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Local history recordings, exhibitions, articles and events

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Introducing our local history talks, exhibitions, articles and presentations


image of burning the bugs

Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre normally offers a full programme of talks, events and exhibitions relating to Camden history. 

We can email you regular information about our forthcoming events if you join our mailing list. If you would like to do so kindly email us at: [email protected]

You will also find a range of recordings, videos, podcasts, articles and exhibitions relating to Camden's history in this section of our webpage.

We will add more material as soon as it is available, so please keep visiting these pages.

A word from the Archivist, Tudor Allen:

Live events

Open to All
Coerced by None

The Camden New Journal Story

 pic of front page

An historical exhibition 
By staff of the Camden New Journal and Maisie Row

4th November 2024 - 19th December 2024

Mon 10-6, Tue 10-6, Thu 10-7, Alternate Sat 11-5

Foyer and Camden Local Studies & Archives Centre 
Holborn Library, 32-38 Theobalds Road, London, WC1X 8PA 

Admission Free
 

Sound clips and talks

Black Teacher – The Story of Beryl Gilroy

Darla Jane Gilroy, tells the story of her mother, Beryl Gilroy, pioneering 
teacher, writer, psychotherapist and Camden’s first black headteacher, drawing on her unique memoir, “Black Teacher”. Darla Jane Gilroy is Associate Dean of Knowledge Exchange and Reader in Fashion Enterprise at Central Saint Martins UAL. This is a recording of a talk given for Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre on 19 April 2022.

  • Listen to Black Teacher (© Darla Gilroy)  - running time 38 minutes

Venerable Mother Magdalen, A Pioneering Nurse and Religious Sister in Camden

Part one – Paul Shaw, SMG Central Congregational Archivist, talks about Mother Magdalen, the culture of Tractarianism, and the growth of Anglican Religious Sisterhoods in Victorian Camden.

Part two – Paul Shaw, SMG Central Congregational Archivist, talks about Mother Magdalen, the founding of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God, and the work of the SMG Sisters in Camden.

Rabindranath Tagore – A Poet of the World in Camden

The Tagore Centre UK celebrate the Bengali literary giant Rabindranath Tagore  with readings from his works, recitals of his songs, and talks about his life, including his time living in the Vale of Health, Camden. Poet, novelist,composer, singer, philosopher and educationalist, he became in 1913 the first non-European writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. 

From St Pancras to Melbourne

Kevin Brown, author of Passage to the World: the Emigrant Experience 1807-1940, talks about  St Pancras teenager Joseph Sam’s 1874 voyage to Melbourne on the Northumberland and his diary of his travels, revealing a microcosm of snobbery and class distinction as perceived by this clerk.

The Foundling Hospital and Camden High School for Girls

Jane King, Guide/Lecturer for the Foundling Museum talks about the connections between the Foundling Hospital and the Camden High School for Girls

Commonwealth Naval Hospitals – Ely House and the Savoy Hospital

Kevin Brown, medical and naval historian, talks about the use of Ely House in Holborn as a naval hospital from 1653 to 1660 as well as the similar use of the Savoy Hospital in Westminster.

Endell Street Hospital

Kevin Brown, author of Fighting Fit: Health, Medicine  and  War in the Twentieth Century, talks about the Endell Street Hospital, the military hospital in Holborn run by women in World War One.

Health in the Blitz

Kevin Brown, author of Fighting Fit: Health, Medicine  and  War in the Twentieth Century, talks about how the people of Camden stayed healthy during the London Blitz that started 80 years ago in September 1940. He gave a talk on a similar subject at Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre in 2009 marking the 70th anniversary of the start of the war

Holborn Warships Week

Kevin Brown, author of Fittest of the Fit: Health and Morale in the Royal Navy 1939-1945, is a very familiar speaker at Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre.  The Centre’s collections include newspaper articles and photos from the Holborn Warships Week in 1942.. 

The Hampstead Workhouse

Tudor Allen, Archivist at Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre, talks about the Hampstead Workhouse Account Book 1734-39, one of the items in the collections of Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre.

Great Ormond Street – Its Early History

Alec Forshaw, author of “An Address in Bloomsbury” tells the early history of Great Ormond Street. 

Great Ormond Street – Radical Reform in the 19th Century

Alec Forshaw, author of “An Address in Bloomsbury”, tells the history of Great Ormond Street in the 19th century 

Great Ormond Street – 1900-1939

Alec Forshaw, author of “An Address in Bloomsbury”, tells the history of Great Ormond Street from 1900 to 1939

Interview with Tudor Allen about Camden's literary connections

Interviewed by Nick Hennegan on Resonance Radio in 2015, Tudor talks about Camden’s literary connections.

Dickens and Camden

Archivist Tudor Allen talks about the many connections between the novelist Charles Dickens and the area today known as the London Borough of Camden. 

The Arandora Star Tragedy

In the 80th anniversary year of the tragic event, Kevin Brown, author of Passage to the World: The Emigrant Experience 1807-1940, explores the history of the sinking of the Arandora Star, a ship taking Italian and German internees to Canada, sunk by a German U-boat in July 1940 with huge loss of life, an incident which greatly impacted on Holborn’s Italian community (©Kevin Brown) - running time 19 minutes.

Video clips and talks

From Paper to Print: The hidden manuscript of Lady Mary Wortley 
Montagu’s Turkish Embassy Letters

Picture of Lady Montagu
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu by Charles Jervas, 1715. (Courtesy of Chawton House)

When Lady Mary Wortley Montagu – a famous society woman– died in 1762, she left 
behind a manuscript of letters written during her time Turkey. They contained first-hand observations of life in a Muslim country, from the position of women to early forms of vaccination. Despite her family’s best efforts, they were published the following year, causing a sensation. But how did they make it into print? In this illustrated talk, Emma Yandle, Curator & Collections Manager at Chawton House, follows the trail from a Reverend in Rotterdam, to a publisher on the Strand, and a little-known manuscript held by Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre. 
© Emma Yandle

Running time – 55 minutes

Watch now

Crossroads Women’s Centre 

Making Trouble, Making History 1975-2022 

Picture of demo
Community demonstration against the National Front 1985 © Crossroads audio-visual collective

Founding member Solveig Francis, tells the story of the Crossroads Women’s Centre, 
one of the oldest women’s centres in the country, from its origins as a squat in 
Drummond Street in 1975 up to the present day. Shoda Rackal, a current worker 
at the Centre, talks about some of the Centre’s current activities. This is a recording 
of a talk given for Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre on 26th July 2022.
(© Crossroads Women’s Centre)

 - running time 38 minutes

 Watch now

From Prejudice to Pride – An Exploration of Camden’s LGBT Heritage

Pic of bookshop
©  Richard Cohen

An illustrated talk by Camden tour guide Richard Cohen, exploring Camden’s rich LGBT heritage including Victorian cross-dressers, the Bloomsbury Group, London’s only LGBT bookshop, Kenneth Williams and the first same-sex weddings at Camden Town Hall 

(© Richard Cohen) – running time 25 minutes

Watch the talk on YouTube
 

Unveiling of Beryl Gilroy Mural

On the first of July 2022 a mural was unveiled commemorating the life of Dr Beryl Gilroy, Camden’s first black headteacher and the second to be appointed in London.  This milestone was achieved by Gilroy when she became headteacher of Beckford School in Dornfell Street in 1969. The new mural is located outside the school, today known as West Hampstead Primary School. The mural by artist Fipsi Seilern was commissioned in 2018 by City Hall and Tate Collective as part of the Mayor of London’s #BehindEveryGreatCity campaign. A short film of the unveiling was made by Jack Arts - Instagram: @jack__arts Twitter: @Jack__Arts LinkedIn: Jack Arts - which includes a commentary by Gilroy’s daughter, Darla Jane Gilroy, Associate Dean of Knowledge Exchange and Reader in Fashion Enterprise at Central Saint Martins UAL. The film can be viewed here.

London's Little Italy

Tudor Allen, Archivist at Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre talks to Royston Vince for
Britalialive about the history of London’s former Little Italy - which was based in Holborn and Clerkenwell - and about the archives of the Italian quarter held at the Centre.
(© Royston Vince and Tudor Allen)
 
View here

 
Rabindranath Tagore

– A Poet of the World in Camden

Picture of Tagore

The Tagore Centre UK celebrate the Bengali literary giant Rabindranath Tagore  with readings from his works, recitals of his songs, and talks about his life, including his time living in the Vale of Health, Camden. Poet, novelist, composer, singer, philosopher and educationalist, he became in 1913 the first non-European writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

©The Tagore Centre UK- running time 1 hour

Caught Between Two Worlds - London's Italian Community between the World Wars

Image of Procession

The Procession of the Madonna of Mont Carmel, Clerkenwell Road 1933 © Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre

Drawing on the memoirs and archives of two remarkable women, this illustrated talk with readings explores London’s Italian quarter, based in Holborn and Clerkenwell, in the 1920s and 1930s. It examines the impact of the warring ideologies of fascists and leftwing factions on individual lives during this turbulent period. The speakers and performers are Melanie Hughes, actress and author of “War Changes Everything” and Nadia Ostachini, actress and artistic director and producer of Tricolore Theatre Company. This is a recording of an event  given for Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre on 21st September 2021

Caught Between Two Worlds (© Melanie Hughes) - running time 52 minutes

Black Teacher – The Story of Beryl Gilroy

Picture of Beryl Gilroy

© The estate of Beryl Gilroy

Darla Jane Gilroy, tells the story of her mother, Beryl Gilroy, pioneering teacher, writer, psychotherapist and Camden’s first black headteacher, drawing on her unique memoir, “Black Teacher”. Darla Jane Gilroy is Associate Dean of Knowledge Exchange and Reader     in Fashion Enterprise at Central Saint Martins UAL. This is a recording of a talk given for Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre on 19th April 2022.

Black Teacher (© Darla Gilroy)  - running time 38 minutes

•  Watch now

Modern Library Milestone – the History of Holborn Library

image of Holborn Library

(© Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre)

An illustrated talk by Tudor Allen on the history of Holborn Library which, when it opened in 1960, was acclaimed for its design and its range of facilities (© Tudor Allen/Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) – running time 31 minutes

Note: when you click Watch now, a menu should open and you need to click again to Open it with Window Media Viewer.

  Watch part one now

•  Watch part two now

VE Day – A Film

A film on Victory in Europe day marking its75th anniversary made by Digital Drama (supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund).  The film was created as part of a reminiscence project which Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre partnered. (© Digital Drama) - running time six minutes.

Mazzini and Camden

An illustrated talk by Andrea Del Cornò on the connections between the great Italian patriot, Giuseppe Mazzini, key figure in Italian Unification, and the area today known as London  Borough of Camden.  Andrea is Italian Specialist at the London Library and writes and lectures on aspects of Italian political history (© Andrea Del Cornò) – running time 9 minutes

Note: when you click Watch now, a menu should open and you need to click again to Open it with Window Media Viewer.

      •  Watch now

Gray’s Inn

An illustrated talk by Derek Lavery on the history of Gray’s Inn, Holborn.  Derek is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster School of Law and a London Blue Badge Tourist Guide  (© Derek Lavery) – running time 18 minutes

      •  Watch now

The National Hospital, Queen Square in Ten Objects

An illustrated talk on the history of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery by Sarah Lawson, Head of Queen Square Library (© Queen Square Archives) - running time 10 minutes.

Note: when you click Watch now, a menu should open and you need to click again to Open it with Window Media Viewer.

St Pancras Old Church

An illustrated talk by Dr Ellie Pridgeon exploring the significance of one of Camden’s key medieval buildings, St Pancras Old Church. Dr Pridgeon is a consultant archivist and lecturer on the history of art and architecture (© Ellie Pridgeon) – running time 16 minutes

Note: when you click Watch now, a menu should open and you need to click again to Open it with Window Media Viewer.

Memories of Bedford Theatre, Camden Town

A film by Danny Nissim exploring the history of the Bedford Theatre in Camden High Street with memories of people who were there (©Danny Nissim) – running time 21 minutes.

Camden’s Hidden Railway Heritage

An illustrated talk on Camden’s hidden railway heritage by Peter Darley, founder and director of Camden Railway Heritage Trust (© Peter Darley) - running time 19 minutes.

Note: when you click Watch now, a menu should open and you need to click again to Open it with Window Media Viewer.

Camden Place Names

An illustrated talk by Tudor Allen on the main place names of Camden and what they tell us about the borough's history (© Tudor Allen/Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) – running time 9 minutes

Note: when you click Watch now, a menu should open and you need to click again to Open it with Window Media Viewer.

Memories of Kings Cross

Interviews with people about their memories of King’s Cross made by the King’s Cross Voices team 

From Trinidad to King's Cross

Norma Ashe-Watt who emigrated from Trinidad to the UK in 1960 shares her memories in this 2006 interview from our archives. Norma worked for British Railways in their offices in the former Midland Grand Hotel on Euston Road and helped set up the Keskidee in King’s Cross, considered to be the first community and cultural centre for the black community in the UK. Also present in this recording is her friend, Carl Brewster. The interviewer is Alan Dein. (© King's Cross Voices/ Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) - running time 2 hours 15 minutes

The Camden Town Hall site and the Liquorice Factory

Charles Chilton and Jacqueline Stillman remember the Camden Town Hall site and the liquorice factory (© King's  Cross Voices/Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) - running time three minutes.

The Boot Pub, Cromer Street

Thelma Dowsett, Packie Hughes and Jean Moakes remember the Boot Pub, Cromer Street  (© King's Cross Voices/Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) - running time two minutes.

A World War Two Landmine in Cromer Street

Jessica Mackenzie remembers a World War Two landmine in Cromer Street (© King's Cross Voices/Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) - running time two minutes.

First Day at Work at King's Cross Station

Reg Hopkins remembers his first day at work at King's Cross Station in the 1950s (© King's Cross Voices/Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) - running time one minute. 

Pasts Unearthed – Life in the Railway Lands – Part One

Memories of life in the railway lands area around King’s Cross and St Pancras Stations (originally created for an exhibition celebrating the opening of St Pancras International in 2007) with contributions from (in order of appearance) Charles Chilton, Mary Britton, Charles Chilton, George Case, Mary Britton, Charles Chilton, George Case, Helen Elster-Jones, Jack Capper, Paul Snushell (interviewers – Alan Dein and Leslie McCartney, sound designer – John Calver) (© King’s Cross Voices/Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) - running time ten minutes

Pasts Unearthed – Life in the Railway Lands – Part Two

Memories of life in the railway lands area around King’s Cross and St Pancras Stations (originally created for an exhibition celebrating the opening of St Pancras International in 2007) with contributions from (in order of appearance) Cy Kirkman, Jeana, Cy Kirkman, Reg Hopkins, Charles Chilton, Billy Osborne, Helen Elster-Jones (interviewers – Alan Dein and Leslie McCartney, sound designer – John Calver) (© King’s Cross Voices/Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre)- running time seven minutes

Camden Tour Guide Podcasts

St Pancras Old Church Gardens

Camden Tour Guide Christine Wilkins-Molloy talks to Bonny Astor about the history of St Pancras Old Church Gardens  (© Christine Wilkins-Molloy, Bonny Astor, CCRadio) - running time 16 minutes.

St Pancras Hotel

Camden Tour Guide Julie Wright talks to Bonny Astor about the history of the St Pancras Hotel  (© Julie Wright, Bonny Astor, CCRadio) - running time 11 minutes.

Two Marys – Mary Ward and Mary Anne Clarke

Description: Camden Tour Guide Alan Fortune talks to Bonny Astor about novelist and social reformer Mary Ward and Mary Anne Clarke, mistress of Frederick Duke of York (© Alan Fortune, Bonny Astor, CCRadio) - running time 17 minutes.

Modernist Masterpiece - 2 Willow Road

Description: Camden Tour Guide Geoff Boyd talks to Bonny Astor about 2 Willow Road, the modernist masterpiece by Erno Goldfinger – (© Geoff Boyd, Bonny Astor, CCRadio) - running time 21 minutes.

Elizabeth Garrett-Anderson

Camden Tour Guide Sylvia McNamara talks to Bonny Astor about Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first Englishwoman to qualify as a doctor (© Sylvia McNamara, CCRadio, Bonny Astor) - running time 31 minutes.

Lincoln’s Inn

Camden Tour Guide David Lloyd talks to Bonny Astor about the history of Lincoln’s Inn (© David Lloyd, Bonny Astor, CCRadio) - running time 10 minutes. 

Thomas Coram

Camden Tour Guide Brian Turner talks to Bonny Astor about Captain Thomas Coram, founder of the Foundling Hospital (© Brian Turner, Bonny Astor, CCRadio) - running time 12 minutes.

Making a Dent –The St Pancras Station Clock

Jean Jacyna investigates the history of the St Pancras Station Clock with help from Josie Murray, Senior Heritage Advisor at HS1, Ian and Pam Thompson from Nottingham and the former curator of the British Horological Institute Museum, Viscount Alan Middleton. Produced by Freddy Chick.  (© Jean Jacyna, Freddy Chick, CCRadio) - running time 13 minutes.

The Story of London's First Mosque

Abdul Maalik Tailor investigates the history of London’s first documented mosque, situated in Albert Street, Camden. Produced by Violet MacDonald and Freddy Chick.  (© AbdulMaalik Tailor, Violet MacDonald, Freddy Chick, CCRadio) - running time 12 minutes.

The Fitzrovia Mural

Amber Raney-Kincade tells the story of the Fitzrovia Mural with help from Kristina O’Donnell, a descendant of characters in the mural, and Richard Unwin from Eazl, a creative agency that have been involved in efforts to restore it. Produced by Freddy Chick. (© Amber Raney-Kincade, Freddy Chick, CCRadio) - running seven minutes.

In Front of You, You Can Feel – A Tour for the Visually Impaired

Freddy Chick joins a Camden Tour Guides Association guided walk for the visually impaired with contributions from Peter Twist,  Trevor Albut and Elizabeth Dormandy. Produced by Freddy Chick.  (©Freddy Chick, CCRadio)  - running time 19 minutes.

Tropical Maladies in Bloomsbury

Rhona Levene and Stella Geddes tell the story of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with contributions from Claire Frankland, Rebecca Tremain and Aisling Walsh of the LSHTM. Produced by Freddy Chick.  (© Rhona Levene, Stella Geddes, Freddy Chick, CCRadio) - running time 10 minutes.

The Hardy Tree 

The story of the Hardy Tree in the churchyard of St Pancras old Church with contributions from Lester Hillman, Father James Elston, Rachel Floyd, Helen Lange, Simon Causer and Aidan Dun. Produced by Lester Hillman and Freddy Chick. (©Lester Hillman, Freddy Chick, CCRadio) - running time 10 minutes.

Mitten on a Railing – The Foundling Museum

Peter Hayes tells the story of the Foundling Museum with contributions from Caro Howell of the Foundling Museum and Carol Harris of Coram. Produced by Freddy Chick.  (© Peter Hayes, Freddy Chick, CCRadio) - running time 14 minutes.

Brrring Brrring Out Your Dead – The Soane’s Family Mausoleum

Freddy Chick tells the story of the Soane’s family mausoleum in the churchyard of St Pancras Old Church with contributions from Frances Sands, the Soane Museum and Gavin Stamp. Produced by Freddy Chick.  (© Freddy Chick, CCRadio) - running time eight minutes.

Camden in Images

Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre holds tens of thousands of wonderful photographs, illustrations and documents illustrating the history of Camden. Copies can be purchased by contacting: [email protected]

 Image of the Roundhouse  The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road in 1967 © Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre

Thirty Images from our Collections

A Selection of Thirty Images from the collections of Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre (© Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) – running time three minutes.

Note: when you click Watch now, a menu should open and you need to click again to Open it with Window Media Viewer

Kentish Town in Lockdown

Paintings of Kentish Town during the Covid 19 lockdown –  1’ 18” (© Secret Artist NW5)

Note: when you click 'See the images', a menu should open and you need to click again to Open it with Windows Media Viewer

Camden history articles

Red Lion Square and its Vicinity: A History

An illustrated article on the history of Red Lion Square and its vicinity by Daniel Croughton of Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre (© Daniel Croughton and Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre)

The Great Ormond Street Hospital Chapel

An illustrated article on the history of the Great Ormond Street Hospital Chapel by Nick Baldwin, Archivist, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust (© Nick Baldwin)

School Class Visits to the Archives

An illustrated article on school class visits to Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre  by staff member Ingrid Smits (© Ingrid Smits and Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre)

Exhibitions

Open to All
Coerced by None

The Camden New Journal Story

 pic of front page

An historical exhibition 
By staff of the Camden New Journal and Maisie Row

4th November 2024 - 19th December 2024

Mon 10-6, Tue 10-6, Thu 10-7, Alternate Sat 11-5

Foyer and Camden Local Studies & Archives Centre 
Holborn Library, 32-38 Theobalds Road, London, WC1X 8PA 

Admission Free

 

Camden Highline 
Tracking the Heritage

 image of artwork used in the exhibition
Urinary Leash –by Bella Meyersohn © B Meyersohn

A display featuring a series of unique projects, researched and created by Camden Highline's Heritage Trainees (aged 18-25), designed to bring to life fascinating parts of Camden Town’s layered past.

9th September 2024 - 19th December 2024

Mon 10-6, Tue 10-6, Thu 10-7, Alternate Sat 11-5

Camden Local Studies & Archives Centre 
2nd Floor, Holborn Library, 32-38 Theobalds Road, 
London, WC1X 8PA 

Admission Free
 

A Stone’s Throw from Westminster -

Suffragettes and Other Feminists in Camden

Picture of Police Raid

In 2018, to mark the centenary of the Representation of the People Act of 1918  - which gave (some) women in the UK the right to vote in Parliamentary elections -  Camden hosted “A Stone’s Throw from Westminster – Suffragettes and other Feminists in Camden”, an historical exhibition, curated by Susan Croft and Irene Cockroft of SuffrageArts. We are pleased with their permission to reproduce part of the exhibition here – panels created by Susan Croft and designed by Lydia Blagden.

View the exhibition 

Where images used do not belong to CLSAC and are still in copyright, every effort has been made to trace copyright holders to obtain permission to reproduce them here.

If you would like to hear about future developments on this topic, please email [email protected]  

We Were Here   

Picture of EquianoPicture of Dido

Olaudah Equiano and Dido Elizabeth Belle (public domain)


In 2021, for Camden’s Black History Season, Camden’s Arts Development team commissioned Community Engagement Co-ordinator, Emily Momoh, to curate an exhibition celebrating Camden’s Black British history. The exhibition, originally displayed at Swiss Cottage Gallery, tells the stories of eight significant individuals of African and Caribbean heritage who lived, worked or studied in Camden contributing to the history of Camden and of Britain. It highlights the struggles, subjugation and discrimination faced by many people across the African diaspora over centuries and represents triumph over adversity through not only survival, but also determination and strength. The achievements of these individuals led to significant social change in local, national and international contexts. 

© Emily Momoh

View the exhibition here

 

 

Here and There: Stories of British Bangladeshis in Camden


This exhibition was commissioned by the Bengali Workers’ Association (BWA), curated by Faridha Karim with funding support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It was first exhibited in 2011 at the Surma Centre, Robert Street, the home of the BWA and later at Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre where it has been subsequently deposited. We are pleased, with the BWA’s agreement, to now present the exhibition on this web page.
Image of Title Page of Exhibition

View the exhibition

Poetry - inspired by items in our Archives

Holborn Restaurant menu, 1917

The Waitress: 27th July 1917, by Pauline Seward

In 2010 Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre ran a competition for poems inspired by items in our collections. Pauline's poem won first prize. It was inspired by the Holborn Restaurant menu card of 1917 pictured above.

Dating from 1874, the restaurant stood at the junction of High Holborn and Kingsway.  As well as the Grand Salon complete with band and cabaret, there were the King’s Hall with space for 600 diners, the Queen’s Salon, decorated with portraits of female monarchs, the Empire Room, the Throne Room, the Grand Grill and the Snack Bar, for those of more modest means. It was used for a variety of functions including banquets, Masonic meetings, balls, concerts, wedding breakfasts, bazaars and public meetings. The building was sadly demolished in 1955.

The Waitress: 27th July 1917”, read by the poet Pauline Sewards (© Pauline Sewards) – running time three minutes.

Regents Park in 1900

Regent’s Park around 1900 (© Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre)

Regent’s Canal: 04.55 Friday 2nd October,  a poem by Anna Cookson.

In 2010 Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre ran a poetry competition for poems inspired by items in our collections. Anna’s poem won second prize. It was inspired by a newspaper report about a tragic incident that took place in the early hours of the 2nd of October 1874. A cargo of gunpowder on a boat travelling along the stretch of the Regent’s Canal in Regent’s Park ignited causing a massive explosion which killed three of the crew and wrecked the Macclesfield Bridge. 2020 was the 200th anniversary of the opening of the canal.

“Regent’s Canal: 04.55 Friday 2nd October.”  Writer and broadcaster Anna Cookson reads her poem  (© Anna Cookson) - running time three minutes.