few new stalls recently, and with more footfall it could expand further.
This month we also learned that …
in the old days, you could crash your plane into a roof in Palmers Green, and calmly smoke a cigarette before even bothering to climb down …. Myddleton Road was once paved with wood …. Southgate Town Hall is featured in the new Morse prequel Endeavour … The Duke of Chandos may once have lived at Broomfield House, and the Lanscroon murals currently reputed to be languishing in the basement of the Town Hall could have been created to impress a monarch. We also heard about the charms of the long gone Broomfield House Museum… but could it live again?
And finally
David Waumsley of the wonderful Palmers Green based Art Cove cards (sold by Anita at PG station cafe) challenged us to a Smiths lyrics stand off a la Chris Packham, and got bored before we did. I am sure that a common experience among PGJITN’s readers. Without the Smiths bit.
Anyway, enough wittering. If there is a topic you would like to write about, why not get in touch, especially if its about history and people? We would love to hear from you. There is a huge knowledge about Palmers Green out there … lets try and put it all together.
May November bring you great good fortune.
Sue, Palmers Green Jewel in the North
Coming soon
Friday 2 November Bob Mills at the Electric Mouse Comedy Club at the Fox. Ricky Grover will also be performing in December.
Sunday 4 November Preparing the Garden of Remembrance in Broomfield Park for Remembrance Sunday. If you have some time to come and help park staff, please come to the Garden between 10 and 12
Friday 9 November Big Green Bookshop Bookswap featuring special guest the Rev Richard Coles Great Northern Hotel Hornsey (new bigger venue for this regular event from the fantastic independent Wood Green bookshop)
Sunday 18 November Herbs and their uses at the conservatory Broomfield Park
Saturday 24 November Christmas Bazaar at the Ruth Winston Centre
Saturday 8 December St Nicholas Fair Winchmore Hill Green. Following on from the summer’s fantastic Winchmore Hill Festival: this!
Saturday 8 December North London Symphony Orchestra perform at the United Reformed Church 7.45 pm – Wagner, Mahler and Franck
Sunday 30 December Floating Lanterns on the Boating Pond, Broomfield Park