Brentham Garden Suburb

The current BBC2 drama Summer of Rockets was partly filmed in Brentham last year. The full series is available on the BBC iPlayer or you can watch it on Wednesday evenings at 9pm on BBC2.
Here are some of the photos we took of the filming on Vivian Green. Click on any image to begin the slide show.
Below is a short film clip of the crew in action. Can you match the sequences being filmed with the shots in the final drama?

From Brentham Way – Tony MacKersie

Within a few seconds on Saturday 4th May a part of the pre-history of Brentham was suddenly gone. At about 5.20pm, in the allotments between Brunner Road and Brentham Way there was a terrific vibration as one of the huge Brentham Oaks, around 350 years old, crashed to the ground.   Its massive  canopy fell into several of the neighbouring gardens, a poplar tree and damaging sheds.

Alex and Neil look on in despair

The owners of the allotment, Alex and Neil Sibley explained that it had been raining, there were gusting winds, and some of the now exposed roots appear to have rotted.  Only a few minutes earlier their children were playing on a swing hanging from one of the branches.  Luckily they had gone back into their house on Woodfield Crescent when the tree fell, thus avoiding what could have been a terrible tragedy.

In February 2018 – Tony MacKersie

This is how the tree looked in February 2018.

Below is a video of the giant oak minutes before it fell, shown courtesy of Anita Sharda and Tim Sands, whose house overlooked the tree.

Back in 2005 Martin Mortimore interviewed John Bowman, sadly no longer with us, who at that time owned the allotment. The pleasure that the tree brought John is clear in the short film clip below.

The tree is a great loss to Brentham.

The  Annual General Meeting of The Brentham Society for the year ending August 2018 will be held at The Brentham Club on

Tuesday 26th February at 8pm.

Our speaker this year is the international authority on John Ruskin and local resident, Robert Hewison. Ruskin and William Morris were the founding fathers of the Arts & Crafts movement which so influenced Brentham Garden Suburb. Robert’s talk: ‘Pleasure in Labour: Ruskin and Morris’ explains why and how they became such influential figures.

Following the talk there will be a review of the year and plans for the coming year. All Brentham Society members are encouraged to attend to voice their views on issues affecting Brentham.

Minutes of last year’s AGM are here and accounts for 2017-18 are here

Refreshments will be served – we look forward to seeing you.

Original Brentham bedroom fireplace

The Brentham Society has a store of reclaimed original Brentham fixtures and fittings – including this handsome bedroom fireplace. If you are doing any renovation work and would like to restore original features, the Brentham Society would be happy for you to put these to good use in return for a small donation.

Click here to see a selection of doors.

If you are interested in any of the items we have please contact us.

As we approach 100 years since the end of World War I we remember all those from Brentham who served.

During the period 1914 – 1918 some 210 Brentham men went to war – 17 did not return.

A plaque to the memory of those who gave their lives hangs in the top bar of The Brentham Club.

You can find out more about those who did not return here.

Following a public vote, Brentham Garden Suburb made it into the Top Ten of the Nation’s Favourite Conservation Areas. We were one of only two areas in London in a national shortlist of 18 out of 249 submissions to Civic Voice’s recent campaign. Other finalists included Swindon Railway Village, Port Sunlight Garden Suburb and Lichfield City Centre. In such illustrious and high profile company it’s a great achievement for Brentham to have finished in 9th place.

Thanks to everyone who voted for us.

Our submission included a profile and history of Brentham, several photos and an edited version of the Brentham Story DVD – now available to watch here.

A full account of the campaign and the results is being prepared for a forthcoming Brentham News.

Brentham is one of 18 shortlisted conservation areas out of a total of 249 submissions to Civic Voice’s campaign to find the Nation’s Favourite Conservation Area.

Vote for Brentham Garden Suburb as your favourite. Click here

Voting now closed (16/10/2018)

If you missed the Open Gardens event last Sunday you have a second chance to see one of the gardens by coming to The Strawberry Tea this coming Sunday.

Come and meet many of the Brentham Society Committee, your local Councillors and MPs and mingle with friends and neighbours. There will be face painting for the younger Brenthamites.

This year’s May Queen, Grace Connett, will be guest of honour.

The annual Open Gardens Day will be on  Sunday 17th June from 1-30pm – 5pm

This year the plant sale will be on Vivian Green (opposite Brentham Club)

Programmes are sold on the day @ £4-50 per person
on Vivian Green or at 115 Fowlers Walk

Funds raised to go to Meadow House Hospice

If you are interested in opening your garden, contributing plants for the plant sale, or can help with the teas and/or tickets sales please contact:

Sheila@brentham.com