Guest post by local historian Philip Grant in a personal capacity
Fanny Blankers-Kohn winning the women’s 100m at Wembley in 1948.
As well as “Poetry in Wembley: The Language of Care” on 16 October, Brent Libraries are putting on a range of free events this month as part of the nationwide Our Freedom: Then and Now project. This looks at what freedom means for us now, following on from the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day. The local theme for this is ‘a creative community project that invites local people to rediscover and reimagine Brent’s wartime history, offering residents a chance to explore hidden stories from the Second World War and connect them with their own lived experiences of freedom, resilience, and community today.’
For those who are free during the day, there will be four “coffee morning” events, each from 11am to 12noon (with free tea and coffee available from around 10.45!). I will put “links” in the title of each to the Eventbrite page where you can get more details, and reserve your place if you would like to attend.
On the starting line, at Kingsbury Library on Tuesday 7 October, is my illustrated talk on “Wembley’s 1948 Olympic Games” (above). These “austerity games”, the first summer Olympics for 12 years (since Berlin in 1936), were not just a sporting event, but a chance to help rebuild a peaceful world, where nations could compete in friendly rivalry, not fight each other. As well as the Games themselves, the talk will show how the people of Wembley, and its Council, helped to make them a success.
A British ladies’ football team in 1895.
Next in the programme, at Willesden Green Library on 14 October, is Phil Vasili’s talk on “The History of Women’s Football in the UK”. Many of us will have celebrated the success of England’s “Lionesses” in two European Championships in the past few years, but I certainly didn’t know there had been a ladies’ football team in this country as far back as 1895! (Did Queen Victoria know? If so, I suspect she would not have been amused!)
An extract from one of the wartime letters from Preston Park.
On Wednesday 22 October at Wembley Library, I am involved again with the illustrated presentation of “Wartime letters from Preston Park”. Two ladies from the Brent Libraries team will also be joining me, to read extracts from letters written by local housewives, Nancie and Doris, to a former neighbour during the Second World War. Having heard their first-hand experiences of living through a conflict, while trying to give their children as normal an upbringing as possible, there will be the chance for discussion. Many other wars have taken place since 1945, with some still ongoing, and anyone who wishes to share their more recent experiences, and how these compare with those in the letters, will be very welcome at this event.
The Second World War is also the subject of October’s final “coffee morning” event, at Willesden Green Library on Tuesday 28 October. “Stepping Back in Time” is a WW2 object handling session hosted by Brent Museum & Archives, where you can also share wartime stories handed down through your family, as well as enjoying your tea/coffee and biscuits.
Brent Libraries, Culture and Heritage is also partnering with the Jason Roberts Foundation to put on several events in the Our Freedom: Then and Now programme. These include two early evening (from 6.30 to 8pm) “In Conversation” discussions with local sporting heroes this month, which are free and open to people of all ages.
These events kick off at Harlesden Library on Wednesday 15 October, with “In Conversation with: Richard Langley & Mark Stein”, when these two former professional footballers will talk candidly about the changes they have seen over the years, both on and off the field. This will be followed by a Q&A session’
Athletes including Yamilé Aldama and Connie Henry.
Taking up the baton, two former track athletes will be at Wembley Library on Thursday 23 October, when you can get “In Conversation with Yamilé Aldama & Connie Henry, MBE”. These two Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallists will discuss all facets of freedom and what it means to them, including freedom of expression, identity, and whether our freedom could be at risk, as well as taking part in a Q&A session with the audience.
I hope these Our Freedom: Then and Now events will include some you can come and enjoy this month. And there are more, including Black History Month events, that you can find on the Brent Libraries, Culture and Heritage Eventbrite page at:
I encourage you all to make the most of these free events, organised for all Brent residents by the frontline team at Brent Libraries!
Philip Grant.
