The Goodlet diaries: Week two
This is week two of the diary entries of Alexander Goodlet of Ealing, 80 years ago. This week, he writes about war in Africa, and the premature announcement of the death of a famous author – who then promptly falls seriously ill. Have you read the introduction? January 1936 Wednesday 8.3.36 Slept practically all day and was […]
The Goodlet diaries: Week one
This is week one of the diary entries of Alexander Goodlet of Ealing, 80 years ago. This week he writes as the new year begins; and it brings yachting, school reports for his brother, news of a bombing in Sweden and disasters at sea. Have you read the introduction? January 1936 Wednesday 1.1.36 Although I promised to […]
The Goodlet diaries: Introduction
Borough archivist Dr Jonathan Oates has rewound time in Ealing by 80 years and we find ourselves in the world according to Alexander Goodlet, a relatively unusual man in extraordinary times as the world stumbled towards war. His writings are a source of information Dr Oates returns to time and again for his talks at […]
Bank’s red carpet, going undercover and Mr Selfridge
The BBC’s brand new drama Undercover stars Sophie Okonedo (Mrs Mandela, The Secret Life Of Bees) as Maya and Adrian Lester (Merlin) as her husband Nick. Maya is about to become the country’s new director of public prosecutions but Nick’s past as an undercover officer infiltrating dangerous organisations is coming back to haunt him, with […]
Countdown to Hootie begins…
The Hanwell Hootie has become an established fixture on the local music calendar since it first ran three years ago, taking over many of the town’s pubs for live bands and a festival atmosphere. On 2 April 2016 the event returns, still backed by Ealing Council, Hanwell Association of Traders, Ealing Blues Festival, the Ealing […]
Litten: Nature’s gift
It feels like you are being transported into a secret garden when you walk through the gate of the Litten Nature Reserve, reports Neelum Bains. It is an oasis of calm and natural beauty just metres away from some of Greenford’s busiest roads. The reserve was awarded gold, and category winner for small conservation area, […]
Ready to take a seat
I am delighted that we will finally have a new cinema in Ealing after more than seven years of waiting. It is exciting when trailers for new films come out now, because they provoke thoughts of how we could be sitting comfortably in a seat in the new cinema watching a blockbuster relatively soon. Cinema […]
Quiz: How is your local knowledge?
Have a go at our quiz and see how much you know on local history. Dr Jonathan Oates, the borough archivist and Around Ealing contributor, has set 20 questions on local events, places and people. See how many you can answer correctly. You can just do it for fun; but Around Ealing reader Peter Tummon entered our competition […]
Hockey heritage
Very few of the girls and boys who play for the recently reformed Ealing Hockey Club have any idea of its history or the achievements of its past players and teams. But the club has a rich heritage, writes Clare Cogswell, the club’s secretary and a former player. The club was reformed three years ago […]
Acton’s impetuous Edwardian stuntman
George Lee Temple was the first person in Britain to fly upside down. He was a daredevil in the early days of aviation and his dangerous shows attracted big crowds. He was born in Acton in 1892, the son of George Temple, a Royal Navy officer, at 9 Cumberland Park. The young George seemed initially […]
Napoleon, Waterloo and Ealing
Dr Jonathan Oates looks at how this much discussed battle in Europe touched our own area 200 years ago. This year marks the bicentenary of the battle of Waterloo in 1815, when the British, German and Dutch troops under the command of the Duke of Wellington and Prince Blucher defeated the French under Napoleon and […]
First World War: The local war years, 1914-18
Originally serialised by us between August 2014 and March 2015, in five instalments, to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War, we look at what happened locally year-by-year. 1914 7 August Reports of panic buying of food and fuel 10 August Appeal for women to volunteer for hospital work locally 11 August First […]