NEWSLETTER
Summer issue, July 2007 No.186, Quarterly, distributed free to members
Registered with the Civic Trust and the London Forum of Amenity Societies, Registered Charity No.1058103
Website: www.brixtonsociety.org.uk
Our next appearance: Lambeth Country Show 21 & 22 July weekend It’s that time again and we will be part of this big event in Brockwell Park, so look for our stall in the usual area, near kindred groups covering different parts of Lambeth – once again we are on site J6. Do take the opportunity to check out our current publications, renew your membership and chat about your own interest in Brixton.
Sunday 9 September: Brixton Hill Walk Meet at 2-30 pm at the corner of Brixton Hill and New Park Road Road, for a guided walk led by Alan Piper. Based on the “upper” half of our Brixton Heritage Trail No.1, the route will also take in nearer parts of the Clapham Park NDC.
Thursday 11 October: The Heart of Brixton A progress update on developments in
Brixton Town Centre, including the th Central Square, new transport links, Saturday 6 October the Railway Hotel and more. An opportunity for members to share Lambeth Archives their views and ask questions. Open Day 7 pm at the Vida Walsh Centre, 2b 10 am to 5 pm at Minet Library, corner of Saltoun Road, SW2. Burton and Knatchbull Roads, SE5. If any member can spare an hour or two to help Further details in our Autumn issue. staff our stall during the Open Day, please speak with Glyn Kyle (Chair) on (020) More dates listed inside… 7326 5070.
1 Adv\ BSN\ July 07 front Diary of Events, Summer & Autumn 2007
Brixton Society Further details from the by Robert Holden, 7-30 pm Town Centre Office on for 7-45 start, at Herne Hill meeting dates (020) 7926 1097 or the United Church Hall, corner The Executive Committee Employment Café at 64 of Redpost Hill and Herne usually meets on the Railton Road, tel. 020 7733 Hill. second Thursday of the 8878 Herne Hill Society. month to plan activities Metro Sports Foundation and agree our responses Ltd, tr/as Brixton Splash. Saturday 6th October to local developments. Lambeth Archives All meetings 7 pm at the Sunday 19 August – Vida Walsh Centre 2b Open Day: Saltoun Road, SW2. Peckham and the 10 am to 5 pm at the Minet Contact the Secretary to coming Tram: Library, c/o Burton Road & confirm details. A walk through Peckham to Knatchbull Road, with talks • 13 September see where the Cross-River in the Michael Church • 11 October Tram will run and what may across the road. This year’s (open meeting) be lost as a result. Meet at theme is Sport & Leisure. • 8 November. 2 pm at Peckham Rye Lambeth Archives Dept. Station, SE15. Peckham Society. Saturday 13 October Links with rd Henry Tate Gardens other groups Monday 3 Sept. - In case you missed the We suggest checking London’s Markets, tours in May, they will be with organisers in case of Market Halls and repeated at 2-30 & 3-30 pm, changes since these Exchanges: around the gardens of Park details reached us. Some Illustrated talk by Dave Hill, home of Sir Henry Tate events may be charged Perrett, 8 pm at The from 1880 to 1899. for, and most groups Woodlawns Centre, 16 Meet at entrance gate on welcome donations. Leigham Court Road, Streatham Common North, Streatham SW16. near junction with Leigham Saturday & Sunday Streatham Society. Court Road, SW16. 21/22 July: Streatham Society. rd Urban Art Fair: Monday 3 to Friday th Once again the railings of 7 September – Summer Walks Josephine Avenue will be Music Hall: Programme festooned with the work of Recapture the flavour of Lambeth’s amenity 90 living artists, at prices entertainment from a societies are putting on a from £50 to £500. Open century ago at the Stanley series of guided walks in 10 am to 6 pm each day. Halls, South Norwood Hill, and around the borough, www.urbanart.co.uk SE25, at 7-30 pm nightly. running into October. Box office 020 8776 1064. We are giving out the th Sunday 5 August – The Croydon Stagers. printed list at the Lambeth Brixton Splash: Country Show, and it’s on th Both Coldharbour Lane and Sunday 9 Sept. – our website, so we have Atlantic Roads will be The Big Draw: only mentioned a couple of closed from their crossroads highlights in this issue. Once again FoBP are down to Brixton Road, for organising a “chalk on the Brixton Area Forum this community event. The path” day based on Rangoli event runs 12 noon to 7 pm For meeting dates of the patterns – and hoping the Forum and its working but road closures will be rain will not wash them effective all day until 9 pm. groups, contact the Town away as quickly as 2006! Centre office on (020) There will be live music in All welcome to join in. Windrush Square/ Tate 7926 1077 or e-mail to: Friends of Brockwell Park [email protected]. Library Gardens, with various entertainments, uk Wednesday 12 children’s activities, music Christmas Lights and food in the closed September – My Life in Show Business: switch-on – Friday sections of Coldharbour evening, 30 November. Lane and Atlantic Road. Part 2- the Santa Years
Adv\ BS\ N\ July 07 Diary.doc 2 Local History Focus
each case, speakers will case any readers can Open House provide some local add any information. 15/16 September context and examples. It’s that weekend when More details expected The Cheeky Chappie over 600 buildings open next month. My name is Jack Strutt their doors for free, over and I am a member of most of Greater London. Tuesday 18 September the Max Miller It’s a mix of old and new, West Norwood Library, Appreciation Society, to show a range of dates with Don Bianco (English based in Brighton. I edit and types, but most are Heritage and also Crystal the Society’s quarterly not normally open to the Palace Community magazine, “There’ll never public. The Buildings Association). be another”. Guide will be out in mid- Durning Library, with Jim During the past couple of August at local libraries, Nicolson (Vauxhall years we have been or can be ordered from Society). aware that this public the website house in Vassall Road Wednesday 19 Sept. www.openhouse.org.uk was due for demolition. I Carnegie Library, with understand that this has Alan Piper (Brixton and We must stress that now taken place and the Lambethans’ Societies). some sites may only site is being developed. open on one day and Streatham Tate Library, numbers may be limited with Brian Bloice As the pub was at smaller sites, so check (Streatham Society). presumably named in the Guide or website to Max’s honour, I wonder if Thursday 20 September plan your visits. you - or somebody else Clapham Library, with in your society - can let Peter Jefferson-Smith Among the buildings me have any details of (Clapham Society). open locally will be the the pub’s history. I am Waterloo Library upper floor of Brockwell particularly keen to find a (speaker to be Hall in the Park, the photo of the pub in its confirmed). refurbished Brockwell heyday, including any
Lido, Brixton Windmill, shot of the interior if they Tree House in Lyham exist. Road, and the Greek Jack Strutt, Chapel in West Norwood [email protected] Cemetery. Over in Southwark, the Bardach family remains of the Rose I am looking for Theatre will be open. information on the Further afield, I will be Bardach family, long-lost Too late alas for one of assisting at Biggin Hill relatives that lived at 44 the older houses in airfield on Sunday, when Arodene Road, SW2 Palace Road, SW2, the RAF Battle of Britain from 1944 to 1977. The snapped by member Phil Memorial Flight will also father was Rudolf, a tailor Angold as demolition be using the airfield, so and radio dealer. The started in May. we are guaranteed mother was Adele and authentic sound effects the daughter was Henny during our tours! or Henriette. The family Tracing family Alan Piper. and friends... was from Austria: Henny was one of Nicholas We receive frequent Winton’s kindertransports Researching enquiries about people while Adele was interned House History? who have lived in Brixton in 1940, probably in the past. Some are In the week after London because her country of easier to respond to than Open House, Lambeth birth was Germany. others, but all add to the Archives will present a mosaic of Brixton Life in cluster of evenings on I found that Henny and past decades. We have researching house Rudolf became British included a few here in history at several libraries Citizens in 1948. Henny around the borough. In belonged to Brixton
Adv\ BS\ N\ July 07 History.doc 3 Local History Focus
Synagogue, and in 1949 were still limited to the expressed in these pages was being trained as a workhouse. However, if are not necessarily those buyer with Dickins & you can add any detail, of the Brixton Society. Jones in Regent Street. please let us know. What I would like to do is Publications orders locate Henny if she is still International & Membership: living. My cousin and I Publications orders, are trying to create a Profile membership renewals family tree. In a rare quiet moment a and updates to the My grandfather was couple of months back, I mailing list should all go Adolphe Bardach, brother checked the figures for to Diana Linskey, of Rudolf, Henny’s father. the Society’s website. Membership Secretary, Over the past year we at 32 Stockwell Green, Deanna Armstrong have been getting 250 to SW9 9HZ, or e-mail to [email protected] 350 “hits” or visits to the [email protected] site each month. Over a Gates on Brixton Hill third of the visitors were Planning issues: The Marie Stopes Centre from overseas – a wide If you are concerned about opposite the parade of range of countries but top a local planning application, shops on Brixton Hill has at 7% each were the contact David Warner on recently had a new fence USA and Poland (is it (020) 7924 0618 or by post after the old one fell anything to do with that to 290 Coldharbour Lane, down. Glad to see that new Polish delicatessen SW9 8SE or to: they have kept the old in Stockwell Road?). [email protected] gate posts and moved Within the UK, the site them to the main monitor will give the Brockwell entrance. Anyway, I County and an noticed a pair of identical Lido at 70! approximation of the posts on Arodene Road The builders are still borough or district – so I behind the second-hand very much in evidence know that in April there furniture shop on the but the swimming was interest from Oxford, corner. Do you know season opened as Windsor, Norfolk, Dorset, what he significance promised on 2nd July. Nottingham, Manchester, was? Was that an More facilities will be Kirklees, Rutland, Cardiff, entrance to a coach park opening in September Warrington and Brighton, maybe for the old including a gym and as well as several other cinema? Would be spa, so that the Lido is parts of London. interested to know your no longer wholly reliant Individual details are thoughts. on a short swimming unknown though unless season for its income. Stephen Joseph, you contact us directly by Stephen_joseph21@hot e-mail or more traditional Meanwhile, to mark the mail.com means. 70th anniversary of the opening of the Lido in Church Institutions To contact us… 1937, a photo exhibition Robert Kibblewhite wrote is being put on in a from Witney, Oxfordshire News and Views: marquee in the Park to identify a St.John’s Material for the next during the Lambeth Institute in Foxley Road, issue should be sent by Country Show. SW9, where a distant 31 August to the BLU - the Brockwell relative had been an Secretary, Alan Piper, at Lido Users group has active member in 1887. 82 Mayall Road, SE24 also published a book We are confident this 0PJ, or phone or fax to recording the Lido’s past was in effect the church (020) 7207 0347, or 70 years, with support hall, at a time when many e-mail to: from the Awards for All parish churches were [email protected] Lottery Fund. It has providing a range of We welcome news and been researched by social activities and comment from all Peter Bradley and welfare services whilst interested in the Brixton draws on reminiscences publicly funded services area, so opinions from many past users.
Adv\ BS\ N\ July 07 History.doc 4 Planning & Development News
Keeping up with and out of touch. Time it activities, and co-ordinate seems to start the plan- them with other public Planning making cycle once service providers through Applications again? the Local Strategic It’s always been difficult Lambeth has already Partnership, “Lambeth to publicise most local begun by producing a First”. The priorities in planning applications in draft Statement of the strategy are being our newsletter – apart Community reviewed this Autumn. from space limitations, Involvement which sets the information really out how any new Consultation is now needs to reach you within Borough or local Plans channelled through the the 3-week time-frame will be consulted on, as Active Communities allowed for comments, well as individual Project at LVAC, which which rarely works with planning applications. has absorbed the original our quarterly distribution. CEN or Community We have already sent in Empowerment Network. The answer has now detailed comments about Contact Gethyn Williams appeared in the form of how the process could be at lvac-acp- www.PlanningAlerts.com improved. One of the [email protected] which will provide e-mail present gaps is the lack g.uk or (020) 7737 9467. summaries of anything of a Conservation Areas being proposed within a Advisory Committee - Thames Water chosen radius of your once a Conservation postcode. Area has been set up, Flood Alleviation The website has been there is no way of Some of you may put together by Brixton- steering or monitoring its remember the sewer based Richard Pope, development. renewal works in together with Mikel Ferndale Road last year. Maron, Sam Smith and The Bigger Picture There is more of this to come on the eastern side Duncan Parkes. It first The Government is of Brixton, as Thames launched in December currently consulting on a Water tries to reduce the 2006, and is hosted by number of changes to risk of sewers backing up mysociety.org. how Town Planning or flooding in times of It searches local councils’ operates nationwide. websites and then e- heavy rain. One aspect is widening mails you about any the scope of domestic The first phase, around applications near you. alterations that can be Loughborough Junction About a third of London carried out without and Herne Hill, will start Boroughs are covered so planning permission. in October to finish in far, including Lambeth, Deadline for comments April 2008, when Phase 2 and coverage is rapidly on this part of the White starts, centred on Railton extending nationwide. Paper is 17 August. Road and Effra Parade and due to finish in Our umbrella bodies - the November 2008. Community Civic Trust and the There will be temporary London Forum of encampments of builders’ Involvement Amenity Societies - are rd huts in Wyck Gardens On 3 August Lambeth’s both sending comments later this year, and on “Replacement” Unitary but what are the key Development Plan finally Rush Common in 2008. issues here in Brixton? takes effect. All the well- If you want us to feed in intentioned policies about Homes directly affected ANY points about how by construction works retaining neighbourhood Planning ought to work, pubs and encouraging should already have you must tell Alan Piper been notified, but the “greener” development by 10 August (contact are no longer diluted by traffic effects will details on facing page). doubtless ripple out over long-outmoded ambitions from earlier plans. a much wider area. Community Strategy Despite the time spent by The Strategy is meant to Alan Piper. interested parties, even guide all the Council’s this plan may be stale
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This still leaves some contentious elements within the design. Paving all of Tate Library Gardens with stone slabs will prevent water reaching the roots of the London Plane tree which is meant to be the central feature, so it would soon die. We are keen that the gardens should 2 for 1 entry to serve as a welcoming approach to the front door of the library, but introducing a raised level with steps will interrupt direct The Changing Face level access. Management issues such as delivery access to the library and the Ritzy of Childhood Cinema are still unresolved. There is a lot 1 August - 4 November 2007 of interest in trams returning to Brixton, but the layout pays scant attention to the Bring this voucher with you to take prospect. advantage of the offer
Tuesday - Friday 10 am - 5 pm Saturdays & Sundays 11 am - 5 pm CLOSED MONDAYS except for Bank Holidays
£8; Children are free
Dulwich Picture Gallery Gallery Road, London SE21 7AD 020 8693 5254 www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk
The Gallery is located between North Dulwich and West Dulwich Stations By bus: P4 from Brixton By road: Just off the A205, the South Circular Free parking in the streets around the Gallery. Several key features were omitted from the design shown in May, despite being aired at project team meetings in the Brixton Central Square months prior. A café-cum-kiosk with ground level toilets was to be sited within Plans the Windrush Square layout but has We expected a formal planning application disappeared from the plans. Vague to follow the exhibition in Brixton’s Tate reference to a water feature has raised library back in May, but urgency seems to concerns that the hazards of the previous have dissipated as the contradictions fountain will return. Lambeth Arts officers within the proposals become clearer. have been investigating a means of projecting artworks onto a screen on the Transport for London – the original funders end wall of the Rushcroft Road flats, but – destabilised the project by changing their have not settled where the projector would minds and aiming to reduce Effra Road to be sited or how it would be operated. a mere bus lane. The Effra Residents Nobody yet knows how the use of Raleigh Group objected vigorously, pointing out Hall by the Black Cultural Archives will fit that this would remove the deterrent effect in with the rest of the Central Square. of passing traffic on street crime, particularly late at night when buses are Finally, if we seem to have missed any few and far between. Councillors and issues or problems, be sure to remind us GLA seem to have been persuaded and about them NOW, so they can be included Ken Livingstone is reported to have in our formal comments. instructed TfL to revert to its previous layout with Effra Road open to all traffic Alan Piper. heading for Tulse Hill.
Adv\ BS\ N\ July 07 Amenities.doc 6 Regeneration News
Brixton Online Closes Down Over 60% of BOL’s clients came from Black or Asian One of the projects on which the Minority Ethnic communities Brixton Society has been represented was Brixton Online, but BOL held over 50 workshops after nearly 10 years of providing and seminars targeted at help, advice and training to local businesses with subjects community and businesses, BOL has ranging from how to use the been forced to close down. web to market your business to how to computerise your The BOL Story 1997 to 2007 accounts.
With a start up grant from Brixton In partnership with other local Challenge, the social enterprise was enterprise support agencies successful in developing websites BOL played a major part in and providing IT training for local delivering coordinated people in and around Brixton. That business support and advice start enabled the company to lever across Wandsworth, Lambeth in further government grant aid and and Southwark. BOL gained set up a commercial web Customer First full development business as well. BOL accreditation as part of a was one of the few projects surviving Business Link for London from the Brixton Challenge scheme to improve quality programme that received funding in delivery. the mid 1990’s to regenerate
Brixton. At its height in 2004 BOL
employed more than 20 staff Some facts about BOL and ran a local trainee scheme In its nearly 10 years of operation providing placements for local BOL succeeded in winning over £4m young people to gain work of funding to deliver support experience and qualifications. programmes to local community groups, start-up businesses, and BOL developed key local individuals. As a social enterprise all websites such as its profits were re-invested in the Lambethlearning, Lambeth.biz company. It has an impressive and LambethFirst. The web delivery record: business, BOL Web Media, will be taken forward by Over 1,500 people completed Regenesys. training with BOL Based in the Eurolink Business Helped more than 120 Centre BOL ran training courses and companies and organisations workshops from its training and get their websites up and meeting rooms from July 2000. In running. 2003 BOL entered a partnership with Red Kite Learning to work on an Over 500 companies came to innovative community IT programme BOL for help with their IT in the Elephant & Castle in South London. That partnership became the into Partnership and along with
Adv\ BS\ N\ July 07 Regen.doc 7 Regeneration News
another social enterprise – Media Made in Brixton Launched Citizens – formed a successful A new network was launched on 14 June project to help talented young at the Brixton (Carling) Academy. 50+ people in south London get into the people and businesses took part, and to digital media industry. intoMedia capture the ideas and information coming continues to provide digital media from them, a group of artists annotated a services based in Borough. large graffiti board at the front.
Issues were mainly around the need for a As a social enterprise BOL had a set hub, notice-board function, and local of volunteer Directors drawn from space for exhibiting creative work – some local business and community of this already happens but links are often organisations. It has been dependent lacking. Keenest on the network concept on the public sector and government were sole-trading creatives who would like grants to deliver its programme of to get out a bit more. One key issue activities aimed at the most raised was the bigger picture – what is our disadvantaged in London. This shared vision for Brixton and a “Made in funding has been crucial in enabling Brixton” brand? Also, Brixton already has BOL to achieve so much but it also world-wide recognition, if not always for has its down sides. Delays in the right things. payments, payment in arrears, cost only contracts and uncertainty over Devon Thomas highlighted the work of the contract renewal made cashflow Brixton Business Forum, and the personal management very difficult. This contact potential of the Brixton Business Club. Levi Roots from Reggae Reggae came to a head in 2005 when re- sauce gave an inspiring talk but reminded structuring of several funding his audience that success took him 15 agencies, the end of Single years. Regeneration Budget funding and severe delays to payments for work The network has been driven by a few undertaken for the LDA pushed BOL local creative businesses and individuals, into deficit for the first time. and is now getting verbal support from the Leader of Lambeth Council, Steve Reed, The last year and a half have seen and from the local GLA member, Val BOL work hard to reduce its deficit Shawcross. The next step is to translate through cutting costs and winning the ideas into hard proposals backed by new business. In the year to March hard cash. As the organisers said, it 2007 we made a trading profit, depends on the people in the area getting however continuing cashflow involved and doing more than talking problems and the overall reduction about it. of government funding going into the If you want to offer your support, then areas that BOL specialises in, forced contact [email protected] the BOL Directors to take the hard There is already a Made in Brixton decision to voluntarily go into creative industries directory and a website liquidation. Liquidators Portland have – www.madeinbrixton.org.uk been appointed by the Board to see Don’t worry if you are not in the directory through the winding up of the yet – another edition is promised and business. there will be an online version open to new entries. Malcolm Forbes, April 2007
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