Mill Hill’s Community Monthly Newspaper FREE on-line Edition
SPOTLIGHT Rex Walford and John Keble Youth Club The War Years and Clarion Recall Page 6-7 August 2017 www.mhtoday.co.uk Vol 1 Issue 1
#marvellousmillhill
This week is a week of launches in Mill Hill. Today sees the first small step for an on-line monthly newspaper and on Wednesday the Mill Hill Neighbourhood forum’s Social Media secretary, Caroline Oliver launched a major Social Media initiative across all Media platforms. Called #marvellousmillhill it will feature interviews and photographs with local people. Putting a spotlight on the area and the people who live and work here. This is just one of many new initiatives that have brought Mill Hill into the 21st century recently. The Forum is involved in running the new NW7 hub at the Local Library. In recent years regular markets have been arranged for The Broadway as well as the Annual Firework Display at Allianz Arena and an Annual Mill Hill Guide delivered free to all addresses in the area. This is just the start, and #marvellousmillhill seeks to spread the word about community. Join us and let’s make Mill Hill marvellous. Read More on Page 3
NOW OPEN (where Cafe Fratelli was) MILL HILL BROADWAY
Welcome Published by : Arc Media Group NW7 3LH EDITOR : Ray R Richards FEATURES WRITER : Eddie Mitchell WRITERS : Hugo Webster Caroline Oliver Mark Richards Alan Woodhead IMAGES : Caroline Oliver Broadway News Mill Hill Guide John Gillett Mark Richards Dominik Hay Graphics : Broadway Design & Graphics Advertising : info@mhtoday.co.uk NEXT ISSUE : FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 1st 2017 WEBSITE : www.mhtoday.co.uk TWITTER www.twitter.com/mhtoday1 BLOG : www.millhillbroadway.co.uk TWITTER : www.twitter.com/millhillbwy
In an era of closing newspapers we wanted to do something different for our lovely area Mill Hill. The success of our Blog News Site since starting in 2010 which attracts up to 10,000 views each month made us realise that the area needs coverage. This monthly format is not to rival any print newspapers. They deal in crime and generally bad news. This newspaper is about community first and last. It is about the people and what we do in Mill Hill and beyond. We hope to grow it to around 36pp. Mill Hill has one of the most highly educated populations in the UK. With nearly 70% of us with degrees or equivalent. We also have a high percentage who run their own companies or are in managerial positions. We are a very blessed area with beautiful parkland and fabulous housing. We also have a vibrant Broadway and other quality shopping districts. The content of this monthly paper will be dictated by you. Please support us and contribute. We cant promise fame or fortune, but a chance to create a real sense of community. The local Neighbourhood Forum is at the forefront of all initiatives and we thank them for their considerable support.
ADVERTISING WITH MH TODAY contact us | info@mhtoday.co.uk
We accept all advertising and prefer you to advertise for 12 issues at a time where possible. Here are some examples : 12 Issues of 1/4 page | £20 12 Issues of 1/2 page | £40 1 Issue of 1/4 page | £10 1 Issue of 1/2 page | £20 Other sizes are available and we can do 6 months as well. We are non profit making. All proceeds will cover our online costs and any profits will go to NW7 Hub Charity.
NEWS HOW I GOT INVOLVED in #marvellousMillHill by Caroline Oliver Social Media Admin MHNF
The idea for the social media initiative came about when the Chairman, John, made me an admin for the Mill Hill Neighbourhood Forum Facebook page. I felt there was something that needed to be done to bring the community together. This photo campaign is unique because it focuses on the people behind the businesses and organisations in NW7. That can vary from shop assistants and floor staff to managers and owners - #marvellousMillHill helps introduce people in our community to local business leaders who could help you with a whole variety of services from having your nails done to getting help with insurance - and yes that really is an example of the kind of people I have spoken to. Every Wednesday evening you can tune in to our #marvellousMillHill photo campaign on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to like and comment on the photos - and be sure to give them a share!
NEWS IN SHORT The POCKET PARK in Mill Hill Broadway has finally received planning approval from Barnet Council. We will bring you details next month about the plans. The MILL HILL GUIDE will be delivered in the middle of October 2017 this year. Some ad space is still available. Send listings as well to info@millhillbroadway.co.uk
SHOPPING Mill Hill has several shopping areas with the largest at Mill Hill Broadway. Each month we will feature several shops from Mill Hill. The Newspaper will have several pages dedicated to each section based on how many people contribute. We ask any shop to get in touch and tell us about themselves, send us some photos of the shop and staff. This is a chance to promote your services to the local area completely free of charge. All shops are welcome whether independent or national chains. Please get in touch via info@millhillbroadway.co.uk
EATING & DRINKING Mill Hill is famous for its quality restaurants and cafes. We want to hear from them about offers and what they are doing. We also want to review local restaurants. So if you visit a place which you want to tell everyone else about and why it is so good then please get in touch. Photos of food very welcome ! info@millhillbroadway. co.uk Many new restaurants have opened in the last 12 months including CANNONS Fish and Chip shop, BAW Asian Cafe, Hudsons, The Creamery, and most recently Mill and Brew. We would love to hear about these new places so that readers can find out more. This newspaper will hopefully have 40+ pages packed with contributions from local people Dont be shy - get involved and write something for us.
ADVERTISING IN 2018 GUIDE
Over 75% of advertising space has been taken already for the Annual Area Guide which comes out in October. Dont Miss out book your space ! DELIVERED TO ALL 10,000 HOME IN MILL HILL
CONTACT : John at millhill_nf@btinternet.com
SPOTLIGHT THE QUESTION In 2011 The Broadway News and Blog reported the very sad death of Rex Walford who was a Senior Don at Cambridge University. I asked then about his link to Mill Hill because he had written some books about this area. I had personally known Dr Walford but had never known his link to Mill Hill and asked for help. (R Richards) We then received this E MAIL from Alan Woodford in Canada. THE ANSWER Re the question on your blog. “Rex attended Deansbrook School during WW2. An account of his time there appears in the school history commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the school’s founding. He was a long time member of John Keble Church and very active in the John Keble Youth Club as well as in the Amateur Dramatic Group associated with the church - ‘The Good Companions’. Up until his death he published a newsletter for ex JKYC members called ‘Clarion Recall’. I also went to Deansbrook, but later, from 1947 to 1953.” Regards. Alan Woodford Owen Sound Ontario, Canada ‘Reminiscences’ of: “A History of Deansbrook School - Mill Hill” Founded 25th August 1931
Compiled, narrated and edited by: Mary B Pack (National Foundation Certificate) in commemoration of the school’s 50th Anniversary’ There is no copyright notice in the book. I suspect it was self published. There is a note on the second page ‘This book is produced by kind courtesy of: Kirkbest Ltd 123 Farm Road, Edgware, Middx.’. It was printed by The Hillary Press, 75 Church Road, Hendon, N.W.4
“Rex Walford, 1939-45, who has kindly referred me to two of his contemporaries, writes: “I lived very close to Deansbrook School in my childhood and so the noises from the two school fields drifted across to Church Close long before I was old enough to go to the infants’ School. Even so, I still remember the mixture of excitement and apprehension which surrounded that first ushering in to Miss Chick’s study with my mother. “Can you tell the time?” she asked . . . and I could; the first examination was passed.
REX WALFORD 1934 - 2011 World War 2 Memories of life at Deansbrook are inextricably bound up with World War 11, though I can’t place all of them accurately now. But I can remember early in the war, makeshift ‘air raid drill’ in . an Infants’ classroom with Miss Neill (diving under the desks and sitting still for several minutes) and a short period when school was abandoned and teachers came to visit us in our homes, gathered in groups. In the 1940 bombing, our nearest public shelters were those In the school field: I can recall being slung over my mother’s shoulder in what seemed the dead of night and hurled down the road as the sirens sounded. Later in the war-it must have been during the V-bomb attacks of 1944-we had lessons in the brick shelters on the Junior Field, sometimes staying there for most of the day. There were brick shelters in the Junior Playground too, and they gave rise to a unique game which the Opies’ would no doubt catalogue and explain if they knew of it. The masochistic ran from one brick entry of the shelter to the other with the wall behind them, while the less brave pelted them with tennis balls. Why this gave both groups such tremendous pleasure I have never known, but I remember spending many playtimes immersed in that activity.And there was the ‘war effort’ itself . . . There was the day we all took aluminium fish-friers and other home implements to put on a huge heap in the Junior School quadrangle (part of the Beaverbrook propaganda drive, I discovered many years later); . . . there was the writing of ‘Dig for Victory’ couplets for a competition-the Muse fortunately visited me at the right moment and I shared a 2/6d. prize with Joyce Sutton . . . and in the top class of the Infants we went through a long spasm of daily collecting farthings to help buy a Spitfire. I remember taking up tins of several hundreds of farthings to a Ministry of Defence building in Whitehall where these were gravely received by a Civil Servant whom I fondlyimagined to be at least the Marshal of the R.A.F. at the time. . . In 2011 Alan Woodhead helped start a website where John Keble YC members could share stories about Rex, local history, and their time at Deansbrook. Visit it here: www.clarionrecall.org/
The School Hall The Infants' School hall was the regular centre of B.B.C. Radio 'Music and Movement' broadcasts which I enjoyed thoroughly. And there are fuzzy images too, of the policeman with his 'road safety' posters, and the hymn sheets at the front from which we sang daily. Perhaps most of all, as far as 'Hall' activities go, I remember a Junior production of 'Alice in Wonderland' in which I was cast as the White Rabbit. (Elizabeth Dawson played Alice, and the Wright twins, Donald and Brian, were perfectly castas the ubiquitously appearing Cheshire Cat). That, I guess, may have been responsible for setting me off on what has been a lifelong involvement with the amateur theatre. And there was the time that Mr. Hay called the whole Junior 61 School into the Hall to be questioned after afternoon break, because of the complaint of a Rudyard Grove resident that Deansbrook boy had been scrumping his apples during playtime. D ...... C ......, a big and somewhat dubious character protested vigorously that he had voluntarily stayed in his classroom all through the break in order to do extra raffia work, but this unlikely alibi was hooted down with laughter from the rest of the school, and later he owned UP. Redhill Hospital Of personal memories, the most vivid is of the Top Class of the Juniors, and particularly of breaking my arm in a game of soccer (1st XI v. 2nd XI trial) and being taken off to hospital in a semiconscious state. REX WALFORD A Brief Timeline From Service Sheet via Ckarion Recall 1934 Born in Edgware, Middlesex 1939 First days at school „difficult in Welsh-speaking class 1945 Scholarship to University College School, Hampstead 1947 The „Four Boys in Rhythm‟ play Acton Town Hall 1951-58 Part-time journalist with Hendon and Finchley Times 1952-55 London School of Economics (B.Sc. Econ) 1952 Acquires a BSA Bantam 1955-58 Kings College, London (PGCE and BD) 1958-62 Head of Geography, St Mary‘s C of E School, Hendon 1960-61 Northwestern University, USA (MA) 1961 Hits a four off Jim Laker for the US International Team 1962 Good Companions placed First in Hendon Drama Festival 1962-73 Geography Lecturer/Senior Tutor, Maria Grey College, Twickenham 1967 Directs West Side Story for Mill Hill Council of Churches 1969 Marries Wendy Kirby at John Keble Church, Mill Hill 1970 Full member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators 1973-99 Lecturer/Head of Dept., School of Ed, Cambridge Uni 1981 Directs Godspell for Swavesey RADSOC and takes it to Ely 1990s-2010 Madingley courses and concerts with Gabrielle Bell 1995 Picks up 4,820 crab apples
On the day following, my class mates used ‘Composition’ period to write letters to cheer me up as I lay in Redhill. I searched through the loft the other day and found that I still had the envelope addressed by Miss Minty with no less than 47 letters from Class I, dated 11-101944. Their echoes carry the atmosphere of Primary School, and the fine-grain of wartime childhood... . ."I am sorry for the writing, but this is war-time paper and itblotches . . . we have just done ten of those horrid profit and loss sums from the Larcomb book . . . it was lucky your father is home on leave at present and can visit you . . . Colin (Marshall) was very annoyed that you have to stay in hospital as he was coming to tea with you today . . . I am sending you three Wizards and a Rover to cheer you up . . . I am sorry for the change in ink, but I have just been moved into the end block, for talking . . . Miss Minty says the Scholarship Test books will be in at Smith's next week . . . We hear that you are in a ward with some Tommies from Normandy. I bet they will have some exciting stories to tell . . ."MISS Minty (tongue-in-cheek I'm sure) suggested that I might pass the time by marking the letters-and I did (Out of 20) . . . I suppose that's how I began a career in education . . ." Rex has enjoyed a most distinguished, interesting career and is at presentDirector of Studies in Education at King's College and Pembroke College, Cambridge. In conclusion he expresses his pleasure in trying To remember his days at Deansbrook and also his tremendous affection for the school. Mary B Pack 1999 Pilkington Prize for „teaching excellence – Cambridge 1999 Produces dramatisation of New Testament at St Marks 2000 OBE for „contributions to geographical scholarship 2003 Anglia Ruskin University (PhD) 2008 Acquires a Harley Davidson XL 2010 Picks up 9,563 crab apples (a bumper year) Rex died in the Thames on New Years Day 2011. The Royal Geographical Society have awarded the Rex Walford Prize each year to a Geography Teacher in memory. Rex Walford Award 2017 The Rex Walford Award is for trainees or teachers who have just started their careers, including students enrolled on a PGCE, Teach First and Schools Direct alongside NQTs and colleagues at a similar stage in their careers. Linked to the Young Geographer of the Year competition, this year’s Rex Walford Award asks entrants to produce a short scheme of work, covering at least three lessons that focuses on the question ‘What is the geography of your favourite place?’ The Society welcomes innovative and effective approaches to engaging students with this question and would also be interested to see examples of students’ work that has resulted from the lessons. The deadline for all entries is 9.00am on Friday 13 October 2017. Details www.rgs.org
REVIEW ROMEO & JULIET August 1 2017 Royal Festival Hall English National Ballet
and power under Gavin Sutherland’s direction. The company danced well despite the width of the stage being artificially restricted for some reason.
The 40th Anniversary production of Nureyev’s ballet came to ENB’s former home on the South Bank for one week. A sold out audience saw an elaborate version of the Shakespearian tale. With a company of 60 taking to the stage. A real spectacle of colour and vibrant dancing. Romeo was danced with vigour by Mexican
A fantastic dance event.
principal Isaac Hernandez and Juliet by Japanese principal Erina Takahashi. They were superb.
The ENB can be seen at the COLISSEUM in Decekber and January with THE NUTCRACKER and mixed bills.
The orchestra relished the large concert venue and provided Prokofiev’s score with colour
Your local Tableware & Giftware Specialists
REVIEWS EACH MONTH We welcome YOUR reviews From Unit 3, Mill Hill Industrial Estate, Flower Lane, NW7 2HU Free Easy Parking Showroom Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday: 9.30 - 17.00 Friday: 9:30 - 15:00 Sunday: 10:00 - 14:00
www.chinapresentations.net Telephone: 020 8959 9552
Local Arts Events West End Theatres Ballet and Opera Dance Classical Concerts Gigs in Venues under 4,000 capacity Your photos as well please
REVIEW REVIEWS NEEDED If you go to a Musical or Classical Concert or Opera or Ballet or ANY local arts production then please do a review and send it with some photos and we will put it into the Newspaper ! Send to info@millhillbroadway.co.uk Contact us for more information if you want to discuss your review or just to find out how many words etc, We are a community newspaper. Share with us what is great out there !
NEXT MONTH
Reviews from THE PROMS
WHAT’S ON local MILL HILL MUSICAL THEATRE CO. QUIZ Mill Hill Musical Theatre Company have organised another of their popular Quiz Nights for September. Tickets for their new show SISTER ACT are available online from September 1st. We will carry ticket information and some inside news from rehearsals in the September issue. So look out !
PRO ARTE CHOIR 2017-18 SEASON The Pro Arte Choir have just announced their full season of Concerts and Come and Sing rehearsals. This is an ideal choir to join and the musical director is the World Renowned Choir Directory Tom Winpenny who is Assistant Organist and Girls Choir Director at St. Albans Abbey and Cathedral. Just turn up at the rehearsal on 21 September and for more information check out the website. A chance to be part of a top quality choir. We will bring you ticket details in September for the Novemver and December concerts which are always packed.
NEXT BROADWAY MARKET There are three markets before Christnmas starting with an Autumn Market in September, a French Market in November and Christmas Market in December. AUTUMN MARKET | Friday 15 Sept and Sat 16 Sept www.millhillmarkets.co.uk
Send your events to info@mhtoday.co.uk
WHAT’S ON West End, South Banks & Herts AUGUST
SEPT-OCT
NOV-DEC
2018
SAT 13 AUGUST 6.30-8p.m CUBITTS SQUARE KINGS CROSS N1C FREE English National Opera Experience 4 leading singers on the impressive open air stage next to St Pancras Station. Bar and Food. www.kingscross.co.uk
SAT 30 September 7.30p.m St Albans Cathedral St Albans £12 - £40 THE SIXTEEN CHORAL PILGRIMAGE The world famous choral singers perform Palestrina etc. in a beautiful setting,
13th Dec to Jan 6th 7.30p.m London Coliseum THE NUTCRACKER From £14 to £79 English National Ballet Festive Favourite with half price for children. Book Now.
Until September 9th Various/ Daily ROYAL ALBERT HALL South Kensington Promming £6 Various The World’s cheapest top classical concerts. Book online on the day at 9a.m for £7,25 or join the Q from about 5p.m www.bbc.co.uk/proms
12th SEPT -14 OCT 7.30p.m ROYAL OPERA HOUSE Covent Garden £9 - £185 DIE ZAUBERFLOTE Mozart’s Spectacular opera THE MAGIC FLUTE with big tunes book now for cheap tickets
Dec 5th until Jan 10th 7.30p.m ROYAL OPERA HOUSE Covent Garden From £5 - £125 The Nutcracker The Festive Favourite is booking fast in the stunning Royal Opera House. Dont Miss. Plenty of tickets now even at £5/£6 ! for most dates.
June/July 2018 7.30p.m Young Vic Theatre The Cut From £10 - £40 FUN HOME The brilliant Broadway hit comes to London but book now because the run is almost sold out ! It is that good !! www.youngvic.org
www.roh.org.uk
www.roh.org.uk
5th OCT - 30th OCT 6.30-8p.m London Coliseum THE BARBER OF SEVILLE £12 - £105 Ideal and fun introduction to Opera. Row B Balcony at £12 amazing value ! Looks superb. Book now for seats. www.eno.org
Dec 21st-Jan 4th 7.30p.m ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL From £20-£105 Slavas Snowshow Christmas and snow. You cant beat it. Show for all the family (8+) on the South Bank. Book now for best prices.
16th AUG - SEPT 19th 7.30p.m THE UNION THEATRE Southwark £20-£25 SALAD DAYS Rarely performed in professional theatre these days. Feel good musical for all ages. www.uniontheatre.biz
www.londoncoliseum.org
www.stalbanscathedral.org
Visit The South Bank Travel to Blackfriars Station from Mill Hill Broadway direct. You can walk along the South Bank and within 15 minutes have access to the National Theatre, BFI, The Royal Festival Hall. Further down the road is the Young Vic and Union Theatres. It has great walks and views !
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
SEND US EVENTS AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE LAST FRIDAY OF MONTH Need to be accessible via Bus Routes or Thameslink from Mill Hill
SPORT MILL HILLL RUGBY CLUB |
Celebrating 80 Years
by Hugo Webster
Mill Hill Rugby Club is celebrating it’s 80th
Anniversary and opening its doors and welcoming the greater community. All are welcome to join our family! We’re always seeking new members both players and social and we’ll never have too many supporters but you don’t have to sign up to come in! We’re a long standing club just shy of 80 years established in 1937, based in Mill Hill in north London. Our Clubhouse finds itself sat at the doorstep of the Saracens Allianz park in the Copthall fields. We currently run a 1st XV and 2nd XV , also an occasional veterans side. We’d love to re-start a ladies team so if interested please get in touch!
We have regular social occasions, family friendly and fun for all so we implore all to join us in the best environment in London for rugby. We show all premiership and champions rugby & international games on multiple big screens. We have a great bar - food is available and you can always check the website/social media for special match day events.
Our partner club and neighbours Saracens have given us the opportunity to show the local community what rugby is all about. We’re always open on match days and welcome all to come in before and after the game. We hope to connect with as many of you as possible in this our 80th year, and grow and prosper together as a community. We are YOUR club.
We are all Mill Hill Rugby!