Before heading back to New Zealand, I managed a weekend in North London and a walk with the dogs up at Alexandra Palace. This is set in parkland in an area above Wood Green and Muswell Hill, with great views over London. The palace (named after Alexandra of Denmark who had married Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, was opened in 1873.. Only sixteen days later the original palace was destroyed by fire, killing three members of staff. Only the outer walls survived. The palace was quickly rebuilt and reopened in May 1875. It contained a concert hall, art galleries, a museum, a lecture hall, a library, a banqueting room and a theatre. 
The building has a wealth of history, for example, during World War I the park was closed and the Palace and grounds were used as an internment camp for German civilians. In 1935 the trustees leased part of the palace to the BBC, which used it as the production and transmission centre for their new BBC Television Service. The world’s first public broadcasts of high-definition television were made from this site in 1936. The palace continued as the BBC’s main TV transmitting centre for London until 1956, interrupted only by World War II when the transmitter found an alternative use jamming German bombers’ navigation systems.
The antenna mast still stands, however the main London television transmitter is at Crystal Palace in South London.
In 1980 the trustees decided to refurbish the building, however a second disastrous fire started under the organ and quickly spread. It destroyed half the building. Again, the outer walls survived and the eastern parts, including the Theatre and the BBC TV studios and aerial mast, were saved. In this fire parts of the famous Organ were destroyed, though it had been dismantled for repairs and some parts (including nearly all the pipework) were away from the building in store. Some of the damage to the palace was repaired but there is ongoing fighting between local coucils as to how to fund additional repairs.
Nevertheless it is still a wonderful sight and the surrounding parkland is a great place to get out and about on a nice, warm sunny June Sunday.
One Comment, Comment or Ping
This is an amazing complex which reminds me of Crystal Palace, on one hand, and the Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne, on the other. How extraordinary that in my two years (1972-4) in Mill Hill/Hendon/Golders Green, noone ever suggested that we visit.
How can I create a link to your lovely post on this topic?
Hels
Art and Architecture, mainly
October 2nd, 2009
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