The Construction of Keen House

John Anning wrote:

The photos in the October Bulletin reminded me of the many times I visited the site during the construction of Keen House, to see the building gradually taking shape. I recall two small problems: the builders found an old dry well and had to put in a ground beam to cover it, and the first batch of roof girders did not pass the local regulations and a second set had to be made. Keen House is now nearing its 40th year and I wonder how many of the present members are aware of what went before.

My membership began in 1950 when the Club meetings were held in the Ambulance Room in an arch under Waterloo Station. I am sure that arch was much bigger than our present track room. There was a small jack arch where equipment was stored. Soon after I joined the Club O gauge test track was delivered with tracks laid but no electrics. Volunteers were called for to make the tracks workable, but that is another story. Round about 1956 the Railway decided other uses for that arch and the Club was out. Fortunately meetings were continued at Caxton hall while we looked around for something more suitable. It so happened that one of our members, Norman Eagles, on the staff of London Transport, found that the Underground had a number of empty "sites" which the Club officers were able to inspect. One was over the entrance to Tuffnel Park Station, an L-shaped room but not at all suitable; another was at the side of Sloane Square Station but the only access was down a very very narrow staircase totally unsuitable for carting equipment up or down; the third I recall was somewhere in the West End having entry from the train platform and was actually the shell of a lift shaft, with the ceiling some 60 feet overhead. Then we were shown the room at the side of Hammersmith Station. It was just what was needed and we settled in. After about 18 months London Transport had need of it themselves and out we went - back to Caxton hall and occasionally to the lower hall at Central Hall.

Finding the site for Keen House was by a chance second look at a list of properties. At the time my office was not very far from the Angel. After glancing through a list of properties I tossed the papers into the filing tray and as I did so noticed the word ANGEL. Had another look and made some enquiries. Was told that the site was actually near Kings Cross so went and had a look. The rest is history.

Other notes:

Notice to quit the Hammersmith clubroom was received in January 1958. The site was purchased in September and construction started in April the following year. The building was completed by about the spring of 1960.

The site that was chosen had been a wartime water tank used as an emergency supply for fire-fighting These water tanks were built to provide water when the mains supply was damaged. They were quite dangerous places since they were deep: children would be tempted to swim in them and, after jumping in, were unable to get out because no ladders were built into the sides. A number were drowned as a result. The original tar lining is still present on the boundary wall.

The building was constructed by Downs Estates of Banstead, Surrey. The yellow brick frontage was originally specified by the local council to match the adjacent buildings which appear in some of the photos. These were then demolished as Keen House was completed! Because of the drop from street level, (about eight feet), the construction of Keen House is on split levels.

The site was purchased September 4th, 1958, the start of the project.

The site on 26th February 1959. Work commenced on April 13th.

The site was made secure and foundations started by 2nd July 1959.

(The Webmaster was just over five years old at the time!)

22nd July, the Lower Hall walls start to rise.

20th August and the Lower Hall structure nearly complete.

11th September and the Upper Hall walls begin to take shape.

By 6th October, about 16 months after the first mention of the site, the skeleton of

the main meeting rooms are complete. Work started at the front of the building.

And by 10th November, before the roof could be completed,

the long dry spell ended and it rained and rained...

The inside work started by 5th January 1960. and the shell of the library and office neared completion.

Keen House in all its new-built glory. Either it was a warm day or else all the windows were open to allow the plaster to dry! Note how the adjacent buildings have suddenly gone compared to the previous photo! (We had been compelled to use the yellow brick frontage to match those once adjacent buildings as part of the planning permission conditions!)

New - recently discovered advert of Downs Estates of Banstead, Surrey - image supplied by the Banstead History Research Group www.bansteadhistory.com. The image comes from the rear cover of a 90 page book called 'Banstead, the official guide' from about 1948 and was supplied by Lewis Wood.