Page 2 - HGS Suburb News 139 - Summer 2019
P. 2

Combat Stress Concert
                       A SUBURB ARCHIVIST





                                                            incendiary bomb, which had fallen in their garden. With her
                                                            husband Bruce Saunders, and children Matthew and Katherine,
                            OBITUAR Y                       Ann finally settled in a house on Meadway Gate in 1980.
                                                              Ann studied history at University College London, where she
            Ann Saunders MBE                                was a pupil of Ernst Gombrich, and subsequently gained a PhD
                                                            at Leicester for a thesis on the history of The Regent’s Park. Her
                                -
                    1930 2019                               first job was at the City of York Art Gallery and she then returned
                                                            to London to become Deputy Librarian at Lambeth Palace from
                                                            1952 to 1955. After this, she worked briefly as an Assistant
                                                            Keeper at the British Museum, before moving to be local history
                                                            librarian at St. Marylebone. Later she worked as a sub-editor for
                                                            the British Journal of the Archaeology Association and lectured
                                                            in history at Richmond College and for the London programme
                                                            of the University of Connecticut.
                                                                As the Newsletter of the Society of Antiquaries records, she   Music loving Suburb residents   Wives Choir’s latest album,
                                                            was known in the scholarly world as “a tireless historian of London   have an opportunity to listen to  ‘Remember’, and a variety of
                                                            and an editor of exceptional assiduity”, whose “astonishingly   some fine music and contribute   music from military marches to
                                                            productive career encompassed the writing of more than a dozen   to a worthwhile cause. There is   stage and screen favourites with
                                                            books on London”, and whose “longevity as an editor of learned   a fundraising concert to look   the Royal Naval Volunteer Band
                                                            journals must have very few equals, and hardly any peers.”   forward to in the autumn,  – Northwood HQ.
                                                              Ann was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in   which will take place at the Free   The concert starts at 7.30pm,
                                                            May 1975, and became a member of its Council. She was an   Church, North Square, on   with  special guest Martin Bell.
                                                            Hon. Fellow of University College, London and a Governor of   Saturday 5 October.  Tickets cost £15 or £13 concessions
                                                            Bedford College. From 1975 she was Honorary Editor for the   There will be an evening of   (over 65 and under 16).  To book,
                                                            London Topographical Society, overseeing the publication of   music and song to commemorate   you  can  call  Combat  Stress  on
         Ann Saunders, a distinguished historian who lived for many   nearly 60 books, maps and other items. Her many publications   the centenary of the forces’  07710 098667, or just e-mail
         years on the Suburb, died on 13th February this year. She had a   on the capital city include The Art and Architecture of London:   mental health charity Combat   hgscombatstress@gmail.com.
         great love and deep knowledge of London, the city of her birth.   An Illustrated Guide; Saint Paul’s: The Story of the Cathedral;   Stress.  Included will be songs   Cash and cheques only, payable
           She was a Trustee of the Hampstead Garden Suburb Archives   Tudor London: A Map and a View; and the first edition of   from the North London Military   to ‘Combat Stress’.
         Trust, and as Chairman rather reluctantly oversaw the transfer of   London County Council Bomb Damage Maps 1939–45.
         the bulk of its collection away from the Suburb to the safekeeping   She was a captivating speaker at Gresham College and many
         of the London Metropolitan Archives in Clerkenwell, after a period   other institutions. Locally she lectured regularly to the Hendon
         of uncertainty about its future, and compiled a comprehensive   and District Archaeological Society (HADAS), of which she was
         Handlist to the collection.                        President between 1998 and 2001. She also served as President
           Ann’s father George Cox-Johnson came from a Dorset   of the Camden History Society and the St Marylebone Society.
         farming family. Two of his brothers became Anglican clergymen   As Mike Pitts FSA and Adrian James FSA wrote in their
         while George went into teaching and became headmaster of   obituary for the London Topographical Society, “she spoke with
         Cosway Street School in St Marylebone before changing career   captivating authority and a regal presence.” Don Cooper,
         and becoming managing director of the Portman Building Society.   Chairman of HADAS, writes that “it was a joy to listen to her.”
            He married Joan Loreille, a music hall artist who had become   Her lectures at Gresham College (illustrated with what she called
         a teacher, and they lived at first in St John’s Wood, where Ann   lantern slides) on the subjects of London early in James I’s reign
         was born, and then in Hendon. Joan was a worshipper at St   (2004) and Napoleonic war monuments in St Paul’s Cathedral
         Jude’s Church and had a great affection for the first vicar, the   (2005) can be seen online in Gresham College video recordings.
         Reverend Basil Bourchier.                            She listed among her recreations in ‘Who’s Who’ not only
           Ann was sent to Henrietta Barnett School at the age of four   “studying London” but also “embroidery, cooking” and “visiting
         and remained there until she was sixteen when she moved to   churches”. Her interest in costume led to her being Hon Editor
         Queens’ College in Harley Street for the sixth form. She did not   of the Costume Society for over 20 years between 1967 and
         enjoy her time at Henrietta Barnett.               2008. She was a Liveryman of the Horners’ Company and was
           The family came to live on the Suburb just before the Second   awarded an MBE in the 2002 New Year honours.
         World War and resided at several addresses. Her father died in
        1941 from a heart attack following his successful disabling of an                 The Hampstead
                                                                         Garden Suburb Archives Trust
                                                          exists to preserve the history and culture of the Suburb
                       Website: www.suburbarchives.com · Contact: 020 8455 8813 or 8455 2877 · Email: suburbarchives@gmail.com






























































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