Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender - April 15th 2020

Weekender

Greenwich & Lewisham Cinema / Theatre / Education / Arts / Music / Food & Drink / Family / Property April 15 2020 • www.weekender.co.uk

One man & his dog Local author on finding a new lease of life after losing his sight

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Spotlight

Local author Dr Amit Patel on finding a new lease of life after losing his sight

editor

Laura Burgoine

The

Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender is an independent weekly newspaper, covering the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham.

We publish every Wednesday, covering every postcode sector of the borough, and boasting, by far, the highest weekly circulation in Greenwich.

Each week, we deliver to homes in every Greenwich neighbourhood, with further copies stocked at convenient public stands. We are also the highest distribution newspaper in Lewisham.

You can also view each edition online, as well as daily news and events, on our website: www.weekender.co.uk

Dr Amit Patel is just the kind of optimist we all need in our lives right now. The author and Eltham resident was dealt a particularly cruel blow when he lost his sight in 2013, bringing a sudden end to his career as a trauma doctor and propelling him into a world much tougher to navitage. Unperturbed, Amit has gone on to start a family, retrain as a diversity and accessibility consultant, motivational speaker and disability activist, and write a brilliantly uplifting book, Kika and Me, about his relationship with his guide dog Kika, which turned his life around, writes Holly O’Mahony…

The Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender covers all aspects of life in the boroughs, including music, theatre, comedy, film, events, and food and drink, as well as all your community events and campaigns.

Weekender The Greenwich and Lewisham Weekender is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact 020 7231 5258. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk Weekender Editor: Laura Burgoine Advertising Manager: Tammy Jukes Media Partnerships: Anthony Phillips Advertising team: Katie Boyd; Clarry Frewin; Lorraine Wood; Sam Ratcliffe Editorial: Michael Holland; Holly O'Mahony News reporters: Katherine Johnston; Josh Salisbury Cover Photography: Matt Austin Design Manager: Dan Martin Design team: Aurelio Medina Finance: Em Zeki Managing & Commercial Director: Chris Mullany Managing & Editorial Director: Kevin Quinn Offices at: Unit A302, The Biscuit Factory, Drummond Road, SE16 4DG. Printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge Ltd – www.iliffeprint.co.uk News: 020 7231 5258 / news@weekender.co.uk Ads: 020 7232 1639 / ads@weekender.co.uk www.weekender.co.uk @weeknder_life @weeknderSL therealweeknder Issue: GW153

Amit was in his final year at medical school when he learned he had keratoconus, a condition which changes the shape of the cornea.

He underwent eight operations to try and fix it but unfortunately, his body refused to accept the donors, leaving him among a small minority of people for whom the condition would result in loss of sight.

The deterioration of Amit’s sight happened rapidly, while doctors were still looking for ways to fix the problem. As a result, he and his wife Seema never discussed how they’d cope if he lost his sight before it actually happened.

By the final operation, Amit was a qualified doctor himself, a reality which meant he was all too aware of the severity of his situation and unable to pin much hope on there being a ‘miracle’ cure. “Doctors were telling me to give it time and if I wasn’t in the medical field I would have had some hope,” he recalls. “But in the back of my mind, I always knew I wasn’t going to get my sight back.”

For Amit, losing his sight meant ending his career as a trauma doctor and coming to terms with the reality that he’d never again see his loved ones, including Seema, whom he’d married only a year before.

The first two years of being blind were particularly challenging, mentally as well as physically, for Amit. “There were a lot of services available to me, but some of them – such as white cane training – had a wait time of nine months to a year,” he recalls. “Imagine being told as a newly blind person that you’d have to wait another year before getting help navigating the world.”

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Then there was the abuse Amit was subjected to by strangers when he ventured out alone. “I’ve had my cane snapped and broken, and I’ve been spun around and told to find my way home,” he recalls. “I’m a grown man but these incidents would make me drop to the floor and cry.” One such attack left the former doctor so depressed and fearful for his safety he didn’t leave the house for three months.

In 2015, help arrived in the form of a snow white, pink-nosed guide dog, Kika. “We were told it could take three years to be matched with a guide dog, as it’s a pairing for both of you, but we got Kika within six weeks,” Amit recalls.

Training was initially difficult. “Kika is the most stubborn dog – she either likes you or she doesn’t. She was such a challenge she almost didn’t make it through the training. She needs to be stimulated all of the time.

She likes to be out and about in peak times, and likes the hustle and bustle of London – like me,” he beams.

Together with a trainer, Amit and Kika spent a week in a hotel – a new environment for them both – so they could learn to work together. “For the first few days I didn’t trust Kika at all,” he recalls. “I was used to using my stick and suddenly having a dog hitting my leg with its wagging tail was a new experience.” Then on the third morning, something happened which would cement Amit’s trust in his new companion for good. “Kika was blocking the door to the bathroom and when I eventually managed to move her out of the way, I discovered a pipe had burst in the bathroom. She was protecting me from that,” he says.

April 15 2020 3

spotlight “From then on, I’ve trusted her with my life.”

Amit credits Kika for giving him back his freedom. “Kika gave me everything I lost and helped me find myself again. She’s the most incredible, gentle dog and she navigates London like she’s got a sat nav built in. Her arrival took a lot of pressure off my wife,” he grins. Before Kika’s arrival, Seema would have to work out where Amit was when he got lost and help him find his destination. “For me, Kika is now like putting on a pair of shoes. When I leave the house she’s everywhere I go.”

Since then, Kika has been present for the birth of Amit and Seema’s two children, and even accompanied Amit and his now three-year-old son on a two-week trip to New York. Amit and Seema also had the idea of fitting Kika with a GoPro, to catch on camera the discrimination and occasional brutality Amit experiences when out and about. Shockingly, on the first day of Kika wearing the GoPro, the camera caught three people hitting, jostling or roughly moving her out of the way.

Refinding his freedom through Kika is the topic of Amit’s book Kika and Me, which was released in February 2020 as an audiobook as well in print – with both braille and large print versions due to be released in the near future, too. “I never had the dream of writing a book,” admits Amit. “I was approached by literary agents over and over again, and eventually put a book proposal together,” he recalls. “Ten of the best publishing houses said they were interested. For us, we were interested in which one could offer an audio book on the same day of release as the hardback and e-reader versions.

As a blind person, I didn’t want to put a book out there and it not be accessible.”

The book has already proved a success.

Medical schools have added it to their lists of must reads about eye conditions and Amit has been contacted by numerous people – particularly those living with disabilities (from cancer to hearing loss) – thanking him for writing a book both relatable and helpful. The doctor-turned-author and campaigner puts this success down to the book’s underlying message. “There’s a message in it that if you’re in a dark and difficult situation, life can get better,” he says. Amit now works closely with TfL, consulting them on ways to make London’s busy transport system easier to access and navigate for people with disabilities. He’s also worked with his local MP to secure a pedestrian crossing on Eltham high street.

“Campaigning is full time,” he says. “It doesn’t pay the mortgage, but I believe in it.”

For Amit, one of the hardest things about losing his sight has been coming to terms with never seeing the faces of his loved ones again, or knowing what his children – both of whom were born since he lost his sight – look like. But one of the most inspiring things about Amit is his fierce optimism and glass-half-full approach to a blow that would have made many people give up on happiness.

“Now, when I leave the house, I don’t see gloomy weather. I see the flowers and trees in my mind, and I paint a happy picture around me.” he says. “And right now, my life is great. If I hadn’t lost my sight, I wouldn’t have Kika in my life. Yes, my sight has gone, but I’ve gained so much more.”

In unsettling times like those we’re currently living through, we could all do with a little bit of Amit’s positivity.

Kika and Me by Dr Amit Patel was published in February 2020 and is available in regular print, braille and as an audio book. Follow Amit on Twitter at @BlindDad_Uk

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ADVERTORIAL

News from the Royal Borough of Greenwich

Community spirit stronger than ever as volunteers rally round The Community Hub launched by the Royal Borough of Greenwich is a major new initiative supporting residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over 1,700 volunteers have come forward – with many of them already out and helping vulnerable people who need it most.

Working with partners at Charlton Athletic Community Trust to co-ordinate the effort, an existing council call centre has doubled its capacity to cope with the demand in calls.

Cllr Danny Thorpe, Leader of the Council said: “There are going to be many difficult days ahead and we are all going to need to pull together and dig deep to support and protect the most vulnerable people in our communities. That’s why we are working with charities, voluntary organisations, businesses and partners, to do as much as we can to help. Our team has taken over 10,000 calls in just over a week.”

We have started delivering hundreds of food boxes with Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA) and other trusted partners, for people self-isolating who cannot go out and do not have a support network around them.

Do you need help?

Our volunteers and community partners are helping those who haven’t got a family member, friend or neighbour that can help, with things like: -

Shopping/food supplies Medicines and prescription collection/delivery - Befriending (supporting people who are lonely and would like someone to talk to) - Dog walking - Topping up gas/electricity meters - Collecting pensions - Putting out bins - Paying rent If you are self-isolating and have not got a family member, friend or neighbour who can help, call the Community Hub, seven days a week, 8.30am to 6pm on: Tel: 0800 470 4831 Email: covid19support@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.

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John Butcher (pictured) was the first volunteer to start supporting local residents via the Community Hub. He said: “I delivered a letter, did shopping trips with Charlton Athletic Community Trust and I’ve also been helping someone sort out their energy bill and put money on their card. Everyone needs to pull together, and if you’re able to help, you should volunteer.

It’s just about working together if you’re able to.”

More volunteers needed!

A huge thank you to everyone who has registered so far – please make sure you have uploaded all of the relevant documentation for ID checking and screening. Then you can be quickly dispatched to help those with urgent needs.

If you haven’t signed-up yet but are in good health and would like to help, please sign up at volunteer.royalgreenwich.gov.uk.

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Theatre

The show must go on(line): Greenwich Theatre boss switches stage for streaming

While Greenwich Theatre remains closed to the public, rest assured there’s plenty going on behind the scenes. In fact, it’s been an exceptionally busy month for James Haddrell, the theatre’s artistic director. No sooner had he locked the doors to the building itself, complying with government measures to prevent the further spread of Covid-19, than he was looking into ways to bring the theatre’s content online. The following week, James announced the launch of Greenwich Connects, an online programme of weekly interactive theatre opportunities, writes Holly O’Mahony…

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“In a situation like this, any publicfacing arts organisation has a choice about how to respond: they can either close their doors and send out a ‘see you when it's all over’ type message or they can think creatively about how to continue to engage with their artists and their audiences,” says James on his decision to keep the theatre’s presence alive online at this time. “That's what we're striving to do – to maintain a programme of online performances and artists’ development activities, so that people feel creative, continue to learn and continue to be entertained,” he adds. “Putting together Greenwich Connects was a complete team effort, working out what we wanted to offer, who we wanted to offer it to, and how we could make it work.”

Four weeks on and Greenwich Connects is thriving. The weekly

schedule begins with Monologue Mondays, a chance to watch selftaped monologues by budding professional actors (or amateurs) that are streamed on Greenwich Theatre’s social media channels.

“While we welcome tapes from anyone, our hope is that [Monologue Mondays] provides a creative outlet for professional actors,” says James.

“It is as much about offering them a showcase opportunity as it is about giving audiences something to watch,” he adds, pointing out that while the actors won’t get paid for submitting their work, part of his job will be making sure these tapes get seen by casting directors and agents.

“Actors all have monologues ready for auditions, or pieces that they learn for practice, so at a time when nobody is able to create a whole show or to perform on stage, we

decided to offer a way to share those monologues instead,” says James.

“Wouldn't it be amazing if, every week, an actor who's struggled to find representation secured an agent, or an actor was shortlisted for a big acting job later in the year? As a sector we have to find ways to secure positive outcomes from this situation, and this could be one of them.”

Then there’s Wednesday Wisdom, which sees an expert from the theatre industry take over Greenwich Theatre’s Instagram account for a Q&A session.

From learning how to run a tip-top PR campaign to the ins and outs of working as a professional theatre director, the programme covers all angles of working in the industry.

“So many of the artists we support are at an early point in their careers,” says James on his decision to launch the scheme. “I usually spend a lot

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of my week meeting with artists and answering questions, so we decided to take that programme online.”

On Flashback Fridays, you can watch some of Greenwich Theatre’s greatest past performances, including acclaimed 2012 productions of School for Scandal and The Duchess of Malfi. Tune in to the theatre’s Facebook page every Friday at 7:30pm and you can enjoy a night at the theatre without leaving your sofa.

“We will also be offering a range of our partners' productions to watch for free,” adds James. Audiences can look forward to When The Eye Has Gone by the Roughhouse Theatre, My Love Lies Frozen In The Ice by Dead Rabbits Theatre Company and GULP!, a production for families by the Bone Ensemble.”

Finally, there’s Short Play Submission www.weekender.co.uk

Theatre

Sundays, a chance for writers to pen a short piece (no longer than 15 minutes) around a particular theme, to be submitted to the theatre by the following Sunday. James and his team will select their favourites, offering the authors the chance to have their work performed as an online table reading – or even at the theatre itself once it’s reopened.

“New writing initiatives are incredibly important, not only to writers but to the sector as a whole,” affirms the director. “While we're all in lockdown, the performance evenings may not exist, but we are still looking for material to produce in the future – and at the same time, for anyone who is, or who aspires to be, a writer, having a reason to stretch your imagination and actually sit down and write is going to help you fend off the pressures of isolation.”

Greenwich Theatre’s busy online programme is certainly enough to keep audiences entertained, inspired and connected, but these free-to-enjoy activities won’t help fund the theatre through the lockdown. Is James concerned about its financing?

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“This has been a massive test for everyone in theatre. For me, it was quite emotional to close the theatre building. I've been working at Greenwich Theatre in a variety of roles since 2001, and I have never seen it dark like this,” he admits. “Similarly, calling the producers of the shows lined up for the months ahead – including the annual Greenwich Children's Theatre Festival – was painful; many of them have lost whole tours, having invested in the creation of the shows already, so it's tough,” he adds.

“Yes, this is going to be an incredibly hard time for us financially. We are certainly asking any members of the audience who had tickets booked for shows that have been either postponed or cancelled to consider donating those tickets back to us instead of taking a refund,” he suggests. “However, we are also encouraging anyone who would like to support us through this time to buy a Friend's Membership – which means they'll be able to come and see shows for half-price as soon as we're up and running again, and which will help us with cash-flow www.weekender.co.uk

now. Supporters can also participate in our Buy A Brick campaign and permanently add their name to the fabric of the theatre, helping to ensure that it is still there for years to come.”

As optimistic as he’s been resourceful, James is determined to find a positive in all of this. “I think the theatre industry is a well-bonded community of people but as we're also all running businesses, or developing careers, we can become overly competitive.

In an incredibly short time, I’ve witnessed that competitive spirit disappear completely,” he says.

“Artists are supporting each other, online collaborations are developing and people are making plans for the future. Nothing will stop us all trying to produce exceptional art, but I suspect that this whole experience will remind us that we can do that together, not in competition with one another.”

Greenwich Theatre is currently closed, but you can visit the website to find out more about Greenwich Connect, or to make a donation. www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk/ whats-on/greenwich-connect

April 15 2020 7

ADVERTORIAL

News from the Royal Borough of Greenwich

Just because we’re stuck indoors doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun this Easter We’re inviting kids, big kids, the really bored, crafty types, fashionistas and wannabes to have a go at making or decorating a spring themed hat.

The rules are pretty relaxed – just use what you’ve got in the house, no need to make a special trip for supplies. Got a hat already and just want to decorate it – go for it! Feeling a bit arty and ready to make something from scratch – we can’t wait to see it! You’ve found a box that fits on your head – well get decorating! Only got enough stuff to make a On 8 Mayhat 1945 therock guns fell silent and anything celebrations VEasday Scan or take a picture of your photos teddy-sized – he’ll that look!

Basically goes, asfor long it have been postponed years of carnage and destruction came until further notice. and /or medals then post them with any goes on a head! to an end, officially recognising the end extra information on social media using However, being stuck indoors the perfect It’sis simple: Once your creation is complete, a picture of it (you or someone of the second world war in take Europe. #GreenwichVE75 or email your photo and time to dig out old photos and join in with 1. Make or decorate your themed hat who lives with you can model it or if you’re a bit camera shy, just take a story tospring events@royalgreenwich.co.uk by Millions of people took to the streets and pubs our virtual celebrations to with mark the pic of the hat). Then post it on social media using #GreenwichParade 2.

Take a photo Monday 4 May. to celebrate peace, mourn their loved ones and momentous occasion. or email your photo to events@royalgreenwich.gov.uk by 12 noon 3. Post it on social Over mediathe using or your email to to hope for the future. This day became known We would like to invite you to share VE #Greenwich Day weekend, Parade we’ll share with onasGood Friday (10 April). events@royalgreenwich.gov.uk noon on Good Victory in Europe (VE day). photos online so thatby we12can all reflect on Friday us your photos, medals and stories of friends (10 April) and celebrate the courage and determination On75Easter post kind a virtual parade on Facebook, Twitter years Sunday, on and awe’ll different of national and family who played their part in of people fromonline all walks life who saw us and the Council website, so face-to-face that we can all appreciate theWar creativity in 4. Sit back and watch the parade on of Easter Sunday! emergency means that our World II. through that dark and terrifying period. our borough!

Help us mark VE Day 75

STAY AT

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PROTECT THE

SAVE

LIVES

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Food

Five of the best restaurants delivering takeaways in Blackheath

Buenos Aires Café Hurrah! Buenos Aires Café, a small Argentinian joint overlooking the heath, is still serving its unrivalled steak and chips as home delivery. From experience, we can recommend the lean Bife de Chorizo, a 200g sirloin steak that comes juicy, lightly charred and scrumptious. Embrace the full experience and opt to season it with an Argentinian chimichurri dressing – oregano, parsley, garlic, oil, vinegar and paprika. Do accompany this with a side of papas fritas and a pot of chimimayo for dipping. Vegetarian or not a steak fan? Buenos Aires Café is also known for its top-notch pizzas (hardly surprising when 55% of the Argentina population is of Italian origin), of which the house-named Buenos Aires (topped with fresh tomatoes, olives, parma ham and mozzarella) is not to be missed.

Buenos Aires Café, 17 Royal Parade, Blackheath, London SE3 0TL. Available on Deliveroo and Uber Eats. www.buenosairescafe.co.uk

Bianco43 For many of us, nothing helps celebrate the end of a long, tough week like ordering a pizza. The good news for Blackheath residents is that superlative Italian restaurant Bianco43 is still delivering. Run by Massimo and Fabrizio, who moved to the UK from Rome and Naples respectively to pursue their dreams of opening an authentic Italian restaurant, Bianco43 specialises in Neapolitanstyle pizzas (thin, crispy bases) which come topped with sizzling fresh ingredients. There’s also plenty of anti-pasti options, primi pasta dishes, secondi meat and fish dishes, and devilishly good Italian desserts for those who want to turn their takeaway into a multi-course affair. Cin-cin!

Bianco43, 1-3 Lee Road, Kidbrooke, London SE3 9RQ. Available on Deliveroo and Uber Eats. www. bianco43.com/blackheath

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April 15 2020 9

Food

Panas Gurkha Restaurant Shortlisted for the British Curry Awards in 2019 and hailed by The Sunday Telegraph as ‘the best Nepalese in London’, Panas Gurkha is the restaurant to order from if it’s a quality curry you’re craving. While the menu highlights are largely Nepalese, you’ll find sumptuous takes on all your favourite Indian dishes, too. To start, go for a plate of mouth-watering momos, filled with either vegetables, chicken or lamb. If you eat meat or fish, do opt for at least one dish from the clay oven portion of the menu – all of which have been carefully marinated then barbecued tandori style. Meanwhile the chef’s specials such as the Masu Farshi (a Nepalese lamb and pumpkin dish) and ‘Mum’s Chicken Curry’ are sure to delight, and the aubergine-based Piro Amilo Brinjal is deservedly popular, too. Vegans are catered for here too thanks to Panas Gurkha’s lengthy plant-based menu.

Panas Gurkha Restaurant, 318 Lee High Road, Lewisham, London SE13 5PJ. Available on Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats. www.thepanas.co.uk

The Vintage Fish Long before Deliveroo, Uber Eats or in fact any other kind of takeaway meal, there were fish and chip shops. In fact, ‘fish and chips’ is as synonymous with British culture as the Queen, crumpets and tea. And our local chippies – stalwarts of our national identity – will hopefully reopen their doors as soon as we’re allowed to roam around freely again. But, if you can’t wait until then, you’ll be well catered for by The Vintage Fish. The slightly-moreupmarket fish and chip shop boasts an impressive 4.6 per cent rating on Google reviews and is offering home deliveries in the Blackheath area to see us through this crisis.

The Vintage Fish, 120 Lee Road, Blackheath, London SE3 9DE. Available on Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats. www.vintagefishblackheath.co.uk

10 April 15 2020

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Food

Kitcho Breezing into Blackheath from slightly further afield in Greenwich is no-fuss authentic Japanese spot Kitcho. If quarantine leaves you hankering after exquisite sushi – and its brothers maki, temaki and sashimi – look no further: your cravings will be sated here. And while the restaurant’s signature shabushabu (steaming hotpots of sliced meats and vegetables) are off the menu for home delivery, you can tuck into other hot specials including udon and ramen dishes, and a small selection of Japanese curries of the katsu (meats or tofu deep fried in breadcrumbs) variety.

Kitcho, 57 Greenwich High Road, London SE10 8LP. Available on Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats. www.kitcho.co.uk

CORONAVIRUS STAY AT HOME SAVE LIVES Anyone can spread Coronavirus.

The only reasons to leave home are: To shop for basic necessities or pick up medicine To travel to work when you absolutely cannot work from home To exercise once a day, alone or with members of your household Do not meet others, even friends or family

community trust At The Heart Of The Community

news from charlton athletic community trust

Daughter expresses relief after Greenwich Community Hub helps her mum

Emma (right) with her mum and dad

“We’re in Western Australia. We’re not allowed out of the country or out of the state”, she said.

The Greenwich Community Hub, launched last month by the Royal Borough of Greenwich with Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) and partners, has helped a number of vulnerable residents. And a team effort between various organisations has helped a woman with leukemia receive the medication she needed.

“The Governor here is doing a good job keeping us safe. But obviously, I can’t get to England to help them,” she added.

“It’s just getting more difficult the older they get and it’s good you guys were able to help us out”, she says.

After being contacted by Emma’s father, who lives in Shooters Hill, CACT followed up with Emma, who is based in Australia, for more information in order to help her mother.

Deb Browne, CACT’s Head of Health Improvement, said:

“My mum has leukemia.

Both her and my dad are on lockdown,” Emma explained.

Emma’s mum, 76, and dad, 79, are both on the government’s shielded list, and are self-isolating together for a period of 12 weeks.

Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Cllr Danny Thorpe, visited the Greenwich Community Hub call centre with Cllr Matt Hartley

“There’s one particular pill she gets from a Macmillan Centre, but it had been shut down”, Emma said.

CACT staff called up the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to request the pills, but found out that they couldn’t dispense them until Emma’s mum had a blood test.

transport to get Emma’s mum to the QEH for the blood test.

“My dad told me that he’d completely run out of the pills he’d been trying to get for my mum.”

As a result, CACT teamed up with the Bexley Accessible Transport Scheme (BATS) to arrange

“That’s good that all of you could get together and do that for her.

Hopefully you can help some

12 April 15 2020

CACT staff were able to deliver the prescription later that day.

other people as well because it’s very confusing for them at this moment”, Emma added.

It was a stressful situation for Emma, who has lived more than 9,000 miles away for 10 years, with her being unable to travel back to England to help.

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“The Community Hub enables the Public Sector, Community and Voluntary Sector, our colleagues in Primary and Secondary care to work together to support our residents at this difficult time.”

If you need help because you are vulnerable and self-isolating, and have not got a family member, friend or neighbour who can help, call the Community Hub, seven days a week, 8.30am6pm on 0800 470 4831 or email covid19support@royalgreenwich. gov.uk for help and information. www.weekender.co.uk

T HE

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ESSENTIAL guide to EDUCATION PLEASE CONTRIBUTE AND HELP US TO KEEP PROVIDING YOU WITH LOCAL NEWS AND SPORT A message to all our readers: We are continuing to bring you all the latest news on the Coronavirus and other important local issues, news, sport and local life.

As the only independent paid-for newspaper in London, we rely heavily on local businesses advertising with us to provide the revenue that pays our journalists. Understandably, most local businesses are cancelling their advertising in these uncertain times. So we are now offering free digital advertising to all local, independent businesses.

We aim to continue publishing in print every week, and will be publishing stories online – including on the rolling blog we set up this week, to bring you constant live updates.

We would be very grateful if you would consider supporting us by subscribing online. You can either pay the 50p cover price for weekly news, (charged at £2 a month), or make a discounted 6 monthly (£11.00) or Annual (£20) contribution. Payments are processed by Paypal so you can be sure that they are secure, and you can cancel at any time. You can also send a cheque made out to Southwark Newspaper Ltd. If you feel able to contribute regularly and help keep us bringing you the news and sport, we would really appreciate your support!

Best wishes from all of us at the Weekender

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Biggin Hill Branch TN16 3BD Bromley Branch BR1 3BD Catford Branch SE6 3AB Eltham Branch SE9 1BT

£1,068.00

• Doctor’s Fees – £164.00 • Minister’s Fee – £200.00 • Eltham Crematorium – £704.00

£3,018.00

OUR LOCAL BRANCHES

Lewisham Branch SE13 7UZ

To show our traditional family values we also offer a Horse Drawn Carriage.

This will increase the cost of the funeral by only

West Wickham Branch BR4 0NJ

£950.00

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History

The men of iron

Mary Mills Anchor Iron Wharf is a small area of riverside between the power station and Lassell Street. It consists of a block of new flats with a restaurant, some concrete, an anchor and a plaque on the riverside. Until about 2002 it was a scrap yard with a corrugated iron lined pathway through the centre. It might look boring but its history is amazing.

First of all, there was that Saxon princess. This was ‘Ælfthryth, a member of the royal kingdred, whom Count Baldwin, the Bald, of Flanders took from England as his wife”. She was actually Alfred the Great’s younger daughter and in the 10th century she left to “the abbey of Saint-Pierre au Mont-Blandin of Ghent” ... East Greenwich, Woolwich, Mottingham and Coombe, Kent” as well as areas in Cowden and Edenbridge, also then in Kent . To administer the estate the Abbey needed staff on site and in addition to a centre in Lewisham there were riverside buildings probably here at Anchor Iron wharf– and some industrial buildings further to the east (more on that when we get to Granite Wharf).

On the riverside St.Peter’s Abbey built a tithe barn and a Court House which doubled as a guest house grand enough to have its own water

14 April 15 2020

supply. We can imagine that all sorts of produce was handled through this wharf and shipped off to Ghent.

Some of this must have come from Cowden, deep in the countryside. Find Cowden on the map – see how the road north runs up through Edenbridge and Biggin Hill, to Blackheath – and down Vanbrugh Hill to the river (or am I seeing things!). Cowden was also an important centre of the Kent medieval iron industry, but I assume that is an unrelated subject.

The lands belonging to Ghent were confiscated by the English Crown in 1414. The Abbey buildings included a tithe barn and ‘Old Court, the court house which was used for the manor court. Thus ‘The Manor of Old Court’ was the estate which eventually was acquired by Blackheath based Morden College in 1699, and with whom it still remains. The Court House seem to have been converted

by Henry VIII as a residence for Anne Boleyn and has been described as ‘the most important and probably the biggest house in Greenwich before the building of the palace’. It was eventually demolished in 1695.

Now – what about the industry?

My first introduction to industrial history was a weekend school on the industries of the Black Country – the cluster of small towns that lie between Wolverhampton and Birmingham, - small masters, nail makers, and semi-domestic iron working. Sometimes described as ‘the cradle of the industrial revolution’.

Quaker Ambrose Crowley was born in 1599, and followed by his son, also Ambrose, put together deals with the iron masters and the small masters, supplying the iron and selling on the nails, hinges, rivets and locks. The Navy Board and the Royal Dockyards were insatiable customers. The younger Ambrose experimented with steel manufacture at Stourbridge, and then moved the works to Durham as ‘the largest iron manufactory in Europe’. His son, yet another Ambrose, came to London opened warehouses and became a City Gent.

By the early 18th century the Crowley’s City wharf was too small and they were looking to expand. They came to Greenwich, bought and moved into, the palatial house which stood on what

is now the site of the power station.

From then on it was called Crowley House, and it stood on Crowley Wharf together with Anchor Iron Wharf next door. On the corner was the Golden Anchor pub and Golden Anchor Stairs (which are still there, incidentally).

Adjacent on the riverside were warehouses which could hold enough items to supply all four of the Royal Dockyards –Deptford, Woolwich, Portsmouth and Chatham. They also supplied commercial shipping – and, sorry to say, the slave trade.

Anchor Iron Wharf today extends in an ‘apron’ beyond the line of the river wall on both sides and juts out into the river. A brick wharf replaced a timber wharf here and in 1739 the extension into the river is first shown. This is thought to have been done using timber to brace the base of a new river wall and then the new area was then backfilled with silt.

Recent archaeology uncovered an anvil on the riverside here. It stood on slag described as ‘smithing hearth bottom: ... black, shiny and granular.

Pieces of broken machinery lay discarded immediately south of the anvil .... conspicuous ... were a set of smooth rollers”. A map of 1739 mentions ‘Anchor Wharf & Forge’.

Anchor Iron Wharf was thus not just a sales outlet – but a repair base and possibly a manufacturing one too

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Ambrose’s son, John took over the business at the age of 24. The family was by now extremely wealthy and mixing with the aristocracy. John began to buy up land and to trade with the countries of the emerging British Empire. He died at the age of only thirty eight and the business passed to his wife Theodosia. By then the iron business was said to be the largest in Europe employing 900 men. Although Theodosia managed the business she and her children no longer used Crowley House as their home and it became essentially an office block but she continued to expand the business taking on more mills and furnaces. Her sons died and in her 60s she was still in charge. In 1755 she died and it passed to her daughter, Elizabeth, who then married the Earl of Ashburnham – himself the inheritor of the Ashburnham furnaces in Surrey.

Isaac Millington we installed at Greenwich as Manager, and gradually the business passed to him and his family. He bought shares and the company became Crowley Millington and Co. The firm kept going but gradually slowed up. In 1849 it was inherited by a Millington great granddaughter and the great warehouses were sold and magnificent Crowley House was demolished.

Today the wharf under the power station is called Crowley Wharf – a www.weekender.co.uk

History name which has recent been revived.

I regret to say that I was told that when the flats were built on the site in 2002, the developer refused to name them after the Crowleys.

Apparently they said that the name was ‘too much like creepy crawly’.

Initially Anchor Iron wharf was taken over by James Fennings from the end of 1863. He was probably a member of the underwriting family who also owned Fennings Warf in Southwark. By 1895 it was being used for trading iron and other metals by C.A. Robinson and Co. The commemorative plague on the wharf says that Charles Robinson moved his scrap business here in 1953 – although there are directory entries for Robinsons here from at least 1909. They remained there until 1985 and will be remembered by many local people as ‘Robbos’.. The wharf was for a long time in two halves with the footpath, the right of way, going between walls of corrugated iron – to

emerge at Ballast Quay. There is a page about Robinsons and a slide show of pictures at www.ballastquay. com/c-a-robinson--co.html In 2002/3 flats were built on the landward side of the wharf, covering a large area which including the demolished British Sailor pub in Hoskins Street. The area in front of the flats was cleared giving a wide river frontage with seating on concrete benches although some of the area is fenced off and some of it is still the responsibility of Morden College. A restaurant has recently opened in the ground floor of the flats – the space having been empty for several years leading to local speculation about what was stored there – was it work of some artist? Nearer the riverside is an artwork by Wendy Taylor which consists of the sculpture of an anchor, with a plaque giving some of the history of the wharf?

Sources • • • • •

Two archaeology papers– they were actually looking for the Tudor hobby stables, which were away from the riverside and which I haven’t covered: Excavations at Anchor Iron Wharf parts 1 & 2 London Archaeol 13 (7) 175–80 and (13) 8, 217–221 Julian Watson. St.Peter’s Abbey Ghent. Jnrl Greenwich Historical Society Vol.3.No.6 Barbara Ludlow. Royalists, a Regicide and Iron Masters. Bygone Kent November 2003 The only book about the Crowleys which I am aware of is ‘Men of Iron: The Crowleys in the Early Iron Industry’ published as long ago as 1963. There are however a number of web sites.

public notices ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) SOUTHOLD RISE, SE9 PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

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The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to makes this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by T Mobile who need to carry out maintenance work.

The Order will come into operation on 4th May 2020 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However, the works are expected to take 2 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading). in Southold Rise at the junction of William Barefoot Drive.

Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via William Barefoot Drive, Southold Rise and vice versa. Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

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Assistant Director, Strategic Transportation The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ Dated 12/02/2020

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