Willesden History Walk, 23rd June 2012

Colourised postcard of High Road, Willesden Green, posted 1909 but taken before the tramlines were laid.  ‘Spotted Dog’ to right

It was to be my first ever outdoor tour in London and I was excited at the challenge. Dark clouds in the sky were racing towards my west London flat like the upcoming Olympic Athletes trying to compete with each other over who was going to turn my tour into a damp squib first.  Still, packed with rain jacket and umbrella I left my flat and made my way on my 30 minute commute to Willesden Green Library Centre keeping one beady eye on the clouds and the other on my notes, not an easy feat.

I was cheerily greeted by the Archives team who told me that I had two people so far – a Local Historical Society member and a local Brent councillor. Ahhh! I thought, I’m either in big trouble or …  I can learn as much from them as they can (hopefully) learn from me. I went with the latter.

Over a month ago, I had spent time with Malcolm walking the High Street pointing out some historical features. During this stroll, we must have given off an air of  not ‘just going to buy some fruit and veg’ because we attracted a lot of attention. Most people were very concerned about the library building and its impending closure. I knew I had to add a positive twist to this in my tour and the idea was, thankfully, to pop into my head later. We visited a few shops and met owners, including Paul and John from Discount Builders Supplies, who had many stories, including a old picture of the High Road behind the counter. I knew I was onto a winner with them until … half an hour before the actual tour started, I popped round to say hello and they were closed. Ahhh! 

But all was not lost. Within five minutes I had walked into another shop and met Declan who owns Willesden Architectural Salvage, which is always closed (due to renovations). Declan turned out to be a mine of information about the local area and even had a van that he bought with the yard from the original owner which he was currently restoring and had pictures of. I had my winner!  

Grateful for my luck, I then went to pick up the group and as I walked into the exhibition, there were a few outside. More people started to come from the back of the exhibition and eventually had 17! It was a fantastic turn-out.

The walkers, and a merciful absence of rain…

I explained my idea for the tour and said it was going to be a little different, because we were going to be meeting some locals and there would be a few surprises along the way. I then broached the subject of the library centre and then said I would be taking a picture of the group outside the building to be put in the archives. If the building was to be pulled down then the tour group would be part of the history of it.  The idea met with massive approval. It felt like a good start to the tour and with the people behind me, we set off down the High Road to reveal the past, talk to the present and be part of the future.

Now (2012)

… and Then (1902-1908)

I find stories of the past interesting, but what I love about Brent Museum and Archives is that the local community are the museum. The owners of the shops are the High Street. They are proud and have a wealth of personal history to share with their customers. The library may be closing for a couple of years but I hope to have created a new type of tour, made history by taking this picture outside the library building (which will be held in the Archives) and also built relationships with the people who came on the tour and the traders along the street. Keep a look out for Declan’s van that is going to be in the front yard of his shop and watch out Paul and John, you were closed but more customers are coming your way!

Posted by Janine (freelance Art and Drama Practitioner)

Willesden High Road: Past, Present and Future exhibition, Special Exhibitions Gallery, Brent Museum – 19 March-31 July 2012

http://www.brent.gov.uk/museumarchive.nsf/Pages/LBB-69

Willesden Salvage

http://www.willesdensalvage.com/

Discount Builders Supplies

http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1101/38087.php