Willesden, in the London Borough of Brent, has changed a lot in the last 40 years. Some landmarks were lost, like the art deco building in Willesden Lane, the Rolls Royce factory, the Guinness Brewery and the Heinz factory, some were subject of heated disputes, like Dollis Hill House and Willesden Green Library, and many historic pubs are no more.

New projects and developments transformed the look of the borough, like the Stonebridge estate, which had a complete makeover twice within this period. We gained a building for the Capital City Academy by the acclaimed architect Norman Foster, and the Neasden Hindu Temple entered the Guinness Book of Records. Many parks and public places underwent changes – for better or worse.

This books records those and many other developments, alongside the history of the Society, from its founding days in 1974 to the present. Every article is illustrated with photographs from our members’ collections, the Brent Archives and many supporters of this project. Social history in the form of memories from our members bring the history to life, along with the detailed research and memories from the best local historians of our region.

The articles are –

The Willesden Local History Society

• Willesden Boundary
• The Early Days of Willesden Local History Society
• WLHS Meeting Venues
• Drill Hall, Pound Lane
• The History of the WLHS Journal

Learning About Local History

• Out and About with Local Historians
• Summary of outside events attended by WLHS Members
• The Brent Show
• Brent Museum and Archives – Memoirs of a Heritage Officer
• Young Historians

40 Years of Change in Willesden

• Ace Café
• Christchurch, Willesden Lane and Christchurch Avenue, Brondesbury
• Dollis Hill Dig – Roman Willesden – At Last
• Dollis Hill House – a Brief History
• Electric House, Willesden Green
• Dustmen’s Strike in October 1988
• The Gaumont State Theatre, Kilburn
• The Replacement of the Grand Union Canal Aqueduct Over
• The North Circular Road
• The Guinness Brewery
• The Grunwick Dispute
• H.J.Heinz Factory, Harlesden
• “Hurworth”, Stonebridge Park
• The Hindu Temple in Neasden – The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
• Magistrates Court, Willesden High Road
• Neasden Underpass Under The North Circular Road
• The A406 North Circular Road Improvement (Hanger Lane – Harrow Road)
• Public Art in Harlesden Pubs Lost in the Last 40 Years
• My Father At The Regency Club
• The River Brent
• Rock Music Studios
• Rolls-Royce Motors in Willesden – End of an Era
• Roundwood Park
• Roundwood Park Gates
• Stonebridge Estate
• Tavistock Villa. The End of a Good House
• Weather in Willesden
• Willesden Green Library
• Willesden High School
• Willesden Hospital
• Working in Willesden
• Conclusion – Willesden: Old and New