The Wembley Park Story - Part 4

The fourth part of Philip Grant's series on the history of Wembley Park

We left Part 3 (“click” if you missed it) just after the British Empire Exhibition had closed in 1925. Its site and the buildings on it had cost around £12m (equivalent to over £700m now), but the Liquidator’s attempt to sell them at auction as a single lot was withdrawn, with the highest offer at £350k. It was later bought for just £300k by Jimmy White, a speculator who paid 10% of this “up front”, with the balance payable as the buildings were sold off.

Many of the people who worked at the exhibition had been unemployed ex-servicemen. Arthur Elvin was one of these, working in a cigarette kiosk in 1924. He saved as much of his £4 10s wages as he could, and leased eight kiosks himself when the exhibition reopened in 1925, selling sweets and souvenirs as well. He bought and demolished his first small building on the site in 1926, selling the metal for scrap and rubble as hardcore for road construction. After reinvesting the profits several times, within a year he offered £122,500 for the stadium.

1. Wembley Stadium, after demolition of the BEE pavilions, c.1927. (Image from the internet)

Elvin had paid £12,500 deposit to White, with the balance payable over ten years, when in August 1927 the Official Receiver demanded it all within a fortnight! Jimmy White had only ever paid the initial £30k for the buildings, gambled away the rest, and then shot himself. By working together with friends and banks, Elvin managed to complete the purchase. Aged 28, he was the managing director of the Wembley Stadium and Greyhound Racecourse Company Ltd.

2. Greyhound and speedway racing events at Wembley Stadium. (Images from old books on the stadium)

Few had thought the stadium could be saved from demolition, with the Cup Final as its only annual booking. The company name is a clue to how Elvin believed it could be made profitable. He introduced greyhound racing, three times a week, from 1928, and motorcycle speedway, with his Wembley Lions team, from 1929, both with regular crowds in excess of 60,000. The pre-match entertainment he put on for the football final, including community singing (“Abide with me”), attracted the Rugby League cup final in 1929, with Wembley as its home ever since.

With greyhounds the only winter attraction, Elvin saw another possibility to keep Wembley’s 400 employees in full-time work during the early 1930s depression, after watching an ice hockey game at Earls Court in 1932. His plans crystalized when the second British Empire Games were planned for London in 1934. Working with Sir Owen Williams, who had designed the stadium, the Empire Pool was constructed of reinforced concrete in just nine months.

3. L-R, Duke of Gloucester, Sir Owen Williams and Arthur Elvin at the Pool opening. (From an old book)

The Pool was opened on 25 July 1934, just in time for the swimming and diving events of the Games. The boxing and wrestling competitions followed, in a ring on a bridge across the pool. Then the public could enjoy the pool for swimming throughout the summer. As soon as the speedway season finished in October, its fans could support a new Wembley Lions ice hockey team. The pool was drained for the winter, and the rink on a floor above it could be used for public skating, when the Lions or a second team, the Wembley Monarchs, were not playing.

4. A 1934 Empire Pool advert, and swimmers enjoying it. (From a Pool programme, and an old book) 

5. Ice hockey programme, and a match at the Empire Pool, both late 1930s. (From old programme and book)

While Arthur Elvin was making Wembley Park a major sporting venue, the exhibition buildings that had not been demolished were put to new uses. The former Lucullus Restaurant, alongside Wembley Park Drive, became a film studio. The huge Palaces of Industry and Engineering were split up into units for manufacturing or warehouses. Elvin used the Palace of Arts as storage space, for the platform which supported the ice rink, and the banked timber track used for cycling races inside the Empire Pool, but it was soon to be required for another purpose.

In the late 1930s, Germany under Adolf Hitler aimed to become a dominant force. The Empire Pool hosted the European Swimming Championships in 1938, and Germany easily topped the medal table. After war broke out the following year, Wembley Council took over the Palace of Arts as the centre for its A.R.P. organisation. When thousands of British troops were evacuated from Dunkirk in May 1940, many were brought to the stadium, which was used as an emergency dispersal centre. Refugees from France, Belgium and Holland followed, and were given temporary accommodation in the Empire Pool, before being rehomed across the country. 

6. A Civil Defence review at Wembley Stadium, October 1942. (Image from Brent Archives)

Wartime parades and reviews made use of the stadium, and other events, including greyhound racing, continued throughout the war. Service men and women could attend free. There were many charity matches, like an England v. Scotland football international in February 1944, with King George VI, Princess Elizabeth and Field Marshall Montgomery in the Royal Box, which raised a record £18,000. Others were inter-service games, including baseball and American Football between teams from the U.S. ground and air forces in 1943/44, ahead of D-Day. 

7. A U.S. Services baseball game at Wembley Stadium in 1943. (Still image from a newsreel film)

The stadium was used as a landmark by the Luftwaffe, on their way to raids north of London, but Wembley Park was also a target. A German airman, whose bomber was shot down locally, had a map marking the location of an R.A.F. storage depot (the former Palace of Industry!). Bombs hit the stadium on three occasions, and a V1 “doodlebug” landed on the kennels, killing a number of greyhounds, in 1944. Each Christmas, during the war, Mr and Mrs Elvin and their stadium team provided a free Christmas dinner for hundreds of local service personnel who could not get home. In 1945, Elvin was awarded the M.B.E. for his wartime efforts.

There had been no Olympic Games in 1940 or 1944, and when London was invited to stage the 1948 Olympiad, the Government almost declined the offer because of post-war austerity. Then, at the start of 1947, Elvin offered his facilities at Wembley Park, free of charge, so the Games could go ahead. The Stadium company also agreed to build a new access road from the station. Until early 1948, about one third of the labour on this project was provided by German prisoners of war. The new road, named Olympic Way, cost £120k and opened in July.

8. German P-o-W’s at work on Olympic Way in 1947. (Still image from a film made at the time)

9. Wembley Town Hall, in Forty Lane, decorated for the Olympics in July 1948. (Brent Archives image 3829)

The Borough of Wembley really got behind the Games. Many residents took paying guests into their homes, as there were few hotels for spectators to stay at. Entertainments for visitors were arranged by the Council. A school in Alperton was one of those used to house male competitors, and the families of several pupils played host to some of their female team mates.

10. The Olympic Games opening ceremony at Wembley Stadium. (Brent Archives, 1948 Olympics Report)

On 29 July 1948, packed crowds watched the opening ceremony. Boy Scouts from Wembley carried the names of the 59 countries taking part, in front of their teams in the parade. Thousands of residents lined the streets, as a relay of local runners carried the Olympic torch on its way to the stadium, ready to light the flame that marked the start of the Games.

11. Olympic Way, with crowds going to the stadium for the Games, July 1948. (Image from the internet)

For over two weeks, Wembley Park and its new Olympic Way were full of visitors to this great sporting occasion, and they were not disappointed. New heroes emerged, like Emil Zatopek of Czechoslovakia, who won gold in the 10,000 metres and finished second in the 5,000m by just 0.4 of a second, and Arthur Wint, winning Jamaica’s first ever Olympic gold medal in the 400m, after silver in the 800m. Housewife and mother, Fanny Blankers-Koen of The Netherlands was the heroine of the Games, winning four athletics golds.

 
The Olympic Games (1948) – BFI / National Archives

Elvin, now Sir Arthur, must have enjoyed the event that made “his” venue the centre of the sporting world. As well as the opening and closing ceremonies, the stadium hosted the athletics events, football and hockey finals and the show jumping competition. The Empire Pool staged the swimming and diving, the water polo final, and then, after bridging the pool again, the boxing bouts. Part of the Palace of Engineering was used for the fencing competitions, and the Palace of Arts was taken over by the BBC, to become the Broadcasting Centre for the Games.

Could Wembley Park ever match the “high” of the 1948 Olympic Games again, or would it simply be forgotten as the years moved on? There will be more of its story to discover next weekend, and I look forward to sharing it with you.

Please use the comments section below if you have any questions from the series so far, or if you have information on Wembley Park that you would like to share, with me and others.

Philip Grant.

Step Up Hub Covid-19 BAME Impact Survey

Step Up Hub would like to hear from local Black Asian Minority Ethnic groups (BAME) to ascertain the impact of the Covid 19 crisis is having on our communities in Brent.

The on-line form can be accessed HERE

Tameside schools advised to delay wider reopening

 A long way away from Brent but shows the importance of taking local factors into account and the importance of the role of the LA Director of Public Health.

Press Release: 05/06/2020

 

TAMESIDE schools are being advised to delay wider reopening until at least 22 June in response to the regional rise in the R rate and the associated increased risks to public health.

The borough's schools were due to start welcoming more pupils back from Monday 8 June following the half term holiday.

However Tameside Council Director of Public Health Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy has today (Friday 5 June) written to all headteachers to strongly advise them to delay the wider reopening until there is further assurance that the Covid 19 infection rate is reducing and the R rate is firmly below 1.

This follows new data published today showing that the regional R rate has risen above 1 as well as local information that infection rates remain higher and health services are stretched.

In addition to the advice to schools, all Tameside residents are being urged to stay at home where possible and continue to observe strict social distancing measures – particularly now the weather has changed and people may be tempted to gather and socialise indoors.

Schools will be contacting parents and carers to inform them of their individual plans in response to the new advice.

All settings will continue to remain open for vulnerable children and the children of key workers as they have been since the start of the national lockdown.

The situation will be monitored and reviewed on a weekly basis.
 
The letter from Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy states:

Tameside Council understands that this is an extremely challenging time for all who live in our borough but recognises fully the many acts of kindness which local residents have undertaken to support each other. We would like to pay special tribute to the work of headteachers, staff, school governors and childcare providers for their fantastic work in supporting children and families during this and your brilliant contribution to the Borough’s response to Covid 19.

Nationally, the government is requesting that schools and childcare settings start to increase the numbers of pupils attending over the coming weeks. Our local approach, as you know, has been to focus on making safe and sensible decisions and maintaining, wherever possible collective approaches which can inform local decisions. Headteachers and their staff, in partnership with the Local Authority, have done excellent preparatory work undertaking and completing risk assessments in their schools.

Members of SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies) and the Association of Directors of Public Health advised caution and concern about the too rapid easing of lockdown and the increased risk of a second pandemic wave. Balancing this concern, the national R number being between 0.7 to 1.0 and estimated at 0.73 in the North West and the importance of having our children back at school, I supported the limited increase in the number of children attending planned in the Borough from Monday 8^th June.

However information released at 2pm today estimates the R value is now above the critical value of 1 for the North West, at 1.01.

Because of this change in R, and despite the excellent work undertaken, I am therefore strongly advising all schools and childcare settings to delay wider opening until at least 22  June for us to be more assured that the rate of infection is reducing and R is firmly below 1.

All settings should continue to remain open for vulnerable children and the children of key workers as they have been since the start of the national lockdown.

I will continue to monitor what is a fast-evolving situation very closely and keep my advice to you under constant review. I will write to you all again next Friday with a further update and advice on wider opening.

Black Lives Matter events Saturday morning Kilburn Grange, Roundwood & Gladstone parks

Do please take care to social distance 2 metres and wear face covering

There is also a spontaneously organised demonstration at Gladstone Park later on Saturday at 1pm:

Hi we are meeting in the Gladstone Park today.
Just between Cricklewood Library entrance and exercise area on the green grass Saturday 6 June at 1pm with a placard with a name of your choice from list below.

Wear a mask, self distance or group in a circle of 6 . Solidarity and children welcome! In support of Black Lives Matter if you can’t get into town today!

Brent NEU set out criteria for wider re-opening of schools in context of the number of local Covid19 cases, test results delay and BAME vulnerability

Following a meeting of Brent National Education Union yesterday, the union has written to headteachers summarising the membership's position on wider school  opening. It has set out what it wishes to see in place in risk assessments in order for members to support wider re-opening.  If they are not in place they do not think it will be safe to return.

The NEU says that its position is based on their evidence from members' meetings and advisers that it is typically taking 2-3 weeks to get Covid19 tests results. The NEU state that there are still over 1400 live cases in Brent and a huge proportion of the school workforce and families are from BAME backgrounds and have suffered the loss of loved ones close to them over the last few months as a result.

BRENT NEU STATEMENT ON THE WIDER REOPENING OF SCHOOLS:

• We request that all schools push back wider reopening to at least 15th June
• We request to see in the whole school risk assessment a statement that if one person develops symptoms, they are isolated then sent home. ALL their "bubble" goes home at the end of the day and does not return for 14 days UNLESS there is a negative test result. IF there is a positive test result the whole building is closed while there is a deep clean.
• We request to see in the risk assessment a statement that all staff in vulnerable categories and living with people in vulnerable categories, as well as people with BME backgrounds, are allowed to opt to continue to work from home until this is reviewed. In addition we request individual risk assessments, where staff would like them, for males over 55 and for staff that have no option but to use public transport
• We request the school to allow staff to use PPE in all situations where social distancing is not possible, and train staff in the correct use of this, and provide sufficient PPE for this
• We request to see in the risk assessment an agreement to have at least weekly reviews of the risk assessment with union reps. If there is no rep we would like to be invited to recruit one in your school

Save Bridge Park Community campaigners welcome a 'powerful decision' in their favour

From Bridge Park Community Council Steering Group

 

BRIDGE PARK COMMUNITY COUNCIL STEERING GROUP

PRESS RELEASE

SAVE BRIDGE PARK CAMPAIGN

Community campaigners welcome a powerful decision in their favour

Appeal Court agrees to hear Stonebridge Community Trust case for being allowed to make its Charitable Arguments:

On 30 July, Master Clarke accepted the local authority’s argument that as the Attorney General, Geoffrey Cox, MP, had not joined the proceedings, then the Charitable Trust argument had to be struck out from the defence.  That result would have dealt a blow to the community campaigners’ defence.

On 13^th September, leave to appeal the decision was refused by Master Clarke, so the community campaigners applied for permission to appeal this legal point to a higher Judge, resulting in this latest successful outcome. 

On 6^th November 2019, at the High Court Appeal Centre, the Honourable Mr. Justice Birss ruled that the community campaigners be granted permission to appeal the orders of 21^st March and 13^th September 2019.

At the Appeals Centre, the Honourable Mr. Justice Birss, explained that “…..the decision of the Attorney General not to join the proceedings does not prevent the community and those who represent them from maintaining a Charitable Trust argument.  He concluded by saying, “.the arguments put forward as grounds of appeal on behalf of the defendants have a real as opposed to fanciful prospect of success at trial. 

 ‘Community campaigners welcome TWO powerful decisions

 in their favour’.

1.    Feb 2020 – “Community Activist threatens Community’s Legal Defence”

In the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday Feb 6, 2020 -

Patricia Grace Guthrie a local activist based in Camden, states that she teamed up with a Daniel Galimore and Nigel Goodison, as they thought that they could fight the Save Bridge Park campaign better than BPCC (who have blocked the sale for three years and fought and won the legal case at the first key test hearing February 2019).  Grace tried to persuade the High Court to let her join on behalf of her new team and she submitted privileged BPCC evidence and made erroneous statements in support.

Her legal arguments, were in effect against BPCC, so would have helped Brent to sell Bridge Park by attempting to remove our claim that

 *1.* HPCC were promised the Freehold (Estopple by convention), and;

 *2.* of there being a Charitable Trust by the actions and method of the purchase (in 1982) demonstrated by the protective GLC covenant which Brent removed.

Fortunately, The High Court agreed with our legal position (this without making any judgement on the merits of the main case in relation to Brent and ourselves, to be heard later this hear circa July 2020). The Judge threw Grace's arguments and case out (stating amongst other things.... that it had no basis in Law)! Brent won their costs against her. Whilst she was hostile towards BPCC/ HPCC we still persuaded our lawyers to show goodwill and not to apply for their entitled similar costs. So ONLY Brent Lawyers were awarded their costs £14,000 (within 28 days) against Patricia Grace Guthrie.

We have the full backing of the Cllrs, Lawyers, Press, Public and most importantly, our Community - proof backed up by their signed and written questionnaires also a petition.

www.bridgeparkcomplex.com/our-vision

Jay Mastin, Chair, Bridge Park Community Council Steering Group (BPCC) said

“This is a very powerful decision in favour of the community.  BPCC recognises the commitment from the community to support the Save Bridge Park campaign.  We also recognize our accountability to the community.  To that end, BPCC have produced the Chair’s Report covering the start of the campaign in June 2017 to date.  (see our website: www.bridgeparkcomplex.com).

The Current Position

We are pleased to report we have gone on to win our appeal hearing (attached) and will now go on to full Trial, with a window between July - Nov 2020. 

The Save Bridge Park campaign lost a decision in relation to the Attorney General and being able to continue our Charitable Trust arguments in our defence. We put in an application to the High Court to appeal that decision and the costs awarded A copy of the 29th April 2020 Judgement, Order and Attorney General's letter can be viewed on our website www.bridgeparkcomplex.com.

I trust you will agree our case is unique and maybe legally exceptional, please consider supporting in our favour www.bridgeparkcomplex.com/donations . Our appeal hearing was granted on 9th November 2019. This was the opening to a potentially landmark moment.    

 “This successful Appeal which was heard during the Covid-19outbreak in March 2020, is another big step in our steady fight to victory for the Community. No one believed in our arguments but we know the story, gathered our own evidence and slowly persuaded those in the know. Bridge Park Land & Complex is unique and is the largest project of its type in Europe. I feel our fight for justice may go on to create a legal precedent. Please see our story visit us on - www.bridgeparkcomplex.com”.

Jay Mastin, Chair, BPCC Steering Group and Director, Stonebridge Community Trust

NEU survey shows realities of wider opening of schools

From the National Education Union

Respondents to a survey conducted by the National Education Union between 31 May and 1 June, reveals the pragmatism of schools when asked to open more widely under easing of lockdown.

44% of schools did not open more widely to the any of the year groups suggested by the Prime minister on 1 June - with the vast majority of them remaining open to key worker/vulnerable children as they have been since 23 March.

35% of schools opened on 1 June on the terms expected by the Prime Minister.

21% of schools opened more widely, but on less than the terms expected by the Prime Minister.

By the end of this week, an additional 6% of schools will have opened more widely, but more than two-thirds of them to less than the eligible set of year groups.

The regional variation in school openings tracks closely with the levels of Coronavirus in each region. Just 12% of schools in the North East and 8% in the North West – where levels of coronavirus are higher – opened fully to all eligible year groups in their school.

23,045 members responded to the survey. One representative from each school was used in the final weighting. In total 10,953 schools are covered by the sample, amounting to 63% of nursery and primary schools in England (17,322). Results have been filtered where relevant to exclude ‘don’t know’ or ‘no answer’, resulting in a smaller sample for some questions while remaining a reflection of schools not members.

Pupil numbers expected:

Less than 25% 16%
Between 25%-50% 41%
Between 51%-75% 32%
Between 76%-99% 9%
100% 1%

Commenting on the results, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

Schools have been open throughout lockdown, caring for children of key workers and vulnerable children. It is clear from our latest survey, marking the start of lockdown easing, that many schools intend to delay wider opening. Some are not extending their opening beyond key workers and vulnerable children this term. Many have delayed wider opening until later in June. Others will be opening for some but not all the age groups recommended by Government. All this will make our communities safer.

It was always reckless of Boris Johnson to set an arbitrary date and expect schools to fall in line. Heads and their staff know far more about their individual challenges than Whitehall ever will. As the regional variation according to Coronavirus levels show, schools are listening to the science rather than politicians.

This disconnect should be a wake-up call for Government. Not only is the safety of the Government’s plan in question but also the feasibility of it and confidence of headteachers in what the Prime Minister requested. The Prime Minister should now act to ensure that education unions are involved in the planning of further steps as they are in Scotland and Wales.

The NEU and many prominent scientists, including Independent SAGE, believe it would have been safer for all schools to begin the move to a wider opening in a couple of weeks from now, when the number of new cases per day should be lower and the system of testing, tracking and isolation of new cases is bedded in.

Our survey shows this continues to be a complex, challenging situation for schools. Heads, teachers and support staff are using their professional judgement, working with the children they teach in circumstances where official guidance has been published long after planning needs to start.

North Brent School (Neasden Lane) planning application at Planning Committee next Wednesday

The proposed building on Neasden Lane

Chancel House

The school plan

The planning application for the new school in Neasden lane (currently, rather confusingly called North Brent School) goes to the on-line Planning Committee on Wednesday June 10th. LINK

The school will be part of the Wembley High School Academy Trust and some children are expected to travel down from the north of Brent and from Wembley High itself, as well as from Harlesden and neighbouring areas.  There has been some parental demand for a secular secondary school in the area in the past and Brent Council's pupil projections indicate the need for two more secondary schools - although that may change post-Brexit and post-Covid.

The building design looks like many of the period and there is more outdoor space than schools such as Michaela.  However, one of these spaces is a Muga (multi-use games area) on the school roof overlooking Neasden Lane.

Those familiar with the area know that Neasden Lane is one of the most polluted roads in Brent and also has heavy vehicles, including skip trucks, accessing the industrial area between the proposed school and the station.

Industrial area off Neasden Lane

Wembley Matters has already expressed concern about the proposed Ark Somerville, with a roof top playground overlooking a busy road, and this application follows a similar pattern. The question arises is why, when the Council is attempting to mitigate the impact of air pollution on existing schools, is it permitting the building of new schools on polluted roads?

The answer is partly the lack of other suitable sites and also the desire to build near transport links. There is little in the officers' report about air pollution but the Velocity Active Transport report looks at the routes to the school:

Route 1
This route connects the site to the residential areas located north of the Dudden Hill Lane / Neasden Lane roundabout. This route also connects the site to Neasden Underground Station north of the proposed development.
Clean air – According to the London Air Quality Network, this section of the carriageway fails the annual mean objective for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution indicating unacceptable air quality. This is likely due to the high volume of vehicles that travel along this main road. An investigation could be done into how the timing controls at the junction along Neasden Lane could be improved to reduce exposure to air pollution from motor vehicles. 

Route 2
This route connects the site to the residential areas located east and west of Church Road, southwest of the proposed development.
Clean air – According to the London Air Quality Network, this section of the carriageway fails the annual mean objective for NO2 air pollution indicating unacceptable air quality. This is likely due to the high volume of vehicles that travel along this main road. An investigation could be done into how the timing controls at the junction could be improved to reduce exposure to air pollution from motor vehicles. Adding some planter boxes with low level planting would also help mitigate the impact of air pollution. 

Route 3
This route connects the site to bus stops (Willesden Magistrates Court) on High Road southeast of the proposed development.
Clean air – According to the London Air Quality Network, this section of the carriageway fails the annual mean objective for NO2 air pollution indicating unacceptable air quality. This is likely due to the four signalised junctions. An investigation could be done into how the timing controls at the junction could be improved to reduce exposure to air pollution from motor vehicles. Adding some planter boxes with low level planting would also help mitigate the impact of air pollution. 

Route 4
This route connects the residential area beyond Dollis Hill underground station the east of the proposed development. This route also connects the site to the bus stop on Dudden Hill Lane (Chapter Road stop DK and DG).
Clean air – According to the London Air Quality Network, this section of carriageway fails the annual mean objective for NO2 air pollution indicating that the air quality is unacceptable. This is likely due to the high level of traffic present in this area. To further reduce air pollution, improved footway infrastructure could be introduced to encourage walking

I don't find the mitigation proposals very convincing but more worrying is not the walk to school but the exposure to pollution of both staff and pupils over a long period while in the school and its grounds.  The school building is closer to the main road than Chancel House, but the report states that these will be the 'noisy areas', with classrooms towards the back.

A proposal in original plans that 4 coaches should transport children from the north of Brent to the school in the morning and back again in the afternoon has been reduced to one after opposition from TfL and £750,000 will be paid to them to improve existing bus routes.  The 297 route is on Neasden Lane itself, 260 and 266 on Willesden High Road, and 226 and 302 on Dudden Hill Lane. Neasden Station on the Jubilee line is close by.

The proposal includes space for staff and pupil cycle parking (up to 172 for pupils)g but I challenge the planners to attempt to cycle from the Civic Centre to Chancel House and, if they survive,  report back on the experience.

Apart from the obvious positive of a brand new secondary school for Brent children, is that in an area without many mature trees, the landmark willow on the bend of Neasden Lane will be retained.