Origins of Platt's and Kidderpore...

By nature of the local government boundaries areas that exist, communities that in fact are part of a whole appear to be split in two by nature of one road - so it is with Platt's Lane.

Platt's Lane sounds really idylic (and it is) - is one of the most attractive street names around - and yet at the far northern border of the London Borough of Camden - or even on the far south of the London Borough of Barnet is slightly isolated from appreciation.

I remember speaking with Peter Cadogan when he blamed a cleric (bishop?) of St Alban's who had the chance to re-unite Kilburn in the 1300's and who didn't, thus sundering the commujnity of Kilburn into two.
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2007/11/part-of-kilburn-has-passed-away.html
Now of course, Kilburn is a commercial shopping area - in a way that Platt's Lane isn't, but it led me to consider the name origin of 'Platt's'.

Perhaps it was predictable: Thomas Platt owned the area and in about 1810 he bought a farmhouse (with the attendant out-buildings) and enlarged it - then on the border of the heath - it was in an area much more woooded than now, and built what was regarded as a very fashionable and pleasant house.

Before this the landowners were thought to be part of the old Templar estate of North West London (sic. Templar House, West Hampstead)

There is then (post 1830's) pretty fast local development:

• T Howard built Kidderpore Hall, for John Teil, an East India merchant which gives the origin of the name http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidderpore. (now Kidderpore Avenue and Kidderpore Gardens)

"One of the oldest parts of Calcutta, Kidderpore has a legend as far as its name is concerned. It is said that the British couldn't pronounce bengali. So when they asked for the directions to the port where ships were harboured, their broken hindi sounded somewhat like 'kidder-port' and hence the name Kidderpore came into existence."

• Two lodges were added, one in 1849 on Finchley road, another in 1867 on Platt's Lane.
• Four houses facing Finchley Road were built in the 1840s in the district called New West End (West End of Hampstead).
• By 1870 the farm buildings at Platt's Lane had been replaced by a house.
• Two cottages were built in Platt's Lane by P. Bell of West End in 1875.
• 13 houses, build/designed by George Pritchard, between 1884 and 1886.

http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/03/changing-of-street-names.html
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/02/one-of-most-frequent-asks-is-where-does.html

"Live differently" - living life as a Blakean

I have an interest in romantic 19th century poet Robert Bloomfield. Such an obscure poet (he was the best selling poet of his lifetime and indeed one of the best selling of the entire Victorian period) means you end up referencing your interest by the 'other' more household names.

In the case of Robert Bloomfield these are John Clare and William Blake. Clare was the great articulation of rural england and his reputation is increasingly being restored to public attention - Blake has enjoyed long recognition as illustrator, artist, poet and of course the author of 'jerusalem'. But of course, Blake has acted as an inspiration to many and some, try and lead lives that are actively Blakean...

All three poets have a respective society, but one of the leading champions of William Blake, his work, his lifestyle and beliefs, Peter Cadogan, has passed away: http://www.thecnj.co.uk/camden/2007/112207/obit112207.html

Here is what others said about him:

http://474towin.blogspot.com/2007/11/part-of-kilburn-has-passed-away.html

And for more on William Blake - this is a good start:

http://www.blakean.com/Blake1.html

and this is of contemporary interest in placing Blake in context:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/11/blakean_visions_in_south_londo.html