Publications

• Wallet containing 10 notelets (2 designs). - £2.25.
• Souvenir booklet of 11 local postcards. - £1.00.
• Pack of 20 different local postcards. - £2.75.

The Enfield book / Graham Dalling.– London : Historical Publications, 2007. – 120p. ; 25cm. – ISBN 978-1-905286-20-1 : £14.50.

This book, in A-Z format, relates the history, both ancient and modern, of Enfield and its transition from a sleepy small town to a suburb that touches urban London at one end and the Green Belt at another

The author describes, with the help of 169 illustrations, the development of the various districts, and the personalities that played a part in their history or else were prominent in national affairs. – Back cover

This book is reviewed by David Pam in TES news, no. 169, Spring 2008, p.7.

Cover picture: Market Square and St. Andrew's Church, 1805

Treasures of Enfield : discovering the buildings of a London borough / edited by Valerie Carter.- Enfield : Enfield Preservation Society, 2000. - 192p. ; 25cm., 270 illustrations, 21 sketches, 8 maps. - ISBN 0-907318-16-9. : £13.50.

Historic mansions, pubs, churches, public buildings, schools and houses, representing every period from the sixteenth to the twentieth century, are illustrated and described. Most of the borough's listed buildings are included, together with examples of modern architecture and unexpected oddities. There is a brief account of how each part of the borough developed, with maps to guide the reader round individual areas.

The book was produced with the enthusiastic cooperation of photographers, historians and individuals from all parts of the borough. It demonstrates their pride in Enfield's history and architectural diversity, and forms a unique record of buildings in the London Borough of Enfield in the year 2000.

Cover picture: Forty Hall

An illustrated historical, statistical and topographical account of the Urban District of Enfield / by Cuthbert Wilfrid Whitaker, M.A. Captain, 3rd Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment). "With maps of the district, and over 100 illustrations from engravings, original sketches and photographs". – Enfield : Enfield Preservation Society, 1969. – 400p. ; 22cm. – £5.00. (Reprint of the edition originally published in 1911). As this hard-bound book is quite heavy, an additional £3.00 will be required for postage if it is to be sent by post.

Contains historical notes from prehistoric times up to 1911, topograhical notes on various localities within the borough, biographical sketches on notable people associated with Enfield, including a 30-page essay on Charles Lamb and Enfield, description of the government and services provided in the borough such as education and public health, some "district names and their meanings", a bibliography of other books, periodicals and pamphlets and a detailed index.

Enfield’s architectural heritage / edited by Valerie Carter, Peter Perryman and Alan Skilton.- Enfield : Enfield Preservation Society, 1977. – 62p. ; 19x24cm., 106 illustrations, mostly photographs. – £5.00 (paperback).

In August 1976 the Enfield Preservation Society organised an outstandingly successful exhibition "Looking at buildings" in Forty Hall, Enfield. More than 200 photographs of existing buildings in the London Borough of Enfield were used to illustrate the development of English architecture over the past four centuries.

100 of these pictures have been selected to provide a permanent record of the rich architectural heritage contained within a single London borough. The book is arranged chronologically, with each period introduced by brief notes on national architectural developments of the time. Separate sections give examples of weatherboarding, other architecural details, doors and windows.

Cover picture: Enfield Court (Enfield Grammar School, Lower School)

Fighting for the future : the story of Enfield Preservation Society 1936-1996 / by Valerie Carter.- Enfield : Enfield Preservation Society, 1997. - 294p. ; 25cm. - ISBN 0-907318-15-0. : £16.95. Free of charge to members of The Enfield Society.

A heartening account of what can be achieved by ordinary people who are determined to protect their local heritage. Some of the stories reveal deplorable examples of private greed, official incompetence and political scheming. But there are also moments of high farce, such as the extraordinary plan to turn Forty Hall, Whitewebbs and Hill Fields into a theme park with talking toadstools playing recorded fairy stories.

'This is a truly remarkable account of real people fighting for their patch ... a social history with a difference, as celebration of suburban society as it should be ...' – Dr David Bellamy

Cover picture: Gentleman's Row

The Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield and its workers / David Pam.- Enfield : David Pam, 1998. - 213p. ; 24cm. - ISBN 0-9532271-0-3. - £14.00.

The Royal Small Arms Factory had its origins among the mists and marshes along the River Lea in the desolate days around the end of the Napoleonic Wars. . . . This factory, small at first, has played a part in every major war or minor skirmish in which British forces have been involved over the last two centuries. Weapons designed and made there have carried the name of Enfield (or the first two letters of that name) into every quarter of the world through every crisis in Britain's history. . . During the Crimean War our Government, again faced with a crisis in supply, decided to rebuild the Enfield factory on a vast scale, introducing there for the first time in this country the latest American techniques for making weapons entirely by machinery. These methods were quickly adopted over here, enabling the British engineering trade to take a giant step forward in that transformation of production known as the Industrial Revolution. This is also the story of the working-class community which grew up around the factory at Enfield Lock; their skills, their sufferings, their houses, their efforts for self-improvement, their pleasures, pubs, politics and religion. – [ Dust jacket]

Regeneration and innovation : invention and reinvention in the Lea Valley / Jim Lewis. - Faringdon : Libri Publishing, 2011. - 145p. ; 24cm. - (Lea Valley series.) - ISBN 978-1-907471-56-8 : £9.99

When the Cistercian order established an abbey at Stratford in the twelfth century, the area was a sparsely populated piece of land on the edge of the Thames Marshes. This book charts the dramatic change from medieval farm land to twenty-first-century Olympic village, showing how, like an endless Olympic relay, the baton of technological knowledge is carried forward, handed on from generation to generation. Via the stories of the Bow Porcelain Works, early steam engineer Walter Hancock, the Great Eastern Railway Works at Stratford, the Thames Ironworks at Canning Town and the chemicals company Johnson and Matthey, Dr Jim Lewis reveals how technological change and innovation happens. The book explores the Lea Valley region’s rich heritage as a crucible of world industrial and technological firsts, showing how the discoveries, inventions and entrepreneurs of the past have influenced and moulded the way we live today – and suggesting how their legacy will determine people’s lives in the future. - [Back cover]

Battleships, buses and bombers : a history of transport in the Lea Valley / Jim Lewis. - Hendon : Middlesex University Press, 2009. - 108p. ; 24cm. - (Lea Valley series.) - ISBN 978-190475087-1 : £9.99

This book describes the range of transport innovation pioneered in the region from the first ironclad battle cruiser, HMS Warrior, to the Eurostar mainenance depot of today. It also includes many transport firsts, such as A. V. Roe's historic flight at Walthamstow Marshes in 1909.

From gunpowder to guns : the story of two Lea Valley armories / Jim Lewis. - Hendon : Middlesex University Press, 2009. - 86p. ; 24cm. - (Lea Valley series.) - ISBN 978-190475085-7 : £9.99

Recounts the story of the two Lea Valley armouries responsible for supplying weapons and explosives to British and Commonwealth forces for over 200 years: the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock and the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey, the history of which is charted from basic explosives to Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bomb and rocket propellants.

Water and waste : four hundred years of health improvements in the Lea Valley / Jim Lewis. - Hendon : Middlesex University Press, 2009. - 91p. ; 24cm. - (Lea Valley series.) - ISBN 978-190475086-4 : £9.99

Documents the improvements and challenges in public health over this period such as the engineering feat of the New River and the eradication of cholera and typhoid. The book looks at the early days of recycling in the eighteenth century and modern environmental issues.

From Eton Manor to the Olympics : more Lea Valley secrets revealed / Jim Lewis - Faringdon : Libri, 2010. - 111p. ; 24cm. - (Lea Valley series.) - ISBN 978-190747103-2 : £9.99

Contains a wealth of information concerning the Lea Valley's history, much of it connected to the forthcoming 2012 Olympics. Jim Lewis tells the stroy of how the redundant track surface from the 1948 Olympic Games at Wembley was uplifted and transported to Leyton and used, with the help of volunteer members, to repair the track at Eton Manor. As a schoolboy, in the early 1950s, the author ran on this same track. He traces the history of Gilwell Park, Chingford, the "Spiritual Home of the Scout Movement", and the growth of Speedway into a major sport in the Lea Valley, with teams in Rye House, Walthamstow, Lea Bridge, Harringay, Hackney Wick and West Ham – the only ones that survive are based at Rye House. Other stories reveal little-known facts about the area. Harper Twelvetrees, the philanthropic soap manufacturer and his involvement with a runaway slave; Vincenzo Lunardi's daring balloon flight, commemorated at Welham GReen, and Wright's Flour Mill in Ponders End, which is a shining example of a successful and innovative family firm. These and many more stories of the Lea Valley's fascinating history are explored in this book. – [Back cover]

Industry and innovation : the technological revolution in the Lea Valley / Jim Lewis. - Faringdon : Libri, 2010. - 114p. ; 24cm. - (Lea Valley series.) - ISBN 978-190747102-5 : £9.99

Industry and Innovation looks at the wealth of inventions which sprang from the Lea Valley and the growth of many major businesses in the region. Jim Lewis tells the story of Charles Babbage, the Victorian "inventor of the computer"; the electric light bulbs produced at the Ediswan factory and the development of the world-famous Gestetner copying machines. William Congreve's rockets, produced at his factory in Bromley-by-Bow, were used in the Napoleonic Wars and used gunpowder from the Royal Gunpowder Mills. Luke Howard, the father of modern meteorology influenced John Constable with his drawings and classifications of clouds. In 1908, the first Thermos manufacturing facility in Britain opened in Tottenham, north London – the Thermos flask has now celebrated its centenary and is an indispensable part of modern life. The first transatlantic telephone call was made on 15 January 1923 between New York and New Southgate, from the factory which became Standard Telephones and Cables. Thorn, EMI and Ferguson flourished in the Lea Valley and developed many of the technologies we take for granted today – from colour TV to the halogen cooker hob. These stories of investigation, invention and ingenuity are brought to life. – [Back cover]

Weapons, wireless and world wars : the vital role of the Lea Valley / Jim Lewis. - Faringdon : Libri, 2010. - 77p. ; 24cm. - (Lea Valley series.) - ISBN 978-190747100-1 : £9.99

Weapons, Wireless and World Wars explores the involvement of the Lea Valley in two World Wars. From advances in weapons manufacture to the development of wireless technology – the Lea Valley was at the cutting edge. Jim Lewis explores the history of small arms production in the area and its effect on methods of warfare. The book tells the story of the first Blitz, during World War One and the sensational destruction of two giant airships. In September 1916, Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson, brought down SL 11, the first German airship to be destroyed in aerial combat over Britain. The airship crashed in a great ball of flame in Cuffley, Hertfordshire, with the loss of the entire crew of 16. Almost a month later, another victory was claimed in the skies over Hertfordshire with the bringing down of one of Germany's super Zeppelins, L 31, at Potters Bar. In the Second World War, Alexandra Palace joined the action as a secret weapon – her transmitter was used to jam enemy communications, confuse the enemy bombers and save countless lives. Jim Lewis tells these and many more stories. – [Back cover]

The Enfield quiz book / compiled by Betty Smith ; original illustrations by Phil Briers.- Enfield : Enfield Preservation Society, 2001. - 24p. ; 21cm. - .ISBN 0-907318-17-7. - £1.50

Seventeen quizzes on aspects of Enfield, including buildings, transport, people, industry, sport and many other topics.

A portrait of Gentleman's Row / by R. Williams.- Enfield : Enfield Preservation Society, 1997. - 294p. ; 20cm. - ISBN 0-907318-04-5. : £9.50

Includes photos, maps, prose and prints. Many photographs by Reginald T. Williams, with text and some photographs by others. Through his membership of the Enfield Preservation Society, Reg Williams became keenly aware how rapidly Enfield was changing, as new developments swept away features he had known all his life. He set himself the task of making a photographic record of endangered buildings and thoroughfares ... . The photographs selected for A portrait of Gentleman's Rowcome from the extensive collection which he gave to the Enfield Preservation Society before his death in 1982.

Edmonton : ancient village to working-class suburb / by David Pam.– London : Edmonton Hundred Historical Society, 2006. – 40p. ; 24cm. – (Occasional papers ; no. 64). – ISBN 0-902922-64-5 : £4.50.

This illustrated booklet does not claim to be a history of Edmonton, but is a series of stories illustrative of that history.

Reviewed by Peter Perryman in EPS news, no. 165, Spring 2007, p.3.

Enfield Town : village green to shopping precinct / David Pam.– London : Edmonton Hundred Historical Society, 2007. – 36 p. ; 21cm. – (Occasional papers ; no. 66) – ISBN 978-0-902922-66-2 : £4.00.

Reviewed by Peter Perryman in TES news, no. 170, Summer 2008, p.7.

The lads of Enfield Lock : 172 years of apprentice training at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, Middlesex, England 1816-1988 / researched and written by Graham Birchmore and Roy Burges on behalf of the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, Apprentices Association. 2nd edition. – Faringdon : Libri Publishing, 2011. – 190p. ; 27cm. – ISBN 978-1-907471-30-8 : £15.

In this second edition the original version has been updated and includes many new photos together with reminiscences by fifty former apprentices at the Royal Small Arms Factory. The changes in apprentice training over 172 years is described with the development of new technologies and advanced educational requirements for engineers, technicians and craftsmen. This hardback is illustrated by photographs and reproductions of historic documents.

Enfield past / Graham Dalling. – London : Historical Publications, 1999. – 144 p. ; 25cm. – ISBN 0-948667-57-5 : £10.00 (original price £14.95).

This book tells the story of a suburb of London from when it was chiefly renowned for Enfield Chase, one of the monarch's hunting grounds, until more modern times when its factories were crucial in the supply of arms during the last two wars. The author deals with the rise of industry along the River Lee, the gradual extension of housing as railways made their presence felt, and also the residence in Enfield Town of the writer, Charles Lamb, whose comments about his neighbours add to our knowledge of rural Enfield. He also deals extensively with two drawn-out disputes over education. The first was in the later 19th century when the vicar was determined to keep out ‘Board’ schools so that church schools might still prevail. The second was in the 1960s when battle raged over the introduction of comprehensive schools in Enfield and the abolition of grammar schools. His narrative is illustrated with 179 pictures and maps. – [Dust jacket]

Enfield through time / Stephen Sellick. – Stroud : Amberley Publishing, 2011. – 96p. ; 24cm. – ISBN 978-1-84868-639-7 : £14.99. Paperback.

There have been several books of old photographs of Enfield published in recent years – but this one has a novel twist, juxtaposing each picture of old Enfield with a related modern day photograph, generally one of the same view, taken from an identical viewpoint (if access still permits).

Following a two page introduction, each page has a pair of photographs which show vividly the remarkable change that took place across Enfield in the space of the 20th century. It is extremely interesting to compare the two and see how over the years, change has crept into even what we would think of as the most “unspoilt” parts of Enfield – not to mention quite horrifying for someone of my generation (whose living memory only extends as far back as the building of the Palace Gardens Precinct in the early 1980s) to see the many landmarks and features that were lost in the name of “improvements” in the decades after World War Two.

The “then and now” format makes this book particularly accessible for those who may otherwise struggle to identify some of the locations – even my two primary-age children were intrigued to see the “before” photos of streets and buildings that they know well.

Stephen Sellick’s book will remain a relevant and interesting record in the years to come: the present-day photos are also just a snapshot in time and Enfield will of course continue to evolve – in another 30 years we’ll be marvelling at what Enfield was like in “these old photos from 2010”!

This book is highly recommended for anyone with even just a passing interest in the history of the area and a great addition to the range of books already available. – Emma Halstead

Southgate and Edmonton past : a study in divergence / Graham Dalling. – London : Historical Publications, 1996. – 144p. ; 25cm. – ISBN 0-948667-34-6 : £14.95. (Special price of £10.00 for EPS members).

Southgate and Edmonton grew up as one parish, but gradually drifted apart. In Edmonton, the railways brought a rush of low-quality housing and an influx of poorer residents who relied on cheap workmen's trains to get them into London. In Southgate, the ownership of large estates in comparatively few hands made the area exclusive and resistant to change.

This divergence of class and outlook led to a dramatic and contentious separation in 1881, which allowed Southgate to pursue its own destiny unhampered by what some of its residents thought of as the burden of Edmonton. This separation, vehemently supported and opposed at the time, forms the main theme in this, the first book published since 1819 treating both places as one historic parish. – [Dust jacket]