The Burroughs
Encyclopedia
The Burroughs is a place in Hendon
, and a civic district of London Borough of Barnet
. It is centred on the road of the same name where Hendon Town Hall is located.
.
There was an inn and brew-house by the 16th century for travellers, very possibly the White Bear, which was so-called from 1736, and was rebuilt in 1932. Here, the 'leet courts
', based on feudal tradition, were held as late as 1916, to ensure the rights of the Lord of the Manor
to control the increasingly emancipated peasantry, to punish transgressors, and to fix 'Quit-Rent
' for those who had built on manorial land and wastes.
By 1697 the inn was the location for Hendon's Whitsun
fair
. Originally an un-chartered hiring fair for local hay farmers, it was also renowned for dancing and country sports, and was imortalised in the lines of a song of the 1810s:
There was cockfight
ing during the 1820s, and horse racing in the 1860s; by this time, haymakers were usually contracted directly from Ireland
.
From 1735 until 1934 a poorhouse
with six cottages used to house older parishioners (and sometimes wrongly called 'alms-houses
') stood where Quadrant Close (occupied by 1936) is now located. The Poor Law
workhouse ceased to be operational when 'Hendon Union Workhouse' opened in 1835, in what was then 'Red Hill' and is now Burnt Oak
. With the foundation of a Local Board in 1879, the buildings were later used as offices.
In this same period, three religious institutions were established. The first was a Methodist chapel in 1827, which was reached by the footpath of the same name. The second was a Roman Catholic chapel, later called Our Lady of Dolours (1863, remodelled 1927). There were a handful of shops nearby by the 1880s. The modern Methodist chapel, designed by Welch & Lander, was built in 1937.
Grove House (or Hendon Grove), built before 1753, was a private psychiatric hospital
by 1900; it was demolished in 1933, having already lost much of its original frontage for building. The remaining estate became a public park, with rumours of a secret tunnel. A number of picturesque 18th and 19th century houses survive. The Handmaids of Christ established the Convent of St Joseph, in 1882, and had added a school by 1900.
In 1895, Hendon became an Urban District
.
A new Town Hall was built in 1901 from designs by T.H. Watson. It was made famous as the place where Margaret Thatcher
made her first appearance and speech as Prime Minister
in 1979. A sculpture, called the Family of Man by Itzhak Ofer, was unveiled in the front in 1981. Barnet Trades Union Council
reformed at a launch meeting here in April 2008. The main public areas reopened after refurbishment in mid-2009, and are used for virtually all borough-wide committee meetings of the London Borough of Barnet
.
Hendon’s first proper fire station (1914) was built to designs by A. Welch, and superseded another close by in Church End
. Next to the town hall is Hendon Library, built in 1929 to designs by T. M. Wilson. It was considerably rebuilt internally during 1972-3 and 2003-4. Eileen Colwell
, the pioneer children’s librarian worked at Hendon in the 1930s.
Between 1937 and 1939, the Middlesex County Council
built 'Hendon Technical Institute' (designed by (H. W. Burchett), which became 'Hendon College', then in 1973 an Institute of technology
called 'Hendon Polytechnic', and it is now part of Middlesex University
.
Hendon War Memorial
was unveiled on St George's Day
, 23 April 1922, and was moved to its present location in 1962. Burroughs Gardens is the location of a small Moroccan Synagogue (Porat Yosef).
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
, and a civic district of London Borough of Barnet
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
. It is centred on the road of the same name where Hendon Town Hall is located.
History
It was a distinct hamlet until the 1890s, as can be seen on this of 1873. The name, known from 1316 until the 19th Century as 'the burrows', doubtless refers to the keeping of rabbit warrensRabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
.
There was an inn and brew-house by the 16th century for travellers, very possibly the White Bear, which was so-called from 1736, and was rebuilt in 1932. Here, the 'leet courts
Court leet
The court leet was a historical court baron of England and Wales and Ireland that exercised the "view of frankpledge" and its attendant police jurisdiction, which was normally restricted to the hundred courts.-History:...
', based on feudal tradition, were held as late as 1916, to ensure the rights of the Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
to control the increasingly emancipated peasantry, to punish transgressors, and to fix 'Quit-Rent
Quit-rent
Quit rent , Quit-rent, or quitrent, in practically all cases, is now effectively but not formally a tax or land tax imposed on freehold or leased land by a higher landowning authority, usually a government or its assigns....
' for those who had built on manorial land and wastes.
By 1697 the inn was the location for Hendon's Whitsun
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
. Originally an un-chartered hiring fair for local hay farmers, it was also renowned for dancing and country sports, and was imortalised in the lines of a song of the 1810s:
-
- “Then a soldier fond of battle,
- Who has fought and bled in Spain,
- Finds in Hendon air his metal,
- Well stirred up to fight again.
- Then a justice of the Quorum
- At Burroughs revels, Hendon Fair,
- Finds such order and decorum
- At the White and Funny Bear”
There was cockfight
Cockfight
A cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters , held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout all states in the United States, Brazil, Australia and in most of Europe. It is still legal in several U.S. territories....
ing during the 1820s, and horse racing in the 1860s; by this time, haymakers were usually contracted directly from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
From 1735 until 1934 a poorhouse
Poorhouse
A poorhouse or workhouse was a government-run facility in the past for the support and housing of dependent or needy persons, typically run by a local government entity such as a county or municipality....
with six cottages used to house older parishioners (and sometimes wrongly called 'alms-houses
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
') stood where Quadrant Close (occupied by 1936) is now located. The Poor Law
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
workhouse ceased to be operational when 'Hendon Union Workhouse' opened in 1835, in what was then 'Red Hill' and is now Burnt Oak
Burnt Oak
Burnt Oak is a suburb predominantly in the London Borough of Barnet south of Edgware, although parts of it fall within Brent and Harrow.The name Burnt Oak was first used in 1754 and from then until the 1850s referred to no more than a field on the eastern side of the Edgware Road...
. With the foundation of a Local Board in 1879, the buildings were later used as offices.
In this same period, three religious institutions were established. The first was a Methodist chapel in 1827, which was reached by the footpath of the same name. The second was a Roman Catholic chapel, later called Our Lady of Dolours (1863, remodelled 1927). There were a handful of shops nearby by the 1880s. The modern Methodist chapel, designed by Welch & Lander, was built in 1937.
Grove House (or Hendon Grove), built before 1753, was a private psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
by 1900; it was demolished in 1933, having already lost much of its original frontage for building. The remaining estate became a public park, with rumours of a secret tunnel. A number of picturesque 18th and 19th century houses survive. The Handmaids of Christ established the Convent of St Joseph, in 1882, and had added a school by 1900.
In 1895, Hendon became an Urban District
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
.
Buildings
The Burroughs has various significant buildings.A new Town Hall was built in 1901 from designs by T.H. Watson. It was made famous as the place where Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
made her first appearance and speech as Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
in 1979. A sculpture, called the Family of Man by Itzhak Ofer, was unveiled in the front in 1981. Barnet Trades Union Council
Barnet Trades Union Council
Barnet Trades Union Council is an association of trade union branches and individuals in north London, which describes itself as:...
reformed at a launch meeting here in April 2008. The main public areas reopened after refurbishment in mid-2009, and are used for virtually all borough-wide committee meetings of the London Borough of Barnet
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
.
Hendon’s first proper fire station (1914) was built to designs by A. Welch, and superseded another close by in Church End
Church End
Church End is the name of several places in England.* Church End, Bedfordshire , several hamlets* Church End, East Riding of Yorkshire* Church End, Essex, a village in the district of Braintree* Church End, Barnet, London...
. Next to the town hall is Hendon Library, built in 1929 to designs by T. M. Wilson. It was considerably rebuilt internally during 1972-3 and 2003-4. Eileen Colwell
Eileen Colwell
Eileen Hilda Colwell was a pioneer children’s librarian.Born in Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire, Colwell was the third daughter of a Methodist minister. She obtained a scholarship and studied librarianship at University College...
, the pioneer children’s librarian worked at Hendon in the 1930s.
Between 1937 and 1939, the Middlesex County Council
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
built 'Hendon Technical Institute' (designed by (H. W. Burchett), which became 'Hendon College', then in 1973 an Institute of technology
Institute of technology
Institute of technology is a designation employed in a wide range of learning institutions awarding different types of degrees and operating often at variable levels of the educational system...
called 'Hendon Polytechnic', and it is now part of Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
.
Hendon War Memorial
Hendon War Memorial
Hendon War Memorial in Hendon, North London is located on the central reservation at the junction between Watford Way and The Burroughs. It was unveiled on St George's Day, 23 April 1922, but was moved to its present location in 1962.-History of the area:...
was unveiled on St George's Day
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
, 23 April 1922, and was moved to its present location in 1962. Burroughs Gardens is the location of a small Moroccan Synagogue (Porat Yosef).