90 years ago my Uncle Ron lamented the loss of trees in Honeypot Lane

 

Honeypot Lane (Centre) 1923

 

 

Honeypot Lane beginning to be built up (1935)

When he was 18, my maternal Uncle Ronald (Jefferies) lived with the family in Church Drive, Kingsbury, having only recently moved from Peckham. They all enjoyed what remained of the countryside around Kingsbury, my mother often reminded us when we said we were bored that she used to jump over the ditches of the Welsh Harp and urge us to get off out from under her feet. My Aunt Muriel worked at Bush Farm in Kingsbury during World War 2 and she and my mother kept a pair of goats in the garage of their Crundale Avenue home!

 

When a child my mother looked up to her big brother Ron who tried to educate her about Shakespeare, poetry and music and he clearly made a big impact. He later joined the Communist Party and as an ETU shop steward was indirectly involved in the 1961 controversy LINK.

 

Back in 1935 he was a romantic teenager and on Saturday 15th February wrote a poem about Honeypot Lane that was then undergoing development that seems to have involved the loss of woodland. It is a fairly typical teenage poem (I have some embarrassing examples of my own) but captures a moment of change in our area  that I thought was worth sharing:

 

Ronald Wilfred Jefferies

 

Thanks to Philip Grant for this photograph of Honeypot Lane probably taken around the time of Ron's poem.

 

The Lane

I mourn the loss dearest friend,

No more happy ways I wend,

Amidst thy green and shaded grove, 

Men will execute and move, 

What God gave for their delight,

And put instead an ugly sight,

 

The wind thunders in my ears,

It confirms, trees all they fears. 

'Tis the crack of doom for thee.

Gaunt fingers upraised you plea,

To a grey and windswept sky,

But all in void, for you must die,

 

As they shine through boughs and leaves, 

Moonlight or sunlight magic weaves,

A fairy web along the lane,

Shadows I'll never see again.

Farewell! Around another bend,

Perhaps there lurks some new friend.

 

Ronald Jefferies 

 

1976 - not currently available

 

The volume above contains some background on Honeypot Lane  LINK

 

There is something incredibly rural and homely about the name 'Honeypot Lane' and yet, in the late 20th century, it is an unsuitable and incongruous title for a highway which includes a dual carriageway for part of its length and many factory buildings along its eastern flank.

One explanation for its unusual name was given in Volume 3 but a reader has reminded us that there is at least one other probable reason for the 'Honeypot' title.  There was, and still is, an old country saying, "Stuck like bees on a honeypot", when referring to the effects of a strong adhesive.  Villagers used this expression when describing Honeypot Lane during wet weather, at which times the sticky nature of the moist clay made it almost impassable.  This theory is supported by the existence of another lane of the same name in Alperton, where similar conditions prevailed.

The history of this old lane stretches back over aeons of time; it has been trodden by the feet of armies, robbers and labourers - and even earlier by the Druids and possibly Stone Age men.  It was a brief stage on the long route which connected Dover with Brockley Hill, before continuing on to Holyhead.

It is quite an awe-inspiring thought when one considers that this route, which was once a path, then a track and later a lane, had altered very little in concept for more than two thousand years - until suddenly, in the late 1930s, the whole scene began to change radically.  Put another way, it means that the last forty years in which it has adopted the modern motor highway image represents less than one fiftieth of its known existence.

An interesting aspect of this revelation is that many residents who are not very much beyond the stage of middle age can clearly remember the old Honeypot Lane, which was alternately grassy and muddy, depending upon the season - and even with the advent of the 1930s - was still unmade.  One resident described it as a "one cart track.  Two carts could not pass unless the driver of one opened a gate and backed into a field".

The only signs of civilisation in its entire length were a few isolated cottages (four of which, namely Marsh Cottages, still remain near the 'Green Man'), a sewage farm and an isolation hospital, which later changed its function to that of a maternity centre.

The public house near the junction with Whitchurch Lane was built in the late 1930s but the previous establishment was more commonly known to the local residents as the 'Hog and Donkey'.  Other long-standing public houses in the Lane are The Queen of Hearts' and 'The Honeypot'.

 

Honeypot Lane 2021

 

John Betjeman, of course,  wrote nostalgically about Middlesex LINK:

Dear Middlesex,

Dear vanished country friend.

Your neighbour, London,

Killed you in the end. 

 But I wonder if anyone has written poetry about the more recent changes in Wembley Park, Northwick Park or Alperton? 

  

 

 

 

Blackpink at Wembley Stadium Friday and Saturday. Road closures from 3pm or earlier. Bus diversions. No Bakerloo or Lioness services on Saturday/

 

Come See the Empire – the “Becoming Brent” project ends this weekend.

Guest post by local historian Philip Grant

 

The event at Willesden Green Library on Saturday 16 August. (From Eventbrite)

 

The eighteen month “Becoming Brent” project, using the centenary of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Park in 1924/25 as a starting point for re-examining how we see this part of our history from different perspectives, comes to a conclusion next weekend. 

 

Extra tickets have been made available for “Come See the Empire”, at Willesden Green Library on Saturday 16 August from 2pm to 3.30pm. The session will be led by local historian Lisa Lu, who writes:

 

‘The talk will serve as a continuation of the conversation around this historic event, exploring its origins, goals, and how former colonial nations present themselves today. By comparing the Exhibition's narrative with contemporary perspectives, the talk aims to encourage reflection on Britain's colonial legacy, its impact on Brent, and broader global implications.’

 

You can reserve your free place for this event by “clicking” on the Brent Libraries, Arts and Heritage Eventbrite website.

 

Sunday 17 August will be the final day when you can see “Revisiting the British Empire Exhibition 100 Years On”, in the second-floor gallery at Willesden Green Library. This community-led exhibition looks at a variety of pictures and objects from 1924/25 in the Brent Museum collection, and invites you to share your own experiences and impressions of former British colonies, promoting dialogue and critical thinking around the concepts of decolonisation, migration, and heritage.

 

Back on 1 January 2024, Martin published my guest post on Why we should commemorate the British Empire Exhibition in 2024. I felt it was important that we used the centenary of a major local history event, which has helped to shape Wembley’s progress ever since, as a chance to learn more about Britain’s former Empire, to understand it and its consequences, and to acknowledge its wrongs. The “Becoming Brent” project has helped to do that, and we need to continue to educate ourselves, for the benefit of mutual respect across our wonderfully diverse community.

 

Park Lane School’s Empire Day celebration, May 1920.
(Brent Archives – Wembley History Society Collection)

 

Things have moved on since local schoolchildren were taught what a wonderful thing the British Empire was, and were marched to the recently built Empire Stadium to watch the pageantry of the Exhibition’s opening ceremony on 23 April 1924. Several thousand local people were encouraged to take part in the Pageant of Empire at the Stadium in July and August 1924. They were part of a scene about Queen Elizabeth I, and the celebration of England’s victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588. But the sections of the Pageant dealing with how Britain came to own many other lands either distorted, and sometimes glorified in, the darker side of the Empire’s story. Unfortunately, that was the way in which the British establishment wanted people to see our history then!

 

The British Empire Exhibition logo.

Hopefully, we have learned some lessons from the British Empire Exhibition’s centenary which will help to make Brent a better place in future.

Philip Grant.

Harrow Lib Dems submit FOI on Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool decision making and support petition opposing closure

 From Harrow Lib Dems

Closure of Northwick Park Hospital Hydrotherapy Pool

The Harrow LibDems are concerned about the closure of Northwick Park Hospital Hydrotherapy Pool

Northwick Park Hospital recently announced the closure of their Hydrotherapy Pool. 

The announcement appears to have come as a surprise to many including many of patients that have benefitted from the pool.

The Chair of Harrow LibDems has submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to LNWH NHS Trust to ask what for records of decision making relating to the closure of the Hydrotherapy pool.

“We know that patients will be concerned about this matter and we are doing everything we can to find out answers from the Hospital management team on this matter” said Joseph Gaunt, Chair of Harrow LibDems. “It is vital to have facilities like these in our community to help people in recovery”. 

The Harrow Liberal Democrats support petition to stop the closure of the hydrotherapy pool: https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-northwick-park-s-hydrotherapy-pool 

Healthwatch Brent calls on Trust to reconsider Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool closure

 From Healthwatch Brent

 

The hydrotherapy pool at Northwick Park Hospital, which has been serving people across London for over 40 years, is expected to close at the end of August. 

 

A statement from London North West University Hospital NHS Trust (LWNH) said the new NHS plan makes “a clear distinction” between facilities that should be provided in acute hospitals with those “best provided by community services”. 

 

Hydrotherapy, also known as aquatic therapy, is a form of physiotherapy. It combines massage jets and warm water to help alleviate pain and improve overall motion and muscle strength. Currently the pool supports both NHS and non-NHS patients with musco-skeletal problems such as arthritis, and those recovering from orthopedic surgery. 

 

Thousands of people have backed a petition by Mark Adshead, urging for the hydrotherapy pool at Northwick Park Hospital to remain open. Mark has described the pool as a much-needed lifeline for the community and expects there to be severe consequences for the physical and mental health of patients. 

 

“While we understand that the pool is a popular resource for a small number of patients, it is mostly used by private users. Hydrotherapy is not usually provided in acute hospitals, and the new NHS 10-year plan makes a clear distinction between services that should be provided in acute hospitals and those best provided by community services.   

 

“Our hospital resources must therefore be focused on faster diagnosis, expanding surgical and outpatient services, and providing effective ward care so patients can be discharged promptly and treated equitably.” 

 

Spokesperson for the LNWH trust

 

“This is the only relief I get from painful joints and isn’t available anywhere else in the area.” 

 

Hydrotherapy pool user

 

We urge the LNWH trust to reconsider this decision.

 

If you have used any hospital or community-based services, we would love to hear from you. Share your experiences with us today. We use your feedback to support service design and delivery.  LINK

 

We'll update this section to inform you of the next steps of Healthwatch Brent.

 

'Stark' 826 student accommodation that will 'tower above Cricklewood Broadway' approved by Brent Planning Committee

 

Brent Planning Committee has approved the replacement of the Matalan site on Cricklewood Broadway by two blocks of student accommodation, together comprising 826 beds. The blocks range in height from 3 to 9 storeys

 Previously the developer had permission for a lower height development of 238 residential flats but submitted the new application blaming the change of direction on regulatory changes including new fire safety requirements,

A resident submitted a deputation supporting the application citing the run down nature of the current site and its impact on the area.

In his deputation, Ben Tansley for Northwest Two Residents Association, described th proposed development as too large, bleak, imposing and stark, 'towering above Cricklewood Broadway'.  It was disproportionate in relation to the two storey houses on Temple Road.

Tansley said that the Association supported development of the site but not at this scale.  They would prefer a height of 5 storeys but would perhaps settle for seven.  He argued that the proposal did not comply with the Local Plan.

 There were the usual arguments that purpose built student accommodation would attract students currently renting houses, freeing them up for families if the application was approved. It would help meet London's overall target for student accommodation. The development would provide the equivalent of 300 homes that would count towards Brent Council's housing target.

The application was approved by 5 votes to 3 with Cllr Saqib Butt, Akram and Dixon voting against.

 

Wembley Matters passes 10 million pageviews.

 

 

Didn't notice until a little while ago. Many thanks to all our readers!

Barry Gardiner calls for Hydrotherapy Pool closure to be paused, release of documentation regarding the decision and review of decision in consultation with service users

 

A patient and physiotherapist in an Australian hydrotherapy pool

 

Barry Gardiner MP for Brent West is due to meet Pippa Nightingale, CEO of London North West University Healthcare Trust after her decision to close the Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool has resulted in a collective complaint by staff and uproar among patients.

 

In her response to a letter from Barry Gardiner the CEO merely repeated what was in the Trust's reluctantly issued press release.

 

This is the exchange:

 

Dear Ms Nightingale,

I hope this letter finds you well. 

 

I write on behalf of multiple constituents who have contacted me in relation to the impending closure of the hydrotherapy pool at Northwick Park Hospital. I understand this is due to happen at the end of this month, so I would be grateful if you could please treat this issue as a matter of urgency. 

 

I understand that service users were not consulted on the decision to close the pool, nor were they formally notified of the closure in good time. I understand that instead, patients were abruptly informed by reception staff that they could not book any sessions beyond the end of this month. 

 

I understand that the hydrotherapy service provides life-changing treatment to many service users who suffer various limiting and painful conditions. I am told by my constituents of its immeasurable benefits, including one constituent who depends on local access to hydrotherapy to maintain her employment, and in turn her independence and mental wellbeing. 

 

I understand that patients already self-fund their sessions at the pool and they therefore feel that costs currently incurred by the Trust are minimal. I share their concerns that on the other hand, closing the pool will cause deterioration in the patients’ conditions and decrease their independence, resulting in far greater costs for the NHS and social care in the long term. 

 

I am sure you have not come to this decision lightly. However, I would be grateful if you could please: 

 

1.Urgently pause the decision to close the hydrotherapy pool;
2. Release documentation in relation to how the Trust came to this decision;

3. Review the decision in consultation with service users.

 

If there is no way the closure can be avoided, I would be grateful if this could at least be delayed and for the Trust to assist with referring patients to suitable alternatives. 

 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response. 

 

Yours sincerely,

Barry Gardiner

 

Dear Barry, 

 

Thank you for your letter of 22 July regarding concerns about the closure of the hydrotherapy pool at Northwick Park Hospital. 

 

I can confirm that the hydrotherapy pool will close on 30 August this year. This is one month later than originally planned to allow more time for engagement with service users, and I hope that this provides you with some additional reassurance around the work we are doing in this area, as you ask in your letter. 

 

We are engaging with our Patient and Carer Participation Group about the pool closure and will take into consideration any concerns that are raised through that forum. While this discussion will not impact upon the decision, it may affect the way in which we manage or communicate the change. 

 

As part of communicating with the pool’s users, we are providing information about all alternative local providers of hydrotherapy. This includes the nearby Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital which has a much larger facility with accessible steps and a hoist. We are therefore assured that all those who use the service will have suitable alternative options.

 

As you note, closing the pool is not a decision we have taken lightly. I would like to reassure you that the decision follows completion of a full quality and equality impact assessment. 

 

We fully recognise that the pool is a popular resource, especially among fee-paying users, who make up most of its users. However, hydrotherapy is not usually provided in acute hospitals, and the new NHS 10-year plan makes a clear distinction between services that should be provided in acute hospitals and those best provided by community services. 

 

You will also be aware of the changes to the NHS financial regime this year, including the funding cap on elective activity. It is now therefore essential to focus all our resources on providing care to acutely unwell patients, and not the funding of community services. This means concentrating efforts on faster diagnosis, expanding surgical and outpatient services, and providing effective ward care so patients can be discharged promptly and treated equitably. 

 

Despite fee-paying users, upkeep and maintenance means the pool has operated at a financial loss to the Trust. If we continued providing this community service, it would reduce the number of appointments we can provide for our acutely unwell patients, resulting in longer waits for essential care. 

 

I appreciate there are aspects around the balance between acute care and community services that you may wish to discuss further. If so, I would be very pleased to arrange a meeting. 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Pippa Nightingale

Chiel Executive