Hornsey Historical Society had a good year in 2025.
The Society received a significant benefaction from the late Roy Hidson, whose article ‘The Aeronauts of Highbury Barn’ is reprinted here as a tribute to him. Bulletin 65 had the accolade of an award from LAMAS (London and Middlesex Archaeological Society) for best history journal of 2024, along with Hugh Flouch’s book ‘Abyssinia: Hornsey’s Lost Village’, which deemed the best local history book. Hugh has an article in the Bulletin on the history of one of Crouch End’s oldest roads, Haringey Park. This piece intersects interestingly with Ray Rogers’s article on the refurbished Hornsey Library, now 60 years old but looking as good as ever.
Other articles by regular contributors include Brenda Griffith-Williams’s on the brief (but fascinating) life of the Holly Park Auxiliary Military Hospital on Crouch End Hill (1915 – 1919), and Kirsten Forrest’s on the longer lasting Alexandra Palace, now celebrating its 150 year anniversary.
I am happy to say we have articles by two new contributors: Adrian Weir follows up a piece by Andrew Whitehead from a few years ago on Hornsey’s Communist candidate, George ‘Jonah’ Jones, with his account of the inter-war presence of the Communist Party in Hornsey, and Colin Marr describes the remaining evidence of the presence of Clerkenwell Detached in Muswell Hill. Finally we have three reviews, one of them of the HHS’s latest publication, a history of the Whitehall Park conservation area.
On a sadder note, Keith Fawkes commemorates the life of the late David Frith, a long-standing member of the HHS and its publications committee, and author of several books on the history of Hornsey.
Free to members
The current issue of the Bulletin is free each year to all members. If you aren’t a member and would like to join you can find details on the membership page. As well as the Bulletin, members also receive our quarterly newsletters, free entry to all our monthly lectures and advanced invitations to all special events and outings when they restart.
Buy the Bulletin
Non-members can purchase Bulletin 67 online for £12.00 + p&p
We aim to send out all items within 5-7 days, but as a small Society run entirely by volunteers turnaround times may sometimes vary.
Write for the Bulletin
We welcome contributions to the Bulletin from interested authors, who do not need to be members of the Society. Articles for inclusion should be concerned with Hornsey, its residents and its history. A length of about 2-3000 words is suggested, but shorter pieces such as letters or reviews of books about local history can also be accepted.
All articles are read prior to acceptance by members of the Publications Committee, who may suggest revisions. Material should be sent by email attachment in Word format (not PDF) to the Editor, Professor Sandra Clark, who will be happy to deal with any questions about potential contributions. Illustrations are encouraged.