Building an access road would involve cutting down trees and the loss of part of the wood. The same arguments which had applied a hundred years ago against taking the acre of wood and adding it to the Charity Land so as to build the 25 houses, applied today. The sale of woodland to make a drive to reach the Lodge was not acceptable and moreover,was now illegal as there was now an Act of Parliament to forbid it.

No fewer than four societies which had supported the original fight to obtain the wood, again protested against this attack on the wood and they were joined by a number of others. It seemed ironical, but somehow fitting, to celebrate the centenary of the opening of Queen's Wood by a campaign to save it for the next millenium, using the same arguments of public need over hundreds of years, against doubtful short-term gain.

The Lodge stayed empty as the protests mounted.but the whole of the Wood and the Lodge stayed in the public domain. Despite all attempts the Council could not sell the Lodge because they could not build a road to it. Eventually the Council capitulated and The Lodge has been used as a Educational Centre where local children study this beautful wet wood, unique in this part of North London.

It would be interesting to know what someone else will be writing a hundred years from now, when we have run out of petrol and spend more time in our own neighbourhoods. There might then be need for the Tea Room again. Will the Education Department put up a fight?

The four keepers in Queen's Wood: Mr Martin, Mr Smith, Mr Sparrow (father
of Liza Chivers who wrote the pamphlet) and Mr Duke

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Memories of Highgate from a Keeper's Lodge, by Lisa Chivers, 1982, pub1982, Hornsey Historical Society.