A fascinating lady from history – with a local connection

Guest blog by Philip Grant

Almost everyone living in England 125 years ago would have heard of the Duchess of Sutherland. Anyone interested in social history, or who just likes a great story, should know more about her, and her times. You have the chance to do that, with an illustrated talk at Wembley History Society on Friday 20^th September.

Mary Michell was born in 1848, the daughter of an Oxford don, and grew into a striking woman (reputedly six feet tall). She could have married an Egyptian prince, but her first husband (of three – she was widowed twice), Arthur Blair, was a former army officer. He was shot with his own gun on a Scottish grouse moor – the inquest verdict was accidental death, but some doubted that.

She was the mistress of the 3^rd Duke of Sutherland (who was 20 years older!), and he married her in Florida not long after the original Duchess died. The relationship may have begun as “a bit of sport” on his part (like his close friend, the Prince of Wales, he had a long history of affairs), but it developed as a deep love on both sides, which only ended with his death in 1892.

The Duchess in her diamonds, probably
 at their London home c. 1890.
[Photo courtesy of Bruno Bubna-Kasteliz]

  
 Although the Duke’s will left his title and huge estates to his heir, he left all of his money to the Duchess! The will was, understandably, challenged by the 4^th Duke of Sutherland, and it was this case which led to the most famous, or notorious, time in the life of the Duchess, including being jailed for contempt of court. 

 

The court settlement left her a very wealthy Dowager Duchess, but in 1896 she married the M.P. for Islington South, Sir Albert Rollit. Mary may have been attracted by some of his ideas – although a Conservative, he had put forward a private member’s Bill in 1892 to give (limited) votes for women! Around the same time, while married to the Duke, she held “open house” at their London mansion for 600 shop girls from West End stores, to highlight their poor working conditions.

And her local connection? In 1898/99, she had a country house, in 10 acres of grounds, built in Kingsbury. It was named “The Cottage”, but is now called Kingsbury Manor, in Roe Green Park. Although the house is not open to the public, its award-winning community Walled Garden, with exhibits commemorating the Duchess, has an open day on Saturday 14^th September (11am to 4pm).

“The Cottage”, as drawn by the architect, W. West Neve, in 1899.
[Brent Archives online image 0386]

There is no evidence that the Duchess ever lived in Kingsbury, and she may have intended “The Cottage” as a potential home for her daughter, Irene. Ms Blair did live there, after her marriage to an Austrian Count, Johann Bubna, in 1901. They had two daughters, the youngest of whom, the Countess Ina Bubna, was the mother of the History Society’s guest speaker.

Irene Mary Blair, aged 18, in 1894.
[Photo courtesy of Bruno Bubna-Kasteliz]

When I first saw this photo of Irene, the name that sprang to my mind was Oscar Wilde! He was then writing successful comedy plays, satirising the English Upper Class, and some of his characters have stories which could be based on incidents from the Duchess of Sutherland’s life. Was she “a woman of no importance”? Decide for yourself, when you have enjoyed “a tale of Victorian values”!

Philip Grant

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Strathcona staff will strike on Monday as Brent Labour Cabinet meet to approve the school's closure

Extract from Cabinet Agenda LINK

From Brent National Education Union (NEU)

Roe Green Strathcona School will be closed by strike action on Monday 9^th September.  NEU members are on strike in an attempt to save their school from closure. Despite giving the go-ahead to several new free schools in the borough, Brent Council wish to close this successful local authority run school. 

Teachers and parents will protest outside Brent  Civic Centre from 3pm Monday and following this will lobby the Cabinet meeting which begins at 4pm in a bid to save the school. 

A handful of councillors support the action being taken by staff. Labour Councillor Jumbo Chan said today:

Under the current context of a decade-long assault on public education, Labour councils should be doing everything possible to retain and strengthen their local authority schools. It would be most unfortunate if the opposite approach were taken here in Brent. 

The council should listen to the 99.8% of teachers, parents and other members of the public who have formally expressed their opposition to the council’s proposals to abandon Roe Green Strathcona, and shelve their plans. A Labour Council should be supporting hardworking and loyal teachers, parents and students- including working with them properly to explore all alternatives- not casting them away. 

Mary Addosides, Chair of Brent Trades Council, representing the unions taking action, called on Brent Council to ‘Save Strathcona for the children of Brent; no job cuts or redundancies.’   

Wembley  Matters note:

In its report on the formal consultation Brent Council admit they received only one response that agreed with the closure proposal:

542 written responses were received by e-mail or post. The majority of respondents only indicated that they objected or disagreed with the proposals put forward by the council for the school organisation arrangements of Roe Green Infant School. One response indicated agreement with the proposals but gave no further comment. 

The Council’s response to those opposing the closure and to alternative proposals can be found HERE

'Don't Attack Iran' Public Meeting Monday 9th September Brent Trades Hall

Low paid migrant workers at Park Royal food manufacturer need your support in upcoming strike ballot

The Cumberland Avenue site

Following their rejection of two pay offers from Bakkavor, a major food manufacturer based in  Park Royal, workers are taking part in an indicative ballot for  future industrial action. It is the first time they have been asked to take strike action.

The mainly Gujerati, Sri Lankan and Goan work force, many of whom are women who have worked at the plants for many years, only earn around the minimum wage. 

Bakkovar is a major employer in the area working from three sites, plus a warehouse  and employ almost 4,000 workers. They make houmous and ready meals for the major supermarkets.

In the tradition of the Grunwick strikers this is an important struggle for  migrant and female workers. The workers are unsure of their next steps and will be encouraged to vote for industrial action if  local trade unionists and activists boost their confidence, telling them,  'You can do this!' Please support them if you can.  

Their union, the GMB say:

A fight here would send an important signal to all the 

low-waged migrant workers in London! 

Enough of poverty wages!

Show your support and solidarity at these events:

FRIDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER, 2019 3.15pm - 5.15pm (shift leaves 3.30pm and 5pm)
BAKKAVOR, 40 CUMBERLAND AVENUE, NW10 7RQ

MONDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER, 2019 2.15pm-5pm
BAKKAVOR, 304-306 ELVEDEN PLACE, NW10 7SY 

WEDNESDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER, 2019 4.15pm-5.15pm 
BAKKAVOR 269 ABBEYDALE ROAD, HA0 1T

'Green Jobs for Now and Tomorrow' with John McDonnell MP September 11th Bridge Park

Wednesday September 11th 7.30pm

Bridge Park Complex

Harrow Road, NW10 ORG

(close to junction with North Circular Road)

Stonebridge Park Station Bakerloo & London Overground  

- cross the North Circular via Harrow Road, buses 18, 404, 112

Creating a sustainable, prosperous and
green economy that benefits us all

Speakers:
• John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor
• Aaron Kiely, Friends of the Earth
• Sarah Woolley, Bakers Union (Greener Futures)
• Cat Cray, RMT Union
• Roxanne Mashari, Brent Councillor
• and contributions from the floor

ALL WELCOME

Doors open 7pm

REGISTER HERE Admission free with collection at end of meeting.

 
NOTE:

In the event of a snap General Election the format of this meeting may change to conform with electoral law.

James Corbett, 450 mile walker for the NHS, talks to Wembley Matters as he sets out for the last 10 miles to Westminster

Orson Nava Retrospective - Free Screening Friday 13th September at The Yellow Wembley Park

On 13th September, Other Cinemas are delighted to be hosting a retrospective of Orson Nava’s work. Orson will join us for a discussion and Q&A.

Orson Nava is a graduate of the Northern Media School and The National Film and Television School and has a background directing dramas and documentaries for the BBC, C4 and ITV and music videos for record labels including Polydor, EMI and Island Records.

Recent directing credits include the short political thriller ‘A Viable Candidate’ starring (Steve Toussaint), ‘Everyday Borders’, a one hour documentary exploring the impact of the hostile environment on migrant communities in the UK, music videos for chart topping urban/pop music artists Aggro Santos and Mumzy Stranger (nominated for best video at the UKAsian Music Awards), and ‘Hearts & Minds’, a fifty minute drama dealing with the radicalisation of a young Muslim boy produced for Khayaal theatre company.

Orson is currently completing a full time funded PhD at the University of East London focussing on Race, Innovation and the Creative Industries lead regeneration of East London, and is a visiting fellow at the Centre For Research On Migration, Refugees and Belonging.

FREE TICKETS  HERE

See James off from Brent Civic Centre tomorrow 10am on the last leg of his Save the NHS Walk to Parliament

James Corbett

 From Save the NHS Walk to Parliament Facebook

James Corbett is walking from Glasgow to London to protest against the potential full privatisation of the NHS. He has reached Brent and tomorrow at 10am will be starting on the last leg to Westminster - setting off from Brent Civic Centre. It would be great if people from Brent could go and see him off - or even better join him for some of his walk.

In 2012 the Health and Social Care act saw the removal of a clause (put there at its conception in 1946 ) which stated that the government had a legal responsibility to safeguard the NHS as free at point of use.

The removal of this clause leaves our Health Service somewhat vulnerable to the greed of profit led companies - and open to full privatisation. We simply cannot allow ourselves to slide into the adoption of the terrifying American system of health insurance. 

Quite simply all UK parties need to recommit to ensuring that our NHS stays ‘our’ NHS (free for those who need it) - and to ensure that it’s not put on the table as a sweetener to ANY other country during trade deal talks - They must do this by reinstating this clause and then putting their money where their mouths are ..

Please sign this petition   LINK- like the page - and follow James’ mad but inspirational trek (in dodgy trainers - he wouldn’t listen) lfrom Glasgow to London . Let’s face it It’s a seriously long way....

On the surface - it’s an insane and possibly futile enterprise - but you have to admire a person who has decided to get off the sofa to do something pretty challenging and at least try and change things. Sometimes it can just take just one (inappropriately shod) bloke to make a difference. And putting one foot in front of another for the greater good is never pointless . The NHS is for the greater good of all - irrespective of what political leaning you are - or where you stand on the brexit debate - so pleade do sign . If we get ‘enough ‘ signatures we WILL get a response from parliament . 🙏🤞🎉 Onwards and forwards .

THE PETITION
 
The Save the NHS petition to Parliament

"We, the undersigned, demand that ALL parties support a return to the provisions of the 1946 Act and return to the Minister of Health the legal responsibility to secure the provision of the NHS free at the point of use, and restrict access to the NHS for private service providers who are, effectively, profiteering from the suffering of British taxpayers."

The Original Act

"It shall be the duty of the Minister of Health to promote the establishment of a comprehensive health service designed to secure improvement in the physical and mental health of the people, and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness.

The services so provided shall be free of charge"
.......................................................................................................................................................................

There is an excellent article about this great one man effort on Huffington Post HERE

Medirest staff to protest outside Northwick Park Hospital on Thursday 5 September over issues of wages, bullying and over work

Staff working for Medirest at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow are set to protest outside the hospital on Thursday 5^th September from noon to 4pm over poor wages and what they say is overbearing management and heavy workload.

 

Porters, cleaners, ward hostesses and kitchen staff who are employed by the multinational facility management company Medirest say that they have had enough.

A recent meeting organised by GMB heard many workers from the 80 strong crowd tell of how their workloads have increased and that many were being paid the National Minimum Wage £8.21 an hour.

Other concerns over a bullying supervisor were raised following the GMB presenting a petition signed by over half of the staff of 400.

Tahir Bhatti, GMB Regional Organiser said:

Last year we started to speak to the Medirest about increasing the wages from the minimum wage, as well as other issues.

Medirest have a lot of staff paid only the minimum wage, staff who clean up after patients, transport deceased patients and make sure the hospital functions. We feel that there should be respect and fairness for all Medirest workers. 

The union are calling for equal wages and a root and branch investigation into the concerns of the workers. 

Workers will stage a respectable protest outside the main entrance to the hospital.

Messages from the crowd at yesterday's Stop the Coup protest at Westminster

GMB London Region to protest outside Wembley ASDA tomorrow against imposed contract

News

GMB to hold Asda protests against Contract 6

GMB London Region are holding a number of demonstrations in September across London and the East of England in protest against Contract 6. Asda employees are being faced with the sack if they do not sign the contract which strips away many of their terms and conditions.

Despite having a 63 pence per hour increase on the original contracts, Contract 6 would leave GMB members on other Asda contracts worse off due to changes to paid meal breaks, the loss of hours, changes to the night shift window and a flat rate for bank holiday work.

The flexible contract also means the company has the ability to change the number of staff working days, hours and their department with just 4-week notice.

GMB have undertaken two demonstrations at Asda House, in Leeds, on 1^st May and 14^th August to make the feelings of GMB members clear that they will continue to fight for better pay, terms and conditions.

The GMB will be demonstrating outside Wembley ASDA tomorrow September 5th 9am-4pm

Why Busy Rascals need space in any new development on the Queensbury site

Sharmine Choudhary-Tse of the community group Busy Rascals gave evidence on the last day of the Queensbury Public Inquiry at Brent Civic Centre yesterday.

In a powerful statement Sharmine told the planning inspector how the group had begun in response to a need to provide activities for the children of parents who were often socially isolated.  It not only provided children's activities but addressed  mental health problems associated with isolation by putting in place a supportive network where the problems as well as the joys of parenting can be discussed.

Busy Rascals provides dance and music classes for children as well as classes and information for adults. Ian Elliott, who has been speaking for Save the Queensbury at the public inquiry was himself a user of the service and Sharmine praised his support - without it Busy Rascals would not exist.

The group has won numerous awards for its work and any profit from money paid for classes is invested back into the provision.

Although Busy Rascals had spoken to the developer they had received nothing in writing assuring them that space in the new development would definitely be allocated to them. Such an assurance was needed for peace of mind. The developer had undertaken to undertake 'best endeavours' to provide an alternative space ,should the appeal succeed, while the redevelopment took place.

The QC for the appellant was at pains to point out that the new development would provide a bigger indoor space and an outdoor space superior to present provision. He also said the developer would pay any rent etc payable on the interim space.

I asked  a question from the floor on whether rent would be payable on the community space in the new development, particularly as it had been suggested that other community groups could use it as well as Busy Rascals. The inquiry adjourned so the QC could consult with his client on the issue.

I had to leave but closing statements followed from both sides and in the afternoon the Planning Inspector visited the site with the parties.

North Ealing vigil after racist attack Friday 6th September

Total of £1.47m Brent Neighbourhood CIL payouts announced

Brent Council Cabinet is set to approve a £1,471.608 total payout in the latest round of Neigbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy bids. The allocations are:

£366,975 to support the refurbishment of a new building for the Refugee Support Network in Harlesden. 

 

£250,000 to support the refurbishment of Challenge House in Harlesden for Crisis UK. 

£210,000 to support the refurbishment of the Silver Jubilee Park Clubhouse for Kingsbury Town Management Co. Ltd and Hendon Youth FC in Willesden. 


£109,833 to support the running of The Sanctuary Café for Hestia Housing and Support across neighbourhoods. 


£134,800 to support the installation of central heating of a community facility for St Michael and All Angels Church in Harlesden.

£170,000 to support the refurbishment of a community hall for St Cuthbert’s Church in Wembley 


£150,000 to support the building of a new Community Café and outdoor Space for St Catherine’s Church in Neasden 


£80,000 to support tree planting in the Dudden Hill area. This would be in addition to £30,000 allocated to tree planting in this area in NCIL’s 2018/19 round one, bringing the total spent by NCIL on tree planting in Dudden Hill to £110,000. 


Full descriptions of the projects can be found HERE

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Queensbury Public Inquiry Day 3: 'Trojan Horse' still alive and kicking

Cllr Tom Miller in his statement to the Queensbury Public Inquiry made it clear that he was speaking as a ward councillor and not a member of the Brent Council Executive.  He said that his ward, Willesden Green, went right up to the railway border with Mapesbury. He described how Walm Lane was seen as an extension of the High Road and said that this was also the view of the Boundary Commission. The Queensbury pub was the most likely place for his ward residents to drink, eat and socialise.

He had been an early supporter of the Save the Queensbury Campaign. Planning is a quasi-judicial process and had ensured that that proponents of the scheme were part of the process.  He said that the new scheme was a step forward and didn’t wish to belittle the proposers. However at the consultation residents were keen on their local pub and wanted to preserve it.

The main reason for preserving the Queensbury building was that it is an important piece of local architecture and in its position particularly welcoming  - it was a soft boundary between Mapesbury and Willesden Green and incorporated a soft area for social drinking between the street and the pub building.

He was concerned about the failure to provide the maximum amount of social housing and the under-sized nature of some of the housing units.  This was an important decision in terms of the public need for housing.

He did not agree with some objectors that the scheme was ‘all bad’. He recognised that the developer had been ‘on a journey’ and had been willing to adapt their plans.  If the objectors win there is no reason why the developer could not return with a revised scheme. He thought there was a possibility of a viable compromise.

He was concerned about the lack of distinction between pub and flats above in the scheme and suggested that there could have been a positive conversation about how adaptions could have been made to give it a bit less of a ‘bar feel.’

Addressing the issue of how representative the Save The Queensbury Campaign is he said that councillors engaged many people in face-to-face conversations in the ward, and although not formally recorded, he would say the Campaign reflected widely held public opinion.

The QC for the Appellants responding, claimed that the issue of distinction between the ground floor space and accommodation had been addressed in Plan B. He then went on to call the developer’s last expert witness who testified to the benefits of the scheme: a larger pub space and formalisation of the community space. Under questioning by Brent Council’s QC the witness agreed that it was no part of government policy that affordable housing should be provided at the expense of design and that there were other possible designs that could have provided affordable housing.

Ian Elliott for the Queensbury campaign asked why there were no plans for a kitchen  – provision of food was essential to make the pub viable. He was told that there were no details but the kitchen would be part of the ‘back office’ detail in the basement. Elliott went on to the press the witness on how he had come to his conclusion regarding the positive social value of the plans - it turned out he had made the judgement via 'guidance' and not through actually speaking to anyone in the area. He conceded that local people at the consultation were against the proposal.

A detailed discussion followed on what Conditions should be applied if the Inspector were to find for the Appellant.  Among issues were discussed was the provision of disabled parking when 5 units had been designed as wheelchair accessible but the development designated as ‘car free’, the opening hours of the pub starting at 11.30am when Busy Rascals would want access from 9.30/10am, and the closure of the pub garden at 9pm when currently it closed later. The latter point arose from provision of flats above the pub in the new scheme but Ian Elliott pointed out that this was another aspect of the scheme that affected the viability of the pub. Elliott put forward a list of Conditions that the Campaign wished to be applied in the event of the Appeal succeeding. These were essential to avoid a ‘trojan horse’ where the introduction of a pub to conform to Pub Protection policy is agreed but set up for failure so that other uses can be made of the space.

These issues will be discussed on Tuesday when Busy Rascals will give evidence and the owner of the pub contacted for his views.

The Public Inquiry will be reconvened in a different room* at the Civic Centre at 10am on Tuesday September 3^rd. Busy Rascals will give evidence first and community aspects of Obligations in the event of the Appeal succeeding. There will also be discussion of the 5-year Housing Land Supply target and its relevance to the scheme.

In between the Inspector and representive of the Appellant and Brent Council (and possibly Save the Queensbury Campaign) will make a site visit to the Queensbury (no discussion allowed) and later the Inspector will visit the area on his own.

*This is likely to be a Committee Room on the third floor of the Civic Centre and should be indicated on the notice board at reception and at the ground floor entrance to the red lifts.

Do please follow @QueensburySOS on Twitter for updates and see the website http://savethequeensbury.info/

Queensbury Public Inquiry Day 2: 'If the conservation area can't protect residents from a cheap and nasty block, then what is it for?'

The 'one man' Save the Queensbury Campaign

Cllr Lia Colacicco, a Mapesbury resident for 27 years, Mapesbury councillor since  2014 and now Deputy Mayor, opened today's proceedings with her statement of opposition to the proposed Queensbury development.  The Mapesbury Estate was a unique neighbourly  estate, particularly for London. She described the Mapesbury Residents' Association with its multiple activities and its key Planning Sub-Committee trusted by their peers to preserve and enhance the conservation area.

Living in a conservation area brought its own rules and responsibilities and a design guide that residents had to follow making maintenance more expensive than elsewhere. Since the proposal resident have threatened non-compliance with the guide asking, 'If they allow that big block why can't I do just as I wish.'

Cllr Colacicco asked, 'If designation as a conservation area cannot protect residents from a cheap and nasty block, then what is it for?'



The Appellant's  QC often with a lofty disdain tried to undermine Ian Elliott  of the Save the Queensbury Campaign asking him if he was a professional planner, lawyer or architect and later if he was qualified in Environmental Health.  Clearly frustrated the QC asked Ian what his role was in the Campaign. Ian thought for a minute and then said with a grin, 'ring leader I suppose' and went on to vehemently deny the suggestion that he was  a politician.

The QC asked about Save the Queensbury's constitution, officers etc as if it was an organisation such as the National Trust. Elliott deadpanned saying that not many oub campaigns had such a structure.  The QC clearly implying that Save The Queensbury was a one-man operation then went through a rigmarole about  the number of Queensury Campaign's Twitter followers, whether Twitter followers were tracked to see where they live (he suggested they might just be people defending a real ale pub they felt was under threat, rather than local residents) and then attacked the Save the Queensbury website as misleading.  It was clear that the Campaign had the appellants rattled with the QC resenting the intrusion of a mere local resident into the professional club. Ian later proved his mettle in his presentation and cross-examination of the scheme's architect.



The architect claimed that there were 'not many' similarities between the 2015 Fairview proposal and the current application. The architect said that he had a different approach and 'contextualised' the scheme to reflect the local area. Brent Council had not been interested in a vernacular design. Regarding the roof he claimed that 'if you stand opposite a building with a set back roof you can hardly see it.' He had tried to 'do something different' with the roof but with a similar tone and colour but  different texture to slate roods on Walm Lane buildings, It could be changed to grey slate under Conditions.

There was considerable debate over whether the proposed building would 'urbanise' suburban Mapesbury amidst fear that one 'urban' building  over the railway line would set a precedent for others to be built in the area.

It took about 5 minutes for the Appellant's QC to read out the qualifications of their next expert witness, Mr Stewart, who said the Queensbury was a pleasant building that benefited more from its site than any particular architectural merit. He suggested it did not have a strong relationship with the conservation area while the proposed building had been designed with the conservation area in mind. He commented that the buildings in the conservation had a greater variety than usually found in such areas. Under cross examination by Brent Council's QC he said that the proposed building was at the 'possible end' of potential harm rather than 'substantial.'  Brent's QC highlighted the fact that Stewart disagreed with aspects of both the previous Inspector's report and the Heritage Impact Assessment.

The Public Inquiry will convene earlier tomorrow, at 9.30am, and will hear a contribution from Cllr Tom Miller followed by a technical discussion on 'Conditions' what will be required of the developer if the Appeal is successful.