South East London blogzine - things that are happening, things that happened, things that should never have happened. New Cross, Brockley, Deptford and other beauty spots. EMAIL US: transpontineblog at gmail.com Transpontine: 'on the other (i.e. the south) side of the bridges over the Thames; pertaining to or like the lurid melodrama played in theatres there in the 19th century'.
At The Quietus, Joe D and Joe M from Angular Recording Corporation show off their impeccable taste, discussing the spotify playlists they have composed of the music that has influenced them.
As the article states: 'Estate agents and homeowners in a certain London postcode have much to thank Angular Records for. It was their label, Angular Records, that a few years ago put New Cross on the map with a series of legendary gigs and a terrific run of new, early singles and compilation tracks from the likes of The Long Blondes, Bloc Party and Art Brut'.
Naturally, I am sceptical of the notion that New X needed to be put on the map (it already was), but Angular certainly created a huge buzz about the 'New Cross Scene' via those nights at the Paradise Bar and elsewhere, and their 2003 New Cross compilation.
Like Factory Records, ARC give a number to everything they are involved in. The New Cross compilation was ARC002, but the very first ARC001 was a redecorated trig point on Hilly Fields, with the label's logo inspired by the design on the top.
The two Joes, ex-Goldsmiths students, were living locally when they started Angular (I remember Joe M worked for a while in Toads Mouth Too cafe in Brockley), but have since moved on. They certainly made an impact on New Cross, and indeed without them Transpontine probably wouldn't exist. It was going out to some of their gigs that got me excited enough about what was going on locally to want to document it. Indeed the second ever post at Transpontine, in October 2004, was about an Angular night at Goldsmiths.
This message popped up on the Folklore Society's Talking Folklore email list yesterday from Martin Goodson:
Just to report sitting on the number 36 bus yesterday from Peckham to Victoria in London. Three students got on outside the art college at Camberwell. We approached the big beige battleship known as the MI5 building at Vauxhall when one of the students piped up
"You know that in case of emergency I've heard that it (MI5 building) [actually MI6], can sink down and go under the river."
General hilarity broke out from the other students
"No, it's true, it can. I've also heard it can turn black so that it cannot be attacked at night."
Level of hilarity increases, but the student persevered in her conviction that this building is now equipped with quite SFX qualities to protect itself in case of attack.
Martin asked if anyone else has heard this rumour.
A response came from another list member who referred everyone to this video on the Daily Telegraph site which describes, firstly, the building as 'Legoland', fitting into an earlier Transpontine thread, and also mentions, 24 seconds in, of a secret tunnel that supposedly runs from MI6 to Vauxhall tube.
A great opportunity to enjoy the splendour of the Rivoli Ballroom (Crofton Park) coming up with the launch event for Lewisham People's Day on Friday 3rd July.
Cut a Shine will be headlining with their '21st Century Barn Dance', by all accounts a guaranteed excellent night out (here they are in action at Finsbury Town Hall). Support will be locals Brockley Ukulele Group.
Tickets are available here (£9 or £10 on the door).
'This Thursday, Little Devils are playing down at The Montague Arms, Queens Road, SE15 2PA - we will be on stage around 8.30pm. There are some special guests including Superbia - who are new faces to The Monty. Pop along if you can and hear some 21st century blues with Phil Nice, Yoka the Dutch Diva, Vivienne Soan, Alex Brewood, special guest drummer, John Gregory and Graeme Wheatley. (album on sale too!!!). Entry is £5.00 (£3.00 un-washed). Hope to see you there'.
An eviction notice has been served on the occupation at Lewisham Bridge. Bailiffs are arriving at 10.30 on Wednesday morning. Hands Off Lewisham Bridge are asking for your support in resisting the eviction. We need as many people as possible to stay overnight on Tuesday. If you can't stay overnight then please come down as early as possible on Wednesday morning to support the occupation.
We want to let Lewisham Council know that they are evicting people who have been peacefully protesting over the destruction of community education at our school. Lewisham Council still don't have planning permission for their new school. Lewisham Council still haven't told us why the decant had to take place at Easter, when children were taking SATs and banding tests. Lewisham Council still haven't told us why they are prepared to wash their hands of the responsibility of educating our children.
If Lewisham Bridge Primary School is given to Leathersellers we parents will have no say in the governance of our school. Staff will be employed by Leathersellers who will set their own terms and conditions taking those teachers out of a collective national teaching body.This is privatisation! This is bringing the market into our kids' education, where the only motivation is profit and the only measure is league tables and headcount. Competition will be the name of the game. Trusts and academies will compete for those children they believe to be desirable and leave those whom they don't on the scrapheap.
Why have Prendergast rejected the Travellers Education Service that used to be based at the school? Why have Prendergast rejected the proposal to establish a SEN unit at the new school? A consultation process has already started for a trust led by Goldsmiths University which will govern 3 schools: Addey & Stanhope, Deptford Green and Crossways. It is a process that has exactly the same goal. To take our schools out of the public sector and hand them over to the private sector. We cannot let them get away with this. We can fight this together and we can win! Come down to Lewisham Bridge Primary School and let the bailiffs know that we're not going easily.
About ten people watched the sunrise at Hilly Fields this morning, with a few more jumping on the Stone Circle. Hilly Fields Stone Circle itself doesn't give a good view of the Summer Solstice sunrise, it's better in the winter, which does confuse people. One person asked us whether the Stone Circle had been put in "the wrong place?"
Brockley harvested and brewed elderflower champagne was drunk, people did little personal rituals. Some burnt paper, some drummed, some held hands and cried. Marking the Solstice is an ritual or custom without a rulebook, everyone celebrates the sun in their own way.
London Sound Survey is exactly what it says it is - 'Recordings of background atmospheres and incidental noises from all over London'. Thrill to the sound of the traffic on the New Cross Road (recorded in St James), gasp at the slightly different traffic sound on Shooters Hill Road, wonder at the bird song and man coughing on Kilmorie Road, Forest Hill. There's fruit and veg sellers on Woolwich Market, Saxon Sound System at Notting Hill Carnival and Millwall fans (home game against Stockport, 2008). It's the quality of these stereo recordings that give it the edge - listening to it on headphones I found myself turning round looking for the sound source.
There's also a nice history section, with descriptions of lost London soundscapes, such as this from Samuel Pepys on Rotherhithe: 'so we took boat, and it being darke and the thaw having broke the ice, but not carried it quite away, the boat did pass through so much of it all along, and that with the crackling and noise that it made me fearfull indeed'.
From the Penny Illustrated Paper, November 10, 1906:
'London is shortly to be provided with a new sensation - the lady-wrestler. At the present moment, there is living, not a hundred miles from London - to be more exact, at Brockley, in Kent - a lady named Miss Juno May, who will shortly make her first public appearance with an open challenge to any other woman-wrestler for £1000.
Miss May, who is only twenty-two years of a age, and who is a British girl born and bread - she was born in Kent - is well named Juno, for she is of exceedingly attractive appearance, and indeed, anything more unlike the average strong woman could not well be imagined. Standing over six feet in height, Miss May is perfectly proportioned, and is the possessor of beautifully-shaped hands and feet. In colouring she is dark, with blue eyes, a clear skin and very regular features'.
Full story here. Did anyone ever rise to her £1000 Challenge? I haven't been able to find out any more about her, but the article mentions that her trainer was Mr Antonio Pierri. There are several mentions of him online - among other things he seems to have both fought and later managed the famous wrestler of the time YoussufIshmaelo, the Terrible Turk
2005 Grime classic from Southside Allstars name checking all the Transpontine zones and more: 'Forest Hill, Sydenham, Honor Oak Park, Brockley, Bromley, Caford, Downham, Lewisham, New Cross...'
Rediscovered Urban Rituals, who helped organised a fantastic May Day Jack in the Green procession in Deptford in 2006, are recreating the famous Charlton Horn Fair procession in a couple of weeks.
The procession of 'Hornified Fumblers', traditionally met at Cuckolds point in Rotherhithe, after crossing the Thames, from the city. They would process through Deptford, Greenwich and onto the Charlton Horn Fair. The Horn Fair was granted a charter by the Abbot of Bermondsey in 1268 for an annual fair to be held at Charlton, but was eventually banned by the Victorians in 1872 for ‘licentious conduct’. The celebrants would dress up in drag and adorn horns & masks to attend this carnival of cuckoldry, cross-dressing and the wearing of horns possibly evoking ancient ritual & fertility symbolism. Historically, references to the date of the Horn fair range from Spring through Midsummer being moved in the 17th Century to October 18th – St Luke’s day whose symbol is the bull.
You are welcome to come along and join in the procession on June 28th 2009 this year, starting From Cuckolds Point, Rotherhithe (on the river near to the Rotherhithe Hilton), through Deptford and Greenwich to Charlton House. It will start at 10.30am sharp .
A great summer's night entertainment coming up at the Albany next week. Maybe I just haven't been getting out enough but it did feel as if New X/Detpford was at risk of losing its edge a bit as incubator of great new music. But judging by this the next wave is coming through - so get down there and then you will be able to say, like those of us lucky enough to be in the Paradise Bar four or five years ago, that you saw x, y, z when they were still playing in small venues in the area.
On Thursday June 18th 2009 at the Albany in Deptford (Douglas Way SE8), OOXXOO and the Albany present...
The Invisible : Fresh from a crazy six months supporting Hot Chip, the Doves and Foals, the Invisible are some of the most talented musicians to come out of South East London in the past few years. They are also some ofthe most well liked and most respected, it is a real pleasure to havethem headline and showcase their work.
Alexis Taylor [Hot Chip] DJ Set: Alexis is taking a well-earned break from finishing the recording of the new Hot Chip album to come down to Deptford and play his selection of the best dance music around.
Laetitia Stereolab / Marie Lisbonne DJ Set: spinning some records as well as showcasing their joint project Monade.
Exlovers, - recently finished recording an EP with Stephen Street [The Smiths, Blur] and have been band of the week on Steve Lamacq twice.Dimbleby & Capper - Laura Bettinson [aka Dimbleby and Capper] pours her sweet and sultry vocal styles over beautifully constructed songs.
David Jay - 'The Vocal Pugilist' - spoken word artist, check this out.
Plus No Pain in Pop DJs and in the Cafe area A Little Bazaar Market with record stalls, traditional jumble, badge making, Vintage clothes and more... and Zineswap (just what is says).
Advance tickets £6 from Albany Box Office (0208 692 4446) or £6/5 NUS on the door. Doors open 7.30pm.
Cafe Crema 306 New Cross Road London SE14 6AF. 2mins from New x Gate tube and mainline. Easy on the buses. mob 07905 961 876/ 07905 552 571. www.cafecremaevents.co.uk
At his new site Humphrey with His Flail, folklorist Paul Cowdell mentions that Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park by the Imperial War Museum was, up until at least the 1970s, known to many locals as Bedlam Park, on account of it being the site of the Bethlehem Mental Hospital from 1815 to 1930. This is a good example of an unofficial place name preserving the memory of old names and places.
Can you think of any other examples of South East London places where the names people use (or have used) for them differ from the official names given on maps and street signs?
The best example I can think of is The Blue in Bermondsey, a name still commonly used to describe the market and a specific stretch of Southwark Park Road near to the Blue Anchor pub. There has been a pub with this name there since at least the 17th century and the road by it was actually only renamed from Blue Anchor Lane to Southwark Park Road in 1878. It was originally a raised causeway aross the marshy ground.
Another minor example is East Street, home to the well-known market in Walworth. I have heard people refer to it as East Lane, its previous moniker.
SELFS meets at The Old King's Head, Kings Head Yard, 45-49, Borough High St, London, SE1 1NA (see map). Talks start at 8.00pm, £2.50 / £1.50 concessions.
Yesterday's New Scientist reports the finding of a 17th century 'witch bottle' in Greenwich (location not mentioned), containing urine, 'bent nails and pins, a nail-pierced leather "heart", fingernail clippings, navel fluff and hair. The presence of iron sulphide in the mixture also suggests that sulphur or brimstone had been added'. The bottle had apparently been deliberately buried with this mixture to ward off spells. Full story here; more pictures here.
Treat for fans of 80s/90s indie-stars The Wedding Present tomorrow night (Friday june 5th), handsome singer David Gedge is DJing at the fab How Does it Feel? club in Brixton alongside its regular fare of 'indie pop, northern soul, tamla motown, girl groups, and sixties heartbreak'. It's at the Canterbury Arms, Brixton, 9pm-2am, £4 members, £6 non members (but membership is free).
Brockley Max is presents a taster of the cryptozoological-Brockley film Bigfoot of Suburbia and a preview of an occult Deptford film King of Deptford Creektonight, for free, at the Ladywell Tavern at 7pm.
May well see you there.
Details are:
Bigfoot of Suburbia (2006). Written and Directed by Fred Rowson. Starring Richard Proctor King of Deptford Creek (2009). Written and Directed by Fred Rowson. Starring: Simon Pearsall, Director of Photography: Jaime Feliu Torres
Tank Gallery presents two films by local Filmmaker Fred Rowson. We will first introduce a taster of Bigfoot of Suburbia whose main character, Peter Kingsley, is a jobless loner, lost in the heat of a South London summer. However, when a brief local news story catches his attention, his life is given a purpose: even if it costs him his reputation and his home, he knows that he must track down the mysterious beast that is hiding in his local park, Hilly Fields…
We will then screen a full preview of King of Deptford Creek, due to make the round on the festival circuit this summer. This is the story of a South London-based Private Investigator, Eliot, whose journey to find the missing Philip obsesses him to the point that he drops out of society. He becomes so caught up in the search that he too disappears - thanks in equal parts to a failing marriage and a missing diary. The story is set around a Thames tributary, The Ravensbourne, and its tidal reach, known as Deptford Creek, an eerie environment that slowly swallows Eliot’s identity.
The audience are then invited to join us in an informal discussion with a small panel including Fred Rowson and Richard Proctor. The audience will get the chance to see a full screening of Bigfoot of Suburbia either after the discussion or on a later date.
Entrance Fee: Free Venue: Tank Gallery at the Ladywell Tavern 80 Ladywell Road London SE13 7HS
The penultimate monthly Coronary Crumpage at the Montague Arms (289 Queens, SE15) takes place this Thursday. They say:
'All the way from California we have the wonderful Joni Davis (if she can make it to New Cross, so can you!). We are also proud to present the completely unique, beautiful and slightly maniacal ginger pop of Alice and the Cool Dudes. And the icing (or perhaps sponge) of the cake comes courtesy of the consistently brilliant Simon Bookish, who will be performing music from his current album 'Everything/Everything' (buy this album now- it will enrich your life!).
As ever, compilation cds featuring music by the performers will be available at the heart-stoppingly reasonable price of 3 of your earth £'s!!!! Let nothing stand in your way. Come and be part of the experience. We long to share the delights of Crumpage with you'. £6/£4 with flyer (see attached), doors 8pm.
I noticed the wonky roadsign in Lewisham a while back. Since posting it on flickr I'm found a few other folks following this sign, including providing updates. Thanks to QuiteKate for the update.
(1943 school concert programme - click to enlarge)
Pupils from Tidemill Primary School in Deptford have been involved in an oral history project, exploring the history of their school. Some of this is currently displayed in Deptford Library (Wavelengths). The most evocative image for me is the programme from a 1943 school concert, a time when the Frankham Street School (as Tidemill was then called) was evacuated to Robeston Wathen in Pembrokeshire.
As a parent who has sat through many school concerts, including countless versions of modern uplifting ballads like 'Something inside so strong', it was interesting to see what a performance from the Second World War period might include. This concert included country dancing, poems and songs included 'Whistle while you work', 'The Lass with the Delicate Air', 'Glad that I live am I' and a closing 'National Anthem'.
I do, of course, love London's wells and their folklore. Thanks to Ross MacFarlane for passing this one. More of Ross's forthcoming Greenwich walk soon.
Ancient well that gave name to Camberwell unearthed
An ancient well that gave its name to the London district of Camberwell has been unearthed in a woman's back garden.
The original Camber Well, which is believed to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years old, was covered up more than a century ago after falling into disuse.
But local historian John Chaple used 19th Century Ordinance Survey maps to pinpoint its location – behind the home of 64-year-old Noreen Morrin.
Archaeologists have confirmed his discovery, and Southwark Council has now offered to erect a commemorative plaque near her south London home.
Mr Chaple said: "I live in Camberwell and have been fascinated for a long time by the Camber Well, which people trekked to from all over Peckham and Dulwich for their drinking water.
"I managed to persuade Noreen to let me dig up her lawn and filled several huge bags with soil. Luckily, she was interested in local history too.
He added: "I was only about two feet out, which shows the incredible accuracy of the maps. Four or five feet under the lawn there was a big void, which was exciting to find.
"It is possible the well has gone dry but I would be surprised if there wasn't water down there. It will be expensive to excavate but I would love to find out."
Mrs Morrin, a former midwife, said: "It is amazing to have such a piece of ancient history in my garden."
Some history books have claimed that "camber"' meant crooked and that water from the Camber Well could cure "crippled or crooked people".
Another theory is that the well was named after Prince Camber, son of Brutus of Troy who according to legend was the founder of London.
There was sun-kissed dancing on the streets of Brockley on Friday night at the opening of the Brockley Max Festival. We didn't manage to take in all the bands playing by the Bob Marley/Maya Angelou mural opposite the Brockley Barge, but as well as the Brockley Ukulele Group set - pictured at Brockley Central - did take in J'Adore L'Amour (pleased to see they also wielded a ukulele in their version of Five Years Time)...
...and The Grey Cats, who played a good set of covers including Pressure Drop, Rudy Can't Fail and Police on My Back. They are playing at the Montague Arms on Friday 19 June and Tuesday 30 June.
'Cinetopia and Lewisham Art House are reuniting to bring you a second evening of glorious cinematic splendour. So, please bring your friends and join us for a few drinks, a fun film quiz (points mean prizes) and a great mystery film (you won't know what it is 'til it's started). Past Cinetopia evenings have been themed around a wide range of genres from classic comedies to hard-boiled thrillers, including Nine Queens (Argentinian heist thriller), The Shining (epic horror), Adaptation (writers and Hollywood) and Together, (love, sex, childhood and the music of Abba in a Swedish commune). The theme for this event is corruption, cabaret and corporate sleaze.When: Friday 12 June.Where: Lewisham Art House. 140 Lewisham Way, (corner Rokeby Rd) London SE14 6PD. Tickets: £5. Tickets available on the door. Time: Doors open 6.30. Quiz 7.15. Film 8.00'.
Starting today is a week's voluntary effort to clear up the three South East London rivers of the Ravensbourne system - the Ravensbourne itself, along with the Pool and Quaggy. The Three Rivers Clean-Up is being organised by the charity Thames 21 in conjunction with local groups. The focus is on clearing the Himalayan Balsam, a plant that has taken over the banks of the river to the exclusion of many other species needed for a balanced habitat.
Today and next Saturday they are in Ladywell fields from 11 am to 4 pm, and tomorrow (Sunday 31st) Quaggy Waterways Action Group will be working on a stretch of the Quaggy between Clarendon Rise and Manor Park, in SE13. Other activities are taking place in stretches of these rivers in Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham boroughs. Volunteers are welcome, check the list for detals.
It's great to see these 'lost rivers of London' getting some love and attention, next we need to dig up the River Peck and the River Effra!
A couple of South London-linked tales of workplace activity... good to see that the threat of recession hasn't cowed everybody:
- Hundreds of postal workers based in Brixton, Stockwell and South Lambeth refused to deliver the BNP's European election leaflets. The Royal Mail drafted in agency staff to get them delivered instead (South London Press29.5.09).
- There is a tube cleaners demonstration next Monday, the call follows: ' JUSTICE FOR TUBECLEANERS - DEMONSTRATE AT CITY HALL MON 1 JUNE 4PM. On Thursday, the London Mayor increased the London Living Wage to £7.60 an hour. Tubecleaners know they won't see this increase without a fight. Despite the Mayor's commitments to a living wage for cleaners on the underground last summer, it took months for the increase to kick in, and some contractors are still refusing to pay even this.Join the RMT picket of City Hall to call for this living wage for all tube cleaners, as well as for free travel to work / sick pay / decent pensions / 28 days' annual leave / an end to third party sackings. Monday 1 June 4pm outside City Hall (on the south of the river between Tower Bridge and London Bridge). Bring banners, placards and noisemakers!'
In this week's South London Press (22.5.09) there's a short interview with Brixton-based Stereo MCs vocalist Rob Birch. I was intrigued by his 'favourite uniquely South London memory': 'Seeing a member of Kraftwerk shopping in Brixton market'. That's got to be up there with Destiny's Child rehearsing at the Elephant and Castle as an unlikely sighting - but as Beyonce's in Greenwich this week, maybe anything's possible.
Local natural remedy enthusiasts may want to head down to Baldwins next week to meet James Wong, author/presenter of BBC2 TV series 'Grow your own drugs'. He will be at the shop at 171 Walworth Road at 3 pm on 3rd June 2009.
The Kagyu Samye Dzong London Tibetan Buddhist Centre is hidden in an unassuming brick building in Manor Place, SE17 (off the Walworth Road). If you are in the area of an afternoon and want some peace and tranquility, they welcome visitors. The picture is of the shrine room.
The Manor Place building once housed the municipal baths for the area. The Buddhist Centre itself may be moving to a building elsewhere in South East London which they are in the process of buying.
Lots of music and other stuff happening at this year's Brockley Max festival, from 29th May to 7th June. The opening night is this Friday with a gig from 4 pm to 8 pm, in front of the Bob Marley mural on Foxberry Road by The Brockley Barge. Line up (subject to confirmation):
4.00pm - 4.15pm J’adore L’amour 4.20pm - 4.45pm Anita Maj 4.50pm - 5.15pm Bad Habits 5.20pm - 5.40pm Room Philip 5.45pm - 6.10pm The Fruitful Earth 6.15pm - 6.40pm The Grey Cats 6.45pm - 7.05pm Brockley Ukelele Group 7.10pm - 7.35pm Samuel Luke 7.40pm - 8.00pm Rock Choir 8.10pm - 8.40pm The Fishermen 8.45pm - 9.15pm Revived Band 9.20pm - 9.50pm This Is Us
Brockley Ukulele Group also have another uke box Sunday session coming up at the Amersham Arms, SE14 on Sunday 14th June:
Wednesday night (27th May) sees South East London radicals spoilt for choice. At Goldsmiths College, Lewisham Way SE14 (Room RHB308, Main building, 2nd floor, follow signs), Autonomy and Solidarity are hosting a discussion on occupations. They say:
'2009 - the year of the recession - is also the year of the OCCUPATION. From workers in a Ford factory in Enfield demanding their redundancy pay, to parents in a primary school in Glasgow demanding it stays open, to university students just about everywhere (even Goldsmiths) demanding greater access to education, everywhere it is being demonstrated as a viable tactic. Whats the potential of OCCUPATION as a tactic for getting what we want? Come find out - open to all students and non students. Speakers from the OCCUPATIONS at: LEWISHAM BRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL (SE13), CHARLOTTE TURNER PRIMARY SCHOOL (SE8), LONDON METROPOLITAN UNI (E1), FORD VISTEON CAR FACTORY (EN3). 6:30 pm start.
On the same night at Pullens Centre, 184 Crampton Street, Elephant & Castle, SE17 3AE, London No Borders presents a talk from an activist from No More Deaths (nomoredeaths.org), which gives humanitarian aid to migrants on the US/Mexican border. Plus showing of the 2006 film "Crossing Arizona". 7 pm start.
The usual high quality historical posting over at Caroline's Miscellany, with the latest an account of the death of Mydiddee in Deptford in 1793 - a Tahitian who travelled to Britain with Captain Bligh, dying soon after arriving here.
I've been reading the diaries of Kenneth Williams, which he kept consistently from the 1940s until his death in 1988. I must admit I found the younger Williams a more likeable character - there is a lot of self-loathing later on as he struggled with being gay (though apparently celibate for large periods), and he became a Tory.
In his earlier years he was something of a socialist, and does a great put down of a racist acquaintance: 'Lunch. J. was there. Never was she more futile and boring. 'I just don't want to mix or be friends with coloured people...' O dear! She's certainly not depriving them of anything!' (8 March 1960). Unsurprizingly he also expressed strong views about homosexuality being illegal, as it was until 1967: 'Obviously the sex life of consenting adults of same or opposite sex has nothing to do with the State' (14 january 1956 - referring to the Montagu case, and the 1954 jailing of Peter Wildeblood for 'homosexual offences'). There's the odd bit of Polari, the London theatrical/gay slang that he used to famous effect in the radio programme Round the Horne.
There a few memorable put downs of South London places in the diaries, with Croydon being summarily dismissed: 'Went to Croydon with John but didn't like Croydon, so returned straightaway (11 October 1952). In 1953 he was playing in Peter Pan at Streatham Hill Theatre: 'It looks like a great cinema of a place. Oh! Horror. I choose bus - though one can by train from town - because I hate the smells on the Southern Railway, and the grimly smug suburban feeling on those dreary green stations. And all those circumspect men with milk and sandwiches stuffed into important-looking briefcases' (29 January 1953).
However there is one South London location which he was very favourable to . His diary entry of 7 July 1958 states: 'Went to Bermondsey for traditional interest and it was quite fabulous'. The reference is to Bermondsey municipal baths on Grange Road, where the Turkish Baths were a well known gay meeting place.
From Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's novel Good Omens (1990):
'Many phenomena - wars, plagues, sudden audits - have been advanced as evidence for the hidden hand of Satan in the affairs of Man, but whenever students of demonology get together the M25 orbital motorway is generally agreed to be among the top contendors for Exhibit A.Where they go wrong, of course, is assuming that the wretched road is evil simpy because of the incredible carnage and frustration it engenders every day. In fact, very few people on the face of the planet know that the very shape of the M25 forms the sigil odegra in the language of the Black Priesthood of Ancient Mu, and means 'Hail the Great Beast, Devourer of Worlds'. The thousands of motorists who daily fume their way around its serpentine lengths have the same effect as water on a prayer wheel, grinding out an endless fog of low-grade evil to pollute the metaphysical atmosphere for scores of miles around'.
A couple of great tracks coming up featuring Deptford rapper Skeme. But first, a bit about him from his myspace site:
'Hailing from Deptford, South East London, Skeme had a hunger for the mic from an early age. With sound systems like Saxon and Spectra holding jams at the bottom of his road every Sunday getting on the mic was soon became second nature to the ghetto star. Whilst still at primary school the big players allowed him to ride the riddim, which was highly unusual for someone of his young years and MCing became a natural progression, which eventually lead into rap. Skeme hooked up with three fellow local rappers and became part of an outfit aptly named The Money Programme. The crew approached lifelong Saxon member D.Rowe for musical support and guidance and began using Saxons studio to record their hard-hitting material. As always Skeme shone out with his distinctive vocal style and made the wise decision to go solo...
Skeme is currently working with popular garage outfit K2 family, Lethal and Destruction, Passing Trade and award-winning Estelle. Estelle and Skemes track Just Because received major airplay on BBCs 1xtra. Other tunes playlisted on the airwaves of Radio 1, Kiss 100 and Choice are 'Bling Bling', 'Herbman Hustling', 'Turning' and 'UK Bubblers'...
Skeme runs a workshop in partnership with NDC providing the opportunities for the young people in his area to hone their skills as an MC and to improve their lyrical content in the form of a weekly Lyric Writing and MCing session. The workshop is for 14-25 year olds from a deprived area of South London. He also works in close proximity with and is a regular speaker for Love Music Hate Racism (organized by the Anti-Nazi League) using the positive energy of the music scene to fight back against the racism being pushed by Nazi organisations such as the British National Party, National Front and Combat 18'.
This Is London - MAS P ft Skeme & BIG P - 'I'm a bad boy talker from the Deptford blocks'. Coldharbour Lane is also name-checked
Fusion - The Greatest Show featuring verbal gymnastics from Shabba D, Det, MC D, and Skeme. From 2005, 'Give me the ragga, give me the hip hop, give me the jungle techno... and the Twins dem Ragga up on Kool FM'. Got me thinking about the debates still raging about Simon Reynolds' notion of the Hardcore Continuum- the musical line from hardcore through jungle to speed garage, 2 step and grime. This track is in some ways a celebration of that continuum, but it also made me think about how many people tend to ignore UK hip hop when they talk about this, and perhaps underplay the influence of reggae sound system culture (pertinent in the case of Skema with his youthful links with Saxon). Though to be fair to Reynolds himself he sees the birth of the 'Nuum itself as resulting from 'The four-way collision of house/reggae/techno/hip hop'.
As we've mentioned here before, there are a number of songs that refer to the 1981 New Cross Fire in which 13 young black people died at 439 New Cross Road. Another one to add to the list is UB40's Don't Let it Pass You By (1981). The lyrics include the lines 'You gonna wake up and wonder why, Gone in the blues, Go check on the news, Go listen to political views... New Cross was no gate-crash bomb...Rightful justice must be done!'
A night of local music at The Montague Arms (corner of Queens Road and Kender Street) next Tuesday 26th May with 'Girls in Bikinis' presenting The Sense of Amelia, Danny Whitfield, Warpigs, Adam Ashton, The Bertolis, Mr Bowditch plus open mic. £4/£3 concessions.
Brockley & Ladywell cemetery isn't the big star like it's Nunhead neighbour but it is a fine, peaceful place full of wildlife, interesting graves, including anarchist Fernando Tarrida del Marmol (apparently) and one famous absinthe poet.
Nick Bertrand will talk about the flora, fauna and ecological management of the Cemeteries. A donation from participants is requested, to go to the Creekside Trust, of a minimum of £3 for members, and £5 for non-members of FoBLC.
The walk is expected to last for 2 hours. As this is an “after hours” activity, the cemetery gate will be locked at 7pm, so latecomers can not be admitted.
The trial of the alleged killers of French students Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo in New Cross last year has thrown up some harrowing details. Apologies for the triviality of noting that one of the accused is said to have climbed up to the window of a flat near to the Sterling Gardens murder scene occupied by the actress Maureen Bass. Bass, stage name Laila Morse, is best known for playing “Big” Mo Harris in Eastenders.
Maureen Bass is the sister of actor Gary Oldman, so presumably like him grew up in Monson Road, SE14. She also starred in Oldman's film Nil by Mouth. If I recall correctly, early in the film she utters the immortal line about smelling 'like a rat's crawled up my arse and died'. She is one of several members of the Eastenders cast to be spotted out and about locally.
RESIDENTS are fighting to save a former cinema from demolition and want it turned into a community centre.
The former Park Cinema, in Hither Green Lane, Hither Green, was built in 1913 and was used as the Kids Korner nursery until two years ago.
Now the property is lying derelict and its owner is seeking planning permission to demolish the building and transform it into a four storey high block of flats with commercial space on the ground floor. But residents are angry the building, which was used as a cinema until 1957, might be lost forever and are urging Lewisham Council to save the building.
So far more than 100 signatures have been collected for a petition and campaigners would like to see the cinema used as an arts and community centre.
Campaigner Max Calo, of Mount Pleasant, Hither Green, says there is a lack of social facilities in the area.
The 40-year-old said: “It’s a crucial site in Hither Green and a corner stone of the community. If we take that away we burn any hope of regenerating the area.
“It’s a purpose built performance place in a crucial area so why not try to rescue it?” An application to convert the cinema into flats, preserving the building’s shell, was granted by the council in 2007 but the development was eventually abandoned.
However, acting on behalf of the building’s current owner Abdul Hamid, from Ilford, architect Jerome Lejeune, of Agenda 21 Architects, says he doesn’t think preserving the building’s architecture is appropriate in this case.
The news story give a link to the Hither Green Hall blog, which appears to be just starting out.
The crowning of the May Queen in the London area is an ancient custom that goes back at least as far as.... er... the Victorians. Actually, there were May Kings and Queens before that but the practice seems to have died out until John Ruskin and others revived it as part of an attempt to recreate a romantic vision of Merrie England as a counter-point to the urban reality of slums and industrialism. In the process the figure of the May King was largely squeezed out and the age of the May Queen was lowered, typically being a young girl rather than a young woman.
I'm not aware of any 2009 May Queens in inner South East London (correct me if I'm wrong), you have to go further out to the suburbs to find them. In Wallington this year, 'outgoing May Queen Zoe Bird helped crown the new Queen Rhianna Deonarain and her prince Lisa Bird. Meanwhile in Sutton Katie Staniford was crowned May Queen and was star of a procession lead by a piper, which began at the Salvation Army offices, went up Throwley Way and back down the High Street'.
There was also a May Fair and May Queen procession in Petts Wood - where this year's May Queen was crowned in April. Elsewhere at Hayes in the Borough of Bromley 'A trio of May queens were handed their crowns during a ceremony signalling the start of spring. Bethany Porter, 10, became queen of Hayes Village, 12-year-old Rosie Bridger was crowned queen of Hayes and Chloe Martin, 11, became queen of Hayes Common at a ceremony on April 11. The queens will now take part in the London May Queen parade on Hayes Common and the Hayes Village Fair later this year'.
Over west, Richmond has been having a May Fair since 1970, complete with 'live music, maypole and morris dancers, a tight rope artist, comedian and... the yearly crowning of the May Queen'.
At South East London Folklore Society this Thursday (14th May), Alan Brooke & David Brandon are talking on 'The Haunted London Underground: What Lies Beneath?: The London Underground late at night has a haunting atmosphere with its labyrinth of subterranean tunnels, passages, disturbed burial grounds and whatever might lurk down there. Workers on the Underground have often reported strange incidents such as unexplained noises and sightings of people' that had reputedly died years earlier. This talk draws on material from The Haunted London Underground (published by The History Press, 2008) and explores the various stories and accounts of supernatural activity'.
SELFS meets at The Old King's Head, Kings Head Yard, 45-49, Borough High St, London, SE1 1NA. Talk starts at 8:00 pm, entrance is £2.50.
Cool French films at Cafe Crema in New Cross on Thursday nights this month. Missed one of my favourite films last week - Cocteau's La Belle et la Bete - this week (14th May) it's Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, a musical starring Catherine Deneuve.
The following week (21st May) it's The Lemon Tree, a recent Israeli-made film. Then it's back to France the following week with Deneuve again in Belle de Jour.
Tickets (£6) are available at the Cafe anytime or turn up on the night if you're feeling reckless. Ticket includes polenta or homemade cake and a glass of wine. Arrive at 7.30 for food; film starts at 8.15.
Cafe Crema is at 306 New Cross Road London SE14 6AF.
The tents have been up for over a week now and it's all looking very jaunty . The "Hands Off Lewisham Bridge" protest is holding a march and rally this Saturday, 9th May, from 12.00pm. "Bring banners & balloons" says the flyer that came through our door.
Assemble opposite Lewisham Bridge school, Elmira Street, and march . There's then a rally at the Clocktower, Lewisham High Street, at 12.30pm.
As the previous post and discussion highlighted, issue here isn't just the closure of Lewisham Bridge primary but the broader disorganisation of education in the Lewisham / New Cross area.
Don't think details are final yet, contact 020 8314 7487 or handsofflewishambridge_at_yahoo.co.uk (doing the usual anti-spam thing with the '@') to confirm details.
Balloons need to be utilised much more in protest culture, me thinks.
British drinkers were lucky to avoid the prohibition period experienced across the pond, but there were those here who campaigned for something similar, with one leading anti-drink campaigner being based in New Cross. In 1910, the American Prohibition Yearbook reported that 'The National Prohibition Party of England is an aggressive force in British agitation. The President is Bert G. Baker, the Secretary HW Goldsmith, his address being 96, Gellatly Road, New Cross, SE. The official organ of the party is The Prohibitionist, now in its eleventh volume. From its press comes a constant succession of timely and telling leaflets and printed argument advocating the complete abolition of the manufacture as well as the sale of liquor in the British Empire'.
Number 96 Gellatly is directly opposite the pub - now called Skehans - no doubt a source of irritation to HW Goldsmith!
May Day last Friday saw Deptford Fowlers Troop out on their annual Jack in the Green procession, this year taking in streets and pubs around the South Bank, Bankside and Borough area. This picture was taken in Union Street, SE1. As I walked down the road I noticed a few people standing outside Jerwood Space looking over at the procession to see what was going on - among them was Jude Law. Perhaps next year he can be persuaded to don green foliage and join in.
I came across this card in Southwark Local Studies archive, advertising dancing at Anerley Gardens in Penge. Anerley Gardens were open from 1841 to 1868, next to Anerley station, and featured a hotel, tearooms, a maze and a bandstand. Oddly Anerley is spelt as Anerly - presumably the spelling had not yet been standardised.
A contemporary visitor described Anerley Gardens as 'prettily disposed, with every imaginable device to make a visitor prolong his stay. The old Croydon Canal runs at the end of the grounds, and is kept well stocked with fish; there are few resorts more calculated than this to afford innocent recreation and healthy enjoyment' (Adams's Pocket descriptive guide to the environs of the metropolis).
Sorry about the quality, it's a scan of a photocopy of the original. The full text says: 'Admit Two to Anerly Gardens, Archibald Hinton. Dancing every Evening in the Gorgeous Al Fresco Rotunda. Fireworks by Jones of Camberwell. As the Gardens are so crowded on Mondays and Saturdays this Order will not be Admitted on those days. This Order is available Every Evening (except Mondays and Saturdays) until June 30th , and not after. Return Crystal Palace Tickets are available at the Anerly Station. Trains from London Bridge to Anerly Quarter past every Hour'.
Archibald Hinton was the owner of the Anerley Gardens from 1860, having previously been the proprietor of the Highbury Barn in Islington. The Anerley Arms pub was built on part of the site.
Brockley Ukulele Group's appearance at the soon-to-close Shunt Lounge was a lot of fun. A Thursday night at London Bridge attracts a mixed international crowd with everyone from Hoxtonite students to bank workers ripping off their ties, all of them determined to kick start the weekend early. So it was quite a messy night (in the positive sense of the word) with lots of dancing and singing along. As the Ukebox format is for people to shout out the number of the song they want to hear from a list, it got quite rowdy with groups of people chanting their songnumber or writing it on signs to get noticed above the shouting.
Shunt was great as ever, it was the 23rd of April and they celebrated St George's Day in Catalan style. La Diada de Sant Jordi is lovers' day in Barcelona, with lovers exchanging gifts of roses and books, so at Shunt they had roses and books out on the tables. Only one more week to go at Shunt London Bridge, after which they are moving for a while to a warehouse in Bermondsey Street. I am sure they will do a good job there, but the labrynthine railway tunnels of London Bridge will be sadly missed.
BUG are in action again at the monthly Sunday Uke Box session at the Amersham Arms in New Cross on May 10th.
Like Factory Records, ARC give a number to everything they are involved in. The New Cross compilation was ARC002, but the very first ARC001 was a redecorated trig point on Hilly Fields, with the label's logo inspired by the design on the top. 
The two Joes, ex-Goldsmiths students, were living locally when they started Angular (I remember Joe M worked for a while in Toads Mouth Too cafe in Brockley), but have since moved on. They certainly made an impact on New Cross, and indeed without them Transpontine probably wouldn't exist. It was going out to some of their gigs that got me excited enough about what was going on locally to want to document it. Indeed the second ever post at Transpontine, in October 2004, was about an Angular night at Goldsmiths.
