Pre-Second World war - HAMPSTEAD HEATH 2011

The first German air attack took place in London on the evening of the
7th of September 1940 and thence began a chapter of history where Hampstead Heath, with its neighbouring villages of Hampstead and Highgate, had a role to play in those dangerous days between 1939 and 1945, before peace was declared.

However, it has not just been the warfare and battles of recent times that The Heath has had a strong association with.

Indeed, it is highly probable that The Heath played its part in defining pugilistic action as early as the Anglo Saxon period.

There are ancient ditches and boundaries still visible today across both West Heath and East Heath and there seems to have been an ancient battle between a London based tribe and one in St. Albans, where oncoming tribesmen would be clearly visible on the Heath's higher ground.

Parliament Hill offers fantastic views of London and the surrounding countryside.

Some believe that Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators stood upon the hill looking towards parliament waiting for it to explode.

However, a more likely explanation is that Parliament Hill was a point of defence during the English Civil War for troops loyal to parliament.

From 1808 to 1814 Hampstead Heath hosted a station in the shutter telegraph chain which connected the Admiralty in London to its naval ships in the port of Great Yarmouth.

Telegraph Hill, originally part of Hampstead Heath, is situated on high ground near West Heath.

Throughout the nineteenth century, many regimental parades and tributes took place around Hampstead Heath.

The present Everyman Theatre in Hampstead was, before 1920, the Hampstead Drill Hall of the 3rd Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps and, in 1858, Burgh House was the officer's mess of the Royal East Middlesex Militia.

Opposite, an inspection can be seen of The Middlesex Militia, in Hampstead in 1851.



This picture shows The 2nd Warwickshire Volunteers, practicing battle on Hampstead Heath, in 1860.

This regiment, stated Lord Leigh, was "a credit to the country and stood second to none in the provinces."

The regiment took part in events all over London, including Battersea Park, where "evolutions were gone through with great military precision."

Other regiments that took part in demonstrating their skills in the field were The London Scottish Rifles, the 18th Middlesex (Hornsey Rifle Volunteers), The Essex Corps, The Essex and Uxbridge Yeomanry Cavalry and Artillery and many other metropolitan corps.



The picture on the left shows a Highgate reception for the Belgian Volunteers, in 1867 at Holly Lodge, Highgate.

The Boer Wars (1880/81 and 1899/1902) proved to be unpopular and drawn out and had been thought to be an easy victory for the British Empire.

The picture opposite shows local Reservists parading in Hampstead High Street, before departing for South Africa.

Britain and its Empire moved slowly into the new era of the twentieth century.
The commonwealth of Australia was founded, Queen Victoria died and Edward V11 was crowned, following the end of The Boer War and then succeeded, in 1911, by George V.

On 1 July 1916, the British and French attempted a mass infantry attack on German lines along the north bank of the River Somme.

Almost a quarter of a million shells were fired at German positions in an hour that morning.

The noise of this massive barrage was so intense it could be heard on Hampstead Heath.

During World War 1, it became increasingly necessary to take over large well known buildings in both Hampstead and Highgate for military establishments and hospitals.

New End Hospital, Hampstead, was one example.

The picture above shows the frontage of New End Hospital, with a military ambulance outside. The building, designed by H.E. Kendall, was erected in 1849-50 as the Hampstead workhouse.

The nature of the fighting during the Great War led to a huge number of injured soldiers and the existing Military medical facilities in the United Kingdom were soon overwhelmed.

A solution had to be found quickly and many civilian hospitals were turned over to military use, a large number of asylums were also converted to military hospitals, with the asylum patients being sent home, often to unprepared families.

As demand for beds grew, large buildings such as Universities and hotels were transformed into hospitals and wooden huts sprang up in hospital grounds and at army camps to cope with the huge numbers.

Additional nursing staff were needed and this was met by a mixture of qualified nurses and volunteers.  

One example was Mount Vernon (junction of Heath Street and Hampstead High Street). (see picture above)

On March, 1915, it became The Military Hospital, Hampstead. (see original news item in The British Journal of Nursing, 1915)

During The Great War, many marches and military maneuvers took place on Hampstead Heath as can be seen opposite and below.

"CLICK HERE to see an old Pathe News Film of soldiers playing on Hampstead Heath, 1914-1918."
"CLICK HERE to see an old Pathe News Film of soldiers having a snowball fight 1914-1918"