Magician and comedian Paul Aitchison is performing his show Could It Be Magic? on 11 and 18 June at The Chiswick Playhouse. Paul plays a number of characters competing in a magic competition in his show for people who love magic but might not love all the egos that perform it. “Magic, at best, is […]
Did you notice some colourful new artworks while waiting for the bus this weekend? Future Visions, is the result of a collaboration between Hounslow Council and local artists. It went up on Sunday and will be shown across the borough on digital screens for the next two weeks, aiming to brighten up our streets with […]
The Annual Fancy Dress Parade has been a highlight of the Bedford Park Festival for over 50 years. This picture, taken back in 1980, prompted the question: where are they now? And did they grow up to be a lollipop man, racing driver, or cow girl? James Taylor, holding the Stop sign just right of […]
Christine Riding and Andrew Marr before A Shipwreck at Turner’s House. Photograph Kilian O’Sullivan Broadcaster and art enthusiast Andrew Marr opened an exhibition of J.M.W. Turner’s original maritime watercolours and prints on Friday 21 May in the artist’s former home in Twickenham. Turner’s English Coasts focuses on English marine and coastal subjects at a pivotal […]
Between 1916 and 1917, a disgruntled and increasingly frail, elderly man made his way by foot an estimated 170 times, and under cover of darkness from his home in Hammersmith Terrace along the river to Hammersmith Bridge with the express purpose of tipping the entire Doves type and matrixes, weighing over a ton, into the […]
Meg’s new roommates – 1,500 books; photograph Lucinda MacPherson You know how some adult children quietly moved back in with their parents during lockdown? Something similar happened to Meg Dillon, but it wasn’t her children, but 1,500 books, which suddenly took up residence in a room with a view in her highly desirable riverside home […]
Local artist Charlotte Berridge launched a new set of postcards this month celebrating three of Chiswick’s iconic buildings. “It was really difficult narrowing down which three buildings to illustrate”, explains Lottie, “ but of all the art I sell, these three seem to be the ones people love.” The cards printed on recycled 300 gsm […]
Over 5,500 people visited the first Chiswick Cheese Market on Sunday, with delighted vendors declaring it a sell out success. It kicked off with dramatic aplomb as Ewa performed a ceremonial cracking of a giant Parmegiano Reggiano on the Bianca & Mora Stall watched by the Mayor of Hounslow who was made a gift of […]
Its Foster Care Fortnight (10 – 23 May), a celebration of the valuable work foster carers do, and Hounslow Council are seeking help for some of the most vulnerable children in the borough. There are around 65,000 children in the UK living with foster families and counting, with current demand being so high that it […]
The Lyric Hammersmith is talent scouting adults from West London to perform in a community production in August. No previous acting experience is needed and there will be a mix of speaking and non-speaking roles. Heart of Hammersmith, the Lyric’s first large-scale community play in its 125-year history, will be performed in the main house, […]
Behind the Grade 1 listed red brick garden wall shielding Hogarth’s House from one of the busiest roads in West London, lies a garden, at the heart of which grows an old mulberry tree. This gnarled tree, bent over with age, and propped up by two branches, but still growing strong, is at least 300 […]
The forecast for this Sunday is Gouda with light Bries, as a brand new Cheese Market pops up on the High Road. Truckles and wheels of specialty cheeses will be rolling in from all over the UK as far north as the Highlands. There will also be some of the best Europe has to offer, […]
New art works designed specifically for Chiswick House were unveiled at a special preview this morning ahead of the house and kitchen garden reopening on 27 May. Three contemporary artists have created installations continuing the artistic legacy of Chiswick House and Gardens, which was originally conceived in the 18th century as a “complete work of […]
Kuldeep Mattegunta, head chef at Republic, puts finishing touches to one of his street food inspired dishes. Republic is at last set to open for diners on Chiswick High Road this Monday, five months after their launch was scuppered by the Government announcing London was going into Tier 3. Chef Kuldeep Mattegunta and manager Mustaq […]
Picture left by Lucinda MacPherson, picture right by Anna Kunst Did you hear a rather classy busker entertaining the queues at the flower market on Sunday? The last time David Juritz busked in Chiswick was back in 2007 at the start of a 50,000 mile world tour. David busking on world trip, can you guess […]
Fancy a mooch around an antiques market this Sunday? Now you don’t have to travel far. A new monthly popup market starts on the 9th May with dealers from all over London and the Shires bringing their latest finds to showcase along Chiswick High Road. This once a month market will spread out along the […]
We bid a fond farewell to one of our Club Card members whose food deliveries were a silver lining for many of us over a year of lockdowns. Harriet and Alan Benton, top end event planners and caterers reinvented themselves as suppliers of elegant dishes for people stuck at home. Harriet’s friendly emails, extra touches […]
The London Borough of Hounslow granted planning permission for the WB Yeats Bedford Park Artwork Project on Friday (30th), which means it can claim a grant of £35,000 from London Borough of Hounslow’s Thriving Communities Fund to add to its final fundraising flurry. Celebrities and locals have rallied to support pledges for the artwork, Enwrought […]
Downton Abbey devotees are counting the months now that it has been confirmed that its highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster movie will be in cinemas this Christmas. Picture courtesy of ITV The first Downton Abbey film, itself a spin off from the hit TV series, featured a royal visit and the sequel picks up where […]
The Arts and Crafts movement is having a bit of a moment according to spring issues of home design magazines. House & Garden features a London Edwardian home decorated by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s interior designer, Ben Pentreath and this and his own London flat are clad in William Morris wallpapers. Emery Walker’s drawing […]
Based in the heart of Chiswick, ArtsEd has been setting the world alight with extraordinary talent for almost 100 years. The school kick started 2019 with two lively musicals: Cry-Baby and Disney’s Newsies, performed by their third year BA Musical Theatre students. Then later this year, their third year BA Acting students will be performing […]
Do you remember the story a couple of weeks back about a German DJ who had written a track called Chiswick Days but had surprisingly little recall of his days in Chiswick. Well, for reasons too numerous to speculate on, the family he stayed with haven’t been rushing to reacquaint themselves with the acid house […]
Another local artist known for his subversive wit was William Hogarth, who sometimes featured his dog to inject humour into potentially pompous compositions. His favourite canine companion was a pug called Trump, who appears alongside his master in several portraits and the statue by Jim Mathieson commemorating his life in Chiswick on the High Road. […]
To celebrate International Woman’s Day this Friday, 8 March, we’re saluting Hoda Ali and Juliet Albert. Hoda and Juliet work in West London to help those affected by a form of torture that effects over 200 million women and girls worldwide, 137,000 living in England and Wales.* Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the partial or […]
Carrie Reichardt’s mosaic covered home of art and craftivism stands loud and proud in an otherwise quiet and unassuming suburban street on the fringes of Bedford Park. A visual provocation of colour, wit and subversive slogans resides in Fairlawn Grove making this unremarkable street extraordinary, its incongruity giving Carrie’s political messages more clout. A London […]
Step through the oldest shop front on the Chiswick High Road and you enter one of the most delightful shopping experiences in London. The listed bay window, which dates back to 1790, is painted bright green and is piled high with vintage books while outside there are £1 paperbacks, maps and assorted paraphernalia giving it […]
Pippa is mother to three daughters and five small grandchildren and has been volunteering for four years for Home-Start. “We give two hours every week, plus travelling time. I live in Chiswick and the mums I’ve had have been in Brentford, Isleworth and Chiswick, so all in Hounslow. All very diverse mums who just love […]
Classic Pancakes Whether you make your pancakes thick or thin is a matter of taste. Once cooked, add sugar, lemon or any favourite ingredients that bring back childhood memories. I love the tasty combination of lemon, sugar and golden syrup for extra sweetness, but I’m sure you have your own combinations. Makes 8-10 pancakes INGREDIENTS […]
The fourth episode of “Phil Spencer: History of Britain in 100 Homes” was billed as showing homes between 1850 and 1880, “when working class slums were transformed into decent family abodes”. The programme makers filmed former slum dwellings around Britain for 40 minutes before arriving at their 50th house in Bedford Park. Fear not, the […]
Linda and Bob Bright moved to Chiswick about 25 years ago and have been Club Card members since 2015. They frequently use their Chiswick Calendar Club Card; “It’s great to get a discount at Bills, The Pilot, and The Bell & Crown.” “Also for a tour of the Fullers Brewery and a beginners’ ballet course […]