Can’t Get Too Much of Hornchurch!

I’ve often noticed during my political and professional peregrinations round London how a particular place will crop up several times repeatedly, only to be superceded by somewhere else. The current flavour of the month is Hornchurch, which is still within Great London, though firmly in Essex. On Thursday, I was out doing my Postman Pat imitation, delivering leaflets in Angela Kawa’s council by-election campaign (polling day June 14), in St. Andrew’s Ward. And last night I was at the URC in Nelmes Road for the Havering LibDems’ quiz — won, not for the first time, by the Upminster table. As always at these quizzes, one learns the most extraordinary titbits of information. My problem is that I then promptly forget them again.

Meanwhile, two Hornchurch groups linked to the National Association of Women’s Clubs ( the South Elm Women’s Club and the Riverside Club) have signed me up to come along and speak to their members – one of a portfolio of freelance activities I carry out. The former has asked me to talk on Soho in the 50s and 60s. A bit of artistic biographical naughtiness always goes down well. I wonder if one day there will be enough material for a talk on Hornchurch in the 90s and 00s?

Link: www.nawc.org.uk and www.hornchurch.org.uk