Take steps to prevent burglaries this festive season
With the nights drawing in, the festive season is well and truly here. Unfortunately, we often see an increase in burglary in the weeks running up to Christmas. Check out the little things you can do to be extra safe over the holidays…
• Make sure all your windows and doors are closed and locked.
• Keep valuables out of sight and away from windows.
• If you’re going out or going away for Christmas, be careful about publicising where you are on social media.
Sparkle in the Park sleighs with 25,773 visitors
• If you’re having parcels delivered and won’t be in, make sure you redirect them to a local shop, a parcel locker or neighbour.
• Make sure you have a good lock on your shed and outside storage cupboards.
• Consider installing a video doorbell or CCTV. If you’re a council tenant or leaseholder, you will need to ask pe rmission before doing this.
• Never leave a spare key outside your house – burglars know the usual hiding spots.
• Keep handbags away from the letterbox or cat flap and hide all keys, as a thief could hook keys or valuables through small openings.
Nearly 26,000 residents were dazzled by the council’s free festive event, Sparkle in the Park, at Charlton House and Gardens.
For four spectacular nights, the park was transformed into an enchanted winter wonderland. The historic Charlton House was illuminated alongside stunning light features telling festive stories from across the world, complete with a fun fair and musical performances.
Sparkle in the Park was produced by FESTIVAL.ORG
To be the first to receive updates on future events, sign up to the council’s newsletter at royalgreenwich.gov.uk/ newsletter and follow us on WhatsApp: royalgreenwich.gov. uk/follow-whatsapp
• Leaving a light on – or using a timer or motion sensor - will give the impression that a house is occupied and so could deter a burglar.
• Winter weather conditions can damage door and window locks, hinges, and seals so make sure you inspect them regularly and replace any worn-out parts.
If you see suspicious activity on your street, report it to the police by calling 999. In a non-emergency you can call 101 or report it online at: met.police.uk
For more information visit: royalgreenwich. gov.uk/christmas-safety
The
Festive IFS Cloud Cable Car
Pick of the Week
Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender is an independent weekly newspaper, covering the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham.
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You can also view each edition online, as well as daily news and events, on our website: www.weekender.co.uk
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Eliza Frost Weekender
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Jump in a sleigh ride across the Thames this winter with a special journey on the IFS Cloud Cable Car. Get in the spirit of the season and meet some mischievous elves on the way to Santa’s Grotto. Your ticket includes a round trip or single trip on the sleigh ride, plus a gift to take home. The IFS Cloud Cable Car crosses the River Thames between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks, just a five-minute walk from The O2 and North Greenwich Underground station.
Multiple dates and times
Tickets: £10 per person single triple, £15 round trip
Edmund Halley Way, Greenwich Peninsula, SE10 0FR tfl.gov.uk/modes/london-cable-car
The Snowman
The Enchanted Cinema presents The Snowman interactive experience at Woolwich Works. It starts with a vocal warm-up, preparing the singer within you for the classic Walking in the Air sequence. The workshop leader will then ask for your festive help creating sound effects using instruments provided – or using your own voice –for different images seen in the film,
including an owl, a toothbrush, a whale, the sea, a musical box, a running tap, feet jumping through the snow, and a tearaway motorbike. The 30-minute workshop is followed by a screening of Dianne Jackson’s animation (also 30 minutes), which was first screened over 40 years ago. To end this seasonal treat, audiences are warmly welcomed onto the stage to meet the artist and try out any instruments, or leaf through a copy of the original
Magic of Motown
The Magic of Motown is back with its 20th-anniversary tour, full of your favourite tributes to Motown. Enjoy brand-new performances as they show you there ain’t no mountain high enough. Get ready to singalong to all the hits and enjoy the glittering costumes and dazzling dance routines in this live concert at Churchill Theatre. Go Loco down in Acapulco and take a trip down memory lane with music from classic artists such as Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, The Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson, and many more.
Date: Friday 10 January 2025
Tickets: £34 to £38
Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley, BR1 1HA trafalgartickets.com/churchilltheatre-bromley/en-GB/event/ music/magic-of-motown-tickets
Disney On Ice
Raymond Briggs children’s book.The show is ideal for children aged 4+ and their grown-ups, who will team up to become the magical orchestra.
Dates: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 December 2024 Advance tickets: £15
The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 Street, Royal Arsenal, SE18 6HD www.woolwich.works/events/ enchanted-cinema-the-snowman
Winter at Greenwich Peninsula
Classic fairground charm meets the flavours of the festive season this winter at Greenwich Peninsula. Add a sprinkle of Christmas spirit to your day with the Winter Carousel and Market Quarter, where you’ll find a 10-metre Christmas tree, a twinkling traditional carousel and delicious seasonal favourites to feast on. Indulge in treats from the festive market stalls, from crispy churros with cinnamon sugar and authentic bratwurst with gourmet toppings to mulled wine or deluxe hot chocolates – there is sure to be something to tickle your tastebuds. No need to book, you can just turn up, have a wander, and let a little winter magic brighten your day.
Dates: Until Sunday 12 January 2025 Free Greenwich Peninsula, SE10 0SQ www.greenwichpeninsula.co.uk
Grab your mouse ears and get ready as Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures. Featuring new and classic tales, get ready to enter the Disney Kingdom as this multi-generational experience skates into The O2, with skating, high-flying acrobatics and upclose character interactions. Experience the Disney and Pixar adventures of Mary Poppins Returns, Toy Story 4, Incredibles 2, The Lion King, Aladdin, Moana and Frozen all in one ice show. Exciting twists and turns await as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and guests of all ages embark on an interactive and memory-rich adventure to Disney destinations.
Dates: Thursday 26 December 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025
Tickets: From £42 O2 Arena, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX www.theo2.co.uk/events/detail/ disney-on-ice-presents-road-tripadventures
Christmas carolling at Greenwich Market
Love all things Christmassy? So does Greenwich Market, which is why it is putting together a programme of carol singing for the festive season. As Buddy the Elf once said, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear. So, wrap up warm and enjoy some seasonal singing at the market, exercise your vocal cords by joining in or just enjoy the chimes of the crowd.
Dates: Various until Tuesday 31 December 2024 Free Greenwich Market, SE10 9HZ greenwichmarket.london/events/ detail/christmas-carolling
70 years of the Cutty sark in Greenwich
Royal Museums Greenwich senior curator Louise Macfarlane tells us about the ship’s history and how it has become near impossible to ‘think of Greenwich and not picture Cutty Sark’
The Cutty Sark is a “landmark, a meeting point, a wonderful oddity on the Greenwich skyline that locals and non-locals have embraced as theirs”, explains Louise Macfarlane, senior curator at Royal Museums Greenwich.
On its position in local history, she adds how “the London Marathon passing by each year and the fact that generations of people have visited the ship on school and family trips has reinforced this emotional connection that continues today”.
The 10 December marked 70 years of the ship being docked in Greenwich and RMG is celebrating this historical date by taking a look back over its journey.
There are two new displays for you to enjoy: one features Nannie, the ship’s figurehead, and one looks at how and why Cutty Sark came to find a final
home in Greenwich 70 years ago.
The Nannie display explores why and how figureheads were made and the fact that the ship has had at least three versions of the same figurehead in its 155 years.
The display on the 70th anniversary features historic photographs and neverbefore-displayed colour footage of Cutty Sark’s final voyage to Greenwich. It also has an interactive feature that allows you to add your own memories of the ship.
For those who can’t wait, you can also submit a memory online at www. rmg.co.uk/cuttysarkmemories.
Louise says how they “really wanted to provide a space for people to share their emotional connections to Cutty Sark”.
Having worked in museums for
nearly 20 years, Louise says that “no two days are the same” when it comes to work at RMG.
She says that “curator”, for her, basically means storyteller: it’s her job to tell the story of Cutty Sark and its crew.
This storytelling takes the form of exhibitions and displays, writing books, giving tours and talks, researching uncovered records, cataloguing objects for online search tools and more to make the ship’s story as accessible and appealing to as many people as possible.
But how did the Cutty Sark come to dock in Greenwich? Louise explains: “One ship’s bad luck became Cutty Sark’s good fortune. From the late 1930s, Cutty Sark was owned by the Incorporated Thames Nautical College, down in Greenhithe, and was used as a cadet training ship so that young men who wanted careers at sea could, quite literally, learn the ropes.
“After the Second World War, the College acquired a new ship and Cutty Sark was no longer needed. At around the same time, a site in Greenwich was promised as a permanent home for HMS Implacable, a veteran of the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar.
“The costs of restoring and looking after Implacable, however, were eventually deemed too high and it was instead scuttled (or deliberately
Louise Macfarlane
sunk). The then Director of the National Maritime Museum, Frank Carr, vowed this fate would not befall Cutty Sark.
“With the patronage of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, they established the Cutty Sark Preservation Society, secured the site in Greenwich once promised to Implacable, raised public funds for a specially built dry dock and, on 10 December 1954, Cutty Sark was floated in.
“The water drained away with the natural ebb of the tide and Cutty Sark had left water for the final time and was
in its final home in maritime Greenwich.
“A three-year restoration followed before the ship was finally opened to the public in June 1957.”
Of the ship’s history, Louise says what stands out most about it is that it is still here.
She explains that it is the sole surviving tea clipper ship in the world and has just celebrated its 155th birthday.
“It was a special ship when it was built because it represented the pinnacle of
sailing ship design and it went on to have a lengthy and remarkable career,” she adds. “But now that it’s the last one left, it’s also a symbol of vessels and a time that are long since gone.”
Greenwich plays a big part of the ship’s history and is a welcomed home for the tea clipper today.
The Cutty Sark was originally built in Dumbarton, Scotland, but its home port of registry was London.
As a working ship, it mostly loaded and unloaded its cargoes at East
India Docks. The docks are no longer in operation, as Louise explains, but they sat just northeast, on the north bank of where Cutty Sark now sits.
“Not only did the ship sail very close by but where could be better suited than maritime Greenwich, home of the National Maritime Museum, meridian line and Old Royal Naval College for one of the most famous ships in the world to settle,” she asks.
Cutty Sark, King William Walk, SE10 9HT
www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark
Cutty Sark being brought into its new location in Greenwich
Cutty Sark
Dry Dock of Cutty Sark at nigh
gift guide
BAEUTI
BAEUTI aims to bring fun, colour and life into a world of grey concrete and simple design. From trinket dishes to candle holders and artisanal candles, you won’t find anywhere else. All the products at BAEUTI are handmade with love in London and make a great gift for the eccentric loved ones in your life.
Price: From £2.99 to £16.99
Buy online at www.baeuti.com or in person at Greenwich Market
Chin Chin Prints
South London illustrator Emily Chin creates location-based prints, stickers, totes and cards. Hand-drawing local landmarks, Emily then enhances them digitally with vibrant colours, texture and shading.
With a print showing the sights of Greenwich, there is also a wide selection of other locations available, too – including south London spots Crystal Palace, Brockley, Catford, Brixton and Battersea. You can gift a piece of your loved local area with each product. A thoughtful gift for anyone with a special place in their heart for south London.
Price: From £18.99
Buy online: www.chinchinprints.co.uk
Elsewhere Coffee x SLOP
Elsewhere has partnered with SLOP to create something for a coffee brewing category that’s often overlooked – the humble, yet mighty, stovetop. The result is Alfonso, a rich and slightly boozy brew, with a fruity sweetness not commonly available in coffees that can be used for stovetops.
Sourced from Hacienda Santa Luz, Nicaragua, one of two farms bought as abandoned lots back in 2003, with a long-term view to reestablishing coffee plantations sustainably.
Alfonso tastes like pina-colada, apricot and vanilla.
Price: 200g £11.75, 1kg £46
Buy online at elsewherecoffee.com or in-store at the Deptford Roastery, Unit 3 Titan Business Estate, Ffinch Street, SE8 5QA
Pop’n’Olly
The Pop’n’Olly story bundle includes seven educational, LGBT+ books for children. It features titles such as Little Red Riding Dude – in this book, Christopher (also known as ‘Little Red Riding Dude’) is on his way to Grandma’s house. He needs to help her prepare for the village’s annual Pride festival, but some bad weather forces Christopher to take shelter in the woods where he unexpectedly meets someone new… Also in the bundle is Goldilocks and the Five Bear Families; in this story, Goldilocks has lots of letters to deliver! Join her as she ventures out of her cottage to meet lots of different bear families. Goldilocks and the Five Bear Families is an adapted fairytale designed to teach early readers about family diversity.
Price £44.99
Buy online at www.popnolly.com/shop
Deptford Does Art
We all have our favourite Morley’s memories, so why not surprise someone with a print to remind them of it this Christmas? Deptford Does Art is a shop and gallery selling on behalf of hundreds of local makers and artists; you’re sure to find something unique for that someone special at an affordable price. Shopping small is made easy in Deptford.
Price: £30/A3, £15/A4
Buy in-store at 28 Deptford High Street, SE8 4AF
Indulge your skin with Dee Rose’s whipped body butter, crafted from just three pure ingredients: organic shea butter, organic coconut oil and vitamin E. Choose from scents such as soothing lavender, refreshing lemongrass, invigorating sweet orange, unscented or delicate cherry blossom.
Packaged in eco-friendly, reusable glass jars, this body butter is not only kind to your skin but also to the planet. Its non-greasy formula melts effortlessly, leaving your skin deeply nourished and velvety smooth.
Price: £18.99
Discount code: Greenwichmarket10 Buy online at www.deerose.co.uk
Dee Rose
Your guide to opening hours over Christmas
As families gather to celebrate Christmas or spend quality time together, support will still be on offer from the council. Here’s everything you need to know about using your local services during the festive season.
Adventure Play Centres
Closed from 19 December to 6 January 2025.
Cemeteries
The office will be closed from 25 December to 27 December and again on 1 January 2025. Outside of these dates, the office will operate reduced hours, for the full breakdown visit: royalgreenwich.gov.uk/ cemeteries
Eltham Crematorium and Cemetery Grounds is open from 9am to 4pm daily including Christmas and New Year. Eltham Crematorium’s Chapel and Garden of Remembrance will be shut 15 minutes before closing.
Contacting the council
The Woolwich Centre will be open normally apart from bank holidays and weekends.
The Eltham Centre will be closed on 19 December and 24 December. On 31 December, it will be open until 2pm only. Other than these dates, the Eltham Centre will be open as normal, excluding bank holidays and weekends.
When closed, an out of hours service will be available. Call 020 8854 8888
Advice Hubs
Advice Hubs will be closed after the Forum session on Monday 23 December. The first Advice Hub in the new year will again be at the Forum on Monday 6 January 2025.
Council homes
Repairs and caretaking will be running a normal service until 24 December, it will then run an out of hours service for emergencies from 25 December to 2 January 2025.
A free-phone line to report first time repairs is open Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays, 9am to 5pm: 0808 175 6915
Tenancy will be closed on bank holidays and weekends, but between 27 to 29 December, will operate 9am to 5pm.
The following housing services will be open as usual, from 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays and weekends:
• Housing Inclusion will provide an emergency service for people who are homeless on the day and need urgent advice and assistance.
• Temporary Accommodation will offer emergency support for urgent queries, or emergency repair issues.
The out of hours service will be in operation in case of individual housing emergencies call 020 8854 8888 (24-hour line).
Leisure centres and libraries
There will be some changes to opening hours over Christmas and New Year.
Leisure centres
For leisure centres open between Friday 20 December and 1 January 2025, opening times may change, so make sure to check before you go.
19, 25, 26 December and 1 January 2025, all leisure centres will be closed, except for Sutcliffe Park which will be open with reduced hours on 1 January
24 and 31 December Coldharbour and Plumstead Centre will be closed.
Check opening hours and book sessions: better.org.uk/greenwich
Libraries
19, 25, 26 and 1 January 2025, all libraries will be closed.
23, 24, 27, 28, 30, 31 December, Charlton House Library will be closed 24, 31 December, all libraries will be open but operating on reduced hours, except for Charlton House Library which will be closed.
20, 23, 27 30 December, Thamesmere, Greenwich and Plumstead Libraries will be operating reduced hours 23, 30 December, Eltham Library will be operating reduced hours
Check opening hours: better.org.uk/ library/london/greenwich
Parks
The Tarn, Fairy Hill Park, Southwood Park, Hornfair Park, St Alfeges Park, St Marys and Plumstead Gardens will be closed on Christmas Day. All other parks and open spaces will be open.
Waste collections and recycling
Usual collection day
Monday 23 December
Tuesday 24 December
Wednesday 25 December
Thursday 26 December
Friday 27 December
Monday 30 December
Tuesday 31 December
Wednesday 1 January
Thursday 2 January
Friday 3 January
New collection day
Collection as normal
Collection as normal
Friday 27 December
Saturday 28 December
Sunday 29 December
Collection as normal
Collection as normal
Thursday 2 January
Friday 3 January
Saturday 4 January
Bulky collections and deliveries will be closed from 20 December and reopen on 6 January 2025.
Clinical collections will run over the holiday period but are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
The Reuse and Recyling Centre in Nathan Way is open 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday and 8am to 5pm on Saturdays, it is also open 9am to 4.30pm on Sundays.
The Reuse and Recyling Centre is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Healthcare and Emergencies
If you need clinical advice or medicines for minor health concerns, such as coughs, colds, upset stomach, aches and pains, you can visit your local pharmacy.
Many are open late and at weekends and you do not need an appointment.
If you have a non-life-threatening condition, please call 111 first.
Need support over Christmas or have concerns about your Mental Health and Wellbeing
Call Live Well Greenwich on 0800 470 4831 for free mental health and wellbeing support. Open from 9am to 3pm. Live Well will be closed on 24 and 26 December and 1 January.
Greenwich Weekender: What can you tell us about Mr Charles Dickens presents A Christmas Carol ?
John O’Connor: The show is based on Dickens’s own public performances of A Christmas Carol in the 1860s. He toured all over Britain and America performing to 2,000 people a night and was an absolute sensation. So successful was he that he made more money from his public readings than from all his novels put together.
The starting point for the show was, “What must it have been like to be in the audience?” There have been many one-man versions of A Christmas Carol but the first and greatest was by Dickens himself and that’s what I try and recreate. It’s simply the author, his audience and the greatest Christmas story ever told.
How does it feel to be performing this show for the sixth time?
It’s a great privilege because people come back to see it year after year. They love the story so much and come to tap into something fundamental about Christmas – so I have to be at the top of my game.
I can only really do A Christmas Carol
John o’Connor recreates Charles Dickens’s one-man performance of A Christmas Carol
Returning for its sixth festive season, he tells The Weekender why the show is like an ‘intimate conversation with the audience’
in December (unlike Dickens who used to perform it in August) so there’s always an 11-month gap between the last and first performances.
That alone keeps it fresh and honest. I’m a year older and come to it with a bit more experience.
In fact, I’m now the age Dickens was when he performed it at his peak – but thankfully, I’m not, like him, also writing a serialised novel
while touring America, editing two magazines and campaigning for social change all at the same time!
It uses the original Dickens’s script, why is this important to the telling of the tale?
Dickens worked on this performance script for years, editing and shaping it for maximum effect and getting it down to about 90 minutes, so this is the version that we use.
It’s fascinating to see how he communicated A Christmas Carol directly to his public. People who have seen it tell me they love the storytelling aspect of the show.
There have been some wonderful adaptations of A Christmas Carol (from The Muppets to Doctor Who) but it’s great to go back to the source and hear it straight from the author himself. At its best, the show is like an intimate conversation with the audience.
How does it feel to be performing so close to the Greenwich Literary Institution, where Dickens himself performed in 1866?
It certainly adds a frisson of authenticity to the performance.
Christmas Carol (John O’Connor)courtesy of David Bartholemew
Dickens knew the area extremely well and regularly used to visit his parents at home in Blackheath.
Greenwich features in Sketches by Boz, The Uncommercial Traveller, David Copperfield and Bleak House.
In Our Mutual Friend, there’s even a wedding at St Alfege Church opposite the theatre and a reception in the Trafalgar Tavern, where Dickens was known to drink.
So, Greenwich Theatre is really the
rE vi EW :
perfect place to recreate A Christmas Carol and, after six years of performing here, it feels like coming home.
Dickens took to the stage to perform many of his other works, including excerpts from Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and Nicholas Nickleby. If you were to perform one of his other stories, which would it be?
Dickens’s most popular reading was always A Christmas Carol, but this was closely followed by The
Dick Whittington and His Cat
Jokes and innuendos land at every level; Michael Holland on this year’s Greenwich Theatre panto
And before we know it, Christmas has come around again. Rather than worry about any shopping that needs to be done, we can rejoice in the knowledge that the legendary Greenwich Theatre Panto is once more upon us.
A quick glance through the programme tells us that most of the regular team are back for this year’s offering of Dick Whittington and His Cat. Louise Cielecki is playing Muffy the mouse masquerading as a rat; Inés Ruiz will be Tommie the Cat, and once again Trinity Laban is providing the young ensemble with their students getting a chance in a professional production.
And where would Greenwich Panto be without Steve Marwick directing the music and making up the trio of extremely good musicians –with Chris Wyles on drums and Gordon Parrish on guitar.
Because the panto is set in the 1960s, they have every opportunity to show off their Beatles and Kinks expertise, as well as a little Led Zeppelin dropped in for good measure.
James Haddrell directs and Anthony Spargo – The Best Baddie in Town – shows that he can write Panto as well as get a crowd to boo him.
King Rat (Spargo) is not happy when he hears that a Cat is in town, so he sets about framing its owner, Dick Whittington (Samuel Bailey), for theft and chased out of town, leaving him and his ilk unbothered by this feline foe.
Dick, though, has fallen in love with Alice (Jasmine Jules Andrews), daughter of Meggs the Baker (Phil Yarrow) so needs to find out who set him up. Conveniently, there is a time machine that can take him back to just before the dastardly deed was
Trial from Pickwick, which was a comic tour-de-force. I’ve often thought about bringing this to life as The Pickwick Papers is one of my favourite books and is completely bonkers from start to finish.
Dickens had been a court reporter, so he knew as well as anyone that the law was an ass. As the legal profession hasn’t really changed in 200 years, I’m sure audiences will recognise the absurdity and avarice on show. It would be a lot of fun to do.
How does theatre compare to your television roles? And what do you enjoy about theatre performances?
Television is great because you get the chance to do your scene several times from different angles and if mistakes happen, you can always do it again. With theatre – and especially a one-man show – there is no safety net. So, when things go wrong (as they occasionally do) it’s about how you recover and bring people with you.
In TV, you have no idea how the audience is going to like the finished show but in theatre, you get immediate responses (laughter, tears, applause) and you can ride that great wave of energy coming over the footlights. Walking on stage, it’s just you, the audience and the story, which is what makes it so thrilling.
Showing from 16 to 23 December 2024
Tickets: £17, concession £14.50 Crooms Hill, Greenwich, SE10 8ES greenwichtheatre.org.uk
done so he can change the future.
What can go wrong? Well, just about everything, actually. Especially as King Rat wants to return to 1666 and change the course of rat history!
With Mr Watt and Mrs Hoo involved along the line, a whole skit was played out on who was what and what was who. And much fun was to be had with Dick, of course, but Pantos are for the whole family so jokes and innuendos hit at every level.
Spargo is generous in his writing inasmuch as everyone gets good lines and it is not all about him. In fact, with a good proportion of the audience there specifically for his Baddie performance, I’m sure they would have liked a lot more of him. Instead, we see a team effort where everyone – from the musicians and the chorus line to the whole auditorium – gets in on the act.
And why not? It’s Christmas and everyone wants to have a good time.
I doff my party hat to the multitalented Inés Ruiz for giving us just about everything she has while leaving us wanting more.
Myself and Team Pinnock are already looking forward to next year’s Peter Pan.
Showing until 5 January 2025 Tickets: £15.50 to £34 Crooms Hill, Greenwich, SE10 8ES greenwichtheatre.org.uk
A Christmas Carol (John O’Connor) - courtesy of David Bartholemew
A Christmas Carol (John O’Connor) - courtesy of David Bartholemew
Ships, crime and brave police
In my last article I said that I would look at public infrastructure and as far as I could see the earliest features which could be described as that were the Waterman stairs along the Riverside. Last week I wrote about Upper Watergate, which is on the Borough boundary with Lewisham. I had written about those before but I had lots to add.
Many books and articles say there were some stairs at Middle Watergate and at Lower Watergate but I can’t actually find any references to Middle Watergate Stairs at all. There have been various works and a wharf there - for many years a corn mill and there is some indication of a medieval tide mill - but no stairs. Old newspapers sometimes carry advertisements for property sales
there; many of them for old pubs. For example the old buildings of the Royal Ann pub are advertised and in it pub is listed as closed before 1834.
Lower Watergate is still there - the stairs have gone but there is a draw dock and granite setts in the pavement at the entrance. However there is no access to the wharf, which is used by the Ahoy
Centre. This organisation dates from 2002 and promotes sailing and power boating courses for people who would otherwise be unable to take part in water sports due to physical disability or social disadvantage. https://ahoy.org.uk/
Lower Watergate however gets many mentions in old newspapers – far more than I could possibly cover here. Looking quickly at just a few gives a picture of a busy riverside area. For example, in September 1831, we hear about... ’the Deptford Regatta, usually raced by six final year apprentice watermen’ who had to row ‘from the ‘Upper and Lower Water-gates... from the Creek’s mouth to the King’s Yard’’.
Naturally pubs get a mention. In 1826, for example we learn about ‘A very Improvable Property, consisting of a leasehold Public House, well situated for business... a messuage, formerly the Queen Elizabeth, Lower Watergate, Deptford. May be viewed.’
And in November 1859 the contents of the Sir John Falstaff were for
sale “in consequence of the house being about to be pulled down... bedsteads, bedding, chests of drawers, carpeting, ... bar fittings, metal-top counter, 6-lever beerengine, spirit piping, tips, casks... mahogany tables, chairs, sofa, chimney glasses... summer-house, fitted to roof of premises; painted drinking-boxes and tables, gas fittings, blinds, bells, stoves.”
On the riverside things could go missing - as in 1810 ‘lost a small! BOAT. On the stern of the vessel Two Sisters, in Northfleet Hope. Has the name of Samuel Smith” on the boat. ONE GUINEA Reward to be paid by SAMUEL SMITH, Lower Water-Gate, Deptford.’
There was also, and naturally, a lot of crime.
In 1906 ‘John Harmer, 20, of 38, Hughes Fields, Deptford, was in unlawful possession of eleven fire-bars at Lower Watergate. and was committed to prison for a month with hard labour...
In 1907 the headline: ‘Detectives plunge into the river ‘ ... apparently ‘for a man unlawfully in possession at Lower Watergate of many feet of 7in. Manilla rope’.
Also In 1907... ’PC Logs, Thames Police, who was accompanied by PC Ernest Burton, said that at 5.45 p.m. on the 19th inst., he saw the two prisoners in a boat at the Lower Watergate. Sisson had 21cwt of wrought steel and iron.’
Lower Watergate was even the site for attempted murder (or desperate action by a desperate mother). In 1911 - Susan Nelson, 27, of Deptford, was committed for trial on a charge of attempting to murder her illegitimate child Alfred, aged three years. athaniel Nelson, the prisoner’s brother-in law, said she had three children and on July 20th following a dispute, she threw the child into the river at Lower Watergate. The lad was pulled out of the water, and the prisoner walked away. Charles Hutchings, who pulled the child out of
the river,
Mary Mills
Middle Watergate site from the river
Lower Watergate from the river
The Sir John Falstaff, Lower Watergate
said he was bleeding badly when rescued, but Dr. Burney stated that, excepting for the shock, the lad was none the worse for his immersion.
The wharf was sometimes used by shipping to wait before a voyage, so various bits of business could be transacted:
In 1812... the Ship - has only Room for a few Tons of Goods, and will sail in a few Days. Strongly armed, and with Licence to Sail without Convoy, Direct for Malta and Smyrna. Lying opposite the Lower Watergate, Deptford... Carriage guns For Freight or Passage, apply the Mediterranean Coffee-house, Cornhill.’
And in 1829: “for Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, and Marseilles — the public are respectfully informed that the Superb steam-packet will leave her moorings off the Lower Watergate, Deptford, on Tuesday Morning, the 20th of October, at ten o’clock, instead of Thursday, the 15th, as stated in former advertisements. The packet will call at Portsmouth and Plymouth; but places must be taken by letter, at the General Steam Navigation Company’s office, 24, CrutchedFriars, on or before Saturday next.’
It was also where ships for sale could be berthed... ‘Good Ship ALBION, River built, by Missis. Barnard and Co. the year 1798. New coppered with 32 ounce copper last voyage; is amazing strong built ship, suitable for any trade, having sufficient height... for
any of the islands of the West Indies... sails remarkably fast... Now lying at the Lower Watergate, Deptford.’
Or - ‘the Good Ship LADY BARLOW, square stern, quarter galleries, woman head, built of teak and just arrived from her first voyage... coppered, pierced for 20 guns, 6 feet between decks, and 12 feet hold. Sails remarkably fast, is well adapted for the East India, or any other trade in which she can employed. May be sent to sea at trifling expense; lying off the Lower Watergate, Deptford.’
On the land there could be disasters
‘FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE. About four o’clock this morning an alarming fire broke out at the lower part of the shop of Mr. Watts, tobacconist Lower Watergate, Deptford, which threatened destruction to the whole neighbourhood.’ ... Engines speedily arrived from every one of the London insurance offices... the house fell with a tremendous crash... the corpse of a female, nearly burnt to a cinder, was found among the burning pile of ruins ... that of a lodger in the house aged 80 years, a very infirm lady’.
And, of course, in 1923 the drunks: ”A bathe in the river at 11.30 on Saturday night... an inquest held on George New, age 28... His widow said that on Saturday they went to a party... and went down to Lower Watergate... Her husband saw two men swimming in the river and said to a friend “swim you to Tower Bridge.”
Prep Chef Wanted at Din Tai Fung!
Ten minutes later those on the shore heard the deceased call for help. Both were found on the foreshore on Sunday morning. The Coroner recorded a verdict of “Accidental death”.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries Lower Watergate seems to have been a busy public space on the riverside. It is far from clear if there were actually stairs there, but the Drawdock is frequently mentioned. It is a pity that this Drawdock, and in fact the whole area, is inaccessible to the public, although of course in good use by the Ahoy Centre.
This corner of the borough remains relatively isolated despite being surrounded by new flats. Historically it was a central area of the riverside village portion of Deptford. It was an area which had seen important houses and properties in use by aristocracy connected with the Navy and the Dockyard. It had later been the site of a number of river related industries – marine engineers like Penn’s and Humphreys, Tennant and Dykes, and shipbuilders like Barnard, Longley and Gordon.
In the earlier 20th century it was dominated by the power station – the site of which is now of course more housing. It is an area which needs a proper history - to tell the real story of maritime Deptford. One of the institutions to come out this area was Trinity House – and I must get round to talking about that and soon.
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At The Heart Of The Community
Charlton Athletic host EFL Week of Action event
Charlton Athletic were delighted to host the English Football League’s (EFL)
‘Beyond the 90: Impact in Action’ event at The Valley on Tuesday November 20th.
The event was part of last week’s EFL Week of Action 2024, which saw clubs and their community organisations across the EFL’s three divisions spotlight the positive impact they have within their communities.
Players and staff from numerous EFL clubs attended the Impact in Action event at The Valley, which provided attendees from national
and local media outlets, as well as MPs and senior staff from EFL clubs, with the opportunity to see clubs’ community projects in action.
Charlton men’s first-team manager Nathan Jones and first-team players Ashley Maynard-Brewer and Carla Humphrey helped showcase Charlton Athletic Community Trust’s (CACT) Extra Time Hub, Live Well Greenwich Bus and
Youth Engagement Bus. The trio played table tennis with Extra Time Hub participants and spoke with national media outlets to further highlight CACT’s outstanding work in Greenwich and beyond.
“The table tennis was very competitive; the Extra Time Hub participants were showing me how it’s done!” Humphrey joked. “The work Charlton does
in the community is fantastic, so I think it’s great [that we showcased it at this event].”
Jones, who also visited the Live Well Greenwich Bus and Youth Engagement Bus, said: “CACT is the best Community Trust in the country. It does stellar work within the community, and we were very proud to showcase that at this event. Hearing people’s stories
Are you looki ng f or a s ch o ol with a family ethos where your child can flourish?
We welcome applications from families of all faiths and none.
We are AGAS
The Alliance of Greenwich Anglican Schools is a partnership of successful Church of England Schools situated across the whole of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Our aim is to deliver excellence in education. We want the very best outcomes for children and young people so that they can achieve their fullest potential.
Bishop John Robinson C of E Primary School* Thamesmead, SE28 8LW www.bishopjohnrobinsonprimary.co.uk
Christ Church C of E Primary School Shooters Hill, SE18 3RS www.ccshprimary.org.uk
Christ Church C of E Primary School East Greenwich, SE10 0DZ www.koinoniafederation.com/Christ-Church
Eltham C of E Primary School* Eltham, SE9 1TR www.elthamcoeschool.co.uk
St. Alfege C of E Primary School* Greenwich, SE10 9RB www.stalfegeschool.org.uk
St. Margaret’s C of E Primary School* Plumstead, SE18 7RL www.stmargaretce.greenwich.sch.uk
St. Mary Magdalene C of E†± Peninsula Primary Campus, SE10 ONF www.koinoniafederation.com/St-Mary-Magdalene-Greenwich
St. Mary Magdalene C of E Woolwich Primary Campus, SE18 5PW www.koinoniafederation.com/St-Mary-Magdalene-Woolwich
was awe-inspiring and humbling.”
Paul Elliott CBE MBE, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) lead on the Charlton Board, said: “This was a fabulous day. I was overwhelmed by the breadth and scale of the community work which goes on across the 72 EFL clubs. It’s wonderful that Charlton were able to host this event, because we are the epitome of that.”
Royal Borough of Greenwich
Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (AS AMENDED)
Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure)(England) Order 2015 Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (AS AMENDED)
Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 (AS AMENDED)
Town & Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007 (AS AMENDED)
Notice is hereby given that application(s) have been made to The Royal Borough of Greenwich in respect of the under mentioned premises/sites.
You can see the submissions and any plans at http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/planning.
If development proposals affect Conservation Areas and/or Statutorily Listed Buildings under the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Area) Act 1990 (As Amended) this will be shown within the item below.
Anyone who wishes to comment on these applications should be made in writing to Development Planning within 23 days of the date of this notice.
Please quote the appropriate reference number.
Date: 11/12/2024
Victoria Geoghegan
Assistant Director - Planning and Building Control
List of Press Advertisements - 11/12/2024
Publicity for Planning Applications
Applicant: Mr Ricci Tamagna RTSAN 24/3157/F
Site Address: The Gipsy Moth, 60 Greenwich Church St, London SE10 9BL
Development: Installation of additional glass panel to northern boundary wall, new butterfly awnings to rear garden and new outdoor umbrellas to side garden and all other associated external alterations [re-consultation - revised drawings and description]
Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH
Applicant: Dovedi Assets Ltd
24/3626/F
Site Address: LAND TO THE REAR OF 10 VICARAGE PARK, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON SE18 7SX
Development: Construction of a 2 storey dwelling house (Use Class C3), with associated garden, bin and bike store.
Conservation Area: PLUMSTEAD COMMON
Applicant: c/o Agent 24/3701/F
Site Address: 105 KING GEORGE STREET, GREENWICH, LONDON, SE10 8PX
Development: Demolition of existing rear extension and construction of a new full width rear extension, and the removal of the high level windows to front and rear elevation, the replacement of all existing windows.
Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH
Applicant: SITS (Blackheath) Ltd 24/3710/MA
Site Address: FORMER SUN IN THE SANDS, 123 SHOOTERS HILL ROAD, SE3 8UQ
Development: An application submitted under Section 73 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 for a minor material amendment in connection with the planning permission dated 02/08/2021 (Reference: 21/0822/F) for 'Demolition of an existing ground floor rear extensions and construction of two storey rear extension to accommodate 6 x self-contained residential units, 1x commercial unit and a public house.' to allow for:
- Variation of Condition 2 (Drawings and Plans) or works including:
The installation of 16kw Solar Panels on the front and side roof
Additional rooflight
Conservation Area: SUN IN THE SANDS
Applicant: Miss Carina Patterson
24/3721/HD
Site Address: 49 ASHRIDGE CRESCENT, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON, SE18 3EA
Development: Garage conversion into a habitable space, replacement of garage door, roof and associated works (Amended description).
Conservation Area: SHREWSBURY PARK ESTATE
Applicant: Tilfen Land Ltd
24/3749/MA
Site Address: Security Entrance, Land North of Western Way, Thamesmead, London, SE28 0AB
Development: Variation of Condition 1 (Period of Retention) of Planning Permission dated 26/02/2020 (Ref: 19/4036/MA) to allow for the retention of the
buildings and continuation of the use until 1st February 2030 by which date the buildings shall be removed and the use discontinued unless before this time the Local Planning Authority has agreed in writing to its renewal.
Applicant: Stewart Mclaren 24/3751/F
Site Address: FLAT 1, 42 VANBRUGH PARK, LONDON, SE3 7AA
Development: Construction of a glass-roofed veranda over existing garden decking to the rear of Flat 1.
Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH
Applicant: The Hyde Group 24/3765/F
Site Address: 22 & 24 GRANBY ROAD, ELTHAM, LONDON, SE9 1EW
Development: Replacement of the existing windows with double glazed PVCu casement windows with Astragal Bars and all external doors with Bespoke Heritage doors in PVCu for the front and white PVCu single rear door for the rear.
Conservation Area: PROGRESS ESTATE
Applicant: The Hyde Group 24/3781/F
Site Address: 50-52 ROSS WAY, ELTHAM, LONDON, SE9 6RL
Development: Replacement of the existing windows and all external doors. Windows to be double glazed PVCu casement windows with astragal bars. The doors are to be designed to the style of the original doors from when the properties were built - Front doors double glazed bespoke heritage doors in PVCu and rear doors a white double glazed PVCu style. (resubmission)
Conservation Area: PROGRESS ESTATE
Publicity for Listed Building Consent
Applicant: Dr Emelia Halton-Hernandez 24/3570/L
Site Address: 11 HALLGATE, BLACKHEATH PARK, LONDON, SE3 9SG
Development: We would like to apply for consent for the following internal modifications: - Fitting herringbone wood floor throughout the flat except for the bedrooms (carpet) and bathroom (tile). - Removal or glass and wood partition between the kitchen and living room - Fitting of a new integrated kitchen and bathroom - Removing existing fitted wardrobes in bedrooms and cupboard in hallway to make smaller bedroom larger. -Removal of old radiators and installation of new radiators.
Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH PARK
Listed Building: Grade 2
Publicity for Advertisements
Applicant: Boots Properties 24/3817/A
Site Address: 7 POWIS STREET, LONDON, SE18 6HZ
Development: Installation of new fascia panel with illuminated lettering and logo. Installation of new double sided projecting sign with illuminated lettering and logo. Installation of new tray sign with digitally printed graphics.
Conservation Area: Woolwich Conservation Area
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Royal Borough of Greenwich
Notice of Planning & Listed Buildings Applications
Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (As Amended)
Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (As Amended)
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 (As Amended)
Town & Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (as amended)
Proposed Development At: Devonport House and Cooper House, 66-68 King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9JW
Reference Number: 24/3426/F and Listed Building Ref: 24/3427/L
Notice is hereby given that an application is being made to the Royal Borough of Greenwich By: University of Greenwich For Full Planning Permission and listed building consent in respect of: Demolition of the former hotel conference centre, restoration and upgrade of Grade II listed Devonport House (Use Class F1) comprising:
• Restoration of Churchill Room, original primary staircases, brick and mortar repair, chimney repair and repair to roof (comprising removal, insulation and relaying existing together with replacing damaged tiles and new dormers on south side);
• Relocation of monument to garden fronting Devonport House;
• Provision of linked services within basement of Cooper Building (associated with energy strategy) comprising minor internal and external alterations; and
• Erection of new build extension of 3 stories (comprising education and ancillary use including café under Use Class F1), physical connection to Devonport House, new art wall building (accommodating bin store, electrical sub-station and waste compactor) together with landscaping and other works incidental to the development.
(This application is an EIA development and is accompanied by an Environmental Statement) Reason for Re-consultation - To clarify that this application is a Departure from the Development Plan.
A copy of the application and any plans and/or documents submitted with it is available for inspection by the public at https://planning. royalgreenwich.gov.uk/online-applications/and by searching via the application reference 24/3426/F and then separately 24/3427/L
Representations to the Council about the application should be made within 30 days of the date of this notice using the above link or to the Planning Department, 5th floor, Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, Woolwich SE18 6HQ stating the full reference number(s) above.
Members of the public may obtain copies of the Non-Technical Statement, the full Environmental Statement and other associated documents as either hard or digital copies from:
i) https://planning.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/online-applications/ and by searching via the application reference 24/3426/F and then separately 24/3427/L or ii) In addition hardcopies of the Environmental Statement can be requested from the Turley EIA Teams either via letter to Brownlow Yard, 12 Roger Street, London WC1N 2JU, telephone - 020 7851 4010 or email at south.support@turley.co.uk
Date: 11 December 2024
Victoria Geoghegan - Assistant Director - Planning and Building Control
HAVE YOUR SAY ON OUR LOCAL COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT SCHEME
We’re looking to make changes to our Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme and want to know your thoughts.
A council spokesperson said: "We understand that navigating the current system can be complicated and frustrating. That's why we're proposing changes to simplify the process, making it more transparent and fairer for everyone.
“This is an opportunity for you to shape the future of a programme that impacts thousands of households. Your feedback will help ensure that this support reaches those who need it most, while also streamlining how it’s delivered.”
The consultation closes on Thursday 9 January 2025. Have your say online: royalgreenwich.gov.uk/lcts-consultation
If you have any further questions or comments, you can email the Local Council Tax Support team on: ltcs-consultation@ royalgreenwich.gov.uk
What is the LCTS scheme?
The LCTS scheme helps residents with their Council Tax payments. This scheme reduces the cost of Council Tax for households on lowincome.
Who benefits?
If any of the below apply, you may be eligible for support:
• Households on low-income
• Pensioners
• Residents on benefits
How does it work?
• Assessment: Your eligibility is assessed based on your income, savings, and circumstances.
• Support: If eligible, you receive a discount on your Council Tax bill.
• Application: The application form is online at: royalgreenwich.gov.uk/ counciltaxsupport
Residents celebrate improvement project
A celebration with residents on the Woolwich Common Estate marked the end of a year-long project to make their neighbourhood greener, cleaner and safer.
Find out more: royalgreenwich.gov.uk/woolwich-common-improvement
