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Discovering the snow-topped peaks of Hampstead Heath
Each month London Unlocked jumps in our time-machine to unlock a London event that happened many moons ago in the same month. This month it’s the turn of Hampstead Heath; not generally considered a destination for thrill-seekers, but back in 1950 it played host to a mini-winter games.
The ski jump was the creation of the Central Council of Physical Recreation, organised by the Ski Club of Great Britain and the Oslo Ski Association to publicise Norway as a tourist destination. The two teams competed in the London Challenge Cup, while Cambridge and Oxford were invited to compete for the University Challenge Cup. ​
The 60ft temporary ski jump on Hampstead Heath, March 1950. Image via Wikimedia Commons
ROBYN STANTON-HUMPHREYS
BY
Newsreel of the event from the 1950s, recently discovered in 2011. Courtesy of British Pathé Films
The sketchy 60ft scaffolding structure was packed with over 60 tonnes of snow brought over by the Norwegian team, free of charge until British customs officials imposed a 10 per cent duty on it. There was a primitive hand-dug pit filled with hay for a landing pad.
Hampstead is no stranger to skiers on its scenic hills: back in the 1900s, the Heath was London’s answer to the Alps. Curator at Hampstead’s local museum the Burgh House, Rebecca Lodge says: “North London had an ideal climate with its hills and cleaner air for a fair amount of snowfall. We have a pair of skis from Dr. Maxwell Garnett, father to political campaigner Peggy Jay, that he used to ski on the Heath in the ‘30s and ‘40s.”
Dr. Maxwell Garnett's skis (left) and a programme from the ski jumping competition in March 1950 (right) Image courtesy of The Burgh House and Hampstead Museum
There were fears in 1950 that the unusual March heatwave would scupper the inaugural event, but a crowd of up to 100,000 people descended upon Hampstead, bringing the village to a standstill. The jump was held again the following year but the British weather made it a washout, ruining any chance of an annual event; well, that and the fact that transporting tonnes of snow halfway across Europe in springtime wasn’t the most cost-effective sporting pursuit.
Watch the video below to find out more about Hampstead Heath's spring ski jump competition. Courtesy of British Pathé Films.
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