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This week we've got London's secret stations, and The Funniest Joke In The World...
🚇 Discover London's Secret Tube Stations
While most of us whisk through the well-trodden corridors of the Northern Line without a second thought, there are whispers of hidden histories beneath the bustling streets.
Here are 3 secret Tube Stations you never knew about...
1: Down Street Station, Piccadilly Line
Down Street Station | Image from My London
Nestled between Hyde Park Corner and the charm of Green Park, Down Street Station might be one of the Underground's best-kept secrets.
It welcomed passengers onto its platforms for 25 years after its opening in 1907 on the Piccadilly Line.
During World War II though, it served as a bunker for the Railway Executive Committee.
South Kentish Town Station | Image from the Kentish Towner
Originally named Castle Road, South Kentish Town was doomed from its inception.
Opened in 1907 to serve the Northern line, its existence was marred by missteps and mishaps, including a last-minute name change that saw its beautifully tiled walls hastily repainted.
It wasn't long before this station faced the ultimate snub - closure following a brief power outage in 1924, never to reopen its gates to the public.
Opening its doors in 1901, City Road station was another fleeting fixture on the Northern line.
Plagued by low passenger numbers, calls for its closure came as early as 1908, but it managed to hold on until 1922. Though most of the station was demolished in the 1960s, a part of its structure survived up until 2017.
It's why the journey between Angel and Old Street is so lengthy.
In a twist of fate, the site has been repurposed. It is now an energy centre that channels the heat of the Underground to warm homes in Islington.
As you next travel through London's sprawling Underground, remember these hidden chapters of history that lurk just out of sight. 🚇
Events
KIDS
Thursday 5th December
Baby Bounce and Play | Thu, Dec. 05 | 11:15 am to 12:15 pm | North Finchley Library Ravensdale Avenue North Finchley, N12 9HP | £3.00 | Gentle singing, movement, books and engaging activities that will stimulate your baby's senses and encourage their development at North Finchley Library.
Thursday 5th December
Fortitude Dance Lessons | Thu, Dec. 05 | Manorside Primary School. N3 2AB | £12 | Fortitude Dance company is running dance, Circus, Acro & musical theatre classes for children aged 5-18 in Finchley. Located at Manorside Primary School every Thursday.
CULTURE
Saturday 7th December
Dickens in North London: a Christmas guided walk | Sat, Dec. 7 | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | Meet outside High Barnet tube station. | £15, £5 under 12s | Explore Dickens's connections with Barnet and Finchley, and his extraordinary Christmas books and celebrations. With Paul Baker, City of London guide. | pbaker54@hotmail.co.uk
Monday 9th December
Middlesex University Music Archaeology Day: Handling session | Mon, Dec. 9 | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | The Grove Atrium, 1st Floor, Grove Building, Middlesex University, 79 The Burroughs, Hendon, London, NW4 4AX. | Free | Explore the fascinating world of reconstructed ancient brass instruments. Meet Dr Peter Holmes and the MADET team, experience live demonstrations, and see where these unique sound objects were brought to life.
OLDER PEOPLE
Tuesday 3rd December
Disco for over 55s | Tue, Dec. 3 | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Disco for over 55s | Free | Come along for a festive boogie or just sit back and enjoy your favourite tunes.
Monday 9th December
Christmas Concert and Singalong at Age UK Barnet | Mon, Dec. 9 | 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm | The Ann Owens Centre, N2 8LT | Free | A festive celebration of music and song. Enjoy a singalong, mince pies and spiced apple drinks.
ARTS
Tuesday 3rd December
Festive Wreath Making Workshop | Tue, Dec. 3 | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | The Windsor Castle N2 8DL | £100 per | The Windsor Castle’s festive wreath-making workshop will be led by Katie Isitt, founder of the renowned floral design studio Kidge Flowers. Learn how to make a fresh festive wreath using sustainable floristry techniques, and beautiful seasonal foliage and materials.
COMMUNITY
Saturday 7th December
Dance for Festive Joy | Sat, Dec. 7 | 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm | MDX House, Middlesex University, NW4 4BT. | Free | A free dance event for older adults. An authentic disco experience with the intention of promoting health and wellbeing. This is an opportunity for guests to dance to their favourite songs in a relaxed environment. Song requests to Dr Lucy Irving.
MUSIC
Saturday 7th December
Community Christmas Concert - Barnet NHS Thank you | Sat, Dec. 7 | 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm | St Mary-at-Finchley Parish Church, N31TL | Entry is free, with a retiring collection for Royal Free Charity | A very enjoyable family-friendly concert with talented performers from across the whole community of Finchley. Including pianist Angela Brownridge, organist Damon Ying, the choir of St Mary-at-Finchley and many more.
Sunday 8th December
Haydn: The Seasons - an oratorio for all | Sun, Dec. 8 | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | Alyth Synagogue, NW11 7EN | £20 (under-18s free) | Alyth Choral Society performs Haydn's wonderfully colourful oratorio The Seasons, with professional soloists and orchestra directed by Alison Smart Fisher. A wonderful evening taking us through each of the seasons with music to surprise and delight.
THEATRE
Monday 9th December
A Christmas Carol | Mon, Dec. 9 | 7:30 pm | 5 Nether Street, N12 0GA | £18 | It’s Christmas Eve, and the miserly misanthrope, Ebenezer Scrooge, is about to have a ghostly night he’ll never forget. The award-winning Dyad Productions, who have toured their sell-out festive show Christmas Gothic since 2015, now bring their magic to Dickens’ classic and perennially relevant ghost story.
Events - Book Ahead
Saturday 28th December
Highgate Wood - Guided Winter Walk | Sat, Dec. 28 | 11:30 am to 12:30 pm | Highgate Wood | Free No booking required | Join the staff at Highgate Wood for a guided walk looking at what makes Highgate Wood special in winter.
Saturday 1st February
The Marvin Gaye Songbook 2025 | Sat, Feb. 01 | 7:30 pm | Millfield Theatre, Silver Street, N18 1PJ | £31.50 | Brand new for 2024 from hit producers Entertainers–the team behind, The Magic of Motown, Lost in Music and Fast love! The Marvin Gaye Songbook, respectfully recreates every magical hit, live on stage, taking you on a musical journey back to a golden era of chart-topping songs.
Local Lowdown
Image: Ikea. Watch those blue bags do their thing...
Shopping
Tote couture. IKEA’s iconic blue FRAKTA bag gets the spotlight at a new Oxford Street pop-up, "Hus of FRAKTA." Opened last week, it celebrates the bag's versatility with a touch of "haute couture" ahead of IKEA’s nearby West End store launch in spring 2025. Worth leaving Finchley for.
Exhibiting
Reserve revered. An exhibition in The Barnet Museum Space at The Spires shopping centre celebrates the 50th anniversary of High Barnet's nature reserve and environment centre. At last week’s opening, Mayor Tony Vourou praised volunteers’ dedication, highlighting its impact on Barnet’s green legacy.
More shopping
Fresh comeback. Amazon Fresh returns to North London, opening its 24th London store in West Hampstead after closing four in 2023. Featuring 'Just Walk Out' tech, shoppers grab items, skip tills, and pay via app. The store highlights Amazon’s premium grocery expansion despite past closures.
Community
Community cash. East Finchley Neighbourhood Support offers grants of up to £1,500 for community projects and up to £500 for grassroots initiatives benefiting London N2. Projects must be inclusive, short-term, or equipment-based, with clear objectives. Applications close December 6, 2024. Apply now.
Parking
Barnet’s consultation on its Draft Parking Charges Policy closes on 17th December. Designed to improve parking access, tackle air pollution, and support its 2030 Net-Zero target (the policy excludes resident parking permits.) Potential significant increases to on-street charges. Have your say.
Finchley History: The Funniest Joke In The World
Finchley holds a curious claim to comedy fame. It birthed the deadliest joke ever written.
Featured in Monty Python’s first episode, The Funniest Joke in the World sketch imagines a joke so hilarious it causes instant death to anyone who hears it.
Written by Ernest Scribbler (played by Michael Palin) while living in Finchley, the joke spirals from domestic disaster to wartime weaponry.
The British Army weaponises it against German forces during World War II, with translators working on it one word at a time for their own safety.
The gibberish German version leaves enemies helpless - laughing to their doom.
So next time you're cracking up, spare a thought for Finchley - home to a joke so funny it could stop a war.
And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.
Tessa Davis
Sasha Frieze
Finchley Now
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