A list of South East London Chartists

Chartist Ancestors is an excellent ongoing project aiming to document participants in the Chartist movement, arguably the first modern mass working class political movement in the UK, which fought to extend the vote  during the mid-19th century.  As part of its work, Chartist Ancestors makes freely available a databank (excel spreadsheet) which currently includes details of more than 14,000 people believed to have been supportive of the movement in one way or another. I have had a first look for South East London Chartists (searching under Deptford, Lewisham, Peckham, Old Kent Road, Camberwell, Greenwich).

The following are included because they subscribed to the Chartist National Land Company (1846-51). This was a largely ill-fated scheme which aimed to give industrial workers the chance to settle on the land and become small farmers - a side effect being that as landowners they would have the vote.

First name	Surname	Occupation	Address
Thos	Allchin	Engineer	3 Ann St Coburgh Rd Old Kent Rd
William	Batchelor	Gas Fitter	2 George Town Nr Deptford
Henry	Bigg	Cooper	Broadway, Deptford
Eliza	Booker	Mantua Maker	6 New Cottages Peckham Rye
Elizabeth	Booker	Mantua Maker	6 New Cottages Peckham Rye
Thomas	Daley	Labourer	39 Butchers Row Deptford
Frances	Danbridge	Sempstress	Elliott Sq Deptford
Elizabeth	Darling	no trade	17 George St New Town Deptford
Jacob	Durham	Labourer	Manor Farm Lee Deptford
Edmond	Earl	Labourer	Frenches Field, Deptford
Thomas	Elliott	Baker	Friendly Pla, Lewisham Rd, Greenwich
Walter	Frier	Engineer	6 Church St Deptford
Thomas	Gould	Shoemaker	3 Cornbury St Old Kent Rd Camberwell
Thomas	Grovenor	Labourer	25 New St Deptford
James	Guthrie	Labourer	1 New Court New St Deptford
Fred	Jeffrey	Labourer	3 Thomas St Old Kent Rd
Thomas	Jones	Basket Maker	53 New St, Deptford
Frederick	Leffevir	Cordwainer	3 Thomas St Old Kent Rd
John	Martin	Labourer	Black Horse Bridge Deptford
John	McCartney	Blacksmith	39 Butcher Row Deptford
Joseph	Morgan	Tallow Chandler	29 Butcher Lane Deptford
Benjamin	Munday	Wheelwright	7 Lucas St New Town Deptford
Edward	Murall	Cordwainer	Feversham Place Peckham
James	Newbery	Currier	3 Arms Pla, Old Kent Rd
Jabez	Nicholls	Labourer	2 Mason St Old Kent Rd
Frederick	Russell	Gardener	Avenue Rd Lewisham
John	Small	Cordwainer	11 Feversham Place Peckham
William	Small Jnr	Cordwainer	11 Feversham Place Peckham
William	Small Snr	Cordwainer	11 Feversham Place Peckham
James	Taylor Jnr	Labourer	25 New St Deptford
James	Taylor Snr	Labourer	25 New St Deptford
John	Thomas	Gardener	55 New St Deptford
John	Tinsley	Blacksmith	Lewisham Rd Greenwich
James	Wallage	Shoemaker	12 Castle St Old Kent Rd
Joseph	Weatherhead	Gardener	Church St Deptford
Robert	Wells	Clothier	Flagon Row Deptford
Letitia	Whiting	no trade	4 New Cott Peckham Rye
Henry	Whiting	Carpenter	4 New Cott Peckham Rye
George	Whittington	Miller	9 Avenue Sq Lewisham

Two Deptford Chartists are also identified as being on the General Committee of the 'Friend of the People' newspaper in 1869/70: James W Dean and Joseph Morgan. Although address details are not given it seems likely that this is the same Joseph Morgan listed above as a Tallow Chandler (candlemaker) living in Butcher Lane, Deptford.

See previous posts:

Deptford Chartist 'Riot' 1842

Deptford Chartist Church 1841

Chartist Meeting on Blackheath 1844

In praise of Uncle Wrinkle

It's very easy to take for granted places you pass every day, so I want to give some appreciation to a Chinese takeaway that has been in New Cross for as long as I have - Uncle Wrinkle at 299 New Cross Road SE14 since 1995.

As a vegetarian, the great thing about Uncle Wrinkle is that it offers its full range of main dishes -all 19 of them - with bean curd or mixed vegetables, as well as beef, pork, chicken, squid or prawn. Uncle Wrinkle doesn't deliver at present, so if you want to sample its delights you will have to collect.

Oops didn't take a picture of the other page of the menu, which includes my favourite 'Aubergine in Lemon Grass Sauce'.

No Nazis in South London 1977

This 'No Nazis in South London' poster dates from 1977. It calls for people to assemble for a demonstration on Saturday September 10th at Elephant and Castle called by the 'South London Co-ordinating Committee'.

This was a few weeks after the August 1977 anti-National Front 'Battle of Lewisham' but was not on the same scale. According to The Times (12 September 1977):

'Nine men were arrested at an anti-racist march by 1,500 people in south-east London on Saturday. Two policemen were slightly injured. It is understood that those arrested were counter-demonstrators. Two or them were juveniles.

The marchers, who included blacks and whites, passed through Walworth and Camberwell chanting : “Black and white united, will never be defeated.” About 30 young people walked alongside, taunting the marchers. The demonstration was organized by the South London Coordinating Committee for
Anti-Racist and Anti-Fascist Organizations. Speakers, who addressed a rally afterwards included the Bishop of Stepney, Dr Huddleston, the Bishop of Woolwich, the Right Rev Michael Marshall, the Bishop of Kingston upon Thames, the Right Rev Hugh Montefiore, and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Southwark, the Most  Rev Michael Bowen'.

Anyone know any more?

There was an anti-fascist mobilisation against an NF march at Elephant and Castle in March 1980.

Music Monday: Novelist Guy

Brockley grime artist Novelist has an LP - Novelist Guy, released on his own MMMYEH Records label - and its great as expected. There's catchy anthems galore, politics (Stop Killing the Mandem), positivity and of course some blue borough love from the man who gave us Lewisham McDeez as part of The Square. 'Better Way' features the lines - 'Cos I’m a Southern G, South East that’s where I’m from and I walk with G.O.D., from Lewisham borough the colour is  B.L.U.E'. That track starts with a nice field recording of children playing with an  ice cream van chimes - kind of setting up a South London 'Summertime' vibe (as in Fresh Prince/Jazzy Jeff). Everyone will be poring over the lyrics but I love the beats and beeps too,  including on the opening and closing instrumental tracks.


There's a nice interview with him in  Time Out (16/4/2018)  where he talks about  growing up locally:


'You grew up in Brockley. What was it like living in south London as a kid?‘I used to spend a lot of time in Ladywell Fields and Hilly Fields parks. That’s where me and my boys would link up. We used to roller-skate around there and the borough. For those from south London, they’ll definitely know about the Lewisham skating days. I’ve got good memories of growing up there.’

Novelist confirms the lyrics on twitter

See previously: - Novelist Pave the Way graffiti on Pepys Road SE14

Skehans in London 'Cool List'

Slightly surprized, to say the least, to see my local featured in the Evening Standard magazine 'Cool List' of  'what's hot in the capital now' (11 April 2018). Skehans - once known as McConnells and before that the Duke of Albany - is on the corner of Kitto Road and Gellatly Road, SE14.


According to journalist Frankie McCoy, if you want a BNO (Big Night Out) you start by 'hitting Nunhead (go down to Peckham, then keep going down) for pints at Skehans, the old Irish pub now rammed with Central Saint Martins students before heading to disused pub The Rising Sun, home of a bunch of Goldsmiths students who make music, play music and throw some pretty wild parties'.
 
Don't worry folks, the pub hasn't changed - it's the same old Irish pub with Thai restaurant in the garden and sport on TV as before, but it has got a bit busier recently, which is generally a good thing because there was a time a few years ago when there would be just one or two people in the bar and I worried about whether it could survive.


But I think anybody following the Standard's tip and travelling across town might be a little  underwhelmed  unless they've never seen a pub before and I doubt they would pick up an invitation to a private house party down the road. Also not everybody under 25 in the pub went to Saint Martins... some went to Goldsmiths or Camberwell!


Also while near to Nunhead station, and close to the Nunhead/New Cross border at the edge of Telegraph Hill, the pub is in SE14 and the blue binned borough of Lewisham and I don't think most people would say it was in Nunhead.


Still  the pub does have a historic connection to Nunhead, and its Roman Catholic church of St Thomas the Apostle. The church was damaged by a bomb during the Second World War and 'For a time Masses were held in a room above the bar in the public house in Kitto Road' (see church history)

Band of Holy Joy at Ivy House on Friday

A great gig coming up this Friday 6th April 2018 at the Ivy House in Stuart Road SE15 (east side of Peckham Rye) with the Band of Holy Joy:

'A night of beastly beatitude and other sonic deviances at the Ivy House in London. Come and join us at The Ivy House London's first co-operatively owned pub with the best back room and stage in London. Band Of Holy Joy make a long over due return to South London whilst welcoming Quarterlight down from the North East and looking forward to grooving with the house cats Pendennis, this will be all held together with our brilliant MC Richard Strange [ex Doctors of Madness], who will be channeling his rogueish inner Donleavy spirit the whole night through. Come and join us for some good old bohemian beatnik post punk kicks...'

I've waxed lyrically at this blog a number of times about BOHJ so for now will just repeat what I wrote about them last time I saw them: 'The Band of Holy Joy are surely one of the greatest bands ever to have been associated with New Cross. In the late 1980s they were fairly massive on the indie scene with their lush Brechtian/Brelish/folk-tinged tales, but they split up in 1993... Obviously if you loved them then you will want to see them now. But apart from nostalgia, why bother? Well since they reformed they have been putting out some fine new music...  Rather like The Pogues, their music was always 'mature' - back in the day they were young musicians singing as if they were old men and women looking back on lifetimes of passion and regret. Now maybe they've grown into the songs!'  

They have been fairly prolific in recent years, and their latest album 'Funambulist We Love You' (2017) is as strong as anything they've done before.  They are always a great live act, so come along on Friday. I have my ticket get your's here for a mere £7: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/429200

1970s football and factories - Charlton, Millwall and Palace

Found recently at Deptford market, three football programmes from three South London teams - Crystal Palace, Millwall, and Charlton (guess they must have been from a Chartlon fan, as the Palace and Millwall programmes are from matches against the Addicks). As well as a window on 1970s football adverts in programmes recall an age of mass employment in  London factories

Chartlon v Oxford United 1975 - this was a League Cup match that ended in a 3-3 draw.

Stone Manganese Marine Ltd - 'the world's largest marine propeller builders' based in Charlton advertising for staff in the CAFC programme. The propellor factory later moved to Birkenhead (it closed there in 1998), though the related Stone Foundries is still going.

Millwall v Charlon, September 1977 - a 1-1 draw in Division Two

Millwall sponsors 1977 - mostly small business by the look of it, wonder how many of these are still going. I can see the Duke of Albany, Monson Road in there - New Cross pub now flats. Parke Record Distributors, based in Bromley, went bust in 1981.



Palace v Charlton in Octobe 1977 - 1-1 in Divison Two

'Congratulations on reaching the second division from a first division company'. Philips advertises for staff at its Croydon factory, where it made TVs.  The company moved its electronic HQ from Croydon to Guildford in 2004.

Folk in the Woods (and at the White Hart SE14)

I hope the weather warms up for next weekend in time for the free Woodland Folk Music Festival on Saturday 24th March 2018, 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm in Brockley Nature Reserve, Vesta Road, SE4 2NT. The event, that is part of the Telegraph Hill Festival, features the South East London Folk Orchestra, Grande Scheme and The Flatfoot Boys.

Also definitely worth checking out is the Irish traditional session in the White Hart on New Cross Road, held every Sunday from 2:00 - 4:00 pm I believe. I caught it a couple of weeks ago and there was some great musicianship.

Strike and Corruption at New Cross Steam Engine Factory

Bunnett and Corpe was a 19th century engineering firm with a factory in New Cross Road. The Post Office London Directory, 1843, described them as 'engineers and patentees of the concentric steam engine, and of revolving iron shutters' with an office at 26 Lombard Street and factory in New Cross.


In 1865 there was a strike at the factory, as recorded in the Kentish Mercury (18 November 1865)


'It is with regret that we record that a “strike" has taken place in the well-known, and for very many years past, well conducted firm (now a limited liability company) of Messrs. Bunnett and Corpe, New Cross Road. Under the new management, a certain code of rules has been adopted, hitherto unknown at the works (although in vogue at a neighbouring firm), and which rules were felt to be repugnant to and subversive of the interests of the workmen, the principal objection to which is that any defect in the work done is to be made good out of the wages of the person employed. A general meeting of the men employed was held on Tuesday, at which the new roles were generally condemned, and as the company refuses to yield as regards the points in dispute, a “turn out” has taken place, and some 150 workmen remain idle'. 

 

Interestingly a decade before, the firm's foreman at the New Cross Road factory was accused of a fraud that involved him personally pocketing deductions from workers' wages. John William Stuart had been working there for 18 years for at least 12 of which he had been on the make. It seems he was in control of the firm's payroll, and received a sum each week to pay the workers at their full wage. But many of the workers had payments deducted for stoppages. So with some creative bookkeeping he was able to siphon of the difference between what the 200-300 workers were actually paid, and the wage budget provided by the company. No doubt this also gave him an incentive as manager to maximise the deductions from worker's wages. On top of that he actually paid the workers a lower wage than he was declaring to the company owners.

Illustrated London News, 22 November 1856

He was also said to have 'been in the habit ofemploying the men and material of the firm in the construction of lathes, &c., and disposing of them for his own individual benefit. The most heartless portion of the fraud, however, is the receipt by Stuart of a sovereign from Mr. Bunnett for an injured carman, which was never paid ove. A search warrant having been obtained, the police proceeded to Stuart's residence, 4, Amersham-road, New-cross, and brought away half a cart load of property (recognised by Mr. Bunnett as belonging to him), consisting of house chandeliers, gas lamps, corrugated iron ornamental articles (including two aquaria well stocked with fish), manufactured from the material of his employers, with which the house was decorated.(London Morning Post, Tuesday, November 18, 1856).

Bunnett and Corpe  was one of a number of engineering firms which flourished in the area in this period. As described by  Geoffrey Crossick in 'An Artisan Elite in Victorian Society: Kentish London 1840-1880' (though I think it is may be aerror that he names the firm as Bunnett and Forbes in this section):

Source: Google Books

 

Music in Telegraph Hill Festival 2018

There's already been lots of music in this year's Telegraph Hill Festival, not least last weekend's community production of West Side Story with an all ages cast of 250 and some fantastic singing from the leads including Lucinda Freeburn (playing Maria) and Xavier Starr (playing Tony) - pictured below.

More music to come including:


Friday March 17th

The Commie Faggots and The Four Fathers

'The Commie Faggots and The Four Fathers return to The Telegraph for a night of marvellous music, mayhem and singalong fun. Frustrated by Brexit? Furious with Boris? Singing about it makes you feel so much better! Both political protest bands have had a busy year, appearing together in front of a lorry at The Arms Fair Blockade and a Housing Benefit Gig at The Birds Nest. The Faggots bring anarchic, cross-dressing comedy and cabaret to the political party. The Fathers vent their spleen through punky, folky reggae and rock'

https://thefourfathers.bandcamp.com/
https://www.commiefaggots.com/

The Telegraph, Dennett’s Road, SE14 5LW, 8:00-10:00pm

Saturday March 18th


BRÅK #6 – An Evening of Improvised Music

BRÅK is a regular improvised music night which takes place in Telegraph Hill beer shop waterintobeer, where local improvisers Cath Roberts, Colin Webster and Tom Ward pair with musicians from around the country to create spontaneous compositions. March’s evening is the sixth in the series and features the following pairings: Cath Roberts & Seth Bennett/Tom Ward & John Macedo/Colin Webster & David Birchall

waterintobeer Unit 2, Mantle Court, 209-211 Mantle Road, SE4 2EW, 6:30-10:00pm, £5

St Patrick’s Day at Skehans

Pop along during the day for a free bowl of Irish Stew with Soda Bread (while stocks last). From 9pm The Clarkes will rock the joint in their customary style. It’s going to be a good day, and a lovely evening. Please join us.

Skehans, Kitto Road, 8 pm - FREE

 

Telegraph Hill Sings

An evening of local choirs singing everything from pop to gospel, jazz to protest songs, and classics to soul standards. Participating choirs include The Hasty Nymphs, Trade Winds,  Nunhead Community Choir and Highfield Community Choir

St Catherine’s Church, Doors open at 7:30pm), 8:00-10:00pm £6 (£3)

Wednesday March 21st

Sonic Imperfections

'Sonic Imperfections returns to The Telegraph Hill Festival with another line up of stunning musicians working in the experimental area.

Charles Hayward - This local boy needs no introduction, An endlessly inventive musician who has spent decades at the forefront of the cutting edge music scene. There are simply too many songs, groups, recordings, gigs to mention. This will be a truly special performance.
 

Extext - Renowned Harpist Serafina Steer and singer Catherine Carter bring their improvised Operetta to The Telegraph Hill festival.

Rotten Bliss - Cellist Jasmine Pender plays a unique brand of darkly brooding weird-folk and drones. It is our absolute pleasure to welcome her to The Telegraph Hill Festival.
 

Nostalgia Blocks - Mark Browne (Reeds and Percussion) is one of the most striking improvising musicians working today. Richard Sanderson is fast becoming one of the most influential people in the South East's experimental music scene. A record label owner, a promoter and a musician. Tonight he plays Amplified Melodeon and Electronics in a duo with Mark. Two musicians at the top of their game, expect 100% commitment, invention and a few surprises'.

St Catherine's Church, £8/£4.

Friday March 23rd


The Collective – Local Record Label Error 343 & Friends

'Come listen to the collective which includes record Label Error 343, The Vintage Group, Blakie & Cellar Door amongst others talk about how they are forging their way into the music industry. From the DIY route and the infamous Shed Studio hear all about the label and its first Album Release, to touring and Music Video making and the sheer dedication and determination to follow their creative passion. This event will include visuals and headphone listening on three channels, as well as a chance to get those burning questions answered'

The Hill Station, 8:00-10:30pm £3

Punk Rock Karaoke at The Five Bells

'Back again, but this time at The Five Bells, punk vagabonds My Midlife Crisis provide the adrenalin charged accompaniment for any budding delinquent troubadours.  Join our Punk Rock Karaoke page on Facebook to view latest news and choose your song in advance of the night'

The Five Bells, New Cross Road, SE14 5DJ, 8:30-11:30pm £5 (Venue until 2:00am)

Tickets for events and further details at:

http://telegraphhillfestival.org.uk/

Plague of Toads on Telegraph Hill?

Walking up Kitto Road SE14 last night, alongside Telegraph Hill upper park, I saw a toad. Then a few metres along another one, and then another. In fact I saw five toads in procession all on the pavement heading up hill in the direction of St Catherine's hurch, where people were queuing to watch the community production of West Side Story. Whether the toads were Sondheim fans or just migrating from one pond to another I cannot say. There is of course a big pond in the lower park, but they would have to make a perilous road crossing to get there. According to Froglife: 'Common Toads are very particular about where they breed and often migrate back to their ancestral breeding ponds each year. They follow the same route, regardless of what gets in their way, which sometimes leads to them crossing roads'. In some parts of the country volunteers have arranged toad patrols to help them cross the road, and I gather that this has sometimes happened here on Kitto Road.

Must admit I did post on twitter that they were frogs, but people there were quick to correct me so unless some amphibian expert tells me otherwise I am going with the Common Toad.

(Just to be clear I love toads and frogs, the reference to 'plague' was a biblical allusion as they were churchbound, not a negative comment!)

Telegraph Hill Festival 2018: The Lost Island of New Cross & other local history events.

The 2018 Telegraph Hill Festival kicks off today (Saturday 10th March) with the first of the sold out community performances of West Side Story. Between now and 25th March, there's lots of artistic, musical and other cultural events taking place in this corner of SE14 (well and a bit of SE4). You can check out the full programme here



On the local history front, John Price from Goldsmiths has already done a couple of walks today - one a New Cross radical history walk, and the other Deptford walk based around Charles Booth's description of the area in 1899. He will be repeating these two walks next Sunday 18th March - book your place at  www.gold.ac.uk/events

Tomorrow - Sunday 11th March - Malcom Bacchus will be leading a Telegraph Hill Walk from 11 am to 12:30 pm, meeting in St Catherine’s Churchyard for  'A stroll around the core of Telegraph Hill, looking at our architecture and galloping through some of the history' (free

Then at 2 pm Malcolm will be venturing further afield into New Cross with a walk exploring the history of its residents and buildings, meeting outside Haberdashers’ Aske’s at the bottom of Jerningham Road  (no need to book for either of these walks)l

On Tuesday 13th March at the Hill Station, Kitto Road SE14 (next to church), Neil Gordon-Orr will be talking on the 'Lost island of New Cross Road':


'The junction by the White Hart pub, London SE14 marks the divergence of two ancient trackways – now known as Queens Road and the New Cross/Old Kent Road. Major currents of London history, literature and mythology have swirled around it. It has been the location of a tollgate, and before it vanished beneath the waves of the A2 in 2010, of a traffic island whose toilets were both a grandiose example of Victorian public architecture and a place for illicit encounters. The lost island witnessed bombs, political protests and dreams of a New Cross pirate republic. All of this and more will be covered in Neil Gordon-Orr’s talk, illustrated with maps and photographs. Tickets (£2) need to be booked in advance here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/FFMIDH

Strike at Goldsmiths

I've been down to the picket line at Goldsmiths in New Cross a couple of times in the last week to show support to the striking lecturers and other college staff. They have been taking part in a national strike which will continue next week unless there is some movement from employers in the next few days over their threats to reduce pensions.

As the union (UCU) explains:

'We are taking strike action to defend our right to a fair pension. University employers want to end guaranteed pensions and reduce retirement income for all. University staff have always accepted pay levels that are lower than comparably skilled professions, partly because we had a decent pension. Now our right to a well-earned retirement is under attack.

What employers' hardline proposals would mean:

Final pensions would depend on how the stock market performs not on contributions.

A reduction in retirement benefits by between 20% and 40% depending on grade and length of service. A typical lecturer stands to lose around £10,000 a year

The worst pensions in the education sector, far worse than those available to both school teachers and staff in 'new' universities

A recruitment and retention crisis as staff seek better financial security elsewhere'.

The strike at Goldsmiths have been well supported, with talks and appearances from Paul Mason, Dawn Foster, Gary Younge and others, performance art from students and lots more. Follow Goldsmiths UCU on twitter for details.

'Against the slow cancellation of our future'

Women's Suffrage Talk at Lewisham Library

Coming up this Saturday 10th March 2018 at Lewisham Library (199 Lewisham High Street
Se13 6lg), 'It’s not all about the suffragettes'.

The free event, which runs from 10 am to 12 noon, .will feature  Dr Claire Eustance  discussing some of the women – and men – with connections to Lewisham and the wider local area who challenged inequality in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Claire is a historian and lecturer at the University of Greenwich who has researched and published on the women's suffrage campaign

Previous women's suffrage posts at Transpontine:

'Letter Box Outrage' and Suffrage Pilgrimage in Bromley 1913

Fake Bombs in New Cross and Rotherhithe 1913

Emily Davison of Blackheath

Death of a (male) Brockley suffragist - or not?

Bermondsey and Deptford Suffragettes

Fire at St Catherine's Church, Hatcham 1913

More on the St Catherine's Fire

Isa Craig - a Victorian feminist in Brockley

Suffragette attacks in Deptford (Tanners Hill) and Blackheath

Beckenham Suffragists

Lewisham Suffragette Banner


See also some great related posts at Running Past