Around Ealing Summer 2015 | Page 47

LOOKING BACK WITH DR JONATHAN OATES

Waterloo, Napoleon
and Ealing
rstock.com

© Philip Bird LRPS CPAGB / Shutte

T

Church Road

Some had to pay small fines. The local
press remarked that young men who
wanted to show their patriotism should
enlist in the armed forces rather than
throwing stones in complete safety.
By 1921 there were 94 Germans
resident in Acton – but none of those
whose shops were attacked in 1915
were then listed as being in business.
Dr Oates gave a talk on Life on the
Home Front in 1915 in April. See What’s
On for details of more talks. Visit
www.ealing.gov.uk/aroundealingextra
for a year-by-year breakdown of local
events during the war.

full
Read the
e
story her

his year
marks the
bicentenary
of the battle
h en e
of Waterloo in 1815, when the
British, German and Dutch troops under the
command of the Duke of Wellington and
Prince Blucher defeated the French under
Napoleon and so ended the long wars which
had engulfed Europe for over two decades.
All this may seem a long way from Ealing, but
this warfare abroad did have an impact on life
locally. Volunteer forces were raised because it
was feared that the French might try to invade.
Volunteer companies were set up for
Ealing and Brentford; Acton; and Hanwell,
Norwood and Northolt.
Meanwhile, wealthy residents gave money
to a committee to buy uniforms and weapons.
Dr Oates will be giving a talk on this
subject at Ealing Central Library on
11 June. See What’s On, on page 55,
for more information.

around ealing

Summer 2015

47