Guest post by local historian Philip Grant
Back in November 2018, I wrote a short post about a blue plaque which had been unveiled in Ealing Road, to commemorate Sir Henry Cooper. The greengrocers business that he ran there, for three years in the 1960s, was called “Henry Cooper of Wembley”, and that is the name of a free illustrated talk which I will be giving at Brent Civic Centre on the morning of Saturday 17 June. I’m writing this article, so that as many local people as possible, who might wish to come along to my talk, are aware of it.
The talk has been arranged for that weekend, and that venue, because it will be the 60th anniversary of Henry Cooper’s famous boxing match at Wembley Stadium (a final eliminator, with the winner fighting for the Heavyweight Championship of the World) against Cassius Clay, aka Muhammad Ali.
The talk is not just about boxing, but also about Henry Cooper the man, who lived in Wembley with his family for fifteen years, at the height of his career. Although it is advertised as being at the Civic Centre's Wembley Library, the talk will actually take place in Boardrooms 4&5 as students will be revising for exams in the library itself. Because of this, if you are coming to the talk, please arrive between 10.15 and 10.25am, at the library entrance in the main Civic Centre atrium, so that a member of staff can take you up to the third floor in the lift.
Although this is a free talk, you need to book online, at the Brent Culture Service Eventbrite website, to reserve your place. To see more details, and to do that, please click HERE. I look forward to sharing Henry’s story with you, in words and pictures!
Philip Grant
