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This newsletter marks the beginning of out new financial year. We welcome new members and would invite everyone to send in their subscriptions for 1971/2 to the new Treasurer, Mr. Richard Beacon. The current subscription rate is 75p.
Programme News
June 3rd … Lecture by Dr. Ian Gilliland, MD, FRCP, on MASADA at the Central Library, The Burroughs, NW4 at 8.15 p.m.
June 12th … Outing to Warwick – details in this letter.
June 25th … Mr. K Bailey – talk on Urban Recording at 166 Station Road, NW4 8.15 p.m. (more details below)
July 10th … Outing to the Oxford area, including Rycote Chapel, Chipping Norton and Woodstock Village (cost approx. £1.25)
Sept 18th …Outing to Sussex – in process of arrangement.
The June 25th date is an experiment – a summer evening meeting for lecture and informal discussion. It results from suggestions from several members who can not normally go on weekend outings, but who feel the Society should have some opportunity to meet during the summer. Mr. Keith Bailey will talk of the work which the Wandsworth Historical Society is doing on recording urban Wandsworth. He has some interesting slides and a thoroughly practical approach. Members who have been helping with the Church End Hendon street survey will know how relevant this is to the kind of problem that our Society will have increasingly to deal with. We hope many members will come along to this experimental evening which, if successful, will be the forerunner of others
Winter Lectures
From October 1971, at St. Mary’s Church House, Church End, Hendon, NW4 every third Tuesday of the month. Please note change both of venue and date.
Annual General Meeting
At the AGM on 18th May 1971, the Chairman reported a busy and active year. The work of the Research Committee is progressing well and the outings and lectures have been well supported. As ever, finance is a problem, and although there is a small credit balance, new ways of raising money must be found to back the increasing range of activities of the Society. A vote of thanks was given to the retiring Treasurer, Mrs. Isaaman, for all that she has done for the Society. The Auditor, Mr. W. C. Cogman was thanked for hiw work on the accounts. Mrs. Worby was warmly thanked for all the work she has done in the past, particularly envelope addressing. After refreshments, a varied programme was offered to the audience – Mrs. Hiscock, the Borough Archivist, displayed old photographs and prints of Hendon for identification – the Sparks brothers of East Barnet Cine Society showed a film they had made about the Battle of Barnet – Mr. Brian Robertson spoke about the search for Roman Hendon.
The following officers were elected: – Chairman – B. A. Jarman, Vice-chairman – E. Sammes, Hon. Secretary – Mrs. P. Grafton Green, Hon. Treasurer – R. Deacon. The committee is as follows: – Mrs. Arnott, Mr. Clynes, Mr. Cole, Miss Rigby, Miss E. Dowling, Mr. Enderby, Miss Fear, Miss Flascati, Mr, Kirkwood, Mr; Long, Mr. Wookey.
Battle of Barnet
We can be proud of the part which HADAS has played over the past two years in planning and producing the Quincentenary Exhibition of the Battle of Barnet. For a three week period during April the mists of time shrouding the event were lifted. The main exhibition was visited by an estimated 10,000 people. A diorama containing 2,000 battling figures was arranged by the London War Games Section. Banners of the main contestants hung around the hall (these, designed by the Heraldic Design Class of Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute, were exceptionally well executed by different women’s organisations in the area). Brass rubbings were mounted up the approach staircase and cases around the room contained relics of the period.
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The Richard III Society exhibited an absorbing reconstruction of the controversial evidence concerning this Prince’s place in history. Three of our younger members were largely responsible for setting up the stimulating exhibition of children’s work.
Our first booklet, Occasional Paper No. 1 “Chroniclers of the Battle of Barnet” – was on sale at the bookstall. It had sold out by the end of the first week. In order not to disappoint members, we are having a further 100 printed. We hope that all members will by a copy of what is – to HADAS anyway – a historic publication in more than one sense. Please get a copy from Richard Deacon, price 17 1/2 penny or 21p by post.
Reascue
Please read the enclosed leaflet RESCUE. This, a new trust for British Archaeology recently set up, urgently needs an initial membership of 100,000. Will all members of HADAS please consider joining this new venture, and encourage friends and families to join as well, even though they are not archaeologists. Minimum subscription is £1.
London Archaeologist
This quarterly publication, first appearance in Winter of 1968, badly wants to extend its readership. The Spring 1971 issue carries a report with good illustrations on the Greenwich Palace dig by Philip Dixon, our speaker last January on this subject. Two of our members also contribute articles. Paul Carter and Brian Robertson. Subscription (4 issues) costs only 60p a year post free.
Exhibition
The Society received high praise for its exhibit at the Annual Conference of London Archaeologists, organised by the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society. Some of the Brockley Hill finds were displayed, including flints, mortarium stamps, pottery and bronze. We also showed resistivity meter surveying and maps of the Victorian postal history of Barnet.
Brockley Hill Pottery
Every Wednesday evening at the Sculpture Studio, Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute between 7 – 9.30, work proceeds on this pottery. This is an outstanding opportunity for HADAS members to get used to handling and recognising Roman pottery of several periods. Please come along. Beginners welcome.
Clay Pipes
Now members are getting busy in their gardens again, we would like to hear from anyone who finds clay pipes (especially bowls). We are trying to trace clay pipe makers, both in the Borough of Barnet and at Highgate. Anyone who can help with the above should contact Jeremy Clynes.
Excavation and Field work this summer
Nether Street, Finchley – first digging date for your diary is the weekend of June 19/20, when we hope to open two trenches in the grounds of Mr. Simmon’s nursery gardens at 166, Nether Street, N3. Work will commence at 10 on both days. The area available for digging is small, so please let Mrs. Grafton Green know soon if you would like to take part.
College Farm Survey (Express Dairy farm). Permission has been given to record the farm buildings and equipment at College Farm, which most members will now, near Henleys Corner. We hope to do this over one or two weekends this summer. Any members wishing to take part are asked to let Mrs. Grafton Green know. Further information will then be sent when the final arrangements have been made.
Brass Rubbings, Church House Farm Museum
May 8th – June 13th 1971. This exhibition includes rubbings from Hendon, Harrow, the City of London, St. Albans and many other places. These are of great historical interest. Open 10.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. (closed 12.30 – 1.3o p.m.), Tuesdays (10.00 am to 1.00 p.m. only, Sundays .30 p.m. – 6.00 p.m. Admission free.
HADAS exhibition
The Society will show a small selection of the Brockley Hill finds during Suburb week by kind permission of Mr. Enderby, in the Art Annexe of Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute. On show June 30th.
