Forum Topic

Acton History Question : Goldsmith Avenue

Hello Everyone, An Indian patriot and philosopher Vinayak Savarkar lived for a very short period in Goldsmith Avenue on his first visit to Britain. This was back in 1907 and the house in Goldsmith Avenue used to be called 'Tilak House' (named after another patriot Bal Gangadhar Tilak). I am from Mumbai and have been an Acton resident for few years now and this just came to my knowledge. I'd like to know if anyone has any knowledge or any memorabilia or anything that'd just help me understand/ verify this part of history?Any help in this regard is very appreciated.http://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/content/vinayak-damodar-savarkarMany Thanks!Sandeep

Sandeep Mestry ● 3436d11 Comments

A bit to far from our circular tour of Acton, the closest we would get to is Acton High School and The Avenue where a famous Indian is believed to have lived in the 1920s.

Abdul Tailor ● 3419d

I know Gunnersbury Park was used during the war but don't know if that would be of any interest to your history tours.

Janice Evans ● 3419d

Yes they won lottery grant, thought it would be in the summer.

Janice Evans ● 3419d

Only once to attend a talk in the evening about Indian contribution to WW1. Interesting presentation a few years. But I do genuinely believe whilst we all may acknowledge and appreciate the Muslim/ Indian contribution with Britain during the wars we do need to look how Muslims have contributed to Britain in other forms, e.g. scientifically, architecture and even the Police! - this was one of the reasons why we set-up the Muslim history tours.

Abdul Tailor ● 3419d

Gunnersbury Park Museum is currently closed for renovation. I think I read somewhere that it was late 2017 when it will open again. It's all part of the park upgrade etc.

Tony Crumpton ● 3419d

Hi Abdul, have you ever visit Gunnersbury Park Museum, the kitchens etc., quite good, would be summer months though.

Janice Evans ● 3419d

I'm from Acton too and have carried out some research here for our Acton Muslim history walk. Might be a good idea for us to meet up for a coffee or something!

Abdul Tailor ● 3419d

Thanks for your replies..Yes, it's number 78 Goldsmith Avenue. Although I am not too sure if that's the correct number or not. I did look that up on internet but nowhere found any reference.@Richard, yes Savarkar was a man with a great character. I have read his diaries which he wrote when he was imprisoned in Andaman (this punishment was the toughest during British Raj and used to be called as Kala Pani or Cellular Jail.) and the time he faced there was all brutal.. He became famous for his great escape from the toilet porthole of the SS Morea ship docked at Marseilles port, France, and reaching French soil.You can find more information at http://www.savarkar.org/en/veer-savarkar

Sandeep Mestry ● 3434d

Clearly - a man with a very interesting historyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinayak_Damodar_Savarkar

Richard Grange ● 3435d

It was number 78

Janice Evans ● 3435d

Can't help specifically but quite a lot of Goldsmith Avenue wasn't completed until 1908 - which limits the houses you need to look at. Probably its the ones near Baldwyn Gardens.

Sara Nathan ● 3435d