The Herne Hill Society blog

MAD for Brockwell Park

Do you have an idea for a Music, Art or Drama event in Brockwell Park in 2012?

Do you want to help all of Brockwell Park’s local residents use and enjoy the park?

Do you want to involve local residents in your event and help them get the most out of the occasion? Brockwell Park Community Partners’ art and events group is looking for events to make up the MAD for Brockwell Park season in 2012.

MAD for Brockwell Park is non-commercial, not for profit, focussed on the local community, volunteer led and strongly supported by local organisations and businesses. The season has been built up over a number of years and 2011 saw over 7,000 people at 14 events.

Take a look at our website for an idea of last year’s season www.madforbrockwellpark.com read the notes in the attached form and, if you can offer what we are looking for, send us an application form!
 
Please post a signed copy to: Brockwell Park Community Partners, c/o Theresa Hoare, Brockwell Hall, Herne Hill, London. SE24 9BJ and email a copy to thoare@lambeth.gov.uk to arrive by 5:00pm on Friday 23 December 2011. Owing to the unprecedented number of event applications Lambeth have already received for 2012 you need to get your application in quickly!

Lambeth Country Show 2011 #2

The ever-popular sheepdog display took place under leaden skies. Appropriately perhaps, it was ducks that were being herded.

The wettest Lambeth Country Show I can remember but great fun as usual, with a brilliant, friendly atmosphere.

I am sure we didn't have anything like the 180,000 visitors of last year, but if you didn't come you missed one of the highlights of the year in SE24 / SW2.

Lambeth Country Show 2011

Under what is politely called 'inclement weather conditions', this year's Lambeth Country Show started slowly with stall-holders cowering inside their tents, or under anything with a roof.

Anyone watching the Open on the telly would have known what to expect.

But in the afternoon there was (briefly) a dramatic improvement, and a surprisingly good turnout.

More torrential rain at about 6 pm led to an authentic festival experience, with great music at the main arena - albeit with surprisingly little mud. Everybody say 'Yeh yeh'.

On  the Society stand, we had a very busy afternoon, selling 47 copies of our brand-new Short History of Herne Hill.

Back for more fun and games on Sunday.

Coming Home: a Memorial in Brockwell Park

In 2012, to mark the 120th anniversary of the opening of Brockwell Park, the Herne Hill Society and the Friends of Brockwell Park are working to re-instate the bust of Thomas Lynn Bristowe to the Park. 

In 1888 Lambeth Vestry obtained consent to make a new public park on the east side of Brixton Hill.  When it became apparent that the Brockwell Estate would come on the market, Thomas Lynn Bristowe (Norwood’s first Member of Parliament) led a campaign to buy it.  In 1891, with contributions from local authorities and the community, it was bought and became Brockwell Park.

The Park was opened in 1892 by Lord Rosebery but Mr Bristowe collapsed and died at the opening ceremony.  In 1893 a memorial to Thomas Lynn Bristowe was erected.

 
It stood in the Park, near the Herne Hill entrance, where it remained until 1958 when it was taken down as part of a redesign of this part of the Park.  Fortunately, the bust was saved and given to the Bristowe family, for reasons that are still a mystery.  As we reported on 19 August 2010, it has been located and the Bristowe family have kindly given permission for us to bring it back to Brockwell Park.

Although the bust appears to be in decent condition, an expert opinion on how best to conserve it is being sought. A possible site for the bust will have to be agreed with stakeholders, including London Borough of Lambeth.  And,  finally, money for the project will have to be found.   But we are confident that the bust of Thomas Lynn Bristowe will soon be back in the Brockwell Park.  As a reminder of who it was we must thank for the Park.

Horse chestnut trees

If you live in or near Brantwood Road/Fawnbrake Avenue, we want your views!

Probably the most distinctive feature of the back gardens that run between the houses in Brantwood Road and Fawnbrake Avenue is the row of tall horse chestnut trees. The Herne Hill Society was surprised to find that Tree Protection Orders (TPOs) only apply to two of these trees and therefore approached Lambeth Council to enquire about extending protection to the whole row. Lambeth’s  initial response was positive, but now they say they cannot take the matter further unless a majority of residents support such protection for the trees. We are therefore writing to all residents of all houses who might be interested in this issue to find out whether there is support.

We believe there are strong reasons for making TPOs –

• The horse chestnuts are large, mature specimens of a traditional, much-loved species – a truly remarkable sight when in full leaf and flower.
• They are a sizeable group, not a single specimen.
• They are of historic interest, being shown on the 1913 Ordnance Survey map and marking an old boundary that predates the houses.
• The existence of such large trees (outside parks) is becoming unusual, because of perceived concerns about subsidence. And trees in streets, capable of growing to any size, are increasingly removed and not replaced. It therefore becomes all the more important to protect large trees that grow on private land.
• They constitute a “green lung” in an urban setting, with a valuable capacity to take carbon dioxide from the air, an important contribution to our endangered environment. They contribute significantly to the wildlife haven of the Brantwood/Fawnbrake gardens and to the wider biodiversity of these gardens.

The making of a TPO does not prevent the reduction or removal of the tree. But if that is the landowner’s intention, permission from the local authority is required. The local authority would require reasons to be shown, for example disease in the tree or public safety concerns. To the best of our knowledge all the trees are currently healthy. The premature browning of leaves that has occurred over the last few years is caused by a leaf-mining moth. It is sad to see the trees go brown earlier than they should , but the expert view is that the basic health of the trees is not damaged.

We very much hope that you will be able to give your support. We think the protection of these trees is a modest, but important contribution to the conservation of part of the Herne Hill neighbourhood.

Please let us know your view, using either of the contact details below. Or add a comment to this blog:

Sheila Northover
(Chair, Herne Hill Society)
24 Brantwood Road
London SE24 0DJ
sheila.northover@gmail.com

Laurence Marsh
(Committee member, Herne Hill Society)
62 Fawnbrake Avenue
London SE24 0BZ
laurence@marsh62.co.uk

So... no fireworks in Brockwell Park this year

As we know, Lambeth is saving money by cancelling this year's Guy Fawkes's night fireworks in our local park. We had a brilliant night last year, with perfect weather. 

So, what are the alternatives? Details of the two nearest major displays below:

Clapham Common Fireworks

A contender in the best display in London, with plenty of food stalls and pubs around the Common.

Friday 5 November
Fireworks 7:30pm
Free
Clapham Common Tube

Battersea Park Fireworks

Battersea Park has the largest fireworks south of the river, with a colossal bonfire to boot.

Saturday 6 November
Open 6pm / Bonfire 7:30pm / Fireworks 8pm
£6 Adults, £1 Children under 10
Battersea Park Rail

5 Nov 2010: Fireworks cancelled?

Remember that clear and dry Fifth of November last year? The perfect conditions for one of Brockwell Park's most popular and well-attended events. Well it doesn't sound like it's going to happen this year - or possibly for some years to come.

The headline in Your Local Guardian says 'Free firework displays on Streatham Common and Brockwell Park axed in bid to save cash':

Lambeth Council announced on Thursday Brockwell Park and Streatham Common displays will not go ahead on November 5 due to “financial considerations.”

It will instead run a single event on Clapham Common, saving the town hall and estimated £35,000.

Councillor Florence Nosegbe, Lambeth's cabinet member for culture, said the council could not justify three free firework displays when the town hall must save £20m this year and £62m over the next three years, largely due to Government cuts to finances.

Bristowe of Brockwell Hall

We are pleased to report that we have located the long-lost bust of Thomas Lynn Bristowe MP. It was well hidden in a remote corner of a country garden and appears to be in good condition

The owner, a descendant of the great man, is keen for it to return to Brockwell Park, where it stood atop a large statue with drinking fountain in the entrance for over 50 years. Mr Bristowe was instrumental in the creation of Brockwell Park, but died at the opening ceremony in 1892.

So now the hard work begins, and the project group made up of members of this Society and the Friends of Brockwell Park will start working out how to bring him home. There are logistical challenges, not least the size and weight of the bust, but decisions including about where to site him will have to made in conjunction with Lambeth Council, English Heritage and others.

Photos from the Show

As promised here's a selection of my photos from last Sunday (on Flickr again).

Taken on a mobile phone, so hardly publishing quality -  but I have seen worse.

Record numbers at Lambeth Country Show

It seems there were 180,000+ at the Lambeth Country Show last weekend. Almost double last year (though how Lambeth counted us all beats me!). And it was certainly a happy and relaxed affair in the sunshine.

Thank you to everyone who came to our stand, and thanks for all your tweets.

There's a slideshow from the South London Press (Flickr) to remind you. We took some too - more later.