Images from the North Middlesex Photographic Society
Illustrated talk by Janet Owen

Photographs of Highgate, Muswell Hill, Crouch End and other local areas from 1880-1910

URC Church Hall, cnr of Ferme Park Road / Weston Park N8
Visitors welcome. Donation £1.50 suggested. Doors close 8pm

Alexandra Palace – birthplace of the world’s first regular high-definition public television broadcast – joined forces with the BBC to celebrate 75 years of TV on Wednesday 2 November (private event) and on Saturday/Sunday 5/6 November with series of free activities for the public, staged at ‘Ally Pally’ where there was a rare opportunity to take a tour of the famous BBC Studios where history was made on 2 November 1936, and sample 1930s-inspired food from the ‘BBC canteen’ (sadly, at 2011 prices) sited in the old BBC Transmission Hall (known for a long time as the Old Boxing Club but now to be known again by its previous name).

Visitors saw audio visual displays featuring rarely-seen BBC footage, and were able to prepare to go ‘on air’, made up in authentic 1930s TV style (with blue lips and eyes and white pancake makeup) and see demonstrations of the latest innovations in 3D TV.

Members of the public also had the opportunity of being “greenscreened” and later watching their performances back on YouTube. HHS webmaster was one of them, and you can view the unscripted, unrehearsed, completely spontaneous result (you’d never have guessed, would you?!) by visiting www.alexandrapalace.com, clicking on their Youtube icon and scrolling down to video 123.

It was heartening to experience such an event at last at the palace and we must hope more use can be made of its historic areas.

Alexandra Palace CEO Duncan Wilson OBE and Alexandra Park Manager Mark Evison will be telling HHS their plans for the future at next HHS meeting on 14 December.

Wednesday 16th November 2011

Tickets £5 (on the door) 6.00 pm for 6.30pm

This talk will be at St George’s German Lutheran Church in Alie Street, London E1, the oldest surving German church in England. The church closed in 1996 and is now one of 20 redundant non-conformist places of worship that are in the care of the Historic Chapels Trust, a registered charity.
Proceeds of the talk will assist towards maintenance and repair of this historic church.

Nick McCormick’s fascinating talk will focus on the work and life of the German artist, George Kenner, who was interned at Alexandra Palace for part of the First World War. Some of his paintings depicting the life of these little known internees are held by the Imperial War Museum. HHS members will remenber his talk 3 years ago, which was the suject of his article in our Bulletin No.49.

George Kenner’s paintings executed at Alexandra Palace are online. You can view them via the Imperial War Museum’s website: www.iwmcollections.org.uk. Click on art collections, type ‘ Kenner’ in the ‘Artist’ box and press search – this takes you to the collection. The images have been photographed at a low resolution but by right-clicking they can be transferred to ‘My Pictures’ where they enlarge very well.

Alexandra Palace – the iconic North London entertainment venue and birthplace of the world’s first regular high-definition public television broadcast – will join forces with the BBC to celebrate 75 years of TV.

On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 November 2011 a series of free activities for the public will be staged at ‘Ally Pally’ to encourage the public to explore the past and discover the future of television. Not least, they will be given the rare opportunity of taking a tour of the famous BBC Studios where history was made on 2 November 1936 – and worldwide communication and entertainment was transformed beyond recognition.

As visitors explore and delve into TV’s colourful past through a series of interactive and immersive audio visual displays featuring rarely-seen BBC footage, the words “This is direct from Alexandra Palace” – made famous by one of the first television presenters Elizabeth Cowell – will be heard once more from within the BBC studios.

Matt Cooke, Chair of Alexandra Park & Palace Trust, said: “The BBC’s place in the history of Alexandra Palace was sealed when the first public service broadcast in the world was made from the building in 1936. Not only did the event pave the way for a new kind of social entertainment, but it also prompted technological advances in the way we communicate with each other which still impact on us today.

“The Trustees are delighted to be co-hosting a weekend of interactive and futuristic activities with the BBC to mark 75 years since this important milestone in UK and world history.”

Head of BBC History, Robert Seatter, added: “On this momentous 75th anniversary, we are delighted to be working with Alexandra Palace to open up these unique studios where television really began. We hope that this exciting open weekend will help visitors to celebrate television in all its diversity – old and new, technical and aesthetic, serious and fun.”

When the BBC leased the studios at Alexandra Palace from 1935 – 1981, it was afforded incredible reception capabilities and broadcasting opportunities. The building, standing at over 306ft above sea level, provides outstanding views across the city and – crucially – guaranteed BBC production staff at the time close proximity to Broadcasting House – the corporation’s headquarters in central London.

Withstanding the Second World War years – when television equipment was commandeered for defence purposes and the Alexandra Palace transmitter was re-tuned to defend London from Nazi bombers – the studios became the corporation’s primary production centre for television broadcasts until the 1950s. Over the years landmark programmes such as Muffin the Mule, The Grove Family – the nation’s first television ‘soap opera’ – and historic events including the 1953 Coronation, the News and Open University television were made there, entertaining growing numbers of families in Britain.

Visitors to Alexandra Palace on the weekend of 5 and 6 November will be able to take centre stage and prepare to go ‘on air’, made up in authentic 1930s TV style (with blue lips and eyes and white pancake facepaint)! They will also be able to share their memories of the BBC and ‘Ally Pally’ in front of the cameras and sample 1930s inspired food from the ‘BBC canteen’.

For those who are more interested in what television has to offer in the future, students of the world-renowned digital media and design college Ravensbourne will be on site to provide demonstrations of the latest innovations in 3D TV. Members of the public will also have the opportunity of recording the news for the cameras and later watching their performances back on YouTube.

Cameras will roll from 11am – 4.30pm on both 5 and 6 November.

Entry is free to the activities in the Transmission Room and 3D TV demos in the foyer of the Victorian Theatre, where you will also find the HHS bookstall.

Please note, tours of the BBC studios are now fully-booked.

Alexandra Palace – the birthplace of the world’s first regular high-definition public television broadcast – is joining forces with the BBC to celebrate 75 years of TV.

Visit Alexandra Palce for a weekend of TV-filled fun and discovery to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the birth of TV live from the studios where it all began.
Explore the original studios and delve into TV’s colourful past through exhibits and displays.

Take centre stage and prepare to go ‘on air’, as you share your memories of the BBC and Ally Pally in front of the cameras.

On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 November 2011 a series of free activities for the public will be staged at ‘Ally Pally’ to encourage the public to explore the past and discover the future of television. Highlights include: -

Tours of the famous BBC Studios where history was made on 2 November 1936 – and worldwide communication and entertainment was transformed beyond recognition

Interactive and immersive audio visual displays featuring rarely-seen BBC footage

Taking centre stage and preparing to go ‘on air’, made up in authentic 1930s TV style (with blue lips and eyes and white pancake facepaint)

Sharing your BBC and ‘Ally Pally’ memories with roving reporters

1930s-inspired food from the ‘BBC canteen’

Demonstrations of the latest innovations in 3D TV

Become a BBC newsreader! Record a snippet of the news and take the recording home with you as a unique souvenir.
Cameras will roll from 11am – 4.30pm on both 5 and 6 November.

Entry is free, but anyone wishing to take a tour of the BBC studios needs to call 0208 365 4321 to secure a timed ticket.

Entry: free admission by timed ticket (donations welcome)

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “The 75th anniversary of the world’s first television broadcast by the BBC from Alexandra Palace is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on London’s role as a pioneer and innovator. With master-planning underway to regenerate the iconic Alexandra Palace site for future generations to enjoy, it is a chance to celebrate the great achievements of public service broadcasting and also discover how world-renowned colleges like Ravensbourne are helping to shape the future of television and digital media.”

Stroud Green Book Launch
Friday 14 October
See separate News item for full details

The Lost Theatres of Haringey
Friday 14 October 7pm
Marlene McAndrew will be at the Big Green Bookshop, Brampton Park Road, Wood Green, talking about her book The Lost Theatres of Haringey, which will offer a fascinating insight on the changes that the borough has seen in the last 150 years.

Markfield Open Day
Saturday 15 October
12 noon – 4pm
Find out all about the different services offered at Markfield, and their exciting plans for the future, with the launch of their new 5-year strategic plan for 2011-2016. There will be free refreshments provided, and family activities in the building and adventure playground. They will also be holding their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the day, between 2.30 and 3.30pm. For more information please email: enquiries@markfield.org.uk or call 020 8800 4134.

HHS Highgate Walk
Saturday 15 October
Meet 2pm at Highgate Scientific & Literary Institute. £3 donation requested.

Stroud Green – A History and Five Walks

Friday 14 October 2011
6.30 – 8.00 pm
at The Stapleton Tavern,
Stroud Green

An opportunity to talk to the author and purchase a signed copy of this recently-published book. John’s latest book The Campsbourne Estate and also HHS 40th Anniversary publication A Vision of Middlesex (co-authored with Janet Owen) will also be available.

Refreshments will be available and a pay bar will also operate.

The book launch will be held in the unusual “retro” dining area (entrance from Mt Pleasant Crescent) and some of us are staying on afterwards for dinner. Might we suggest you do the same!

Venue:
Stapleton Tavern
2-4 Crouch Hill
Stroud Green N4 4AU

Close to Crouch Hill Station
Buses W3, W7, 210 stop nearby
On-street parking from 6.30pm
(some earlier a short walk away)

RSVP by 13 October:

Email:pressofficer@hornseyhistorical.org.uk
Tel: 020 8889 7388
Txt: 07583 097293

How to join HHS (2011 – 2012)

Members receive the Society’s acclaimed annual Bulletin, containing well-researched articles of local interest with many illustrations, and 4 quarterly Newsletters giving details of outings, walks, etc. Members also receive free entry to the Society’s lectures and free help with queries from the Archives.

Membership form

Print down, complete and send with sterling cheque or order to:
The Membership Secretary, Hornsey Historical Society, The Old Schoolhouse, 136
Tottenham Lane, London N8 7EL.
Signing the Gift Aid form also helps us keep the Membership fee low.

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Just along the road from the pub, The Friends of Hornsey Church Tower will be opening the tower – the last remnant of old St Mary’s Church – from 2 – 4pm. Well worth the climb to the top for the great views.