Guest blog by local historian Philip Grant in a personal capacity.
Jeremy Waxman’s book about the letters.
Although the London Borough of Brent was created more than sixty years ago, there are still two Local History Societies in the borough, covering the areas of covered by the previous local councils of Wembley and Willesden. Many residents do not even know that they exist, but as they both have illustrated talks this month which may appeal to a wider audience, I’m taking this opportunity to let you know about them.
Wembley History Society’s meeting next Friday, 15 May at 7.30pm, welcomes Kingsbury High School’s former Head Teacher, Jeremy Waxman, who will share stories from his book “Letters to Miss Baker”:-
Daisy Baker was a teacher at Kingsbury County School from 1927 (before it moved to Princes Avenue!) until 1954. During the Second World War, she kept in touch with several hundred former students who were serving in the forces, and received more than 500 letters from them. These letters were rediscovered by Kingsbury High’s Head Teacher in 2017, when he was searching for archive material to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the school becoming a comprehensive (combining the former Kingsbury County Grammar and Tylers Croft Boys and Girls Secondaries). The first-hand wartime feelings and experiences included in the letters were an important piece of history, which Jeremy has brought together in his recently-published book.
Whether or not you are a former KHS student, this will be a very interesting talk. It is taking place in the church hall just behind St. Andrew’s New Church in Church Lane, Kingsbury. Wembley History Society welcomes anyone to its talks, and invites adult visitors to make a £3 donation, to help meet the cost of hiring the hall. Jeremy will also have copies of his book available to purchase at the meeting, which begins at 7.30pm on Friday. There are very good bus routes to this venue (including the 83, 182 or 297 from Wembley Park station – see details on poster above), and there is a small car park in front of the church if you can’t use public transport.
Willesden Local History Society’s monthly meeting, on Wednesday 20 May at 7.30pm, brings the past and future together with Irina Porter’s talk “Brave New World – Step into the past with AI”. She writes: ‘AI opens up a new historical world – are you brave enough to step into it? Watch the streets of Willesden come alive on screen!’
A postcard of Chapter Road from c.1900, transformed into colour using AI.
Irina continues: ‘Artificial intelligence is transforming historic photographs into colourised moving films, bringing hundred-year-old local streets and people into motion. Seeing the past move can be powerful, emotional, but at times unsettling. This presentation explores the promise of this new technology, as well as the moral issues associated with it and the risks it poses to historical accuracy and interpretation.’
Location map for Willesden Local History Society meetings. (Based on Google Maps)
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. Again, 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).
Like its Wembley counterpart, Willesden LHS also 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 20th.
Philip Grant.
