NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2017 SocieTy refreSheS iTS iMAge The Society is completing a year-long project carries all these elements and will to update and refresh its image with a new be used in the seasonal Newsletter, house style and website and a complete review the website and other promotional and re-design of our logo and corporate materials. The smaller version, on the left, featuring just the green identity. kite and our name, is designed with As well as the rebranded logo, the project involves a social media in mind and for other new social media presence, re-designed Newsletter, smaller items where we do not have annual report, stationery and emails. A completely enough space to show the finer new website which will be launched in the autumn. details seen in the full-size logo. The project was announced at the annual meeting in This stronger social media presence should improve June and is the most all-encompassing of our 80th our visibility on Twitter, Eventbrite and Facebook, anniversary plans this year. These include the two new particularly among young people. The work is on- books we have published - Walking the Village and going and is being carried out by a small group of the The Blackheath Preservation Trust 1938-2016, and the committee with the strong support of a talented young seven storyboards we plan to erect across the Heath. local graphic designer, Pippa Stanton. Our previous logo of the Paragon related to the finer This edition of the Newsletter is the first to carry the elements of the built environment. But your committee new branding and design. We are using new fonts, but feels this new logo is younger and fresher as it draws retaining an old-world style of presentation for stories upon images of the Heath itself with wildlife, a green From the Archive, which has proved a popular feature. kite and an iconic building, featured in a style more All our business stationery will carry the full-size logo, adaptable to the modern world of social media. with the addition on our compliments slips of a tree, a As members can see on page 2, the full size logo swan and the Gibb memorial shelter which stands on the northeastern edge of the Heath. HIGHLIGHTS Clean up the Village Lewisham Gateway saga Trains campaign Page 3 Page 10 Page 13 Page 2 | SocieT y NeWS The ViLLAge | Page 3 The Society’s new image is carried (clockwise from the top left) in: the full-size logo; the draft home page for the new Website to be launched in the autumn with displays optimised for smart phones and tablets; our new business stationery showing the letterhead and compliments slip; and finally the front page of our membership form. FROM THE ARCHIVE - DERBY MERCURY FRIDAY 31 JANUARY 1752 Last Thursday in the Afternoon a young Gentleman was robbed on Blackheath, in the Woolwich Stage- Coach, between Five and Six o’Clock, by two Highwaymen well mounted, who took from him all his Money. He asked for one Shilling to be returned to pay his Coach-Hire, which was refused. But one of the Fellows shook Hands with him, and wished him a good Night. They were both very young Men, and rode off towards Shooters-Hill. There was only a Woman in the Coach beside, who said she had no more than two Shillings, which they thought not worth their taking. Page 2 | SocieT y NeWS The ViLLAge | Page 3 LeT’S cLeAN UP oUr ViLLAge An increasing number of members and visitors for domestic use only and are covered by the separate have been expressing their disappointment at domestic collection arrangements. Blue bags are used the general appearance of Blackheath Village. by the road sweepers, who also change the blue liners in the public rubbish bins in the Village. It seems to have become the custom for some shops When they complete their rounds, they call their control and restaurants to store their rubbish bags on the centre and a van is sent out straightaway to collect pavements at all hours of the day, sometimes resulting the blue bags. Bags of other colours relate to private in large mounds of pink bags waiting to be collected. contractors and should not be left on the pavements. This in turn has attracted fly-tipping which is an almost daily event, for example opposite the Post Office and We shall also be contacting Greenwich Council on Tranquil Vale, as seen below. regarding the southeast section of the Village which falls within their borough. Some of their businesses do Earlier this year, contract with Lewisham for waste collection, but there we contacted the are particular concerns about overflowing commercial Commercial bins in Cresswell Park and the extensive litter in the Waste space beside the old Costcutter store. We recognise, of department course, that this is only one aspect of cleaning up the at Lewisham Village, but it is an important start. Council to discuss the We have identified a number of other Village issues problem and which also need to be tackled, including the strings of we were visited old, disused Christmas lights draped across most of by the Group the shops which apparently belong to a private owner Service manager, Michael Bryan, and his colleague who refuses to remove them. Rohan Pusey. A number of buildings are in urgent need of a coat We walked around the Village for more than an hour, of paint, including the Post Office and the listed red identifying many areas which had been causing concern phone boxes outside it which have not been cleaned and they took numerous photographs of overflowing for years. One of the newer, but disused, grey phone bins and waste bags, some ripped open by foxes or boxes has been successfully removed from outside rats, and dumped items of furniture and bedding. Pares but we have been told it will cost £2,500 to have a second one removed on the south side of the Village. Michael and Rohan have been extremely helpful and, following a further meeting in July, a letter from them The Society would love to see the triangle of land on has now been delivered to all the businesses in the Montpelier Vale cleared and planted with shrubs, and Village giving the newly negotiated times for waste the demolished wall of the car park opposite the Post collections. It says: Office either rebuilt, or preferably removed. “To ensure Blackheath is kept clean and tidy, the Trade If we are to make headway with this project, we shall Refuse Service will be coming through Blackheath at need the support of our members, and particularly the following times only: day time service Monday- of our corporate members who, we know, share our Friday 6am-8am and 4pm-5pm; night time service on concern about the general appearance of the Village. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday is 12.30am-1am We shall be in contact over the coming months with and 4am-4.15am and on Friday and Saturday 10pm to suggestions as to how members can become involved 4am. Bags must only be put outside during these times. and we would love to hear your ideas about what needs Failure to adhere to the lawful disposal of refuse as to be done and the ways in which it might be achieved. set out in this letter could result in appropriate action being taken against businesses and individuals.” The new system appears to be bedding in gradually HEATH CLEAN UP DAY and will be kept under review. We shall be keeping As in recent years, a Heath Clean Up Day is planned members informed about how we can help our council for Society members to join Lewisham and Glendale achieve the desired outcome. colleagues in a special effort to keep the Heath During the course of discussions, we have learned clean. Your support would be very welcome. We that Lewisham rubbish bags, like our bins, are colour- will assemble at 1400 on Saturday October 14 at coded. The bags covered by these new arrangements the changing rooms in Talbot Place on the Heath. are the pink trade waste bags which can also be used Equipment will be provided but it is advisable to bring by residents living above the businesses. Black bags are a pair of gloves. Page 4 | SocieT y NeWS ViLLAge NeWS | Page 5 SocieTy TALk oN fiLMS MAde AT BLAckheATh ArT cLUB Many have wondered about tell us about what went on there search under Back to Blackheath. the Blackheath Art Club, the during that period and about the Some tickets will be available at development of documentary film. the door, but please contact the interesting building with the Blackheath Society office about this We will meet at 7pm for 7.30pm at blue plaque at the end of on 0208 297 1937. Bennett Park, home of the St Mary’s Halls, Cresswell Park. The Art Club was famous General Post founded in 1883. Office film unit of the It held two annual 1930s (seen on the right). exhibitions from 1886 until 1916, and You probably know the film the building was then The Night Mail with verse requisitioned for commentary by WH Auden, government use. which was one of several wartime films made here. The GPO film unit was there from 1934 John Grierson, the pioneering to 1943, when it Scottish documentary maker was also used by the and founder of the Grierson Blackheath Art and Trust, also began his career in Craft Society.