The Heath & Hampstead Society fights to preserve the wild and natural state of the Heath; to maintain the character and amenities of Hampstead; and to promote the study of local history, natural history and conservation.
Plaques in Hampstead
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet CH (1879 – 1961)
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet CH, was a notable English conductor and impressario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestras.
He was born in St. Helens Lancashire next to the Beecham’s Pills laxative factory which was founded by his grandfather Thomas Beecham. He studied piano from boyhood and began conducting with the amateur St Helens Musical Society.
He was pivotal in the development of professional orchestras in the early twentieth century. He founded three orchestras – the Beecham Symphony Orchestra in 1909, the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1932 and the Royal Philharmonic in 1946 – and acted as the artistic director of Covent Garden for much of the 1930s. Beecham was a major influence on the musical life of Britain and according to the BBC he was Britain’s first international conductor. He was knighted in 1916.
He produced 120 operas, 60 of them new to this country.
He had a particular penchant for north-west London, living in St Johns Wood for four years, very close to the Abbey Road Studios. He lived in Bellmoor from 1937-41. He was married 3 times: first in 1903, then in 1943 to a pianist 29 years his junior and again in 1959 - she was 27 and he was 80!
He had a formidable personality and was famous for his sharp wit. He died in 1941 and is buried in Limpsfield, Surrey.
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Next Guided Walk
History of the Hampstead Heath ponds
From Medieval fish ponds to reservoirs for London to the recent controversies surrounding the dams project. All that and the chance to find out whether Winter Swimmers reallly are made of something else.
Date: Sat 03 Feb, 2024
Time: 10:30 am
Duration: 2 hours
Meet at: Burgh House
Walk led by: Marc Hutchinson, Chairman of the Society, and Secretary of the Hampstead Heath Winter Swimming Club
UPDATE: No current updates
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Other Notices
Hampstead Heath ecological grazing trial: sheep back on the Heath
Sheep are part of an ecological trial on Hampstead Heath 11-18 September.
If the pilot is successful, animal grazing could be expanded to other areas of the Heath. Grazing is known to play a major role in boosting species-rich wildlife habitats and reducing the use of machinery.
Unlike mowing, grazing produces a mosaic of vegetation heights and types, improving ecological sites for species including amphibians, small mammals, invertebrates and wildflowers.
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