Newsletter
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The Editor wishes all members a happy New Year. These lines are
being written at a time of crisis, with restrictions on heating and
lighting. Nevertheless the conventional wish is all the more sincere
for it was seldom more necessary than now.
Lectures
The February lecture will be given by Malcolm Colledge "Rome and the
East" at the Hendon Library, The Burroughs, NW4 at 8.00 for 8.15p.m. Dr
Malcolm Colledge is a lecturer at Westfield College, University of
London. He studied Classics at St. John's College, Cambridge, and has
spent several years travelling in Mediterranean and Middle East
countries. He has excavated at a Lullingstone Roman Villa and at Petra
and Tazekand in Iran. He is a specialist in Roman Art and sculpture; he
is also particularly interested in the development of Mediterranean and
Middle Eastern civilisation. In 1967 he published "The Parthians" -- an
account of one of the first Middle Eastern civilisations.
Report on the December lecture on Industrial Archaeology contributed by Alec Jeakins.
Paul Carter chose to examine the premise put forward by R. A.
Buchanan that "Industrial Archaeology is at the crossroads" and that
after a period of self-analysis it must decide in which direction it is
going.
In some parts of the country, industrial archaeology has still
not been accepted by many of the county societies, with the result that
people interested in this field have formed themselves into local
groups which are, as yet, unorganised by any national body. The
publications produced by these societies are of a very variable
quality, only a few being up to the standard of papers published in the
county journals. The Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society
(GLIAS) is about to produce its own Journal, and proof pages were on
show. As an introduction to the work GLIAS is attempting to carry out,
the "Chronicle" film was shown and brought up to date by showing a
number of slides. While showing the slides, Paul Carter attempted to
open the audience's eyes to the industrial remains that are all around.
He also pointed out the dangers of over-selection, using the example of
two original diesel-electric locomotives that came into service in
1947; at the end of their life British Rail tried to give these
important locomotives to various preservation societies, but because
these engines were not stream-driven nobody was interested and they
were then surely sold for scrap.
The final item of the lecture was the showing of the "Abbey
Mills Pumping Station" made by Dennis Smith and a team from West Ham
Technical College. This was a magnificent example of the right media
being used for the right job; no number of still photographs and plans
can really give a true impression of a pumping station at work.
N.B. Our own industrial archaeology project still needs help
us. Some of the areas the organisers are hoping to look at in the early
stages are the remains of farming in the Borough, the aircraft industry
around Hendon and along the Edgware Road, and the hospitals. If you
want to help with these projects and others please contact Alec
Jeakins.
Christmas Party
Whereas it would be difficult, if not impossible, to mention
individually all those who worked very hard to achieve the friendly
evening that was enjoyed by many, the Editor feels that Richard Deacon
should be thanked for his stage-managing of the overall arrangements,
Joan Bird for her responsibility for catering and Dorothy Newbury for
her successful Tombola that raised £15 for the Society's funds.
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One of the party guests contributes the following: --
The HADAS Christmas party was held on 14 December at 166 Station
Road, Hendon, festively decorated for the occasion by Eric Grant. A
postcard picture of an "antiquity" was pinned on each guest on arrival,
plus the person's name, to ensure conversational openings.
Early in the evening excellent hot punch was served, and
everyone clearly appreciated the delectable and ample food. This
disappeared steadily -- and the company was ready for mince pies and
coffee at the end. The Tombola was a huge success, especially as it was
engineered that every ticket won a prize. There was plenty of
opportunity for people to chat and get to know new members, so that
social relaxation rather than brain work was the keynote, apart from
the historical-literary quiz. Many thanks are due to the organisers for
such a happy and successful evening.
Excavation – Church End Hendon
Reasonably good December weather has helped to the Church End dig,
although we were rained off once or twice and frozen out on other days.
On one occasion two keen diggers, before settling down on their
kneeling mats in the trenches, could be observed removing ice half an
inch thick from one trench, in pieces that looked like to plate-glass.
That's true devotion to digging!
At the moment we plan to continue digging from now on to the
end of March on Wednesdays 10.30 to dusk, Saturdays 10.00 to dusk and
Sundays 10.00 to dusk weather permitting. It may be however that in
view of the three-day working week, some members will like to dig at
other times. Any member who wants to dig outside the announced times is
asked to let Mrs. Dorothy Newbury know. If enough members want it, we
shall try to arrange other digging sessions.
Brockley Hill Weekends
Another successful work-in on the Brockley Hill Pottery took place
on December 1-2, through the kind co-operation of Mr John Enderby and
the Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute, who lent the Teahouse for the
occasion. On average nine members turned up to every session, and as
almost all were experienced in handling of Roman pottery, a good deal
of solid work was done.
The material represents the finds from the early excavations at
Brockley Hill Roman kiln-site, which took place at varying intervals
between 1937 and 1954. In the main, finds from the earliest digs are
all vessels and large pieces (which suggests that some smaller sherds
from these years were discarded at the time of excavation). From the
later years -- particularly the 1953 and 1954 digs -- there are large
numbers of small sherds, which take longer to study, categorise and
record.
The Society's aim is, in time, to build up a complete index of
all the material. This is a large undertakings since, in addition to
information about the vessels or sherds which appears on the front of
each index card, there is also a photograph or measured drawing on the
back. During the December weekend the index grew appreciably in size
and members made good inroads into the study and differentiation of
pottery types, particularly in the "difficult" 1953-4 years. Further
weekends are planned for the future -- the next is likely to be in
April.
Book Box
Last year, thanks to the initiative and hard work of Philippa
Bernard, HADAS began building up its own book box, from which members
may borrow at any time. The box makes a regular appearance at monthly
meetings during the winter. Mrs. Bernard, having got the venture off
the ground, is now handing over responsibility to George Ingram, one of
keenest diggers and research workers, who has kindly agreed to act as
the Society's Librarian for an experimental period. Members have been
generous in donating books to the box which, as a result, is rapidly
assuming the proportions of a small library. Indeed, so weighty is the
box itself that Mr Ingram does not propose to bring the whole
collection to each monthly lecture.
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Instead, he will show a selection of the more popular volumes
plus a full list of the books now owned by HADAS. Members can then
reserve any book which is not on show. And should you want an
archaeological book which you suspect may be in the box, don't forget
that a phone call to Mr Ingram will tell you whether or not it is
available.
HADAS exhibition at Church Farm House Museum
Last August Newsletter No. 30 announced plans for the next big HADAS
exhibition. This is to take place, by kind invitation of the Borough
Librarian, between February 23rd and March 31st next at Church Farm
House Museum. The subject is the various activities of our society, and
the title is "Archaeology in the Borough".
During this winter a team (its backbone is the Research
Committee, but other members are helping) has been working on the
various displays. Moats have been surveyed, tombstones have been
scrubbed and photographed, documents have been deciphered, photo-copies
collected, engravings tracked down and, at the moment, titles are being
lettered, maps drawn, captions typed and the whole run-up to an
exhibition is under way.
The Committee hopes that all members who can, will give a
little time at Weekends to help steward the exhibition. The
contribution of non-digging members to this work will be it especially
valuable, since our diggers will still be trying to keep the Church End
excavation open. During previous HADAS exhibitions at Church Farm House
it has been very helpful to have two members on duty as stewards on
Saturdays and Sundays, when visitors are plentiful. Many people like to
ask questions about the Society or about the exhibits.
What we are aiming at is to have to steward on duty on
Saturdays from 2.00-5.30p.m. and on Sundays from 2.30-6.00 from
February 23rd to March 31st inclusive. If you are prepared to help,
even for a short time, in this way, will you please let a Brigid
Grafton Green know as soon as possible, so that a stewards rota can be
worked out.
New booklet on Mill Hill
Many members will have seen and enjoyed the booklet of old
photographs -- "Hendon as it was" -- which was published last summer by
Clive R. Smith. Mr Smith, a member of HADAS, has now produced a second
booklet, "Mill Hill as it was". This too is a collection of old and
interesting photographs with brief captions. Its full selling price is
£0.65, but Mr Smith very kindly offers HADAS members a special price of
£0.50. Members who would like to avail themselves of this offer should
send their orders to our Librarian, Mr George Ingram with a remittance
for the copies required.
The Minimart
Excavations cost money, and in order to enable the Society to fulfil
this, one of our prime functions, it is necessary to raise funds. It is
proposed, therefore, that HADAS should hold a Mini Mart on Saturday 6
March from 9.00a.m. to 1.00p.m. at the Henry Burden Hall, Hendon.
Coffee will be served, and it is hoped to have stalls to sell your
home-made cakes, jams and sweets; paperbacks, old records and unwanted
odds and ends. It is also proposed to have a notice board for Exchange
and Mart. Members are entreated to bear all this in mind and make that
extra pot of marmalade in January, salvage their Penguins for the
Jumble Sale, and turn out to the old 78s from the attics. The Unwanted
mink or Rolls Royce may well find a purchaser on the Notice Board and
the unwanted Christmas present be snapped up on the stall!
Details will follow in the February Newsletter, but do write the date in your diary now.
Contributed by Daphne Lorimer.
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Whetstone Fire Station – preliminary note
Daphne Lorimer sent us this report:
Quite by accident, in May 1973, I learnt that the headquarters
of the Whetstone branch of Toc H had, originally, been the local
Whetstone fire station.
This building (No. 1232, High Road, Whetstone) is a small,
narrow wooden hut, sandwiched between the public lavatories and the new
offices of the General Accident Insurance Company, opposite the Ever
Ready building (grid reference TQ2648 9390). It is over 120 years old
and originally belonged to 35HIX Division, who relinquished it in 1932.
It was the custom for the parish fire-engine to be located in
sheds adjacent to the premises of the Chief Fireman and records at
Lambeth Museum on the Fire Service indicated that, at some period, this
was Trounsen and Knight's garage in Whetstone. Local Fire Services
were, however, frequently the responsibility of the Parish Council, and
the stations, in this instance, were situated near the Parish Church.
This hut is, in fact, nearly opposite St. John's Church, Whetstone and
several of the older members of the congregation remember it in use.
(Examination of the minutes of the Parish Council meetings is in the
course of being arranged.)
The machine used in Whetstone was thought to have been an old
Bedposter Manual Fire Engine, and a spare machine was kept in the house
of a Mr. Randell, the Chief Fireman, who lived in one of the small
group of cottages known as St. John's Close (now demolished to make way
for Swan Court). A Bedposter Manual Fire Engine, 1930 vintage, was
transferred to the Lambeth Museum when 9 Middlesex boroughs were
incorporated in the GLC. The Museum authorities consider that it is
within the bounds of possibility that this machine may have originated
in Whetstone.
The Whetstone Fire Brigade was nationalised in 1941,
denationalised in 1948 and incorporated in the GLC went the Greater
London Borough of Barnet was formed.
The old helmets of Parish firemen were frequently regarded as
treasured possessions and became family heirlooms (knowledge of the
whereabouts of any of them would be much appreciated). The original
type of helmet was leather and made in the "merryweather" pattern with
leather crossed axes or L.F.B. in front. Inspired by the brass helmets
of the special Army Fire Corps of France, these were replaced, in 1868,
by brass helmets with a silver one for the Fire Chief. However, these
were found to act as conductors of electricity and were the occasion of
several severe shocks to firemen dealing with live cables and were
gradually replaced by fire helmets during the period between 1936-1939.
It is hoped that, as well as an examination of the Parish
Records, the scrutiny of contemporary issues of the local press will
reveal more information and, possibly, sketches and photographs of the
Whetstone Fire Brigade in action.
This newsletter has been edited by Christina Arnott.