NEWSLETTER

Spring issue, April 2008 No.189, Quarterly, distributed free to members

Registered with the Civic Trust and the Forum of Amenity Societies; Registered Charity No.1058103

Website: www.brixtonsociety.org.uk

An artist’s impression of Future from over a century ago – this design was runner-up to the present building in the competition for the new Lambeth Town Hall. (picture from the competition designs in Lambeth Archives)

Sunday 13 April – Brixton Town Hall Centenary Town Centre Walk Tuesday 29 April, 2 pm to 6 pm? A guided walk to follow up the recent The actual centenary of the Town Hall Future Brixton consultations, led by being officially opened will be marked by Alan Piper. Meet at 2-30 pm outside an Exhibition & Reception in the the Tate Library, Brixton Oval, SW2. Assembly Hall in the afternoon. Displays will probably re-appear at the Lambeth More walks dates inside… Archives Open Day in September.

Annual General Meeting Lambeth Country Show Thursday 12 June, 7 pm Weekend, 19/20 July at the Vida Walsh Centre, 2b Saltoun 11 am to 7 pm daily in Brockwell Park. Road, SW2 Arrangements are still fuzzy due to a 3- We aim to bring you up to date with local month delay in Council planning, but once issues and the community-led projects we more we hope to have a stall – and as have supported. This time, we are also usual we are asking members to spare us seeking your approval to updating the an hour or two so we can staff it through constitution, to match current charity law the weekend. Offers welcome at the and the range of activities that we are AGM. In any case, we hope you will all increasingly being asked to take part in or stop off at our stall and renew your even lead. membership for the year ahead!

1 Adv\ BS\ N\Apr 08 Front.doc. Diary of Events, Spring & Summer 2008

Brixton Society Primary School, Belmont Leigham Court Road, Meeting dates Road, SW4. SW16. In addition to our special The Clapham Society. Streatham Society. events, the Executive Sunday 27 April – Saturday 24 May – Committee usually meets on the 2nd Thursday of Spring Plant & Dulwich Woods the month to plan Garden Fair A small fragment of the activities and agree our Open 10-30 am to 5 pm, old Great North Wood responses to current admission £3 (£2.50 for has been turned into a developments. Meetings concessions) Museum of nature reserve by the are at 7 pm at the Vida Garden History (in the London Wildlife Trust. Walsh Centre, 2b former St.Mary’s Church) Meet at 2-30 pm at gate Saltoun Road SW2, Lambeth Palace Road, of Dulwich Upper Wood facing Windrush Square. SE1. Reserve near the lower Museum of Garden end of Farquhar Road, 10 April • History. SE19. (Bus 3 to Dulwich • 8 May Wood Park, or other • 12 June (AGM) Sunday 4 May – West routes to Crystal Palace • 10 July Norwood Cemetery: Parade.) General tour of the Lambethans Society. • 11 September cemetery – meet at 2-30 st • 9 October pm inside the main gate Sunday 1 June – • 13 November. on Norwood High Street. Brockwell Park Tree Friends of West Norwood Celebration Links with other Cemetery. Dedication of the year’s groups donated trees – meet at We also list here events Saturday 10 May – 2 pm by the clock tower by other local societies Spring Sale in the centre of the park. that may be of interest. At Trinity Hospice, 30 Friends of Brockwell Park Clapham Common North We suggest checking th with organisers in case of Side, SW4. Details from Sunday 8 June – changes since these Laura Williams, (020) 7787 River Wandle Walk details reached us. Some 1054 or Led by Doreen Heath events may be charged enquiries@trinityhospice. and Alan Piper, picking for, and most groups will org.uk up connections with the welcome donations. Ashby windmill at Brixton. Thursday 15 May – Meet 2-30 pm at Mitcham Sunday 20 April – Tulse Hill & Brixton Hill Tramlink stop, London Illustrated talk by Alan Piper Spring Walk: Road, CR4 (buses 118, at 8 pm at the Phoenix Meet at 2 pm by the 201, 280, 355). Centre, Westow Street, Clock Tower in the centre Lambethans Society. SE19. of Brockwell Park, for a Norwood Society. Summer Walks walk including the history and wildlife of the Park. A fuller listing of guided Saturday 17 May – walks in and around Friends of Brockwell Park Nunhead Cemetery Lambeth will be available Open Day Wednesday 23 April – from local libraries and Open 11 am to 5pm, participating societies by Restoring the Linden Grove, SE15. the end of May. Southbank Centre Friends of Nunhead Ian Blackburn, project Cemetery. E-mail updates director, describes the If we have a current e- recent restoration of the Monday 19 May – mail address from you, we Royal Festival Hall, and A history of the will try to advise you of the continuing work to Domestic Kitchen: any extra events or adapt the 21-acre South Illustrated talk by Brian changes. Just send a Bank arts centre as a Bloice, 8 pm at quick e-mail to whole. 7-30 for 8 pm Woodlawns Streatham [email protected] and start at Clapham Manor Darby & Joan Club, 16 we will amend our list.

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FUTURE BRIXTON While Tesco, Lidl, Carpetwright, These comments were submitted on Currys and Halfords all still have a behalf of the Brixton Society, based presence in Brixton, as self-contained on the Council’s questionnaire. satellites with their own parking, they In the current “Future Brixton” cycle, make no contribution to the critical the Society held meetings on Town th mass of the Town Centre itself. Centre issues on 11 October (with a presentation from Cllr. Paul McGlone) Leisure and Entertainment: These th and on 14 February (which the uses have partly offset the decline in Council speaker missed!). Our retail trade, but the Council has still comments have also been informed not thought through the implications of by contacts with ABC Brixton, Brixton the late-night economy. The revival of Market Traders Federation, the residential uses within the Town Create Brixton group and members of Centre is beginning to limit locations the Brixton Area Forum. for late-night uses.

Priorities for Regeneration: Creative industries: Public bodies are belatedly recognizing the Encouraging Visitors: If this were a economic benefits of a wide range of priority, then logically efforts should creative activities, including graphic also be made to: arts, music and media, but there • Safeguard Brixton’s character needs to be a critical mass of such (because without it, there is little businesses in a neighbourhood to reason to visit). encourage symbiotic business • Reduce crime and increase relationships. However, opportunities the sense of safety (again for such firms to develop or even start necessary to encourage up locally are rapidly diminishing as visitors). more business space gets taken up for housing development, increasing • Provide a more pleasant rents for what remains. As a result, streetscape. the talent and employment potential • Reduce crowding at pinch points are going to other boroughs, and (not just on the “High Street”). Lambeth loses out again.

Improving the Economy: This has Office provision: Demand remains been the biggest weakness in recent mainly local and for small-scale planning and seems to have received suites. Public sector demand has scant attention in the latest proposals. been in long-term decline and office First, it is important to understand that rents have been too low for new office there are several strands to local development to be viable. economic activity, and each faces specific challenges. Services: A variety of small businesses cling on locally, including Retail including markets: Greater small-scale manufacture, car repairs London has many competing centres, and warehousing, largely dependent but Brixton has been left way behind on railway arch premises. Their in conventional shopping terms, while collective profile is low but they are an failing to develop any significant niche important element in Brixton’s position. Brixton’s long-term decline economic life. has been driven by outdated and neglected infrastructure, combined Overall however, the greatest with active discouragement of car- challenge is the displacement of local borne trade. employment and amenities by Most of the Town Centre has suffered housing development. If market intermittent planning blight, so that forces are left unchecked, Brixton will property values are high in hope of lose most of its shops, jobs and future development potential, but character in favour of high-density shop tenants are forced to take a housing. Any Master Plan must short-term approach, limiting the address this or fail. range and quality of goods on offer.

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Sustainability: attracting new enterprises to the The brochure pays lip-service to the Town Centre, in order to improve the idea but we doubt if the concepts are mix of shops and services. It is a really understood. Proposals need to major weakness that nobody is reflect that: responsible for this. • Existing buildings represent considerable embodied energy High Street area and investment of resources. Mix of Shops: We all know that the • Brixton’s public transport links are quality and range of shops is limited, inherently good and would be a and declines sharply away from the major asset if interchange could be central section of improved. between Coldharbour Lane and • In the design of public buildings Ferndale Road. However no firm and spaces, running costs and proposals were shown for tackling ease of maintenance are more this, and we doubt if the Council team important than first-cost or really understands the problem. fashionable materials. • Green spaces reaching into the New Shops: We would welcome any Town Centre from north and south retail or service uses that are missing are valued assets, which should be or under-represented at present. We conserved and improved. are aware that the strongest demand is from cafes, take-aways and bars, but the retail element in the core area must not be diluted too much.

Night-time Uses: Late-night uses are more likely to be acceptable on Brixton Road itself, rather than on side streets where residential uses are more prevalent.

Brixton-wide Projects: Music Quarter: It would be a mistake Most of the proposals listed were too to confine music-related uses to sites vague to endorse, but a few things within one block. Creative people do stand out as essential for success. not work that way – a range of

Management & Maintenance: This different types of premises are has long been the most obvious needed, and location within or close weakness of the Town Centre “offer”. to the Town Centre should be No amount of shiny new shop-fronts sufficient for networking purposes. will redeem public spaces that are neglected and scruffy. The Council Setting-back Shop-fronts: We see has hesitated for too long over the no justification for destroying the future role of its Town Centre existing shopping frontage between Managers – they must be given the Electric Avenue and Coldharbour resources and authority to tackle Lane. This includes some good problems, instead of being left in examples of 1930s development. isolation. Current proposals by TfL for modest widening of existing pavements in Attracting Visitors: This needs to Brixton Road will be welcome. take a holistic approach, to encourage repeat business. It is not enough just Brixton Hill to advertise. The vagueness of the proposals casts There must be public toilets to allow a blight over the area around the people to stay a little longer. Town Hall and Tesco. We are There must be signposted parking anxious that existing homes and facilities, so that shoppers are not businesses are safeguarded. limited to what they can carry onto a bus or train. Roads as Barriers: Over the past 50 Promotion also needs to extend to years, most established town centres

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have been sub-divided by the volume advocated a “horse-shoe” pedestrian of traffic on their main roads, so route from Brixton Road through traditional high streets have found Electric Avenue, crossing into Pope’s their shops split into two halves, rather Road and then left into Brixton Station than functioning as a whole entity in Road to rejoin Brixton Road. It is also the traditional way. Some centres worth including part of Electric Lane have coped by traffic diversion or (between Electric Avenue and pedestrianisation schemes. Brixton at Coldharbour Lane). Anything more least gained some more pedestrian extensive would make deliveries more crossings in the 1990s, but there is difficult and strangle retail trade. still room for improvement. A general weakness of the present Civic & Cultural Quarter: We have Town Centre layout is that it is not no objection to more civic and cultural clear which areas are actually activities around the Town Hall but it pedestrianised. A distinctive surface would be damaging to the Centre as a treatment would be helpful, provided it whole to limit new cultural uses to was amenable to pedestrian use – no sites within this one block. more cobbles!.

Night-time Use: We would strongly Opening up Archways through the oppose allowing late-night uses below Viaducts: Many years ago we Arlington Lodge on Brixton Hill and suggested opening up the first arch below 10-16 Acre Lane, because of from Brixton Road as an extra the disturbance to flats above. pedestrian route, in order to improve pedestrian flow between the north and south sections of the “High Street”. However, opening up other archways runs the risk of splitting the footfall so it is insufficient to support new retail businesses or even to reassure pedestrians of their personal safety. The present archway route below the railway station is neglected and unattractive. Wider consideration of improving access to the railway station would be welcome.

Brixton Station Road Brixton Exchange We see no point in changing the The most distinctive feature of colour or windows of the Recreation proposals for this block is the creation Centre, but remodelling to provide a of another “Central Square” but less-intimidating access would be without clearly defining what it is for, welcome. or why anyone should go there. The drawings show a large space, 7 Future of the Multi-storey Car Park: arches deep. We prefer the proposals The Council has dithered for 15 years from Oval House Theatre, which over the future of the Car Park. As a provides a real evening destination result it suffers from neglect and and a smaller forecourt which could blights its surroundings, although the still accommodate additional stalls to parking facilities as such are still the existing layout. Two to three effective and useful. The existing arches deep should be quite enough. structure represents considerable embodied energy, and it should not Tall Buildings: Naturally developers be removed without considering are keen to maximize the number of alternatives. There must be a full flats on any site, but it is the Council’s assessment of parking demand and responsibility as Planning Authority to capacity before decisions are taken. set sensible policies. There should be some guidelines on tall buildings for Pedestrianising Brixton Station the Town Centre as a whole. Road: Some 30 years ago we Daylight and sunlight implications for

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existing buildings must be considered. businesses. However, some small Tall “point” blocks are less likely to units must remain, to provide block sunlight than more “barrier opportunities for start-ups and niche blocks”. businesses.

Access between Tube and Rail Somerleyton Road Stations: The naming of this We are concerned at this block being “development block” implies that headlined “the route to the south- someone started to think about east”. We strenuously object to any Transport interchange issues, but the attempt to open new routes for published proposals fail to follow through traffic, or to demolish parts of through or deliver any improvements. the Guinness Trust or Moorland Estates to gain access to Herne Hill.

Mix of Uses: We understand the site of the Adult Training Centre will be used as temporary accommodation pending completion of the new Academy on the Shakespeare Depot site. Longer term, this is the most relevant site for providing any ancillary or overspill functions to support the markets or other Town Centre services. Brixton Markets We are anxious that Carlton Mansions should remain. Future of the Indoor Markets: The indoor markets are essential to Beyond these sites there is still only the distinctive character of Brixton and limited scope for new residential we are implacably opposed to development, given the uses of most development on these sites. existing premises in supporting local In business terms, the indoor markets services. complement the street market by providing an opportunity for street Other Comments traders to move up to lock-up The published proposals are weak on premises more cheaply than taking on Brixton’s heritage. The Conservation a complete shop unit. Area needs to be re-appraised and

protection strengthened. Any new Routes through Markets: development should fit in with the Care needs to be taken in retail present “urban grain”. layouts that pedestrian footfall is not

split or diluted if this is avoidable. A Alan Piper. link route was opened between Market Row and Electric Avenue some 10 years ago, but failed to Changing the Rules prosper. Future Brixton is only one of the big However within Brixton Village/ Town Planning issues that we have Granville Arcade, the Second Avenue had to respond to recently. Borough- could be usefully extended to link into wide policies are also under review, Pope’s Road. This would revive retail with a new “Local Development activity in this part of the arcade, and Framework” being developed. provide a less-congested route into At the national level, further changes the heart of the street market than the are emerging from the Planning Bill, present doorway on Pope’s Road. and a wider range of “permitted development” for single-family houses Size of Units: No objection is seen to was expected as we went to press. existing units being combined or And every week brings a fresh batch reconfigured to offer a greater range of notices about individual planning of sizes to traders. This may help applications on our patch... encourage a wider range of

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football. That such a thriving suburb as Bygone Brixton Brixton should be without any Former resident John Burton managed representative club has long been a to get back for our social in January reproach to the neighbourhood. Mr W. and also supplied these insights into Haydon, one of our County Councillors, Brixton’s social, sporting and political th has again shown his interest in local life in the late 19 Century. With the sport, and has consented to allow football impending elections for Mayor and on the Brixton Cricket Ground, Poplar- Greater London Assembly, and even walk, Loughborough-junction, of which he recent concerns about gentrification, is the proprietary holder. The newly they seem curiously topical... formed Brixton Football Club and Major Stokoe’s team of Old Londonians will An old friend, Nicholas Dewey, lent me share the ground, and offer lovers of his (great?) grandfather’s book of football an interesting list of fixtures. Both newspaper cuttings because it clubs are entered for the Surrey County contained some Brixton stories from League and Cup matches. A small charge the 1890s. will be made for admission, ladies being

“The Brixtonian” reported in October admitted free. Gentlemen in the 1896: neighbourhood desiring to support this One of the most tasteful and eminently attempt to localise football are invited to popular weddings that it has been our duty become season ticket holders, the price of to chronicle took place at St. Margaret’s which is only 3s. 6d. and can be obtained Westminster on Wednesday afternoon last, from Mr Charles H. Dewey, 440, Brixton- the contracting parties being Charles road, the hon. Manager of this enterprise, Hayter Dewey, of Brixton, and Miss Grace which should command the support of all Haydon, the eldest daughter of Mr Wm. lovers of our national winter game. Haydon, the senior member for Brixton on the London County Council. The ceremony Charles Dewey founded the “Lambeth was timed for two p.m., and in anticipation Polytechnic Minstrels” who held their first concert on Thursday, November of seeing the charming bride a large th number of onlookers assembled at 29 1888 at the Lambeth Polytechnic “Sunnyside”, Loughborough-park, the in Ferndale Road, S.W. Dewey sang residence of her parents, to witness the the ballad “Little Sweetheart come and departure of the wedding party. As the kiss me”. splendidly equipped carriages drove down After his marriage, Dewey moved to Brixton-road they attracted considerable 16 Thornton Avenue, Telford Park, notice, and many acknowledgements S.W. (then in Wandsworth) and passed between the bride and her popular became involved in Wandsworth local parent as they were recognised by some of affairs. He also aspired to playing his the leading tradesmen. Not the least part in national and international noticeable feature was the number of politics, there are cuttings from 1899 persons on tramcars and ‘buses making about demonstrations on the Dreyfus their way to Westminster . . . case and the Boer War.

Charles Dewey was a keen sportsman On September 25th “The Star” – cricket, football, athletics and reported: gymnastics – and there are several THE PLINTH CLIMBER interesting sports stories. Mr C.H. Dewey, the six-foot gentleman who was thrown off the plinth at “The Brixtonian” October 1898: Trafalgar-square yesterday afternoon by a FOOTBALL IN BRIXTON five-foot Socialist, is a member of the At last! Lovers of the “soccer” game will Wandsworth Board of Works. He lives as be glad to hear that at last Brixton has No. 16 Thornton Avenue, Streatham, in a risen to its sense of duty with regard to pretty home, and has a pretty wife.

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In the absence of the gentleman, a STAR Brockwell Park Sketching MAN saw the lady this morning and asked Group extends to Brixton. if she had her husband sent back to her last night in an ambulance or in a board • Mondays, 1 pm to 3 pm. dust collection cart. • Sketch and walk around the town. But he walked home with nothing more • Bring your own sketching serious than a limp and a big black bruise equipment – Marilyn Rogers will on his leg. encourage you to share in a creative session of drawing, Under the headline “The Trafalgar thinking and making. We usually meet in the café in Brockwell Square Fiasco” in the St James’s Park at 1 pm on Mondays, and put any Gazette, Dewey refutes the lurid notice of change of venues on the café reporting of The Star and other and Friends of Brockwell Park papers: noticeboard. Enquiries to Marilyn Rogers “In common with thousands of other on 07 742 561 359, [email protected] residents of the suburbs, I went to For more park events see Trafalgar-square yesterday to read, mark, www.brockwellpark.com learn and inwardly digest. . . . Meeting two members of Parliament and two or Open Garden Squares three members of the Moderate party on the London County Council, and also Weekend, 7/8 June several colleagues on the Streatham For the past 2 years we have organised Vestry, we framed an amendment to the events in Tate Library Gardens as part of resolution of the Little Englanders, and I this London-wide weekend. For 2008 we proceeded to the base of the monument to held back, expecting the Central Square hand it up. But a hand being outstretched, remodelling work to be underway, but so many details are still to be sorted out that I next found myself on the platform, and now work will not start until October at the tried to obtain a hearing.” earliest. At least that gives you more time to look at Another Victorian Resident the other 140 squares and gardens that Soon after receiving the above piece, will be open that weekend, and perhaps news arrived of a recent book about bring back some ideas that we can use another colourful character who started life locally. Tickets £6 in advance from 020 in our area. Arthur Pember was born at 4 8347 8230 (9 am – 6pm weekdays) or at New Park Road, Brixton Hill in 1835, and www.capitalgardens.co.uk or £7.50 from then lived at “Langlands” in what is now participating gardens during the weekend. Kings Avenue, part of the Clapham Park Estate. Both houses are long gone but we Contacting us... managed to supply an old picture of New Publication orders, membership forms and Park Road. After a privileged education mailing list updates should be sent to the and adventurous youth, he distinguished Membership Secretary, Diana Linskey, at himself as an undercover journalist in the 32 Stockwell Green, London SW9 9HZ, or USA with the New York Press. He led the e-mail to [email protected] way in establishing the game of soccer in the 1860s, and is best remembered as the General enquiries and material for the first president of the Football Association. next newsletter should be sent to the Secretary, Alan Piper, 82 Mayall Road, Arthur Pember’s Great Adventures is London SE24 0PJ, tel. (020) 7207 0347. available from the writer/ publisher, John Blythe Smart at Trails End, Bay Road, We welcome news and comment from all Freshwater, Isle of Wight PO40 9QS, tel. interested in the Brixton area, so opinions 01983 753914, [email protected] expressed in these pages are not 320 pages with 4 8-page picture inserts, necessarily those of the Brixton Society. £11.99 plus postage.

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