Continuing fight for step-free access at Seven Kings and Newbury Park stations

'After learning Crossrail is still searching for ways to fund step-free access at Seven Kings, campaigner Ron Jeffries, 80, said he feared he would never see lifts at the station in his lifetime.

Mr Jeffries, of Aldborough Hatch, said: “Redbridge will miss out on step-free access and I think that is wrong - I do believe that Seven Kings should be step-free.”

Mr Jeffries, chairman of residents’ community group Aldborough Hatch Defence Association, has campaigned tirelessly, with all three political parties, for Crossrail to rethink its plans for Seven Kings.

“I was not put at ease by Matthew White,” added Mr Jeffries. “I am not at all satisfied.
“We will keep the campaign going and we will not be giving up.”

Mark Kennedy, a committee member on the Seven Kings and Newbury Park Residents’ Association, echoed Mr Jeffries’ words and insisted the groups would “fight on”.'

Read the full story in the Ilford Recorder by clicking here.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over The Rhine - Meet Me At The Edge Of The World.

Craft Market: Ron Jeffries and Dupenny

The Craft Market at the St Peter's Flower Festival includes a stall selling books of local history by Ron Jeffries plus designer items from local success story Emily Dupen-Hopkins.

Aldborough Hatch: The Village in the Suburbs is a lively, often amusing and sometimes revealing journey across the centuries – from the time when the forest of Essex covered much of Fairlop Plain to the present day when the traffic on the A12 on its southern boundary roars past on its way into mainland Europe and far beyond - while Just an Essex Lad takes a largely humorous approach to Ron's own life. His latest volume is entitled 'A slice of this and a bit of that'. It includes chapters about ‘Health and safety fanatics’, ’Moonlight skating in 1917’, ‘The day the Olympic Torch came to Redbridge’, ‘KIPPERS!’, ‘The day God did not come to the Park’, ‘When Sainsbury’s gave me something for nothing’, ‘The Olympic experience’, ‘I have been robbed in Nigeria’, ‘Of Fairlop Fair revived’, ‘Too expensive for Ilford’, and a series of ‘Fables for the Twenty-first Century’. Ron Jeffries is a local community activist and historian, and is a member of St Peter's Aldborough Hatch.

By contrast Brighton-based Emily Dupen-Hopkins has moved away from the area to establish Dupenny, her successful designer-ware business which produces exquisite wallpaper, beautiful homewares and fine ceramics with a cheeky twist. Despite the awards her designs have won, it is great that her products can still be found among the offerings at this Craft Market in her home area.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Florence and the Machine - Breath Of Life.  

Ron Jeffries: A slice of this and a bit of that

Local author Ron Jeffries has published a new book entitled 'A slice of this and a bit of that'. It includes chapters about ‘Health and safety fanatics’, ’Moonlight skating in 1917’, ‘The day the Olympic Torch came to Redbridge’, ‘KIPPERS!’, ‘The day God did not come to the Park’, ‘When Sainsbury’s gave me something for nothing’, ‘The Olympic experience’, ‘I have been robbed in Nigeria’, ‘Of Fairlop Fair revived’, ‘Too expensive for Ilford’, and a series of ‘Fables for the Twenty-first Century’.
An extract from one of his 'Fables for the Twenty-first Century' to do with Building Regulations can be found by clicking here.

All Ron's books, including Aldborough Hatch: The Village in the Suburbs – A History, are available direct from the publisher: Ron Jeffries - Tel: 020 8599 7250; Email:

ronjeffries@live.co.uk.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over The Rhine - The Laugh Of Recognition.

Aldborough Hatch: The village in the suburbs

This evening I led a service of Holy Communion at St Peter's Aldborough Hatch where I took the photos above. Ron Jeffries, a local community activist and historian, is a member of St Peter's and has written a book about the history of Aldborough Hatch:

"This book is the culmination of many years of delving into the life and lives of a unique community on the edge of the Green Belt in the London Borough of Redbridge. Born here, the author is one of many who have campaigned locally to keep the countryside of Aldborough Hatch open for all to enjoy.

This is not an official – nor is it an unofficial – history of Aldborough Hatch. Rather it is a lively, often amusing and sometimes revealing journey across the centuries – from the time when the forest of Essex covered much of Fairlop Plain to the present day when the traffic on the A12 on its southern boundary roars past on its way into mainland Europe and far beyond. If St. Peter’s Church features large in this book, this is because it has been at the very heart of Aldborough Hatch for the past 150 years and much local history is tied up within its walls.

But this is no dull catalogue of the past, for the pages bring to life little-known facts such as that Aldborough Hatch had its own “Lover’s-walk”, that the Dick Turpin has its roots in a Beer House in a cottage, that diarist Samuel Pepys visited, and poet John Donne and politician George Lansbury lived here, that Lulu’s Boom Bang-a-Bang started life here, that in 1862 villagers hereabouts spent the evening engaged in “rustic sports”, that the first lady Churchwarden at St. Peter’s was elected in 1915 (three years before women had the vote) and that actor, producer, director and author Bryan Forbes lived here and Hollywood superstar Rock Hudson visited a home here.

Published in 2012 to coincide with the 150^th Anniversary of the Consecration on 6^th March 1862 of St. Peter’s Aldborough Hatch, the book includes maps dating back to 1777 and in addition to the history of Aldborough Hatch Chapel, St. Peter’s and St. James, the stories behind Cuckoo Hall, St. Chad’s Well, the farms in Aldborough Hatch, Fairlop Airfield, Fairlop Waters, Newbury Park Station and the Ilford War Memorial Gardens."

Aldborough Hatch

The Village in the Suburbs – A History

120pp in full colour with 143 photographs, 13 illustrations and 10 maps

Publication March 2012 – ISBN 978-0-9561877-2-7

£14.99 plus £2.50 postage and packing in UK

Pre-Publication Offer £12 (plus £2.50 postage if sent by mail in UK)

Please make cheques payable to Ron Jeffries

Available direct from the Publisher: Ron Jeffries - Tel: 020 8599 7250; Email: ronjeffries@live.co.uk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Members - Sound Of The Suburbs.

New Church Art Trail (7)

Since setting up the local Church Art Trail between St Peter's Aldborough Hatch, St John's Seven Kings, St Paul's Goodmayes and All Saint's Goodmayes, we have uncovered new information about several of the works which can be found on the Trail.
Most recently, this has been the case in relation to information gained by Ron Jeffries about the Crucifixion which has hung above the main doors at St. Peter's since it was purchased by the then Vicar, the Revd Lawrence Pickles, in the late 1950s or early 1960s. The painting was part of an exhibition in the tennis courts at Valentines Park in Central Ilford. The Revd Pickles took members of the St. Peter's congregation to see the painting, including two youngsters who sang in the choir – both of whom continue to be members of St. Peter's to this day. From the moment it was first brought to St. Peter's people have either appreciated or disliked it – for the painting has been the subject of controversy over those 50 or so years.
The painting is the work of Leonard Wyatt (1922-2008) who was born in Forest Gate and trained at the Hornsey College of Art. He joined the Free Painters Group in its very early days and remained an active member until poor health forced his retirement at the turn of the century. His first one-man exhibition was at the Woodstock Gallery, London, in March 1960, and since that time he exhibited continuously in over 170 exhibitions - including 22 one-man shows. His paintings have been seen in most parts of the UK as well as in Norway, South Africa, USA and Germany.

In 1987, he represented Britain with 11 large paintings in the 49th World Science Fiction Convention, held in Brighton. Although his themes frequently reflected man's quest into space, he was a lover of the English countryside, into which he frequently ventured; he also illustrated five rambling books.

Philip Worth, President of the Free Painters Group, said in July 2008 for Wyatt's Memorial Retrospective Exhibition in Ilford:

“Len gave his all to FPS, not only his riveting artwork in countless group and solo exhibitions, but his huge energy and enthusiasm which helped to mould its destinies. And, in a way, his approach to his own work echoed the sacred objects of FPS – to strive for originality with excellence and, above all, to be completely free in style and in the search for themes. Len was truly a free spirit, going wherever his inspiration took him and owing little to hallowed wisdom or blinkered ‘-isms’.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Byrds - Eight Miles High.