WHAT’S NEW
February 2011
UNDER THE WIRES AT TALLY HO
Today pollution-free transport is high on the political agenda, yet it is sometimes forgotten that electric vehicles ran on the streets of London from the early 1900s until 1962. Our Chairman, David Berguer, has written a history of trams and trolleybuses in north-west London which is published on 26 February 2011 by The History Press.
The book runs to 128 pages and includes 90 photographs and illustrations as well as 8 technical appendices. The book includes a chapter on the colourful ‘pirate’ buses which ran in London in the 1920s and were competitors to the trams and the General buses of the time.
The book can be ordered from The History Press at www.thehistorypress.co.uk or through your local bookshop:
ISBN 078 0 7524 5875 5
January 2011
The former Embassy Lounge Indian Restaurant at 248 Oakleigh Road North, which started life as The Rising Sun pub, is now being converted into a Tesco Express supermarket. As this was not deemed a change of use, no planning permission was required, which meant that neither Barnet Council nor local residents had a chance to oppose the change which may well affect local small shopkeepers in the area. The plans include converting the first floor into flats.
December 2010
A new Travelodge Hotel has recently opened on the site of the former Black Bull public house at 1446 High Road, Whetstone. Also on the site is a new Halfords store fronting on to the High Road; the entrance to the hotel is at the rear of the store. Travelodge specialise in offering cheap rates which, like many airlines, vary depending on the occupancy rate at the time of booking.
Saturday 27 November 2010 - Tree Planting Event at New Southgate Millennium Green
Tenth Anniversary Celebrations: Two memorial trees were planted on the Green; one an English Elm and the other a Ginkgo Biloba. The ashes of James Irvine were also placed in the hole prepared for the Ginkgo. He was one of the long-term volunteers, who died of cancer earlier this year. About 30 people were at the event, which included a free barbeque. The local MP, David Burrowes also attended, and several people took the opportunity to discuss the New Southgate Masterplan with him.
November 2010 - Barnet Local Studies
The Local Studies Archive has now moved to Hendon Library, The Burroughs, NW4 4BQ. Phone and email will remain the same, (see Links page for opening times).
Oral History Project
Click on this link to see the full booklet: http://www.barnet.gov.uk/reminiscences-booklet.pdf
September 2009 The new South Friern Library opened its doors on 15 September. The state-of-the-art library forms part of a residential development of flats and houses on the corner of Colney Hatch Lane and Sutton road, N10. The library features wireless internet access, self-issue terminals a community meeting room and a brand new stock of books.
July 2009 Whetstone’s most distinctive building, the Toc H hut, was demolished this month, along with the adjoining office building, number 1230 High Road, N20 and the disused public toilets on its north side. The hut was built in 1890 and was used by Whetstone Fire Brigade until 1933. The hut remained disused until after the War when it was used by Toc H for their meetings. It had remained empty for several years, slowly growing more dilapidated.
March 2008. The Black Bull pub at 1446-48 High Road, Whetstone closed its doors for the last time on 31 March. The current building dates from 1925, although there has been a pub on the site since at least 1750. Until the early 1900s the Black Bull used to prove a popular stop for farmers and traders taking their produce to sell in London.
July 2007. A block of flats at 1 Friern Barnet Road is nearing completion. This is situated on the western side of Betstyle Circus, once known as Lander's Corner, after the firm of monumental masons A K Lander, who had a yard on the corner of Oakleigh Road South. The new development is semi-circular in shape and is appropriately named The Arc. It consists of 33 apartments of 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms. Prices start around £255,000.
December 2006. At 5.00pm on Saturday 16 December the South Friern Library in Colney Hatch Lane closed its doors for the last time and a three storey block of flats will be built on the site. Barnet Council announced the closure in early 2004 but, thanks to intense lobbying from local residents, the new scheme had to include a new library on the ground floor. The redevelopment may take eighteen months to complete. The library opened in 1964 and was refurbished as recently as 2003. A mobile library will call once a week, on Fridays, in the interim.
October 2006. The History Channel broadcast a programme on Friern Hospital in their Hidden House History series on 17 October. Our Chairman, David Berguer, was interviewed and gave details of the building of the Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum and the treatment of mental illness in Victorian times.
July 2006. A brand new development of houses has been built off Colney Hatch Lane and a new road has been created: Dudrich Close, named after the developers, Dudrich Holdings.
June 2006. The final stage in the development of the former Friern Hospital site (Princess Park Manor) was completed. A brand new wing, to the east of the existing building, was completed this month. The developers, Comer Homes, have sympathetically adhered to the style of the old buildings which are Grade II listed.