Don't panic, don't panic...

Not the most obvious picture in the world and it requires quite a leap of imagination but I'm told that this is a air raid shelter from World War II.

It's in the communal gardens of Cholmley Gardens, West Hampstead, and I'm told that there are a whole series of air raid shelters there.

They show themselves as slightly odd barrow-esq shapes in the ground structure with a still visible concrete ridge down the middle.

http://474towin.blogspot.com/2009/05/no-books-here-since-1954.html

I can't say I know much more than that but as this week is the anniversary of the start of WWII for Britain I thought I'd try and reflect the theme.

For Cholmley Gardens http://www.cholmleygardens.co.uk/

The elephant on the bridge

We're on Mill Lane in West Hampstead and it's the mural on the railway bridge across Mill Lane (near Wayne Kirkum Way).

This is just one panel that has survived well and still smiles out at passers by.

I'm a huge fan of community murals and am stunned just how long they have survived over the years.

This one dates I think from the mid 1990's and is signed By Nakai Jirira, Age 10 1/2 (ten and a half).

For some it has a personal resonance, fprsome it's just dead cute, for all it's a great illumination in a string of panels that otherwise would be painted railway grey.

:-)

No books here since 1954...

Most people who use and know the public Library in West Hampstead know it on the corner of Dennington Park Road.

But for a time (4-ish years!) after it was bombed out of Westbere Road it sought refuge in the corner of Mill Lane and Fortune Green Road.

The entrance is pictured here in Cholmley Gardens and has a small little plaque on the left hand side of the entrance.

I've touched on this topic briefly before
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/02/from-councillor-to-tower-block-and-mp.html

It's a small historical link but a nice little piece...

I've also touched on the wider library story in Camden here
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/10/has-public-philanthropy-currency-in-our.html

The grand alliance

What is the date of this Pub?

Is it really 1815 reflecting the grand alliance between Wellington (England) and Blucher http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Waterloo

Or is it a name adopted much later and subsequently.

I do know it's not political! :-)

Oh, btw we're in Mill Lane, West Hampstead, for this picture...

West End is here in NW6 - not theatreland

Back to the joys of West End - and more specifically the Green at West End on the junction of West End Lane, Fortune Green Road and Mill Lane.

It's one of the best spaces and increasingly complemented by coffee bars and outdoor seating to appreciate - all we need now is pedestrianisation (a pipe dream in this instance!).

The plaque reads:

Borough of Hampstead

This tree was planted by the Mayor

Mr Alderman G E Pritchard

20th December 1902

In commemoration of the Coronation of

His Majesty King Edward VII

On this patch of space it's also got the fountain, thousands of pidgeons and is overlooked by the slightly stately Alexandra Mansions.

So whose up for a refurb effort - it's in the sightline of the Friends of Fortune Green who are pushing forward on cleaning up and taking active ownership of their space...

Community activism - for me it's the best way forward and the only way of achieving long standing change and enhancement in a local area... there's one to ponder.

Is this father and son?

There are loads of small architectural features in the upper levels of buildings - usually just above doorways and shop signs - and seeing these made me stop and think.

I find myself invariably walking down a street and looking up now, the camera is an almost instinctive part of my 'what am I carrying when I leave the house in the morning' routine... and it's these little features that spur me on with this endeavour.

It's not uncommon to see kings and queen's, indeed in Kilburn I found four musical greats:
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/02/kilburns-musical-past.html

But these two didn't seem quite so obvious. It is entirely possible that we have here a depcition of the Father and Son - perhaps the achitect, the commissioner, the shop owner... any other suggestions.

I have previously commented on this great bit of local shopping,

but this is slightly set aside on the Aldred Road side - if you're down Mill Lane, pause, turn off into Aldred and have a look...
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2007/12/pavement-on-mill-lane.html,

Independent shops and their charm

Just wandering down Mill Lane and notice these little architectural gems along the way.

I've always liked the row of shops along from the Alliance Pub and near West Hampstead Community Association.

There's now a great cake shop there so it's more than worth while.

Oh, and The Alliance is from Waterloo (1815) and the grand alliance between Wellington and Blucher against Napoleon.. though it has been a local Lib Dem haunt for a quite a while...

Oh, and there is a great little plaque at number 54 to a real local person - more to follow on this, but it has all the definitions of charm and localnesss that I find I appreciate.

West End Green at Christmas

What is it about Christmas lights? They illuminate, they cheer, they sparkle and they just make an area look great.

And this year on West End Green is no exception. At the junction of West End Lane, Lyncroft Gardens, Mill Lane and Fortune Green Road this little green is really charming.

Well done to councillors Flick Rea, Keith Moffitt and Janet Grauberg who have made sure this sort of thing happens and is considered important - shame my camera (or use of it) isn't better able to capture the image - though I do think this captures the sparkle!

Ed