Music in Alexandra Palace internment camp by sixth-former Patrick Hegarty Morrish was short-listed in the ‘short article’ category by the British Association for Local History (BALH) in their awards for publications in 2018. His article came joint second out of about 500 entries which is a considerable achievement for an A Level student.
Patrick had personal experience of making music in Alexandra Palace when he took part there in a concert by the Haringey Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra in 2015. This roused his interest in the history of the Palace and particularly in the music performed by an orchestra formed from alien internees, mostly German, during the First World War. Music was encouraged to alleviate the boredom and unhappiness of the inmates.
This article appeared in HHS Bulletin 58 in 2017 and it was reprinted in BALH The Local Historian, Volume 48, Number 3, in July 2018. Patrick, who attended Highgate Wood School in Crouch End, N8, is now reading History at Oriel College, Oxford. HHS encourages participation by young people in all our activities and we offer work experience to interested students in the summer holidays.