Annual Talk – History of Blenheim Gardens Estate

Herne Hill Heritage Trail – Central

Herne Hill Velodrome 104 Burbage Rd, London

Herne Hill Heritage Trail walk - Central, led by Robert Holden. Meet at Herne Hill Velodrome, Entrance in Burbage Road SE21 7AF, 10am. "We begin at Herne Hill Velodrome, the oldest extant cycle track in the UK; used for the 1948 Olympics, and still active today. We shall pass a sports field that has its own war memorial, a grand viaduct, a house that has had three distinguished residents but has only two plaques, and a hidden folly. We shall finish at the Grafton Ballroom. " TO BOOK     noticeboard@hernehillsociety.org.uk                           

Herne Hill Heritage Trail – South

All Saint's Church Lovelace Road, London

Herne Hill Heritage Trail walk - South, led by Robert Holden. Meet at All Saints’ Church, Entrance in Lovelace Road SE21 8JY, 10am. "We start at the Lovelace Road entrance of All Saints’ Church, the only Grade 1 listed building in our area, walk down Rosendale Road, passing four model houses possibly designed for the Ideal Home Exhibition in the mid-1920s, two schools, a former dairy, and a Grade 2 listed railway bridge (the central arch of which is an ellipsis) and finishing at the Bullfinch Brewery. This walk is downhill all the way." TO BOOK     noticeboard@hernehillsociety.org.uk

Brixton Windmill Open Weekend – 11 & 12 May

Brixton Windmill 100 Blenheim Gardens, London, United Kingdom

We'll be open from 1pm to 5pm on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 May to celebrate National Mills Weekend. Full guided tours are available and can be booked here. There will also be free drop in short tours throughout each afternoon. On Saturday afternoon we'll be aiming to get our sails turning - always an exciting experience! On Sunday at 1pm we also run a guided local history walk of the area which is bookable here. Our cafe will be open for delicious home made cakes and our shop is open too for unique gifts and Brixton Windmill Flour. www.brixtonwindmill.org

Talk at BPCG | Fiona Davison: An Almost Impossible Thing

Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses Brockwell Park, Herne Hill, London, United Kingdom

Join us to celebrate Fiona Davison’s aclaimed book An Almost Impossible Thing. The book follows six convention-busting women gardeners in the years before the First World War, examining their lives in the context of suffragism, collectivism and Empire. ‘Gardening, taken up as a hobby when all the laborious work can be done by a man, is delightful, but as a life’s work for a woman, it is almost an impossible thing.’ Sir Joseph Hooker, 1817-1911. While working at the Royal Horticultural Society, Fiona Davison came across a cache of letters from a young gardener who was denied a fellowship because she was a woman. Appalled, and intrigued to discover what became of Olive, Fiona began researching the wider story of early female professional gardeners whose struggles changed forever the rights and opportunities for women gardeners. Tickets are Pay What You Can from £7 | Find out more and book here

£7 – £14

Lambeth Local History Fair

St Leonard’s Church, Streatham High Road SW16 1HS St Leonard’s Church, Streatham High Road, London

Meet members of the Lambeth Local History Forum to learn about their work and how you might join in. Local history publications will be on sale. Entry to the fair is FREE. Light refreshments and toilet facilities will be available. There is a full programme of walks, talks and exhibitions running through the day. Of particular interest to Herne Hillians is a talk at 11am by lifelong resident Robert Holden. Titled "Seven O’clock and not a Baby Bathed" Robert recounts how, amid the devastation of Lambeth and Wandsworth during the Second World War, his Grandmother (who lived in Herne Hill for over 35 years) delivered 500 babies at the mothers' homes.

Free

Annual Talk – History of Blenheim Gardens Estate

Brixton Windmill 100 Blenheim Gardens, London, United Kingdom

The History of Blenheim Gardens Estate and Windmill Gardens with Jon Newman from Lambeth Archives Wednesday 11 September, 7.15pm (doors open 6.45pm) Brixton Windmill Centre, SW2 5DA www.brixtonwindmill.org Free (please reserve your seat for free on Eventbrite) This year’s annual talk will explore the history and development of our nearest housing estate, Blenheim Gardens, which was designed by Ted Hollamby in the early 1970s.  Jon Newman will discuss the background to the development using documents and photographs from Lambeth Archives’ collection.  He will also look at the development of Windmill Gardens park, home of Brixton Windmill. There will also be an exhibition exploring the history of Lambeth Council’s public housing (1965 to 1980) which has been put together by Christiane Felber from the Bartlett School of Architecture. Doors open at 6.45pm and refreshments will be available. Our shop will also be open. Please book your free ticket on Eventbrite or email info@brixtonwindmill.org to let us know you are attending.

Herne Hill Heritage Trail: North

Herne Hill Station Railton Road, Herne Hill, United Kingdom

We commence at our handsome Grade 2 listed Herne Hill Station, and then look around Station Square, including the foyer building of the Cinema Grand, which opened in 1913. We shall see the location of Herne Hill’s first cinema, the Picture Palace (1910-1915), meander around Poets Corner, identify the location of the Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories, and possibly visit Brockwell Lido. We shall finish at one of our splendid Victorian pubs. Free but please book by emailing: noticeboard@hernehillsociety.org.uk

Free

Herne Hill Heritage Trail – Central

Herne Hill Velodrome 104 Burbage Rd, London

Herne Hill Heritage Trail walk - Central, led by Robert Holden. Meet at Herne Hill Velodrome, Entrance in Burbage Road SE21 7AF, 2:30pm. "We begin at the Burbage Road entrance of the Herne Hill Velodrome, the oldest extant cycle track in the UK. It was used for the 1948 Olympics, and today is still a hive of activity. We shall pass a sports field that has its own war memorial, a grand viaduct, a house that has had three distinguished residents but has only two plaques, and a hidden folly. We shall finish at the Grafton Ballroom and be home in time for Strictly Come Dancing. " TO BOOK     noticeboard@hernehillsociety.org.uk                           

Herne Hill Heritage Trail – South

All Saint's Church Lovelace Road, London

Herne Hill Heritage Trail walk - South, led by Robert Holden. Meet at All Saints’ Church, Entrance in Lovelace Road SE21 8JY, 10am. "We start at the Lovelace Road entrance of All Saints’ Church, the only Grade 1 listed building in our area. We stroll down Rosendale Road, passing four model houses possibly designed for the Ideal Home Exhibition in the mid-1920s, two schools, a former dairy, and a Grade 2 listed railway bridge (the central arch of which is an ellipsis). We finish at the Bullfinch Brewery, which is close to the 120 glorious acres of Brockwell Park. This walk is downhill all the way. " TO BOOK     noticeboard@hernehillsociety.org.uk