100 years of Colindale - A film by Borough of Barnet Archivist Hugh Petrie ***** Review

 Someone asked me earlier this week if I'd be doing the Barneteye Awards this year. The honest answer is I don't know, but if I do, I have a strong suspicion that this will be the "Barnet Film of The Year". I would be absolutely delighted if there are any film makers out there who have made a film  about the Borough of Barnet that would give this a run for its money. 

I received a whatsapp messager from Mark Amies, BBC Radio London Industrial Historian and custodian of the amazing @Time_NW Twitter account (if you haven't already followed this, do, it is wonderful). Mark said "Have you seen the new video about Colindale that he's made? I immediately checked it out. Mark is a great and wise judge of all things historical and I fully concurr with his assessment. The film maker,  Hugh Petrie is a real jewel in the crown of the Borough of Barnet. Hugh is the Borough Archivist and curates a large collection of photographs and documents. I've only had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times, but he is the go to guy if you need to know something about the history of the Borough or you need a historcial photograph or document. I thought I knew a bit about the history of Colindale, but Hugh traces the development from the times when it was fields with just four houses, up to the second world war.

This film was put together in association with Barnet's library service and is the second in a series, following another excellent film about Burnt Oak. I am delighted that Barnet Council are developing this theme. Having a sense of place and history is a very important matter. It helps us appreciate our environment and community. If you enjoyed Hugh's film, I made a film a couple of years ago with Mark Amies, where we take an up to date look at the remnants of Airco in Colindale, which as Hugh mentions, the worlds largest aircraft manufacturer in 1918.  The video has had nearly 3,000 views, so clearly there is a strong local interest in the history of our area. 

I look forward to Hugh's next film. Well done to Hugh and all in Barnet Council, Barnet library service and everyone else who contributed.