About

Welcome to Remembering Harrow!

Through pictures, videos, sound clips and articles this blog will share the history and memories of the London Borough of Harrow from those most qualified; its residents.

There are already loads of great local history books on Harrow and the surrounding area and a quick trip to the library offers a wealth of information detailing the growth, establishment and development of the borough we recognise today. As important and interesting as these histories are, Remembering Harrow seeks to place focus on the individual, the residents, you! and how such individuals have over the years formed a fascinating collective who have all, in their own small (or sometimes very large) way, have shaped the history of Harrow.

Any area and its history would be nothing if it were not for the people who lived in it, worked, played, built it, moved in or out of it, grew up or grew old, and this is exactly what Remembering Harrow wants to find, celebrate and share.

Even if your memories aren’t particularly fond, overly nostalgic or all that positive, they still make up the history of the local area and if anything make accounts such as these more realistic, relatable and believable.

From the mundane to the extraordinary, the past to the present Remembering Harrow is here as an open space, an empty book waiting to be filled with memories and shared stories.

Why Remembering Harrow?

History has never felt as popular. From countless historic television dramas, to novels, films, over crowded museums, sold out exhibitions, the great enthusiasm that family history research is met with, even to debates and protest over sector cuts and the changing curriculum; history clearly matters. As the gap between ‘academia’ and ‘popular’ history shrinks and ease in accessing history, undertaking research and the formats and places with which history can be found continues to grow, it is time for local history to follow this trend.

Rather than just confined to local museums, libraries and books local history needs to be more accessible, telling the stories people want to hear in ways they can easily find them and become involved themselves.

Of course this is already being done in many successful ways with the help of museums, libraries and historic societies through projects and work with families, children and school groups, however there is always room for expansion. Even on a larger scale, for example across London as a whole, there are countless examples of apps, twitter accounts, blogs, projects and support from larger institutions and organisations, but it is important for this to filter downwards.

Remembering Harrow aims to fill this gap. The majority of its content will be led by public involvement, individuals sharing their stories and history and will be presented in varying ways that will be easily accessible and open for discussion and input from all. Additional posts will complement this, providing further information such as backgrounds, key facts or contexts.

As a site and with the history included, Remembering Harrow aims to be wholly inclusive, including all geographical areas of Harrow (and occasionally the surrounding area) and celebrating the diversity and multiculturalism of the area.

This site is impartial with no political or religious alignment.

About me

My name is Christina, I’ve lived in South Harrow since I was 4 and my family has been in the area since the 1870s (at least). I have an English and History Degree studied at the University of Portsmouth and am currently a student at Royal Holloway, University of London studying for a Masters in Public History. Generally my historical interests lie in 20th Century social and cultural history with a particular focus on the Interwar period and the history of London.