Twenty-six years ago...
A self-styled 'moralist' organisation announced plans to hold a 'big rally' in Cricklewood.

Worsant (meaning World of Sanity) was inaguarated at Trafalgar Square in August 1979 with the aim of 'eliminating all forms of social and moral crimes form the face of the earth', according to this newspaper.

The organisation wrote to then Leader of the Opposition, Margaret Thatcher, the year before, backing her stand against crime and pressing for the return of the death penalty for all forms of murder.

The group also called for the castration and public flogging of convicted rapists, the return of corporal punishment in schools, that adultery be made punishable by law and divorce discouraged by making it difficult for people to receive alimony.

The movement blamed women's aid organisations and umnarried social workers for most marriage break-downs and suggested that women's aid organisations be replaced by church bodies.

After the planned campaign in north London, Worsant planned to "Spread its activities to other parts of the country before moving abroad."

If anyone can let us know what happened to this forward-looking group, please get in touch at the usual address.

Fifty-three years ago...
One of the worst fogs for more than 30 years brought 'much of life to a stand-still' throughout the borroughs of Hendon, Finchley, Wembley, Elstree, Borehamwood and Harrow.

The smog ('a newly-coined word to describe a mixture of fog and smoke,' explained the Hendon and Finchley Times) halted traffic and forced all but a handful of people to stay in their homes. It also led to accidents and a weekend-long depression for traders.

Edgware General Hospital received 64 emergency cases, mostly related to fog-induced pneumonia, over one weekend. The hospital sent oxygen to people suffering from asthma aggravated by the smog. The most serious accident involved a pile-up near the Red Lion, at the junction of Edgware Road and Kingsbury Road, injuring eight people.