THE BRIXTON SOCIETY NEWSLETTER Brixton Society postcard reprint BX23 Summer, July 2016 No.222, Quarterly issue, Friday 16 September, 6 pm to 8 pm, Distributed free to members. Visit to Brixton Fire Station: Registered with the London Forum of Amenity Following the article in our previous newsletter, Societies, Registered Charity No.1058103, we have arranged a tour of the present station Website: www.brixtonsociety.org.uk in Gresham Road, corner of Brixton Station Road. Children welcome if accompanied. Free Our next appearance: but booking essential, via www.brixtonfirestationtour.eventbrite.co.uk Weekend 16 & 17 July Lambeth Country Show Thursday 8th September: 12 noon to 7-30, Brockwell Park, SE24 Lost Buildings of Brixton Look out for our stall in the usual area – if you 7 pm at the Vida Walsh Centre, enter by the Herne Hill gate, we are to the right 2b Saltoun Road SW2 of the path up to Brockwell Hall, probably in Gone but not forgotten – changing views of the second row back, towards the Village Brixton over the past century, assisted by an Markets area. antique Magic Lantern and modern data projector. Part of Lambeth Heritage Festival – Saturday 3rd September: collect a programme of events from us at the Lambeth Country Show. Open Day at _____________________________________ Forthcoming Summer Walks... Lambeth Archives 10 am to 5 pm at the Minet Library, Sunday 10th July: Knatchbull Road, SE5, with more displays and stalls in Longfield Hall across the road and Brixton South talks and refreshments in the Michael Church Meet 2-30 pm outside Brixton Tate Library for alongside. a circular route including nearer parts of Rush Common, Brixton Water Lane, Poets Corner Helpers wanted and the 1870s Stuart-Bruce Estate. By now we have organised volunteers to staff th our stall through the Country Show weekend, Sunday 14 August: but we are still seeking offers of help at the East Brixton Archives Open Day and for the monthly Market A closer look at the eastern and northern Walks where we run a stall from 12 to 2-30 pm fringes of the Town Centre. Meet at 2-30 pm on Saturday in Brixton Station Road. outside Lambeth Volunteer Centre at corner of If you can spare some time to help on our stall, Popes Road and Brixton Station Road (facing please call Bill Linskey on (020) 7274 3835 or Pop Brixton). e-mail to [email protected] 1 Diary of Events, Summer & Autumn 2016 Society Meetings Links with Other Thursday 15 September The Executive Committee Groups – Lambeth Riverside meets on the second Illustrated talk by Alan Piper, Please check directly with Thursday of the month to 8 pm at the Phoenix Centre, the organisers if any queries plan activities and agree our Westow Street, SE19. over times or admission. responses to current issues. South London Local History Meetings are usually 7 pm Sunday 7th August – Group at the Vida Walsh Centre, Guests and Invaders 2b Saltoun Road, SW2. The Explore the plant life of August meeting will be at Ruskin Park with Roy SCRSS, 320 Brixton Road Vickery – meet at 2-30 pm SW9 (opposite Angell Town by the bandstand. Estate) due to redecoration South London Botanical Riverside looking south (NLA of our usual venue. Institute model, LR Sp14-01.jpg) 14 July Thursday 18 August – Thursday 22 September 11 August Bygone Streatham - Brain of Lambeth Quiz 13 October Talk by John Brown, 8 pm at We follow a “pub quiz” 10 November the Phoenix Centre, Westow format for teams of 4, with Street, SE19. rounds of questions on Market Walks South London Local History general knowledge topics Our guided walks round the Group including Lambeth and market area continue on the London. Note change of th second Saturday of every Monday 5 September – venue while the Town Hall is month, at £3 including the Brixton Buildings and being renovated. Doors illustrated booklet of the People open at 7-15 for a 7-30 pm route. Tickets are best A review of buildings in and start, at the Vida Walsh booked via marketwalks@ around Brixton and those Centre, 2b Saltoun Road brixtonsociety.org.uk. Walks who lived in them, by Alan SW2, facing onto Windrush start from Brixton Station Piper. 8 pm at Woodlawns, Square in Brixton Town Road at 2-30 pm and take Streatham Darby & Joan Centre. about 80 minutes. Club, 16 Leigham Court Rd., If you are thinking of SW16 entering a team, whether on Editorial Notice: The Streatham Society behalf of your society, Space permitting, we try to group, or as a family, it feature local events and Wednesday 14 Sept. – helps our planning if you publish reminiscences or Buildings by Kate can tell our quizmaster in enquiries in our newsletter. Mackintosh advance – call John Moore We welcome news and Architect Kate Mackintosh on (020) 8677 6490 or comments from all who are will talk about her 2 housing ideally by e-mail to interested in the Brixton schemes in South London: [email protected] area, so opinions expressed Dawson’s Heights for Lambethans Society in these pages are not Southwark and 269 th necessarily those of the Leigham Court Road for Sunday 9 October – Brixton Society. Lambeth (recently listed). Use of our wild plants All material should be sent 7-30 pm for 7-45 start, A botanical walk led by Roy to the Secretary, Alan Piper, Herne Hill United Church Vickery – meet at 2 pm by 82 Mayall Road, SE24 0PJ, Hall, c/o Redpost Hill and the clock tower in the centre or by e-mail to Herne Hill, SE24. of the park. [email protected] Herne Hill Society Friends of Brockwell Park AdvN\BSN\ Jly 16 Diary.doc 2 Amenities News Libraries still drifting Current Exhibitions in the Library Until 17 July: Defend the Ten: photos from There has been little change since our last the last 6 months of the Save Our Libraries report – no concessions made by the Council campaign, by Vivienne Lewis. but their own plans are slipping behind Until 29 July: Creative Brixton: works in schedule, while running costs are mounting canvas, print, oils and pastel by 4 local artists, from 24-hour security at the closed Minet and Wendy Sullivan, Marilyn Rogers, Rita Keegan Carnegie libraries. The only local councillor to and the late Teri Bullen. speak out against the “Gymtrification” plans, Rachel Heywood, remains suspended from the Labour group. For overall campaign news, see Windrush Square http://defendthe10-lambeth.org.uk Some new litter bins and planters have been added this year. Planters are also being Minet Library & Archives added inside the library railings, in partnership The Friends of Minet are trying to keep alive with the Friends of the Library, with a lavender the idea of the library as a community hub. A proposed at the corner in memory of Norma reading group and gardening sessions Williamson, late Brixton Society Treasurer. continue every fortnight. See also The Brixton BID is negotiating with Lambeth to www.minet.org.uk re-open the toilets, particularly to cope with demand from evening visitors to the Town Meanwhile, consultants were finally appointed Centre. to research future options for the Archives, Discussions are continuing among various which continue to operate in the building for stakeholders about the siting and design of the the time being. The Friends have persuaded proposed African/ Caribbean war memorial. Council Leader Lib Peck to delay granting a This now seems likely to be placed against the lease to GLL until after September, so that the end wall of the Rushcroft Road flats, rather consultants’ report can inform any decisions. than at the corner of Saltoun Road as previously suggested. Carnegie Library A brief exhibition of the proposals was held in Windmill Gardens mid-June, but apart from carving out gym Architects Squire & Partners have produced 4 facilities in the basement, the layout for the initial options for a new education building to rest of the building was vague and no further serve parties visiting the windmill. forward than 6 months ago. This reflects that GLL now do not expect building works to start The next public openings of the Windmill are until “early 2017”, which was the re-opening lined up for weekends 9 & 10 July, 13 & 14 date previously announced. Planning and August and 17 & 18 September. Sunday 14 Listed Building applications are still awaited. August will also be Art in the Park. Further event details at www.brixtonwindmill.org.uk Again the Friends are keen to maintain momentum in the community. The Carnegie Brixton Recreation Centre Library Association has been formed as a A new Users Forum has been established at Community Interest Company in partnership the Rec., involving a range of interest groups with other former user groups. See also: as well as BRUG (the main user group) and www.friendsofcarnegielibrary.org.uk GLL, who manage the centre. Brixton Tate Library Councillor Jack Hopkins, as Cabinet member Closures elsewhere are already putting more for Leisure & Regeneration, has agreed to pressure on this surviving library, particularly resume regular consultation meetings with for study space. BRUG. The first meeting was due in July, to The Friends are exploring ideas for an Art look at how £6 million of capital funds from Interactions or Fun Palace event for October. Lambeth will be spent between now and 2022. AdvN\ BSN\ July 16 amenities.doc 3 Brixton Shopping 1932 HISTORY A NOTE ON CURRENCY In 1877, just fifteen years Before “Decimal Day” on 15th after the opening of the February 1971, the pound (£) Brixton railway station, which was divided into 20 shillings (s) began the process of and the shilling was divided changing the area from rural into 12 pence (d).