Avenue House: Janett Durant’s replacement starts on the 15th August.

Avenue House appoints new General Manager

The Trustees of the Avenue House Estate Trust are pleased to announce the appointment of Lance Bourne to the role of General Manager of the Avenue House Estate Trust. Lance will take up the post on August 15th, following Janett Durrant’s retirement from the post of Chief Executive.

Lance has considerable experience in the management of corporate entertainment sites: he spent fifteen years at the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, rising to the post of Head of Marketing and Events , followed by three years as Business Manager of the Tower Bridge exhibition. Lance also has experience of working with volunteers and of fund-raising.

Andy Savage, Chairman of the Avenue House Estate Trust, says: ‘I am delighted that Lance has agreed to join us. His skill set is exactly what Avenue House needs at this time, and I am sure that he will be a worthy successor to Janett Durrant, who has managed the Estate since the Trust’s formation nine years ago. I am looking forward to working with Lance as we establish Avenue House in the centre of the Finchley community.’

Lance Bourne said ’I am looking forward to joining Avenue House, and working on the Estate. Apart from working in such wonderful surroundings, I am looking forwards to helping increase the use of the Estate, and to continuing the re-establishment of its financial success after the problems earlier this year.’

Avenue House sketch

The Emmanual Wind Quintet at a free concert at St Mary-at-Finchley last Saturday

Chamber Music Concert at St Mary-at-Finchley Parish Church by Pam Taylor

We spent an enjoyable early Saturday evening at a concert given by the very talented Emmanuel Wind Quintet. This was in aid of the church organ restoration fund which has now reached £123,500, but more needs to be raised to cover the VAT. Reliance was put on the honesty of the audience as there wasn’t an admission charge for the concert or the wine and other refreshments afterwards.

There were about 80 people in the audience and we enjoyed a very varied programme which started with five Jeux d’Enfants (Children’s Games) by Bizet. These were followed by Mozart’s Serenade No. 11 in Eb Major, three songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn by Mahler followed by the Quintent’s favourite : Kleine Kammermusic (Little Chamber Music) by Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) which consisted of 5 compositions.

At the end, after much enthusiastic applause, the Quintet surprised us by returning to play some good jazz entitled “The Roaring 20s” arranged by Paul Nagle which included Tootsie Tootsie Goodbye and Making Whoopee to name but two.

The evening closed with some drinks and nibbles which gave us a chance to socialise, meet people to talk about the wonderful concert and to network..

Alex Edmundsun, the horn player announced each set of pieces and there was a detailed programme supplied by Alison Smart, St Mary’s Director of Music who also introduced the quintet.

 In the order of the above photograph were

David Ruff is from Bournemouth and started playing the flute at the age of eight. He studied with a full scholarship at the Junior Royal Academy of Music and is now studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Ian Clark, as well as jazz flute and saxophone with Martin Hathaway. David is currently principal flautist in the National Jazz Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

Aisling Maguire studied oboe from the age of 12 at the Junior Guildhall School and currently studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Gordon Hunt and Alison Teale. She has won various competitions as a soloist, including BBC Radio London’s Young Musician Competition, the North London Music Festival Recital Prize and Premier Challenge Cup

Alex Edmundson comes from a musical family in Lythan St Anns, Lancs. Having previously studied at Chethams School of Music with Richard Watkins, he is now continuing his studies at the Guildhall with Jeffrey Bryant. He is an experienced orchestral musician; engagements have included frequent work with the European Union Youth Orchestra, Sinfonia Cymru and a recent appointment as Principal Horn of the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra. He was twice a Brass Section Finalist in the BBC Young Musician Competition.

Tom Corin is from St Ives in Cornwall and is studying bassoon at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His interest in orchestral playing has led to work within the Guildhall School’s many ensembles and also outside with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, European Union Youth Orchestra, Sinfonia Cymru and the Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra.

Max Mausen was born in Luxembourg and took up the clarinet at the age of seven. He studied with Marcel Lallemang at the Conservatoire de Musique de Luxembourg and became a member of the Luxembourg Clarinet Choir, with whom he regularly performs as a soloist. He is currently studying with Julian Farrell at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Finchley Central Café takes over Avenue House Kiosk and will reopen during the next week

With all the weather forecasts indicating we are going to have a very warm June and July, this will be a blessing for most of us who like to visit the grounds.

  Jo & Al’s Café
65 Ballards Lane
London N3 1XP

Popular Café Jo & Al’s, is to take over the running of the Kiosk in the Grounds of Avenue House. The Kiosk, which has been shut since last Autumn, will reopen in the next week.

Until the end of last year the Avenue House Estate Trust operated the Kiosk itself. Trust Chairman Andy Savage explained that the Trust then decided to franchise out the operation of the café in order to keep its own resources focused on the running the House and the Estate. He said: ‘The Trust sought bids from several possible franchisees. The combination of the Trust’s well-publicised problems in the early spring, and the consequent loss of the first possible proprietor, meant that, regrettably, we were unable to see the Kiosk open for Easter. However, I think that we have been most fortunate to get Jo & Al’s as our new franchisee. Albert Bejerano has built a very popular business at Ballards Lane, with his excellent coffee and cakes, and we look forward to seeing him repeat this success at Avenue House.’

Albert Bejerano

Jo & Al’s proprietor Albert Bejerano said: ‘I had hoped to get to operate this Kiosk for some time. All the most successful parks have their own café, and I am sure that we will be able to repeat this success at Avenue House Estate. As well as the Kiosk itself, I will be opening the refurbished tea room in about a month’s time, and I will be offering an increasing range of products through the summer. I look forward to operating the Kiosk for a long period of time.’

The disappointing case of Barnet Council, HADAS and the Church Farmhouse Museum.

The following letter has come to our attention and as we believe that the recipient would like to remain anonymous, We have omitted his name, otherwise the letter is exactly as it it, other than we have emboldened certain parts for your attention.

Dear xxxxxx

Hendon and District Archaeological Society (HADAS) has since its foundation in 1961 had close association with the Museum in Greyhound Hill. We have had displays at the museum and have donated a display case. One of our collections was lodged at the museum. In addition, we have on a number of occasions had excavations in the museum grounds and have involved local schools in some of these. In 2010, we dug in the grounds and also, with council permission, opened up two second world war air raid shelters in Sunnyhill Park at the back of the museum. The Hendon Times published information on this and included encouraging and complimentary comments from Councillor Rams.

On 3^rd December 2010, the council started a consultation period of 6 weeks on a proposal to close the museum, a period covering Christmas and the New Year, and the school holidays. The documents for this were not published until 17^th December. It was stated that local organisations connected to the museum were notified. Somewhat surprisingly this did not include HADAS. Once we discovered the situation, we consulted a number of other groups and contacted the council to declare an interest in taking over the running of the museum.

However, in order to do this we needed information on what we were taking over. Details of the rent that would be charged (a piece of vital information) was not forthcoming, there was no inventory of fixtures and fittings, no inventory of the collection either in the form of up-to-date accession lists or identification marks on the objects. The use of the building for other purposes as well as a museum proved problematical with issues around disability access and toilet facilities. Solving these issues needed a lot more time.

We sought meetings with the council staff to discuss these points, and this meeting took place on  3^rd March. Details of recent museum operating costs were sent to us on 14^th March, but no information regarding the possible rental arrangements. On 14^th April, we were advised that the council would give us three months starting from 1^st April to develop a business case, but that we should submit our proposals by 31^st May. This period included 5 bank holidays. No information regarding rents was provided. We again requested that information but as at 27^th April, it was still not available.

Meanwhile, the museum had closed on 31^st March, and the Curator made redundant. Visiting the site, we found that a number of items had been consigned to a skip, and we then discovered that items were being offered to another museum without our knowledge.

In order to get the necessary volunteer and financial support we needed to be able to tell residents and potential supporters, at a minimum, how much it was going to cost per annum and then we needed an adequate timeframe to prepare an acceptable proposal. The lack of relevant information made this an impossible task. As a result we have reluctantly and sadly come to the view that we were unable to proceed with preparing a proposal to run the museum.

We have been extremely disappointed by the apparent lack of interest, co-operation and urgency displayed by the Council and its staff. HADAS hope that that despite our withdrawal the museum and, more particularly, the Grade II* listed building will be maintained and kept safe in the care of the London Borough of Barnet as it has for over 60 years.

Don Cooper
HADAS – Chairman

We are trying hard to be non-political but in the case of the Church Farmhouse Museum, of which one of our volunteers is/was honorary secretary of the Friends of the Church Farmhouse Museum, and is very unhappy at the way the museum has been forced to close, even though a voluntary body was willing to take it over.

Avenue House appoints present trustee Andy Savage to chairman of AHET

Andy Savage - AHET Chairman

The Trustees of the Avenue House Estate Trust are pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Savage, Executive Director of the Railway Heritage Trust, to the role of Chairman of the Avenue House Estate Trust, following the retirement of Bill Tyler in March this year.

Andy is a long-term Finchley resident, and member of the Trust. He brings to the Trust a lifelong experience of voluntary work in the heritage sector, particularly through his involvement with the Ffestiniog Railway. In his present post he is responsible for awarding grants to improve the condition of listed buildings on the national railway system. He has held a number of senior positions in the rail industry, and was, until the end of 2009, Deputy Chief of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, part of the Department for Transport

Andy says: ‘I am honoured to be appointed to this post, and would like to pay tribute to the work of Bill Tyler, who has led the Trust for a decade, most recently through the crisis caused by the loss of tenants. Now that the Trust has got over the worst of these problems, I look forward to working with my fellow Trustees, the staff of the Estate, and the Friends of Avenue House to develop the Estate for the benefit of the people of Finchley. My prime aim is to rebuild the Trust’s business and reserves. I am sure that we can achieve this, and that the Estate has a bright future.

I would also like to particularly thank our Estate Manager, Janett Durrant, for her ongoing work for the Trust, especially in such a difficult time, and for agreeing to remain with the Trust until the end of September, despite her wish to retire. This has given us time to find a worthy successor to her, and we hope to announce an appointment shortly.’

Avenue House is a grade 2 listed building, and is set in grounds of some 10 acres in the centre of Finchley. The Estate was left to the former Finchley Urban District Council by Henry Stephens, the ink manufacturer, in 1918. It is now run by the Avenue House Estate Trust, on a 125 year lease from the London Borough of Barnet. The Trust maintains the Estate and operates it for the benefit of the people of Finchley, in line with Stephens’ wishes. It does this with virtually no revenue support, using the income from letting rooms in the house, and donations, to cover the maintenance and operating costs of both the house and the grounds. The Trust opens the grounds to the public free of charge during daylight hours every day of the year.

The Finchley Society’s public meeting in North Finchley and slide show of photographs over 100 years old

By Pam Taylor

There was a good turn-out of visitors to the Finchley Society meeting on the evening of the 28^th April. Scattered around the sides of the hall were various objects and old photographs for us to look at (poster of Woodside Park station describing the achievement of the Finchley Society).

An attentive Audience for Peter Pickerings talk

Spike Milligan, who was President at the time, suggested to London Transport that Woodside Park station was worthy of a special redecoration scheme; various leaflets promoting the Society and even a continuous screen show of local photographs.

The meeting was opened by the society’s chairman, David Smith, who welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming. He described the Finchley Society as a coming together of people who like living in Finchley. There are changes taking place all the time, and they like to think that they are acting on behalf of the people of this area, by looking with some considerable scrutiny at planning applications to make sure they are acceptable to the community as a whole.

The chairman then introduced Peter Pickering who talked to us about various planning issues with a particular emphasis on North Finchley which was the theme for the evening. He told us that Barnet Council publish all the planning applications every week. There are three clauses to which they pay particular attention:

1. Converting a family house with garden into a purpose built block of flats outside the town area (Holden Road and Courthouse Gardens)
2. What is proposed if it is too dense a redevelopment
3. Threatens retail diversity and the vitality of the town centre

Barnet Council have a planning strategy to improve North Finchley’s town centre, but they appear not to be moving forward. There could be a new super library at the artsdepot which will combine both the Friern Barnet and North Finchley libraries.

One of the old photographs taken of the screen

Derek Warren then gave a very interesting slide show of old photographs of the Finchley area. Lots of people joined in commenting on the various photographs and telling us what had been built there since, with Derek telling us the date of the various photographs. We had a refreshment break and then continued a little longer with the slide show.

A very enjoyable evening if you have a sense of belonging in the area.

Barnet Police Chief visiting Finchley’s Pardes Grammar School

 

Police Chief at Pardes Grammar School (photo by Shuli Smus)

(In playground) L-R  Mr A Wagner, Headmaster Rabbi D Dunner,  Chief Superintendant Neil Basu, Deputy Headmaster Rabbi Eli Segal, Mr. Gary Ost

“Trees, Tours and Teas” – Open day at Avenue House

Finchley residents show support for Avenue House at Open Day

Mostly by David Baker with a small contribution by Andrew Taylor and photographs by Andrew Taylor

Rear of Avenue House from the gardens

Strolling through Avenue House gardens

The two children in the front are Angelina Sparksman and Chloe Reed (both from St Mary’s Primary School)
In the main row are Claire Sparksman (slightly to the rear), Sandra Rebak, Imelda Staunton, Jim Carter and Jack Ellis
We are awaiting confirmation of the people in the back row.

In a strong show of support, just over 400 people attended “Trees, Tours and Teas”, the Open Day at Avenue House on Sunday 20 March and raised over £4,000. This was the first event staged by the recently formed New Friends of Avenue House, a group of local residents working to help save the House and Grounds from the threat of closure.

Visitors to the Open Day took part in tours of the house, Bothy Gardens and main gardens, with its wonderful collection of rare trees. They also enjoyed tea and cakes provided by local supporters, (including Parkway Patisserie of Regents Park Road, who were especially generous). The Open Day was organized to raise awareness of the problems facing Avenue House, and during the afternoon many visitors signed up to support the work of the New Friends of Avenue House.

Tea and cakes at the Open Day

Among the many people who attended the event were some famous faces. Actors Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter tour joined the tours of the house and gardens. Ms Staunton, whose childhood family home was in Vines Avenue, Finchley, said the Avenue House Estate was a hugely important part of the area, and deserved everyone’s support. ‘The house and gardens are so wonderfully maintained, and are clearly enjoyed by so many people. It would be very sad indeed if they were not kept as a resource for local people.’ Actor Jack Ellis, who is a Finchley resident and an active member and supporter of the new Friends of Avenue House added, “This is an extraordinarily beautiful place, full of hidden treasures. It would be an absolute tragedy if people couldn’t continue to enjoy it in the way Henry Stephens intended when he left it to the people of Finchley.”

The small intimate museum for Stephens Inks was also open and attracted a lot of visits.It is housed in the conservatory of Avenue House and shows the aspects of Dr Charles Stephens (1796-1864) life – he was the inventor of the famous blue-black writing fluid. It also covers the life of his son and the development of the Stephens Ink Company and the story of writing materials from ancient times. Finally it shows the history of Avenue House from 1859 to the present day.

Teaching them young at the Stephens Museum

Sandra Rebak, chair of the Friends said, “The support that local people have shown has been wonderful. We are so grateful to the many people who came to find out more about the Avenue House Estate. We are especially pleased to see so many children here; we know that – thanks in part to the the children’s playground – Avenue House is every bit as important to children as it is to adults.

“Our committee was only re-formed two weeks ago, and this has been a great opportunity to launch the New Friends of Avenue House. We are delighted to make contact with so many people and to receive so many suggstions and offers of support for our fundraising work.’

“Although the main aim of the day was to increase awareness of the problems facing Avenue House, people attending the Open Day were extremely generous, and we also managed to raise over £4000 on the day, with further pledges of support. This is an important first step in our immediate objective of raising £25,000 by the end of April, to cover short-term needs and help ensure the Estate’s survival. The recession has reduced commercial bookings, especially over the past six to eight months. Also, Avenue House’s charity tenants have suffered cutbacks which mean they can no longer afford to rent offices. Because of this, we have to find a way to plug the gap.

“There is cause for optimism. Bookings for spring and summer are better, so if we can get through the short-term crisis, the situation should improve. In the longer term, we aim to to continue to support the financial sustainability of Avenue House through increased community support and involvement.”

The New Friends of Avenue House are working hard to keep people informed of developments. We are developing an improved website and a Facebook page, and will soon be announcing a number of events and initiatives. In the meantime, people can join us or find out more about our activities by emailing: info@friendsofavenuehouse.org

In a recent letter to the Editor, Stewart Wild came up with an idea for the council to move the public Library into Avenue House, the Council could then sell the library building in Hendon Lane. The council could then pay rent which would be cheaper than the upkeep of the old library building.

Note: The Avenue House Estate was left in perpetuity to the people of Finchley by “Inky Stephens”. In 2002 Barnet Council leased the Estate to the Avenue House Estate Trust, a registered charity which now administers and runs it. The Friends are aiming to raise at least £10,000 this month to help with the ongoing running of the Estate and about £3,000 to £4,000 a month afterwards when the savings which have been introduced cut in.

In the Bothy grounds of Avenue House

Group of friends in the Avenue House courtyard

People in the Avenue House courtyard booking a tour of the gardens.

Open Day at Avenue house this Sunday

By Ampers Taylor

This is the official one, run by the “Friends of Avenue House” committee.

It is the “Open Day” at Avenue House from 2pm to 5 p.m. on this coming Sunday (20 March).

If you come early,before 2:30pm when they will be leaving, you’ll have the opportunity of meeting  Jim Carter (Mr Carson from Downton Abbey) and also Imelda Staunton (who has Finchley connections) who will be saying a few words at the opening ceremony

The man in the audience with the brown leather hat (see picture above) will be your editor, do say hello to him, but he won’t pay for your tea!

Avenue House – unknown meeting

As mentioned yesterday, I received a leaflet handed out to one of our journalists in his local pub last evening.

For some reason my scanner is down, so I have typed in the leaflet exactly as it appears, errors as well.

============================================

STOP THE CLOSING,

OF AVENUE HOUSE

PARK

Avenue House & Grounds are destined to be shut

to the public, and handed over to a school from

St.Johns wood.

If you do not come to show your report, all will

be lost, please come a long on Sunday 20th march

2011 at 2pm for a protest and petition signing.

There will be Tea & Cakes at the park for

fundraising (cake donations after 10am)

Please spread the word to your neighbours as we

can only distribute one leaflet per five houses.

If you cannot make the protest, please send a

letter to your MP or ‘Brian Coleman (Barnet

councillor)’

ACT NOW!!

============================================

The newspaper has no knowledge of who is behind this and if anyone knows, would you please ask them to contact the editor so he may use the newspaper to publish this widely as we, at the Finchley Arrow, are fully behind the newly resurrected official group, The Friends of Avenue House.

West Finchley Residents Association

The following is an extract from a recent meeting of the newly formed West Finchley Residents Association. If you live in the area of West Finchley (local to the West Finchley station) please contact the editor and we will put you in touch with the association.

Dates for your Diary

• As the national “Big Lunch” is scheduled to take place during the half term holiday this year the WFRA will be holding an alternative event – a Midsummer Picnic in the Park – on Sunday, 26^th June, as last year, by the play area at Dollis Brook Park. Details to follow later in the year!

• The first AGM of the WFRA will take on Sunday, 18^th September in the Gordon Hall – we hope this will be a social occasion as well as a meeting.

• Following on from views expressed by members, over the weekend of 7^th / 8^th May all local residents will be canvassed – and signatures collected – regarding Conservation Status. A Sub-Committee is currently producing a leaflet for all residents, giving information about the impact of Conservation Status and explaining the processes involved. Volunteers will be needed to help with the canvassing – please let us know if you are able to help.

Wheelie Bins permanently blocking pavements

In order to take up this issue with the Council it would be helpful to have photographic evidence. If wheelie bins block the pavements in your street (on days other than the refuse collection day) you are advised to take a photograph and send it to us.

Dollis Valley Green Walk

Some time ago, Barnet Council was awarded £400,000 by the Mayor of London to make improvements to the Dollis Valley Green Walk. Work is due to start in Spring 2011 and be completed by early 2012. One of the first areas to be repaired is the path in Windsor Open Space. Use this link for more information: http://www.barnet.gov.uk/index/environment-planning/parks-and-open-spaces/dollis-valley-green-walk.htm

Recent Burglaries

There have been 2 burglaries recently in Courthouse Road – on each side of the road. In the most recent case, last week, having climbed over the fence, the burglars forced the back door and stole cash and jewellery.

Security

The “Safer Neighbourhoods Team” will be invited to attend a WFRA Committee meeting to give advice about security issues raised by residents for example, one resident is concerned about the need for lighting on the path to the allotments from Nethercourt Ave (leading to the rear of houses on Fursby Avenue).

Parking

A member wants to alert residents to over-zealous traffic wardens. He cited a personal incident where a fine was issued for parking partly on the kerb where this was deliberately and regularly done to give consideration for other road users. In this particular case, our local MP, Mike Freer, has taken up his complaint. However, residents are reminded that parking on kerbs or across the pavement, even slightly, can lead to a fine.

Damage to Grass Verges

In response to concerns raised by a local resident in Nether Street, Cllr Jim Tierney has written to the Council asking for a solution to be found to the problem of the grass verges along Nether Street (between Howcroft Cresent and the mini roundabout at Finchley Way) being significantly damaged by car drivers mounting kerbs to pass on-coming traffic. The WFRA will also follow this up with the Highways Department.

1 Courthouse Gardens

Having won their appeal we await the developers’ commencement of work on the demolition of this feature building. It is recognised that there is a need to closely monitor the building works once they begin, to ensure the developers build to the agreed plans and in accordance with the conditions, such as consideration of local residents as required by the inspector.

General Planning issues

The WFRA Committee has proposed working with our Ward Councillors to bring about a meeting with the Council Planning Officers to explore their perspective on planning for the West Finchley area in advance of further applications.

Safe Electrical Earthing of Homes

Many residents are aware of the recent scheme replacing domestic lead water pipes with plastic pipes. A concern has been raised which has caused a number of residents to worry that their homes would not now be electrically earthed since, in the past, lead pipes were used for earthing.

It has proved difficult to get to the bottom of this issue – very little expert help or knowledge has been forthcoming!

However, following some advice from an electrician and a little research, it seems that for nearly 40 years it has been required that electrical earthing should not be through the water pipes. So it is likely that anyone who has had any significant electrical work carried out in their home in recent years will have a modern electrical system which is properly earthed.

If residents are still concerned here are a few tips from information we have gathered:

UK Power Networks is the local energy distribution company responsible for London:
http://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/products-services/networks/index.shtml

It is their responsibility to ensure that PME (Protective Multiple Earthing) is in place; it is the householder’s responsibility to ensure that their property is properly connected to the PME; it is the Supplier’s responsibility (ie the company to whom the householder pays their bills) to provide this connection.

An appointment can be booked (free of charge) with UK Power Networks to inspect a property and to check that the PME is in place – phone 0845 6014516 (select Option 4, then Option 3). However, this could take 8-10 weeks! If a problem with the earthing was revealed, the householder would then have to book their Supplier to come and sort out the connection.

In the meantime, an electrician could be employed to fix up a temporary earthing stake.

Alternatively, an electrician could be employed to do the whole job…. which saves time but involves a cost to the householder.

UK Power Networks will only work on a house by house basis so it would not be possible to organize anything collectively.

We cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of any of the above information but we hope it will be helpful. In the end, it seems that each householder should take steps to check that their own house is safely earthed.

The Avenue house friends rise, like the phoenix, out of the ashes

By Andrew & Pam Taylor

Tuesday 1^st March: A meeting was called by concerned residents of Finchley to resurrect the “Friends of Avenue House”.

Around 7:30pm, Sandra Rebak chaired a meeting of over forty residents to set up a reformed Friends of Avenue House and raise funds for AHET. (the Avenue House Estate Trust.)

The start of the meeting of friends

For the first hour there was an open question and answer time where members asked questions, and other members in the know answered them. Janett Durant and one or two other members of AHET were there to answer more complex questions. One member decided to leave as he wasn’t happy with the secretive nature of AHET and decided he didn’t want to be involved. In fact “secrecy” was mentioned by several people, several times.

After the question and answer session, it was time to appoint the Friends committee as, naturally, a smaller group was needed to drive the new body of friends forward.

Sandra Rebak chairing the meeting

The following people volunteered and were subsequently elected: Christine Kavanagh, Sandra Rebak, Cyril Rebak, David Fleisig, David Wightwick, Hilary Jarvis and Carl Gomerich.

We were also informed that it costs £60,000-80,000 to keep Avenue House and the grounds good order. And that the trust does not receive any grants for this purpose.

Janett Durant

Janett, who was there as an observer, and in sombre mood, told us that business is fast declining. Also that they have formed a partnership with the North London Hospice.

At present the Estate is running on a shortfall of £10,000 per month. With cuts in the salary bill over the next month, the shortfall should then reduce to around £6,000 per month.

The Estate now only has one gardener who is finding it impossible to cope and the friends suggested that this was one area where they could ask the public for help.

There were lots of suggestions voiced, such as links with the Woodland Trust; links to local business (Janett has already tried contacting local businesses without success), contacting schools, the festival of trees, asking for guest lecturers from Kew Gardens, tree tours and even organised picnics in the estate grounds.

It was suggested that emphasis should be given to let everyone know how a small monthly payment by bankers order would be a great start to fund raising. It could be £10 a month or as low as £2. A suggestion was made for people to arrive at the figure by taking the amount of two hours of their salary as the monthly payment.

One gentleman suggested that four working groups be set up: Campaigns & advocacy; Fundraising – Individual, corporate, partnerships; Finance & legal and Public relations, press contacts.

After the appointment of the committee the meeting developed into a business meeting and your reporters left.

Avenue House to close down?

You heard it here first!

We are in the possession of a document from Avenue house which quite clearly states:

“We have been told by Barnet Council that the Mansion could then be boarded up, with minimal ground maintenance, or the whole Estate even disposed of as a private school.”

Apologies for the superfluous capitals but we wanted to publish it eactly as it is in the document.

The link above refers to our News Flash on the 8th February.

The History of Finchley (17)

By Stewart Wild

The diagrammatic map that features the London Underground system – the famous “tube” – is not just familiar to every Londoner, but famous throughout the world. It has iconic status and is featured on all manner of merchandise, including, a couple of years ago, a British first-class postage stamp. What few Londoners know, however, is that its designer, Henry Charles Beck (1902-1974), better known as Harry Beck, lived in Finchley N3 for much of his life.

Beck worked at London Transport’s headquarters as an engineering draughtsman and amused himself in his spare time by drawing better versions of the tube map, which until then had been laid out geographically, more like a road map. This meant that central London stations were too crowded together and suburban ones were too spaced out.

In 1931 Beck submitted a startling new full-colour map design to Managing Director Frank Pick with lines drawn at angles of 45 and 90 degrees only. Some people claim that he got his idea from electrical wiring diagrams, but this has been denied. Although not accurate geographically, the new format was clearly easier to understand and use. Passengers were delighted and after a successful trial run in 1932, London Underground distributed a million copies of the new map in 1933.

Harry Beck lived at 60 Courthouse Gardens from 1936 until 1960, and used to walk to Finchley (Church End) station to go to work, initially by LNER steam train. A blue commemorative plaque was placed on this house by the Finchley Society on 19 June 2003. The station’s name was changed to Finchley Central in April 1940 with the arrival of electrification and Northern Line tube trains, and a memorial plaque to his achievements can be seen on the southbound platform, alongside a copy of his original 1933 design. Beck went on to design many more transport system maps, including two unsuccessful versions for the Paris Métro. (to be continued)

There is an exhibition on Harry Beck at the Church Farmhouse Museum in Hendon, probably the last exhibition at the museum before the Council forces it to close.

Is Avenue House closing down?

Yesterday I got a call from Mike Langton, a press officer for Barnet Council, saying I would have the full details by the end of yesterday. I also got a call from Janett Durrant of Avenue House promising me information after their board meeting yesterday.

I didn’t receive anything from the Council yesterday, and from Avenue House, I received an email saying would I hold up any more articles until they could put together some information for me. Naturally I told her I couldn’t do this.

This morning I received the following from an unnamed council spokesman via Mike Langton at the Barnet Council Press Office: “The Council is the Corporate Trustee of The Avenue House Estate, the freeholder of the property. Avenue House Estate Trust (AHET) hold a 125 year lease of the property expiring in the year 2127. AHET are entirely responsible for the management of the estate, principally Avenue House, its outbuildings, The Bothy and the grounds, which have full public access. “The council is therefore merely a trustee of the property and has to accord with the terms of the trust. As far as the council is aware there are no plans to dispose of the property.”

This, unfortunately opens up more questions than it answers as, essentially, this doesn’t explain why the council, and the trust, have been so secretive. One such question is, what would happen if the Avenue House Estate Trust ran out of funds and had to liquidate, and is this likely?

I asked our Arrow Historian, Stewart Wild, what he thought about this new development. He said: “Whatever the future of Avenue House, it is essential that the house and grounds remain freely available and in public ownership. This is because, under the terms of his will, local benefactor and former MP Henry ‘Inky’ Stephens, whose home this was from 1874 until 1918, left his estate on his death “to the people of Finchley”, and as such we believe it should under no circumstances be sold by the Council or anyone else into private ownership.”

Andrew Ampers Taylor.

NEWS FLASH: Avenue House to close down?

New information coming in is that the situation is indeed serious with threatened closure at end of this month when the building and grounds could be closed to the public.

I have contacted the Barnet Council Press Office, and also Avenue House but have been met with a wall of silence. We will keep you informed if they contact us about the situation.

David Smith of The Finchley Society says; “This is quite alarming news as all our archives are at Avenue house. Then there is the Stephens Ink museum on the premises. And, Spike Milligan statue committee will not be able to put his statue in the grounds if they are closed to the public.”

There is a rumour, and we stress it is just a rumour, that there is a possibility that a school is interested in acquiring the premises and land.

 

 

Barnet Museum Closures

Further to my enquiry about a recent Barnet Council meeting, I received this press release from HADAS (Hendon and District Archaeological Society)

Closure of Church Farmhouse Museum and Barnet Museum

Barnet Council’s cabinet met on Monday 13th December and proposed the withdrawal of funding from the only two council-supported museums in the Borough; Barnet Museum and Church Farmhouse Museum. There will be a period of public consultation until 17th January 2011, and then a final recommendation by the cabinet in February.

The Borough of Barnet contains a long and rich history dating back to the Romans and beyond, and this has been a significant contributor over the years to the sense of community and coherence within Barnet. It is essential that this sense of history and community should continue if Barnet is not to become just another outskirt of the Metropolis, and these two museums are important factors in this. For example, in addition to its educational exhibitions, every year Church Farmhouse Museum in association with HADAS, the Barnet-based archaeologists, hosts demonstration excavations in its grounds for local schools. These have proved extremely popular and educational, helping the pupils gain an understanding of their history and that of Barnet.

Whilst we recognise the need to economise, the benefits to the Borough of keeping these museums open are out of all proportion to the relatively small sums of money involved, and we strongly oppose any suggestion of their closure.

For further comment contact:

Don Cooper
HADAS Chairman
www.hadas.org.uk

Museum brings Christmas past to life

Barnet Press Release

Visitors to the Church Farmhouse Museum (Greyhound Hill, Hendon) this festive season will be able to delve into a bygone era and explore the origins of many Christmas traditions.

The Museum on Greyhound Hill, Hendon is holding its popular ‘Christmas Past’ exhibition from Monday 6 December to Thursday 6 January 2010, shining a light on how the traditions which we consider to be part and parcel of a typical British Christmas came to be.

The museum’s 1850s dining room will be decorated for a Victorian celebration, with explanations about how many modern day festive traditions such as decorations, crackers and even the exchange of presents were either invented or introduced to this country from abroad by the Victorians.

The traditional Christmas tree, a German custom, was virtually unknown in Britain until it was introduced to the Royal family by Queen Victoria’s German born husband, Albert, in the 1840’s, after which it become the candle-lit centre piece of every Victorian upper and middle-class living room.

Around this time the mince pie also began to be made without real meat, turkey replaced goose for dinner and presents were exchanged on Christmas day instead of at New Year.

Many now familiar Christmas carols started to be translated from German or Swedish and man-made decorations replaced holly and ivy to ‘deck the halls’.

This year’s exhibition will also showcase a selection of modern Christmas cards, especially designed for the museum, by the calligraphers of the North London Lettering Association, along with a special Christmas trail for children through the museum’s Victorian rooms.

The Church Farmhouse Museum is open:

Monday – Thursday: 10am – 1pm; 2pm – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 1pm; 2pm – 5.30pm
Sunday: 2pm – 5.30pm

The museum will be closed from the afternoon of 24 December to 26 December 2010 and 1 January 2011.

For more information call: 0208 359 3942 or visit their website.

Amongst her other interests, the events editor of the Finchley Arrow is the secretary of the “Friends of Church Farmhouse Museum“.

*** Blue text has been added by the editor.

Listed Buildings in Finchley

Some building names may be abbreviated or partial; this is how they are recorded in the original register.

See buildings on parish map (Warning: this may be very slow to load if there are a large number of listed buildings in this parish)

• 17, 17 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
  Grade II
  17 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• 32 and 34
  Grade II
  Torrington Park, Barnet, Greater London
• 36 and 38
  Grade II
  Torrington Park, Barnet, Greater London
• 897, Golders Green Road, Barnet, Greater London
  Grade II
  Golders Green Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Anglican Chapel, East Finchley Cemetery
  Grade II
  122 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Avenue House
  Grade II
  17 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Boundary Marker
  Grade II
  Hilton Avenue, Barnet, Greater London
• Chest Tomb to Edward Burford in St Mary at Finchley Churchyard
  Grade II
  Rectory Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Chest Tomb to Elizabeth Norris in St Mary at Finchley Churchyard
  Grade II
  Rectory Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Chest Tomb to North of Church in St Mary at Finchley Churchyard
  Grade II
  Rectory Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Chest Tomb with Railings, to South of Cartwright Monument in St Mary at Finchley Churchyard
  Grade II
  2 Rectory Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Christ’s College
  Grade II
  37 Hendon Lane, Barnet, Greater London
• Church of the Holy Trinity
  Grade II
  69 Church Lane, Barnet, Greater London
• Coachhouse Between Number 34 and 36
  Grade II
  Torrington Park, Barnet, Greater London
• Cornwall House
  Grade II
  Adams Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Crematorium and Chapel, St Marylebone Cemetary
  Grade II
  A406, Barnet, Greater London
• Dairy at College Farm
  Grade II
  Allandale Avenue, Barnet, Greater London
• East Annexe to Pardes House School
  Grade II
  E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• East Finchley Baptist Church Hall
  Grade II
  Creighton Avenue, Barnet, Greater London
• East Finchley Library 226
  Grade II
  Finchley
• East Finchley Station Including Platforms
  Grade II
  The Causeway, Barnet, Greater London
• Foreman’s House at College Farm
  Grade II
  Allandale Avenue, Barnet, Greater London
• Former Coach House
  Grade II
  E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Former Friern Barnet Town Hall 1
  Grade II
  4 Leadbeaters Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Former Stables
  Grade II
  10 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Garden House of Friern Hospital
  Grade II
  Royal Dr, Barnet, Greater London
• Gate and Gatehouses to Crematorium and Attached Railings, East Finchley Cemetery
  Grade II
  A406, Barnet, Greater London
• Gate Lodge, Entrance Gates, Piers and Railings to East Finchley Cemetery
  Grade II
  E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Gatehouses to St Pancras and Islington Cemetery 308 and 310,318 and 320
  Grade II
  Exit Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Glenesk Mausoleum, St Marylebone Cemetary
  Grade II
  63 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Hawthorne Dene
  Grade II*
  Pinkham Way, Barnet, Greater London
• Hertford Lodge
  Grade II
  17 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• La Delivrance, War Memorial Statue
  Grade II
  Charter Way, Barnet, Greater London
• Lodge Cottage 361
  Grade II
  Nether Street, Barnet, Greater London
• Lodge of Friern Hospital
  Grade II
  Royal Dr, Barnet, Greater London
• Lodge to Finchley Catholic High School
  Grade II
  Woodside Grange Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Main Farm Building at College Farm
  Grade II
  41 Fitzalan Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Marshall House Linen and Woollen Drapers Institute
  Grade II
  51 Hammers Lane, Barnet, Greater London
• Milestone Outside Number 296
  Grade II
  289 Regent’s Park Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Milestone Situated Outside Numbers 842 and 844 High Road 30 Yards South of Ravensdale Avenue
  Grade II
  836 A1000, Barnet, Greater London
• Mond Mausoleum, at St Pancras and Islington Cemetery
  Grade II
  Chapel Hill, Barnet, Greater London
• Monument to Harry Ripley
  Grade II
  E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Monument to Major Cartwright in St Mary at Finchley Churchyard
  Grade II
  Rectory Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Monument to Sir Peter Nicol Russell Engineer in St Marylebone Cemetery
  Grade II
  A406, Barnet, Greater London
• Monument to Thomas Tate, St Marylebone Cemetary
  Grade II
  E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Non Conformist Chapel, East Finchley Cemetery
  Grade II
  E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Number 14 and Attached Railings 14
  Grade II
  Lytton Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Number 9 and Attached Railings 9
  Grade II
  Lytton Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Numbers 1 to 7 and Attached Railings 1-7
  Grade II
  Lytton Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Numbers 10 and 12 and Attached Railings 10 and 12
  Grade II
  Lytton Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Numbers 11 and 15 and Attached Railings 11 and 15
  Grade II
  15 Lytton Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Numbers 16 and 18 and Attached Railings 16 and 18
  Grade II
  18 Lytton Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Numbers 2 to 8 and Attached Railings 2-8
  Grade II
  Lytton Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Pardes House School
  Grade II
  37 Hendon Lane, Barnet, Greater London
• Pardes House School 250
  Grade II
  E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Parish Church of St James
  Grade II
  144 B550, Barnet, Greater London
• Parish Church of St Mary
  Grade II*
  28 Hendon Lane, Barnet, Greater London
• Park House 1-3
  Grade II
  A504, Barnet, Greater London
• Partingdale Manor
  Grade II
  Partingdale Lane, Barnet, Greater London
• Silo at College Farm
  Grade II
  41 Fitzalan Road, Barnet, Greater London
• Spaniards Mount 61
  Grade II
  Winnington Road, Barnet, Greater London
• St Anne’s House
  Grade II
  164 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• St Pancras and Islington Cemetery, Church of England Chapel
  Grade II
  Church Rd S, Barnet, Greater London
• Statue in Friary Park
  Grade II
  B550, Barnet, Greater London
• Terrace Cottage
  Grade II
  Croft Mews, Barnet, Greater London
• The Bothy
  Grade II
  28 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• The Firs 24
  Grade II
  24 Spaniards End, Barnet, Greater London
• The Manor House 80
  Grade II*
  80 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London
• The White House (part of Finchley Catholic High School)
  Grade II
  Finchley
• Tombstone to Roberts in St Mary at Finchley Churchyard
  Grade II
  Rectory Close, Barnet, Greater London
• Tombstone to Sarah Gee in St Mary at Finchley Churchyard
  Grade II
  28 Hendon Lane, Barnet, Greater London
• Villa at the Convent of the Good Shepherd
  Grade II
  1 Thomas Moore Way, Barnet, Greater London
• Water Tower
  Grade II
  8 E End Road, Barnet, Greater London

Useful London guide

This guide is full of information of places of interest in London.

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/e843c0bd#/e843c0bd/44

Do you know this building

Off Squires Lane

This is a newly built building off a tiny cul-de-sac off Squires Lane, a turning to the left  about 100-200 yards on towards the Long Lane junction from the railway bridge, past Pentland’s building.

The editor would like to know who the owner is of the building and who the occupier will be.

Andrew Taylor – editor.

Finchley: Avenue House needs community support

This first appeared in February 2010

The trustees of Avenue House are working hard planning fund-raising events for 2010, and they need your support to make them a success. The team is planning quiz nights, race nights, summer concerts, barbecues and children’s puppet shows, and all proceeds will go to the upkeep of the grounds.

Avenue House and Garden on East End Road have been open to the public since 1928. The ten-acre grounds provide an attractive backdrop to the Grade II Listed Victorian mansion and are enjoyed by thousands of local people each year.

Yet the beautiful gardens are expensive to maintain. Last year the grounds cost Avenue House Trust £81,000, but this year they do not have that amount of money to spend. Janett Durrant, the Trust Estate Manager, spoke to The Arrow and regretfully told us, “We will see standards drop.”

Without enough money coming in there have already been staff cuts. Three years ago Avenue House employed 17 staff; there are now just seven working full-time. Fewer staff working in the grounds means that bins will not be emptied so frequently, the grass will not be cut as regularly, paths will not be swept, plants will not be replaced, and the pond and playground equipment will not be maintained.

Ultimately a lack of cash might lead to a need to charge entrance fees to the ground or to closures for part of the year. These actions would be a last resort and are something the trustees are keen to prevent.

All revenue for the house and grounds comes from hiring out seven function rooms. Bookings have been affected for a couple of years; the corporate organisations were the first to drop out but, as the recession has bitten deeper, the last six months have seen fewer weddings and birthday parties.

The Trust is eager to ensure that the gardens look as good as ever this year, so as well as the fundraising events coming up it is encouraging local people to become Friends of Avenue House. The idea is to get Friends to donate a small amount of money – £2 – each month, and when the scheme is up and running the Trust hopes to be able to offer Friends some discounts at garden events.

In order to raise enough money for ground maintenance they need just 4,000 people to sign up, which is a small proportion of the Finchley population. All of this money will be spent on the gardens.

“We’re doing everything we can. I understand money is tight for everyone at the moment and I can’t condemn people for cutting back, but we’re really struggling and we need the public to help,” Janett told The Arrow.

The antiques valuing dinner planned for January was the second event in the last six months to be cancelled owing to lack of interest. Arranging these events still costs the trustees time and money, so it is a pity that public support is not forthcoming.

“We can’t lose this place, it’s too important and too beautiful,” Janett emphasised.

If you’d like to get involved, support the Avenue House quiz night on 22 March at 7:30pm – tickets cost £8.