Monday 8 June 2015

Discover some Brent local history this summer

Guest blog by Philip Grant
 
Some of the comments on last month’s blog about the unexploded Second World War bomb which was unearthed at Wembley Park suggest that there are “Wembley Matters” readers interested in local history. Wembley History Society has been promoting an interest in the area’s history for over sixty years, and here are some of the activities it is involved in which give you the chance to discover more.
If you live in Kingsbury, and thought that history was just something you had to learn in school, with lots of dates that you could never remember, there is an Adult Learners’ Week event on Tuesday 16 June which may change your mind. “History – it’s a walk in the park!” will take you on a guided walk around Roe Green Park, looking at features you may have passed by without knowing the stories behind them. The walk leaves Kingsbury Library at 1.30pm, and details can be found HERE
 
This event is free, and there is no need to book – just turn up by 1.25pm on the day if you want to take part.
Kingsbury Cricket Team, c.1901
If Sudbury is your local area, there is a community local history project taking place at the moment which could be “up your street”. Wembley History Society and Brent Archives are working with residents’ associations, schools and individuals to put together material for a display in the autumn. “Sudbury –Then and Now” is inviting people to “adopt” one of many old photographs and postcards of the area, find out a little about the story behind it, and take a matching colour view of the scene in 2015. If you think that this would be of interest to you, more details can be found on the Sudbury Town Residents’ Association website HERE which includes a pdf presentation about the project, and how you can get involved.
The Mall, Sudbury. c.1914
Vale Farm Swimming Pool, 1950's
 If you prefer to get your information from an illustrated talk, there is an opportunity to find out more about some of Brent’s most unusual homes from the 1920’s and 1930’s, and the man who designed them, on Friday 19 June. “Ernest Trobridge – Kingsbury’s Extraordinary Architect” is the subject of a Wembley History Society presentation at English Martyrs’ Hall, just off Blackbird Hill, Wembley Park, beginning at 7.30pm. There are details HERE and on the poster above
Philip Grant

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are you planning another Trobridge walk around Kingsbury, Philip? The last one I went on was excellent.

Chris

Anonymous said...

Dear Chris (and any other readers who may be thinking the same),

Thank you for asking. I had hoped to lead a walk around some of the homes in Kingsbury designed by Ernest Trobridge, in conjunction with my talk to Wembley History Society, but unfortunately I have too much "on my plate" at present to allow me the time to organise one.

You can, however, download a pdf version of my self-guided walk leaflet, "From Cottages to Castles - a walk around Trobridge's Kingsbury", from the Brent Archives website at:
http://brent.gov.uk/media/387525/From%20Cottages%20to%20Castles,%202012%20edition.pdf

If I do arrange another Trobridge guided walk, I will let Martin have details, so that he can publicise it on "Wembley Matters" for any readers who may be interested in coming along.

Philip.