-2- Society Executive Officers Chairman Ken Chamberlain 49 Christchurch Avenue, , DA8 3AP 01322-337-893 Secretary Michael Pooley 78 Longmead Drive, , DA14 4NZ 020-8302-2443 Treasurer Raymond Hubbard 4 Rowanwood Avenue, Sidcup, DA15 8WN 020-8308-1984 Elected Executive Committee Members Jean Davis 4 Woodlands Road, , DA7 4AF 020-8303-9570 Linda Hubbard 4 Rowanwood Avenue, Sidcup, DA15 8WN 020-8308-1984 John Mercer 65 Road, Sidcup, DA15 7LQ 020-8300-3136 Betty Sadler 16 Percy Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 4DZ 020-8304-1819 Martin Wilson 58 Palmeira Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 4UX 020-8301-5917

Heads of Committees Planning, Conservation & Environment John Mercer 65 Longlands Road, Sidcup, DA15 7LQ 020-8300-3136 Membership & Publicity Betty Sadler 16 Percy Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 4DZ 020-8304-1819 Social & Education Linda Hubbard 4 Rowanwood Avenue, Sidcup, DA15 8WN 020-8308-1984 Other Posts Membership Secretary Jennifer Hetherington 117 Marten’s Avenue, Bexleyheath, DA7 6AB 01322-527-947 Executive Minutes Secretary Catherine Wilson 58 Palmeira Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 4UX 020-8301-5917 Publicity John Mercer 65 Longlands Road, Sidcup, DA15 7LQ 020-8300-3136 Newsletter Editor Geoff Birch 72 The Drive, , DA5 3BZ 020-8306-2152 Newsletter Distribution Jennifer Hetherington 117 Marten’s Avenue, Bexleyheath, DA7 6AB 01322-527-947 Webmaster Jane Dole 240 Upton Road South, Bexley, DA5 1QS 01322-558-631 Area Representatives & Jennifer Hetherington 117 Marten’s Avenue, Bexleyheath, DA7 6AB 01322-527-947 Belvedere & Lesnes Linda Atkinson 11 Mossdown Close, Belvedere, DA17 5QW 01322-447-022 Bexley, East Sonya Brett 13 Thanet Road, Bexley, DA5 1AN 01322-522-021 Bexley, West Geoff Birch 72 The Drive, Bexley, DA5 3BZ 020-8306-2152 Bexleyheath, North Jean Davis 4 Woodlands Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 4AF 020-8303-9570 Bexleyheath, South Edna Clewes 71 Townley Road, Bexleyheath, DA6 7HW 020-8303-5371 Jenny Dunlop 2 Bexley Close, Crayford, DA1 4DH 01322-529-407 Erith Ray Hudson 10 Canberra Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 5SG 020-8310-5131 & John Harrington 166 North Cray Road, Sidcup, DA14 5EL 020-8300-8514 Lamorbey & (vacant) Sidcup, East Rita Benwell 11 Eynswood Drive, Sidcup, DA14 6JQ 020-8302-9064 Sidcup, West John Mercer 65 Longlands Road, Sidcup, DA15 7LQ 020-8300-3136 & North End Brian Rodmell 22 Alderney Road, Slade Green, DA8 2JD 01322-339-900 (vacant) Laurie Dunmow 6 Belmont Avenue, Welling, DA16 2SP 020-8856-6717 BCS Representatives on Other Bodies Reporting To: Forum of Amenity Societies (vacant) Planning, Conservation & Environment Cttee Friends of Footscray Meadows John Mercer " " " Bexley Heritage Trust Peter Hofford Membership and Publicity Committee History Federation Martin Wilson Executive Committee Kent Federation of Amenity Societies John Mercer " " Erith Town Centre Partnership Joan Armitage " " Crayford Town Centre Partnership Jenny Dunlop " " Welling Town Centre Partnership Doug and Sue Ginn " " Sidcup Town Centre Partnership John Mercer " " Belvedere Community Forum (vacant) " " Northumberland Heath Community Forum Jennifer Hetherington " " Slade Green Community Forum Brian Rodmell " " Bexleyheath Business Partnership Jean Davis " " Partnership for Bexley Brian Rodmell " " Membership Fees Life Membership £60.00 Affiliated Societies £17.00 Individual Annual Membership £ 9.00 Senior Citizens, Disabled Family Membership £12.00 Persons & Students £ 6.00

-3- 1. Editorial

First, my apologies for the late arrival of this newsletter – due to circumstances beyond my control. As I write this the weather has still not gone beyond the decidedly wintry; but let us hope for better things after Easter. As usual, Linda has put forward a great programme for the summer, one in which everyone can find something of interest. Get in quick!! Thanks too to Martin Wilson for his up-date on . [email protected] Geoff Birch

2. Dates for Your Diary

Society-organised events for Members and Guests only 30 th April 2013 Visit to Herstmonceux Castle (details below). 31 st May 2013 Talk: “Suffragettes” (details below). 13 th June 2013 Visit to Hylands House (details below). 19 th August 2013 Talk: “Other Famous Murders 1811-1911” (details below). 3rd – 11 th September 2013 Trip to Söll, Austria (details below).

3. Society News Report of the Planning, Conservation and Environment Committee

The committee met on 18 th February and on 25 th March. The Chairman is standing down after 12 years and a successor is being discussed. This involves not only the chairman but also other officers of the committee, who will be needed to take on some of the tasks taken by the outgoing chairman. At the meeting of the committee on 25 th March Sylvia Malt agreed to be acting Chairman and Jean Gammons agreed to become the secretary.

Recent planning applications of note include the Seven Stars and the Tudor Cottages in Foots Cray High Street. Concern was expressed over the application to install polytunnels at Honeydale Farm, which would have an adverse impact on the local environment. The outcome of the appeal by the developer of the Black Horse, Sidcup, is awaited. What is believed to be a Byzantine coin of the early medieval times was discovered in the River Shuttle. John Mercer Chairman, Planning, Conservation and Environment Committee

Report of the Social and Education Committee

Firstly, I would like to give a special thanks to all of you who supported our Quiz Night on 19 th January, which raised £634.13 towards our Children’s Art Exhibition at , and also to those that provided raffle prizes. The Art Exhibition was, once again, a great success and very popular with the public – thank you to Maureen Ridley for organizing her 37th annual exhibition. We have just returned from our weekend in Bath which I am told was enjoyed by all; a write-up on that weekend will appear in the next newsletter. In the events to come in this newsletter I trust you will find something of interest, with more to come later in the year.

As the Society was instrumental in setting up the Friends of Red House, we are again inviting you to join us at our garden party on Saturday, 15 th June; details of the September concert garden party will be with the next newsletter. Both are really good days, especially if the weather is good!!

See you all soon. Linda Hubbard Chairman, Social and Education Committee

-4- Report of the Membership and Publicity Committee

It is with regret that I have to inform you that Jane Dole has had to relinquish her role as our website manager. The Society owes her an enormous debt of gratitude for her work in this capacity and her shoes will be very hard to fill. If any of our members feel that they could take up this task, or knows of anyone who would be willing to do so, please do get in touch with me, or any of our committee members.

Our decorated Christmas tree at Christ Church, Erith looked splendid and evoked numerous compli- mentary comments, and our participation in the charities Fair in the church hall was a great success. We now look forward to the Local History Fair at Crossness, which we are once again organising following on from the success of last year. I am now looking for volunteers to help look after the stall; the date is Sunday, 21 st April. Please let me know if you are available.

Elizabeth Sadler Chairman, Membership and Publicity Committee

4. Hazel Birch: It is with sad regret that I have to inform you that Hazel Birch, wife of Geoff Birch, sadly passed away suddenly on Sunday 3 rd March 2013 after being admitted to hospital the previous day.

Hazel and Geoff have been members of the Society for many years. Hazel always enjoyed the trips, especially those to the Christmas Markets and the Spring Weekends, where she met and made many new friends. She always strongly supported Geoff, who produces “The Birches” the Newsletter for Bexley Civic Society.

On behalf of Bexley Civic Society I would like to send Geoff and his family our deepest sympathy at his sad time. Mike Pooley Chairman, Secretary, Bexley Civic Society

5. Events to Come: st a) Talk – “The Suffragettes”, Friday 31 May, 2013 at 3.00 pm Our second talk for this year, by Ian Porter – one of our favourite speakers, is about the Suffragette movement. The talk will take place in The United Reformed Church at Geddes Place, Bexleyheath at 3.00 p.m. so do come along and support our 2013 talks series. Please send in the completed ticket application form by 27 th May, 2013. In order to save costs tickets will not be issued.

th b) Talk – “Other Famous Murders 1811-1911”, Monday 19 August, 2013 at 3.00 pm Our next talk for this year, again by Ian Porter, is about other famous murders (we have already heard about Jack The Ripper). The talk will take place in The United Reformed Church at Geddes Place, Bexleyheath at 3.00 p.m. so do come along and support our 2013 talks series. Please send in the completed ticket application form by 16 th August, 2013. In order to save costs tickets will not be issued.

th c) Visit to Herstmonceux Castle, Tuesday 30 April, 2013. Built originally as a country home in the mid 15 th century, Herstmonceux Castle embodies the history of Medieval and the romance of Renaissance Europe. It is one of the oldest significant brick buildings still standing in England, as brick was an unusual material for the time in Britain. The builders concentrated more on grandeur and comfort than on defence. The castle was dismantled in 1777 leaving the exterior walls standing, and it remained a ruin until the early 20 th century. Radical restoration work was undertaken in 1913 to transform the ruined building into a residence, and was completed in 1933 by the architect, Walter Godfrey. The restoration work, regarded as the apex of Godfrey’s architectural achieve- -5- ment, was described by the critic Nikolaus Pevsner as executed ‘exemplarily’. From 1957 to 1988 its grounds were the home of the Royal Greenwich Observatory and today it is used by the Bader International Study Centre of Queen’s University, Canada.

Our day will start with time for either tea/coffee, a walk in the gardens followed by a guided tour of the castle and lunch (some will lunch first then take the tour). We will then have further time to explore the gardens if the weather is kind to us. The cost for this day is £27.00 to include the coach, driver’s gratuity, entrance and guided tour of Herstmonceux Castle and a choice of lunch (drinks not included). Please see booking form at end of newsletter and return as soon as possible.

th d) Visit to Hylands House, Thursday 13 June, 2013. Hylands House is a Grade II listed building situated in the grounds of Hylands Park on the outskirts of Chelmsford. Originally built in 1730, the house and park were significantly altered around the beginning of the 19 th century under the guidance of landscape architect Humphry Repton. In 1964, during the last private ownership, there was a fire in the West Wing and the house fell into partial ruin. Chelmsford Borough Council acquired the house and park in 1966 and has been committed to restoring the house ever since, undergoing four phases of restoration.

Our day will start with tea/coffee and biscuits on arrival at Hylands House followed by a guided tour of the house. We will then have time for lunch and also time to explore the gardens if the weather is kind to us. The cost for this day is £27.50 to include the coach, driver’s gratuity, tea/coffee and biscuits, entrance and guided tour of Hylands House and a soup and sandwich lunch. Please see booking form at end of newsletter and return by 27 th May, 2013.

rd th e) Söll, Austria, Tuesday 3 September – Wednesday 11 September, 2013.

Another year and yet another part of Europe, this time to Austria. We will travel via Eurostar to Calais and onward to our overnight stop in the Luxembourg area, then onwards to our hotel in Söll. Our current plans and pricing are based on taking one coach with fifty people. The schedule is not yet finalized but, I am sure, you will enjoy as much as in previous years; and, as you know, I always try to make the visits as varied as possible. Our hotel in Söll is the Postwirt Hotel. Also, the price has been very carefully compared to other holidays currently on offer in the area for the same dates, and I can assure you this offer is extremely good value. We have also kept the price comparable to 2012 (in fact lower). We will have the opportunity to spend time in Söll and various places in the area, including a visit to Salzburg.

The cost for our coach for nine days, hotel on a bed, buffet breakfast and dinner basis for a total of eight nights and our driver’s gratuity is £535 per person, based on double or twin occupancy rooms. A limited number of single rooms are available at an additional charge of £140. All rooms are en-suite. Any entrance fees are not included. It may also be possible that we have people willing to share twin rooms. We do require that you have travel insurance for this trip, and suggest you ‘shop around’ for the best deals. Also it is a good idea to make sure you have received and bring your European Health Insurance Card. A confirmation of your booking will be sent only once the booking date is reached.

6. Crossness Engines Trust I have been asked by the Editor to write a piece on developments at the Crossness site run by the Crossness Engines Trust. Whilst I ended my active involvement with the Trust at the end of 2012, I can give a brief résumé of progress made by the Trust between my last report, which was at the 2011 AGM, and the end of 2012.

At the 2011 AGM, I showed the work being done to convert the interior of the old Boiler House to a new visitor centre and facilities. Once the main contractor had finished on site, the Trust was left with a large open space on the ground floor. It was decided that rather than employ another main contractor, the -6- Trust would carry out the refitting work itself, bringing in expertise where necessary. The first task was to erect the three main ‘pods’ which would house the education facilities, the visitor toilets, and the shop, reception and café. Once this was done, the fitting out of these pods could commence. The education suite and the toilets have now been completed, with the equipment for the reception area and café still to be fitted. The education suite has seen a great deal of use since completion, not only for school visits but for hosting events run by Thames Water. The main areas have also had a new security system, fire control and lighting installed.

While the ground floor has yet to be fully fitted, the basement area, where the new volunteers’ facilities are located, is largely complete, the final component being the new archive room, which enables documents to be kept in a controlled environment. The new biomass boiler for supplying heat to the visitor centre and volunteers’ facilities has had a few teething problems, but now seems to have settled down and the heating system is due to be extended to the workshop and the proposed display area in the same building as the boiler

One major concern was the new independent access road to the site, as the release of the second instalment of grant from HLF depended on this being built. The originally proposed route, along the river bank from the golf course proved too expensive for Thames Water, who had agreed to meet the cost. As of the end of 2012, the final details of a new route had not been agreed by all parties, although a scheme to run an access from the south, with some sort of route over the sewer bank, was being explored in some detail.

2012 had also seen much work being carried out in the grounds, the most impressive part of which was the laying of new stone flags in front of the new visitor centre entrance, between this and the flight of steps up to the reservoir. The original flags here had become spalled and cracked over the years, with a lot of concrete infill. A large area on the west boundary of the site has also been cleared ready for a new ‘wildlife’ area. Much of the old and unsightly chain-link fencing has also been removed.

Work on the restoration of the beam engine ‘Victoria’ has been progressing steadily, with a major focus on excavating the sand infill to a greater depth than was accomplished with ‘Prince Consort’. This is due to an unexplained continual ingress of water from the north-west corner of the basement here.

Another development has been the arrival of the railway engine ‘Woolwich’ on site. This came from the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey, where it had been displayed for many years after being brought up from a narrow gauge railway in Devon, where it had gone after leaving service with the Royal Arsenal. Since arriving it has been stripped down for examination and repair. A building on the west side of the site is being leased from Thames Water, and it is hoped this will become its home, with a length of line being laid southwards so that it can be run, possibly transporting visitors in restored carriages, as the frames for these still exist.

The use of the complex for film work has continued unabated, the most notable recently being part of Michael Portillo’s ‘Great British Railway Journeys’. Thames Water has also used the site for a major health and safety conference.

Much work still remains to be done, encompassing the buildings, grounds and the engines, including those in storage, and this will be dependent on the availability of competent volunteers to continue the aims of the aims of the Trust into the future.

Martin Wilson

st Booking form for the Talk “Suffragettes”, Friday 31 May 2013

Please reserve ______places at £3.50 each for the above event. (Cheques payable to Bexley Civic Society )

Name: ______Telephone number: ______

Address:______

______Post Code:______th Payment and form should be sent to Linda Hubbard, 4 Rowanwood Avenue, Sidcup, Kent DA15 8WN. Applications to be received by 27 May 2013.

......

th Booking form for the Talk “Other Famous Murders 1811-1911”, Monday 19 August 2013

Please reserve ______places at £3.50 each for the above event. (Cheques payable to Bexley Civic Society )

Name: ______Telephone number: ______

Address:______

______Post Code:______th Payment and form should be sent to Linda Hubbard, 4 Rowanwood Avenue, Sidcup, Kent DA15 8WN. Applications to be received by 16 August 2013.

......

rd th Booking form for the Trip to Söll, Austria, 3 – 11 September 2013

Please reserve ______places at £535.00/675.00 each.

Name: ______Telephone number: ______

Address:______

______Post Code:______

E-Mail:______

I/We wish to reserve a double/twin/single room. If booking for more than one person please list all names.

I/We enclose our deposit cheque for £______(£25 per person); cheques payable to Bexley Civic Society .

Applications to be received by 30th April 2013; or telephone 020 8308 1984, or e-mail [email protected]

th Booking form for the Visit to Herstmonceux Castle, Tuesday 30 April 2013

Cost to include coach, driver’s gratuity, entrance and guided tour, choice of lunch.

Please reserve ______places at £27.00 each for the above event. (Cheques payable to Bexley Civic Society )

Name: ______Telephone number: ______

Address:______

______Post Code:______

E-Mail:______

If booking for more than one person please list all names.

I/We wish to be picked up at: Sidcup Station (ticket office side) at 08.40 am Bexley Village War Memorial at 08.50 am Bexleyheath Library at 09.00 am

I/We wish to have the following lunch: Cheese Ploughman’s Ham Ploughman’s Cottage Pie Potato, Leek and Cheese Bake

rd Payment and form should be sent to Linda Hubbard, 4 Rowanwood Avenue, Sidcup, Kent DA15 8WN. Applications to be received by 23 April 2013.

......

th Booking form for the Visit to Hylands House, Thursday 13 June 2013.

Cost to include coach, driver’s gratuity, tea/coffee and biscuits, entrance and guided tours, choice of sandwich lunch.

Please reserve ______places at £27.50 each for the above event. (Cheques payable to Bexley Civic Society )

Name: ______Telephone number: ______

Address:______

______Post Code:______

E-Mail:______

If booking for more than one person please list all names.

I/We wish to be picked up at: Sidcup Station (ticket office side) at 08.40 am Bexley Village War Memorial at 08.50 am Bexleyheath Library at 09.00 am

I/We wish to have a sandwich of: Cheddar Cheese on Granary or White Bread Tuna Mayonnaise on Granary or White Bread Egg Mayonnaise on Granary or White Bread Ham on Granary or White Bread

th Payment and form should be sent to Linda Hubbard, 4 Rowanwood Avenue, Sidcup, Kent DA15 8WN. Applications to be received by 27 May 2013.