In the 1960s, the founding members of the Highgate Society were choosing a name for their new quarterly magazine. “Where’s the buzz?” was a popular phrase at the time, capturing the excitement of new ideas and developments—so our buzz magazine was born. Phrases may come and go, but on 15 March 2025, the magazine reaches a major milestone with its 250th edition. This special issue includes a selection of buzz’s front covers over the years, alongside a selection of great articles.
Like all of our activities, buzz doesn’t appear by magic. It relies on the dedication of editors, writers, distributors, organisers, and many others whose hard work keeps it going. A huge thank you to everyone involved.
Meanwhile, this month’s update provides some important dates for the diary, particularly our AGM and guest speaker below, and you can see upcoming events and activities. I hope you find something of interest and look forward to seeing you soon.
Best wishes for March.
Andrew Sulston
Chair
Annual General Meeting
We have great pleasure in inviting you to the 58th Annual General Meeting of the Highgate Society which will be held
OnThursday 22 May 2025 at 7.00pm
at St Michael’s School, North Road, N6 4BG
Griff Rhys Jones will be the guest speaker. A very well-known actor and television presenter, as President of Civic Voice he has been awarded the OBE for services to the national civic society movement.
Doors open at 6.30pm, Formal proceedings start at 7pm. Drinks and light refreshments will be served.
NEWS
Bacton estate towers
Residents in the Gospel Oak and Haverstock wards in Camden have started a petition opposing proposals for three tower blocks of up 26 storeys on the Bacton Estate, to the south of Hampstead Heath. The Highgate Society, a member of the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee, is opposed to tall buildings that impinge on views from Parliament Hill and other parts of the Heath and opposed the Murphy's Yard proposals for that reason (see here).
For more details and to sign the petition, click here.
Kenwood House events consultation
English Heritage is holding its Spring Public Events Consultation at Kenwood House on April 3rd from 6.30 to 8.00 pm. The meeting will look ahead at the programme for the next 6 months but the organisers will also like to hear of any events participants would be keen to see at Kenwood, or any events which have been seen to work well at other places.
Wednesday 12th March
7.00 for 7.30 pm
10A South Grove N6 6BS and on Zoom
Entry £7.50 including a glass of wine (£3.00 on Zoom)
Join Olga Petrouchenko for a talk on the history of English perfumery from the 18th Century to our days. Discover the exciting origins of old English brands like Floris, Atkinson’s, Penhaligon’s, and Grossmith. There will be an opportunity to try some vintage fragrances together with delicious creations of modern English houses like Ormonde Jayne, Gallivant Stories, and Angela Flanders. Get a whiff of history!
Martini - the ultimate cocktail tasting with Alice Lascelles
Thursday March 13th
7.30 pm
10A South Grove N6 6BS
Entry £32 including welcome cocktail, Martini tasters and snacks.
Award-winning Financial Times columnist, Alice Lascelles returns to the Highgate Society to host one of her hugely popular Cocktail Tastings – this time focussing on Martini. For full details click here
To book click here. Places are limited so early purchase is advised and there will be no ticket sales on the night.
Sustainable gardens for nature
Thursday March 20th
6.45 for 7.00 pm
10A South Grove N6 6BS
Entry £7.50 including a glass of wine
Join Jeska Harrington Gould, Co-Founder of Growing Green, for an inspiring talk on
creating nature-friendly outdoor spaces. Discover straightforward, affordable ideas to
transform your garden into a haven for wildlife, all while saving time, money and
energy.
Sunday lunchtime concert: Viola Lenzi and Isabella Gori
Sunday 23rd March
12 noon (doors open 11.45 am)
10A South Grove N6 6BS
Entry £15 (including a glass of Buck's Fizz)
Pianists Viola Lenzi and Isabella Gori will be combining forces on the Highgate Society piano to play us some four-handed jazz and folk inspired music.
Think Gershwin, Greig and Dvořák - Slavonic dances, Norwegian dances, Rhapsody in Blue and three Gershwin preludes. A colourful tapestry for dance, culture and virtuosity!
Wednesday 16th April
7.00 for 7.30 pm
10A South Grove N6 6BS and on Zoom
Entry £7.50 including a glass of wine (£3.00 on Zoom)
John & Katie Plews met over fifty years ago whilst working on the Cunard liner QE2. In 1990, they returned to the seven seas as passengers and have since spent most of their vacations on ships from many different cruise lines. Ocean travels have taken them aboard small ships, medium size ships and the mammoth 6000 passenger giants.
There will be advice for those contemplating a cruise for the first time and anecdotes to share with seasoned cruisers.
● The next meeting of the Poets Group will be on Tuesday 4th March at 6.30 pm at 10A. Challenges are: Understanding beauty; Movement and/or movements; Pushing In. £5 entry includes coffee and biscuits. For more information contact Richard Downes at r.downes@yahoo.co.uk. (Click here to read a poem on Highgate by Charlotte Sebag-Montefiore)..
● The French Circle will meet on Wednesday, 5th Marchat 7.30 in 10A South Grove. " This promises to be very special, a RECITAL OF FRENCH SONGS (by Ambroise Thomas, Cécile Chaminade, Duparc, Fauré, Debussy, Saint Saëns, Charles Trenet and Offenbach) by retired professional mezzo-soprano, Mona Abboud, who will be accompanied on the piano. Mona has a lovely voice, and we want to encourage as many people as possible to come along - no ability in French necessary this time! Wine, juice and nibbles will be provided. Entry is £10, cash only please as we do not have our own bank account." For more information contactfrenchcirclehighgate@gmail.com.
● Coffee & Computers will have its next session at 10A South Grove on Monday 3rd Marchat 10.30 to 12.30. It helps if you arrive at the start of the session. To receive notifications of sessions, email highgatecoffeeandcomputers@gmail.com.
● The tidy up team will be doing their next litter pick on Saturday March 15th, meeting at the junction of Wood Lane and Queen’s Wood Road. We will meet at 9.30 am and will work for an hour. Bags, litter pickers, tabards and gloves are provided. Newcomers are very welcome, we are a friendly team. The subsequent meeting will be on Saturday April 19th, meeting in front of the Medical Practice on North Hill. For more information contactinfrastructure@highgatesociety.com.
● Guerrilla gardening events have resumed, the dates for March and April will be Saturday, March 29th and Saturday, April 12th, both 2pm to 4.30pm. All welcome. Locations to be advised nearer the time. Please sign up to be added to the Guerrilla Gardening email distribution list by emailing Louise Sibley at louisesibley07@gmail.com. We are also looking for 'champions' to look after small, neglected green spaces near them. For ideas and support, contact Louise.
Save the date
Thursday 8th May 'Heat pumps uncovered: a sustainable solution for your home' Gary Woodward
Wednesday14th May "Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics, Power and Parties", Leigh Turner
Sunday 25th May - Sunday lunchtime concert: William Jack (jazz cellist)
Saturday 6th June - Fair in the Square
21st to 29th June - Highgate Festival
Please forward this newsletter to anyone who you think would find it interesting. They can sign up to receive it regularly by followingthislink.
To access past issues of this newsletter visit the News page of the Highgate Society web site.
Disclaimer:
The Highgate Society is an unincorporated association established for the public benefit. It endeavours to ensure that the information it provides as a free service is correct but does not warrant that it is accurate or complete. Nothing in this correspondence constitutes professional or legal advice and may not be relied on as such. In no event will the Society be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation indirect or consequential loss or damage or any damage whatsoever arising from any objections, criticism, advice and information it provides.
