History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

In the early days of aviation, both the manufacturers and the pilots were finding their way to improve the capabilities of aircraft and their handling.  One of the young aviators was George Lee Temple. He was born in ‘Solheim’ a house in Cumberland Park Acton on 11 August 1892, the youngest son of Lieutenant George Theodore Temple RN (retired). His mother was Norwegian, and his father was awarded the Knight of the Order of St Olaf for surveying the Norwegian Coast. George Lee Temple was educated at the Trent College public school in Long Eaton, Gresham’s School in Norfolk, and then did an engineering apprenticeship with the Singer motor factory in Coventry which built cars and motorcycles. In 1910 he was a successful motorcycle racer for their works team. But after a motorcycle accident in 1912 he became interested in aviation, and in September he opened a flying school at Hendon with a partner, Mr F. Jameson. They purchased two secondhanded Bleriot monoplanes, and Temple taught hi...

Recently I was looking at the 1936 OS map of Willesden when I saw the large ‘Camera Works’ in Lichfield Gardens. I did not know what this was until I found an aerial photo, (taken from a different direction), which said it was the Williamson Manufacturing Works. Further research showed the factory was here from 1919 and by 1961 it had moved to nearby 69 Hawthorn Road. The company which has an interesting history, was started by James Williamson who was an early moving picture maker. He was born in 1855 in Scotland and came to London in 1868 when he was apprenticed to a chemist. He practiced as a pharmacist in Eastry, near Sandwich Kent, until 1886 when he moved to Hove. Williamson took up lantern photography as a hobby, and he was introduced to cinematography by friends including William Frise-Greene who lived in Kilburn. Williamson began to experiment with moving pictures about 1896 in his small studio, and by 1898 he had entered the film business. In his early films he frequent...

In 1911 Arthur Sweetman appeared in court in Margate, charged with being in possession of offensive weapons. The magistrate was told he had been carrying an impressive armoury when taken into custody: a new heavy calibre six-chamber Colt revolver, fully loaded; 16 loose cartridges; a long-bladed sheath knife attached to his belt and a combination knife. More remarkable was that Arthur was only 16 years old. Arthur was born in Willesden and Kent was a long way from his parents’ Cricklewood home, so what was he doing there? He was arrested in Broadstairs on the evening of 25 February by PC Brenchley. Brenchley became suspicious when he saw Arthur loitering outside St Peter’s Court, a prep school where 11-year old Prince Henry the Duke of Gloucester, and the son of King George V, was a pupil. Sweetman could not give any reason for being there, so he was taken to the police station. He said he came from Deal and when searched, in addition to the weapons he was also carrying a pocket lamp, ...