Category: History

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Art and Culture Bowes Park History Music Shops

Bizarre Bowes Park for the “interesting and nice”

Bizarre Bowes Park image Peter Berthoud

Award winning tour guide Peter Berthoud of Discovering London repeats his Bizarre Bowes Park walk at the weekend

Peter promises that the tour will take in “Ovi the dinosaur, an odd collection of eagles, London’s most interesting underpants, and a ramshackle “pop-up” church that has recently been saved and  look at some interesting late Victorian and Edwardian architecture.” It will also include a stop off for a drink in one the area’s most interesting bars, an exploration of Bowes Park’s musical links and a chance to view the most disturbing window display in the entire city.

Peter has  introduced an entertaining pricing system for this walk, and that alone is worth clicking through to make a booking.

The walk is on Sunday 30 September from 11-2 and starts at Bowes Green tube station.

Categories
Food Health History Palmers Green Shops Uncategorized

Have you tried the new helium bread?

Helium bread was one of the exciting delicacies offered at Goodall’s in Park Parade Palmers Green in the first years of the 1900s.

Leading medics of the day were testifying to its health benefits, including the King’s physician. And if you hadn’t tried it you were missing out, declared The Recorder in the housewives column of its first issue in November 1907.

I tried a four days’ old loaf the other day, and found it as moist as a few hours’ old household. There is no crust, merely a thin crisp coating. The shape of the loaf is such, that delightful pieces of toast can be made.

It was perfect for afternoon tea too, and look! no waste:

There is one thing about the bread: there never will be any waste; no odd crusts to throw to the birds.

Goodall’s version with added currants was, apparently, was particularly tasty.

 Neither of Goodall’s loaves were the best thing since sliced bread however. That wasnt invented until 1912.

  • The Recorder was published from 1907 to 1916. A searchable disc containing all 170 issues is now available  from Southgate District Civic Trust
An advertisement for Goodalls from the first issue of The Recorder, November 1907, reproduced by kind permission of David Cooper/Southgate Civic Trust

 

Categories
Community History Planning and open spaces

Have your say in the future of Broomfield House

Broomfield House at the turn of the century Image: The Broomfield House Trust/Friends of Broomfield Park

Could change finally be in the air in the chequered fortunes of Broomfield House?

The Broomfield House Trust and Friends of Broomfield Park have announced they are working on a new proposal with Enfield Council to secure financial support from the UK Heritage Lottery Fund, the aim, to restore the House for community purposes. The plans include restoration of the house to its nineteenth century appearance, without the mock Tudor facade added in the 1930s. The intention is to then follow up with a further, second bid, to the Parks for People Lottery Fund, to revitalise the Stable Yard and Baroque Gardens.

The announcement signals a change in direction from Enfield Council, who had previously proposed financing plans for the house and park through housing development. Housing proposal plans displayed on the side of the house have recently been taken down.

The next open meeting of the Friends of Broomfield Park will be on Wednesday 17th October at the Ruth Winston Centre. In the meantime, local residents are being asked to complete a short survey about their usage of the park, and how they would like the house to be developed and used.

So…what facilities would you like to see at Broomfield House ? some performance space? learning facilities? function rooms? A café? a small cinema? Click on the link to have your say, give your support and contribute to a brighter future for Palmers Green’s historic heart.

 

Categories
History

A sign of the past on Palmers Green station

A clue to Palmers Green’s wartime past, still visible on the London bound platform at Palmers Green station……..

Sign for the ARP staff shelter entrance on Palmers Green station. still clearly visible 70 years later

There were over 1.4 million ARP officers in the UK during the Second World War. Their functions were many and various including patrolling the streets during blackout, helping those whose houses had been bombed, issuing gas marks and Anderson shelters. Some became ARP Ambulance Attendants, providing first aid, and the sad task of helping recover bodies.

Alastair Parmar of Southgate District Civic Trust is asking local residents to come forward with memories of the shelter and the events that happened there. Likewise, we would be interested to hear your memories, particularly if you, a friend or relative remember the bombing of Palmers Green station in October 1944. You can email the trust directly here mailto:info@southgatedistrictcivictrust.co.uk or share your stories below.

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History Uncategorized

Enfield opens its doors

London Open House runs again on the weekend of 22 and 23rd September, and is a brilliant opportunity to see London’s best kept secrets and nose around some of its most famous buildings.

Enfield will have 13 properties opening over the weekend

  • Enfield Town Library. Built in 1912 and reopened after restoration in 2010 with a new glass extension, the Library won a London Planning Award for best built project.
  • The Chickenshed Theatre. Purpose built theatre facilities
  • The Friends Meeting House and Burial Grounds – dating from 1790
  • George V Pumping Station – designed to pump water from the River Lee into the George V reservoir
  • Lee Valley Athletics Centre – state of the art and sustainable sports facilities
  • Myddleton House – home of the great plantsman E A Bowles
  • North London Hospice Building in Barrowell Green – just recently opened state of the art facilities
  • The parish church of St Andrew Enfield – dating from the 13th century, one of the very oldest buildings in the borough
  • North London Priory Hospital – fantastic grade 1 listed building overlooking Grovelands Park
  • The Royal Small Arms Factory
  • St Mary Magdelaine Church in Windmill Hill – an example of the Victorian gothic
  • 11 Second Avenue, Bush Hill Park – timber clad garden studio and refurbishment of a victorian house, with gardens

If you would like to stay local but venture a little further, there is the wonderful Studio A and theatre at Alexandra Palace and the Muswell Hill Odeon – both worth a look.

Some events require pre booking and not all venues are open both days, so check before setting out. Venues can be busy and the London Open House website has also been experiencing a few glitches, so don’t delay planning your day.

Are there any buildings in Palmers Green  you would like to see opened for Open House day?

Enfield’s 13th century St Andrew’s church (c) London Open House
Categories
Art and Culture History Southgate

Southgate wandering and winners

Congratulations to Celia Price and Patricia Johnson who were the winners of Southgate walk competition.  

If you didnt win this time, its not too late to make plans to explore the streets of Southgate this Sunday (19 August) in the company of Joe Studman. Joe’s walk, Welds, Walkers and Watering Holes starts at 2.30 at Southgate underground station. Just bring yourself, and £3.

For further information contact Joe at www.jaywalks.co.uk