Category: News

We have been informed by the Harrow Public Transport Users Association that Harrow Council are to close part of Bridge Street Pinner, to re-surface the section between the junctions with the High Street and Love Lane, commencing 17th November for an anticipated maximum of 6 days.

Vehicles will not be able to enter or exit Bridge Street from the High Street, Chapel Lane and Love Lane.

The 183 bus route will terminate in Cecil Park, and the H11, H12 and H13 bus routes will use West End Lane to by-pass the closed section of Bridge Street.

The advice is to avoid the area if possible while these resurfacing works are carried out!

In glorious autumn sunshine on the morning of Sunday 13^th November a large crowd of Pinner residents gathered at the Pinner War Memorial at the top of the High Street for the annual Remembrance Sunday Service. The Service was conducted by clergy from the local denominations and faiths, and over forty wreaths were laid by our MP Nick Hurd, representatives of armed and wartime services organisations, local councillors, the Police, Fire Service and St John’s Ambulance, local schools and Scouts and Guides, local community organisations and sports clubs.

 

The Police Cadets acted as stewards, The Sea Cadets provided the guard of Honour at the Memorial and the Lost Post & Reveille were excellently played with great confidence by James Gardener of Nower Hill School.

The Remembrance Sunday Service was organised by The United Services Club and The Pinner Association, with special thanks to Mrs Caroline Ennis. After the service, Carpentier & Co teamed up with the Queen’s Head to provide free tea and coffee for those who had attended the Service.

The 2016 Secret Art Sale raises almost £5,000 for the Heath Robinson Museum.

“Wonderful talent on display in Pinner” as the second annual Secret Art Sale participants are revealed.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, the 2016 Secret Art Sale attracted even more artists to participate – from young aspiring artists to renowned professional painters, cartoonists and illustrators.

“An asset not just for Pinner but for the country”

On Friday 28^th October Nick Hurd , MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner and Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy,  paid a flying visit to the new Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner Memorial Park. Nick is a patron of the Museum and from the start has shown a great deal of interest in its development.

The Museum having opened on 15^th October, he was shown around the Museum by trustees Cynthia Wells, acting Chair of the West House and Heath Robinson Museum trust and Veronica Chamberlain, Marketing Manager.

Veronica, Nick and Cynthia outside the Museum with Diwali pictures in the background.

The site itself pleased him “You cannot think of a nicer site, and it blends in so well”.

He was enthusiastic when he first entered the Museum and took it all in

“What a proud moment this is. Congratulations to all. Amazing”.

Nick showed particular interest in the Activity Room, still decorated with the Diwali artwork completed at the workshop the previous week and where the Heath Robinson style “contraption” engineered by girls from St. Helens School, Northwood is still displayed.

When spending time in the further two galleries, the permanent exhibition gallery and the gallery devoted to the current special exhibition, “Heath Robinson at War”, Nick was especially pleased to see so many examples of the artist’s work on display:

“After all this time, how extraordinary it is to have brought all this together in one place, it’s been quite a journey”.

On looking round the building, there was praise for the architect (ZMMA) and for the way the collection has been curated:

“Beautifully executed. It’s an asset not just for Pinner but for the country. I am full of admiration”. The shop too was complimented:

“It’s an intelligent shop delivering interesting and attractive things”.

In all, it was a good visit, the Museum volunteers were proud to be able to show our local MP who has been so supportive around the Museum and to share the excitement with him.

Nick Hurd on the left holding the Heath Robinson book he bought,  with Margaret Seaman, Front of House Coordinator.

Nick Hurd with the Heath Robinson Museum bag in the shop of the new Museum

On Tuesday 1^st November, the Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Rekha Shah, accompanied by members and a bugler of the British Legion, laid a poppy wreath in the Peace Gardens at Pinner Memorial Park, on the Dove of Peace, newly brightened with white marble dust for the occasion.

Ninety children from West Lodge School attended this important occasion and the head boy and head girl laid a wreath of poppies on the Dove.

Afterwards, the children had the opportunity of visiting the new Heath Robinson Museum and were explained the history of West House and its gardens, now the Pinner Memorial Park, in which the Peace Garden is substantially maintained by volunteers from the Pinner Association for the enjoyment of all visitors to the park.

This was a prelude to the annual Remembrance Sunday Service, organised jointly by the Pinner Association and the United Services Club, which will take place on Sunday, 13^th November, at 10.40 a.m. at the War Memorial, High Street. Pinner.

At this interdenominational service, some 40 wreaths will be laid by representatives of various branches of the armed services, of national and local government, local community, business and professional organisations, sports clubs, the Scouts and Guides and local schools.  The bugler, as has been the case for many years,, will be a pupil of Nower Hill High School.

It is hoped that many people will once again attend this annual Pinner event.

We have been informed that the works to relocate the pedestrian crossing at the bottom of the High Street and the adjacent pedestrian crossing at the bridge at the bottom of Bridge Street will finally be completed within the next two weeks (hopefully starting on the 24th October).

The long delay in completing these works has been due to the damage that was inflicted to the frontage of “Swags & Tails” when a car ran into the building in the summer of 2015. The damaged building had to be stabilised before it was safe to carry out the required works to complete the relocation of these pedestrian crossings, and it has taken this long for that necessary task to be done.

 

BENTLEY PRIORY MUSEUM – Battle of Britain Memories

Do you have memories of the Battle of Britain?

Bentley Priory Museum is keen to speak to people from around Stanmore and nearby areas who have memories from the Battle of Britain period.

Staff at the museum have collected stories from people who worked on the RAF base and are interested in the recollections of people who lived nearby.  Did you live in the area in 1940?  Perhaps you knew someone who worked on the base. Or had air force personnel billeted in your home. Maybe you remember seeing planes flying overhead and hearing reports of the battle.

The museum is developing resources linked to Remembrance Day for schools and community groups.  The resources will explore the stories behind Remembrance and how we remember the past.

Museum Director, Eleanor Pulfer-Sharma said: “Bentley Priory Museum was created as a Commemorative Museum, and it’s important that we remember all those involved in, and impacted by, the Battle of Britain.  The new school resources provide an invaluable opportunity to collect stories and memories from local people.”

Between 10 July and 31 October 1940 the Battle of Britain was fought in the skies above southern England, between the fighter planes of the Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe.  Bentley Priory was the RAF’s Headquarters Fighter Command during the battle, communicating vital information between observers on the ground and the fighter squadron HQs. The victory successfully halted Germany’s plans to invade Britain.

Long the spiritual home for veterans of the battle, Bentley Priory Museum opened to the public in 2013 to tell the stories of the heroic aircrew and the dedicated men and women who supported them. It continues to act as a place of remembrance and welcomes visitors from all over the world.

Anyone interested in sharing their story can contact the museum on 020 8950 5526 or email:   [email protected]

See the website for more information about the museum and visiting: www.bentleypriorymuseum.org.uk

The Pinner Association was pleased to be invited to the Grand Opening of the new Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner Memorial Park.

The rain held off and a large crowd gathered at 2pm on Saturday 15th October to observe the ceremony which was MC’d by a Pinner resident Daniel Edward, and at which Cynthia Wells, Acting-Chairman of West House & Heath Robinson Museum Trust, Cllr. Rekha Shah, the Mayor of Harrow, Stuart Hobley, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund London, and Peter Higginson, Chair of the Heath Robinson Trust, all spoke to thank the many volunteers who had worked so hard for so long to achieve the creation of the first purpose built museum in London for the last 40 years.  The Heritage Lottery Fund was thanked for the grant of £1.3 million and the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund for the funding to purchase additional works by William Heath Robinson.

Michael Rosen, the well known writer and broadcaster, who was brought up in Pinner and who attended West Lodge School, then formally opened the new Museum, with the help of an ingenious contraption designed and built by the “Heath Robinson Inventors’ Club” of St Helen’s School:

 

After the formal opening ceremony the museum opened its doors to its first paying customers, who on this special day benefited from a half price entry fee and who received a “golden ticket” to commemorate being one of the first visitors to the Heath Robinson Museum.   In the park the crowds were entertained by the Harrow Steel Band and the Merrydowners Morris Dancers, there was storytelling and activities for children, and refreshments were supplied by Carpentier & Co and Daisy’s in the Park.  A great time was had by all!

The Museum will be open on Sunday 16th October 11am-4pm and then for the same hours on Friday-Sunday until mid-November.  Full information may be found on the Heath Robinson Museum website:  https://www.heathrobinsonmuseum.org/visit

 

Important information from the West House & Heath Robinson Museum Trust about the Opening Ceremony and Museum entry The Opening Ceremony will be held outside the Museum and West House at 2pm on Saturday 15th October in Pinner Memorial Park and is free to attend. There also be other activities and entertainment in the park and West House. LIMITED Museum entry Saturday 15 October   After the formal opening, there will be some limited public entry to the Museum from 3pm-5pm.  Museum entry on that day only will be at £3, half the normal standard entry price and you will receive the coveted Golden Ticket as a memento of your visit. Refreshments Refreshments are available in Daisy’s in the Park and in the stall kindly provided by Carpentier & Co. Photographers in the park  Volunteer photographers and film makers are recording the event for us. Please let them know if you do not wish to be photographed. Social media – join in and share your experience of the day! Please share your own record of the event using the hashtag #HeathRobinson Visitor information and help   Come to the Reception Tent to ask about the building project, join our newsletter list, make a donation, find out about volunteering opportunities, talk to our Media Team or book an event. Toilets, including accessible toilet, and baby changing, are in West House on the Ground Floor.   Museum opening Sunday 16 October  On Sunday 16 October, the Museum will be open from 11am to 4pm. Opening times after this weekend Following this weekend the Museum will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 11am-4pm until mid-November.  We then hope to open more days but please check the website for details. We will also send out notifications about opening times in the newsletter.