Xtra Diary: On Stevie Wonder's impromptu walkabout on the Mozart estate in 1984

Published: 19 February 2010

 

When Stevie…‘just called to say I love you’

 

THERE'S been much written about the Mozart estate over the last few weeks, and you could be forgiven for thinking journalists just have a special button they push marked “broken Britain cliches” so they don’t have to do any original scene-setting.

Well Diary wanted to tell another story from the annals of “brick city”, as the warren of streets between Queen’s Park, Maida Vale and Kilburn is affectionately known by the people who call it home, to try to counterbalance the desperation anecdotes.  

In September 1984, at the height of its notoriety, it received a rather unlikely guest. The man in question was none other than the eye-patched godfather of soul, Stevie Wonder. 

Until recently his impromptu visit, lived only in local folklore, but now thanks to some digging from the Queen’s Park neighbourhood forum, we have incontrovertible evidence. 

The lady who captured the historic moment, Ulrike Preuss, was a professional photographer at a studio on the Harrow Road at the time. She recalls walking up to the estate after receiving a tip-off and there being nobody around. Suddenly the great man arrives as if he had been teleported from another planet, and the crowds just appeared. Ms Preuss only recently found the negatives. 

Weeks after the visit, Stevie Wonder released the smash hit I just called to say I love you. 

Diary can’t imagine it happening today…

 

Kevin and friends set a sweet challenge

 

ROLL up roll up. Kevin Hadri and fellow pupils from Pimlico Academy had everyone scratching their heads with their challenge to guess the sugar content in popular household items. 

Needless to say they didn’t put any school dinners up for scrutiny (nothing but brown rice and broccoli these days we hear).

The four pupils from Apollo House were manning a healthy eating stall in conjunction with their charity of choice A Moveable Feast at a special South Westminster community day at Dryburgh Hall.

They joined stallholders from Westminster Adult Education, NHS Westminster, Pimlico library and the local police.


Boris and a five-ring Olympic circus

 
BORIS Johnson probably knows his schussing from his snow plough from his Eton days. 

But one winter sport where he appears to be a Polar Bear out of the Arctic is ice hockey
The mayor certainly looked a little uncomfortable with a hockey stick in hand as he joined the Canadian High Commissioner 
 
Jim Wright to mark the start of the Vancouver Olympics with a photoshoot in Trafalgar Square at the weekend. 
Boris watched on with the gathered crowds as the opening ceremony was beamed into the square on giant screens. 
He was using the event as a platform for when it’s London’s turn in 2012. 
 
Diary must give him credit for turning down an invitation. Westminster City Council have not been so thrifty, spending almost £4,000 on sending its events tsar out to Whistler for four days on the slopes.


Lady Antonia’s very personal history

LADY Antonia Fraser popped into Daunt Books in Marylebone High Street on Tuesday to talk about her new book, Must You Go?
 

She regaled the audience with readings about how she met her late husband Harold Pinter as well as his love for cricket.
 
Lady Antonia said: “He was anti-authoritarian. 
“He questioned all rules except the rules  of cricket.”

 

Xtra Diary Image: 
Going walkabout: fans mob Stevie Wonder on his impromptu tour of Mozart estate i

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