Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender - January 12th 2022

Weekender January 12 2022 • www.weekender.co.uk

Greenwich & Lewisham

Cinema / Theatre / Education / Arts / Music / Food & Drink / Family / Property

‘Expect magical things’ Danny John Jules in The Da Vinci Code at Churchill Theatre

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Pick of the Week

By Holly O`Mahony

Fresh food, fresh air editor

Holly O'Mahony

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.

Art time for LGBTQ+ families

While trips to indoor venues currently feels like a risky business, outdoor food markets continue to operate – and they make a pleasant alternative to queueing at the supermarket. Head to Blackheath this Sunday to take advantage of the weekly farmers’ market and support farm-to-fork traders. Look out for seasonal specialities including sprouts, celeriac, chard, carrots and pheasant.

Blackheath Station car park, London SE3 9LA. January 16, from 10am - 2pm.

Admission: FREE. www.lfm.org.uk/markets/ blackheath/

Hosted by the National Maritime Museum, the LGBTQ+ Family Network is a safe space for members of the community to meet and get creative together on a bi-monthly basis. The sessions are a chance to get involved with a programme of artist-led activities inspired

by Greenwich, the maritime world and LGBTQ+ histories.

The meet-ups are free, but advanced booking is required to secure a spot.

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

National Maritime Museum, Romney Road, London SE10 9NF. January 15, 10am - 12pm.

Admission: FREE. www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/ national-maritime-museum/ lgbtq-family-network

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: Holly O’Mahony Advertising Manager: Tammy Jukes Media Partnerships: Anthony Phillips Advertising team: Katie Boyd; Clarry Frewin; Sophie Ali Editorial: Michael Holland; Holly O’Mahony Design Manager: Dan Martin Design team: Aurelio Medina Finance: Em Zeki - Tel: 0779 883 3758 Managing & Commercial Director: Chris Mullany Managing & Editorial Director: Kevin Quinn Offices at: Unit A202, 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 Finance: 0779 883 3758 / em@southwarknews.co.uk

See off the January blues with Run4Rene Feeling a bit stagnant after so much Christmas sofa time? Are you tangled in the throes of the January blues? Perhaps your New Year’s resolution was to get fit? Pitched as a ‘mental health community that runs’, Run4Rene hosts community runs in parks around London and beyond, including one in Greenwich Park on Saturday mornings. If you’re keen to join – simply turn up.

There’s no need to book in advance and all abilities are welcome.

Pavilion Café in Greenwich Park, Charlton Way, Greenwich, London SE10 8QY. January 15, 10am - 11am. Admission: Free. www.run4rene.com/meetups

Notflix the musical returns to Greenwich

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Notflix, the improvised musical created by an all-female cast, returns to Greenwich Theatre this week after succumbing to the mass cancellations of this time last year. Devised on the spot and fed by audience suggestions, each show is entirely different, but likely to contain ‘100 per cent more singing and 99 per cent more women’ than your average Netflix binge. Featuring a live band and original songs, Notflix combines the taste profiles of a room full of theatre goers to create a hilarious and completely improvised viewing experience.

Issue: GW242

Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, London, SE10 8ES. January 15 from 7:30pm. Admission: £15. www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/notflix-2/

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Opera meets tech At Trinity Laban, the world premiere of a bold piece of contemporary operatic storytelling is taking to the stage. Syllable is inspired by a short chapter from Primo Levi’s 1975 collection of short stories, ‘The Periodic Table’.

Composed by Edward Jessen, directed by Joseph Alford and conducted by Gregory Rose, the piece is here narrated by the composerperformer collective Bastard Assignments, a cross-arts collaboration between students and industry creatives. Expect a sinfonietta-scale ensemble bolstered by auxiliary audio and visual projection, adding to the piece’s intriguing plot.

Laban Theatre, Laban Building, 30 Creekside, London SE8 3DZ. January 14, 7:30pm, January 15, 2:30pm & 7:30pm. Admission: £15/£10 concessions. www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/whatson/event/syllable-a-particletale/

January 12 2022 3

food

REVIEW: SALT Craft + Pizza, Deptford Market Yard Walk past Deptford Market Yard’s new craft beer and pizza haven, SALT Craft + Pizza, and you may do a double take. ‘Haven’t I been here before?’, you’ll ask. Yes and no, is your answer. SALT sits on the site of former pizza and beer hub Taproom SE8, part of Hop Stuff Brewery, which also owned a brewery in White Hart Avenue. Both sites have recently been purchased by the team behind SALT, a Yorkshire-founded micro-brewery from the UNESCO village of Saltaire, with the revamped Deptford taproom now open to the public, writes Holly O’Mahony…

Founded in 2018, the brewery made its leap to London in the final weeks of 2021, also opening a second, smaller taproom in Woolwich’s Royal Arsenal.

At the Deptford site, many of the old Taproom SE8 staff have been kept on, including my server, who joked about the refurbished site: ‘it’s basically the same, just with better beers’. She’s not wrong. And while I can’t compare the pizzas to their predecessors, having not tried them, I’ll happily claim SALT’s sourdough creations, flame-licked in seconds in a hard-working pizza oven, are mighty fine, and come with a hearty range of toppings to appease all tastes.

4 January 12 2022

I visited SALT’s Deptford site the week before Christmas, when plans were being hastily cancelled, restaurants closing early due to staff having to self-isolate and shows being pulled off London stages for the same reason.

With a stack of daily lateral flow tests and a negative PCR on my conscience, I felt confident in making my visit, but couldn’t convince a plus one to join me (after all, no matter how nice the beer and pizza would prove to be, it wouldn’t be worth a Christmas spent alone with the dreaded Omicron variant).

In the days before, I wholeheartedly

expected to receive a message from the restaurant saying it, too, had been forced to close. And when that didn’t arrive, I imagined I’d rock up to find it empty.

In fact, SALT was buzzy for 7pm on a Thursday, with a warm, candle-lit hue inviting in visitors like myself, and small clusters of guests gathering around the tables and beer barrels spaced generously across the open-plan, glass-walled room.

Browsing the beer menu, I was struck with a bout of indecisiveness. Of the 16 brews on tap, several were variations

of IPAs – my favourite! – all of which sounded delicious. Could I settle for two half pints and hope I chose well?

I explained my conundrum to my server (expecting zero sympathy) and was glad I did, because it turns out they offer flights of three ⅓ pints (as well as ⅔ pints – the best and most logical size for a beer in my humble opinion), meaning I could guzzle a third contender without loitering too long.

In addition to their own beers, SALT has brews from Ossett brewery, London beer Factory, Wild Weather ales, Wiper and True, and for the odd visitor who

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doesn’t like beer at all, Aspall Cyder and a short cocktail menu. For my flight, I sampled three of SALT’s own IPAs, starting, as my server advised, with the Jute: a light session IPA that’s pitched as an entry level beer, and has the mild balance of tropical notes and hops needed to win over newbies.

Working up in percentage, I tried the Cintra next, a New England IPA (NEIPA) that’s similar but more juicy and full-bodied. I then moved onto the Huckaback, another NEIPA, this one stronger though still only 5.5% ABV, that’s a little more pungent, with a blend of Amarillo, Citra and Mosaic hops. The Jute www.weekender.co.uk

food was my favourite, but hey, it’s subjective.

Keen to avoid the hops going to my head, I ordered the Fuego from the pizza menu which arrived alarmingly quickly but clearly fresh from the oven and bubbling hot, with a winning combination of thick salami rounds, pockets of ‘nduja nestled between welts of mozzarella, shards of jalapeños and a generous glob of burrata on top.

I went alone to SALT Craft + Pizza, but still enjoyed my visit. So much so, I left vowing to return with pals in the new year, when going out no longer feels like a virus-loaded game of Russian roulette.

The damage (for 1): Fuego pizza ����������������������� £15 Flight of three pale ales ������ £6 TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £21 Food & Drink . . . . . .

Ambience . . . . . . . .

Value . . . . . . . . . .

Disabled access . . . . . . . . Yes Disabled toilet . . . . . . . . . . Yes Booking . . . . For groups of 6+

Salt Craft & Pizza

Unit 2, St Paul’s House, 3 Market Yard, London SE8 4BX. Monday - Thursday, 4pm - 11pm. Friday & Saturday, 12pm - 11pm.

Sunday, 12pm - 10pm. www.saltbeerfactory.co.uk/

“Today I had my first dance class with Greenwich Dance and it felt amazing! Thanks for offering dance classes at such affordable rates”

Class Participant

At Greenwich Dance, we believe that moving your body has the power to improve mental health as well as physical fitness. It’s also a great way to socialise, meet new people and find new friends in your local area.

LUNCHTIME STRETCH Mondays | Online

THIS GIRL CAN Mondays | Abbey Wood Community Centre

Ideal for home workers who want to take an hour away from their desks

Designed for women and girls aged 16+ (other gender identities welcome)

LOTUS YOUTH DANCE COMPANY Tuesdays | Tramshed, Woolwich

DANCING TO THE MUSIC OF TIME Fridays | Charlton House

A hip hop based group for young people aged 13 - 19

A creative weekly dance session for older adults

We have a range of dance classes across the borough that you can get involved in this Spring to improve your overall wellbeing and have fun in the process.

BOOK NOW

greenwichdance.org.uk greenwichdance Photos: Roswitha Chesher and Daniel Martin

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January 12 2022 5

theatre

“Everybody is going to expect magical things.” Death in Paradise star Danny John Jules on starring in The Da Vinci Code play It was the mystery thriller that captivated the world in 2003 and has since sold 100 million copies, now Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code has been adapted for the stage – and it’s opening at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre.

The production stars Nigel Harman (EastEnders, Hotel Babylon) as symbologist Robert Langdon, Hannah Rose Caton (Last Knights) as his fellow cryptologist Sophie Neveu and Death in Paradise star Danny John Jules as chief antagonist Sir Leigh Teabing. Holly O’Mahony speaks to Danny John Jules to find out more…

It’s present day Paris and the curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered.

Alongside his body is a series of codes and riddles, which Professor Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu are determined to crack. The clues lead them to the works of artist Leonardo Da Vinci and then deep into history, as they race across the streets of Europe to solve this mystery before a dark secret is lost forever.

“This is brand new, it’s never been done on stage before,” reiterates Danny, excitedly. When we speak, the 61-year-old actor, who as well as playing Dwayne Myers in the crime drama Death in Paradise is known for his role as Cat in the long-running sitcom Red Dwarf, is in rehearsals with the rest of the company in London.

Covid-willing, the show is due to embark on a national tour, beginning at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre before going on to venues including Leicester Curve, Sheffield Lyceum and several Theatre Royals.

Does the newness of the production add a sense of pressure? “There’s a pressure with bringing anything to the stage right now, never mind a brand spanking new original play that everybody is going to expect magical

6 January 12 2022

things from,” points out Danny.

“If you play it right, the audience takes away a lot of thinking. [The story] tests their faith, it tests what they perceive as the truth, all cans of worms get opened,” grins the actor.

He’s right about the worms: the story’s suggestion of an alternative religious history saw it denounced by many Christian denominations as an attack on the Catholic Church.

“I’d like to be a fly on the wall in all those bedrooms and living rooms after [the performance] to hear the conversations it brings up,” he adds.

At the time of writing, author Dan Brown has seen nothing of the show, but he has given it his blessing. In a statement, he said: “I am thrilled that The Da Vinci Code is being adapted for the stage, and excited to see the unique potential of live theatre to enhance this story. The team making the production has been faithful to the book, but will also bring something new for the audience, in what is certain to be a gripping, fast-paced stage thriller and a thoroughly entertaining show.”

While the production marks the first time The Da Vinci Code is being seen on stage, the story was brought vividly

to life on screen in Ron Howard’s 2006 film adaptation. And while it failed to win over the critics, receiving just one star from the Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw and a low 26% rating on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, an ounce of pressure will surely come from the fact Danny is stepping into a role previously played by the great Sir Ian McKellen.

“You’re talking about a guy who played Hamlet in his 90s…I’m looking forward to being scared out of my wits,” he jokes, adding that as only the second person ever to play the role of Sir Leigh Teabing, so long as he steps out onto the stage, that’s good enough for him.

He’s being modest, of course. After all, he was offered the role straight up without having to audition for it.

Danny is confident the stage is the right platform for the show. “The stage gives you much more freedom to be artistic [than the screen],” he says. “If you ask anyone who has read the book, they’ll say the film is nothing like it, and it’s the same for the theatre. Like Hollywood, people fiddle around with it.” he adds. “The only thing people judge us on is the book, which the film is based on. They can’t judge us on the film, because most people say the film

isn’t a representation of the book. As long as you’re true to the book, which this production is…who can argue?”

While the finer details are being kept under wraps, Danny reveals the production is set in the present day.

“It’s not set when the Smart car was a revelation like the book,” he laughs.

Music and visual effects supplement the narrative here, but despite having built a reputation for his singing and dancing skills – including coming seventh in the 2018 series of Strictly Come Dancing – it’s straight-up acting for Danny and the rest of the cast in The Da Vinci Code.

“I’ve already suggested to the director [Luke Shepherd, the man behind hit West End musical & Juliet and brand new musical comedy What’s New Pussycat?] we do a The Da Vinci Code musical,” he laughs.

While known for his TV roles, Danny cut his teeth on the stage and has been in numerous West End productions over the course of his 40-year career. In late 2019, he toured his one-man show I’ve Gotta Be Me around the country.

As a result, he’s not daunted by the

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prospect of being on the road for months at a time. In fact, “I don’t think there’s any theatre in any town I haven’t been to,” he humblebrags. If a life on the road has taught him one thing, it’s that whatever town you’re performing in, you’ve got to make it all about that place. “That’s your audience; that’s where you’ve got to sell the show. It’s all about them,” he says. “We’ll do the local radio, the TV, the papers… It helps to know a little bit about the area.”

Danny is back in the rehearsal room now and insists I must be able to sense the charged atmosphere over the phone.

“I’m in a room of people with all different jobs, who are at the top of their game,” he whispers, excitedly.

“You can feel the artistic juices flowing…The excitement builds when you’re in the thespians’ domain.”

And like a moth to a flame, he’s off to slip back into the cunning skin of Sir Leigh Teabing.

The Da Vinci Code is showing at Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA. January 10 - 15, 7:30pm with additional 2:30pm matinees.

Admission: £27.50. www.churchilltheatre.co.uk/Online/ tickets-da-vinci-code-bromley-2021 www.weekender.co.uk

Every adult in the country now needs to get a Covid-19 booster vaccine, because two doses does not give you enough protection against catching Omicron.

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family

A classic fairytale with a rock’n’roll twist at Blackheath Halls

When Andy Lawrence set up Theatre of Widdershins in 1993, with the help of his wife Penny, he didn’t know much about puppetry. But as a maker of costumes and props, he found himself drawn to the medium. He originally intended to create puppet-based shows for an older audience, but after becoming a parent, in 1995, he saw the potential in creating work accessible to children of all ages. Over 20 years later and Andy has a five-strong repertoire of puppet-led shows based on classic fairytales, which he tours around the country along with accompanying workshops.

One of those is the well-known fable of The Elves and the Shoemaker, about a shoemaker who falls upon hard times but receives a helping hand when he needs it most. Holly O’Mahony speaks to Andy, who is performing the show at Blackheath Halls this week, to find out more…

Holly O’Mahony: What makes a great fairytale, like those by the Brothers Grimm, stand the test of time? Why do they remain ripe for adaptation centuries after they were written?

Andy Lawrence: Fairytales resonate with children from all

8 January 12 2022

backgrounds, countries and ages.

They are simply written and don’t often contain complex characters.

Children can identify with heroes and can spot ‘baddies’. They will empathise with a character’s predicaments, recognising ‘mild peril’ from a safe distance.

HOM: What draws you to particular fairytales?

AL: I tend to choose well-known fairytales because I like the idea of misleading predictability, where the audience think they know what’s coming next. I can

also add in little plot or character twists, so that older children (and parents) don’t get bored.

HOM: Why do you use puppetry to tell the tales?

AL: My background is in making things – costumes, hats and props – for the theatre, so the craft of puppet making has always appealed.

There is a certain uncanny nature in the movement and presentation of the puppet which has always fascinated me. As a performer of one-person shows, I can operate a whole cast of puppets – without paying them! The size and limited movement of puppets make them less threatening than most actors.

HOM: You first built your version of The Elves and the Shoemaker in 2006. Has it changed much since then? And, What keeps you coming back to it?

AL: I first built it as a two-person show, performing alongside my friend and composer Martin Thornton. Over a year we notched up

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a couple of hundred performances and then retired it. However, I missed performing this show, and therefore re-designed it as a oneman show in 2012. This meant changing pretty much everything: puppets, props and set. It’s now one of my five established shows, which I rotate. I have very recently performed my 500th Elves and Shoemaker. Although the setting up is quite taxing I never stop getting enjoyment from seeing the surprise on childrens’ faces when the shoes magically appear.

HOM: You’ve playfully added a reference to the great rock’n’roll star Elvis Presley, calling your shoemaker Elvis Schumacker.

How did this come about?

AL: I am a fan of puns and word play, no matter how awkward, obvious or clunky! So Elvis Schumacker was, to me, an obvious choice. Originally I had the idea that the puppet would also drive a race car like Michael Schumacher, but ditched this. I also used to reference Elvis Presley’s blue suede shoes in the show, but www.weekender.co.uk

family no longer do this. However the 50s ‘vibe’ fed into the costume of the shoemaker, and when I salvaged a child’s violin from a skip it struck me that this could be an apt double bass for the puppet!

HOM: It’s an enchanting tale that’s delighted children for centuries. What do you hope your young audience members take away from it?

AL: I hope they can see there is value in creating things by hand – the shoes in this case – as opposed to faceless mass production. In a way, the shoemaker and the elves represent sustainability and fairtrade. Aside from this somewhat mundane message, however, I do want children to retain their sense of wonder and magic.

HOM: What’s next for Theatre of Widdershins following the current tour?

AL: I’m currently concentrating on schools. I’ve developed a show and a workshop all about the Early Stone Age for years 3 and 4. I find it very liberating being a caveman.

The Elves and the Shoemaker is showing in the Hearn Recital Room at Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, London SE3 9RQ. January 15, 3pm - 3:50pm. Admission: £8.50. www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/ the-elves-and-the-shoemaker-2/

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January 12 2022 9

History

The Robinson mills

Mary Mills Last week I wrote about the Old Floode Mill and said that this week I would write about the Robinson Mills. Many people will remember these mills which stood at Deptford Bridge and which were burnt down in the early 1970s. They were vast big buildings and made a dramatic impact on the main road as it crosses the Creek on its way up to Blackheath Hill.

The impact of their size stretched down both Deptford Church Street and Greenwich High Road. On their sites now are buildings of Lewisham College and Goldsmith’s College.

Now - before we get any further I’m going to stick my neck out and say that I think that much of what I have seen in local histories and their accounts of the Robinson Mills at Deptford Bridge, is wrong. I think there were two different sites here and that their Deptford Bridge Mill was separate from the Olde Floode Mill.

First, I would like to add something to what I said last week about the Olde Floode Mill. I described how it is probably one of the Lewisham Mills described in the Doomsday Book which was eventually destroyed by a flood in 1824. Most history books will tell you that it was then taken over

by Robinsons who rebuilt it. I am absolutely certain that that is not what happened. The Olde Floode Mill belonged to Christ’s Hospital and after the 1824 flood they advertised for someone to rebuild it. In due course builders moved in and in my article last week I quoted an advertisement for the sale of the timbers from the old mill.

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After the 1820s references to the Olde Floode Mill are in connection with its leasehold ownership by T. & C.Kingsford who also had mills in Canterbury, Thames Ditton and elsewhere. At 24 Church Street, Deptford, Kingsford had a shop where flour and other items were sold as retail but most flour was sold through contracts for bulk supplies to workhouses and similar institutions.

Kingsford were at the Olde Floode Mill until the 1870s when it was taken over by dog biscuit manufacturers, Thomas Ellis and who were the leaseholders when the mill was burnt down in 1880. The fire is said to have started at in the Church Street shop and their adjacent bakery which was a three storey brick building. The mill itself was wooden and was connected to the bakery by a covered bridge 20 feet above the road. Despite the pouring rain as the fire raged it was watched by several thousand people.

So, the Olde Floode Mill was not leased or owned by Robinsons until after 1880 and certainly not in 1824.

In fact they did not have a mill at Deptford Bridge until after 1870.

So who were the Robinsons? The family and their company still exist and come from the Crawley area. In the 19th century they were based in the area which is now mainly covered

by Gatwick Airport and the sites of the historic homes of some family members are under the runways and the urban areas of Crawley. They were Quakers and, interestingly, the Friends Meeting House in Crawley was built in 1675 through the involvement of a blacksmith called Robert Robinson. In Crawley there are memorials to Sarah Robinson who set up a training school for girls – and other good works. She also had a very large family of children.

In 1831 members of the Robinson family – Joseph and Henry - leased a windmill in Lowfield Heath from the Constable family. It is a smallish post mill which both is and was in the Gatwick area. It was moved from its original site near the Airport a few years ago and is now a tourist

attraction. The Robinsons installed a John Ancell at Lower Heathfield as the tenant and miller and did not surrender the lease until 1886. To know more about this mill see http:// www.lowfieldheathwindmill.co.uk/ and I would like to thank them for a lot of additional information.

In 1837 John, Joseph and Mary Robinson went to Cayuga in America where they farmed but after some years Joseph and the rest of the family returned to England because of unspecified ‘family problems’.

Perhaps here we should note that Henry Robinson’s, since demolished, grand house at 16 Eliot Park on Blackheath was called ‘Cayuga’, The still standing coach house next door was built for Henry but the size of this corner site must demonstrate the family’s wealth.

In 1851 Joseph Robinson purchased a mill in Lewisham – which was almost certainly the mill at Lewisham Bridge. There is a picture of it and some information at https://www. ideal-homes.org.uk/lewisham/ assets/galleries/lewisham/ lewisham-bridge-mill.html Joseph was soon joined at Lewisham by his brother Henry, who had experience of milling at Lowfield Heath, and they agreed he should manage the mill. It quickly became very profitable and they then purchased the freehold. In 1871

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they could afford to build a new mill on the site at Deptford Bridge.

This was in the area now covered by Lewisham College with a frontage partly on Church Street. They were joined there by their brother John, and eventually by Henry’s son, John Henry who was to manage the complex for many years. In the 1880s Deptford Bridge building was a ‘steam mill’ with seven floors, a granary and a number of associated buildings and described as ‘one of the finest structures in the metropolis … the proprietors being men of advanced ideas’. Thus Henry Robinson had gone from a small rural windmill to managing this huge and technologically advanced milling complex.

As Quakers the brothers were soon involved in local ‘good works’ – for example in 1861 Henry was at a Greenwich Peace Meeting.

In the 1870s Henry was chair of a big temperance meetings with people from all round the area. At one such meeting a Band of Hope children’s choir sang and revisited their performance at a temperance fete at Westcombe Park. The choir had 100 members drawn from temperance societies in Greenwich, Deptford, Lewisham and Lee and had been trained using the ‘tonic sol-fa’ system. At the same meeting there was a lecture on the temperance question - the lecturer ‘adducing his arguments in such manner www.weekender.co.uk

History by listing the many fires in local industrial buildings over the previous few years but said ‘As destructive as these fires were they will not bear comparison ‘. The mill was said to be full of new American machinery. The fire began on the third floor with flames from the ‘exhaust spout’. Soon there were fire engines from all over east London with a hundred firemen led by the ever heroic captain Massey Shaw. Thirteen steam fire engines were at work, one working from the yard of Messrs Ellis tide mills. ‘It was a scene of terrible grandeur’.

Happily all the ‘valuable horses’ were saved and only one fireman was injured who was ‘taken to the Seamen’s Hospital’ but not ‘kept in’.

The mill building was a complete wreck but was rebuilt. Within a year permission was given for a new chimney shaft and we are told a 12 horse power gas engine had been installed. The new mill is the one that people will remember at Deptford Bridge. It was built on the ‘roller mill’ system which, as it replaced older mills, was allowing the industry to be expanded by wealthy companies who could afford large factory style mills while putting small local mills out of business. It was the future – although eventually mills like the Robinsons would themselves be too small to operate economically. The new mill was arranged to minimize the risk of fire – there is in a detailed description of the fire prevention system as well as the drill employees must follow in case of fire. It is said that it was used to mainly process animal feed stuffs.

as to render them unanswerable.

There were many more such events inevitably with one or other of the Robinsons brothers present.

the road it stood in was renamed ‘Robinson Road’ in memory of Sarah Robinson, whose training school building was used by the hospital.

In the early 20th century John Henry Robinson was Chair of the Miller Hospital, which stood in Greenwich High Road. It recalled the Robinson's Sussex roots and in 1896 when Crawley's first hospital was opened

By the 1870s Henry was involved in the London Flour Millers Association and in 1878 he led their deputation to Parliament on the Weights and Measures Act. John Henry too was later Chair of this organisation.

At the mills there were sick and welfare schemes for employees and an institute and sports club.

I have described above how the Olde Floode Mill, then in the possession of Messrs Ellis was burnt down in 1880. The very next year the Robinsons’ new mill at Deptford Bridge was burnt down. The report in the local paper actually began

I don’t know exactly when the Robinsons took over the Olde Floode Mill but on an insurance plan of 1897 it is marked as “J. & H. Robinsons.

Tide Mills’. The site is now covered by the Goldsmiths buildings, Asquith Gibbes Hall and Ken Langley House, Deptford Learning Centre. Buildings are shown on the 1897 plan but their names are very, very difficult to read.

The word ‘mills’ can be made out on the actual tide mill site and on a smaller building alongside. There is also a large group of warehouses.

At the Deptford Bridge site there is a larger complex of buildings –

Greenwich Riverside.

Upper Watergate to Angerstein

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In an 1887 description of the Deptford mills the Floode Mill is not mentioned. However, it describes a tidal dock on the creek by which barges can deliver wheat. We are also told the roller mill was in two parts and with its steam engine; there are details of the wheat cleaning processes, and the warehouse.

Steam power was provided by a horizontal compound engine, named the Gladstone with two beam engines, and a row of boilers.

Robinson’s Deptford mills continued to work into the 20th century. They were managed by John Henry Robinson who died in 1933 and although he had lived in Blackheath he eventually moved back to Surrey as did other family members.

After the Great War the great Robinson mill was becoming older and in comparison, smaller, and like similar firms were overtaken by the giant milling companies - Rank, Spillers and the Co-op. In 1921 the Robinsons joined the Associated London Flour Millers - was a consortium of milling companies which also included Mumford’s Mill next door to Robinsons on Deptford Creek. Only ten years later in 1931 they were bought out

by Rank. As the twentieth century progressed so the larger firms both diversified and upgraded technically.

Smaller mills closed throughout the 1960, but the old Robinsons mill survived into the early 1970s as part of Rank, Hovis, McDougall.

The Robinson Deptford Bridge mill was burnt down in 1970 – or at least I think it was since I have been unable to find a report of the fire.

Clearly the press in the 1970s did not find fires as exciting as they did in 1870 and of course there was no Captain Shaw in charge.

It was clearly the end of an era.

Greenwich Peninsula.

Greenwich Marsh

pp.282. Lots of pictures.

This is an in-depth itinerary along the Greenwich riverside from the Lewisham border to the Charlton border. This is not a book about the areas the tourists visit - but about what was, and is many ways still is, an industrial and residential riverside with a strong relationship to river based work and activity.

It looks at how the area developed because of river use, but also how the proximity of the Royal Court, and closeness of the City of London influenced the nature of much activity.

It is also a story of some superlatives - the first this, the biggest that, and how the world changed because of what went on here.

again very difficult to read. One is clearly marked as ‘roller mill’ and another bigger building is also a mill. So, it seems that the main mill is that on the Deptford Bridge site and the Floode Mill was still there but not extended or enlarged – and probably not actually used.

£15

£10

Greenwich Peninsula was once Greenwich Marsh which became home to many ground breaking industries - including telecoms technology which changed the world.

The book looks at the dynamic innovation and change which still characterise the area.

January 12 2022 11

community trust At The Heart Of The Community

news from charlton athletic community trust

Join us for CACT’s free EDI webinar series: Tackling Inequality

CACT’s EDI webinar sessions kick off on Wednesday 19 January with Dr Irene Zempi’s session on Misogyny as a Hate Crime.

Following a successful series last year, Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) and Football Club (CAFC) are excited to announce four new sessions of our free Equality, Diversity & Inclusion webinar series which are taking place throughout January via Zoom. In partnership with the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the English Football League (EFL), the series will be exploring the theme of: ‘Tackling Inequality: Looking ahead in these new & challenging times.’

Adam Matthews, Charlton Athletic’s Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Equalities Ambassador, commented: "As Charlton's PFA Equalities Ambassador, I'm proud to endorse the next series of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion webinars from 1 December. The webinars provide important opportunities to learn about a wide range of subjects, from a great range of speakers”.

The series proved incredibly popular in previous years with over 850 attendees in total in 2020. A previous participant of our EDI webinar sessions said:

12 January 12 2022 10

“I have attended several of these webinars. I would just like to say how impressive I have found them. They have been well-structured, extremely educational and informative and the speakers have been excellent”.

Dr Michael Seeraj, CACT and Charlton Athletic’s Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, said: “The series is designed to provide greater insight and understanding of a range of current themes relating to tackling inequality and promoting inclusion, particularly the challenges faced by disadvantaged communities and underrepresented groups.”

The webinars provide important opportunities to learn about a wide range of subjects

Please see below for more details about the webinars: Theme: Misogyny as a Hate Crime Wednesday 19 January 2022 @ 2:00pm Dr Irene Zempi Theme: Getting the Voice of the Voluntary Sector and Communities Heard Thursday 20 January 2022 @ 11:00am Naomi Goldberg Theme: Understanding and Managing Microaggressions Tuesday 25 January 2022 @ 2:00pm Dr Rosemary Lobban Theme: Good Funding Bid vs Bad Funding Bid Wednesday 26 January 2022 @ 11:00am Rachel Akindele Find out more about the sessions on offer and book your place now by visiting: cact.gives/events

Dr Michael Seeraj is Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for CACT and CAFC and will be hosting the webinar series this January

Designed to provide greater insight and understanding of a range of themes relating to inequality and promoting inclusion editorial@weekender.co.uk

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public notices 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 21 days of the date of this notice.

Please quote the appropriate reference number.

Date: 12/01/2022 Victoria Geoghegan Assistant Director - Planning and Building Control List of Press Advertisements - 12/01/2022 Publicity for Planning Applications

Applicant: Eastmoor Street 81 LLP 21/4229/F Site Address: Land at Nos. 6, 61-81 and Coopers Yard, Eastmoor Street and Nos. 6 & 10 Westmoor Street, Charlton, London, SE7 8LX Development: Demolition of existing structures and erection of buildings between 4 and 8 storeys in height (including roof access level areas), comprising 149 residential units, 740 sqm flexible employment floorspace (Use class E(g) and B8) and 555 sqm flexible retail and community uses (Use class E and F2) with associated

landscaping and new public realm, access and infrastructure works, refuse and recycling storage, car parking and cycle parking and associated development.

[Affects the character and appearance of the Thames Barrier and Bowater Road Conservation Area, Affects the setting of the Grade II listed building 37 Bowater Road].

Conservation Area: Adj to THAMES BARRIER & BOWATER ROAD Applicant: Mr Jack Sellick and Miss Julia Harrington

21/4529/HD Site Address: 19A BENNETT PARK, LONDON, SE3 9RA

Development: Second floor extension and remodelling of interior with new glazed front panel and door.

Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH PARK Applicant: Mr Swann 21/4538/HD Site Address: 3 BEACONSFIELD ROAD, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 7LN Development: Demolition of existing side conservatory and construction of a single storey rear side extension.

Conservation Area: WESTCOMBE PARK

Publicity For Advertisements Applicant: Mr & Mrs Zinnureyin 21/4106/A Site Address: LOKANTA BAR & GRILL, 11-13 GREENWICH CHURCH STREET, GREENWICH, LONDON, SE10 9BJ Development: Retrospective consent for two (2) Illuminated LED Strip Lights to replace six (6) Swan Neck lights above revised fascia signage, two (2) Illuminated Strip Lights with replacement projecting signage, and replacement of five (5) existing flood lights with five (5) LED wall uplights to front facade.

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) [Ashburnham Grove] PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) [Charlton Lane] PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. 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 Thames Water who need to carry out Valve repairs.

2. The Order will come into operation on 24th January 2022 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take 5 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading) in, Ashburnham Grove at the junction of Greenwich South Street.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via (i) Greenwich South Street, Devonshire Drive and Egerton Drive (ii) Greenwich South Street, Ashburnham Place and Egerton Drive. Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. 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.

6. 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.

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

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Network Rail who need to carry out signal works.

2. The Order will come into operation on the 23rd January 2022 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take 24 hours. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. 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, Charlton Lane at the Level Crossing.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via (i) Charlton Lane, Woolwich Road, Charlton Church Lane, Charlton Road, The Village and Charlton Park Road. (ii) Charlton Lane, Charlton Park Road Little Heath, Hillreach, Frances Street and Woolwich Road. Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. 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.

6. 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.

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

Interim Assistant Director, Transport and Sustainability, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Interim Assistant Director, Transport and Sustainability, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated 7th January 2022

Dated 7th January 2022

(INTERNAL REF: PL//LA417333)

(INTERNAL REF: PL//LA423192)

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1

12/10/2021

22:35

public notices ROYAL BOROUGH OF GREENWICH The Greenwich (Free Parking Places, Loading Places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping Restrictions) (Amendment No. *) Order 202* The Greenwich (Charged For-Parking Places) (Amendment No. *) Order 202* 1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the Royal Borough of Greenwich (hereinafter referred to as “the Council”) proposes to make the above-mentioned Orders under sections 6, 45, 46, 49, 124 and Part IV of Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended.

2. The general effect of the Orders would be to: a) replace the single yellow line waiting restriction outside the entrance to The University of Greenwich on Park Row, west side, with a double yellow line ‘at any time’ waiting restriction; b) replace the restrictions on Park Row, east side, from its junction with Old Woolwich Road to a point approximately 44 metres north of that with a double yellow line ‘at any time’ waiting restriction and ‘no loading at any time’ restrictions; c) amend the parking charge of payment parking bays in the following locations to 80p for 15 minutes or £3.20 an hour during Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 9am-6pm and amend the maximum stay period to 4 hours and the no return period to 2 hours: i) outside No. 10 Haddo Street, east side; ii) outside Nos. 2 to 8 Haddo Street, east side; iii) outside No. 92 Roan Street, north side; iv) outside Haddo House, Tarves Way, north side; d) update the map tiles attached to The Greenwich (Free Parking Places, Loading Places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping Restrictions Consolidation Order 2018 and The Greenwich (Charged-For Parking Places) Consolidation Order 2018 so as to reflect the provisions referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) to (c).

3. A copy of the proposed Orders and other documents can be viewed by emailing parking-design@royalgreenwich.gov.uk (quoting reference 22-01 Park Row/Haddo Street).

4. Further information may be obtained by emailing parking-design@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.

5. Any person who wishes to object to or make other representations about the proposed Orders, should send a statement in writing by 2nd February 2022, specifying the grounds on which any objection is made by email to parking-design@royalgreenwich.gov.uk (quoting reference 22-01 Park Row/Haddo Street).

6. Persons objecting to the proposed Orders should be aware that in view of current access to information legislation, this Council would be legally obliged to make any comments received in response to this notice, open to public inspection.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

Interim Assistant Director, Transport and Sustainability, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

CMY

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Dated 12th January 2022 (INTERNAL REF: PL//LA423192)

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January 12 2022 15

ADVERTORIAL

News from the Royal Borough of Greenwich

Primary school applications are open!

JANUARY

MUMíS MEETING

Apply by the deadline on 15 January royalgreenwich.gov.uk/schooladmissions

Apply for primary school by Saturday 15 January If your child is due to start primary school in September 2022, you need to apply for a primary school place. The deadline for applications is Saturday 15 January 2022.

Your child will not be automatically registered to attend school, so you must complete the online registration. If you’re not sure when your child

is due to start school, enter their date of birth into the checker on our website to find out.

Find out more and apply at royalgreenwich.gov.uk/primaryadmissions

Commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day with us Holocaust Memorial Day is marked each year on 27 January the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp.

www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk

@royal_greenwich

Everyone is welcome to our commemoration event at 11am on Thursday 27 January 2022, Town Hall Wellington Street, SE18 6PW. royalgreenwich.gov.uk/HolocaustMemorialDay

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