The Newsletters

This index list of interesting or significant items from every Newsletter is very selective, and does not include events, snippets of news, Friends activities such as meetings etc.Click on the date to open the link to the issue in question.

Please note that as our website has become the place where we post topical news, we publish Newsletters less frequently. We now aim to provide two issues a year, for winter and summer.

1

Nov 81

The story so far

2

Dec 81

Ideas for the Stables

3

Apr 82

Comments on ideas for the Stables

Discussions with LB Hounslow

4

Jul 82

Constitution

5

Sep 82

Discussions about the Stables

Community Riding School

6

Dec 82

Future of the Riding School

Kitchen restoration

7

Apr 83

Working party report

8

Jul 83

Riding school tender

Kitchens open

9

Nov 83

The story so far

Uses for the Orangery

GP Joint Committee news

10

Apr 84

Grant of £30,000 for restoration of Stables

11

Aug 84

Grant lost

Future of the Small Mansion

12

Nov 84

Secret meeting closes Riding school

Future of the Small Mansion

13

Feb 85

Friends take over the Cafés

GP Joint Committee news

14

Apr 85

Small Mansion “offer to let”

15

Aug 85

Arts Centre for Small Mansion

Community Riding school back

16

Nov 85

Pop concert rejected

17

Mar 86

New Riding school operators

GP Joint Committee news – cost of neglect

18

Apr 86

GP Joint Committee – Fishing club for Potomac

 

Aug 86

Dogs

Friends get licence for functions

20

Dec 86

Stables project collapses

21

Jun 87

Rentokil to convert Stables to craft centre

22

Feb 88

Stables project collapsing

23

Apr 88

Friends’ catering manager takes over cafes

24

Jul 88

Restoration of the Orangery

25

Feb 89

Stables office/museum conversion scheme collapses

26

Jul 89

Sculpture in the Park

27

Aug 89

Dry rot closes Museum

28

Nov 89

Councils go to arbitration over Stables

EH give £10,000 to Crowngap for Orangery restoration

29

Apr 90

Hounslow reject arbitration findings.

30

Sep 90

Hounslow propose a conservation area

31

Nov 90

Hounslow publish planning brief for Stables

32

Apr 91

Ealing refuse funding

West London Training Consortium leaves Small Mansion

Tragedy on the Potomac

33

May 91

Anne Frank Concert

Classical Music in the Orangery

34

Apr 92

National Trust rejects offer of Park

35

Jun 92

General news about activities

36

Aug 92

Cast iron replica benches disappear from Park

37

Dec 92

Poores of Acton sponsor Museum Conservatory

38

Apr 93

Lease on nursery offered to Greenscene – covenants issue

39

Jun 93

Jazz in the Park

40

Aug 93

Rangers to use the North Lodge

41

Dec 93

Scaffolding around the Stables

42

Jul 94

EH promise funding only on a full plan for the estate

Working party formed for future of the park

Temple Trust established in the Temple

42a

Jun 95

Plan “Gunnersbury Park into the 21st century” from working party

43

Nov 95

Development plan for an HLF bid

Capel Manor completes first year

44

Aug 96

Proposals for the HLF Urban Parks programme application

45

Nov 96

HLF Parks bid submitted – Museum bid to follow

46

Feb 97

Interview with Joan Catterall

47

May 97

Progress on Lottery bids

48

Aug 97

County Fisheries take over Potomac

49

Nov 97

Lottery award made

50

Feb 98

Park award excludes Stables – requires new plans

Museum proposals include charges – Councillors resign in protest

51

May 98

Archaeology of Amelia’s Bath house

Investment in the Children’s Play area

Museum bid submitted

52

Sep 98

General news of events and Museum

53

Nov 98

Potomac Tower and Lake

54

Feb 99

Museum bid stalled

Proposals for Orangery extension

55

May 99

Park interpretation panels installed

Restored Park gates replaced

New and restored lamp standards installed

56

Aug 99

Princess Amelia’s Bath House

57

Nov 99

Francesca and Ernie Corelli – Café co-owners

58

Feb 00

Bollards at the Park gates

Tree planting in the Park

Restoration of Temple area and Italian Garden

59

Jun 00

Beginning of the Japanese Garden project

Plans for restoration of North Gardens

60

Sep 00

Plans for restoration of South Gardens

The restored and replica lamp posts

61

Dec 00

Report on restoration of Amelia’s Bath House

Water system from the Italian Gardens to the Japanese Garden

62

Mar 01

How to make a bequest to Gunnersbury

63

May 01

Research into Park visitors’ friendliness

Plans for Anglo-Japanese cultural centre

64

Sep 01

Celebration of the completion of Lottery-funded work

Cut-backs at CIP (who manage and work on the Park)

Rothschilds’ charity work in West London

65

Jan 02

The Japanese Matsuri at Gunnersbury

Park listing increased from Grade II to Grade II*

66

Apr 02

Marketing of the Stables

Consideration of re-naming the Museum

67

Jul 02

Queen’s Visit

Adoption of Executive Cabinets makes GP Joint Committee advisory

Collapse of PlayStation event

Enthusiasm for quality of surviving Japanese trees and plants

68

Sep 02

Pulhamite Stone

69

Feb 03

Changing rooms fire

Plans for a Mela

Stables proposals confidential

70

Apr 03

Stables – preferred bidder nominated – confidential

71

Jul 03

Mike Rowan – the Park Manager – leaves

72

Oct 03

Royal College of Art withdraws from Stables scheme

– renew lease on existing Sculpture School

Fire in flat above Museum

Report on first Mela

Japanese Garden scheme not progressed – £13,000 returned to donors

73

Feb 04

Conservation plan for Gunnersbury

Completion of Bath house restoration halted – money returned

74

May 04

Butterfly House proposes moving from Syon

Funding cuts and mistakes

Upgrading of toilets

Complaint about the inappropriate Bath House steps

75

Jul 04

Parks Agency commissioned to report on Park

Arups commissioned to report on buildings

76

Oct 04

End of boating on Round Pond

Broken pipe floods Long Gallery ceiling

77

Jul 05

Planning permission granted for Butterfly House

Notice served on Small Mansion Arts Centre

78

Nov 05

Options Paper – A Way Forward

Councils’ Leaders propose an independent trust for Gunnersbury

79

Mar 08

Conservation Management Plan published

Joint Committee replaced by “streamlined” Regeneration Board, meeting in private

Development and Regeneration Manager appointed

Plans for an “options appraisal”

80

Jul 08

John Laing Integrated Services appointed to run Park and Museum

81

Nov 08

Freedom of Information application over minutes of Regeneration Board

Minutes of Regeneration Board published

Toilet rebuilding project starts

Jura Consultants appointed for “options appraisal”

82

Mar 09

Headlines of options appraisal emerge

Regeneration Board meets in public

82a

Apr 09

Public consultation starts

83

Aug 09

Third major flood in the Museum this year

Consultation over funding by building along Lionel Road

84

Nov 09

Ealing votes against land sale proposal – Hounslow not consulted

Reports that public voted in favour of the proposals

85

Apr 10

Alice Meyers’ bequest

Ealing offer £5m – stalemate due to local elections

Friends ask English Heritage to intervene

86

Jul 10

Work on Park trees

87

Oct 10

Still no meeting of the GP Joint Advisory Committee

88

Jan 11

GP Advisory Committee meets after one year

Project Board and Team appointed to apply to HLF for funds

New toilets opened

89

May 11

Death of Joan Catterall

Details of the restoration plans

90

Jul 11

Further details and changes to the restoration plans. Small Mansion excluded

91

Nov 11

Presentation on restoration plans

92

Jul 12

Grant awarded for first stage work on Park. Details of the application

Marketing the Small Mansion

93

Aug 12

Grant awarded for first stage work on Museum.

94

Apr 13

Plans for restoration of Playground

Consultants and HLF monitors appointed

Plans for archaeology study of Park

Small Mansion to house the Falcons School for Girls

Restoration funds granted for Stables

95

Jul 13

Falcons School rejects Small Mansion

96

Nov 13

New Friends’ committee members

Report of Bat Walk

Capel Manor students’ awards

Update on Regeneration project

97

Mar 14

Launch of redesigned website and Newsletter

Parks for People bid submitted

Heritage tree survey

98

Aug 14

Two grants awarded

Curator Vanda Foster’s retirement

Travellers’ invasion and playground vandalism

Capel Manor students’ awards

99

Dec 14

Museum closing for refurbishment

Governance of Gunnersbury

Farnell Bears

Quincy Adams book review

100

May 15

Sports proposals for the Park

The planned Community Interest Company

The Capel Manor “Stumpery”

101

Sept 15

Regeneration/restoration update

Friends’ Capel Manor student’s prize

Heritage interpretation workshop

102

Dec 15

Sports Hub: analysis of planning application

More consultation on Sports Hub

Regeneration/restoration update

103

Mar 16

Chris Ellis, new Head Gardener

Ken Hawkes, obituary

The Curve, huge development proposed south of Park

Purchase of Maxwell Ashby Armfield painting of Park in 1933

104

Aug 16

Sharon Walters, new Public Programmes officer

Regeneration/restoration update

Friends’ Capel Manor student’s prize

Thank you to David Bush, retiring Membership Secretary

105

Jan 17

Sports hub design – improved colour scheme

Regeneration/restoration update: timber sculpture, gardens, paint research

Susie Batchelor, Museum & Learning Programmes Manager

Night-time joy-riding in the Park

106

April 17

Unwrapping Large Mansion/starting new tennis courts

New CEO for Gunnersbury

Gift of Lime trees from Ealing Civic Society

Friends’ grant for works in NE corner of Park

Regeneration briefing meeting

Raising funds to acquire fine enamel panel by local craftworkers

Security contact details for Gunnersbury

107

Aug 17

Regeneration update

Future events and licensing

Friends’ donations and obligations

Adam Fawkes, horticultural apprentice

Friends’ Capel Manor student’s prize

Development sites near the Park

108

Jan 18

Friends’ grant towards clothing displays

Help from the Co-op’s Community Fund

Friends’ AGM

Museum seeks loans of 1950s objects

New staff appointments

Regeneration update, including sports, Small Mansion and Stables

The threat to public parks

109

May 18

Re-discovering the Park, cafe opens etc

Stewart Muir’s donation of oak saplings

Work starts on new sports facilities

New fountain and Rothschild water lilies

New staff appointments

Small Mansion and Stables

Public Inquiry into The Curve, Chiswick Roundabout

Exbury Gardens

110

Sept 18

Friends’ contributions of £18,316 grant towards restoration

Consultation on Go Ape at Gunnersbury

Lovebox: the Apology

Museum & Park updates

Friends’ Capel Manor Award to Allan Gardner

Grant from AHF to Development Trust

The CIC Board

111

Jan 19

Return of Lovebox and Citadel

“Kingdom of the Ice Age”

New CIC staff: the Parks Team and Head of Operations

Park and sports updates

Anxiety about The Curve development

Report on the Future of Public Parks

112

June 19

Lovebox and Citadel Festivals

“Gunnersville” – Proposed September concerts

Travellers in the Park

The return of Boating on the Round Pond

Continuing anxiety about The Curve development

Small Mansion and Stables

113

Sept 19

Green Flag Award for Gunnersbury Park

Review of Lovebox and Gunnersville

Angling at The Potomac and dogs in the Horseshoe Pond

Protecting an ancient beech

Developer appeals against refusal of The Curve development

Quilting Project

First Wedding Fair

David Babington-Smith appointed chair of CIC

114

May 20

Coping with Covid and loss of income

Friends visit to Quilting exhibition

Introducing parking charges

Rothschild chairs from Gunnersbury

Recent garden work

New sports hub

The bowling green – Putt in the Park planning application rejected

115

Mar 21

Demolition of the burnt-out cafe

London in Bloom Silver/Gilt Award

The garden team shine during the pandemic

Duck Pond Market

Appalling treatment of the bowls club by the CIC

New sports hub

New staff member – Erica Luke

An Absolute Passion Francesca Murray’s talk on Rothschild orchids

116

Aug 21

Our 40th anniversary – looking to the future

Friends’ funds for gardening work and frame of Four Seasons painting

Scala Publications book, Gunnersbury: the Place and the People, launched

New staff members: Gareth Brettell, Formal Learning & Julia Mattingley, Operations

Additions to museum displays, indoors and out

Small Mansion and Stables

Waterworks Electronic Music event

117

Jan 22

Covid Emergency Funding support for the CIC

Dino Kingdom and Farmers’ Market

Changes in Gunnersbury Governance

New CIC board member, Sacha Rathore

Planting the Sakura cherry tree grove

Small Mansion and Stables refurbishment

Capel Manor walled garden repairs

Gold London in Bloom Award

Capel Manor walled garden repairs

118

Nov 22

Museum awarded Arts Council National Portfolio status for 2023-26

Events damage sports field

Implementation of new Gunnersbury Governance

New staff: Sukh Rai, Estates and Facilites, and Charlie Kippax, Operations

Chris Ellis, head gardener, moves to Marble Hill House

Celebrating the Sakura cherry tree grove

Putt in the Park opens

Bulbs for London grant

Cafe rebuilding slows down

119

July 23

notice of Annual General Meeting

Humanitarian Aid Memorial proposed

Implementation of new Gunnersbury Governance

Car parking changes

Support for Restoring stables and Orangery

Summer events & noise

Museum & Park updates

Staff changes: Spencer Lewis promoted, Tom Crowley appointed