Review by Alan Selwyn
Congratulations to two local heroes and a very unusual estate agent cum publisher.
On Wednesday, at the wonderful Burgh House, lubricated by wine and canapés, we had the long-anticipated launch of ‘Exploring Belsize’, the compendium of six of Averil Nottage’s popular historic walks through the Belsize area. And what a glorious publication it is, richly illustrated by David S Percy’s beautiful photographs and archive material from the Camden Local Studies Centre and Archive and elsewhere.
The six themed walks take us through our local streets which seem on the surface so familiar. Averil’s research superimposes the past onto the present and we start to see things which had hitherto gone unnoticed. She writes beautifully and wears her scholarship lightly. The past Averil evokes illuminates the present and her stories heighten our appreciation of our locality and makes it even more precious and important to protect.
Each 90-minute walk is headed by a beguiling title such as ‘Boarding houses, cinemas and strudels’ or ‘Artists, refugees and spies’. A clear map gives us the route and the description along the way of people and places is illustrated with a fine selection of images, past and present.
Being produced on excellent quality paper and of a good size, it is not exactly a handy pocket book to carry with you and I might hope at some stage for a complimentary app. (albeit with a careful eye on your phone), paper summary download to print out for the walk or an audio guide.
The publisher, unusually, is a local estate agent, KIRE (Keeping It Real Estate). They also published David S. Percy’s recent lavish ‘Remarkable Homes of NW3’. Co-founder Michael McHale was brought up in the area and has always been interested in its history and understands the added value this brings his business. It’s good to see a local company not only prosper but keen to put back something into the community. Without their support a book of this quality would have been most unlikely.
The forward by Dame Helena Kennedy brings her personal story and appreciation of 40 years in Belsize Park. She will be leading a discussion of the book with Averil, on Thursday November 12th – more details available soon.
This book can be wholeheartedly recommended and is on sale at Daunts, Waterstones and all other good bookshops and online, price £14.99.
