Herne Hill #129 (Winter 2014) by The Herne Hill Society

HERNE HILL THE MAG A ZINE OF THE HERNE HILL SOCIET Y❧ ISSUE 129❧ WINTER

❧2014 ❧£2

t Ge ur yo py co day to

RENOVATING A LANDMARK ▶ The Ruskin Park Portico - For full details, turn to Page 3

THERE’S FUN IN THE SUN

50 years of STEVE’S CAFE

▶ Brockwell Lido transformed - Turn to Pages 12-13

▶ A family affair but has anyone seen Steve? Turn to Page 19

Sry A NEW TUBE STATIOn U PFLull dviaents coming FOR HERNE HILL? of

▶ Contenders for the Bakerloo line extension - Turn to Page 11

THE HERNE HILL SOCIETY CONTENTS

THE COMMITTEE President Chair Vice Chair Secretary Treasurer

Bill Kirby Colin Wight chair@hernehillsociety.org.uk Laurence Marsh vicechair@hernehillsociety.org.uk Jeff Doorn secretary@hernehillsociety.org.uk Rosalind Glover treasurer@hernehillsociety.org.uk

Committee

Cynthia Anderson John Brunton Ian McInnes Sheila Northover Elizabeth Ochagavia Jackie Plumridge

Magazine

Mike Richards

COMMENTS & ENQUIRIES To advertise in the Magazine advertising@hernehillsociety.org.uk To contribute to or comment on the Magazine editor@hernehillsociety.org.uk To comment on planning or licensing issues environmental@hernehillsociety.org.uk To order a publication publications@hernehillsociety.org.uk Membership enquiries membership@hernehillsociety.org.uk Local history enquiries localhistory@hernehillsociety.org.uk Herne Hill notice boards noticeboard@hernehillsociety.org.uk Website webeditor@hernehillsociety.org.uk Community safety publicsafety@hernehillsociety.org.uk Other issues enquiries@hernehillsociety.org.uk Postal and online addresses The Herne Hill Society PO Box 27845 LONDON SE24 9XA hernehillsociety.org.uk facebook.com/hernehillsociety Twitter @hernehillsoc Copy deadline for the Winter issue is 22 January, 2015. Opinions expressed in the Magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Herne Hill Society Committee, which likewise does not approve or endorse the quality or suitability of any goods or services advertised in the Magazine.

ADVERTISING

Advertising space is available in this Magazine for local businesses.. Contact Liz Ochagavia by e-mail on: advertising@hernehillsociety.org.uk

News Ruskin Park portico It’s the end of an eyesore Street trees New ideas for the Half Moon The Lost Effra Heritage award for the Clock Tower Bridge hoardings Christmas quiz Rededication of St Paul’s Membership renewals Brockwell Passage Flood relief action New Tube station for Herne Hill

2 3 4 4 5 5 7 7 9 9 9 11 11

View from the Chair 5 Community safety

Planning & Licensing

Features Fun in the Sun 12-13 Peter Reeve remembered 13 Specialist shops campaign 14 Emily Carr at DPG 14 A trip through West Norwood Cemetery 15 A new poem by Michael Baron 16 Homes fit for heroes 17 Effie Gray reviewed 17 50 years of Steve’s Cafe 19 Turner at Herne Hill

Diary of Events Herne Hill Society and other events

Councillors List of contacts

Herne Hill-Winter 2014

NEWS

Ruskin Park Portico, gateway to another world Lambeth Parks have been awarded a grant from English Heritage to undertake a condition survey of the Portico, a Grade II listed shelter in Ruskin Park. The money will be used to produce a conservation report that will guide the actions required to restore this historic structure, along with detailed costs. The objective is to seek and secure future funds to enable the

Portico to be fully restored for public enjoyment and access and, to have it removed from English Heritage’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ Register. The Portico often prompts the questions ‘What is it? Why is it there?’ The answer is that it is a very rare survivor

The unlovely, and unloved, changing block Brockwell Park is not a football park; one glance at the landscape confirms this. Lee Dema of the St Matthew’s (football) Project observes that his young people need to have one leg shorter than the other. Nevertheless at some time in the Seventies, the GLC decided that Brockwell Park needed a changing block to provide facilities for 11 football teams, and put up a massive concrete monstrosity in the teeth of local opposition. The dominating changing block compromises the views from a large part of the Park. Landscape consultants, Lambeth and the Heritage Lottery Fund all recommended its demolition as part of the Park landscape restoration programme. This was not acceptable to some and, following a rancorous debate and a public consultation, it was agreed to retain and convert the changing block to provide a “multi-use facility with space for male and female changing rooms, social space, a small kitchen, a small

from the many grand houses that came to be built along Denmark Hill and Herne Hill from the end of the 18th century onwards. No 170 Denmark Hill, along with its neighbours, was demolished when Ruskin Park was created at the

beginning of the last century, but the front and rear porches were preserved and made into a park feature, a form of shelter. The first resident of the house was a sea captain and trader, one James Wilson (inset) (1760–1814). He led a highly adventurous seafaring life and became in time very devout, which led to his involvement in missionary work, being the first

European to set foot on a number of South Pacific islands and bringing the first Christian missionaries to Tahiti in 1797 (you can read more about Captain Wilson in the Society’s Herne Hill Personalities). It is hoped that in future editions of the Magazine we will have further positive news about the rescue of the Portico. Iain Boulton & Laurence Marsh

BLOCK PARTY: It’s the end of an eyesore office and storage space”. A steering group started work in 2008. Earlier this year it became evident that the full cost of refurbishment to the hoped-for standard would be £1.2 million, and even when pared down to the essentials, more than £900,000. The then Cabinet Member for parks, Cllr Sally Prentice, refused to sign off this expenditure and asked that the issues to be looked at again. It became clear that even £900,000 would not cover the total cost of refitting the building and that Lambeth would need to find a commercial partner willing to invest in and manage the building. With such considerable investment needed, it seemed unlikely that there would be any significant community benefit in terms of access and use. The Brockwell Park Community Partners (BPCP) reconsidered the benefits to park users at an open meeting in June. It was proposed that the block

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should be demolished but its large area of hard standing retained. With suitable soft landscaping the appearance could be improved and a platform for sports equipment and sport meetings that could be used without damage to the park in wet weather could be made freely available to users. If, in future, it appears that there is a need for changing rooms or other facilities, the option of putting modular buildings onto the hard standing would be available. This proposition was agreed by a decisive majority and for the first time in seven years, there is unity of views. The proposal is now wending its way through the intricacies of local authority procedures. This may take some time. Planning permission will also be needed. The money that was set aside from the HLF funds is now available for use in the wider park. Improving paths is back on the agenda. Ann Kingsbury, Chair, Brockwell Park Community Partners

NEWS

STReet TREES: AN UPDATE Earlier this year we reported in the Magazine how Lambeth were no longer replacing street trees. The reason is not hard to find — the Council’s resources have been cut and they have other commitments that take higher priority. Street trees bring many benefits — better air quality, greater pride in our local environment that in turn encourages community well-being, a resource for wildlife, even enhanced house prices! To write them off as a low priority is to our mind short-sighted, but if local authorities cannot be moved, alternatives will need to be pursued. Over the summer we carried out a survey of all the streets on the Lambeth side of Herne Hill. It was not always easy to say where a tree used to grow. Many pavements have been patched and repatched, though sometimes a tree pit filled with black tarmac is all too evident. We concluded that in the 44 streets surveyed there was a need to replace 117 missing trees (i.e. tree pits that were empty or capped, or trees that were dead), and about 380 locations where a new tree would be of benefit. Having recently had a meeting with one of the councillors for Herne Hill ward, we do not feel optimistic about a change in council policy in the near future. We were too late to put in a bid for any help from the Mayor of London’s Street Tree Initiative/ Re-Leaf scheme, and we do not know at this stage whether that scheme will be carried forward to next year. In any case it is only for new planting, unfortunately – not for replacement trees. We are in touch with Trees for Cities, who have planted many trees in London. Currently, they have no plans for planting in Lambeth. We have also learned about the experience of residents in Rollscourt and Cosbycote Avenues who, on having finally had their street and pavements renewed, decided that their best prospect of having replacement trees as well would be to pass the hat round and pay for 10 themselves. These will be planted as part of the street improvements. This is not cheap (about £450 per tree) but it needs to include insurance and three years’ after-care by the Council. We have discovered that there are many people who care greatly about the trees in their street. When a tree is lost they want “something to be done about it”.

Views on a new public space? With the reopening of the Half Moon delayed while the Dulwich Estate decides whether to redevelop the upper floors as flats or a small hotel, is this an opportunity to think of more radical solutions for the area? Not to remove the pub, but to enhance the area around it. At the moment it’s a tatty courtyard and a garage. Could we do better? How about a landscaped public space beside the pub, with

Local resident and architect David Coughtrie’s ideas for improvements to the centre of Herne Hill

additional restaurants in the old back garden, with the potential to open up access to the railway embankment arches to allow people to walk through to Norwood Road? This would provide a much safer environment for pedestrians and it might also allow a widening of the road under the

However, the Society lacks the resources to carry through a project that would see 44 streets properly provided. While we will continue to campaign and raise awareness on the issue and follow up any possibilities of public funding, we think that in the current climate the most effective means of ensuring that our streets stay green is for residents of individual streets or groups of streets to organise locally and raise the necessary funds for new trees themselves. Lambeth has not, it seems, abandoned all pavement improvement works (probably because they are under a statutory duty to maintain the pavement). When such works

Herne Hill-Winter 2014

bridge, which is a current pinch point. Additional shops could line the arches, and the reopened pub would have more external space. Some businesses may have to be resited. One could ask whether a repair garage with cars parked outside is the best use for this area? A well-landscaped, vibrant community area would help to reinforce the centre of Herne Hill as something special. We welcome reactions and comments.

are carried out, this is of course the best time to include provision for tree planting in the scheme. We have information about the next streets to be resurfaced and to have new pavements, so if you have neighbours keen to get involved, email us at trees@hernehill society.org.uk. In Southwark we have a list of the missing or dead trees we have been notified about, and are in contact with the Tree Officer. We are going to put in an application for replacement trees to Dulwich Community Council for the Cleaner Greener Safer initiative. Sheila Northover & Laurence Marsh

NEWS

wrote in the last Magazine about the AGM of the Herne Hill Forum and our shared aim of making Herne Hill a better place to live and work in. There are many people to whom we should be grateful: for giving up their time and expertise for the common good and putting their money where their mouths are. Several such initiatives are covered in this issue. Thanks to Shelley Silas for organising the Brockwell Lido Fun Palace, which took place on an October day when, to general amazement, you could sunbathe and swim in the open air. Congratulations to Alan Taylor, for another imaginative Music Festival; to Edmund Bird for a third authoritative book on Lambeth’s architecture (available from our website); to Ian McInnes for delivering a talk on the Sunray Estate to a packed audience; to the Brockwell Park Clock Tower Project Group for their well-deserved English Heritage award; and to Sheila Northover and Laurence Marsh for

View from the Chair

With Colin Wight their ‘street trees’ initiative. It’s not all good news of course. Council services are, increasingly, showing the strain. And the Half Moon is still closed. The Dulwich Estate has assured us that it will re-open as a pub (but not until 2016), albeit with flats or hotel rooms on the upperfloor. If you value it as a performance venue, this may represent a serious threat. In this issue David Coughtrie suggests that the protracted closure of the Half Moon is an opportunity to consider how the space around it might be better employed. The never-ending battles against speeding, fly-tipping, unauthorised

development, and unlicensed and illegal activities continue. We lobbied to get two huge advertising hoardings by the railway bridge reduced to one, as Network Rail had promised; and to get the passageway next to Tesco opened, again as promised. There’s encouraging news about Herne Hill station. In issue 127 we interviewed Herne Hill resident David Statham, at that time Managing Director of First Capital Connect. As with the famous ‘Curse of Hello’, brace yourself if we interview you for the Magazine! FCC duly lost the Thameslink franchise but David got himself a new job: MD of Southeastern, the new franchise-holders! As a bonus, he’s now in charge of Herne Hill station. We are looking forward to substantial improvements to the station building. More in our next issue. Finally – there are a number of weekend fairs and late-evening shopping opportunities coming up. So please shop local and support our independent traders. See you there!

Lost Effra saving water The Lost Effra programme has now been running for almost two years. Funded until December 2014 by a grant from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFR), the scheme is managed by London Wildlife Trust (LWT). It covers the Dulwich, Herne Hill and Loughborough Junction areas, with the aim of encouraging community groups to become involved in setting up and implementing watermanagement strategies. Current projects include: • Rain garden at Cressingham Estate, Lambeth • Depaving Southwell Road and the Rosendale Road Community Garden • Rosendale SuDS projects • Ruskin Park SuDS projects • Rainwater harvesting • Green Roofs

Existing green roof at the Herne Hill Group Practice • Education and awareness • Skills workshops • Water awareness and efficiency workshops in schools • Wider community water efficiency campaign The most eye-catching scheme is the Herne Hill Highline. Promoted by local group Urban Wild (www. theurbanwildproject.org) it envisages a stretch of wildlife-

friendly green space at roof level from one end of Norwood Road to the other. The scheme, which has funding, sets out to enhance the views of commuters from passing trains, reduce rain water flow off the roofs, cool the buildings, help improve local air quality and provide a biodiversity hotspot along a major road. Ian McInnes

Herne Hill-Winter 2014

In recognition of the Project Group’s achievement in restoring the Tritton Clock and Tower in Brockwell Park, English Heritage has awarded this certificate under the Angel Awards scheme. It acknowledges the important contribution that such rescue projects make to the local community and to local and national history. It also recognises the Group’s investment of time, effort and determination. The Project Group would like to thank once again all those who so generously helped and supported this restoration.

Community Safety Village Ward Sergeant Ian Batley has joined the Village Ward Safer Neighbourhood Team. Sgt Bartley was promoted from Westminster, where he had been working on intelligence and gang-related activity. Unfortunately a well-respected PCSO is leaving the Ward. But on the flip-side the police will be gaining one and possibly two new PCs to carry out foot patrols. The most recent crime figures for Village Ward show a significant decrease in criminal damage (29 per cent), robbery (42 per cent), and theft from the person (28 per cent). However, there is a seasonal element to the crime figures and a question mark over whether all reported crimes have been included in the figures. And in any event, as many as 85 per cent of crimes are not reported at all! We are awaiting further clarification. The current priorities in Village Ward are burglary (about 10 incidents every month), motor vehicle crime (also about 10 a month) and anti-social behaviour. Burglary was down 34 per cent in July-August (a seasonal dip) but up 10 per cent over the course of the year and Herne Hill is still a relative hotspot. In response, it is planned to increase the visible police presence. But other measures are being considered. It is also envisaged that more use would be made of the mobile police station. Village Ward priorities contrast with the current priorities in Lambeth (covering the rest of Herne Hill) of violence against the person and motor vehicle crime. This difference is an example of the inconsistency in policing Herne Hill, due to it being divided not only across wards but also across boroughs. With a lot of police attention in Village Ward currently being directed towards East Dulwich, and police attention in Lambeth being directed often towards Brixton, there is a danger that policing issues in Herne Hill will ‘fall between the cracks’ between the two Wards and boroughs as they have in the past. On the plus side, the issue with the ward/borough boundaries is an acknowledged problem and efforts are being made to achieve a higher-level coordination of police efforts. The Herne Hill Society’s aim is to present a unified front to both neighbourhood panels. So it is so very useful to get your feedback on policing matters. Other Village Ward Issues: The police are considering opening a new part-time base of operations, but no site had yet been chosen. The idea of a ‘Safe Haven’ scheme (whereby children who feel threatened can take shelter in advertised business premises) was may be investigated further. A recent spate of graffiti in the area has been passed to the British Transport Police for investigation. Recent examples of fly-posting by paving firms; large numbers of parking spaces being occupied during film and television location shoots; and terrible car parking (unless in a clearly dangerous position) are not, apparently, matters on which the police could act. These should be addressed to the council.

Herne Hill Ward Since May 2014, Lambeth has been the ‘top’ London borough London for violence against the person crimes, overtaking Westminster. For the year to July 2014, 7,937 crimes of this kind took place in Lambeth, up 17 per cent on the previous year. The figures for Southwark were 6,911 (up 9 per cent). Lambeth police have had success in tackling burglary and robbery, with rates of both in Herne Hill decreasing significantly over the last year. Given the increasing problems with ‘violence against the person’ and ‘theft of/from motor vehicles’, these have been adopted as new priorities for Lambeth police. At the September meeting of the Herne Hill Safer Neighbourhood Panel, our representative raised the question of why Lambeth has such high levels of violent crime. The police view was this is due in particular to gangs and inter-gang conflict. It has been a long-term problem in the borough and is an issue that cannot be solved only by the police but requires other action such as local council support. However, Lambeth seems to have fallen behind other councils, including Southwark. In other respects crime in Crime figures during World War One remained fairly constant, despite the absence of so many young men on active service. Herne Hill resident and no less a figure than the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, Dr Thomas Macnamara MP, was not immune. He lived with his wife at 31 Rollscourt Avenue. In May 1916, a burglar entered through the scullery window in the early hours of the morning, was disturbed by Macnamara and, according to the newspaper reporting the incident, “cleared off with a very scanty haul”. This included four campaign medals of Macnamara’s father, a professional soldier. Macnamara (1861–1931) entered politics after a career in teaching, being first elected as Liberal MP for Camberwell North in 1900. After the war Lloyd George appointed him as Minister of Labour, and he was in the Cabinet until 1922, when the Liberal Government fell.

Herne Hill tends to be lower than in other of the central Lambeth wards. There have been some incidents of burglary around Brockwell Park and some nuisance offences in the Park itself. And there have been some incidents of robbery (particularly of mobile phones) in the area around Ruskin Park. Safety awareness is an important factor. Following the report on traffic speeding in the last issue of this Magazine, the police have recently initiated speed-gun traps on Herne Hill; and will also be covering Milkwood Road. Matthew Farrow and Nicholas Edwards l If you would like to comment on or tell the Society

about any issue relating to policing, crime or community safety that is causing you concern, please email us at publicsafety@hernehillsociety.org.uk.

Herne Hill-Winter 2014

NEWS

AD AND SUBTRACT STILL EQUALS WRONG ANSWER Earlier this year Network Rail removed the two large advertising hoardings that had been fixed to the eastern wall under the Herne Hill railway bridge. This was in preparation for work, planned to take place this summer, to refurbish the bridge. As a Society we welcomed their removal and approached Network Rail, suggesting that the hoardings should not be replaced. We felt the advertisements could be a distraction to motorists and certainly did not enhance the local street scene. Network Rail’s original plans were to restore both hoardings once the bridge work had been completed. However, following further discussions, Network Rail agreed in March that only one hoarding would be replaced. Following concerns about the effectiveness of the proposed traffic management arrangements while the work on the bridge was carried out, the project has now been postponed until early 2015. So we were surprised in July when a new hoarding was erected. And we were even more surprised when, in mid- September, a second hoarding appeared. We were also disappointed as this second hoarding breached the undertakings given to us by Network Rail. There was also a safety issue as, because the wall had a curve at that point, the north end of the hoarding projected some 20cm into the pavement: a potential hazard to people walking past. There followed an exchange of correspondence with Network Rail, as a result of which, at some point between 6 and 7 October, the second hoarding disappeared. This still leaves one hoarding, as has been agreed. Though the original hoardings did not have formal planning approval, they had gained ‘deemed consent’ by virtue of the time they had been in place. But the remaining hoarding is a different size from the one it replaced, is not in the same position and is also, unlike its predecessor, illuminated. So ‘deemed consent’ may no longer apply. We raised this with Southwark Planning Control in July and are still awaiting a substantive response. John Brunton

Clues or red herrings? Four pictures that may give you some help in finding the answers

The fantastic Christmas quiz The theme of this edition’s quiz is people, places and events in Herne Hill. Thanks go to Chris Bleathman for setting the questions. The prize, donated by our generous Chair, is a bottle of VSOP Prince de Didonne Cognac and will be awarded

Why was the Charter School, Red Post Hill previously known as ‘Billy Biro’?

Where did the seats in Sharp Works (haberdashery and knitting shop), Railton Road come from?

This literary icon was born 100 years ago. He first came to London in 1933 and had links to Herne Hill. He was known to have drunk in the Half Moon pub. He had friends with lodgings, with whom he is thought to have stayed, in a road near the pub which may have been the inspiration for his final masterpiece. Who is he?

What was the function of the cast

to the entry with the most correct answers or, if there’s a tie, to the first out of the hat. Email your answers to localhistory@hernehillsociety.org.uk or post to Quiz, The Herne Hill Society, PO Box 27845, London, SE24 9XA, to arrive before New Year’s Day.

iron columns found in on the corner of Chaucer Road and Dulwich Road, on Dulwich Road by the bus stop nearest Meath House and at the junction of Water Lane and Dalberg Road?

Who spent his childhood at 28 Herne Hill from the age of four? He wrote in his autobiography of the sketch he made when he was 13 of the bridge across the Effra from the bottom of Herne Hill to Norwood Road and the pleasure he got from “the tadpolehaunted ditch [the Effra] in Croxted Lane [now Road]”.

What scheme was proposed in 1992

Herne Hill-Winter 2014

to bring “windsurfing down Brixton road, fishing by the Oval or paddling through West Norwood”?

Which is the biggest park: Brockwell, Dulwich, Peckham Rye or Ruskin?

What tragic event occurred on 6 June 1892 at the formal public opening of Brockwell Park?

Where in Herne Hill can you see two plaques on one house and whom do they commemorate?

What event in Herne Hill was the composer Michael Tippett involved with in the summer of 1939?

Planning & Licensing

Railton Road/ Station Square We reported in the autumn Magazine an application to enable events to take place on Sundays. This has now been approved by Lambeth.

Brockwell Passage An application was made for widening and upgrading this narrow passage opposite the station leading down towards Dulwich Road and the Florence. It was for a renewal of an earlier permission as the scheme has been delayed for budget reasons. It involves rebuilding walls and taking a small area of land of sites on either side. The Society supported the application and it has now been approved.

Railway bridge advertisement hoardings We reported last time about efforts to clarify the legal position about the replacement of the two previous hoardings with one new one. Since then an additional hoarding was erected and both had lighting installed. After protests to Network Rail, the second one was removed, but we still wait to hear from Southwark about whether the one remaining needs a new consent.

77 Herne Hill We have previously reported alleged breaches of planning control from the bar/restaurant on the ground floor but this time it seems a new top storey is being built. There has been no planning application, and as the building is in flats there is no question of permitted development. This has been reported to Southwark and ward councillors. The case is being investigated by planning enforcement. 42 Elfindale Road The Society supported local residents in opposing a very large roof extension at this property. Amended drawings were submitted which reduce its impact a little but in our view it still breaches planning guidelines and would have a serious adverse impact on neighbours’ amenity and we have opposed the revised plan. A decision is awaited.

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Pavement outside 294 Croxted Road Another long-running saga, this involves attempts by Vodafone to install a new cabinet and a higher pole on the pavement just where Norwood Road turns into Croxted Road. The Society opposed earlier applications and Southwark has turned them down; and the applicant has even appealed and lost. However, under the terms of the legislation affecting telecommunications operators, a planning decision has to be notified within 56 days. Southwark made the decision within the timescale but delayed another seven days before notifying the applicant of the decision, thus exceeding the 56-day limit. Vodafone then stated that legally they now have permission, and the works have gone ahead. The Society has made a formal complaint to Southwark and this is being investigated. Higgs Estate, Loughborough Junction The Society has been asked to comment on two applications for industrial sites at the bottom of Herne Hill Road, as they are just within SE24. Currently in light industrial use, the proposals involve replacing all the floor space mainly with offices and over 150 new flats. The Loughborough Junction Action Group (LJAG) has previously been involved in the preparation of a framework plan for the area and helped arrange a number of public meetings to discuss these proposals. Although outside the area the Society normally concerns itself with, our Planning Group is concerned about the scale of development and, at the time of writing, is likely to object to the scheme and support LJAG’s request for a master plan to be prepared for these sites and the wider area. It seems clear that with growing pressure for new housing, sites such as these are going to be subject to development pressure, especially with a station very close by. LJAG is not opposed to new development, but there are concerns within the local community about the impact of what is proposed on the existing uses and whether the scale of the proposal is appropriate. For more information, visit LJAG’s website at www. loughboroughjunction.org. Parreira Restaurant, 49-51 Norwood Road There has been an application for a revision to the current premises licence that includes extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays for sale of alcohol, live music and dancing up to 02.30; and for the premises to open on those days until 03.00. The current licence permits sale of alcohol until midnight and requires the premises to close at 00.30. There is no mention of either music or dancing. Conscious of past problems in Norwood Road arising from such late night activities, the Society has submitted an objection to this application. David Taylor/John Brunton

Herne Hill-Winter 2014

NEWS Brockwell Passage

A view inside the new-look St Paul’s

Bishop of Woolwich rededicates St Paul’s On Saturday 27 September, the Bishop of Woolwich, the Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, conducted a service of rededication at St Paul’s Church on Herne Hill. This marked the culmination of a major internal modernisation project, first conceived in 2000 and finally brought to reality when the work was completed in April 2014. It has transformed the church into a modern and flexible environment while also enhancing its fine architectural features. The new areas created include a large welcome and meeting area, a sound-proofed creche, accessible toilets, a kitchen, a smaller meeting room and new storage areas. These are already being put to good use, including the establishment of a playgroup for babies and toddlers and a lunch club for the over-60s. The Bishop’s address emphasised the importance of using the new facilities to help to achieve the parish’s aim of bringing the good news of Jesus to the Herne Hill community.

The first church on the site was built in 1844. Most of this original building was destroyed by fire in February 1858, but the first vicar had wisely insured the building (at his own expense) so it was possible to rebuild the church in less than nine months! The church organ was consecrated on 30 September 1914, so celebrates its 100th birthday this year. In 1921 a memorial screen was erected for those from the parish who died in World War One. This screen has been relocated to a different position as part of the modernisation. This has resulted in a better view of the east window, which was created after bomb damage during World War Two to the original stained-glass window. From now on, the front door of the church will be open more frequently on weekdays. This will enable passers-by to have a look from the new glass entrance lobby. So why don’t you take a walk over and look inside one of the oldest buildings in Herne Hill? Leigh Whittingham

Combating crime in Brockwell Park Thanks to Brockwell Park Watch, a voluntary organisation with the object of combatting crime, vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the Park, there are now metal plaques at all Park entrances with contact information for reporting incidents.

The numbers are:

l Anti-Social Behaviour: 020 7926 4000 l Police Non-Emergency: 101 l Police Emergency: 999 l BrockwellParkWatch@gmail.com –

for any concerns which are not covered by the above.

Herne Hill-Winter 2014

In the last issue we reported on the slow progress of work to upgrade Brockwell Passage. It’s now nearly four years since the main part of the work, in Railton Road and around the Park entrance, was completed. The delays meant that the original planning approval had lapsed as had Transport for London’s (Tf L) commitment to fund this final phase of the Regeneration Project. The good news is that a second planning application has recently been approved. Tf L has also reconfirmed the funding, but the work has to be completed before next April. This timetable will be very tight. We understand that Betfred don’t wish to start the necessary adaptations to their premises before the New Year. But once their external works are completed, Lambeth’s contractors can start widening the passage, building new brick walls and gate to the Florence car parking area, new retaining wall and timber fence on the east side, new paving and lighting columns. This is now expected to take rather less that the original six-week estimate. We are more optimistic that the project will be completed before the deadline, but we will continue to keep up the pressure on Lambeth. John Brunton

Membership Renewals Subscriptions are due on 1 January 2015. Cheques or cash are fine. But you can also now pay online via PayPal. To do this, visit hernehillsociety.org.uk and go to “About the Society” then to “How to Join”. Another option would be to set up a Standing Order, using the enclosed renewal form, or you can download the Membership form. Please let us know if you have previously signed a Gift Aid form, but are no longer a tax-payer. You can do this by sending an email to membership@hernehillsociety.org. uk or writing to the Membership Secretary at our PO Box address. To join our monthly email, send a message to membership@ hernehillsociety.org.uk.

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Herne Hill-Winter 2014

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NEWS Though the flood last year in Half Moon Lane was caused by a burst pipe rather than heavy rain, the southeastern section of Herne Hill from Burbage Road up to the Herne Hill railway bridge has been susceptible to flooding in the past. This has mainly been caused by Victorian sewers unable to cope with the huge run-off from Dulwich Park, in turn preventing drainage from Belair Park and the Southwark Community Trust Sports Ground (off Turney Road). There was a major incident in 2004 when a number of houses in Turney Road were flooded. And the Fire Brigade had to be called as recently as Christmas 2012 to pump out water collecting at the Burbage Road/Gallery Road roundabout in Dulwich Village. Southwark Council has obtained funds from the Environment Agency

l Lambeth Architecture:

A Brave New World 1945-65

Action to combat future floods across Herne Hill and Thames Water, and a substantial programme of flood alleviation works is currently well under way. The aim is two-pronged: the first is to improve the capacity of the local sewers (hence the recent works in Turney Road) and the second is to provide ways of holding surplus water back in the parks and sports

grounds until the sewers are able to cope with it. The solution is the installation of massive underground tanks in Dulwich Park and the SCST sports ground and a combination of depressions, landscaped grassed bunds and brick retaining walls elsewhere. Work should be complete by the end of the year. Ian McInnes

The third volume of Edmund Bird’s and Fiona Price’s beautifully illustrated history covers the postwar years up to 1965. Previous books dealt with the Edwardian period (now revised and extended) and the inter-war years. The next volume will bring us up to date. The book’s strength is its comprehensive coverage of every building type in Lambeth, from the ordinary to the award-winning, and from churches to bus garages. Herne Hill features with Owen Luder’s house in Herne Hill Road, the Wates maisonettes on Herne Hill, the bombsite infill houses in Harwarden Grove, and the Meath Estate on Dulwich Road – even the recently demolished public toilet at the front of Brockwell Park has a mention (and a photo). Lambeth Archives are to be congratulated on publishing the series. The erudite content and John East’s excellent photographs make the book essential for anyone interested in the recent history of Lambeth. Ian McInnes

NEW TUBE STATION FOR THE HILL? Bakerloo line extension? For a century, there have been ideas to extend the Bakerloo line from its Elephant and Castle terminus – but never any action. Now Tf L, having got the Northern line extension to the south-west from Kennington under way (see following) is consulting on possible alignments for the Bakerloo to the south-east. Responses to Tf L are invited before 7 December on alternative routes and station locations. The main alignment being consulted on would follow the Old Kent Road to New Cross Gate, then continue to Lewisham, Catford, and Beckenham, and perhaps beyond to Hayes. An alternative, via Camberwell and Peckham Rye, is also set out in the consultation material. In addition, Lambeth MPs are asking for a further option, calling at Herne Hill and Streatham, to be considered. It is clear, however, that there will not be sufficient public money in the foreseeable

TRANSPORT NEWS future to fund such an extension. The full proposed line to Hayes could cost some £2-3billion. An optimistic timetable, if funding from land developers was secured, would stretch into the mid-2030s. The development site prospects around a Camberwell station are slight compared with the sites along the Old Kent Road. A Herne Hill station is most unlikely. (And indeed would be unwelcome to many; as a rough guess, to justify a station for Herne Hill would require a funding contribution from new development covering about a quarter of Brockwell Park — not very desirable.) Northern line to Battersea After a public inquiry in 2013, firm plans to build an extension to the Northern line from Kennington with new stations at Nine

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Elms (the new USA embassy, planned to open in 2017) and Battersea (the £8bn Power Station development site) are now in place. A contractor has been appointed, and a decision on the legal powers is expected this autumn. Work could start in 2015, with the stations opening in 2020. The extension is estimated to cost about £1bn, largely funded by future levies on the developers – suggesting an awful lot of development to support the transport investment. Herne Hill rail services – “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss” On 14 September the operator of the Thameslink rail services through Herne Hill changed from First Capital Connect to Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). On 15 September, David Statham (previously the Managing Director of FCC) changed job and became MD of Southeastern, the operator serving Herne Hill and Victoria. Bil Harrison

Gleaming: The Lido is abuzz with activity during the first Fun Palace. The second is already is being planned

fter nine months’ planning, Brockwell Lido was transformed into a Fun Palace on Sunday 5 October, when we were blessed with a stunning day and constant blue sky. I have lived in the area for 17 years. But it was only while organising our Fun Palace that I really could say I felt totally part of the community. Talking to local traders and volunteers, some of whom I had never met before, gave me a real sense of togetherness, because ultimately, our Fun Palace was for the community and largely created and supported by the community. Getting to know managers and staff at Brockwell Lido and the Lido Café even better than I already knew them, provided me with another layer of friendliness. I’ve always

Shelley Silas on the day Brockwell Lido was transformed into a ‘Fun Palace’... and how the community responded belonged at the Lido. I think most people who go there, whether to swim or use the gym or take a class, feel it is theirs. On the Sunday it belonged to everyone. When the doors opened, our community came: 2,000 to be precise. Watching the pool transform into a place where kayaks looked as at home as ducks, while mermaids swam and delighted both small and older people, was truly joyful. Chalking the paving slabs proved that if you’re given permission you can do anything. We gave everyone permission

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to take part, to listen to a specially compiled soundtrack while relaxing on deckchairs, hear spooky stories and learn basic sign language. The miniature railway took 406 people along its track – John who runs the railway said he can’t wait to do it all over again. It brought people together. One of the athletes from The Windrush Triathlon Club commented that their friends could see what they actually did rather than just hear about it. From intense planning to fruition, this event was about community. But it was also

a c th p q th ta w

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Pictures: Annie McGeoch, Annie McGeoch and Colin Wight

FUN in the SUN (And in October, too!)

about the young – watching them jump into cold water without a care, only realising once they were in that, yes, it was colder than they perhaps imagined. Or the fearless kids who queued for a go in a kayak. And then there was the small girl whose mother allowed me to take her into the deep end so she could swim with the mermaids. We couldn’t have had our Fun Palace without Fusion’s support and without the tremendous effort of all the unpaid volunteers, including from the Forum and the Herne Hill Society, and the businesses who sponsored us. It was a mammoth task and no one could have predicted the outcome. Some had never been to the Lido before, a few didn’t even know the Lido existed, many couldn’t believe the pool was actually not that cold.

Everyone who had offered something, from our scientific swimmer to our local Illusioneer, gave 100 per cent of their time, community spirits were high, and there was a real sense of warmth and coming together. It still gives me great joy, when I’m in the gym or doing a few quick lengths in late October water, to remember that day and look forward to Sunday 4 October 2015, when we hope to have another Fun Palace. Joan Littlewood said: “Ask the kids” – so we asked them what their Fun Palace might be like. We also asked the adults. Next year we hope to make some of the responses a reality. If have any idea of what you could offer please email info@hernehillforum.org.uk. The only stipulation is that it is totally inclusive and free, with a mix of science and arts. And fun!

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Peter Reeve remembered

I am sad to report that Peter Reeve died in King’s College Hospital on 1 August after a short illness. One of our founder members, he joined the Society in 1983 and was a regular face at the Wednesday meetings, where his smile and teasing good humour will be greatly missed. I went to his well-attended funeral at Christ’s Chapel in Dulwich Village. Peter lived most of his life in Herne Hill, but was born on 8 October 1929 in north London, moving with his parents to Frankfurt Road, later to 11 Herne Hill, then with three siblings to 51 Herne Hill. After National Service and university, and much travelling, he married Jeanne in 1969, and in 1973 they settled in Carver Road with their two children, Justin and Meriel. Peter went to Dulwich Hamlet School, before gaining a local authority scholarship to Alleyn’s. He was captain of athletics and of shooting. After time in the army he went to Nottingham University, where he gained a degree in geography and continued his athletics career, running for the University. In 1946 Peter joined the Herne Hill Harriers and was a loyal member for almost 68 years. Peter spent a post-graduate year training to be a land surveyor at London University and then enjoyed several different careers, ending his working life as an expert fundraising consultant. He was a family man, and I remember Peter coming to Society meetings in the 90s along with his elderly mother, Vera. After she died Peter continued as a regular attender, always friendly and interested in Herne Hill. Jeanne told me “he loved the area and loved being involved”. Sheila Northover

Use it or Lose it The future of OUR local specialist shopS

ne of Herne Hill’s best features is its range of good local shops – most of them actually providing services that people need. And more are opening – but do they actually have a sustainable future? It has taken a year for the Half Moon Lane shops to recover from the August 2013 floods. One shop has gone and one is still to re-open. More seriously, the shopowners’ perception is that footfall is down. It’s not only the legacy of the flood – the continued closure of the Half Moon pub is having an impact and it will continue to do so, as it is unlikely to re-open soon. The change in the Kindred Bakery from a baker’s to a coffee shop is another factor, as is the Sunday market around the corner by the station. Overall, the market is clearly a positive for Herne Hill. It attracts large numbers of people to the area on the weekend, but does it really benefit the shops? On

Sundays not all are open so the impact may be marginal – and there is considerable unease from shop-owners about any extension of the market to Saturdays. The stalls prevent car parking, and introducing the 30-minute limit, combined with the removal of through traffic route in front of the station, has been a major improvement for shoppers who come from a distance. Without it, they won’t come. Then there are things beyond anyone’s control – Sainsbury’s, and now Tesco, is bad news for the other two supermarkets, Costcutter and Londis. It is hard to see why the area needs two national multiples, but planning laws cannot prevent it. Likewise the loss of the Post Office is less than helpful. Although it went some time ago, and there is a small branch in Costcutter round the corner, it’s not the same – does everyone know it’s there? The Norwood Road frontage has been a problem for some time, though the

difficulties over the night-time economy and disturbance appear to have been resolved and proper shops are returning. Hopefully they will last. Restaurants are good for the local economy as they give the area life out of hours. But you can have too many, and one could question whether the area needs four estate agents. But more serious is the impact of charity shops. One of Herne Hill’s gems is the bookshop by the station – but can it compete against the Oxfam bookshop, where staff are unpaid volunteers and, because it’s a charity, it secures reduced business rates? Is it fair competition? The conclusion is simple: if you want local specialist shops to remain you need to use them. They may be more expensive – and that’s the balance that you have to accept; don’t take the easy way out and go to the multiples, shop with the locals. Ian McInnes

Emily Carr at Dulwich Picture Gallery Three years ago, Dulwich Picture Gallery presented Painting Canada: Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, an eye-opening display of brilliant depictions of that country’s landscapes. From 1 November 2014 to 8 March 2015, the work of Emily Carr (1871-1945) graces the Gallery as the perfect sequel. Born in Victoria, British Columbia (her house is now a

charming museum on a gracious street between the city centre and the sea), Carr was aware of modernism through her travels and study in San Francisco, London and Paris; but it was her native Canada which shaped her artistic development. Inspired by the indigenous peoples (now known as First Nations) of the Northwest Coast, she documented their

culture in paintings and an illustrated journal of a journey to Alaska in 1907. Initially unappreciated, her encounter with the Group of Seven in 1927 inspired her and won their encouragement. She went on to become one of Canada’s bestloved artists. From the Forest to the Sea: Emily Carr in British Columbia is the first solo exhibition in Europe

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Art handlers from Patina Art Collection Care Ltd. install painting by Emily Carr of this remarkable artist. It follows her career from dark forest scenes through to bright, glowing seascapes, and includes over 140 paintings, watercolours and drawings, plus sketchbooks and more than 30 First

Nations objects. A full review will appear in our next issue. Open Tues–Fri 10am-5pm; weekends and Bank Holiday Mon 11am-5pm. Gallery & exhibition £11, seniors £10, cons £6; Friends and children free. Jeff Doorn

The Gilbart Mausoleum (left), the tomb of Henry Doulton (above) and the Greek Necropolis

olin Fenn of the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery came to the October meeting of the Herne Hill Society to share his passion and knowledge about this jewel in our neighbourhood. Seven London cemeteries were founded in the 1830s — described by Colin as “a jet black necklace around London”. West Norwood was the second of these, opening in 1837. It covers 40 acres (16 hectares), of which at least 10 are wooded; and was renowned for its beautiful planting. The River Effra originally ran through the land, but was diverted to run along Norwood Road. Some say that you can hear the river gushing if you stand in St Luke’s Crypt. Public health in the early 19th century was poor. From a population of a quarter of a million in 1800, London grew to three million by 1900. Early death was common — but burial in the churchyards was not secure due to the

A Trip through West Norwood Cemetery “Resurrection Men” or grave robbers. London was at the forefront of medical science, and there was a huge demand for corpses for dissection. The new cemeteries provided a secure burial site. But West Norwood was a “Millionaire’s Cemetery’ – the poor could not afford to be buried there. The Cemetery contained an Anglican Chapel (sadly demolished in the 1960s) with Catacombs beneath; a Dissenters’ Chapel (flattened by a V1 in 1944); one of the country’s earliest crematoria;

a metre-gauge railway to carry coffins from the chapel to the Crematorium; a Greek Orthodox Necropolis, still standing, which includes a halfsize model of the Parthenon. The Cemetery contains the graves of many well-known Victorians, including Mrs Beeton, Sir Henry Doulton, Sir Henry Tate, Baron Julius Reuter and the Reverend Spurgeon. We also learned that there are many well-known Herne Hill residents buried there, such as Sir Henry Bessemer, Sidney Carter (composer of

HOW IS IT THAT YOU LIVE? ORIGINAL POEM puBLISHED ▶Turn to Page 16

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the song ‘Lord of the Dance’), John Belcher (architect of many town halls and public buildings), Sir Richard Muir (Treasury Prosecutor, who prosecuted Dr Crippen) and Thomas Lynn Bristowe MP, of Brockwell Park fame. The Cemetery is a beautiful place to walk at all times of the year. The very active Friends group run tours on the first Sunday of every month at 2:30pm, 11:00am in winter. You can find more on their website at www.fownc.org. Val Suebsaeng

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION — 50 years of STEVE’S CAFE ▶Turn to Page 19

How is it that you live, and what is it that you do? Wordsworth – Resolution and Independence. A poem by Michael Baron, 18/21 May 2014 He brought his findings to the Institute, Tooting Common man, Herne Hill’s batologist*, his beard, which never knew a woman’s care, entangled round a jaw impossible to discover, the baggy breeches familiar, as was his turn-of-century stove pipe hat. On days of rain or thin London sun he’s mount the seven steps, white-scrubbed then, to ring the bell. Sometimes my turn at answering and he was there with a leather bag – “mornin’ young man”. I was 50 at the time, I laughed. “Here’s more of them brambles, I had a grand day, yesterday, movin’” – (saying ‘grand day’ like a man of Cumberland would on a fell top) – “movin’ from bush to bush, florets coming out, surprised me like, little charmers. So I looked and picked a few stalks. You ain’t seen these before, that is, if I am the only one who knows the Common as if I were raised there”. He pushed past, walking slowly, he’d aged since

I last met him in the house talking to himself, the scratched bag held so tight – his reddened scarred arthritic hand – stopped at the herbarium door where I heard Arthur call, “Hallo, Tom – got some more of the buggers for me, have you…you have, oh that’s good, I guess that’s eighteen now, maybe they should name it Bramble Common a shade more meaningful than Tooting. I let Tom out, the bag now empty, and by the door he stopped, turned round, “I don’t reckon I’ll be here again so dry ‘em, frame ’em well, they’ll be my, what’s the word, epitaph”. With a clique of eccentric mates, he’s gone. I think often of blackbirds picking at the fruit, sharp taste of berry ceding place to song. *Batologist: an expert in brambles l The South London Botanical Institute at 323 Norwood Road, London SE24, www.slbi. org.uk, has a collection of 18 different brambles found on Tooting Common.

A few of the South London Botanical Institute’s many herbarium cases with dried plants samples (above right)

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Ruskin and Effie Gray are not worth the wait The story of the marriage of Herne Hill’s most illustrious resident, John Ruskin, to Euphemia (Effie) Gray has finally reached our screens. Held up in the US by allegations of plagiarism on the part of the screenwriter Emma Thompson — now dismissed by the courts — has the wait for Effie Gray been worth it? In my opinion, the answer has to be no. The failure of the Ruskin marriage has fascinated writers for years and it could make a great film. Ruskin was a man of

prodigious talents, but these were accompanied by complex psychological flaws. In the film we see only the surface. Ruskin is firstly a bore, only interested in working, and secondly, when it comes to his treatment of Effie,

a heartless, totally insensitive brute, and, what is more, a middle-aged one. The very limited characterisation is not helped by the fact that Greg Wise, playing Ruskin, is 20 years older than Ruskin was in reality when he married. So we see the story only from Effie‘s point of view. And while one feels sorry for Effie — played very effectively by American Dakota Fanning (inset) — she fails to arouse one’s stronger emotions. Effie’s only concern is to have a conventional marriage and a

respectable place in society; a normal expectation in Victorian England, but again there is no deeper examination. The film does at least look good. Costumes, carriages, fusty Victorian interiors, Scotch mist, all are as they should be. And there is a nice array of British character actors doing their bit. I found myself thinking of George Eliot’s Middlemarch, where the character of Dorothea Brooke, also unhappily married to an erudite workaholic, stirs the reader’s deep feelings

of empathy. Yet these feelings do not exclude a recognition of Dorothea’s husband as a tragic figure. I wonder whether George Eliot had Ruskin in mind when she was devising Middlemarch. And in turn it could well be that Emma Thompson – who studied English at Cambridge – was thinking of George Eliot’s novel. If so, there is nothing of the novel’s intelligence, humanity and originality in this film’s distinctly lacklustre account of the Ruskin marriage. Laurence Marsh

Homes Fit for Heroes: the Casino and Sunray Estates

an McInnes addressed a packed audience at the Society’s September meeting, an event that formed part of the World War One centenary commemorations. During the War the housing shortage had become a major issue, highlighted by Lloyd George in his speech of November 1918: “What is our task? To make Britain a fit country for heroes to live in.” In 1917 the Government commissioned the Tudor-Walters Report, with the aim of setting standards and producing model plans and specifications for the post-war house building programme. This report, strongly influenced by Raymond Unwin, the Garden City pioneer, recommended building individual two-storey houses in low-density estates, each with a bathroom and toilet, and surrounded by gardens. It was remarkably enlightened for the time. In 1919 the Housing and Town Planning Act, named the ‘Addison Act’ after the

Minister for Health at the time, came into force. This Act required local authorities to declare how they intended to comply with the obligation to build homes; and provided subsidies to enable them to do so. It was described as effectively establishing the principle that housing was a social service. After the War the then Camberwell Borough Council (now part of Southwark) changed from Conservative to Labour control. The new administration was very eager to build new homes and soon drew up plans for the Casino and Sunray Estates. Dulwich Estates which owned the freehold of the land on which stood Casino House, Hill House and Bessemer Grange, had little choice but to go along with these proposals. The land surrounding these houses was largely empty and a perfect site for the development. They granted a lease

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of 200 years to the Council. The plans for the design of the estates replicated almost exactly the recommendations of the Tudor-Walters report. In 1920 the final decision to go ahead was made. Camberwell lost no time, and work started in April that same year, carried out by the Direct Labour Force employed and supervised by the Ministry of Works. The Casino Estate was completed in 1921; and the Sunray Estate on the opposite side of Red Post Hill was finished the following year. Tenants were allocated by the Council from their Housing List. Most of the original houses survive and, in 2009, Southwark declared the Sunray Estate a Conservation Area. Herne Hill is fortunate to have such a fine example of a garden city estate. Val Suebsaeng

DIARY OF EVENTS WINTER

Saturday 13 December at 11:00 – 5:00pm Herne Hill Forum & Traders: Christmas Fair. Market stalls and community stalls spread out from the station plaza to Half Moon Lane. Meet many of the people and organisations who make Herne Hill so special, and stock up on those last minute cards and presents.

Wednesday 11 February: “The Importance of Being on Time: A personal exploration of timekeeping (1850-1950), seen through the collection of The Clockworks Museum” by Dr James Nye Dr Nye has studied the history of timekeeping technology, with a focus on accurate distributed time, for nearly 30 years. An award-winning author, he is a fellow of King’s College London, and the principal sponsor and curator of The Clockworks (www.theclockworks.org ), Lambeth’s newest museum and the only museum in the world dedicated to the field of electrical timekeeping. The lecture will explore his reasons for a long fascination with the subject and will unravel some intriguing stories from the world of time distribution.

Wednesday 14 January 2015: “Adventures in re-use and restoration at Peckham Rye Station and Rye Lane” by Benedict O’Looney Unusual projects around Peckham include the station and the former Holdron’s department store; while on the Walworth Road the Grade II-listed ‘Kennedy’s Sausages’ has recently been restored as a new pizzeria.

Wednesday 11 March: ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING This is followed by “Lambeth Architecture 1940 – 1965” by Edmund Bird This talk introduces the third in a series of books written in conjunction with Fiona Price and published by Lambeth Archives. Copious illustrations explore post-war developments in the area.

Wednesday 10 December: “Ephemera and Memorabilia” Bring and show an item that has particular significance in your life, or conjures up special memories. Documents, photographs or other family mementoes relating to World War One would be especially welcome.

l Unless otherwise stated, Herne Hill Society meetings will be at Herne Hill United Church Hall, at 7:30 (doors open) for 7:45pm. To avoid disturbance to others, please try to arrive before the speaker is introduced.

OUR COUNCILLORS

Herne Hill Ward Lambeth Michelle Agdomar (Lab.) MAgdomar@lambeth.gov.uk @MichelleAgdomar Jim Dickson (Lab.) JDickson@lambeth.gov.uk @JimDicksLambeth 020 3149 6657 Jack Holborn (Lab.) JHolborn@lambeth.gov.uk @jack_holborn Thurlow Park Ward Lambeth Anna Birley (Lab.) ABirley@lambeth.gov.uk @annamayb Fred Cowell (Lab.) FCowell@lambeth.gov.uk @fredacowell Max Deckers Dowber (Lab.) MDeckersDowber@lambeth.gov.uk Village Ward Southwark Anne Kirby (Lab.) Jane Lyons (Con.) Michael Mitchell (Con.)

anne.kirby@southwark.gov.uk jane.lyons@southwark.gov.uk michael.mitchell@southwark.gov.uk 07535 932 326

Your MP Tessa Jowell MP (Lab.) jowellt@parliament.uk House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. 020 8333 1372

FOR MORE iNFORMATION AND OTHER SOCIETIES’ EVENTS, SEE hernehillsociety.org.uk

Your GLA Member Valerie Shawcross AM (Lab.)

valerie.shawcross@london.gov.uk GLA, City Hall, Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA 020 7983 4407

Environmental Contacts Lambeth Streetscene: Cleansing, rubbish removal, pot holes, abandoned vehicles, graffiti removal etc: Southwark Streetscene (as above):

020 7926 9000 020 7525 2000

Advertising Advertising space is available in this Magazine for local businesses at the following rates: Full page £70 Half page £35 Quarter page £18 Four issues for the price of three. There is a premium for a full-page advertisement on the back cover. Please provide your own artwork.

Herne Hill-Winter 2014

Years of Steve’s Café

It’s the original Steve (on the right) of Steve’s Cafe in Norwood Road

A popular local venue passed down through the family, but has anyone seen Steve?

erin leans across the spotless surface of a table which has seen a lot of plates over the years and says: “There is no one here called Steve!” Besim and Zerin Kalkanel have owned the café for 17 years. Before that her cousin, Hatti, owned it for 20 years. “So was there a Steve then?” And before that it was owned by her uncle who now lives in Cyprus. She anticipates my question. Her uncle was known as Steve. Zerin spent her summer reupholstering the chairs in their new-look diner and scrubbing the floor till it was spotless. The bi-folding doors can be opened when it is warm. There are no ready meals. Everything is home-made — kebabs, curry, spaghetti meals are all cooked by Besim. “We’re not tight,” she says. “You get what you pay for and if it’s someone’s birthday, they get treated.” They open seven days a week and leave their home in Catford before 6am. Scaffolders are the first to come in. They have lots of workers during the week and families at weekends. “Our customers

are our family. People trust the food and the cleanliness.” They are the postal address for Bensons, the fairground family. So much so, that the Bensons come to eat even if they are just passing through. She has seen one of the youngest Bensons develop from a kid to a driver of a massive showground lorry. Mrs Benson died a few years ago. Zerin is good in a crisis, and recalls the flooded toilets and the woman who collapsed and brought in flowers and chocolates when she was discharged from hospital.

Café customers for 50 years: John 63, Frank 83 and Teddy 91

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Romance blossoms too. Zerin and Besim themselves met in a restaurant 20 years ago. Zerin saw a young woman exasperated with the boy she was with. “What’s going on?” asked Zerin. “Go on, tell her!” the woman demanded, and Besim shyly admitted he had been trying to ask Zerin out but was stuck for words. Artwork on the walls comes from Adam Perry’s studios under the arches — one had just been sold. There’s a noticeboard for customers’ business cards. At Christmas, a charity raffle raised £561 for St Christopher’s Hospice. Treacle Junior was filmed round the back of the café in July 2011 so they had a showing of it in the café. Zerin knows that, some day, they will sell up or retire, but she doesn’t look forward to it as it’s a family affair. “It would be sad to leave. We’re so attached to people.” It’s possible they may keep it in the family. Their son Ali (19) has been working there. “He’s trying,” says his Mum. “He’s got a lot to learn!” He has to meet her high standards to start with. Becca Thackray

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Turner at Herne Hill

he latest exhibition at Tate Modern, Late Turner – Painting Set Free (on until 25 January), is devoted to the paintings of J M W Turner created between 1835 and his death in 1851. Among the many spectacular works on display is a rather more modest picture by Count Alfred d’Orsay, amateur artist, friend of Byron, dandy — and the leader of a colourful private life. It shows Turner drinking tea at one of the regular social gatherings of artists and writers that Elhanan Bicknell would hold at his home on Herne Hill. Bicknell, who made a substantial fortune trading in whale oil, was a renowned art collector. The collection housed in the substantial Bicknell mansion consisted almost entirely of contemporary British artists, many largely forgotten, but it also included numerous works by Turner of the highest quality, acquired directly from the artist. These were pictures admired by the young John Ruskin, who grew up in a house on Herne Hill almost directly

opposite the Bicknell home. In Modern Painters (1843) Ruskin championed Turner’s often controversial work. The book built the foundation for Ruskin’s reputation as the foremost art

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critic and arbiter of public taste of the Victorian age. In the d’Orsay sketch one can just make out the picture frames of paintings. Unusually, the frames were made as an integral part of the elaborate white and gold panelling. Among the Turners in the collection was the watercolour known as the Blue Rigi. When the collection was sold after Bicknell’s death in 1861 it fetched 296 guineas. It came on the market again in 2007, when it was sold for £5.8 million. Fortunately, after a public appeal it was acquired for the nation, and this extraordinarily beautiful picture is included in the current Tate Britain show. The Bicknell house stood at what is now the corner of Herne Hill and Danecroft Road, with extensive grounds running down to Half Moon Lane. It was demolished around 1900 when Danecroft and other roads leading off Herne Hill were laid out and the houses that we see today began to appear. Laurence Marsh

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Opportunity Knocks With the continued lack of properties on the market and the Government ‘s ‘Help To Buy’ scheme, our local market has seen unprecedented price rises, often well in excess of the asking price! The lettings market also continues to be buoyant, a great opportunity for investors with interest rates at a historic low! Diana Burn, Founder

Thinking of selling? At Oliver Burn we pride ourselves on our ability to complete the sale. It is not just about getting an offer, this can often be the easy bit. The hard work is to ensure the whole process thereafter moves as swiftly and efficiently as possible towards a successful completion.

e d my home and that sh an e m t ou ab d re ca e sh ess Diana I knew that the team made the proc d an n ‘From the moment I met re ar W le. sa e th r portant to me fo stressful. I would have no ly ib ed understood what was im cr in en be ve ha d important enges that coul feel that I was the most d di very easy in spite of chall y all re I as , rn Bu r mending Olive hesitation at all in recom ess.’ factor in the whole proc Steven Coates Norwood Road, SE24

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Herne Hill-Winter 2014