Charlie Allum is a Notting Hill legend, a boxing champion who tragically lost his life in WW1 serving his country in France. Son of Mrs Rose Ellen Allum of 296 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, husband of Millicent Maud Allum of 189 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill. Colin Woodley contacted Chris Allum via his Ancestry family tree, Continue reading
Category: West London
On this Day in 1945 – The Victory Parade along Harvist Road in Queen’s Park
Following the suicide of Adolf Hitler on 30th April 1945, Grand Admiral Donitz briefly became President of the Third Reich. He travelled to General Eisenhower’s HQ in France, where he accepted an unconditional surrender on 7th May. At 3pm the next day Winston Churchill made a radio broadcast to the nation, which was relayed over Continue reading
BBC DIY SOS appeals for trades help in Dale Youth Boxing Academy project
The BBC DIY SOS – The Big Build – television programme is appealing for help from the trades for a very special project at the Dale Youth Boxing Academy. The amateur gym was destroyed in the devastating and horrific fire that killed 71 people in June 2017. The gym is where James DeGale and George Continue reading
Rock ‘n’ Roll with the Hammersmith “Shooting Stars”
Two articles appeared in the West London Observer in 1957, regarding a very young Rock ‘n’ Roll band from Hammersmith. Firstly they were featured on 25th January: “The Shooting Stars”, youngsters from the Caroline Estate, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, were the big hit at the children’s Christmas party sponsored by the Caroline Estate Tenants Association Continue reading
From 1936: Boxing at the Hammersmith Stadium at 45 Brook Green Road
The following article appeared in the West London Observer on 14th February 1936: ‘The first bout on Monday evening was a six-round contest between Billy Gibbs (Notting Hill) and Young Fraser (Westbourne Park). Both fought well, but Fraser was more pronounced in his left-hand deliveries and he was given the referee’s award. Another six-round contest Continue reading
How a Belfast Mother managed to find her long lost Son in Curwen Road, Shepherd’s Bush in 1946
The following article appeared in the Northern Whig on 16th July 1946: ‘How Mrs R. Cosby of 129 Urney Street, accompanied by her sister, crossed to London three days ago looking for the son whom she had not seen for a long time, and how she eventually found him, makes strange reading. Mrs Cosby had Continue reading
From 1955: ‘A Girl Dances Barefoot at the Hammersmith Jazz Club’
The following article appeared in the West London Observer on 25th November 1955: ‘Pass the door and it looks like an ordinary public hall. Go through the door and walk down the long narrow corridor. Then the music suddenly bursts your eardrums; the rhythm runs all over your body. A tingle spreads from head to Continue reading
Shepherd’s Bush Station & the Opening of the Central London Railway in 1900
Shepherd’s Bush Station opened on 30th July 1900 and was at that time, the western terminus of the Central London Railway. The following article appeared in ‘Black and White Budget’ magazine on 11th August: ‘The opening for traffic of the Central London Railway ought to be the signal for further electric underground travel in London. Continue reading
When the old St. Marks Road Bridge was removed & replaced in 22 hours
The following article appeared in ‘The Sphere’ magazine in 1949: ‘Close proximity of houses and shops complicated the task, the old bridge having to be removed in halves. The old St. Mark’s Road bridge on the Hammersmith and City Line was replaced by a new 165-ton steel and concrete bridge within the scheduled time of Continue reading
Terry Downes – ‘Tycoon Terry’
Paddington boy and former world boxing middleweight champion, Terry Downes sadly passed away last month, aged 81. The following article titled: ‘Tycoon Terry’ was written by Alan Hubbard and appeared in World Sports magazine in January 1964: ‘Sipping tea in the lounge of his home – a modern mini-mansion in Willesden, North-West London. Terry Downes Continue reading
