The oldest paper in town?

There is something about a newspaper whereby the credibility and esteem in which it is held is built on when it was founded - almost as though the sense that it has survived all those years means it is well read, respected, attached to it's community.

So here we are at Premier Corner, on Kilburn Lane near Queen's Park Tube station (West Kilburn by my geography) and have the foundation stone in the new offices (built, according to the plaque in 1964).

The masthead of the Kilburn Times still proudly proclaims
Established 1868

So the plaque reads:
The north-western printing and publishing association limited.
This stone was laid by Mrs Kate Hewlett
Daughter of Thomas Smith - Proprietor
of the Kilburn Times in 1874 and Managing
Director of the Present Company from
1894 to 1910 - in the presence of his
Great Grandson Mr J H M Page - grandson
of Sidney Page who was chairman
From 1904 to 1930

Architect Sidney & Bettesworth LRIBA FRICS
Surveyors McCann & Bracken
Builders Y J Lovell & Son Ltd
23rd July 1964

Remembering those who have gone before

I place a huge store on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day - for me it is about the society in which we live and the type of nation we seek to be.

There is nothing glamorous about war, despite the films, and the sickening feeling at the pit of your stomach at loosing someone you love is only increased by their life being cut short in war and conflict.

The London Boroughs have a tradition of marking the anniversaries with formal civic services at parish churches, but I was determined this year to ensure that the lower profile memorials were recognised.

I'm delighted to say that the response from Brent's local ward councillors and residents have been superb. So we were able this year to have a brief ceremony at the Animal War Memorial on Cambridge Avenue, Kilburn (thanks to the Sea Scouts from TS Bicester for joining us - pic top right).

Cllr Anthony Dunn laid the wreath, Cllr Simon Green read For the Fallen (Wilfred Owen) and i read a couple of verses of FThe War Horse by Lieutenant L Fleming

We went on to St Augustine's Church where there was a full service - the West Kilburn British Legion marched there and took part - Cllr Simon Green laid a wreath in the church.

Then it was a march back to the British Legion in Albert Road (by the Falcon Pub) where we laid a wreath after the reading of those who have died from the West Kilburn branch and then it was onto Kensal Green cemetary.

In Kensal Cemetary there is a memorial to the founder of the Royal Logistics Corp and also to a Ghurka Victoria Cross bearer...

It was an honour and pleasure to be part of this and I'm proud that Kilburn and Queen's Park councillor Simon Green, Anthony Dunn, Will Motley, Emily Tancred and Derek Jackson made it all possible.

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Victorian fervour on Carlton Vale

I thought I had featured this little gem but looking back over the blog it seems I haven't.

It's West Kilburn Baptist Church and is located on Carlton Vale - right at the outer reaches of the local patch.

http://www.westkilburn.org/

The church is a great piece of confident mid Victorian religious architecture dating to 1865. Solid, gothic (but not dark) it retains the proseletysing characteristics that saw it set up. The accepted version is that it grew up and drew it's congregation from the many people located nearby working on the railway developments in the local area.

I managed to get inside the other month when out and about with Cllr Anthony Dunn and the original features are still there in full glory.

The Foundation Stone was laid on 23 March 1865. As was building tradition - dating back centuries - coins of the Realm bearing the portrait of the then-current monarch Queen Victoria - one shilling, one sixpence, one halfpenny - were laid with the foundations along with the text, "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11).

A Poster announcing the opening of the New Baptist Chapel dates this precisely to 3 August 1865. The church record show that the costs were high and reached £1,250.

Anthony and I were lucky enough to speak with the Pastor Peter Law and he has his own website here:

http://www.plaw.me.uk/index.php