Guest post by local historian Philip Grant in a personal capacity:
Willesden Trades Hall, during its time as the London Apollo Club.
Willesden Trades Hall, which was built as the Hamilton Hall in 1884, has a long and very interesting history. Unfortunately, it was not able to hold its planned open day last month, but there is a chance to see a newly released film about that history, and the plans for its future, at a meeting of Willesden Local History Society on Wednesday 18 November at 7.30pm.
A Grunwick Strike meeting at Willesden Trades Hall in 1977. (Image courtesy of Christine Coates)
The hall was used for music and dancing in Victorian times, and again as the London Apollo Club, a famous Reggae music venue from 1969. It has at times been a place of worship, but more especially as a centre of Trades Union activity, including during the General Strike of 1926 and the strike at the nearby Grunwick factory in the 1970s.
The meeting is taking place at St. Mary’s Parish Church Hall, next door to Willesden’s historic St. Mary’s Church in Neasden Lane, London NW10 2TS. This venue is easily reached by public transport, with the 297 bus stops at Wharton Close very close to the hall, and the 260 and 266 buses to Willesden Magistrates’ Court just round the corner. It is only a five-minute walk from Neasden Station on the Jubilee Line (or one stop from the station on the 297).
Location map for Willesden Local History Society meetings. (Based on Google Maps)
Willesden LHS welcomes visitors to its meetings, in return for a small donation, so if this subject is of interest to you, please come along by 7.30pm on Wednesday 18 November. You can find more details about this event, and Willesden’s history, on the Society’s website, HERE.
The illustrated talk at Wembley History Society, on Friday 20 November from 7.30 to 9pm, takes you further afield, to the shores of the Caspian Sea!
Poster for the talk on 20 November by Nick Higham.
The speaker is the well-known former BBC News journalist and author, Nick Higham, whose illustrated talk "Mavericks: Empire, Oil, Revolution and the Forgotten Battle of World War One" tells the story of 'a small group of enterprising, fearless and often reckless men', who set out to save an oilfield "for King and Empire". Although set over 100 years ago, the well-researched book his talk is based on gives an insight into the struggles by major powers to control the supply of oil from other lands, which continue until this day.
The Baku Oilfield, c.1918. (Image from the Imperial War Museum)
The talk takes place at St. Andrew’s Church Hall, Church Lane, Kingsbury NW9 8RZ (see poster above for transport details and location map). Visitors are welcome at all Wembley History Society meetings (non-members are invited to make a donation of £3, to help cover the cost of the hall and speaker’s expenses). If you are interested, please come along!
Philip Grant.
