Category: West London

The following article appeared in the West London Observer on 29th May 1953: ‘Hammersmith’s old age pensioners and blind folk who have had their names registered at the Town Hall are to receive souvenir caskets containing 11lb. of tea and a free ticket for a special film show. The ticket will entitle them to see the Continue reading

This Music Hall song was written by J. B. Geoghegan during the 1860’s and performed by Harry Liston: ‘Oh! I loved her & I love her still, And her absence I bewail, They caught her picking pockets in a bus at Notting Hill, And carried her to Newgate Gaol’ (The above illustration was by popular Continue reading

The following article was written by Richard Wells and appeared in the local Gazette on 15th July 1971: ‘Askew Road…the busy, bustling shopping area which belongs neither to Hammersmith or Shepherd’s Bush, was once a quiet “village street” type shopping centre with a pond at the far end. It is one of the few North/South Continue reading

Not to be confused with the Packhorse & Talbot further down the road, the Old Packhorse is situated on the corner of Acton Lane and Chiswick High Road. The former was actually called ‘The Packhorse’ until 1811. On a very hot Sunday afternoon recently, I popped in there with my son for some refreshment. The Continue reading

On this day in 2014, Alix Culbertson reported for the local Gazette the shocking news that Kimi de Castro had passed away the previous weekend! ‘Family and friends have paid heartfelt tributes to a community activist who is fondly remembered as the unofficial Mayor of Shepherd’s Bush. Kimikawa de Castro, of St. Stephen’s Avenue died Continue reading

Bill was down from Edinburgh in March for a Rangers home game and as is customary on these occasions we get to meet up for a pint or two. After being informed that the Red Lion & Pineapple in Acton was managed by an R’s fan (thanks Steve), I suggested this to Bill and we Continue reading

This classic ‘Blur’ song about the Westway, that elevated two-and-a-half mile West London section of the A40, was written in 2012. Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon performed the song that year on 19th February at a Benefit concert at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Albarn told the audience: “It’s a new song we wrote just up the Continue reading

The following article appeared in the West London Observer on 7th June 1957: ‘A piece of good luck set 18-year-old Carole Allen, of Askew Road, Shepherd’s Bush, on the road to stardom and since then she hasn’t looked back. Three years ago, an open radio audition was being held for youngsters at Portland Place. Carole Continue reading

The following article appeared in the West London Observer on 31st December 1954: ‘Despite the expenses of Christmas, stores in West London report successful openings to their winter sales this week. Last night a spokesman of the Barkers group at Kensington said queues had been larger than last year’s, and that the stores had been Continue reading

Formerly the Pavilion, the cinema at 58, Shepherd’s Bush Green reopened in 1955 as the Gaumont. ‘Rock Around the Clock’ was released a year later in the UK. The following article appeared in the West London Observer on 31st August: ‘Reports of near-riots at the Gaumont, Shepherd’s Bush, when ‘Rock Around the Clock’ was shown Continue reading