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N e w s l e t t e r A u t u m n 2 0 1 3
4Local news
4Helga Wolff, author
4Beware of scams
4Diamond Jubilee 1996
4It’s a Rat’s Life
4Obituaries
4Wandle and Ducomble
SKPPRASo
uth
Kent
on a
nd P
rest
on P
ark
Resid
ents
Ass
ocia
tion
In March 1937 the committee
representing the residents of the Estate
published a Preliminary Report, telling
residents about their ideas for the newly
formed Association. It proved very popular
and in September 1937 the first
newsletter was published. It had over 40
pages and was well supported by
advertising. Then as now, we need our
advertisers to make our newsletters viable.
Over the years the issues ranged from
over 40 pages to a single sheet! Tough
times and good times for the committee,
and editors had their work cut out as
funds fluctuated. Despite all that, we have
an unbroken line of newsletters only
interrupted by the war years! Our archives
are an immensely valuable document of
local history.
You no doubt can image how difficult it
was for me to get on with life rather than
reading all about our local history. I simply
could not resist and had to put a few
items in this and, no doubt, future issues.
Enjoy! Trixi
In this issue
Christmas
Party,
Sunday, 8th
December
5pm - 7pm
S t e e p e d i nh i s t o r y . . .
For all the latest news visit
www.skppra.co.uk
Page 2
Free no obligation valuation of your home��
Fully qualified Estate Agents with technicalawards in residential sales
��Full double page colour advertising in the
area’s leading local newspapers��
Prominent high street location ensures vastamounts of walk-in clients
��Long opening hours
����We will not be beaten on fees��
188 Preston Road, Wembley HA9 8PA tel: 020 8904 8904 fax: 020 8904 8984
email: [email protected]
Bryan Maher& Co
ESTATE AGENTS & VALUERS
Page 3
S K P P R A N e w s l e t t e r A u t u m n 2 0 1 3
Good News & Information
Backdrop of London and other stories by Helga Wolff
Helga’s new book was successfully launched on 1st October at Wembley Library,
Brent Civic Centre. Helga who taught most of her life has published several books
before. This new book is a collection of her reminiscences of life in post-war
London, together with fictional stories triggered by people she has encountered in
her long and remarkable life.
What makes this extra special to us is that Helga has lived in our area for over 35
years. Her late husband George was also involved in SKPPRA. He joined the
committee in Spring 1985 and later on served as chairman.
If you would like to buy a copy of Helga Wolff’s book, please contact her on
020 8908 4958. The book costs £12.60, but if you are one of the more mature
people, you can purchase it for £6.30!
Welcome to Reverend Trevor Goddard and his family
On the 5th September Rev Goddard was licensed as the new Parish Priest of The
Church of the Annunciation. He has a great sense of humour which became evident
at the gathering afterwards. We wish him and his family all the best.
Wembley Event Days - Apart from looking out for the information at the entrances to
our Estate, you can also check them on our website www.skppra.co.uk.
SKPPRA Christmas Party
Some time to go yet, but plans are in hand for our Party on Sunday, 8th December
5pm - 7pm at The Windermere Pub. (If you want to prop up the bar after 7pm that is
fine by the landlord!) We have a few surprises in store. We will also draw our raffle
that afternoon. Make sure you buy your raffle tickets when your Road Steward
comes to your door. Be lucky and collect your winnings at the party!
Preston Park Primary School Plans for the extension have been drawn up. Planning
permission will be sought and residents will have the chance to put their views.
New Tea Dancing at Brent Civic Centre on Mondays. 020 8937 4340.
Citizens Panel Brent wants to recruit more people. Interested? Phone 020 8937 1073.
Electoral register Contact 020 8937 1372 to ensure your name is on the register.
Brent Bulky Waste Collection - 020 8937 5050.
3
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S K P P R A N e w s l e t t e r A u t u m n 2 0 1 3
4
CAR SERVICING & REPAIRfor most makes and models
For details contact
Simon Shindler, 44 Grasmere Ave. off Preston Rd.
Wembley HA9 8TD
Tel. 0208 908 2401
30 years Experience - Reasonable Rates
Scams, spam - if in doubt, throw it out - don’t respond!
It is difficult to be suspicious when a pleasant person calls who wants to help you.
Criminals are getting very sophisticated and we have to be mistrustful.
Here is Anne’s story: “I received a phone call today from a Sergeant at a London
police station, saying that they had two men in custody who had on them a bank
card which seemed to relate to our household. I was asked to check if I still had
mine. He gave his name and number, the police station and a reference number
for the case. As I was writing all this down, he suggested that I call 101 (the non-
emergency police number) and ask to be put through to him, so that I knew he
was calling from the police station. I did so, but from a different phone and talked
to the real police. Anne One, Fraudsters Nil.
If I'd phoned from the same phone, these fraudsters stay on the line and send
a noise down like a dialling tone, so you think you're dialling the police. Then one
of them talks to you like you have just rung them and puts you through to the
original person. Then they try to get your bank details, or arrange to send a taxi
round to collect your card.”
Emails are now commonplace and so are spam mails; they tell us that money
is due to us or a tax refund from the Tax Office. Scam mail, out!
I recently received a phone call telling me that my credit card had been used
fraudulently and to dial 0 to learn more. I immediately put the phone down, but it
worried me. I logged into my account and contacted customer services via my
mobile. In this case it was a genuine call from them. I did complain saying they
must find a better way to warn their customers. Be suspicious, stay safe. Trixi
Page 5
Free no obligation valuation of your home��
Fully qualified Estate Agents with technicalawards in residential sales
��Full double page colour advertising in the
area’s leading local newspapers��
Prominent high street location ensures vastamounts of walk-in clients
��Long opening hours
����We will not be beaten on fees��
188 Preston Road, Wembley HA9 8PA tel: 020 8904 8904 fax: 020 8904 8984
email: [email protected]
Bryan Maher& Co
ESTATE AGENTS & VALUERS
Page 6
S K P P R A N e w s l e t t e r A u t u m n 2 0 1 3
6
It’s a Rat’s Life
The brown or grey rat can be up to 25cm long with a tail of about the same length.
Over the last 200 years it has spread to every continent except Antarctica making
it one of the most successful mammals after humans. Indeed, with rare exceptions,
the brown rat lives wherever humans reside, particularly in urban areas.
Rats are a very smart - and I do mean smart. I’d like to tell you more in a follow-up
article. Rats are normally suspicious of new food sources and will only eat a small
amount to see what happens and then come back for more later.
Difenacoum is a fairly potent poison, so any brand containing this is a good bet.
Place bait boxes close to where you think your rodent problem is, preferably close
to a fence, remember top up your bait boxes daily, because once a rat has a food
source they keep coming back. If your boxes go untouched then it's time to get
smart. Put some peanut butter in the bait box, and if this starts to disappear keep
topping it up for a few days; the rats will start to see the bait box as a reliable
source of food. Then change to poison!
Unfortunately rats also love the peanuts from our bird feeders... Eric B
We have received reports of sightings of rats in our area, in public and private
spaces. You can contact the Council or a private Pest Controller.
Please send me any helpful information which I will distribute to residents. Trixi
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S K P P R A N e w s l e t t e r A u t u m n 2 0 1 3
A neighbour once asked me why, if I liked living in London - which I do - did
I spend so many Saturdays getting away from it. Was this a challenge?
Most people who live north of the Thames are unfamiliar with Tramlink,
London's only tram service, extending from Wimbledon to Beckenham. At one
point the tram is clunking through the streets of Croydon; a little later it may be
speeding through the woods of Lloyd Park. Earlier this year I took the tram to
Phipps Bridge to explore Morden Hall Park and almost immediately found myself
in a meadow. Further exploration revealed a rose garden, a collection of historic
buildings, a friendly café/restaurant, a garden shop and an exhibition space
housed in the former stable block.
The park, originally the estate of G.E. Hatfeild, was bequeathed by him to the
National Trust in 1941. To quote one of the booklets, 'It survives as an oasis of
tranquillity amidst a busy London suburb, an island of green, intersected by an
intricate network of watercourses.' These watercourses all link up to the River
Wandle, and this, for me, was the big discovery. The Wandle is a fast-flowing
tributary of the Thames. Sourced at Waddon Ponds and at Carshalton, at one time
it powered some 90 watermills for industries as varied as tanning, gunpowder
manufacture, weaving and snuff making. Today the river is host to the Wandle Trail, a
14 mile walking and cycle route. On my first visit I walked upstream to Mitcham,
not much more than a mile, but taken at a leisurely pace because of all there was
to see. There are several weirs on the river creating slow moving water, ideal for
wildfowl. I remember the instance when a pair of Canada Geese (cont. page 8)
7
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Page 8
S K P P R A N e w s l e t t e r A u t u m n 2 0 1 3
(cont. from page 7) with their six goslings slowly crossed the path in front of me to
enter the water. I have also sampled other parts of the trail but have not begun to
appreciate all that it has to offer.
For those interested in history, the Wandle Industrial Museum is the key.
Situated less than half a mile north of Mitcham (Tramlink) in the Vestry Hall
Annexe, London Road, it is staffed by volunteers and is open only on Wednesday
and Sunday afternoons. For an embarrassingly small entrance fee we can learn
about the Surrey Iron Railway, about Liberty's fabrics, and how tanning is a smelly
business. The Trail itself is shown in detail on a handy leaflet (folded A2). At the
time of writing this is out of print, but it can be downloaded at
www.merton.gov.uk/leisure/visiting/attractions/wandletrail.htm.
Now; the Central Bar at the Royal Festival Hall could not be more different. Most
Fridays at 1 o'clock there is a free performance of popular music, played against a
background of lunchtime activity with toddlers scampering around. On 7th June the
performer was singer Gabrielle Ducomble, accompanied by a guitar player and
pianist from her band. At first it was the pianist who held my attention as he
attacked the keys with assurance and variety of touch. Then, such was the fullness
of the sound - was there a backing track? - I turned to the guitar. The spectrum of
sounds that can be produced by a skilled performer was a revelation to me, and it
drew applause, jazz fashion, whenever the end of a solo passage was signalled. I
am not normally a jazz enthusiast, but this was sheer pleasure to listen to. Afterwards
I bought the CD and Gabrielle signed the sleeve for me. DMP 7.8.13
8
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“It’s the Quality of the Moment that makes
Memories.”
Page 9
S K P P R A N e w s l e t t e r A u t u m n 2 0 1 3
9
A Sixty Year Summary 1936 - 1996BY 1936, when the increasing population of “Preston Park Estate” decided to form
their own Residents’ Association, the building of the house properties, roads and
other amenities had already been in progress for eight years. The main contractors
were Clifford Sabey and F. C. Costin, who specialised in construction of three
bedroom properties of the “Mock Tudor” and other designs typical of the period. In
the latter part of the completion of the Estate - between 1935 to 1939 - the
development was carried out by “Preston Park Estates Ltd”. The area represented
“Metroland” concept of a new, outer London suburb with easy access to town
centres and surrounding countryside. This had attracted young married couples on
moderate incomes; many with young, growing families. They had common social
interests in what was a period of no television, no video recorders or computers,
very few private cars and certainly no holidays abroad! Self-help and self-reliance
was the order of the day.
Consequently, the Residents’ main priority was to provide an active Association
which not only represented them in consultations with the Local Authority; but in
particular would provide a basis for group social activities. The inaugural meeting
was held in Preston Park School (in College Road) and attended by some 300
local residents. From its concept the members decided that the Association was to
be non-political and non-sectarian. This principle has remained in effect during the
past sixty years. A committee was elected and Road Stewards recruited. Within a
few weeks the residents were (through their Association) making strong
representations to the Wembley Council Officials about proposed “Rezoning of a
certain part of Preston Park Estate for industrial purposes” (i.e. adjacent to Carlton
Avenue East), which the residents considered would be detrimental to the house
properties and welfare of the residents. This confirms that even in those days the
local planners had little awareness of the effects of adverse developments upon a
residential area! Backed by the support and enthusiasm of its members, the
Association quickly organised social and leisure activities to cater for individual
interests. These consisted of regular whist drives, tennis, bowls and cricket clubs;
plus social events and dinner dances. These were well attended. One must realise
that in 1936 there was no official provision for these activities in the locality.
Preston Park with its recreational facilities, as now exists, was not landscaped or
finally completed until 1940. It is only during very recent years that Brent Council
has provided a properly designed playground area for the children.(Extract from the Diamond Jubilee edition 1996)
Continued in future issues. Trixi
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S K P P R A N e w s l e t t e r A u t u m n 2 0 1 3
10
SKPPRA Committee for 2013/14 - Officers
Chairman, Michael 020 8904 1750, [email protected]
Treasurer, Julia 020 8908 0094, [email protected]
Chief Road Steward, Sagar 020 3371 0259, [email protected]
Newsletter Editor, Trixi 020 8904 4795, [email protected]
Website Manager, David 020 8904 2387, [email protected]
Minutes Secretary, Clare, 020 8904 9699, [email protected]
Social Secretary, Noel 07791 620219, [email protected]
Committee members Linda Green, 020 8908 0173, [email protected]
Sean Mendis (co-opted), [email protected]
Alfred Tyndale, 07984 160588, 020 8904 3264
Rosemary Nichols It is with sadness that I report the death of Rosemary
Nichols aged 82, on 8th July 2013, at Oak Lodge Nursing Home, Oakley, near
Basingstoke. Born in Millom, in the county of Cumberland she moved to London in
1958 working in various catering establishments as a cook. In most recent years,
together with her late husband Arthur, she was very involved in the many activities
and organisational roles at Methodist Central Hall Westminster. It was only then in
December 2012 because her health was failing fast that she finally accepted that
she needed consistent help. Therefore, earlier this year she made the move to
Oak Lodge for care she required and to be closer to all her family. Rosemary was
a delightful lady, friendly and unassuming in nature and will be missed by all her
family, friends and neighbours in and around Montpelier Rise. She will be missed
by me also, ending a long family association particularly following her husband’s
death in 2007. It was my pleasure to collect her on Sunday mornings and together
attend morning service at the Methodist Central Hall Westminster. Katie Jones
Cliff Lock We are very sad to inform you that Cliff Lock passed away after a
long illness. Cliff was a very active Road Steward.
Last year the committee decided to present him with a well-deserved Certificate
of Service in recognition of 25 years as a Road Steward. Our sympathies go to
his wife Joan.
Obituaries
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S K P P R A R o a d S t e w a r d s A u t u m n 2 0 1 3
11
1. Allonby Gdns 1 - 16
2. Ambleside Gdns 1 - 47
3. Ambleside Gdns 2 - 48
4. Arnside Gdns 1 - 28
5. Carlton Ave East 131 - 173, 160 - 200
6. Carlton Ave East 175 - 213, 202 - 252
7. Carlton Ave East 215 - 233, 254 - 314
8. College Rd 1 - 22
9. College Rd 23 - 64
10. Coniston Gdns 1 - 25, 2 - 26
11. Coniston Gdns 27 - 51, 28 - 56
12. Conway Gdns 1 - 35
13. Derwent Gdns 1 - 39
14. Ennerdale Gdns 1 - 27
15. Fernleigh Court 1 - 10
16. First Avenue 1 - 32
17. Glendale Gdns 39 - 69, 44 - 56
18. Glendale Gdns 1 - 37, 2 - 42
19. Grasmere Ave 1 - 37, 2 - 50
20. Grasmere Ave 39 - 67, 52 - 100
21. Grasmere Ave 69 - 111, 102 - 140
22. Grasmere Ave 129 -137, 212 - 284
23. Grasmere Ave 113 -127, 142 - 210
24. Logan Rd 1 - 67
25. Logan Rd 2 - 56
26. Longfield Ave 1 - 18
27. Lulworth Ave 1 - 24
28. Montpelier Rise 1 - 21, 2 - 22
29. Montpelier Rise 23 - 47, 24 - 36
30. Montpelier Rise 38 - 92, 49 - 85
31. Rydal Gdns 1 - 37, 2 - 42
32. Rydal Gdns 39 - 69, 50 - 74
33. Second Avenue 1 - 23
34. Third Avenue 1 - 31, 2 - 40
35. Thirlmere Gdns 1 - 41, 2 - 40
36. Thirlmere Gdns 41 - 63, 42 -100A
37. Thirlmere Gdns 65 - 101, 102 - 136
38. Warren Close 1 - 4
39. Windermere Ave 1 - 27, 2 - 52
40. Windermere Ave 54 - 102
41. Windermere Ave 29 - 67, 146 - 194
42. Windermere Ave Flats & Shops
43. Windermere Ct 1 - 24, 25 - 48
44. Woodford Place 1 - 30
CHIEF ROAD STEWARD
Mrs M Perrin, 2 Windermere Ave
Dave Owen, 19 Ambleside Gdns
Dave Owen, 19 Ambleside Gdns
Ankit Patel, 35 Grasmere Ave
Cathy Hayes, 7 Montpelier Rise
Mrs Roopal Patel, 187 Carlton Ave East
VACANT
Mr V Patel, 12 College Rd
Mr & Mrs Verma, 57 College Road
Pat Baker, 11 Coniston Gdns
Mrs Preety Bhudia, 1 Coniston Gdns
VACANT
David Glyn-Williams, 13 Derwent Gdns
Anna Ray, 11 Ennerdale Gdns
Mr Peter Cain, 4 Fernleigh Court
Mrs Vandana Joshi, 5 Montpelier Rise
Brenda Manbauhar, 14 Allonby Gdns
Jacky Davies, 11 Glendale Gdns
Lynn O’Connor, 82 Grasmere Ave
VACANT
Iris Fenn, 23 Rydal Gdns
Jackie O’Donoghue, 18 Ennerdale Gdns
VACANT
Mr Alvin Wright, 51 Logan Road
VACANT
VACANT
Alfred Tyndale, 12 Lulworth Ave
Mrs J Leon-Soon, 18 Montpelier Rise
Mrs V Roig, 29 Montpelier Rise
Mrs D Bhanji, 70 Montpelier Rise
Ms Maeve Cronin, 38 Rydal Gdns
VACANT
VACANT
Julia Mitchell, 7 Allonby Gdns
Mrs D Bhanji, 70 Montpelier Rise
Mrs D Bhanji, 70 Montpelier Rise
Mrs D Bhanji, 70 Montpelier Rise
Mr Alvin Wright, 51 Logan Road
Jan Able, 42 Windermere Ave
Mr Selveratnam, 76 Windermere Ave
Jan Able, 42 Windermere Ave
Mrs M Perrin, 2 Windermere Ave
Mr Selveratnam, 76 Windermere Ave
Mr Weigan Wilson, 8 Woodford Place
Sagar Patel, 187 Carlton Ave East
