Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Remarks visiting Finchley

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: Finchley
Source: Finchley Times, 31 March 1988
Journalist: Elizabeth Hammond and Daniella Neumann, Finchley Times, reporting
Editorial comments: 1515-1605 MT visited a warden housing scheme in Friern Barnet; 1615-1630 she stopped briefly to view a local cottage industry - the Tapestry Box in N20; 1650-1740 she was guest of honour at the tenth anniversary celebrations of a local insurance and financial services company - Paul J. Geoffrey Associates Ltd at 311 Ballards Lane, N12; 1930-2020 her final engagement was a charities event at the Hendon Hall Hotel.
Importance ranking: Trivial
Word count: 784
Themes: Autobiographical comments, Religion & morality

Mrs Thatcher keeps her eye on the future

The invincible Iron Lady showed what could have been interpreted as a chink in her armour on Friday—by admitting she was approaching retirement age.

But in the very next breath Finchley MP and prime minister Margaret Thatcher dashed any hopes opponents may have of taking over with a promise that her eyes are set very firmly on the future.

“I'm coming up to that age but it's funny, as you get older you become more and more interested in the future. You live for your family and future generations,” she explained as she formally opened a new housing development for the elderly in Whetstone.

Mrs Thatcher was obviously impressed with the Warden housing scheme in Hyde Court, Friern Barnet Lane of 42 leasehold one and two-bedroomed flats for sale to the elderly.

And she sensed the immediate success of warden Betty Oxley and her assstant Pat Buckley.

“I gather from the applause your wardens are doing a good job. A place like this is not only about having the right bricks and mortar—it's about having friends and atmosphere.”

The Finchley MP was accompanied on the opening ceremony by the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Malcolm Lester.

Warden Housing chairman Charles Hawkins had a very special thank you for Mr Lester to take back to Barnet town hall: “But for the council, its councillors and officers and their willingness to sell the land and support us financially we wouldn't be here today.”

The group, which has more than 500 homes to rent and for sale in Barnet alone and started in offices in Ballards Lane. Finchley, received a 30 per cent injection of public funds at Hyde Court.

Mrs Thatcher had a look around a couple of the flats before meeting residents in the sunny lounge.

Then she was hot-footing it to another unusual home—in Buckingham Avenue, Whetstone—which is the centre for a needlework cottage industry.

Mrs Jane Waldman, 45, an ex-teacher at the Royal School of Needlework, started The Tapestry Box in a front bedroom six years ago.

Mrs. Thatcher was obviously delighted with the exquisite work on display and showed off her own knowledge of the different techniques and materials. She left with a crewel embroidered cushion under her arm, a present for her new home, and an order for an embroidered sweater for daughter Carol.

Mrs Thatcher had to negotiate quite a crowd outside the house as she left for a birthday party in North Finchley.

She was guest of honour at the tenth anniversary celebrations of insurance broker and financial consultant Paul J Geoffrey Associates in Ballards Lane.

Founders Paul Feldman, Geoffrey Pepper, Stephen Wiser and Daniel Pepper started in a small office in Lancaster Gate but moved to High Road, Finchley, in 1981 and have since had to move to larger offices in Ballards Lane.

They now boast the largest brokers firm in North London and employ 60 people, specialising in schemes for engineering, marine and film industries.

“A company like this is like the industry at No 10,” Mrs Thatcher said. “You've got 60 people; we've 80 including police.”

She said Finchley could accommodate any rate of growth: “I'm happy to have you in Finchley and there's a lot of office space in Finchley if this isn't big enough.”

…and celebrates 500 fruitful years of Finchley Charities

Mrs Thatcher has surprised members of Finchley Charities by presenting them with a £1,000 cheque.

The Finchley MP joined members of the charity at the Hendon Hall Hotel on Friday night to mark their anniversary.

She said she was very proud of the long and worthwhile work which Finchley Charities had done.

She joked at how the group was all set to celebrate its 500th anniversary in 1985 until someone discovered they were three years too early.

“It is with great fondness that one has the pleasure of proposing a toast for an organisation that has endured for 500 years,” said Mrs Thatcher.

“Parliament has endured for very much longer but it is a lot noisier than here. Three years ago we thought that we had reached 500 years.

“Today I heard certain criticism about the word duty. People say it is a cold word. Here we are thinking of other people and so it has always seemed to me that duty is a warm word.

Eric Burton JP, chairman of Finchley Charities, thanked Mrs Thatcher for her kind words.

“As times change, things and people change. Our responsibility is to recognise this,” he said.

Mr Burton said he was delighted by the generous donation Mrs Thatcher gave the group.