One day, in the future, decades after we’re all dead, John Rogers videos will be remembered as an important record of 21st century London. At what other time in history, has there ever been so much information recorded for the future to learn about the past?
I would suggest audio wise some of Benny Green's recalls of London Past - including the little shops along Euston Road pre Tower and Underpass (which I dont remember being just before my time)
I was born in Hendon in 1956 but I lived, grew up & worked in Kingsbury from 1960 - 1982. It's changed quite a bit since I was there last but the fond memories linger on. Saturday morning pictures in the Kingsbury Odeon cinema. Burgers at the old Wimpy bar in the high street. Buying my first vinyl records from a records shop in the high street. Under age drinking in the Green Mann & Prince of Wales / Bandwagon night club (now a Nandos or is it a Tesco Metro?). The Bandwagon was big on heavy metal / hard rock & where Iron Maiden played regularly before they made it big. Paper round from the Martins newsagent opposite Kingsbury Station. I went to school at Roe Green primary & Kingsbury High School. We did cross country runs in the depth of winter from the school, through Kingsbury High Street, down The Mall & across the fields up to the pond on the top of what we then knew it as - Barn Hill. Then, run all the way back down the hill & back to school. Any boy who was deemed by the PE teacher as not being dirty enough after coming back down the hill was rolled in the mud & cow pats before being allowed to go back to school through the high street. It was school policy & "bad form" to not get covered in mud on a cross country run!! Many fond memories of School summer holidays spent in the 1930's Lido style outdoor (unheated) Swimming pool in Kingsbury park. School swimming galas were held there in April / May in freezing cold water. Sadly it closed in the 1980's & was demolished in 1991. There are still plenty of pictures of it in its heyday online. There's a video on YT somewhere of George Michael touring the Kingsbury area with a friend & standing outside his old Primary school (Roe Green) where I went to school. I vaguely remember George (who went by a different name in those days) who used to knock about with one of my friends younger brother. Other notable persons who either went to school in Kingsbury or grew up nearby - Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones (Tylers Croft School before it became part of Kingsbury High), Courtney Pine (Jazz Sax), William Woollard (TV presenter), singer Julie Rogers (any relation John?), Mutya Buena (Sugar babes singer), Mike Gatting (Middx & England cricketer), Stewart Pearce (England footballer), Chris Squires - the band Yes & I think Jet Harris - Bass in The Shadows. I also believe that Arsenal footballer Paul Merson spent some time in Kingsbury. Kingsbury Station was originally on the Bakerloo Line - before it was changed to the Jubilee in 1979. Wembley has also changed out of all recognition from the days when I used to go to the Stadium to watch football finals (Arsenal v Liverpool FA cup final 1971 with stitches still in my side after an appendix operation a week or so earlier) & concerts (Bruce Springsteen). I also remember going to Wembley stadium to watch the start of the London to Mexico World Cup car rally in 1970 & watch bands play at the Wembley Arena (Dire Straits, Tina Turner & others). Memories. Subbed & liked.
The record shop in Kingsbury was Parlour Records, was painted black inside, used to get my Stranglers records from there, few doors away was Bake n Take also Prams and Toys toy shop. Best Wishes.
The aerodrome to which you refer was most probably Stag Lane Aerodrome, which was used by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was mostly built upon during the 1930s. There remained an aircraft engine factory for some years afterwards. De Havilland also subcontracted work to the Kingsbury Aviation Co Ltd, whose factory subsequently became the site of Vanden Plas, the high status coachbuilders. Like another poster on here, I also went to Kingsbury County School and can remember the torturous cross-country runs in Fryent Park and up Barn Hill. Unfortunately, it was not the last time I went through the pain barrier there. It was the site of the cross-country log runs when I later attended Hendon Police College. The late Charlie Watts, drummer of the Rolling Stones, was brought up in a prefab nearby, along Fryent Way, and he went to school locally. The Wembley Park complex is a disgrace. The replacement stadium was an opportunity missed and the higgledy-piggledy mess of surrounding high-rise buildings has robbed the location of any skyline. Olympic Way was always intended to be a magisterial approach to the focal point of the Stadium (rather in the fashion of Lutyens' New Delhi). It is now hemmed in on either side by monstrous and intrusive tower blocks that obscure the view of the disappointing new Stadium and cast shadow everywhere. As you said, very little now remains of the British Empire Exhibition pavilions. There are, I think, still one or two heavily altered buildings in the industrial estate, in what was once the entertainment and catering area of the exhibition. The exhibition buildings were never really intended for a life much beyond that of the BEE. Even the old Stadium was originally intended as a temporary structure. It was built in only about 18 months by McAlpine's. The old Palace of Industry building limped on as a storage facility until it too was swept away when they built the Civic Centre. I feel that Sir John Betjeman might have had something to say about the way things have turned out.
The aerodrome then became the headquarters of BACS payments, where i worked for a couple of years. The super computer needed to process all the tape containing all the direct debits and direct credits was so big that only a aircraft hangar sized space would be adequate. As technology progressed, the size of the computers needed got less and less, and the site was sold and made into houses
I worked at Wembley stadium in the eighties , carrying out maintenance work upon the arena , stadium and conference centre . We would often watch artists sound checking at the arena or footballers checking out the pitch . We were based inside a larger building called The palace of arts , another relic from the world fair and we would often hide beneath the floor inside the original pool ( empire pool ) inside the arena or have a skive inside the room positioned directly beneath from where the players would receive the cup or runners up medals inside the stadium , a space usually reserved for the dignitaries.
Uxendon Hill... My mother and her sister were evacuated from central London to Kingsbury in 1940. They lived just on the south side of Southwark Bridge, which was really dangerous for obvious reasons. I recall her telling me that they walked to the top of that hill and watched the Blitz and the fires burning in the City and West End...
Mt sentiments exactly. These areas aren't remotely as mundane as they first appear; we just have to pause, think, and dig a little deeper. It's all there!
Well who knew Preston Hill and the surroundings have a history!? I grew up there in the 80s-90s and still visit family regularly. I always assumed that the swathes of1930s mock tudor metroland homes had been around since the stone age. As a fellow east Londoner (thank you for the clapton + crays lockdown lessons) I never for a million years thought you'd visit Brent. Love it. Thank you. How magical you can make the Wealdstone Brook sound. Quite the whiffy soup it is today.
During your walks, I'm always struck by how many layers of history there are in London and the surrounding areas. Thanks for the wonderful presentation and description of the history.
In the 70s there were cows on those fields and red squirrels in the trees. From Barn Hill you could hear pop concerts at the old Wembley Stadium like live aid. In the old days there was no one around in the evenings due to the threat of violence/mugged from the rabbit warren of chalk hill where posties had to go around with a police escort.
Nothing wrong with FGTH, Dave Lee Roth, Duran Duran or INXS. Great bands from the 80s. Recently watched Duran Duran at MSG in NYC, and they were fantastic!
I love the way you manage to find so much magic in apparently ordinary places John. Being a boy from the far west of London (West Drayton first, then Uxbridge), I am very familiar with those wonderful suburbs. Growing up in the 1950s, that whole area was right on the edge of proper "countryside". Just a hop, skip and jump from open fields, and glorious rivers like the Colne, Frays, and Pinn. Hours of endless fun, for a wee lad.
Cheers John enjoyed this walk immensely. I remember my first Cup Final visit in May 1965 to what was then called The Empire Stadium, Wembley.(see front of official programme) . Liverpool beat Leeds United to win their first FA Cup Final. Happy days.
I love that you educate your viewers on the meaning behind placenames, like Kingsbury. I never gave it any thought that a name ending in -bury had association with burial grounds. Thank you.
What a great walk. And great memories. I saw U2 360 tour and Wembley Stadium in 2009! And just saw Duran Duran twice this year alone but up at Leicester O2 and Castle Howard in York. Still a fantastic iconic band now in the Hall of Fame!. Thank you for what was an epic walk!
Brought up in Kingsbury in the 70’s, and have both fond and terrible memories of Barn Hill.. Terrible being school cross-country running in all weathers. Fond being me and my mates taking our bikes to the top and riding carefree down at speed. Fearless! In the days when you went out during the always hot summer hols, not returning till the sun went down! No mobiles, no worries!
Omg finally my old childhood hood… yes Aldi location was a cinema , I saw the Adam West Batman movie there ! The garage on the Kingsbury roundabout was where Pathé News “Kingsbury’s Tiny Tots “ was filmed , starring me (5sec) & mostly me mum…… oh “Wealdstone Brook” it ran past my street (our house was art deco)
I remember that garage used to be called '584'. Perhaps that was the road number or something. There used to be a vending machine in a small alcove that dispensed hot chocolate, coffee and soup; very often together in the same cup.
John something else : opposite the lane (btw:led to my Uncle house on street behind) with GM mural , there was a Greek barber (?Savas) , 1st real men’s hairdressers in the area….. George’s relative’s?
Looking forward to doing this walk myself thanks for sharing. I was actually doing Section 9 of the Capital Ring when you were filming this, gutted I didn't bump into you as I finished that walk at Wembley Park with a nostalgic meal at Wimpy. I would love you to do more walks in North West and West London, specifically around Hendon, Hanwell and Osterly.
Delighted to see this as I knew Kingsbury well in the 50’s when I had great holidays with my Aunt in her lovely prefab in Kingsbury, up the other end just by the brilliant open air swimming pool. It was freedom as everything was to hand unlike where I grew up in Newport. Saturday morning pictures where Aldi’s is now, going to the launderette and the Payantake shop and Sainsbury’s, a very grand affair with marble pillars and Polish eggs! There was a large Jewish population then but it’s now very diverse of course. A lovely trip down memory lane, thankyou.
The last time i was in the Wembley area was at the end of the 80's and i can't believe how much it has changed. I wouldn't know where i was now. (I saw 'Dire straits' a couple of times at Wembley Arena. Proper band.)
That was a really interesting and a nicely different walk. I remember being at my cousins house in Willesden in the 80s, hearing the concerts at Wembley in the distance. Visiting the old Wembley Stadium , finally seeing England play in the new stadium, seeing Take That and the Pet Shop Boys there too :)
Another fascinating walk John. Thank you very much. It was particularly interesting for me as I travelled down from Scotland, as a 14 year old, with my older brother, to see Frank Zappa at the Empire Pool in 1973. Needless to say the area around the 'Pool looked nothing like that in '73!
Just watched this and you brought back some great musical memories at wembley. I saw the last U2 show in the old Wembley stadium. The Zoo TV tour, early 90’s. As well as a number of concerts in the conference centre. Oh great days. You mentioned aircraft manufacturing. My first company (Lucas Aerospace) where I done my Engineering apprenticeship had a factory in Willesden very near there. When it closed they bussed works to my factory in Hemel Hempstead for a time from Willesden. It was originally called “Rotax”.
My Uncle Ken has lived in the Kingsbury area all his life and during lockdown turned 90, so we took him a cake and sang happy birthday at the edge of his front garden. He thanked us then him and my aunt reminded us it's next week 🤣
God. How Kingsbury has changed. I lived inbetween Queensbury and Kingsbury. Used to go Saturday morning pictures at the oden when a was a young lad Spent many a happy summer at Kingsbury swimming baths and up at Barn Hill. Moved out of London in 64 when I was 14 up to the Staffordshire moorlands with dad's job. Harrow, Queensbury and Kingsbury were nice shopping areas and kenton as well. Fond memories of my young years down there. But look at these places down there now it's nothing like the place I new. The side buildings each side of Aldi were part of the Oden. A really lovely art deco building.
A fascinating walk John. What I enjoy so much about your videos is the experience of London in all its richness and variety. They enthuse me to get out and experience things they way you do.
On the way back from Wembley stadium one night a couple of months ago I had the bright idea.of walking back one stop to Kingsbury. At midnight I found myself swearing as I felt lost along the road through the country park but then saw the train tracks in the distance then the station. Never again. But you have a much better outlook perhaps because it’s daylight.
Thanks John, a place I didn't know at all. Some lovely remnants of the rural past - lots of mature trees around the 1930's housing. Loved the series of Art Deco homes! What a place of contrasts, the crowded streets and traffic near Kingsbury tube then the peace of the undulating residential roads leading to the woods. Didn't care for the new Stadium environs- so metallic and soulless. Thanks for the tour!
Wembley and Kingsbury is an extremely historic area. Not everyone takes the time to find out about it. I love the area, its my home of my ancestors for over a 1000 years.
Just purchased your book John excellent makes you appreciate the old trees remaining and the place names referred to in history. And green spaces a small memory of the original land
Watching your videos on a Sunday has become as traditional to me here in California as roast beef and Yorkshire pudding! Thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories of my younger years living in the London area, the presentation, and knowledge you share with us on your walks is so refreshing John. Cheers
We saw that U2 concert in 1987 ~ that was a real highlight of our gig-going in the 80s. I’ll be up there again next month, for Porcupine Tree. First time in over twenty years. Great video, John, as always!
Hi John. I've just caught this Great post... I Thought I knew alot about Kingsbury/ Queensbury Wembley etc. But you've enlightened me Thanks. As I live on the other side of the Welsh harp at Dollis and Dudden hill I hadn't thought about how hilly this area was. Now I now by walking around. Again thanks for another great post .
I lived in the South Kenton/Preston Road area until 1971. Kingsbury was a long trip, often by bus to the open air swimming pool! Not sure where Uxendon Hill. It was always known as Barn Hill back then!
I saw Spurs v Man city f.a cup final there 1981. No ticket and all I can really remember was that I was dying for a piss but seeing I bunked in i thought that I if went to the bog I would be clocked and thrown out again! I held on!!
Very interesting walk of contrasts, between rural and contemporary urban landscapes. I worked on a small industrial estate in Kingsbury for a very brief period in the early 1970's, and your video reminded me of what I might have discovered, had I made the effort.
I used both Kingsbury and Wembley Park stations just a week ago after attending the England v USA women’s football international. Leaving the match early to miss the rush, the platform at Wembley was still packed so we decided to get the Jubilee line to Kingsbury and change to a relatively empty eastbound train in order to get a seat. So I never got to see the exterior of Kingsbury Station in all its glory!
Love your series of videos. I lived in Kingsbury in the 1970s near a milk depot. One Saturday an armed gang locked all the milkman in the fridge while they robbed the place.
Hello there John, I haven't been by for a while, good to see you're still out bringing us lots of bracing walks to virtually air our lungs. What a cracker indeed. All the best to you mate.
Another great walk John, I was last around there in 2012 as I had tickets for the play off final when West Ham made it back into the Premier league. I met so many happy people on the way home east 😃
Another interesting walk. I too love parades of shops; they often turn up in children's picture books. Always fun to see the upper levels of the shops with the different architectural styles.
Great video. It’s nice to see you walking in North West London. I’ve never heard Child’s Hill mentioned so many times in a video before, I think your friend Nick must live near me. It would be great to see more North West London videos.
Thank you John. Even an area of basically suburban houses throws up some interesting little areas like the lovely art deco houses. Developers did not waste much time using Wembley Park for their characterless tower blocks.
Very interesting walk through Kingsbury and Wembley and loved the Art Deco Buildings on the way.Can you incorporate Horsenden Hill in a future Walk as used to go there as a child with my Dad.Great videp as always!!
Great video John. I live quite near Wembley and over the years have been there many times. I saw Mike Oldfield at the Arena many years ago for his 'Platinum' concert and more recently Professor Brian Cox. Great stuff and a very vibrant community.
Do love an outer London walk. First time I went to Wembley stadium they had a race track in the middle for the race of champions. Thanks again John for another great walk.
Glad Wembley is getting the attention it deserves. I did the (I think) Captial Ring walk from Northwick Park to Wembley in about 2017/2018 and was absolutely floored by the Wembley part. I followed the route through various parks and backstreets to come to Preston Road, where the walk directed me to down an alley way. I thought that this must have been a mistake but followed it anyway only to find myself in a hidden wood. I pressed on to find myself at the foot of Uxendon Hill which was a huge revelation to me. It'a amazing there. Thanks for all you do.
Fantastic video as always John. It evokes memories of going to the Sunday market held the car park of the old Wembley stadium and seeing shows ‘on ice’ at the Arena back when I was a boy in the 70’s. Remember being offered tickets for live aid and think no this’ll be rubbish, how wrong was I! Yes the new stadium is nice and shiny but soulless and not a patch in the Wembley of old. An age thing perhaps where we all remember the iconic moments, the pinnacle being if you’re an England fan, ‘66 of course.
This was a great one John, thank you. I didn't know about Watkin's tower, and I loved the set piece in the park with the cutaway to the view. I am enjoying watching even more on my new 4k monitor, and your attention to detail is not lost! Thank you.
I’ve recently moved not too far away from Kingsbury, from Walthamstow (near one of your other walks) and have been learning about the area. This video is a wonderful opportunity to learn even more
If you watch the 1972 Marc Bolan gig at the Wembley arena/Empire pool you see the crowd arriving at the beginning and see what it was like before all the new blocks were built.
Brilliant video John. I really enjoyed it and learned so much! I thought I knew the area quite well, but I know it only in terms of being one of those drivers passing through, often on the way to another part of Wembley, which is Ealing Road, where we do 'Indian Shopping' maybe three or four times a year. I'm up on the very northern edge of Borehamwood. There's a lot of country still around here. I grew up in the North, on the very northern edge of the Tyneside conurbation, so I feel at home here on the very northern extremity of London. Tea and samosas on offer if you ever make it up this way.
Respected sir Great Walk.Nice locations and Wembley sung by you very beautifully.Tudor period and Anglo Saxon period has a great history 👍..Anglo Saxon period people's life was very typical.They were great Warriors,hunter and and sailor.Many elegies were written in this period.Their effect we can see in English literature..as I read in English literature books of our university syllabus 🙂💖🙋🏻♀️🙂👩💻😊🙂🙏✍.Nice walk Sir you are returning us England's 🇺🇸 most effective culture and beautiful literature at that time .thanks sir.
John. Couldn't find the link to Cricklewood. Dollis Hill etc I lived for years in Cricklewood when the Galtymore was the place to be. Great Videos. Love 'em.
Thank you John, another interesting walk. Wembley Arena looks different as the main entrance is at the rear of the building now, which you pointed out. I watched a Seasick Steve gig there a while back and his "limo" was a huge John Deere tractor lol. Take care 👍🏼
As always, another really interesting and informative walk. My late father would have loved this as he grew up in Kingsbury, albeit on Buck Lane which is at the other end of Kingsbury from where you started your walk. In respect of the old Empire Exhibition Pavilions, there used to be one on Wembley Way which I last remember seeing there about 20 years ago.
"This...whatever this is." (20:04) As I have said to you previously in regard to Iain Sinclair's sentiments, we can predict with some certainty that at some time before the end of this century, someone will point to that building and pronounce it to be "an absolute gem," just as you did earlier in regards to an art deco design. Thanks for the walk!
Thank you so much for the lovely walk John .it is so interesting listening to all the details you pass on .my son live in china.he would be so interested in your walks .he’s hoping to come back for a visit next year so will show him your website .
Talking of non-football events at the stadium, they used to hold show jumping there until the ground became too damaged for the football. Speedway was a big thing post war and they revived it for a couple of seasons in the early 70s which I regularly attended. I seem to remember seeing an old poster or programme promoting a Liberace gig there as well! (Must check the veracity of that memory though). The old Empire Pool was great for gigs back in my day, I was lucky enough to see ELP, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Santana, Fleetwood Mac and a few other as well I'm sure but the ol' 'Dick emery' isn't what is was!! Can't believe how it all looks now in comparison to the old trading estate is was back then. Great walk again John, many thanks
I'm going to Wembley arena on Nov 11th to see Porcupine Tree...so excited & rather nervous as never been to such a large venue, it's my 70th birthday treat so nice to get a look on here before I go! Another great video, thanks John, & not such terrible bands at all by the way.😃
Love the video John. I grew up in Wembley in the 60s/ 70s anda good friend lived in Kingsbury- walked there a million times. One question about the vid - where have all the English people gone? Love your content.
Great stuff as always sir! A bit of everything...urban, pastoral & even a river...great to hear the Nick Papademitriou reference & his fabulous book 'Scarp'...I've struck up a Facebook acquaintance with the great man & have engaged in a few rambling discussions over the last few months about myriad subjects from literature to lost cats...I'm intrigued by Watkins Folly too & will spend a happy hour investigating it today...I even forgive the Duran Duran mention...
There is a cluster of Art Deco houses by Stanmore station, leading up to Stanmore Country park. Where there is a lovely view of London from Wood Farm Viewpoint.
The Jubilee Line was the original Bakerloo line, if I remember correctly. George Michael, went to my school, Kingsbury High School for a while, however he lived in Edgware.
One day, in the future, decades after we’re all dead, John Rogers videos will be remembered as an important record of 21st century London.
At what other time in history, has there ever been so much information recorded for the future to learn about the past?
I would suggest audio wise some of Benny Green's recalls of London Past - including the little shops along Euston Road pre Tower and Underpass (which I dont remember being just before my time)
I was born in Hendon in 1956 but I lived, grew up & worked in Kingsbury from 1960 - 1982.
It's changed quite a bit since I was there last but the fond memories linger on.
Saturday morning pictures in the Kingsbury Odeon cinema.
Burgers at the old Wimpy bar in the high street.
Buying my first vinyl records from a records shop in the high street.
Under age drinking in the Green Mann & Prince of Wales / Bandwagon night club (now a Nandos or is it a Tesco Metro?). The Bandwagon was big on heavy metal / hard rock & where Iron Maiden played regularly before they made it big.
Paper round from the Martins newsagent opposite Kingsbury Station.
I went to school at Roe Green primary & Kingsbury High School. We did cross country runs in the depth of winter from the school, through Kingsbury High Street, down The Mall & across the fields up to the pond on the top of what we then knew it as - Barn Hill. Then, run all the way back down the hill & back to school. Any boy who was deemed by the PE teacher as not being dirty enough after coming back down the hill was rolled in the mud & cow pats before being allowed to go back to school through the high street. It was school policy & "bad form" to not get covered in mud on a cross country run!!
Many fond memories of School summer holidays spent in the 1930's Lido style outdoor (unheated) Swimming pool in Kingsbury park. School swimming galas were held there in April / May in freezing cold water. Sadly it closed in the 1980's & was demolished in 1991. There are still plenty of pictures of it in its heyday online.
There's a video on YT somewhere of George Michael touring the Kingsbury area with a friend & standing outside his old Primary school (Roe Green) where I went to school. I vaguely remember George (who went by a different name in those days) who used to knock about with one of my friends younger brother.
Other notable persons who either went to school in Kingsbury or grew up nearby - Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones (Tylers Croft School before it became part of Kingsbury High), Courtney Pine (Jazz Sax), William Woollard (TV presenter), singer Julie Rogers (any relation John?), Mutya Buena (Sugar babes singer), Mike Gatting (Middx & England cricketer), Stewart Pearce (England footballer), Chris Squires - the band Yes & I think Jet Harris - Bass in The Shadows. I also believe that Arsenal footballer Paul Merson spent some time in Kingsbury.
Kingsbury Station was originally on the Bakerloo Line - before it was changed to the Jubilee in 1979.
Wembley has also changed out of all recognition from the days when I used to go to the Stadium to watch football finals (Arsenal v Liverpool FA cup final 1971 with stitches still in my side after an appendix operation a week or so earlier) & concerts (Bruce Springsteen). I also remember going to Wembley stadium to watch the start of the London to Mexico World Cup car rally in 1970 & watch bands play at the Wembley Arena (Dire Straits, Tina Turner & others). Memories.
Subbed & liked.
The record shop in Kingsbury was Parlour Records, was painted black inside, used to get my Stranglers records from there, few doors away was Bake n Take also Prams and Toys toy shop. Best Wishes.
@@SunShine-dk6rk 👍
The aerodrome to which you refer was most probably Stag Lane Aerodrome, which was used by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was mostly built upon during the 1930s. There remained an aircraft engine factory for some years afterwards. De Havilland also subcontracted work to the Kingsbury Aviation Co Ltd, whose factory subsequently became the site of Vanden Plas, the high status coachbuilders.
Like another poster on here, I also went to Kingsbury County School and can remember the torturous cross-country runs in Fryent Park and up Barn Hill. Unfortunately, it was not the last time I went through the pain barrier there. It was the site of the cross-country log runs when I later attended Hendon Police College.
The late Charlie Watts, drummer of the Rolling Stones, was brought up in a prefab nearby, along Fryent Way, and he went to school locally.
The Wembley Park complex is a disgrace. The replacement stadium was an opportunity missed and the higgledy-piggledy mess of surrounding high-rise buildings has robbed the location of any skyline. Olympic Way was always intended to be a magisterial approach to the focal point of the Stadium (rather in the fashion of Lutyens' New Delhi). It is now hemmed in on either side by monstrous and intrusive tower blocks that obscure the view of the disappointing new Stadium and cast shadow everywhere.
As you said, very little now remains of the British Empire Exhibition pavilions. There are, I think, still one or two heavily altered buildings in the industrial estate, in what was once the entertainment and catering area of the exhibition. The exhibition buildings were never really intended for a life much beyond that of the BEE. Even the old Stadium was originally intended as a temporary structure. It was built in only about 18 months by McAlpine's. The old Palace of Industry building limped on as a storage facility until it too was swept away when they built the Civic Centre.
I feel that Sir John Betjeman might have had something to say about the way things have turned out.
The aerodrome then became the headquarters of BACS payments, where i worked for a couple of years. The super computer needed to process all the tape containing all the direct debits and direct credits was so big that only a aircraft hangar sized space would be adequate. As technology progressed, the size of the computers needed got less and less, and the site was sold and made into houses
I worked at Wembley stadium in the eighties , carrying out maintenance work upon the arena , stadium and conference centre . We would often watch artists sound checking at the arena or footballers checking out the pitch . We were based inside a larger building called The palace of arts , another relic from the world fair and we would often hide beneath the floor inside the original pool ( empire pool ) inside the arena or have a skive inside the room positioned directly beneath from where the players would receive the cup or runners up medals inside the stadium , a space usually reserved for the dignitaries.
Uxendon Hill... My mother and her sister were evacuated from central London to Kingsbury in 1940. They lived just on the south side of Southwark Bridge, which was really dangerous for obvious reasons. I recall her telling me that they walked to the top of that hill and watched the Blitz and the fires burning in the City and West End...
Precisely why i love these walks ... gems from the less visited parts of the city 👍
Mt sentiments exactly. These areas aren't remotely as mundane as they first appear; we just have to pause, think, and dig a little deeper. It's all there!
Well who knew Preston Hill and the surroundings have a history!? I grew up there in the 80s-90s and still visit family regularly. I always assumed that the swathes of1930s mock tudor metroland homes had been around since the stone age.
As a fellow east Londoner (thank you for the clapton + crays lockdown lessons) I never for a million years thought you'd visit Brent. Love it. Thank you.
How magical you can make the Wealdstone Brook sound. Quite the whiffy soup it is today.
During your walks, I'm always struck by how many layers of history there are in London and the surrounding areas. Thanks for the wonderful presentation and description of the history.
In the 70s there were cows on those fields and red squirrels in the trees. From Barn Hill you could hear pop concerts at the old Wembley Stadium like live aid. In the old days there was no one around in the evenings due to the threat of violence/mugged from the rabbit warren of chalk hill where posties had to go around with a police escort.
Confirming cows 🐄 , also in 60’s
The Pizza Hut delivery in Kingsbury was the first one in the UK. The airfeild was up of stag lane near Mollinson way.
Nothing wrong with FGTH, Dave Lee Roth, Duran Duran or INXS. Great bands from the 80s. Recently watched Duran Duran at MSG in
NYC, and they were fantastic!
I love the way you manage to find so much magic in apparently ordinary places John. Being a boy from the far west of London (West Drayton first, then Uxbridge), I am very familiar with those wonderful suburbs. Growing up in the 1950s, that whole area was right on the edge of proper "countryside". Just a hop, skip and jump from open fields, and glorious rivers like the Colne, Frays, and Pinn. Hours of endless fun, for a wee lad.
Hi John, the 'Spoons' in Hornchurch is also called J J Moons 🍻
It is a recurring name in that pub chain. Also, 'The Moon Under Water', which I believe has some reference to George Orwell.
Cheers John enjoyed this walk immensely. I remember my first Cup Final visit in May 1965 to what was then called The Empire Stadium, Wembley.(see front of official programme) . Liverpool beat Leeds United to win their first FA Cup Final. Happy days.
I love that you educate your viewers on the meaning behind placenames, like Kingsbury. I never gave it any thought that a name ending in -bury had association with burial grounds. Thank you.
What a great walk. And great memories. I saw U2 360 tour and Wembley Stadium in 2009! And just saw Duran Duran twice this year alone but up at Leicester O2 and Castle Howard in York. Still a fantastic iconic band now in the Hall of Fame!. Thank you for what was an epic walk!
Brought up in Kingsbury in the 70’s, and have both fond and terrible memories of Barn Hill.. Terrible being school cross-country running in all weathers. Fond being me and my mates taking our bikes to the top and riding carefree down at speed. Fearless! In the days when you went out during the always hot summer hols, not returning till the sun went down! No mobiles, no worries!
not Claremont School by any chance. I attended 76 - 79. We always bunked the cross country run and just drank tea in my mates house instead.
Omg finally my old childhood hood…
yes Aldi location was a cinema , I saw the Adam West Batman movie there ! The garage on the Kingsbury roundabout was where Pathé News “Kingsbury’s Tiny Tots “ was filmed , starring me (5sec) & mostly me mum…… oh “Wealdstone Brook” it ran past my street (our house was art deco)
fantastic - thanks for sharing those memories
I remember that garage used to be called '584'. Perhaps that was the road number or something. There used to be a vending machine in a small alcove that dispensed hot chocolate, coffee and soup; very often together in the same cup.
John something else : opposite the lane (btw:led to my Uncle house on street behind) with GM mural , there was a Greek barber (?Savas) , 1st real men’s hairdressers in the area….. George’s relative’s?
@@Bogallan Stop. That 5p hot chocolate machine was our sustenance whilst we bunked school in the cold winter months.
Looking forward to doing this walk myself thanks for sharing. I was actually doing Section 9 of the Capital Ring when you were filming this, gutted I didn't bump into you as I finished that walk at Wembley Park with a nostalgic meal at Wimpy. I would love you to do more walks in North West and West London, specifically around Hendon, Hanwell and Osterly.
Bender! Does Wimpy still sell that sausage?
Delighted to see this as I knew Kingsbury well in the 50’s when I had great holidays with my Aunt in her lovely prefab in Kingsbury, up the other end just by the brilliant open air swimming pool. It was freedom as everything was to hand unlike where I grew up in Newport. Saturday morning pictures where Aldi’s is now, going to the launderette and the Payantake shop and Sainsbury’s, a very grand affair with marble pillars and Polish eggs! There was a large Jewish population then but it’s now very diverse of course. A lovely trip down memory lane, thankyou.
The last time i was in the Wembley area was at the end of the 80's and i can't believe how much it has changed. I wouldn't know where i was now. (I saw 'Dire straits' a couple of times at Wembley Arena. Proper band.)
That was a really interesting and a nicely different walk. I remember being at my cousins house in Willesden in the 80s, hearing the concerts at Wembley in the distance. Visiting the old Wembley Stadium , finally seeing England play in the new stadium, seeing Take That and the Pet Shop Boys there too :)
Another fascinating walk John. Thank you very much. It was particularly interesting for me as I travelled down from Scotland, as a 14 year old, with my older brother, to see Frank Zappa at the Empire Pool in 1973. Needless to say the area around the 'Pool looked nothing like that in '73!
Just watched this and you brought back some great musical memories at wembley. I saw the last U2 show in the old Wembley stadium. The Zoo TV tour, early 90’s. As well as a number of concerts in the conference centre. Oh great days. You mentioned aircraft manufacturing. My first company (Lucas Aerospace) where I done my Engineering apprenticeship had a factory in Willesden very near there. When it closed they bussed works to my factory in Hemel Hempstead for a time from Willesden. It was originally called “Rotax”.
My Uncle Ken has lived in the Kingsbury area all his life and during lockdown turned 90, so we took him a cake and sang happy birthday at the edge of his front garden. He thanked us then him and my aunt reminded us it's next week 🤣
My dads from Kingsbury. I would like to visit it someday. ❤️ I’ve never been to England; there’s so many things I’d like to see!
God. How Kingsbury has changed. I lived inbetween Queensbury and Kingsbury. Used to go Saturday morning pictures at the oden when a was a young lad
Spent many a happy summer at Kingsbury swimming baths and up at Barn Hill. Moved out of London in 64 when I was 14 up to the Staffordshire moorlands with dad's job. Harrow, Queensbury and Kingsbury were nice shopping areas and kenton as well. Fond memories of my young years down there. But look at these places down there now it's nothing like the place I new. The side buildings each side of Aldi were part of the Oden. A really lovely art deco building.
Love johns walks, so much ,, i don't know about living so closed to wembey
love that you share your explorations with us, there is beauty everywhere
A fascinating walk John. What I enjoy so much about your videos is the experience of London in all its richness and variety. They enthuse me to get out and experience things they way you do.
Wonderful thanks Mark
On the way back from Wembley stadium one night a couple of months ago I had the bright idea.of walking back one stop to Kingsbury. At midnight I found myself swearing as I felt lost along the road through the country park but then saw the train tracks in the distance then the station. Never again. But you have a much better outlook perhaps because it’s daylight.
Thanks John, a place I didn't know at all. Some lovely remnants of the rural past - lots of mature trees around the 1930's housing. Loved the series of Art Deco homes! What a place of contrasts, the crowded streets and traffic near Kingsbury tube then the peace of the undulating residential roads leading to the woods. Didn't care for the new Stadium environs- so metallic and soulless. Thanks for the tour!
Wembley and Kingsbury is an extremely historic area. Not everyone takes the time to find out about it. I love the area, its my home of my ancestors for over a 1000 years.
Another wonderful Magical Mystery Tour ! Thank you John.
Thanks Cee Jay
Just purchased your book John excellent makes you appreciate the old trees remaining and the place names referred to in history. And green spaces a small memory of the original land
Your word map for the area made me laugh out loud - you're womble-ing around :)
So much history on this walk, i love it. Thabks, John.
Watching your videos on a Sunday has become as traditional to me here in California as roast beef and Yorkshire pudding! Thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories of my younger years living in the London area, the presentation, and knowledge you share with us on your walks is so refreshing John. Cheers
Many thanks Martin & Mike - that’s a great image
We saw that U2 concert in 1987 ~ that was a real highlight of our gig-going in the 80s.
I’ll be up there again next month, for Porcupine Tree. First time in over twenty years.
Great video, John, as always!
saw the Band, Joni Mitchell and Crosy stills and Nash there in 74
Hi John. I've just caught this Great post... I Thought I knew alot about Kingsbury/ Queensbury Wembley etc. But you've enlightened me Thanks. As I live on the other side of the Welsh harp at Dollis and Dudden hill I hadn't thought about how hilly this area was. Now I now by walking around. Again thanks for another great post .
Thanks Patrick
Good afternoon from Boston MA! I’m looking forward to watching this! Thank you for posting! 😊❤️👏
Good afternoon Lisa
I lived in the South Kenton/Preston Road area until 1971. Kingsbury was a long trip, often by bus to the open air swimming pool! Not sure where Uxendon Hill. It was always known as Barn Hill back then!
I saw Spurs v Man city f.a cup final there 1981. No ticket and all I can really remember was that I was dying for a piss but seeing I bunked in i thought that I if went to the bog I would be clocked and thrown out again! I held on!!
I’m looking forward to walking this route tomorrow!
Very interesting walk of contrasts, between rural and contemporary urban landscapes. I worked on a small industrial estate in Kingsbury for a very brief period in the early 1970's, and your video reminded me of what I might have discovered, had I made the effort.
I used both Kingsbury and Wembley Park stations just a week ago after attending the England v USA women’s football international.
Leaving the match early to miss the rush, the platform at Wembley was still packed so we decided to get the Jubilee line to Kingsbury and change to a relatively empty eastbound train in order to get a seat.
So I never got to see the exterior of Kingsbury Station in all its glory!
Love your series of videos. I lived in Kingsbury in the 1970s near a milk depot. One Saturday an armed gang locked all the milkman in the fridge while they robbed the place.
My second watch - amazing, entertaining walk! What a beautiful area and great varied history. Thanks so much.
Thanks for watching Jennifer
There was a JJ Moons on Markfield Lane, Tottenham. Near Markfield Park.
thank goodness! i was going a bit squirrelly without your videos, john - i was just about to re-re-watch them! 😄
Hello there John, I haven't been by for a while, good to see you're still out bringing us lots of bracing walks to virtually air our lungs. What a cracker indeed. All the best to you mate.
Another great walk John, I was last around there in 2012 as I had tickets for the play off final when West Ham made it back into the Premier league. I met so many happy people on the way home east 😃
Another interesting walk. I too love parades of shops; they often turn up in children's picture books. Always fun to see the upper levels of the shops
with the different architectural styles.
Great video. It’s nice to see you walking in North West London. I’ve never heard Child’s Hill mentioned so many times in a video before, I think your friend Nick must live near me. It would be great to see more North West London videos.
Thank you John. Even an area of basically suburban houses throws up some interesting little areas like the lovely art deco houses. Developers did not waste much time using Wembley Park for their characterless tower blocks.
Very interesting walk through Kingsbury and Wembley and loved the Art Deco Buildings on the way.Can you incorporate Horsenden Hill in a future Walk as used to go there as a child with my Dad.Great videp as always!!
another very enjoyable video John, Cheers from Thailand.
Lived in Kenton and Stanmore all my teenage years and never knew most of the super interesting facts! thanks John
Thank you for that walk. It is my local area, I have lived here for over 20 years, and I learned some new things.
What a great choice of music too 👍
Great video John. I live quite near Wembley and over the years have been there many times. I saw Mike Oldfield at the Arena many years ago for his 'Platinum' concert and more recently Professor Brian Cox. Great stuff and a very vibrant community.
Do love an outer London walk. First time I went to Wembley stadium they had a race track in the middle for the race of champions.
Thanks again John for another great walk.
Your opening on Kingsbury station reminds me of a Jago Hazard video.
Lovely shot of trig beacon and Wembley stadium. Great juxtoposition.
My Dad still has part of the nets from 1978 pitch invasion.
Yet another cracking walk thank you John
I had no idea of life before the old Wembley Stadium… great bit of knowledge
Glad Wembley is getting the attention it deserves. I did the (I think) Captial Ring walk from Northwick Park to Wembley in about 2017/2018 and was absolutely floored by the Wembley part. I followed the route through various parks and backstreets to come to Preston Road, where the walk directed me to down an alley way. I thought that this must have been a mistake but followed it anyway only to find myself in a hidden wood. I pressed on to find myself at the foot of Uxendon Hill which was a huge revelation to me. It'a amazing there. Thanks for all you do.
Fantastic video as always John. It evokes memories of going to the Sunday market held the car park of the old Wembley stadium and seeing shows ‘on ice’ at the Arena back when I was a boy in the 70’s. Remember being offered tickets for live aid and think no this’ll be rubbish, how wrong was I! Yes the new stadium is nice and shiny but soulless and not a patch in the Wembley of old. An age thing perhaps where we all remember the iconic moments, the pinnacle being if you’re an England fan, ‘66 of course.
This was a great one John, thank you. I didn't know about Watkin's tower, and I loved the set piece in the park with the cutaway to the view. I am enjoying watching even more on my new 4k monitor, and your attention to detail is not lost! Thank you.
Many thanks for that Steve
Thank you. These remind me what I miss so much. Lovely walk.
Thank you John for this walk, I must admit in all the years I lived in London I never went to this area at all. 💕🇦🇺
I’ve recently moved not too far away from Kingsbury, from Walthamstow (near one of your other walks) and have been learning about the area. This video is a wonderful opportunity to learn even more
If you watch the 1972 Marc Bolan gig at the Wembley arena/Empire pool you see the crowd arriving at the beginning and see what it was like before all the new blocks were built.
Brilliant video John. I really enjoyed it and learned so much! I thought I knew the area quite well, but I know it only in terms of being one of those drivers passing through, often on the way to another part of Wembley, which is Ealing Road, where we do 'Indian Shopping' maybe three or four times a year. I'm up on the very northern edge of Borehamwood. There's a lot of country still around here. I grew up in the North, on the very northern edge of the Tyneside conurbation, so I feel at home here on the very northern extremity of London. Tea and samosas on offer if you ever make it up this way.
Respected sir Great Walk.Nice locations and Wembley sung by you very beautifully.Tudor period and Anglo Saxon period has a great history 👍..Anglo Saxon period people's life was very typical.They were great Warriors,hunter and and sailor.Many elegies were written in this period.Their effect we can see in English literature..as I read in English literature books of our university syllabus 🙂💖🙋🏻♀️🙂👩💻😊🙂🙏✍.Nice walk Sir you are returning us England's 🇺🇸 most effective culture and beautiful literature at that time .thanks sir.
Thanks Shipra
Fascinating video as usual, but with many compelling reasons for never moving to live in the suburbs.
John. Couldn't find the link to Cricklewood. Dollis Hill etc
I lived for years in Cricklewood when the Galtymore was the place to be.
Great Videos. Love 'em.
Thank you so much for this: I live near Wembley & work near Kingsbury, I had no idea there was a lovely walk in the area. Thank you 😊
Thank you John, another interesting walk. Wembley Arena looks different as the main entrance is at the rear of the building now, which you pointed out. I watched a Seasick Steve gig there a while back and his "limo" was a huge John Deere tractor lol. Take care 👍🏼
Brilliant
As always, another really interesting and informative walk. My late father would have loved this as he grew up in Kingsbury, albeit on Buck Lane which is at the other end of Kingsbury from where you started your walk. In respect of the old Empire Exhibition Pavilions, there used to be one on Wembley Way which I last remember seeing there about 20 years ago.
Cheers John. I'm sure you've seen it but John Betjeman's Metroland tells the Wembley story rather splendidly.
Fascinating, as always
brilliant stuff JR
thanks , great film
Nice film John..!!
Another wonderful walk, so thoroughly enjoyable. Thanks John once again !
"This...whatever this is." (20:04) As I have said to you previously in regard to Iain Sinclair's sentiments, we can predict with some certainty that at some time before the end of this century, someone will point to that building and pronounce it to be "an absolute gem," just as you did earlier in regards to an art deco design. Thanks for the walk!
I think it is a bit of a gem, actually. A semi-precious one anyway, when compared with most of its contemporaries.
Thank you so much for the lovely walk John .it is so interesting listening to all the details you pass on .my son live in china.he would be so interested in your walks .he’s hoping to come back for a visit next year so will show him your website .
Talking of non-football events at the stadium, they used to hold show jumping there until the ground became too damaged for the football. Speedway was a big thing post war and they revived it for a couple of seasons in the early 70s which I regularly attended. I seem to remember seeing an old poster or programme promoting a Liberace gig there as well! (Must check the veracity of that memory though). The old Empire Pool was great for gigs back in my day, I was lucky enough to see ELP, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Santana, Fleetwood Mac and a few other as well I'm sure but the ol' 'Dick emery' isn't what is was!! Can't believe how it all looks now in comparison to the old trading estate is was back then. Great walk again John, many thanks
and greyhound racing
Alex Harvey played a wicked set at a rock n roll reunion all-dayer in the mid 70s. I wasn't there. Before my time. Just.
Great walk as ever!
Edward Watkin, another frequent character that Jago Hazard keeps mentioning in his videos.
I'm going to Wembley arena on Nov 11th to see Porcupine Tree...so excited & rather nervous as never been to such a large venue, it's my 70th birthday treat so nice to get a look on here before I go! Another great video, thanks John, & not such terrible bands at all by the way.😃
happy birthday for the 11th November
@@JohnRogersWalks thank you muchly, my birthday was in May so should of said ‘one’ of my birthday treats really. 🤣❤️🖤
Thanks for another cracking another cracking ramble around London 🎉
thanks for watching David
That’s the London I remember. Wow. Thanks for the glimpse into my past.
Thank you John, another fine film from my favourite flaneur my Sunday evening is complete!
Loved it!
Love the video John. I grew up in Wembley in the 60s/ 70s anda good friend lived in Kingsbury- walked there a million times.
One question about the vid - where have all the English people gone?
Love your content.
Great stuff as always sir! A bit of everything...urban, pastoral & even a river...great to hear the Nick Papademitriou reference & his fabulous book 'Scarp'...I've struck up a Facebook acquaintance with the great man & have engaged in a few rambling discussions over the last few months about myriad subjects from literature to lost cats...I'm intrigued by Watkins Folly too & will spend a happy hour investigating it today...I even forgive the Duran Duran mention...
There is a cluster of Art Deco houses by Stanmore station, leading up to Stanmore Country park. Where there is a lovely view of London from Wood Farm Viewpoint.
The Jubilee Line was the original Bakerloo line, if I remember correctly. George Michael, went to my school, Kingsbury High School for a while, however he lived in Edgware.