Like many of you, I've been a tad bored in isolation. I found an old copy of an A-Z map of Mill Hill and had a look at some of the street names. They tell an interesting story. I then looked at some more up to date developments. These too are interesting. I thought I'd collate a list of those that caught my eye and where I knew some of the history. I do hope you find this list interesting and informative.
1. Lawrence Street.
This street runs from Mill Hill Circus to Highwood Hill. It used to run the full length of the Broadway. It takes its name from the Lawrence farm. The Lawrence family lived in Lawrence farmhouse, now on Goodwyn Avenue and an office block. It was a dwelling well into the 1970's.
Hiding behind Mill Hill Circus in Goodwyn Avenue is Lawrence Farmhouse, which in years gone by stood at the foot of Lawrence Street. For years this 17th century building was unloved and derelict. Eventually it was bought, sympathetically restored and now it used as offices pic.twitter.com/BLXyQYesf8
— πΌπππΎπΉπ ππΎππ π»πΎππ (@InsideMillHill) September 13, 2019
Picture London Borough of Barnet Archive - click for source
Bunns Lane runs from the intersection of Mill Hill Broadway and Hale Lane, to the junction with Page Street. Again the road is name after Bunns Farm, another Mill Hill farming family. Like Lawrence Street, the route of the road has changed, as a bridge over the Mill Hill East to Edgware LNER line was removed in 1974.
3. Inglis Way.
This road runs from Bittacy Hill from Frith Lane. It is named after Sir William Inglis. The road used to lead into the Inglis Barracks, home of the Royal Engineers. Many of the roads in the Millbrook Park estate have army references. At some point I hope to write a full guide to the history of the site and how it has changed.
4. Victoria Road and Albert Road.
Albert Road runs from Daws Lane to Victoria Road and Victoria Road is off Lawrence Street. The Streets were named in commemoration of Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert. Reputedly there was a hunting lodge used by Tudor kings on the site, hence the possible Royal connection.
5. Goodwyn Avenue.
Like many road names in Mill Hill, Goodwyn Avenue is named after the family that originally owned the land. There is a small private school on Goodwyn Avenue called St Martins School. This used to be the site of Goodwyn School that moved to larger premises on Hammers Lane. There is an interesting history page on the Goodwyn School website that tells the story.
6. Abbey View.
Abbey View is a small cull-de-sac off Marsh Lane. The name refers to the view of what was formerly St Marys Abbey convent and school by the intersection of Holcombe Hill and The Ridgeway.
7. Nan Clarks Lane.
Nan Clarks Lane is a cul de sac off Holcombe Hill. It is reputedly haunted by the ghost of Nan Clark. The full story of the haunting is told on the rather good Mill Hill Preservation Society website (click on the Nan Clark tab).
8. Sylvan Avenue and Woodland Way.
Picture London Borough of Barnet Archive - click for source
Sylvan Avenue is a turning off Flower Lane, and intersects with Station Road and Woodland Way at its other end. Woodland Way is also a turning off Flower Lane. Woodland Way is the route from Station Road to Mill Hill Park. The area was originally woodland. Sylvan means shaded area. The close proximity to the Railway meant that the Woodlands was soon developed once the railways arrived.
This map shows how it was starting to be developed in 1910.
9. Cornforth Lane.
This is one of Mill Hill's newest roads, so new it is not open to the public. It is on the NIMR site, currently being redeveloped by Barratts. It is named after Sir John Warcup Cornforth, who was a leading scientist at the NIMR. He won a Nobel prize for chemistry in 1979.
10. Langstone Way.
This road is off Bittacy Hill by the entrance to Waitrose. The road is named after former veteran Finchley Conservative Councillor Barbara Langstone, who was also a tireless campaigner for various charities. This article from the Archer details her achievements.
When I was putting this together, several things struck me. Very few of our new streets are named after Mill Hill people who have made a contribution to our society. Maybe we should make this a condition of major new planning applications. I'd love to see a Graham Hill Way or a Mcgoughan Street.
There were also some streets with intriguing names that I couldn't track down the origin of. Perhaps top of the list is Engel Park. Which runs off Bittacy Hill and is on the 221 bus route. Engel is German for Angel. I somehow doubt it was named after the famous communist Fredrich Engels. If your street has an interesting name and you know the story, please share it with me by adding a comment.
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Richard Wilkinson is a local historian and a regular contributor. Guest blogs are always welcome.
My thoughts on slavery and statues has not changed at all since April 1985. When we saw the statue of Colson being thrown in the river, I felt a wave of happiness that such a grotesque perversion of public acclaim had been removed from sight. There is a big part of me that would love to see every single one of these monstrosities thrown in the river, but on reflection, all that would be, would be a moment of selfish personal gratification that would allow us to forget the dark history of our nation. I do feel this deserves a deeper and more nuanced response.
There is a saying that it is 'up to you to get yourself an education' (for those of us from the era of punk rock and rock against racism, a very important part of our heritage) and that was just what I did back then. I was extremely fortunate in that I had a teacher beyond parallel, who paid me for the privilege. In the autumn of 1984 my band The False Dots had split up. I then suffered a bout of severe ill health that gave me a long period in hospital and time for reflection. I realised I'd taken some wrong turns, and if I wanted to achieve anything I needed to start putting some hard graft into what I wanted to achieve. So I bought myself a TASCAM 244 portastudio and vowed that I would do one hours guitar practice and song writing a day. In the early part of the year, I started looking for collaborators to get the project back on the road. I did what musicians did back then and bought the Melody Maker to find some musicians to collaborate with. In early April, I saw an advert that said something along the lines "Jamaican poet seeks musical collaborator for project". Having long been a fan of Reggae and having written a couple of bad cod reggae songs, I thought this may be an opportunity to actually make some proper music in the genre. So I called the number and got chatting to the poet. I explained that I had a portastudio and played guitar. He asked if I could compose music, I said yes. He then suggested I come over for a 'proper chat'.
So it was that I ended up at a small flat in Notting Hill. I had preconceptions. I'd been to several squats around the area, so when I entered I was surprised. The flat was spotlessly clean and full of books and all sorts of memorabilia. The only place that was untidy was the table, which was strewn with books and writings. The air was heavy with the smoke of sacred herbs. The poet was a small man in his 50s. At the time I was 22, a lanky punk rocker. The poet said that before he could work with someone, he had to make sure they were the right person. He asked me what I knew of slavery and history. My response was "nothing really, I didn't study history". He looked perplexed. He asked how I could not be interested in history. I replied that it wasn't that I wasn't interested, it was that I found learning about English kings mind numbingly boring. At this he laughed. I went on to say that as my dad was Australian and a former RAF bomber pilot, I preferred oral history from people who had been there. He said "But how can you talk to the ghosts?". I realised that this was going to be an interesting conversation. I said "Where my dad came from, the aboriginals would speak to their ancestors in dream time?". He laughed and said "It is not just them, our ancestors are with us all of the time, we just choose not to listen". We chatted for a couple of hours and then he said "Look, I want to set some of my poetry to music. Nothing complicated, just an acoustic guitar". I said "I can bring the portastudio here and some mics and we can record it, how many songs have you got". He looked affronted "I don't have songs, I have stories". This surprised me. I thought of stories as books, and spoken stories as a sort of naff Jackanory type of idea. So I said "So how will this work?". He then said "You need some education". We agreed that at the weekend, we'd buy a go as you please pass for the Underground and the buses and he'd 'educate me'.
On the day, I turned up at his flat. We set off and he took me on a tour of the statues of London. At each one, he'd stop and recite a poem and tell me the story of the person and how they made their money. As well as being a poet, he was a very accomplished historian. These statues I'd walked past every day, fine, resplendent in their tailored coats, benevolent smiles, were evil men. They had spread untold misery in exchange for great riches. These men had stolen the lives and futures of millions. Then we visited various buildings, and the dark history of them was also explained. One of these was Guys hospital. I can remember asking "Is Guys hospital a good or a bad thing?". His response was fascinating "Does the devil ever give his gifts for free?". He explained that for a man of untold wealth, these trinkets were simply purchased to garner public approval, so that the slavers could convince the gullible public that slavery was in their interest. As we continued our journey, I realised that London was built on the proceeds of a very evil trade. I started to feel quite sick, but realised that I was learning something that few were aware of.
At the end of the tour, we went back to the poet's flat and finalised the deal. I'd bring the portastudio and my acoustic guitar and we'd record the stories. He'd pay me £50 and I'd give him the masters. We would do it the following weekend and it would take as long as it would take. The following weekend, I turned up. I realised that his poems had a beat of their own, after a couple of lines, I'd get a simple chord pattern and he'd be off. We'd rehearse each of them a couple of times and then record them until we were happy. There were around 20 of them. We started at around noon and by about 9pm had finished. Each one, a story of a place we'd been the previous weekend. As he said the words, I simply shut my eyes, strummed the chords and listened. I was transported somewhere. I realised what he meant when he said that our ancestors were there with us all of the time. I popped on the 52 bus and headed back to Mill Hill. I had a couple of pints, but couldn't wait for the next day, to listen through, do some overdubs and finish the job.
At noon, the next day, I turned up. I was as ever welcomed and given a cup of tea. As I listened to the work, I realised that it was really something monumentally special. It was something of great importance. I hadn't asked the poet what he wanted to do with the recordings. I assumed he had a record deal. His answer shocked and saddened me. He explained that he had cancer and he had wanted to record the stories for his children and grandchildren. He said it was a very personal thing. I was quite shocked by many aspects of this. I was deeply distressed that he had not got long to live. He said "We are just passing whispers, don't be afraid of death". I was also quite upset that his amazing work would never reach a wider audience. I asked him whether he'd consider doing 'something with it'. He responded "Margaret Thatcher thinks Mr Mandela is a criminal, Great Britain is not ready for this, it would only cause trouble". I asked if Great Britain would ever be ready for it? He said "Maybe, when you are an old man". I'm now 57, probably around the age that the poet was then. The time is now, but sadly I don't have his recordings. That was not part of the deal.
About six months later my Mum called me. She had had a message from the poets daughter, I had been invited to the funeral. I'd never met the daughter, but I called her back and told her I'd be honoured. I wasn't prepared for what happened. At the funeral, and this was the first time I'd ever had an experience like this, they played one of the stories the poet had recorded with me. I have never seen such a scene, everyone descended into tears. Playing recordings of people was not something I'd seen done at a funeral before. What was quite bizarre was that I was transported back to the room where we recorded the work. I realised that there was a whole subtext in the story. It was a message to the family. It started with the words "One day I will no longer be with you, but I will be by your side, and you will never be alone". I hadn't realised the true meaning.
Now we are in the year 2020 in lockdown, with BLM matters making the front pages. I had a dream about the poet last night. We were in his flat, we were just chatting, but our subject of discussion was the current protests. He was saying "I am deeply troubled, when all of the statues are gone, when all of the names are changed, who will be there to remind us of the dark soul of this city?". I realised that without the statues, the go as you please tour we took on a sunny April Saturday in 1985 would have meant nothing. The plaudits and accolades on the plinths, which formed the key part of many of his stories would be obliterated and us white, middle class people could live happily in the pretence that the City of London was built purely by the work of our forefathers hands, rather than the lives and futures of the millions of slaves and their descendent.
My view is that these disgraceful statues should be left in place. There should be huge signs added, explaining the misery and the heartache that the person on it caused. But it goes further. The history of slavery and the great crimes of these people should be part of the national curriculum. School children should be given the same tour that I was given. I will leave you with the words that the Poet told me when I asked him how we can start to make things right. "You are an intelligent young man. Until people like you learn the truth, nothing will change. When you walked in that door you told me that you had no interest in history. I think you do now, now that you have had it properly explained to you".
God Bless you my friend, wherever you are now. Of all my teachers, you were the greatest.
I am writing to you on behalf of the #SaveLondonMusic campaign regarding enhanced support for the arts, music and creative sector. Our campaign was started in 2015, with the aim of protecting, preserving and enhancing the live music scene in London. Until the lockdown, we have been seeing a real resurgence of live music in London. London is the heart of the UK creative sector. The UK music sector contributes £5 billion to the economy, but the true contribution is far higher, extending the soft influence of the UK globally.
The live music sector, along with theatres, cinemas, museums and all manner of other creative projects have been hit hard by the lockdown. Having no income since the middle of May has meant that many venues are now in a critical position. Staff and freelance workers have bills to pay, which means many have had to take on other employment to make ends meet. Whilst the government have acknowledged this with assistance on rates, grants and loans, for many the situation has made a difficult financial position critical.
If the UK is to recover from the economic effects of Coronavirus, it is essential that our live music scene, theatres, museums and galleries are not only retained, but ready to bounce back without the burden of huge debt. Without them there will be little night time economy and scant reason for tourists to visit the UK. Every pound spent supporting the industry will be a sensible investment that will ensure the UK bounces back and retains its position of global leadership in arts and creative industries.
We are specifically asking for the following support.
1. Emergency grants to be made available for all venues who are threatened with closure. These should be based on the ongoing expenses that venues face, such as non furloughed staff, rent, rates (where applicable), utilities costs, insurance and additional costs associated with limited reopening (ie assistance with costs of sanitisers, etc). We would like to see bounceback loans covered by grants, so the industry is not weighed down with debt.
2. A government guarantee to make good the income lost from limited reopenings (ie the government buying seats to remain empty), and other innovative ways to help the industry, such as sponsorship of performances.
3. A review of parking restrictions etc around venues at show times. Specifically in London, the congestion charge extension will be very bad for musicians, concert goers and support staff. All such staff should be able to apply for an exemption.
4. Infrastructure grants for venues to improve accessibility. Whilst many venues may not be able to reopen, it is a great opportunity to do necessary improvement works. This will mean that when the economy is fully reopened, the UK will have an even more attractive offering.
Whilst we realise that these suggestions have a cost attached, the cost to the economy of losing our world beating entertainment sector is likely to be far greater in the long term. Arts and creative industries are one area we lead the world in. As such, they should be a top priority for your government as we try and put the UK back on its feet.
Yours Sincerely
Roger Tichborne
#SaveLondonMusic Campaign
www.savelondonmusic.org
Two weeks ago we sent out the developers' leaflet "
New Homes and a Secure Feature for The Midland Hotel" to all our friends and supporters in Barnet and beyond, inviting their comments and opinions.
Clearly, different people have different views, which we
readily acknowledge, so it has been our task to collate a consensus
opinion from the feedback.
To further that aim, we attach new developers' architectural drawings sent recently to us.
Please feel free to send us any comments and observations on
these more detailed plans for the pub and the accommodation blocks B
and C.
Our current position is:
Click image for more readable view
*
Car Parking.
There are currently twelve car parking spaces within the
boundary of the site; the new plan allows for three, limiting the pub's
operational flexibility and making it less attractive as a
destination/live-music venue.That is unacceptable to us.
* Construction of an upstairs outdoor terrace to replace the current ground floor facility.
We ask what specific need this new terrace satisfies, given
there is a serviceable and popular beer-garden/patio in situ on the
ground floor, and we point out that upstairs terraces bring many
problems of their own: accessibility for wheelchair users, the infirm
and aged, and problems for nearby residents - noise, overshadowing, loss
of light and privacy.
Click image for more readable view
* Schedule of Works.
On this issue, which contains some of the most worrying aspects of the new plan, we have no information so far.
We do not know if the developers intend to close the pub,
and if so, when and for how long. Nor do we know what will happen to
the existing licensee, long-term residents and existing staff members in
such circumstances.
The lack of detail at this point in the consultation process
is unacceptable. Further, we are well aware that once planning consent
has been given, local councils have no control of the timescale in which
a closed pub is reopened - evidence The Carlton Tavern, Maida Vale,
closed this last five years; The Olde White Bear, Hampstead, bar closed
for six years; The Railway Hotel, Edgware (Barnet) closed for an
extraordinary twelve years.
Unsurprisingly, we are wary of falling into such a
predicament ourselves. We must be careful not to blunder into trading
away what we have today in exchange for unenforceable promises of jam
tomorrow.
These concerns have been put to the developers' agents this week, and we await their reply.
Our Asset of Community Value (ACV) listing and our
subsequent Local heritage listing are the yardsticks by which we must
measure any new proposals for the site, ensuring that they are in the
best long term interest of the pub and the local community.
Our feeling is that the new proposals fall short of meeting those objectives.
We are against any large-scale construction work on the pub
which might change the intrinsic character of this fine old
Victorian building, the oldest in the area;
we oppose the unnecessary loss of nine car parking spaces
and the loss of the existing beer-garden/patio, both important
components of our ACV listing, which Barnet themselves have
recognised.
We will keep you posted on developments as they unfold.
In the meantime, please continue to send us your opinions, comments and questions via
mhhendon@gmail.com
As said before, it is important to gather as much consensus
as possible to what residents and patrons feel about the future of the
pub and the site.
Dave Paterson
MHCG
------------------------------------------
The Barnet Eye blog fully supports the aims of the campaign to retain this vital community asset.
2. Like Samuel, we've been taking a keen interest in the families of Mandarin ducks in Darlands lake. Hope the deluge helped them out
There are currently 3 broods of Mandarin Duck making the most of the last slither of water left in Darlands Lake at the moment. Fingers crossed for some rain to help them through the coming days. #30DaysWild#londonbirdspic.twitter.com/wKCmnLfmNR
3. The changing face of Cricklewood. A series of tweets showing the old and new rail sidings. The old ones will be replaced by a new station serving Brent Cross. These three tweets nicely chronicle the changes
4. and whilst we are in Cricklewood, the local community had a rather sad loss
RIP Michael of Wright Family Fruit & Veg Stall
“my dad has been part of the fabric of Cricklewood with his father Patrick Wright for over 75 years. As a family we have always appreciated the continued support from the community of NW2, Brent council...1/2 pic.twitter.com/r0Gv2sDn4B
5. One of the many things of great value our community has lost
For many years the newspapers were housed at the newspaper library in Colindale, North London. Do we have any ex-Colindale readers with us today? What are your favourite memories of the newspaper library? (image R.Sones wikimedia commons) #BLRefChatpic.twitter.com/gLnF9lwhli
— BL Reference Service (@BL_Ref_Services) June 5, 2020
6. Love pictures of old pubs. It's amazing that with all the money spent on design and branding these days, they never look this good!
7. It is always fascinating when we discover reminders of a long lost past
These charming structures from the long-gone Brent Bridge Hotel on Brent Street, Hendon, are now in a very sad state. It would be nice to see them restored, don't you think?
It's Saturday. From Monday to Friday, I have porridge made with water for Breakfast. On Saturday, we always have a proper breakast. This morning it was the finest smokey bacon and choriso sausages from Boucherie Gerard in Flower Lane. It was delicious. As I piled a generous dollop of Mango Chutney onto the sausages, it got me thinking, what are the best condiments and what do they go best with?
Here is my top ten!
My top ten condiments and what they best accompany #9 - Balsamic vinegar - the best on leaf Salads pic.twitter.com/DfTvMhDbOS
— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID π΄☠️π¬π§ (@Barneteye) June 6, 2020
My top ten condiments and what they best accompany #7 - Piccalilli great in a Sausage Sarnie pic.twitter.com/vAWwJAx6CE
— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID π΄☠️π¬π§ (@Barneteye) June 6, 2020
My top ten condiments and what they best accompany #5 - Lea and Perrins, great to spice up your soups pic.twitter.com/wqk3xuPJ5N
— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID π΄☠️π¬π§ (@Barneteye) June 6, 2020
My top ten condiments and what they best accompany #3 - Nando’s Peri Peri - the best on KFC pic.twitter.com/olUjFMhStP
— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID π΄☠️π¬π§ (@Barneteye) June 6, 2020
My top ten condiments and what they best accompany #2 - HP Sauce the best on sausages, I alternate with Picalilli for a bit of variety pic.twitter.com/dhOSMlz7Xk
— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID π΄☠️π¬π§ (@Barneteye) June 6, 2020
My top ten condiments and what they best accompany - Here’s my no 1. These Two must be used together on chips! pic.twitter.com/HBV1j1AdIF
— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID π΄☠️π¬π§ (@Barneteye) June 6, 2020
A traffic officer pulls over a man for speeding.
Before the officer can even say a word at the stop, the man—dressed in a tuxedo—blurts out, "Sir you have to listen to me…"
The officer cuts him off, "Sir, you were going twice the speed limit, I'm going to issue a ticket."
Insistent, the man pleads, "Please! I have to…"
The officer interrupts, "Don't bother, you're getting this ticket."
This back-and-forth continues for several minutes, eventually
escalating to where the man was becoming openly hostile. The officer
places the man under arrest.
At the holding cell, the officer says, "Lucky for you that the
chief's at his daughter's wedding. He'll be in a good mood when he gets
back."
"Don't count on it, Officer" answered the man in the cell. "I'm the groom."
Whilst the change will sadly not make the development any less of an eyesore (see this tweet with pictures taken last week), it will make more, smaller flats, at the expense of large flats designed for family groups (something which does not conform with Barnets local plan, see extracts) and will add even more traffic to the already congested Ridgeway.
It is so disappointing to see what a blot on the Totteridge Valley
the Barrett’s NIMR development is becoming. In design, every expense is
spared, taking no account of the surround. This is the view from the
Orange Tree side of the Valley.
It is so
disappointing to see what a blot on the Totteridge Valley the Barrett’s
NIMR development is becoming. In design, every expense is spared. This
is the view from the Orange Tree side of the Valley. pic.twitter.com/MwcnGjToza
— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID π΄☠️π¬π§ (@Barneteye) June 4, 2020
Just to be clear, the Barnet Council local plan recognises the need for more family housing. Here are a few excerpts from the Barnet Council local plan
'Barnet’s Local Plan | Core Strategy | September 2012285.1.10In order to protect the suburban distinctiveness of the borough we have to make more efficient use of previously developed land. We are faced with an imbalanced housing stock with one household in three considered to under-occupy, while the demands for increased housing choice, affordable housing, and family homes to meet aspirations of home ownership are increasing'
'Our Housing Strategy emphasises that to improve choice we need to increase housing supply, including familysized homes.'
'Over 50% of residential conversions generate one bedroom units. Family homes such as those containing three bedrooms or more are likely to be generated via new-build developments.'
'Our dwelling size priorities are for familyaccommodation across all tenures :•For social rented housing – homes with 3 bedrooms are the highest priority•For intermediate affordable housing – homes with 4 bedrooms are the highest priority•For market housing – homes with 4 bedrooms are the highest priority, homes with 3 bedrooms are a medium priority'
'Barnet’s Core Strategy has to address the demands for family accommodation at lower densities while meeting the demands for higher densities driven by the planned growth as part of our development pipeline and housing targets in the London Plan.'
'The North London SHMA bed size requirement model, based on housing affordability according to London Plan definitions, in general supports our prioritisation of family accommodation. It shows that in the market sector there is the need for family homes of at least 2 bedrooms, in particular 4+ bedrooms. This supports our stated levels of priority. In the intermediate and social sector there is also a marked need for 4+ bedrooms as well as 2 and 3 bedrooms.'
Since planning permission was granted a number of changes have taken place,which are material to the deliverability of the approved plans for the final phase. Principally this comprises of a shift in market demand away from larger (oversized) units towards more modest sized homes, more closely aligned with Mayoral standards. In order to avoid the risk of a slowdown in the rate of housing delivery on the site (or at worst the scheme stalling), the applicant wishes to revise the scheme to make it fit for market
This translates to "we want to build more, smaller flats on the space, rather than family spaces". I wasn't aware of the huge demographic change that meant all of a sudden, the families that needed space in 2018, when the permission was granted have magically disappeared. Where have they gone?
Whilst the planning application makes repeated references to the Mayoral plan, this is a London wide document. The Barnet plan reflects the needs in our local community. It is interesting that Barratts are much keener to refer to the Mayors plan. It says much about their commitment to our local community. Those of us who live locally and have raised families locally, want a community locally and this means provision for families.
Whilst housing is a priority, the council has a policy. We believe that there is still a responsibility to make buildings look attractive and fit in. The Totteridge Valley is one area we can all enjoy for free. During the lockdown, many young families have discovered Darlands Lake and the surrounding fields. Allowing such blocks to blot the landscape is, in my opinion, an act of cultural vandalism and a reason why I will not be voting for Sadiq Khan.
One of the small areas of solace from the development was that there were spaces for families, who would have easy access to the local schools and the local green space. Removing this will add to the traffic on the Ridgeway. Had the new plan been part of the existing submission it would have been rejected. It is simply not on for developers to submit one set of plans to get a scheme passed and then put a series of supposedly 'minor amendments' so that they end up getting what they were hoping for (bigger profits).
For me, the Barratts scheme has failed the local community in three ways. The first is that it is incredibly ugly and has not been a good addition to the Ridgeway. The second is that Barratts have taken no account of the principle of being good neighbours and have shown no consideration for the people who live and work nearby. The third is that they are trying to transform the scheme into one which does not meet the needs of the local community. Family dwellings near schools are clearly desireable.
I note, with a degree of despair that none of the local groups have bothered to comment on this plan. Do the Residents Association and the Preservation Society really have no opinion? As a community, we have a responsibility to keep fighting for what is best for our community. I will happily publish a guest blog from any local group who supports the scheme and can detail why ( so long as they have not been in receipt of funds from the developers). If there is some positive aspect of this monstrosity that I've missed, I'll be more than happy to admit I'm wrong. Sadly it seems to me that the only people who support it are people who have been on the receiving end of funds to help their pet schemes.
I'll finish with a little video filmed by my band, The False Dots, which will remind you of the sad demolition of a famous Mill Hill Landmark.
Anyone living with cancer, who has had a procedure and has an annual review will know what today is like. Today is the day when I got my results. In previous years, this has meant a trip to UCH, usually with Clare for moral support. This year, it took the form of a telephone consult, held in the back garden while Clare did her on line yoga lesson. I had been informed that they'd be calling at 1pm. As it was, I got the call at 12.45pm, fifteen minutes early. I wasn't expecting it, I was having a cup of tea and doing some guitar practice. It caught me rather off guard. If you've been following this particular series of blogs, you will know that I had an MRI scan at UCH early in May. You will know that I had an initial consult on the results a week later, where the I was informed that there was some 'change' and that the team would do a full review of my case at the next multi available team meeting, which was this Monday. During the call, I was reassurred that the change wasn't significant, but a biopsy may be in order. What I didn't mention was that I then had a PSA test as advised and got the result. It was up from 4.6 to 5.45. I had previously been advised that the point where there may be some concern was 5.5. My GP rang me to discuss the results and expressed a degree of concern that it was only marginally under the threshold.
This lockdown period has been a difficult time for many of us during lockdown. I have lost a much loved 89 year old aunt and two friends who were on the vulnerable list. Each has been a shock, there were three funerals that I would have been to, that I sat out. My default way to deal with such stress is threefold. I play football. You can't dwell on your problems on a football pitch. I go to the pub with mates and talk rubbish. I rehearse with my band and set up gigs. None of these options have been open to me. Instead I've been cooped up with Clare and the kids, two of which are in the process of University related exams and have stresses of their own. They have needed my support, and I haven't always felt completely able to give it, wrestling with selfish concerns about my own health. When you have dealt badly with a situation, it doesn't help you to be in the right place to deal with worries about your own health and mortality. The family recognise that in the period between scans and results I am not at my best. I am seriously thinking that next year, if I can, I will go away on my own for a couple of weeks, somewhere nice and peaceful. Don't get me wrong, 99% of the time, all has been tickety boo, but internally the turmoil has been a very different picture. Since 1988, I've suffered badly with Tinnitus, and this is especially bad when I don't drink. At times of stress, it is at its worst. I don't drink for 3or 4 days a week and it has sounded like the M1 motorway has relocated to my head. Ironically the lockdown has reduced the usual backdrop of traffic, so it has been even more noticeable. I made a point of making last night an alcohol free night. Whilst alcohol helps with some aspects, it also lowers the threshold at which I get annoyed. I've learned that it isn't good to indulge on the night before consultations, when my stress levels are at their highest. I am generally not a 'bad drunk', but I would advise anyone with cancer to do their drinking after, not before they receive news, for the sake of all.
I've not really felt too much like writing blogs too much of late. I've been conscious that my heart hasn't always been in it, so perhaps they have not been up to the usual quality I'd expect of myself. I 'm grateful to Richard Wilkinson and Chris Fanning for their help with our quizzes, which have been a high point. That aside, I've had no appetite for doing the usual research that I put into my factual blogs. I've always been conscious that there is a limited appetite for people hearing my opinions, without a factual basis. The current global crisis has put many things in perspective. For me, one positive aspect of the crisis is that the NHS and other care workers have been getting the recognition they deserve. Whether this will result in the pay and conditions they deserve is another matter. When this crisis goes away, they will still be treating me and many like me for chronic conditions. I want the best people in the country to be doing this. You only really get that if their pay and conditions reflect their value.
So anyway, back to today and my consult. Dodgy looking scan, raise in PSA. I woke up not looking forward to Wednesday 3rd June. I lay in bed until 10.30, pretending to read the papers. Then we took the dogs out. Luckily for Clare, we met one of her doggy friends. She had a socially distanced chat, whilst I was in deep dialog with myself, rehearsing the conversation in my head that I would have with the consultant. Having worked all that out, I was thinking about the dates for various procedures and how this would be managed with the easing of lockdown. I was thinking about the implications of more treatment on my prostate and how I would look at the options. I may have been walking next to Clare, but we could have been on different planets. As I mentioned though, she was spared this sullen, thoughtless silence. Her friend has a new puppy, who was a bundle of energy and so she actually had a pleasant walk.
We got home at around ten past twelve. I made some tea, she got the computer set up for her Yoga class. I took the guitar into the garden. My plan was to go to take the call in the bedroom, so I was sitting comfortably for the news and I could come out when I'd digested the news. I was once told that in the cells for those condemned to hang in prisons, they would always set the clock five minutes late, so that the prisoner would be taken before they were ready. This meant they'd be less trouble as there would be less adrenalin flowing. When the call came, I immediately thought of this.
The call was short. After the review, they'd decided that everything looked fine, all was still within the bounds of normal. A couple of PSA tests over the next year and another MRI next May. I asked about the previous call "We'll when we looked at it properly and had the PSA test, we decided that it was just fine". I was genuinely surprised.
As I mentioned, over the lockdown period, I've been doing a lot of playing of the guitar. I have found it hard to be creative, but yesterday I was playing some old material by The False Dots. One of the songs, Blue Soldier, was written in 1985, a tribute to the trench poets of the first world war. I co wrote it with our singer Allen Ashley. I relaised that the words could, with very minor changes, reflect the current crisis. I exchanged emails with Allen, who disagreed with the concept. The verses were largely written by me, with him writing the middle eight, an amazing piece of prose, dramatic and very rooted in the works of those like Wilfred Owen.
Having had my consult, I decided to update the song, respecting Allens view and inserting a new middle eight. I'm no singer, but I just wanted to pay tribute to the NHS staff, for their efforts. With the lack of PPE, the stress of the calamity and the long hours, for no thanks from those in charge, I felt I had to say this. I did this in one take and dedicated it to my sister Valerie and her husband Tim. Val is a nurse and Tim is an emergency doctor. There are thousands of people who are alive today thanks to Tim. Val was a hospice nurse, whilst none of her clients are around, many had a better passage to what comes next thanks to Val. Their lives are an inspiration to me.I wish I could do more and say more. All I can really say is that playing this got the monkey off my back for another year. I just pray to God that this time next year, when I'm writing up next years installment, covid is history and the NHS staff are finally getting the deal they deserve. As I tried to sayin the song, a clap is all very well, but what the NHS staff need is decent terms and conditions, pay and PPE. If you clap but won't sanction an increase in tax to pay for this, you are a hypocrite of the worst order.
For everyone who is dealing with cancer as we speak, you are not alone. It is a rocky journey with ups and downs. For me, the mental health aspects are at least as bad as the treatment I've had. I am lucky, my cancer was diagnosed early and my prospects are good. I can only imagine how much worse it is for many others. I am lucky. I'm British. I have the NHS. Whatever cancer does to me, it won't make me a pauper. Today, the big news story is Black Lives matter. Let me leave you with this thought. If you are living with cancer in a country without an NHS, the only thing that matters to you is money and the sad truth is that in Africa and Asia the citizens won't have enough of it to pay for the treatment they require. Black Lives matter should mean in health provision as well. Much as I hate my predicament, I am actually thankful to God for opening my eyes to how lucky the accident of fate, which meant I was born in London was. If I hadn't lived with cancer for nine years, I really don't think I'd understand this in quite the same way. I hope you enjoyed the song, if you didn't I apologise.
---- For
those of you who are regular readers and have read the previous posts
on Cancer, here's what this is all about. I write this blog because
knowledge is power and if you know what you are dealing with, you have
more weapons in the locker to fight it. It is a personal view, I'm not
medically qualified. This is for the sole purpose of information for
those who are interested.This is the latest installment in my occasional
series about how I'm adjusting to living with a big C in my life. For
those of you who aren't, here's a quick summary. I'm 54years old and in
October 2011 I had a prostate biopsy following two "slightly high" PSA
tests - 2.8 & 4.1. The biopsy took ten tissue samples and one of
these showed a "low grade cancer" which gave me a 3+3 on the Gleason
scale. I was put on a program of active monitoring. In early February, I
got the results of the a PSA test - down to 3.5 and an MRI scan which
found absolutely nothing, two more tests in 2012 were at 3.5 and 3.9, in
2013 my test was 4.0, Jan 2014 was 3.8, August 2014 was 4.0, February
2015 it was up to 5.5 and my latest in August 2015 was down again at
4.6. In October 2015 I had a transperinial Prostate biopsy, that
revealed higher grade cancer and my Gleason score was raised to 3+4
(Small mass + more aggressive cancer). On 22nd Jan 2016 I had HIFU (Hi
Intensity Focused Ultrasound) treatment at UCHL). My post procedure PSA
in May was 4.0 which was down, followed by 3.7 in August, and 3.5 in
October which means that the direction is positive . However in January
the follow up MRI revealed "something unusual which requires
investigation" After a follow up biopsy, it appeared this was nothing to
worry about. My two
most recent PSA tests were Ok (3.7 and 4.6) and an MRI scan in March
was very positive. A PSA in October 2019 was 4.6, so stable and good
news, the last in May 2020 was 5.45 a small rise, so worrying, however after a review against the most recent MRI, it was decided that this was fine. I've
no symptoms apart from needing to wee quite regularly and sadly for a
few people, if I'm gonna die soon, it won't be from Prostate cancer. Got
the picture?
Some of the blogs I write are simply off the cuff, some spend weeks, months or even years gestating, because I feel I have something I have to say, and I want to get it right. I suspect that this blog is the one with the longest gestation period of them all. I've started it several times and abandoned it, as I felt I simply hadn't done the job properly. I was unhappy with the title, the content and the prevarication in what I said. Given the beatings, the murders, the lost job opportunities, the depression, the mental illness suffered by those on the sharp end of homophobia, I daresay that anyone who has suffered this will simply read the title and dismiss it as the work of an idiot. In many ways they'd be right to feel like this. I am not asking for sympathy for the thugs and idiots. Quite the opposite, but I have come to conclude that whilst the legal battle is won, there is still a lot of under the carpet problems and to address this, we really have to address the ignorance that lies at the heart of it.
I in no way expect anyone to agree with me, but for me, to live imprisoned in a wall of ignorance, hating and lashing out for no better reason than an illogical need to interfere in other adults lives is a very poor existence indeed. Whilst I learned very early on to understand how racism was a very self defeating form of behaviour, in some ways homophobia is a slightly more difficult beast to pin down. In many ways, you only need to suffer it, if you are brave enough to be honest about who you are. It seems to me that when hard right religious types rant about other peoples lifestyles, they ignore the fact that honesty and truth are amongst the most important characteristics of the faiths they profess to follow. Is there anything more absurd than disliking someone for being honest about themselves.
What really got me thinking about this was a an interview with Colin Newman of Wire. Back in 1977, when I was a teenage punk rocker, Wire released their seminal debut album Pink Flag. I heard some tracks on the John Peel show and immediately bought it. I was at Finchley Catholic High School at the time, which had a highly homophobic atmosphere. I mentioned to a friend that I'd just bought the album. His response shocked me. He informed me, in rather colourful language that Wire were all gay and that the album was full of gay anthems. One of my favourite songs, 12XU mentioned the practise of Cottaging (gay men hooking up in public lavatories) and asked me if this love of the band reflected my own sexual leanings. As I thought Wire were brilliant, I decided, for my own safety, to keep Wire as a guilty pleasure.
A couple of months after, I saw them at The Marquee. They were about to release Chairs Missing, their second album and another masterpiece. Wire had an unusual habit of never playing old material. As I hadn't heard the new material, that was rather different, I was initially disappointed, but by the end of the set, I realised that I'd been in the presence of geniuses. The only problem was that I really couldn't tell any of my school mates about what a great show I'd seen. I was heartened that the rest of the audience were also seemingly unperturbed. It was a huge lesson for me. I could either conform to stereotypical bigotry of my school mates, or I could base my choices on the talents of the artists. I made a conscious decision that I would take no interest in the colour, creed or sexuality of any artist. If I liked their music, that was enough for me. I wasn't going to put the works of Little Richard, Lou Reed, Dee Dee Ramone or The New York Dolls in the cultural dustbin just because of someone else's idiotic prejudices.
Things have changed a lot since 1977, and in regards to homophobia, very much for the better. I had completely forgotten about the conversation about Wire until we went to Biarritz, in the heady days of last autumn. One day, it was raining and we had been for a long walk. I was doing some net surfing, and I found an interview with Colin Newman of Wire, celebrating the 40th anniversary of their third album 154. It was fascinating. About half way through the interview, he made a statement that shocked me to my core. He started talking about the birth of his daughter and how his wife was none too impressed when he went out and got bladdered to celebrate. It had never, ever occurred to me that the information passed to me by my schoolmate at FCHS might have been wrong. I mean, an album called Pink Flag is a pretty clear symbol to a fifteen year old.
A horror took me over, one that chilled me to my bones. Just suppose, I'd succumbed to the herd mentality? I've probably seen Wire 20 or 30 times, I'd have missed that. Their first three albums are probably amongst the top ten in my collection for times I've played them. They've probably been played thousands of times each (my wife dislikes them intensely, otherwise I'm sure they would have been played a million times). Then there are the other bands and artists that I'd have missed out on. The Tom Robinson band are another that springs to mind from that era. I loved 2468 Motorway and had a TRB badge. When they released Glad to Be Gay, I removed it from my jacket, more for reasons of personal safety than anything else, but I still maintained a love of the band, one of Londons best. Things have changed beyond recognition. Today, it would seem absurd to dislike a band for the sexuality of the artists. But homophobia has not gone away, it has just gone underground. Occasionally you will see evidence that it has raised its ugly head. The two young girls attacked on a London bus last year is one example that springs to mind. Whilst for those ingrained with prejudice, I suppose they might think missing out on great music and arts is a price worth paying for their idiocy, there is a fine example of why prejudice can ultimately destroy you.
I remember talking to my Father, who was a World War II bomber pilot, about homophobia in the forces in the second world war. He gave me an interesting perspective. He said "When your life depends on it, you soon discard any prejudices you may have. You want the best possible people on your team, because your life depends on it". We were discussing Alan Turing. My Dad pointed out that Germany locked up gays in concentration camps. We just asked them to stay in the closet (not right, I hasten to add, but better than a gas chamber). As a result, Turing cracked the Enigma code and the Allies won the war.
The Nazi's were a despicable regime. Their downfall was an exercise in what happens when you let stupidity and prejudice govern your decision making process. When you move away from fairness and towards discrimination, you move away from having the best person doing the job. When you don't have the best person doing the job, you have by default made your enemy stronger. You are your own worst enemy.
Why not find out why I love Wire here (and why Clare hates them)
