Our April talk

Travels round the edge of history

Our speaker, David Bowen, introduced his travel and history book-to-be, currently a blog, as "the fourth of three acts". David is a former business journalist, including eight years at the Independent, and founder of two companies reporting, analysing and consulting on online corporate communications. But he's always had a thing for history.

After a long haul of parental illness, David and his partner Donne were in search of somewhere to go that wasn’t Salisbury General Hospital. Destinations had to meet three criteria: historically fascinating, beautiful and relatively obscure. It's been a six year project, including his own year in hospital.

David brought a selection of stories for us: the sudden appearance of new land in the Azores; a scientist’s quest on Principe to prove Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, how Heligoland managed to be British and German at the same time; on the isle of Skye, the Fairy Flag, a magic banner to ward off enemies; and back to the Azores for a curious tale of Viking mice and the Goshawks, Açores, the archipelago was named after (even though they were probably another species).

Quote of the night goes to this, a headline from the New York Times, on the Einstein experiment: 'Light all skew in the heavens – Men Of Science More or Less Agog Over Results of Eclipse Observations’.

A big thank-you to David for an evening of historical wanderings. Follow his blog here on Substack, where you can also do his regular quiz based on a 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica. 

There was even a bonus Bowen: David’s daughter Megan, an opera and musical theatre singer. Find out more about Megan’s work here. 

A special mention, too, for Heather’s marvellously restorative Victoria sponge.

Our monthly coffee and catch-up

Friday 24th April, meet between 10.30 and 11.00 – Thingy Café, Trowbridge Gardens, 1 Trowbridge Road, E9 5LD

Easily accessible from Hackney Wick station (Mildmay line) and bus routes 276 and 488.

This is my last blogpost for East End WI after posting my witterings on here for some time, as I'm bidding a fond farewell to WI membership. You can look forward to fresh views, new voices and if you're lucky, pithier copy in the blogposts to come. 

Our April walk

 

Cool blues, hot drinks and a temple: our April walk in Wanstead Park

Christine writes:

"Our April walk started as a blustery chilly day but happily ended with a smidgen of blue sky and sunshine. A short and pleasant walk from the tube station led us to Wanstead Park. I'd forgotten how nice Wanstead Park is, especially in bluebell season. We all agreed that we'd caught the bluebells in their prime. Carpets of mauvey blue and talk of the distinction between native British bluebells and the invasive Spanish variety. A circuit around Heronry Pond led us back to the refreshments kiosk for welcome hot drinks and (unanimously) bacon sarnies ! Luckily the Temple visitor centre was open and we enjoyed the displays about the park's history as the grounds of a long lost grand mansion. Our return to the tube station saw a couple of us tempted into Wanstead House community and arts centre, who were having an open day. We enjoyed stalls on textile art, painting, photography, ballroom dancing and more. We even learnt about post war community hall architecture. Nothing if not a varied morning out!"

Read more about both varieties of bluebell on The Wildlife Trusts website.

Fancy joining us for a walk? Look out for the next coming up blogpost.

Pictures by Christine

Coming up in April

 

Bluebells, Azorean mice and a thingy: coming up in April

Our monthly walk: Saturday 11th April – visit the bluebells in Wanstead Park

Meet 11.00, at the entrance to Wanstead tube station.

This month, we head for Chalet Wood, where the bluebells are spectacular if caught at their peak. A bonus is that the historic 'Temple' will be open. The Temple has the history of the Park's Roman Villa, tales of regency romance gone wrong, statues which once stood throughout the Park, a gift shop, public toilets and friendly, knowledgeable staff on hand to answer questions.

You may wish to bring a drink and a snack in case the Wanstead Tea Hut isn’t open.

If you're a member, look out for the EEWI walks WhatsApp on the day for any changes or to see who else is joining.

Our monthly meeting: Thursday 16th April, 7pm for 7.30 – Travels round the Edge of History, with David Bowen, former journalist and consultant, now full-time writer, traveller and history obsessive

At our usual venue: St Margaret’s House, 21 Old Ford Road, London E2 9PL, entrance via the gate to the left. (If you’re joining us for the first time, feel free to email us and someone will meet you at the entrance on Old Ford Road.)

David Bowen has spent seven years travelling around obscure islands in the North Atlantic, mixing travel and history writing to produce Substack posts and (he hopes) a book. He has, on his historical wanderings, come across some most unusual stories. Such as: Why mice tell us who got to the Azores first, how a magical flag helped a Hebridean clan win its battles, why the tiniest bit of the British empire was German, and the mountain that came out of the sea (Azores again). David was a journalist for many years, including eight on the Independent, and specialised in shedding light on complicated subjects. He then set up and ran a business consultancy. Now, in the third half of his career, he is combining writing with a longstanding obsession with history.

Our monthly coffee and catch-up: Friday 24th April, meet between 10.30 and 11.00 – Thingy Café, Trowbridge Gardens, 1 Trowbridge Road, E9 5LD

It's a good while since we’ve met in this charming café with its lovely garden surrounding it. A much-loved spot drawing locals and visitors, Thingy serves up coffee, brunch, cakes and a laid-back community atmosphere. 

Easily accessible from Hackney Wick station (Mildmay line) and bus routes 276 and 488.

Photos of Wanstead Park and Thingy café by Lydia; talk photos courtesy of David Bowen