the battersea society newsletter winter 2007
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The newsletter of the Battersea SocietyTRANSCRIPT
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The Battersea SocietyNewsletter Winter 2007
Registered Charity no:1103560
BAC:ASHES TO DIAMONDS
It is always good to have the opportunity to celebrate success,especially when that success arises from the ashes.
So let us celebrate the success of Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) –a jewel in the Battersea crown. Not only has its future been securedfor the next century, but its present is aglow with the ‘full house’ signsof rampant success.
Earlier this year there were threats that the lease on the buildingwould not be renewed beyond May 2007 and that all financial supportfrom Wandsworth Council would be withdrawn. But Jaw Jaw has wonover War War. After long discussions and negotiations withWandsworth Council it has now been agreed that BAC will have a 125year lease on the building (the former Battersea Town Hall), that BACwill undertake repairs & maintenance and that the rent for the buildingwill be a de facto peppercorn for the first 10 years of the lease. (Inpractice it is likely that a rent will be notionally charged, but coveredin entirety by a council grant.) In addition, the council will continue tofund youth theatre work to the tune of £85,000 pa.
The length of lease will over the years enable a wide range of fund-raising to cover the high cost of repairs and maintenance. It will alsoprovide a secure base for the BAC operation of providing a ‘Surestart’type nursery for theatre in Britain (and Europe). A security that will bewelcomed by all theatre lovers.
As Nick Starr, the BAC Chairman, put it: “This… will give us thefreedom to press forward with a range of ambitious plans for thevenue. Our dream is to make Battersea the most dynamic arts spacein the country.”
The second leg of success is the current run by Punchdrunk of The Masque of the Red Death. This production haswon huge plaudits & praise from almost all theatre critics and the long run planned to February 2008 is now sold out.
As Susannah Clapp of the Observer puts it under the heading “Punchdrunk’s Masque of the Red Death turns theBAC into a carnival of sumptuous horrors. With the help of the inspired architect Steve Tompkins, Punchdrunk havecommandeered the massive, Victorian BAC to evoke Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic horrors. Spectators blaze their individualtrails through the building. …..the world of Punchdrunk, a take-you-over, tip-you-up, drench-you-to-the-gills experiencewhich is one of the best things to happen to the theatre in the last 10 years.”
BAC has this year turned ashes into diamonds. A huge hooray should echo throughout the rafters of this splendidbuilding for decades to come.
Tony TuckChair
Battersea Society
Battersea Arts Centre on Lavender Hill
STOP PRESS
Because of its runaway sell-out success, BAC are to extend therun of Masque of the Red Death for a further 12 weeks until the 12thof April. So, if you haven’t been able to get tickets, apply now (0207223 2223 or online at www.bac.org.uk . A limited number of special“Pay What You Can” tickets are available for Wandsworth residentsin this extended run.
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A LOOK AT LIFEby the Man on the Battersea Omnibus
librarian on Lavender Hill as shehanded the pass over. And I now travelcheerfully and freely wherever I like. Ionly wish I could say the same aboutcrossing the road.
I celebrated my aforementionedbirthday in New York, where everyjunction has pedestrian lights givingample time to cross the widest roadbefore the traffic tries to mow youdown. Have you ever tried to cross theEmbankment at Battersea Bridge?You take your life in your handsdashing across in the fleetingmoments before red light changes togreen. It is nothing short of adisgrace. And it happens all overLondon. There are simply not enoughGreen Men!
So I applaud the efforts of LondonLiving Streets which is calling for morepedestrian crossings at busy
junctions, as part of their campaign forstreets that are more people-friendlyand less dominated by traffic. Have alook at their website atwww.livingstreets.org.uk or call 0207820 1010 to pledge your support.
That’s all for this time. See you onthe Battersea Bus!
Mike Roden
Like all sensible folk I object toASDA claiming they’re in Claphamwhen in fact they’re in the heart ofBattersea, and I’ll cheer on thosetrying to change the name of thestation to Battersea Junction. Butwhat is this daft name they’ve chosenfor the campaign – SW11tch. How inMartin Linton’s name do you say that,and not sound as if you’re speakingPolish?
A few weeks ago I turned sixty andwas at last able to claim my FreedomPass - one of the few reasons thatyoungsters stuck in season ticketmisery envy us oldies. Worthy of acelebration, and of course I wasinvited to canapés and champagne inthe Town Hall, with a speech from theMayor. Would have been nice,wouldn’t it? I’m not really complaining,though. I got a nice smile from the
Tony Tuck is a hard act to follow. Indefatigable, he has edited the newsletterfor almost three years in addition to chairing the Society and a myriad otheractive commitments. The newsletter under Tony has been a robust andentertaining read. I will try to continue in this tradition. I hope that you, thereaders, will let me know how I am getting on.
The Newsletter will be sent to all members by post. If you would also like toreceive it in glorious Technicolour by email, please contact [email protected] it is a large file, this is only recommended to members who have broadband access.
Do you go out to eat in local restaurants? Do you have a computer? I would love to have a regularrestaurant review column. We can’t unfortunately offer you anything other than the honour and glory ofwriting for the Society – no expenses for champagne at Chez Bruce or chips at Brady’s – but if youare interested, please get in touch.
We want the Society to be as representative as possible of the local community - and that meansmore members. If you have friends or neighbours who might be interested in joining, do put them intouch with Maureen Larkin, the membership secretary. Maureen’s email address [email protected] or you can contact her by phone on 020 7228 4873.
Walking in Battersea Park and on Wandsworth Common has been an absolute joy this autumn.Aren’t we lucky to live in a part of London that has both the urban vibrancy of BAC and the peace ofthe commons and parks?
Jenny [email protected]
020 7350 2749
Editorial
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HEALTH IN BATTERSEAwhat are the issues?
Annoyed about noise?Peeved with pollution?
Care about crime prevention?
In south Battersea, at least, when the talk turns tohealthcare, keeping the much-loved Bolingbroke Hospitalis the burning topic of concern. But at the BatterseaSociety’s public meeting on health on 20 September2007, few of the expert panel were in favour of keepingthe elderly hospital.
There will be a full consultation on health care in northWandsworth and Battersea in early 2008, said IanReynolds, chair of Wandsworth Primary Care Trust(PCT). With a population of 84,000 there is a close mix ofaffluent and deprived neighbourhoods, with the result thatthere can be over six years difference in life expectancybetween people who live just a few streets apart. Tryingto reduce these health inequalities is a major aim of thePCT, and public health and prevention are vital tools.
For GP Dr. Jeremy Gray, the main issue was the needfor more preventive care; 50% of diabetes, for example,could be prevented. He called for improved premises andbetter training for GPs, pharmacists and nurses, so theycould deliver more and better care with less need for hospital admissions.
Battersea’s MP, Martin Linton, would be happy to see the Bolingbroke rebuilt if it could be done with the rightfacilities, but he too spoke of the need for health services to be sited where they are most needed, in areas ofdeprivation. He revealed that the favoured site for a future local hospital is on the corner of Grant Road and WinstanleyRoad.
Ian Hart, chair of Wandsworth Council’s health scrutiny committee, was the only panel member firmly in favour ofretaining the Bolly. But even he said that there were more pressing concerns, such as the borough’s high level ofteenage pregnancy, deaths from smoking and low rate of childhood immunisation – all the concerns of community andprimary care, rather than hospitals.
The meeting was ably chaired by Harvey Heath, who encouraged questions from the floor. Mostly, these concernedthe Bolingbroke, mental health and the need for prevention. There were plaudits for the PCT’s communications team,who regularly attend meetings, set up workshops and communicate through their website and the local press.
As for the Bolingbroke, in the short term, the few services currently provided there will be moved to St John’s TherapyCentre. In the longer term, the PCT will probably sell the Bolly’s site; it has promised not to do so until after theconsultation next year.
We will report further on healthcare plans in future issues.Jenny Sheridan.
The Bolingbroke Hospital
Come and join our newCommunity Committee. Todate, the Battersea Society’smain focus has been onplanning issues and onorganizing events for themembership. But there aremany other issues of interestand concern to the community inBattersea, such as theenvironment, refuse and litter,
health and social care, crimeprevention and local history. Ifyou have an interest in any ofthese areas and you would liketo have a voice in them, pleaseget in touch.Meetings are held on a sixweekly basis. The next is onWednesday the 9th January2008.
To find out more, contact HarveyHeath, the committee chair:[email protected] or 0207585 3788.
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Battersea Society events in early 2008JANUARYWed 16th 8 pm Meeting: Clapham Junction.
The Clapham Society have invited us to join them in adiscussion on the proposed improvements toClapham Junction Station and the surrounding area.Venue: Clapham Manor Primary School, BelmontRoad (off Grafton Square)
Wed 23rd 2 pm Private tour of the Mansion House.
FEBRUARYSat 2nd 2 pm Private visit to Tate Britain print archives
Thurs 7th 7.30 pm Talk: Transport before the RailwaysDorian Gerhold, chair, Wandsworth Historical Society.Venue: to be confirmed.
MARCHSat am Private tour of Royal Court Theatre (date tbc)
Thurs 6th eve Meeting: The environment and sustainability.Venue and time tbc.
Further details and ticket application forms will be circulated late December. For further information contact: 020 7228 4873 / 020 7223 5999
Who lived in your house?Writer, artist, Chelsea pensioner?
or a character straight from the pages of Dickens?Every house has a story to tell.
Makes an ideal gift.
25 years of experienceBattersea or elsewhere
See website: http://www.housestories.co.uk/
Email: [email protected]
HOUSE HISTORIESAdvertisement
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Fred Wells Gardens is a little oasis between the river and the railways a few hundred yards west of Battersea Square.It was opened back in 1983 with a great flourish – steel bands, TV stars and a grand party with brightly dressed clowns.The idea at the time was that the gardens would provide a community enterprise with local people pulling together tohelp the park to develop. This never happened.
Some twenty years after that grand opening Wandsworth Council announced that, having received a grant of £180,000to revamp the gardens, they were calling a consultation meeting to give local residents an opportunity to discuss thepark’s future. The so-called ‘opportunity’ was in fact one for the Council to announce a fait accompli. They proposedspending £ 125,000 on a toddlers’ playground, with the rest going on refurbishing the gardens and providing a through-path for pedestrians, avoiding the play areas. I wrote sadly then of the neglected state of the gardens, saying that herewas a wonderful chance for the Council to get the whole neighbourhood on board and do a great job that would benefiteverybody.
Again this did not happen, though the toddlers’ playground, all £125,000 of it, has been gaudily installed. It’s asthough Blackpool has come to Battersea with all its garish appeal. Is it really a thrill for an infant to run in and out of thejaws of a huge bright blue hippopotamus with a gigantic red mouth? At first there was often a sprinkling of appreciativeparents watching their children enjoying themselves, but now, several months later, it seems to be deserted most of thetime. Perhaps this is not surprising, as there is only one bench!
Now, when all that money has been spent, little has changed in the rest of the park.. Still the same air of neglect:shaggy grass, weed-surrounded trees and filthy benches. I always thought that a pleasure garden was a place forflowers, but here there are only daisies and clover. I know the Council is financially stretched, but surely some of thisvery generous grant could have been allotted to future upkeep, sufficient to pay a part-time gardener? A flight of stepshas been built to replace the slippery slope that divided the Vicarage Gardens side from the railway side, but there is stillno through-path for dog walkers
How lovely it would be if the Council decided to provide an environmentally friendly garden that would attract birds andbees and give the local community an oasis of colour and charm. The Council could attract sponsorship, as they did in1983, and then hold a competition to design the garden. How about it?
Gloria Cottesloe
FRED WELLS GARDENSan opportunity missed
As part of our involvement in andencouragement of local communitygroups, the Battersea Societyparticipates annually in St Mary’sSummer Fair, held in September.There is a real ‘village’ feeling aboutthe event as familiar local faces greetone another, have a chat, or haggleover a purchase. This year there wasglorious sunshine and a wonderfulsense of purposeful activity. Therewere stalls bursting with a wide varietyof goods, such as the book stall withits good quality, often nearly-newbooks. The Battersea Society’shome-made produce was a sell-outand you may see our jewelleryembellishing some of your friends.
The Church, of course, is visuallyvery poetic, set in an advantageousposition at the bend of the river as thelight reflects off the water and appearsto extend the land mass upon whichthe church is placed. One can seewhy JWM Turner spent many hourssketching and painting from thechurch vestry window.
Wendy Deakins
ST MARY’S PARISHCHURCH SUMMER FAIR
BATTERSEA PASTAND PRESENT
It is sometimes hard to visualiseBattersea before the railways came.But in the Wandsworth Historian, thejournal of the Wandsworth HistoricalSociety, you can read a fascinatingaccount of Longhedge Farm, whichflourished from before the Civil War tothe mid 19th century. The farm, whichcomprised a mix of arable andpasture, was located near thepresent-day Battersea Park.
The journal also contains articles ofinterest on freemasonry in the areaand on the Nine Elms steelworksduring the Second World War.
The autumn 2007 edition of theWandsworth Historian is availablefrom the Wandsworth Museum untilthe end of December, price £3.
TWO-WHEEL TRAFFICIn the last issue of the Newsletter,
we included an article by the intrepidHarvey Heath on his cyclingexperiences as part of theWandsworth Cycling Campaign.Harvey went on a course and hassince bought a bike.
Wandsworth Council also run cyclecourses, organized by MartinAndrews, the road safety officer.Courses are available free of charge toadults and children who live, work orgo to school in the borough.www.wandsworth.gov.uk/cycletrainingor phone Mr Andrews on 020 88716670.
AWARD FOR MUSEUMCAMPAIGNERS
The efforts of the WandsworthMuseum Campaign Group have beenrecognised with a prestigious award.On 13 November the group, whichincludes the Battersea Society andseveral other local community groups,won the London Forum’s Walter BorAward for media impact. The judgeswere impressed by the group’s“successful use of outside media tofurther its objectives”.
Congratulations to our sisterorganisation, the WandsworthSociety, which won an award for thebest newsletter.
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Buying art is no longer the preserveof the few, sipping champagne inwhite-walled art galleries. There arenumerous art fairs, includingAffordable Art in Battersea Park.Another way of seeing and buying arthas grown rapidly in popularity;visiting artists’ studios offers theunique experience of talking to theartist about their work and frequentlyof seeing it in a domestic setting.
Wandsworth Open HouseWeekends take place every October.This year 80 studios and houses wereopen, and around 25 of these were inBattersea. Martin Ireland paints in hisstudio in Balham and opened hishouse in Battersea as part of OpenHouseWeekend. Heis known forhis paintingsof swimmingpools and water, some painted atTooting Lido. “We had around 300visitors over the two weekends,” saidMartin, who showed together with aprint-maker and a photographer.“Some people come back year afteryear. It allows them to speak to the
In May this year, inspectors found that the school, oneof the largest primary schools in the country with 621pupils, was “a shining example of a high-performingmulticultural state sector school”.
A wide range of ethnic backgrounds and variedlanguages are found among the children, who aredescribed as extremely polite, friendly and well-behaved.The inspectors credited the “outstanding” leadership ofthe head, John Grove, as a major factor in the school’soverall performance.
ART FOR ALLperson who made thepiece and it’s muchless intimidating thanstanding in one ofthose white cubes.And of course itmakes sensefinancially – prices canbe up to a third lessthan in a gallery.”
Some artists take amore jaundiced view.“The advertising for theevent could be muchbetter,” said TessBarnes, who paintsportraits andlandscapes in a studio
in herhouse inMuncasterRoad. “TheCouncil
should help artists to co-ordinateleaflet drops in residential streets. InPutney they had balloons round thedoors and people standing in thestreet handing out fliers. Those kindsof initiatives bring in people who don’tgo to the library to pick up a leaflet.”
But for art-lovers the Open Houseweekend offers a marvellousopportunity to view ceramics,sculpture and prints as well aspaintings, and to admire the creativitythat exists in the borough. And forthose who prefer to spend their moneyon art rather than champagne, pricesstart as low as £5.
Jenny Sheridan
“prices can be up to a third less thanin a gallery”
BATTERSEA SCHOOL WINS HIGHPRAISE FROM OFSTED
Cold Water by Martin Ireland
Belleville Primary School, in Battersea,has been judged “outstanding” by Ofsted
inspectors.
Belleville Primary School
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WANDSWORTH MUSEUM FACESCHALLENGES
Museum’s viability. The Council iscurrently offering to offset asubstantial rent with an equivalentgrant for the first five years, followingwhich the rent would continue at thesame level, but with no undertakingregarding a grant. However this is thestart of a negotiating process and no-one makes their best offer first.Nevertheless the negotiations maywell be difficult, and they are crucialfor the Museum project. In addition,
converting part of West Hill Libraryinto a museum will absorb asignificant part of the Hintze donation,and this expenditure will be worthwhileonly if the Museum is likely to remainat West Hill for a considerable period.
The third challenge is to establish astaffing structure for the re-establishedMuseum which will be sustainable,and even more urgently to recruitsomeone to implement the board’sdecisions. The board has decided toappoint a project director as soon aspossible for the early stages of theproject. This does not pre-empt futuredecisions about a staffing structureand the recruitment of staff from theexisting Museum.
Fourthly the board needs abusiness plan to help it make financialdecisions, especially decisions about
staffing, which will be the main cost.In particular the board needs todetermine how the Museum will befunded after the five years of fundingfrom the Hintze family come to anend. A tender has been obtained fromconsultants, but it is possible that theproject director will be tasked with thiswork instead
There is also a fifth challenge,which is to develop links throughoutthe community. The Museum is
unlikely to survive after the firstfive years if local people do notregard it as their Museum. Theformation of the Friends ofWandsworth Museum is animportant part of this, and there
are also plans to establish a steeringgroup or advisory panel made up oflocal people.
Much of the company’s work isbehind the scenes at present, but indue course its activities will becomemore visible, and then it will certainlyneed the help of all those whocampaigned to save the Museum.
Dorian Gerhold.Chair, Wandsworth Historical Society
Director, Wandsworth MuseumCompany Ltd.
Friends of Wandsworth Museumc/o Wandsworth Museum11 Garratt LaneLondon SW18 4AQ(Please enclose an SAE)[email protected]
Following the generous offer by theHintze Family Charitable Foundationof £2 million over five years towardsWandsworth Museum, WandsworthCouncil decided that the re-established Museum should be run bya charitable or non-profit-makingcompany. Wandsworth MuseumCompany Limited was establishedduring the summer, and has eightmembers or directors, includingMichael and Dorothy Hintze (the latteras chairman), the Mayor ofWandsworth and myself.
One of the board’s first acts was toco-opt Professor Jack Lohman,director of the Museum of London,who has brought to the company hisvast knowledge of how a museumshould be run. His participation is asignal of the importance the museumworld now attaches to the future ofWandsworth Museum.
The company is in a somewhat oddposition, as it currently has nocollection, no museum building andno staff – indeed technically nomoney either. If it were taking over theexisting Museum in its currentbuilding its task would be muchsimpler, for the fact that it is re-establishing the Museum in a differentbuilding means that everythingabout the Museum must bere-thought. The board hasalready determined that it isnot feasible to re-open theMuseum as early as April2008, the date proposed byWandsworth Council. There will thusbe a considerable time after thecurrent Museum closes at the end ofDecember before the new one opens.The board has at least four majorchallenges (all inter-connected) todeal with fairly urgently.
The first is to establish its vision forthe Museum; in other words todetermine what sort of Museum itshould be and what aspects of theborough’s history it should cover.
The second is to acquire premises.The Council has made clear that theCourt House will not be available, andhas offered part of West Hill Library.The draft business plancommissioned by the Council statedthat anything more than a nominalrent for premises would have ‘asignificant negative impact’ on the
“it is not feasible to re-open theMuseum as early as April 2008”
Wandsworth Museum
Dorian Gerhold outlines the museum’s progress
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LOCAL HERO – OR VILLAIN…?
Most members can list the more notable people who have beenassociated with St. Mary’s Church: Blake, Turner, Benedict Arnold. Lessfamous, perhaps, is Joseph Dixon, usually described as the local architect,who designed the current church. Perhaps it’s time his story was told morefully.
He was born in Stamford in 1732. He trained as a mason, and in the mid1750s joined his older brother Richard, a successful carpenter and builder inLondon. Joseph seems to have been a flamboyant character, with an eye forthe main chance, and he soon made his mark as a mason and a propertydeveloper. Rarely refusing a job, he worked with his brother and others inPimlico, Rotherhithe and Putney, even as far afield as Somerset. In 1761 hewas appointed chief mason for the building of the new Blackfriars Bridge.
It’s now that he appears in Battersea. Buying a large house in NineElms, he soon became an important figure in the neighbourhood. In 1768following his election as churchwarden he began a campaign to re-build thechurch.
Around the same time Blackfriars Bridge was completed to generalapproval. Joseph Dixon claimed most of the credit, although he had notbeen the building contractor. He was a mason, not a designer of bridges,but his fame had spread and in October 1770 he was hired by the town ofExeter to build a new bridge over the River Exe.
In Battersea the following year he launched his scheme to build anentirely new church and his offer to design it free of charge was readilytaken up (later it was suggested that as churchwarden he had paid himselfout of church funds).
There was some unease about replacing the church, so he brought in three ‘independent’ surveyors who confirmedthat the old building (pictured below) was unsafe. A trust was set up and after a meeting at the Raven Inn on 31 May1774, the job was put out to tender. It is probably no surprise that the job was awarded to Joseph’s brother Richard (oneof the so-called independent surveyors). Demolition quickly followed and the first stone of the new church was laid earlyin 1775.
Joseph now had too many irons in the fire. Work on the church and other projects in and around London, wascontributing to serious delays on the Exeter bridge, and doubts had been expressed about the safety of his design. TheBridge Committee was considering legal action when nature stepped in and a flood destroyed the bridge foundations,washing away all the arches. Exeter lost faith in him – he forfeited his substantial security deposit - and another buildertook his place.
It was the beginning of the end for Joseph. His brother Richard tried to bail him out but this affected his own finances,threatening progress on the new church in Battersea. The trustees were close to taking proceedings against Richard,but somehow he completed the work on time, and the new church was opened on 16 November 1777 with a service ofthanksgiving. Despite some minor alterations over the years it remains largely as it was then.
Time had run out for the Dixon brothers. By the end of 1778 they had both been declared bankrupt and their propertydeveloping days were over.
Joseph continued to live in Battersea and to do odd jobs for the church, and even to be a vestry member. But his glorydays were over. He found a job as a bridgemaster maintaining London Bridge which continued until his death in 1787 at
the age of fifty-six. The fees for his burial inthe crypt of St. Mary’s were waived by thetrustees, and his widow Joanna was buriedbeside him the following year.
The only bequest in his will was his familybible, which he left to his nephew Joseph, atheology student. But his greatest legacy stillstands today - the church he designed– thejewel in Battersea’s crown.
Mike Roden
Acknowledgements to Battersea Past byPatrick Loobey (Historical Publications Ltd.2002), the website of St. Mary’s Churchwww.stmarysbattersea.org.uk and afascinating genealogy site members.cox.net/ggthomp/josephdixon1699.html
Mike Roden takes a look at one of the lesser known figures in Battersea’s past
St. Mary’s Church today
St. Mary’s Church - mid 18c
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“Do we always make risotto?” asksJules, concerned. “Invariably,” I reply,“but you say it like it’s a bad thing.” Ihand over wine and chocolate forapproval (“Organic AND Fairtrade!”)Risotto and gossip are followed bypaper, envelopes and laptops, for thisis no ordinary dinner party: it isChange the World Monday (CTWM).For the next hour or so the six of uswill write cogently argued letters toMP’s, large corporations, or heads ofstate, about things that make uscross: human rights violations,sweatshop conditions, humantrafficking. In short, we like to ‘stick itto the man’ (a phrase that stillpuzzles me: Tom, our representativeman, hardly seems to embodycorporate greed or politicalruthlessness.)
A concept deserving of a bettername, CTWM was Jenny’s idea: agroup of us meet once a month to eat,drink and write letters. Campaigning,
it turns out, is extremely onerous todo on one’s own, but surprisingly funto do with friends. The evening rarelypasses without one of our number(usually Jenny) uttering the words:‘You guys, I am SO glad we are doingthis.’
Like most people, I find itunacceptable that my clothes aremade in sweatshops, that cottonfarmers are poisoned by pesticides,and that cocoa is harvested by childslaves. But a little knowledge can beparalysing, posing such questions as:is it OK to buy clothes a) for a fiver, orb) at all? Will it make any differencewhatsoever if I don’t? A friend whoshall be nameless recently tried totalk me out of my ethical dilemmas,saying ‘You can’t care abouteverything’. Maybe not, but you cancare about some things. CTWMimmediately struck me as a way ofcaring about some things, without
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLDWITH CHOCOLATE
becoming overwhelmed, and withoutover-reliance on ‘changing the worldby shopping’, a concept I also like,but which surely has its limitations.
But do letters really changeanything? Well, we do get replies,which suggests that they are at leastread. Companies and politicians docare about what consumers andconstituents think (and sometimesthey even care about the issuesthemselves.) So we chip away; wehope that, sometimes, we make adifference.
So far we have tackled chocolateslavery, garment workers rights, thearms trade, and the loophole whichexempts private care homes from theHuman Rights Act. Initially somewhatscattergun in our approach, we havebecome more focussed, with each ofus adopting a particular cause. Thuswe now have our very own HomelessTsar, Environmental Correspondent,and Fair Trade Lady. The downside ofthis is that we cannot, indeed, ‘careabout everything’ (or at least, wecannot act on everything), so we haveto hope that someone, somewhere,will care about the rest.
But the idea is spreading (a newgroup has just been started by Tom’sMum.) If you would like to start yourown group, you will need: somefriends (4 – 6 seems to work well),paper and envelopes (preferably
A few campaigns to get you started, though there are manyothers:
Amnesty International: www.amnesty.org.uk/
Labour Behind the Label: www.labourbehindthelabel.org/
Stop the Traffik: www.stopthetraffik.org/
Campaign Against Arms Trade: www.caat.org.uk/
Friends of the Earth: www.foe.co.uk/
Help the Aged: www.helptheaged.org.uk/en-gb
“So far we havetackled chocolate,
slavery and thearms trade”
recycled), wine and chocolate(optional but recommended; preferablyfairtrade) and some issues(suggestions below). Our group,based in Wandsworth, is offering‘taster evenings’ if you’d like to comeand see how it works. Email me [email protected]
Go on, stick it to the man!
Ruth Beckmann
A Fairtrade Chocolate fanPhoto: Martin Wurt/OxfamAUS
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BATTERSEA POWER STATION UPGRADED TO GRADE II*
The application to have the listingincreased to Grade 2* was made byBattersea Power Station CommunityGroup (BPSCG) in December 2003.The application was supported by theBattersea Society and by theTwentieth Century Society and theWorld Monuments Fund in Britain.Applications to list or upgradebuildings are usually dealt with in sixmonths, but this application tookalmost four years. The delay was duelargely to opposition from the thenowners of the building, ParkviewInternational, who argued that theupgrade would impede theirredevelopment plans.
Inspectors from English Heritagevisited the building in 2004 but couldnot see the interior, due apparently toasbestos removal works. TheDepartment for Culture, Media andSport (DCMS) therefore wrote toBPSCG to say that the building was“currently undergoing renovation” andthat consideration of an upgradewould be deferred until the works werecomplete. It took further pressure fromBPSCG members - who pointed outthat the redevelopment had not in factstarted – before the DCMSreferred the case back toEnglish Heritage in 2005.
English Heritage made afull inspection of the buildingin October 2005, with the assessor’sreport appearing in January 2006. Thereport noted that the building hadundergone significant alteration,particularly loss of machinery andinterior structure. Nevertheless, itconcluded:
“The building is a renowned one forvarious reasons. It is a landmark ofinternational renown; it possessesoutstanding architectural interest; italso possesses clear historicalinterest because of its role asLondon’s key power station, and is arare survival of an interwar powerstation, with a uniquely finelydesigned exterior. For all of thesereasons, upgrading to II* isrecommended”.
The report was circulated to allparties for comment before being sentto the Minister, David Lammy MP, fora decision. Parkview’s lawyersdisputed the report’s conclusion,arguing that the Grade II listing was
an accuratereflection ofthe building’sarchitecturaland historicimportance.
Parkview’sownconsultationbody, theBatterseaPower StationCommunityForum, alsoopposed theupgrade,saying thatthey fearedupgrading would affect the PowerStations’ redevelopment. They alsoimplied that the Battersea Societyopposed the upgrade, prompting thesecretary of the planning sub-committee, Harvey Heath, to write tothe DCMS to disassociate theSociety from this view.
Another year went by with nofurther word from the DCMS. Finally,following changes to the ministerialteam at the DCMS over the summer,
the upgrade was confirmed byMargaret Hodge, the relevant minister,on 3 October 2007. In a DCMS pressrelease, Margaret Hodge said:
“Battersea Power Station is aninternational iconic building which hashad a recurring place in popularculture… It is an exceptional buildingand an important example of thearchitectural work of the notedarchitect Giles Gilbert Scott. Iconsider that English Heritage hasbeen very careful in its advice, theyhave taken full account of the interiorlosses and have weighed this properlyagainst the remaining merits of thebuilding. For this reason I am satisfiedwith the recommendation of anupgrade to Grade II*.”
Although clearly a welcomedecision, listing at Grade II* is reallyno more than the correct listing for thebuilding, and an acknowledgment thatthe previous Grade II listing was aninadequate reflection of the Power
Station’s architectural and historicimportance. (By way of comparison,the Battersea Arts Centre and theformer Granada Cinema on St John’sHill are both listed Grade II*.) Indeed,if the turbines and boilers were still inplace, the building would probablydeserve Grade I status.
Contrary to the protestations ofParkview and its acolytes, theupgrade imposes no additional dutieson the owners. Nor does it makerepairing the building and bringing it
back into use any more difficultor costly. It will however make itharder to get permission todemolish the building. It is also
possible - though perhaps unlikely -that the upgrade to II* will increase thechances of English Heritage takingenforcement action in the event of thenew owners, Real EstateOpportunities (REO), failing toprogress repairs.
More immediately, the upgradesends a message that BatterseaPower Station is not just the playthingof land speculators like Parkview, forthem to do with as they please.Rather, the building is part of theindustrial heritage of all Londoners,who are entitled to see that thebuilding is properly looked after andgiven an appropriate new lease of lifein a new development that respectsits landmark significance.
REO take note.
Keith GarnerBattersea-based architect.
Member of the Battersea PowerStation Community Group
“an international iconic building which hashad a recurring place in popular culture”
Keith Garner reports on the campaign to re-list the Power Station
11
Battersea Power StationThe Sub-Committee continues to
devote much time and effort to thefuture of the Power Station. We aredelighted at its re-grading,demonstrating further recognition of itssignificance. However we remainvigilant over its condition. Tony Tuck,as chair of the Society, has written tothe chief executive of English Heritageexpressing concern about its currentstate and the possible effect on it ofspecial effects for the filming ofBatman movies. The current owners,Treasury Holdings, have issued acontract for essential maintenance.We look forward to seeing evidence ofthis work having been started.
Nine ElmsThe whole Nine Elms area,
including Battersea Power Station andNew Covent Garden Market, islabelled an Opportunity Area in theMayor’s London Plan, with ambitioustargets for attracting new housing andnew jobs. At the moment, however,there is no overall framework to whichredevelopment can relate. The Sub-Committee believes the Societyshould put forward its own planningbrief for the area, and hopes toproduce proposals shortly.
Battersea Town CentreWe are very concerned at the lack
of coherent policies for BatterseaTown Centre and the adjoiningClapham Junction station. TheCouncil seems prepared to letdevelopers call the shots overredevelopment of the StationApproach, despite the questionablefeatures of their ideas. Meanwhile theCouncil has put forward proposals forstreet improvements which bear norelation to the developer’s scheme orto Network Rail’s plans for improvingaccess to the station or even to theCouncil’s own aspirations for sites inFalcon Lane. Major issues not beingproperly addressed includeinterchange between buses andtrains, the north side of the stationand the much less convenient newentrance being planned there, andintegrating new development with the
existing shopping centre in St. John’sRoad. We have written to the Leaderof the Council pressing him to ensurethat proposals for this key area arecoherent and compatible, and askingwhat plans the Council has to carryout meaningful consultation ratherthan partial and misleading exerciseslike those on street improvements.
Elcho Street Area and theRCA Sculpture School
There is an existing planningpermission relating to the bus garagesite and several large vacant sitesalong Elcho Street, wheredevelopment proposals are expected.The Royal College of Art hasappointed architects to prepareproposals for its Howie Street site;these may include student housingand a commercial element as well asthe RCA’s continued use of thebuilding for teaching and research.
In September the Society wrote toCouncillor James Cousins, executivemember for regeneration, calling forthe Council to take the initiative incommissioning an urban design studyfor the area bounded by BatterseaBridge Road and Parkgate Road. Thisshould look at building volumes andheights, urban spaces, landscaping,street lighting. The letter was alsosent to Councillors Davies, Hallmarkand Strickland who represent St.Mary’s Park Ward.
12 Alexandra AvenueWhat is and is not acceptable in
terms of rear and side extensions andthe addition of basement rooms? Thisis an ongoing concern and we wouldbe grateful if members could alert usto applications for extensions whichare out of keeping with the characterof the neighbourhood. We recentlyobjected to a very intrusive rearextension proposed to 12 AlexandraAvenue (between Battersea ParkRoad and Prince of Wales drive) andwere surprised that the Councilapproved it.
Battersea HeliportThe London Heliport Consultative
Group is an independent body whichmonitors heliport activities. It meets atWandsworth Town Hall in public andits secretary, Francis De Lima, can becontacted at Wandsworth Council,020 8871 6488 orwww.wandsworth.gov.uk/heliport .Complaints about helicopter noise aretaken on 020 7228 0181 (8am-8pm).Further information is available fromthe new heliport website,www.londonheliport.co.uk
Ralph West HallVigilance is also needed at this site
in Albert Bridge Road. The new owner,Renaissance Holdings, has set outplans for a sheltered housingdevelopment consisting of individuallyowned flats with supporting services.They have not yet made a planningapplication
Bus Service ReviewTransport for London (TfL) has
circulated a list of the routes to be re-tendered to ask for any initialcomments. We have respondedasking them to address problems withfrequency and overcrowding on the344; we also noted the merits of boththe 239 and 345 routes.
If you are interested in joining thecommittee, or if you want to discuss alocal planning or transport issue,please contact me.
David LewisChair Planning Sub-Committee
[email protected] 7622 8017
HELICOPTERS, BASEMENTS AND BUSESDavid Lewis, chair of the Planning Sub-Committee, gives the first of a
series of updates on their important work
12
“The heroism and the heartbreaks”,trumpeted the Wandsworth BoroughNews. Perhaps a little over the top,but Battersea was certainly one of theworst affected parts of London in thefloods of late July this year. On Friday20 July, three months worth of rain fellin just two hours. Cars were almostsubmerged and several roads becameimpassable.
Latchmere Road was closed totraffic due to flash floods under therailway bridge. “It often used to getflooded but I have lived in the area allmy life and I have never seen it as badas this”, said Battersea Societymember Maureen Larkin. “It was overfour feet deep of thick black water. Atone stage a man in a dinghy camerowing through.”
Queenstown Road and BatterseaBridge Road were also closed andbuses had to be diverted. Some sidestreets looked like Venetian canals.
Water gushed like a river downNorthcote Road, which follows thecourse of the culverted Falcon Brook.
Water poured in through the doorsand came up through manholes, floorsand toilets.Most of theshops had toclose and whenthe rainstopped theshopkeepersswept andbaled out thefilthy water,their trousersrolled up totheir kneesover bare feet.Printax, apopularstationeryshop, wasforced to close in order to reconstructtheir basement to prevent furtherflooding. After over three months, theyhave only just reopened in November.Waterstones bookshop in St John’sRoad also closed its basement forthree months.
FLOODS FORCE SHOP CLOSURES
As the clocks go back in lateOctober and the nights draw down todarkness – so we optimists lookforward to Spring and the coming NewYear!
But, in a social organisation likethe Battersea Society, there are somefixed points that recur each year. Twosuch are our Annual General Meeting(AGM) and the summer party. Bothare regular fixtures in our calendarand, for those who may be new to theSociety, I hope that what follows maywhet your appetite for these events in2008.
This year the AGM was held inearly May. As a charity and a memberof the Civic Trust it is necessary to berelatively precise and formal inconducting our business, includingthe election of officers, trustees andmembers of the executive committee.However, as chairman, I have alwayssought to speed this formal businessthrough so that we can get onto theillustrated talk that is the heart of theevening. This year it was given byJanet Smith on the “Lidos of London”.
In this she drew on illustrations fromher recently published book “LiquidAssets – the lidos and open airswimming pools of Britain” which ispublished by English Heritage. Thiswas a spell binding evening, with abrilliant depiction of the history of theLidos and their coverage in London(Indeed so inspired was I that I drewheavily on this in an article publishedin the Friends of Battersea ParkNewsletter on “The Lost Lido ofBattersea Park”.) Janet Smith will bea hard act to follow in 2008 – but ourevents team will be up to thechallenge. Watch this space!
The Society’s summer party washeld in the delightful setting of StMary’s Church by the riverside. On asummer’s evening this is one of thefinest open-air venues in Battersea.However, on the evening of July the 5th
this year, the sky was dark and rainwas persistent. Organisers wereinitially downcast but, lo and behold,what could have been a damp squibbecause of the dreary weather turnedout to be one of our most successful
social events ever. The crypt of thechurch was turned into a hive ofactivity with a real diversity of peoplewho all seemed to be enjoyingthemselves and each other.
This year, partly because the localamenity societies in Wandsworth hadall rallied together with theWandsworth Historical Society tosupport the Wandsworth Museum, wehad invited an array of guests fromsister organisations. I think we maywell have consolidated the idea thatwe should all work together (and playtogether) to increase our impact. Socome rain or shine, the Summer Partyin 2008 on 10 July should be a date inyour diary. The AGM is planned for 10July.
Our hard-working events team havealso arranged an array of otherinteresting occasions – see Page 4for details.
Tony Tuck
Floods in Armoury Way
Thames Water had already startedupgrading the area’s Victorian sewers
when the storm burst down. The workshould prevent or alleviate sewerflooding in future. The severity of theflooding was due to the effects ofclimate change causing severesummer storms and to high levels ofdevelopment in London.
Jenny Sheridan
FIXED POINTS IN A TURNING WORLD