The earliest known recordings of a family Christmas have been discovered by the Museum of London – featuring the Wall family of New Southgate.
The 24 rare wax phonograph recordings dating from 1902 to 1917 were made by Cromwell Wall who on at least one occasion wheeled the phonograph in a child’s pram to record the Southgate Church bells.
Christmas was a rather more formal affair in those days. In one of the recordings, Cromwell thanks the inlaws for their hospitality
Dear Mr and Mrs Baker, I am very pleased we are able to gather once more at your Christmas party. All my little ones have enjoyed themselves very much and I also, as well as Minnie….
His brother in law makes a counter speech, hoping that they may gather again together for Christmas 2005. There are many cheers and “What ho – not ‘alfs!”
To read the full story and hear some of the recordings visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20772246
Thanks to Matthew Eccleston for alerting us to this story.
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.
When Grayson Perry produced his colourful and eccentric map of London, he marked Palmers Green with the words’ Joe Strummer lived here’. And indeed he did.
The days as a punk hero were long in the future when Joe Strummer, then simply John Mellor, public school educated diplomat’s son, moved into 18 Ash Grove with his friend Tymon Dogg. They christened the flat ‘vomit heights’ and proceeded to be riotous and not altogether considerate neighbours.
The writer Chris Salewicz knew Joe Strummer for over 25 years before his untimely death at the age of just 50 in 2002 and will be reading from his book Redemption Song, the definitive story of Joe Strummer and The Clash at the Big Green Bookshop next Tuesday, November 20th at 7pm. The event is free but donations are requested for refreshments. It’s a great opportunity to hear their fascinating story, and visit one of the best and most hardworking bookshops in North London.
For more about Joe Strummer in Palmers Green, click here
Did you encounter Joe Strummer when he lived in Palmers Green (or remember seeing evidence of his occupation in Ash Grove)? Tell us more!
Also coming soon at the Big Green Bookshop
Gavin Esler 4 December, Peter Serafinowicz 27 November. (we used to live next door to Peter Serafinowicz and can reveal he plays the Beatles and Elvis very loud at 3 in the morning….grrr)
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.
One of the recent recordings by the quire Image: LGQ
West Gallery Church Music is what you would have heard in many churches up and down the country before it was common for churches to have their own organs.
There is a rare chance to hear west gallery music played live at Enfield’s St Andrew’s church on 27 October, when the London Gallery Quire give an evening performance.
The event is one in a series to support the restoration of St Andrew’s C18th organ, which is being taken away to Liverpool in a few months for a complete overhaul. “So we will be playing music to restore the organ, which was exactly the music that the organ replaced!” laughed David Holliday, one of the church organists showing visitors around the church as part of last weekend’s Open House .
West Gallery Church music is so described because it was often performed by a band of singers and instrumentalists from a gallery at the west end of a church. Explains the Quire’s website.
“It differs markedly from cathedral music, both in style and function. It was written for and in many cases by amateur musicians; professional performance was not usually envisaged. Much of the repertoire consists of settings of the metrical psalms; there are also hymns, anthems and canticles.
The music is often of a very lively and joyful nature; too lively indeed for the reformers of the mid-19th Century Oxford Movement, who sought to replace it with the more staid and solemn repertoire typified by Hymns Ancient and Modern”.
