Category: West London

Simon Staal was over from Sweden and as he was staying in Lancaster Gate, I thought that it was a good opportunity to have a pint with him down the Bayswater Road. Situated on the edge of the Manor and opposite Kensington Gardens, ‘The Swan’ dates back as a coaching Inn to at least 1721, Continue reading

Written by Peter Trott and edited by Cat Moulton Peter kindly wrote a superb article for us in 2010 titled: ‘Thorpebank Road, Shepherd’s Bush & the QPR Connection’: https://www.indyrs.co.uk/?p=384 Last month I was invited to the launch of his book: ‘Wormholt Park – The First Hundred Years’ at the Hummingbird Cafe on Oaklands Grove. It Continue reading

The North Pole is an historic pub on the corner of Latimer Road and North Pole Road, but now, it is sadly boarded up. There had been rumours for some time that firstly Sainsbury ‘s were interested in the site, but now there are plans to turn the pub into a Tesco Express store. The Continue reading

Greg Burns wrote the following article for the local Chronicle: ‘QPR Football Club are the latest Premier League Side to throw their backing behind the campaign to save the borough’s threatened accident and emergency department. The top-flight side is taking time out to voice their concerns about plans to shut the A & E department Continue reading

I have produced various items for this site which have covered my growing up period from 1946 (from 1950 in Shepherd’s Bush). Several contributors of more tender years than I have commented on the uncluttered (but deprived !) times we lived in. For those of you who grew up from the late 60’s onwards I Continue reading

Following Mr Justice Wilkie’s ruling against the local authority at the Royal Courts of Justice in May, last month Hammersmith and Fulham Council hit back by issuing compulsory purchase order notifications to the Goldhawk Road traders. This now means that the case goes before the Secretary of State via various stages including a Public Inquiry. Continue reading

In the 1800’s, Hammersmith was little more than a hamlet with a population of around 5,600. There were 37 public houses recorded in the area including no less than three of them named ‘The Hop Poles’. One theory is that it probably takes its name from the gangs of locals who provided seasonal labour for Continue reading

I shall be going along to the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand on Tuesday and Wednesday in support of the campaign to save Cooke’s and the other Victorian building in the Goldhawk Road from demolition. I intend to be there before 10am.The following is from Cooke’s own website: ‘Save Cooke’s Pie, Mash and Continue reading

Margaret Tyler is a local history tutor who I plan to meet soon. She passed on the following details of further plans to develop yet another area of West London. Apart from giving your support, Margaret would also like to hear from anyone that lives in the area and may be affected by this development. Continue reading

A few years ago I managed to pick up a copy of George Izzard’s rare book, ‘One for the Road’. Written in the late 1950’s, it’s described as ‘the autobiography of a London Village publican. He arrived at ‘The Dove’ on a misty November afternoon in 1929 and his book takes us through nearly thirty Continue reading