Brentham May Day 2008 – Saturday 10th May

Brentham May Day will take place this Saturday. The procession around the garden suburb starts promptly at 2.30 and will be followed by dancing round the maypole and the crowning of May Queen Emma. Read more about Brentham May Day!

Visit to the Watts Gallery – Friday 16th May
"One of the most beautiful small galleries in Europe"

The Brentham Heritage Society is organising a visit to the Watts Gallery in Compton, near Guildford, on Friday 16th May. An early example of an Arts & Crafts building, the Gallery was built to house the studio collection of the eminent Victorian painter and sculptor G F Watts.  The collection consists of paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture by Watts, and includes works by his wife, Mary Watts, and other Victorian artists. An exhibition, A Journey of Hope, tells the story of the Gallery and its 104-year history. This is the perfect time to see the Gallery before it closes for restoration in autumn 2008. We can also visit the nearby cemetery chapel – a beautiful little art nouveau, Grade I listed building, designed by Mary Watts.

We’ve booked a 1½-hour guided tour of the Gallery, starting at 11.30am.  The tour costs £4.50, payable on the day.  Access to the Chapel is free. As in previous years, we’ll travel there by car – let us know if you can offer spaces in return for a contribution towards petrol costs.  If you would like coffee before the tour, the Tea Shop is open from 10.30am. The Tea Shop also serves sandwiches and home-cooked lunches; food is also available at local pubs.  Brentham residents interested in going on this visit should contact Eleanor by Friday 2nd May.

Brentham Architecture Project

If you see someone sketching or taking a photo of your house, don't be alarmed, it's probably our researcher, James Russiello. James, an American who has just completed an MSc in Conservation Architecture at Bath, has been commissioned by the Brentham Heritage Society to prepare material for a Brentham Architecture Handbook for residents to use when repairing, restoring or working on their houses. He will be with us, out and about on the estate, over the coming three months. If you see him, he will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the project, or contact Sue Elliott .

Brentham News Update - April 2008

The Brentham Club has a new coffee shop! Read about this, about gating back alley ways, and more, in the April Brentham News Update.

Brentham’s Hawaiian Connection

As we reported last year, Brentham May Day had two special overseas visitors. Rusty and Mina from Beyond Borders Images in Hawaii came to take photographs for their children’s book about the links between Hawaii’s May celebration, Lei Day, and the UK’s May Day. The book Lei Day/May Day was published in April 2008 and copies should be available via Amazon.

In a romantic postscript, Rusty and Mina are tying the knot in May this year after Rusty proposed on bended knee (and in full knight’s costume) at a Medieval Banquet before they departed London. Two lucky Brenthamites have been invited to the wedding in Honolulu but, sadly, Brentham Society funds won’t stretch to meeting the travel expenses...

Read the February issue of Brentham News!

The latest issue is out now. To whet your appetite, here’s an extract: ‘Mention the Brentham Estate and the usual reply is, “Oh, it’s so lovely down there”. And indeed it is. Twenty-five years ago I used to live in an equally beautiful area of Liverpool, Wavertree Garden Suburb, an identical estate founded by Ealing’s very own Henry Vivian...’. Plus read an obituary of Horace Brearley, father of  cricketer Mike Brearley, and find out about the annual garden awards and who won the Brentham art competition ...and more!

 Arcadia ‘Leaf’ Development – Glenkerrin to Submit Revised Application

The property developers Glenkerrin have withdrawn their plan for the Arcadia centre, which were due to be decided in February, in order to make further changes. In the light of severe criticism from CABE (the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment), English Heritage and the London Mayor, it was made clear that the application was likely to be rejected unless modifications were made to meet the objections.  A revised application is not likely to be received by Ealing Council until well into April or even May, when there will have to be a renewed period of public consultation.

As well as deciding the nature of the centre of Ealing for the next century, the development will affect two major conservation areas, and have significant implications for the way in which they are protected in the borough as a whole.

The Brentham Society has been playing a leading role in Save Ealing’s Centre, which is a group of residents’ associations and community groups that have combined to oppose the planning application for the Arcadia site and the “Ealing Leaf” tower in central Ealing. If you haven't already made your views known to the Council, you can still do so. Send in your comments or objections through the Council website and/or by letter – write to Gerard McCarten, Planning Officer, Ealing Borough Council, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, W5 2HL, quoting ref P/2007/4246. Make your views known too to your local councillors.

Brentham Reading Group – Tuesday 27th May

The next meeting of the Brentham Reading Group will take place on Tuesday 27th May, when the book up for discussion is Brick Lane by Monica Ali. Upcoming titles  include To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee (24th June) and Saturday by Ian McEwan (29th July).

The group meets on the last Tuesday of the month at 8.00pm. Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings – simply turn up at the Brentham Club. The meetings usually take place in the Bridge Room, and there is a charge of £1.50 to cover the use of the room. Some members of the group head for the bar afterwards.

Brentham Garden Groups – 2008 Season

Brentham is fortunate to have two groups for green-fingered neighbours. The afternoon group meets on the third Wednesday of the month. Please contact Eleanor for more information about this group. Rosanna is the contact for the evening group, which meets on the first Tuesday of the month.

More news