Visit Cedar Park, given to Harrow by Mr Blackwell of Crosse and Blackwell Pickles

I had often driven past the grand gateway and magnificent cedar trees on the Uxbridge Road opposite the Bannister Sports Ground named after Roger Bannister who ran the four minute mile. I had not realised that the cedar park is so pleasant nor that it has such an interesting history.

I like to take a walk every day for health reasons and one day decided I should take a daily walk in a local park of place of interest. The map of north west London's Harrow region offers many walks. You can walk the loop from Hatch End railway station, as far as Grimsdyke House hotel, which was once the home of Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan fame.

But I didn't want to walk for half a day. And I had got tired of walking around shopping centres. So I decided to explore some of the parks and earn their history.

The Cedars

The grand gates set between elaborate pillars and curved railings either side are now closed. But you have a choice of entry points, such as the one in a side road offering free parking next to the youth centre.

Near the entrances are panels telling you the history of the park. It was once the home of Mr Blackwell who founded the Crosse and Blackwell pickle company. Mr Blackwell's neighbour was another world famous man, Gilbert, the local magistrate, better known as the writer of the words for Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

both Crosse and Blackwell have fine Mausoleums further along the Uxbridge Road near the entrance to All Saints Church. Inside the church is a bust to Gilbert. Gilbert is not buried there. His wife was cross with him because he died after saving their a young girl, their protege, a young singer and her friend, who had been swimming in the nude in the mansion's garden lake and got into difficulties. The exertion and excitement gave Gilbert a heart attack it would seem.

Gilbert and his wife were buried alongside each with a fine gravestone recalling them and the singer who inherited from them, who is also buried there.

Apparently Gilbert and Blackwell exchanged words when Blackwell's dog ran into Gilbert's land. You can read all about these families on the Harrow Council website and in Wikipedia.

I walked all around the park with my tree guide trying to identify the trees. Of course I could recognise an oak. But what kinds of fir was the fine tall tree with the cones. Silly me, or course it must be the tree which gives its name to the park a cedar.

I must admit that I could hear noise from the nearby Uxbridge Road. But nonetheless it was a very refreshing and peaceful walk.

In addition to giving this land to Harrow for the use of the public, and being buried in the churchyard of the church next to the former Leefe Robinson pub, Blackwell gave the area the land for St Anselm's church in Hatch End, another fine old building surrounded by grand trees.

I was looking for a picture of Blackwell's house. What a pity it is not still standing.

The gates along suggest it must have been a wonderful building.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Famous Personalities of Pinner, Harrow and London

* Mrs Beeton - Hatch End - Mrs Beeton see plaque outside restaurant. (See my previous post on Mrs Beeton.)
* Mrs Beeton - Norwood Cemetery - gravestones of Mrs Beeton and her husband; Tate the sugar king of Tate and Lyle who founded the Tate, modern art gallery in London.
* St Anselm's Church, Hatch End.
* Byron, Harrow on the Hill. Monument to Byron. His daughter buried under the step into the church.
* Gilbert - wrote the words of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, quotations such as 'I've got a little list,' 'A policeman's lot is not a happy one' - Gilbert's house, now Grimsdyke hotel holds Gilbert & Sullivan evenings.
* Gilbert bust in church beside the former Leefe Robinson pub.
* Gilbert memorial in Norwood cemetery.
* Leefe Robinson. Old news cuttings in Leefe Robinson pub (Miller and Carter).
* Grave of Leefe Robinson in cemetery extension across the road from Leefe Robinson pub. A wreath or mark of respect is laid on the grave by the Mayor of Harrow on Armistice Day November 11th every year.
* Amy Winehouse, Camden statue, Stables Market.

Others: Dick Whittington, Oscar Wilde, Keats (Keats House), Florence Nightingale, Mary Seattle, Queen Victoria, Albert (memorial); Freud (bust Swiss Cottage; museum in Hampstead); Karl Marx bust in Highgate cemetery.
See my other posts on statues and famous Londoners.

Alphabetically by surname:
Beeton, Isabella; Brummell, 'Beau'; Brunel, Isambard Kingdom; Byron; Chaplin, Charlie; Gilbert; Robinson, Leefe; Seattle, Mary; Wilde, Oscar; Winehouse, Amy.
Angela Lansbury, author and speaker.

More thoughts on Harrow Arts Centre, two cinemas, club meeting rooms, are they affordable?

Postscript

After talking to 16 other people about the development of Harrow Arts Centre (see my previous post), I found they raised the following questions:

Where is Harrow Arts Centre?

Behind Morrisons, on the slip road by the roundabout as you drive or take the bus into Hatch End along the Uxbridge Road, just before the road rises to go over Hatch End railway station on the Euston-Watford line.

Who is doing the plan?

Cultura, an organisation set up by but independent of Harrow Council. A member of Harrow council is apparently on the board, if I understand right. Only one of three? I am not sure whether that is reassuring or worrying. Should there be more or fewer members of the council involved in the plan?

Small Meeting Rooms For Societies

1 How many of the existing rooms will be removed to provide a cinema? 

2 Will the library still be in place in the new building?

3 How many rooms will still exist for the community societies which currently meet in the building?

4 If the Harrow civic centre and Harrow Arts Centre are lost or remodelled, how many rooms, and at what cost, will exit for meetings held by the present Harrow residents' and workers' societies?

For example, Harrow Writers' Circle, the French speaking group?

5 We lost the Gilbert's bar to remodelling. What will be done to maintain or restore the history of the area? 

6 What do members of the public want? I would like the added on parts of the building to be in harmony with the shapes and fabric of the present building.

History

(What happened to the bust and paintings of Gilbert and his era from Gilbert's bar? What happened to the items stored by the societies. For example, historical records of Harrow Writers' Circle? Whose property were they? Were they sold off, put into storage, or sent to a tip? Can we now retrieve any property which might be lost in renovations?)

Lawyers

If the redevelopment is a not for profit organisation, how does this differ from a charity? If lawyers in many companies are willing to act for free on a pro bono (Latin for the good) basis, have free lawyers been sought? If not, why not? Can they be used for such projects in future?

What happens if the Cultura plan is not funded? Will the arts centre, which is a listed building, have a change of use, such as a block of flats? Or must it be retained as an arts centre, and/or for use by the public?

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.