The wheel barrow race - an archive in the Queens Head

I was in the Queens Head recently, and noticed some excellent archive photos of wheel barrow races.  This year was no different to any other, in that on St Georges day (well the Sunday nearest to that) a race was run.

I covered this race in full in 2010,  click here for the full post and loads of pictures, plus links to videos I made.

Here are some crude pictures I took of the archive that is held in the corridor to the toilets and beer garden.

Finally I also noted some lovely memorabilia and an old picture of Pinner Fair. I first experienced the setting up of the annual street event at the tender age of 5!

A lovely April day, not a rainy one!

The weather has warmed up a little, and we have had some lovely sunshine as well.

We enjoyed the Heath Robinson exhibition in the upstairs gallery in West House.  Not only pictures by Heath Robinson, for sale, but from his fellow artists.  Apparently they belonged to a club called the "Froth Club", and used to go on pub crawls to places like the Queens Head, and talk pictures and art.  The pictures there, all originals are for sale, some for £5,000 and some for very much more.  Heath Robinson's pen drawings were not the usual crazy inventions, but still featuring light sides of life.

The view from the gallery in West House is superb - I am not allowed for rights issues to show any pictures by Heath and his contemporaries, but thought these might interest blog readers who have not been to the exhibition.

 Here are some pictures taken during a walk yesterday from the top of the hill in the High Street, down Chapel Gardens, into Tookes Green, then down Nower Hill.  Lovely in the sunshine as well, slight chill to the air, but seasonal.  Also appreciate the flora and fauna local residents provide to enhance the street view.

Finally a shot of one of Pinner's private schools - on the main road into Pinner from North Harrow

Beware, woolly hat thief in Marks and Spencer Store

I was in Marks and Spencer this morning, took my woolly hat off and put it in my coat pocket.  In a senior moment I must have reached into the pocket for something else, and it fell out.

I asked a member of staff if they had seen it, they said best go to the information desk. Nobody was there, so I went up to a man in a suit, and he said he had been there a moment before and no hat was there.   No quick word of sympathy.  I left my keys behind in Lidl about a month ago, asked the manager there if he had found them, he said speak to a member of staff.  Very abrupt as well, what is wrong with Managers in supermarkets?  Get a little empathy lads!

This time some shots taken in Waxwell Lane this morning, some lovely old houses there.  Also a shot of the side of the police station.  What a facade the station is, only open for two hours a week to the public. Recession how you stink!

A lovely old house next to the Police Station

 Yet another lovely old cottage in Waxwell Lane -

 

This lovely house is possibly Victorian,

 

Our Police Station viewed from Waxwell Lane

 Some lovely old cottages on the wall - credited to Oddfellows, maybe that is how the pub gets its name?

 A lovely bush with twisty bark in Love Lane today.  I must look up how Love Lane got its name!  According to the Pinner Local History site the name goes back to Tudor times!

 A general, slighly blurred picture of Waxell Lane just before the turn into Love Lane

 Lovely primroses in Love Lane

 Some enormous expensive Meringues in Carluccios Window in Pinner High Street.  Totally  uncovered - how hygenic is that?

That's all for now - Love Life, Love Pinner!

Spring in Pinner - or not?

Evidence on the pond in the Memorial Park is that Spring has sprung.  A mosiac of nature's algae has been formed by the sunshine (the full effects for us ruined by the cold wind)

If you look at it now, it probably will have been cleared, as rain is forecast.  I wonder if the ghost of Heath Robinson has arranged this pretty pattern?

We have our own 7 day a week party in Pinner.  Seriously though a great place for cards, and everything to do with parties.  They also sell beer and wine.

Why do people leave shopping trolleys in the car park?  Mind you it does keep two men a job of work to do!

Here is an unfortunate sight, a glazing company fitting totally inappropriate windows to this property in Marsh Road shops.  

Finally spring blossom in Memorial Park

Local Pictorial Commentary

Even though it has been cold we have had two lovely sunny days, it makes everything seem so much more cheerful.

To start off, a young lady in a state of undress in Bridge Street Gardens.  Seriously though I hope she will be reunited with her young owner.

Easter holidays are currently underway, the parks and streets are full of children.  Happy Easter one and all.

A sad sight, this dog was left tethered to a tree, it was barking and distressed. When I first saw it, another dog was trying to mount it, I commented to its owner that it had got things wrong. It was putting itself over the poor tethered dog's mouth!   The owner eventually came out, and I commented how cruel she was leaving it there.  She said her children were in Daisy's Cafe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, no excuse - look after your pets please.

 

Finally some daffs to cheer things up!