Mysterious goings-on in Ealing of old

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Local history talks kick off with 'Sex and Death in Georgian Hanwell'

For eight consecutive Monday evenings in January and February 2005, Ealing�s Library and Information Service is hosting a series of fascinating talks on various aspects of the borough�s past.

10 January: Sex and Death in Georgian Hanwell � by Dr Jonathan Oates

Dr Jonathan Oates is Ealing Borough�s Archivist and published local author of �Images of London � Acton� (2003) and �Acton � A History� (2002). In Georgian Hanwell a chimney sweep beat his apprentice, who later died, and a schoolmaster illegally imprisoned a servant suspected of theft. The church clock was stolen. Three unsolved murders, deaths, children born out of wedlock and the action taken against their mothers and fathers will also feature in this talk by Jonathan Oates.

17 January: Transporting Acton � by David Knights

David Knights has written two booklets: �Electricity in Acton� and �Gas in Acton�. He is the secretary of the Acton History Group.

24 January: Making bricks beside the canal: Northolt in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries � by Dr Peter Hounsell

Peter Hounsell has researched the history of` Ealing and other parts of West London over three decades. The author of �Ealing & Hanwell Past�, published in 1991, his more recent interests have been brickmaking and rubbish disposal in the London area. He received his doctorate for his thesis on West Middlesex brickmaking in 2000. What was Northolt's contribution to the building of Victorian London? What is a clamp, a temperer and a hack barrow? What on earth, literally, is Spanish? What did the Native Guano Company do with an old brick kiln? And what happened to all the rubbish?All these questions will be answered in the course of his talk.

31 January: Martin Brothers: Potters of Southall � by George Twyman

George Twyman was born in Southall and is the Chairman of the Southall History Society and a collector of Martinware. He has had a booklet published about Martinware pottery.He will be talking about the four Martin brothers, notorious for arguing while making their famous pottery, and the fact that the uglier the item of pottery is, the more financial value it has.

7 February: �Factoryland�: Greenford�s industrial heritage � by Frances Hounsell

Frances Hounsell has lived in Greenford for most of her life and researched, written and spoken about the history of Greenford and Northolt for many years. She is the author of �Greenford, Northolt & Perivale Past� published in 1999.In her talk she will revisit the time when a walk beside the canal could be accompanied by the sight of multi-coloured water (Perkin's Dyeworks), the smell of roasting coffee (Lyon's), or the sound of breaking glass (Rockware Glass) - all connected to industrial activities that have disappeared.

14 February: �Parish of enormous hayfields/Perivale stood all alone� � by Professor Alan Gillett

Alan Gillett is an amateur artist, illustrating Kate McEwan's �Ealing Walkabout� in 1984, and he is active in the Friends of St. Mary's Perivale. His local hero is Charles Jones, Ealing's surveyor from 1863-1913.

21 February: Queen of the Suburbs? Victorian and Edwardian Ealing � by Paul Fitzmaurice

Paul Fitzmaurice co-wrote 'Little Ealing' which was published in 2002. He is a regular researcher and his special interest is South Ealing.

28 February: From William of Northolt to Dusty Springfield: an interactive introduction to the use of the newly published Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, for local history - by Dr Peter Hounsell

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is a huge scholarly undertaking and a major source of information on thousands of people who have contributed to the history of Britain over the past millennium. As well as introducing the new edition, Peter Hounsell, will look at the online version and find out about the people who have had associations with places in the borough. So join us on this voyage and discover�- The seventeenth century clergyman who travelled to India, and the Macaroni Parson who was hanged for forgery [Edward Terry and William Dodd]- The man who discovered mauve and the watchmaker who shared the Longitude prize [William Perkin and Thomas Earnshaw]- A prima ballerina, an internationally famous tight rope walker, a Wimbledon tennis champion, and a Olympic medallist who died aged only 22 [Fonteyn, Blondin, Perry, Board] - The composer of the Planets and the composer of Oliver [Holst, Bart] - The founder of a major firm of accountants, and the founder of a bookmaking empire [Deloitte, William Hill] - The singers previously known Faroukh Bulsara and Mary O'Brien [Freddie Mercury and Dusty Springfield]�and many, many more.

Venue & ticketing details
All talks will take place at the Central Library (Reference Section) at 7pm. Doors open at 6.45pm

Central Library, 103 Ealing Broadway Centre, W5 5JY

Tickets for each evening are £4, and include refreshments. There will also be a chance for people to buy signed copies of local history books. Special Offer! 10% discount when booking 3 lectures or more, 20% discount when booking the whole series. Tickets available from the Central Library or call 020 8825 5600.

November 22, 2004