Grand Union Marina

Over Easter we wnt to visit younger daughter in new flat in far-flung Northolt/Greenford. Its difficult to say where on the Hillingdon/Ealing border on the banks of the Grand Union Canal. Apparently the post code is so new, some people do not recognise it.
The development is new and on Taylor Woodrow's former yard by the canal. I do not know the area well and have to find out more about its history and development but its difficult to know whether it's Greenford, Northolt or where. Its an interesting mixed development on the banks of the canal with a brand new marina. This is not yet in use but seems to have berths for about 20 boats, temporary berths I assume. Once the restaurant and bar by the water are finished, it will be really nice.
William Perkin, the man who discovered synthetic dyes while a student at the Royal College of Chemistry in London, set up a factory at Greenford Green in 1857 with help from his father. At that time he was 19 or 20! Very quickly Perkin was able to produce a new dye - mauveine - which was to make his fortune. Other colours followed and by 1874 Perkin was able to sell the factory and retire a rich man. He was then able to devote his life to pure research!
The Perkin & Sons works was on a 6 acre site by the bend of the canal south of the Black Horse public house. A blue plaque marks the spot. There is another plaque on the former family home in Cable Street in the East End where Perkin made his original experiments in a make-shift lab.
The picture, from the Science Museum collection, was taken by Perkin of the works in about 1870. What a nice rural scene - apart from the works! Apparently the colour of the water in the canal by the works changed colour depending on what dye the works was producing!

AIA Trip to Latvia

Now the trip is coming closer, I am checking out the sites and beginning to prepare the booklet. Heritage of Industry has been organising the Association's spring visit to Europe for some years now. Check out links to both Heritage and the AIA at the side of the page.
We are having a two centre trip starting and finishing in Riga with a trip to Liepaja via Jelgava.

One of the highlights for me will be a chance to see the Central markets in Riga which are made from 5 redundant World War 1 Zeppelin hangars. I have wanted to see them for over 10 years now.

We plan also to visit one of the two national railway museum sites in a newly refurbished depot in the city. One of the highlights will be the waterworks close to Riga, with early 20th century machinery and compound steam engines made in Riga by Felzer & Co are among those preserved here Also close to Riga is the renowned Ethnographic Museum, established in 1924 with 121 vernacular buildings and their contents from all over the country which show various industrial buildings including wind and saw mills as well as typical wooden buildings.
Our second centre is Liepaja, the ice-free port on the Amber Coast, with shipyards founded by Imperial Russia and Cold War remains. We will visit Karosta, the decaying naval port as well as the city centre with characteristic wooden buildings from the 19th century and more art nouveau. In Liepaja, we will also see an 1890s DC power station with period equipment.
On our return trip to Riga we hope to visit the Jelgava water pumping station and its associated water tower. The complex was erected in 1912 but the Worthington pumping engines date from a 1930s refurbishment.

April

April's here with better weather over the weekend. Yesterday I saw a pheasant walking down the road, in Greater London!

March's Picture

Just a word about March's picture which I took on our City Safari to Lisbon last year.
The Oriente Station is to the north of the city close to the new shopping centre which has been developed on the 1998 Exhibition site.

To the left a view of the lower levels of the station which connect the shopping malls with the bus station. The trains run from the upper level.

The Oriente station was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava for the Expo Its facilities serve and interconnect several forms of transport. Passengers can change between metropolitan, long- and medium-haul regional and international trains. There are connections into the underground system, national and metropolitan buses or taxis. There is also an airport link and check-in facilities.
Expo 98 was developed on the eastern waterfront on reclaimed industrial land. the area is now renamed Parque das Nações. The Exposition was developed with the specific theme, "The Oceans: A Heritage for the Future" It has become a showcase for modern architecture and includes the landmark Torre Vasco da Gama. The two striking towers were designed to look like giant sailboats and are named after two of da Gama's ships, São Gabriel and São Rafael.
Lisbon's World Fair was special because it hosted a record 130 countries and international organizations, was the 100th international exhibition since the Great Exhibition of London in 1851, the last one of the 20th century, and coincided with the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's arrival in India and the United Nations' "Year of the Oceans."
The Expo site originally comprised 70 hectares with a riverfront of 2 kilometres but this area has been extended to 340 hectares, including 5 km of river front property. The original site was developed around the Olivais Dock, a 1940's airport for seaplanes.
The main Pavilion of the 1998 Expo was later transformed into a huge mall. The building currently holds many shops, restaurants and bars. The pavilion is covered with a double glass ceiling. Water falls between the glasses, making you feel inside a waterfall.

Wednesday

Nearly the end of the month and so last night, Wednesday, was the regular monthly GLIAS Board meeting. more important for me, apart from my report as Membership Secretary, is the visit to the Royal Oak in the Borough. This pub is tucked away and you would think would be quiet, but these days its really packed. (You would think that I would not be mentioning it!) It has Harvey's beer from Lewes with geat home cooked food including steak and kidney pudding. But please don't tell anyone else!

Colne Valley Postal History Museum

I have been contacted by someone who had seen the K8 notes posted the other day and who mentioned their website, http://www.shortal.com/kitmaster-bloke/profile.html, which publicises the work of the Colne Valley Postal History Museum, which is in Halstead in Essex.
Some years ago now, when I was researching post boxes for my GLIAS talk on 'London Street Furniture', I could find very few on-line resources, or even books, about post boxes and telephone kiosks. At that time the Letter Box Study Group, http://www.lbsg.org/, did not offer much in the way of history unless you joined the Society.
Now I find that the new Colne Valley site has LOTS of information about postal history as well as links to LOTS of other sites connected with all sort of street furniture. Another one for my already overcrowded 'favourites' list.
By the way, the Museum, housed in the garden of a private house, is open to the public by appointment only, but certainly looks as though its worth the effort if you are in Essex.

Nowells of Dewsbury

One of my other interests is Family History and I have found a link back to the Nowell Family in Dewsbury in the early 19th century. Checking out the internet, I have found details of an extensive Nowell family who were stone masons, then canal and railway contractors in the 19th century. As yet I cannot find a connection to them, although there are a lot of Biblical names such as Benjamin and Samuel in common.
I have been somewhat distracted by this contracting family who apparently were involved in all sorts of projects such as the abutments for the Gauxholme Viaduct and the piers of the Britannia Bridge. Much of this information comes from the Macclesfield Canal Society who have published an article from 1932 from the Dewsbury Reporter written by a family member. Check it out at http://adkins-family.org.uk/macclesfieldcanal/history/nowells.htm, it is a fascinating read.
I checked with various of my friends who are civil engineering historians but no one has heard of the Nowells which is surprising considering the types of important contracts they were dealing with. Back home in Dewsbury, the parish church has a number of monuments on the family tombs. Also remaining in the city is the home of the 'pater familias' , Quarry Hill House, which is now used as a convent. This is to be found in the area called Dewsbury Moor, where their original quarries were to be found. There is also a Nowell Street in the area.
The extended family continued to work in civil engineering until at least the middle of last century. Anyone know more? Or is anyone researching the name who has found Jacob Nowell, the missing one I am looking for. His son Thomas was a clothier in 1841 but I am convinced there is a link, perhaps further back with the masons.
Please help and put me out of my misery!