History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

Sadly, John Mayall a pioneer of British Blues, died on 22 July 2024 at his home in California and there have been numerous tributes in the media.  There is a double connection to West Hampstead. With his band The Bluesbreakers John played 33 times at Klooks Kleek, the jazz and blues club run by Dick Jordan and Geoff Williams on the first floor of the Railway Hotel in West Hampstead. He also recorded many albums at the Decca Studios in Broadhurst Gardens. The first was ‘Mayall Plays Mayall’ recorded at Klooks Kleek on 7 December 1964, when cables were run over to the next door studios. The band at this time was John Mayall (vocals, keyboards and harmonica), Roger Dean (guitar), John McVie (bass), Hughie Flint (drums) and Nigel Stanger on sax. John with his band playing at Klooks Kleek in May 1965. Photo by Paul Soper, used by kind permission. Probably the most famous album ‘Blues Breakers: John Mayall with Eric Clapton’, was made in Broadhurst Gardens in March 1966. The band was May...

In 1949 by chance, Paul Doyle met Gladys Davies on the Underground and they both got off at West Hampstead station. Gladys worked as a secretary in the West End. Over time, they developed a relationship and Paul visited her home at 31 Lyncroft Gardens. He said he was an MI5 army major undertaking highly secret work with the Special Branch. He left her house punctually at 10.00, telling Gladys he had to take a car from West Hampstead police station (then near the Underground station), on a regular journey to Scotland Yard where he was working on attachment. They planned to get married and Gladys lent him money which he needed to contest his mother’s will. He said he would get between £7,000 and £12,000 when the case in the High Court was resolved. He received over £4,000 from Gladys and her friend Ada Webster who lived in the same house. By 1955, Gladys had only £3 16s 11d left in her bank account when she went to the police. After investigating the ‘major’, Chief Inspector James ...