Editor

Sir Winston Churchill was a world leader, statesman and local MP. Ahead of a talk at Wanstead Library about the iconic politician, Jef Page, president of the Ilford Historical Society, reviews the life of a man he believes was the ‘greatest Briton of all’

Winston Spencer Churchill (1874–1965) was a larger-than-life character, lucky to be born in Blenheim Palace with a massive silver spoon in his mouth, son of the beautiful American heiress Jennie Jerome (he worshipped her) and Lord Randolph Churchill.

Winston attracted both tragedy and attention – hardly surprising as he liked smoking massive seven-inch long Cuban Havana cigars and stuck up a V-sign second to none.

From being reviled in Tonypandy, South Wales where, as Liberal Home Secretary, he sent troops onto the streets during the miner’s strike (1910–1911) and promoted the disastrous Gallipoli and Dardanelles campaign in 1915, he led Britain to victory and triumph in 1945. He almost seemed to like war. He fought at the battle of Omdurman (1898), as a journalist was at Spion Kop (1900; as was Gandhi) and escaped from a prisoner of war camp during the Boer War. And he got himself onto the front line of the Western Front during the First World War. A world-renowned statesman, when asked what his favourite period of his long life was, he immediately replied without hesitation: “1940,” when Britain stood alone during the Second World War and he became Prime Minister. He said history would be kind to him – because he would write it – and he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was bumptious, pushy, an adept ‘string-puller’. Lord Beaverbrook (Max Aitken, owner of the Daily Express) said of Winston that on the crest of a wave he had the makings of a dictator.

John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, more recently questioned Churchill’s status as a hero following a 2002 BBC poll in which he had been voted the greatest Briton of all.

Wanstead and Woodford’s MP from 1924 to 1964, just months before his death aged 90, a skilful artist and bricklayer, he suffered periods of “black dog” depression. Out of office, depressed and mistrusted by the Conservative Party (Winston had been Home Secretary and a member of the Liberal Party from 1904 to 1924), he was considered a political adventurer. His cavalier attitude to party loyalty during the 1930s left him isolated and his was a lone voice against the rise of Fascism, Hitler and the Nazis. So, when in 1939 he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, they sent out just a two-word telegram to all ships: “He’s back”. He had changed sides from the Liberals to Conservative, winning the seat of Epping in 1924. But in Britain’s darkest hour in 1940, after the failure of Neville Chamberlain, Churchill was the only man the Labour Party, led by Clement Atlee (he lived on Monkhams Avenue, Woodford from 1921 to 1931), would serve under in the wartime coalition cabinet and government. Yet, this success didn’t stop Winston being immediately voted out of office as soon as the war was won, though he did return again as prime minister in 1951.

Churchill didn’t visit the constituency much and he didn’t have a home in the borough. However, he got on well with Conservative politician and businessman Sir James Hawkey (1877–1952) and in 1955 it was Churchill who came here to open the hall named after Hawkey (Winston laid a foundation brick in 1954). Hawkey was chairman of Woodford Urban District Council (UDC) from 1916 to 1934 and the newly merged Wanstead and Woodford UDC from 1934 to 1937, and later three-times mayor.

During the war years (1939–1945), it was his wife Clementine who really nursed the constituency. Winston said “my most brilliant achievement was my ability to persuade my wife to marry me”. Clementine nursed him through his “black dog” periods, helped the PDSA to care for animals in Woodford during the war, attended many fetes, balls and constituency meetings, especially during the Blitz, and in 1951 opened the door to the 1,000th new house built in the borough.

Churchill’s statue on Woodford Green was unveiled in 1959 by Viscount Montgomery. Was Churchill worthy of his number one spot as the ‘Greatest Briton’? Definitely!

Are you sitting comfortably? Former teacher and Woodford Green resident Jessica Norrie has a story to tell. Her novel – The Magic Carpet – was inspired by her experiences of teaching and living locally

I’ve lived since 1988 in Walthamstow or Woodford, and taught Redbridge pupils and adults until 2016. Teaching’s a two-way process; we learn from students while they learn from us. I liked and celebrated them, but by retirement, my head was crowded with three decades of lives brought into my classrooms. Thousands passed through, from all income levels, speaking over 50 languages, practising at least 10 religions or none, with single parents, step-parents, carers…   

It’s a teacher’s job to help pupils organise their thoughts by telling or writing news or stories (much like a therapist, but with spellings). I decided to make sense of my experience by doing the same, and began writing The Magic Carpet.

It’s a story for grown-ups, involving three generations in a multicultural community from a street very like some in Redbridge. The target readership is aimed at parents, grandparents, anyone who’s worked with children… human beings.

Various memorable ex-pupils clamoured to be main characters, but the ones I describe are completely fictional and ‘Home Farm Primary’ is invented (though it could easily be a Redbridge school).

In my novel, a Year 3 teacher throws away the phonics in favour of an imaginative project for all the family, inviting the generations to perform a traditional tale together at a storytelling festival. As the project unfolds, I tell of the lives of different family members too, including a grandmother born in Punjab, a Hong Kong-born widower father, single mums from Essex and of Somali heritage, and Alka, aged seven, who’s cared for by Gujarati-speaking grandparents – all backgrounds I worked with locally.

Some parents welcome the project and enjoy creating rich, funny, moving stories. Others find it a nuisance. One poor child may end up with no story at all.

Over six weeks in autumn 2016, my families get to know each other. (They all live on ‘Ditchfield Close’ after the Leyton toy shop my own children loved.) My initial aim was to celebrate the magic of storytelling, but I found I was also exploring whether, when more serious issues threaten the peace, my small fictional community would prove as resilient as most real ones in Redbridge and Walthamstow.  Why not find out if there is a happy ending?

The Woodford Festival Association (WFA) is appealing for new volunteers to help ensure the next event – planned for October 2020 – can go ahead.

The biennial festival – which takes place over the course of a week – embraces a wide range of performing and visual arts, presented mostly by local residents. WFA chairman Geoff Seeff was delighted with the community’s positive response to the nearly 100 individual events that were staged in 2018 and believes that, since its launch in 2008, the festival has become one of the defining features of the local area.

“It’s great fun. We are able to provide a forum for some amazingly talented musicians, artists, poets and speakers and they in turn are able to give much pleasure to their audiences. But there is also quite a lot of work involved in raising funds, arranging venues and preparing programmes and publicity material, and we would benefit from new blood and ideas,” said Geoff.

Email geoffseeff@cix.co.uk

More than 100 people gathered at Latchett Evangelical Church in South Woodford recently to mark the handover of the building to a new congregation. Church elder Tim Smith explains why

Nearly 90 years after Latchett Evangelical Church was founded in Maybank Road, the building has been handed to The Bridge Church, a group which has been worshipping in Woodford and Buckhurst Hill for many years.

Older readers may well remember the original ‘Tin Tab’ in Latchett Road, then known as Latchett Hall. This was bought in 1933 by Dr David Smith to be a place of worship and community action. In 1961 the rebuilding scheme we see today was completed with funds raised entirely by the congregation.

Over the years, the church has had its ebb and flow of growth, and in 2017 the elders decided that, at their age, they could not lead a vibrant, growing church into the 2020s. So, we decided to seek change. We prayerfully decided to manage change before change managed us!   

In 1984 the trustees had put the freehold of the premises into the hands of the Church Growth Trust, a charity committed to ensuring, as far as possible, that churches do not close down and revert to commercial properties, but instead are reinvigorated by new Christian groups.

The trust made enquiries and announced earlier this year that the premises would be leased to The Bridge Church.

So, at the end of September, over 100 friends from the past and present came to a celebratory handover event at the church – over a hog roast. A small jazz ensemble from the well-known All Souls Orchestra added great music to the occasion. The founder of The Bridge, Dr Jeremy Franklin, and Edwin Smith, son of the Latchett founder, were also there to lead the prayers of commitment for the future ministry of the church.

Chris Scott, pastor of The Bridge Church, said: “The Bridge Church started life in South Woodford, just around the corner, so we are excited to be coming home! We look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the local community once again, to stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us and build on the rich legacy left by Latchett Church.” Local councillor Stephen Adams of Churchfields ward added: “ It’s good to know this is happening, and I’m sure many people will be reached by the future ministry.”

A symbolic giant ‘key’ of the church was handed over to Chris Scott, as well as a relay baton, symbolic of the continuing role of the church.

In the coming months, the name and appearance of the church in Latchett Road may change, but the founding beliefs and community service will continue with renewed vigour.

The Woodford and District branch of the National Trust is inviting new members to join them on their winter London outings.

Membership costs £15 per year, which includes the trips and access to a series of monthly talks at Woodford Memorial Hall and All Saints’ Church.

Upcoming excursions include a trip to the Bank of England on 5 November, a visit to the Chapel of St Peter and St Paul in Greenwich on 11 December and a tour of Whitehall’s Banqueting House on 23 January.

Call 07774 164 407

Rising at Molehill Green in Essex, the River Roding passes through the Wanstead and Woodford area en route to the Thames, bringing with it a very real flood risk to local homes. In the sixth of a series of articles charting the River Roding Project – which aims to reduce that risk – Laura Hepworth from the Environment Agency reflects on the project’s recent community events. River image by Anna MacLaughlin

Since the last edition, the River Roding Project Outline Business Case has been approved, which means we are now working to produce detailed designs. We are aiming to apply for planning permission by spring 2020. We have also submitted a bid for funding to the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund, and should hear if we are through to the next stage early next year.

During October, we were busy hosting local events, which took place on Ilford High Road and outside Woodford Station. At these community events, we raised awareness of the local flood risk and shared information on the proposed environmental enhancements in Redbridge. It was a great opportunity for residents to provide their thoughts and highlight further improvements they would want to see along the Roding.

The proposed local enhancements include:

• Improving wildlife habitats and fish migration, reconnecting a backwater near Roding Lane South and removing a weir by Roding Hospital.
• Improving user experience with new information boards and signs along the Roding Valley.
• Reducing noise, light and air pollution by planting trees and hedgerows near Charlie Brown’s Roundabout and along the M11 corridor.
• An off-road cycling route between Snakes Lane East and Broadmead Church.

Across both events we had a really good turnout and spoke to nearly 100 members of the community, including local residents, groups and businesses. We received lots useful feedback about the project and ideas of how we can improve future engagement events.

It was important talking to several local residents who suffered from the 2000 floods to hear first-hand how difficult it was to recover. They were pleased to see the project proposals, which outline how we plan to reduce flood risk in the local area.

Many residents highlighted that the cycle paths were an important benefit of the project and felt these improvements will provide extra access for the community. In particular, one resident commented that the enhancements will protect the environment and make it more accessible for the public to enjoy.   

Nearly 5,000 homes are at risk of flooding across the borough of Redbridge, so make sure you are as prepared as possible this winter and check the flood risk for your own home or business.

The local community are invited to pay their respects at Remembrance ceremonies across Redbridge this November.

South Woodford will host the first of the borough’s six wreath-laying events with a service at the Woodford War Memorial in front of St Mary’s Church on 9 November from 9am.

Three more services will take place the following day: at Ilford War Memorial (10.50am), Hainault War Memorial (10.45am) and Wanstead War Memorial (12.30pm). On Remembrance Day itself, Fairlop Waters Country Park and Snaresbrook’s Garden of Remembrance will be the setting for two minutes of silence at 11am.

“It is only fitting that we pay tribute to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice… We owe them a debt of gratitude,” said the Mayor of Redbridge, Councillor Zulfiqar Hussain.

Members of a local slimming and fitness club competed in a dragon boat race in September to raise funds for charity and to celebrate their instructor’s 25th anniversary year of teaching fitness.

“We recruited 17 of our members, aged 26 to almost 70, to take part in #Dragonfest 2019 – a day of fun, food and excitement in aid of good causes. Thirteen other teams, including nursery staff and cleaners, battled for first place on the day,” said South Woodford resident Karen Smith, who runs Fitgirlslim in Gants Hill, Chigwell, Woodford and Clayhall.

The Fitgirlslim Flyers – who were the only all-female team in the event – raised over £2,400 for Woodford Bridge charity ELHAP, which supports over 600 disabled children, young people and adults throughout the local area.

Visit swvg.co.uk/fgs

A public consultation on South Woodford’s Neighbourhood Plan is due to start in November.

“There is currently a formal review of the paperwork, after which the consultation will start. This will be publicised both on our website and by Redbridge Council,” said a spokesperson for the South Woodford Society.

“Once we hit this milestone, we will be seeking volunteers to assist in putting together the actual plan, which we anticipate will take quite a few months.”

Visit swvg.co.uk/sws

Local author Eithne Cullen has published a collection of short stories.

“Over the years, I’ve had some success with my short stories. Some have won or been commended in competitions, others have been published in anthologies. I decided to find a home for them and came up with this collection. There are a variety of stories: a couple are a modern reworking of fairy tales, one was inspired by my favourite Jane Austen book Persuasion, one is set in the beautiful Harpa Concert Hall in Iceland and others were inspired by stories I’d heard, which invited themselves to be written,” said Eithne.

Pencils and other Stories (paperback: £2.99) is the South Woodford resident’s third book to be published, having released The Ogress of Reading and Never not in my Thoughts in 2018.

Visit swvg.co.uk/pencils

As Woodford County High School For Girls marks its centenary, Deputy Headteacher Colin Jenkins reflects on 100 years of history and traditions, which have been encapsulated in a new book by the Chairman of the Old Girls’ Association

Woodford County High School has changed a great deal over the years. On 29 September 1919, it opened its doors for the first time. On that day, the seven teachers in the school welcomed their new intake of 110 girls. Now, 100 years on, the school is 10 times bigger, but many of the values and traditions that inspired the founders live on today.

The founders of the school had a clear vision: to educate girls to the highest standards possible and to equip them to be self-confident, socially responsible adults, ready to make their mark on the world. This vision has remained consistent, as has the strong sense of mutual support and community spirit that permeates everything the school does.

The school was opened in the old Highams manor house, built in 1786. Although this still lies at its centre, it was obvious from the start that the old building needed extending. In the inter-war years two wings were added, which included the building of new science laboratories and a school hall and swimming pool (sadly, now closed). After that, there was little structural change until the sixth form block was built in 1974, followed 30 years later by the new sports hall and, most recently, a multi-million pound science and mathematics block.

The population of the school has changed a great deal too, reflecting the social and demographic changes that have occurred in the area in the past century. The school now has 180 girls in each year group from a culturally diverse mix that is reflective of modern London.  The diversity is something we celebrate and is a source of strength. What binds us together, though, is the fact that all our pupils very much feel themselves to be Woodford Girls.

The school has witnessed a great deal in the last 100 years and has not been immune to the passing of history. It was founded in 1919 to accommodate the growing population of the area, and its early success was in no small part due to the work of local MP Henry Cutforth and its first headmistress, Miss Gordon. Creating a new school from a building that had been used as an army hospital until the end of 1918 was no easy task, and when it opened it had virtually no furniture or stationery! These early teething problems were soon overcome, and the school went on to thrive, building an enviable academic reputation.

With the Second World War came evacuation and relocation to Bedford, but by the middle of 1941 the girls were back and remained on the school site for the duration, occasional air raids notwithstanding. School life continued much as normal, but with comprehensive education introduced across the country from the 1960s onwards, the London Borough of Redbridge had to make a decision. They chose Woodford County as one of two schools that would continue to be selective – it therefore remains a grammar school to this day, along with its ‘brother’ school, Ilford County High School.

The school has also seen its fair share of illustrious visitors, particularly in the political sphere. Winston Churchill was the local MP and he visited the school several times, most notably in the year of his 80th birthday, when he and his wife were presented with a portrait of Clementine Churchill. And more recently, another former prime minister, David Cameron, paid us a visit and had to field some tough questions about the Brexit referendum!

As you would expect from a school this old, it has built up some quirky traditions over time. Some are older than others, but the 5p Race and House Drama are great Woodford institutions, as are the singing of the school songs. The 29th of September remains a special day, though, and every year since it was founded, there has been a parade of the banners followed by the birthday service in the main hall – which is followed by the cutting of the school cake. Woodford loves its cake!

Woodford County High School has commenced its 101st year in good shape and faces the future with optimism and confidence that its pupils will continue to achieve great things and keep the Woodford spirit alive.

Local resident Charlotte Monro explains why campaigning must continue for the redevelopment of Whipps Cross Hospital, despite government funding confirmation

At a public meeting on 15 October, Barts Health Trust presented their current proposals for the new hospital and the other developments on the Whipps Cross site. There was intense interest from the 200 people attending, with pertinent and searching questions asked, and discussions continued as the meeting was breaking up.

Whipps is one of the six hospital developments the government has announced will benefit from a share of a £2.7bn funding allocation. A letter has been received from the Secretary of State for Health confirming government support for a ‘brand new hospital’. “We don’t know how much yet,” said Alastair Finney, Director for Whipps Cross Redevelopment, but the total divided by six gives £450m. Not nearly sufficient for a new-build hospital, he added, so the campaign needs to continue (please sign our petition!). At the meeting, we heard the reworked proposals for the strategic outline case:

• A hospital of similar total size as the current one but compacted to a smaller footprint (about a fifth), between eight and 12 storeys high, with A&E, maternity and core services.
• Fewer beds, apart from more in critical care and maternity, and more space for day surgery, including for children. The rationale for this, despite a growing population, is based on hospital and primary care clinician working groups’ vision of models of care.
• Becoming a specialist centre for the treatment of frail older people, including residents from Newham and Tower Hamlets.
• Some community or social care facilities next to the hospital.
• Much of the site to be disposed of for housing and community amenities, with up to 1,700 new homes envisaged.
• No commitment to sustainable building and energy design was evident.

“I fear you may be overestimating how much your plans will reduce the need for hospital beds,” said the final questioner to applause. No evidence has been presented as to how far their proposed model of care closer to home can or will reduce the need for hospital admissions, or the resources needed for this. Without additional beds, the future in reality will be a cut, and a new hospital under as much pressure as now, or more.

This is our hospital. Our say in it has to be real. This will only happen by our action. The next two months will be critical as the revised outline business case will be resubmitted at the end of the year, which includes the total capital needed. The new hospital must be based on need, not the funding on offer.

Let’s make it happen.