March 2015

S S EE nine

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nine

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S S EEEwww.senine.co.uk March 2015

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SEnine

2 It is your community, you have the right to a say in what happens

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We Are 100Who would have thought that when issue 1 rolled off the press that 100 issues later it would be still going strong.

The printing of the 100th issue is a tribute to the people, past and currently active, who have been signifi cant contributors to the magazine, if not in writing then in time and eff ort.

Whilst a signifi cant milestone we are saving our celebrations until November 2016 when we will pass the 10 year milestone.

Public Realm The recent grant for the improvement of public realm and movement arrangements in Eltham High Street over the next couple of years has provided the opportunity for the toilets on Well Hall Road to be put on the redevelopment agenda. Way back in October 2009, I meet with Chris Robert, the then leader of the council, to discuss my idea for the site. The toilets were, even then, in very poor condition. I proposed that the site be redeveloped to include public facilities but also to release space which would act as a contact focus point for tourist visiting Eltham, a booking offi ce for local community events, a contact point for local arts and craft and a home for SEnine Magazine, to provide a community interface for the magazine.

At that time I also suggested that as the tram stop was turning 100 years old in 2012 and it might be promoted as a 2012 legacy for Eltham. I still have, somewhere on a dusty shelf, architects drawings and plans for the site.

It is great to see that 6 years on from that meeting, it now appears something is going to be done. I am sure that I was not the fi rst to think that something needs to happen. I am also sure that the campaign run by SEnine Magazine at the time helped lift the profi le of the site and kept it in the light, and hopeful even if years on, something may well happen.

I will be attending the Eltham Stakeholder Forum on how the multimillion TfL grant is spent, and will be fi ghting the corner for the redevelopment of the old tram site and perhaps after all this time, lobby for a fi tting home for SEnine, still in Well Hall Road, not far from where the magazine was conceived and born.

A friend of mine suggested (in fun of course) that a toilet was a fi tting place for the SEnine magazine to be housed. I reminded him it was a tram stop before it was a toilet, and as it is a high profi le and historic site SEnine Magazine would be proud to be there.

There is a long way to go.

VotingI do not care where your political aspirations lay.

But I do care that you vote.

In this age, in many places in this crazy world, people are still dying for the right to vote.

It is something that has been hard fought for and is now an important part of the democratic system.

I get it that some, especially the young, feel disenfranchised with the political process and see no benefi t in supporting the system by voting. But change can only come in two ways, confrontation, or joining (and voting) and thereby infl uencing the direction of our future.

In the 2001 election only 59% of those eligible voted, improving in 2005 and 2010 to around 62%.

The next United Kingdom General Election is expected to be held on 7 May 2015, to elect the 56th Parliament of the United Kingdom. You should feel compelled to vote. Compelled to give voice to your opinion through that vote.

It would be a shame to allow the moment, when you have the ability to infl uence the future, pass.

Cover: Design; Mark Wall - ‘Covers’ over the Union Flag.Cover photo by: Photos are from various contributors, Top2006,2007,2008,Middle 2009,2010,2011,Bottom 2012,1013,2014. For credits please refer to Original on line

Cameo: SEnine Magazine 100th issue.

Main Offi ce: Mark Wall [email protected]

Phone: 020 8333 7493 (For all matters)

Editor: John Webb [email protected]

Publisher: SEnine Ltd:PO Box 24290, Eltham,

Royal Greenwich, London, SE9 6ZP

Totally Independent

Friends Membership. Support for the magazine is always appreciated. You can help the magazine with an annual Friends Membership The standard membership is £24.00 per year (in the delivery area)

Royal Mail membership is £36.00 per year (Outside the current delivery area a magazine is delivered by post)

Send your name, address and contact details along with payment to 'SEnine Friends' PO Box 24290 Eltham SE9 6ZPWe look forward to hearing from you.

Closing Dates. Please visit our web site to get exact dates.

Submissions: Contributions, Stories & Photos are always welcome

relating to or with a connection to Eltham. They are subject to our overall

editorial and publishing policy. These policies are on line.

Advertisers: SEnine Magazine does not recommend or endorse any

advertiser. You should make you own enquiries as to the suitability and

value of the service or product.

We only use the very best industry standard vegetable oil based inks. We use environmentally friendly papers, from a sustainable source, with a chain of custody from well managed forests through the supply chain to our printer.

Enjoy life:

Enjoy Eltham.

Elthamse9.co.uk is a limited company

and is part of the SEnine Limited group.

See the links on

www.elthamse9.co.uk

SEnine OPINION, FROM MY DESK

3

ISSUE NUMBER 100

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing

MARCH 2015

This publication is subject to copyright - if you want to use something, ask we will usually grant permission

Furious objections to a major expansion of the athletics provision

and associated car parking were overruled by council planners last year.

The objections focussed on the minority nature of the proposed provision compared with the major visual impact of a large indoor shed for winter training and loss of amenity grass for parking provision.

In an attempt to meet the concerns, extra community provisions have been added, including a junior climbing wall, a simulated ‘caving’ experience and high ropes course.

In addition, there is planned a dual purpose skateboarding and BMX provision in a design that incorporates street-style obstacles and challenges.

An outdoor cafe is also proposed with an adjoining toddler play area, toilets and a classroom which could be used for school trips.

The complex, which will provide the Cambridge Harriers athletic club with a 60m indoor running track and all-weather fi eld sports training area is proposed for the west side of the current outdoor track against Kidbrooke Park Road.

It will be run by Greenwich Leisure Limited who say that the ambition is to gain planning permission this summer and seek funding from national sporting

agencies and others to bring it to reality. An opening date of late 2016 or early 2017 is pencilled in.

One of the aims is to provide youth with further encouragement and facilities for physical activity.

The climbing wall is at a ‘starter’ grade with a view to preparing youngsters for the greater challenges of The ‘Reach’ centre at Woolwich. The new BMX/skateboard provision would provide an all-weather version of the track at Hornfair Park and one soon to be constructed in Charlton

Park.

A major obstacle has been the insistence of Transport for London for off -road parking. So the plans for now are for a 25 space p a r k i n g lot with an entrance off Eltham Road.

Julia Grollman, of the Sutcliff e Park friends group said: “We are completely against any car parking provision on the existing park; also the café would have an unenviable view looking out across a main road.”

However, she welcomed the increased community facilities in the new design.

Sutcliffe Proposals RevisedAn indoor adventure and activity centre for Sutcliffe Park

is being proposed to meet opposition to further development of the area.

SEnine

4

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SEnine

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When we fi rst came to Eltham from ‘up north’ nearly 30 years ago, it was

commonly said by the long term residents that the area was ‘going down’.

We were never quite sure what that meant. It was disconcerting, and we hoped it was in no way linked to our arrival.

So, it was pleasant to read in the Metro newspaper that the area is now considered to be ‘going up’.

Stripping aside the estate agent hyperbole, it was good to hear of the place being called ‘south London’s best-kept secret’ where ‘optimism is high and property prices cheap’.

Certainly there have been many improvements; now a new hospital is due to open and a cinema in the offi ng.

Back in 1985, whether or not the area was going up or down, we managed to fi nd a place in the community with baby groups, welcoming church and a friendly cohort of school gate mums and dads to get to know.

We’d come from over 200 miles, a long way compared with our neighbours who said that they, too, weren’t from these parts.

They’d moved in some time previously from Welling.

Of course, many new arrivals these days have often travelled much larger distances to be with us. Being rented, the house next to ours has hosted an amazing selection of nationalities in recent years.They haven’t found mixing in as easy as we did. One Swiss mum with a toddler and whose husband was doing something in banking, sat in the park for a few months looking glum before eloping feeling homesick. Next up was a group of Poles with similar problems.

Of course, language can be a big barrier to integration. We occasionally reeled with laughter over some of the accent-related misunderstandings we had in shops, soon learning to adapt our vowel sounds when required to make ourselves comprehensible.

Much harder when you can’t speak a word though, although some communities are suffi ciently numerous to have each other to fall back on.

So, concluding Jotting number 100, may leave you with this thought. Do areas go up, down or just sideways? Whichever, it’s a diff erent Eltham now even to when Jotting number One came off the keyboard way back in 2006.

Janes First jotting in Issue NO 1, 2006 read:

On the subject of ‘the youth of today’ I

relate this from a friend , who recently

was with her husband looking for

bargains at a shop in the precinct by

Boots. The shop was busy, but they were

taking their time engaging their two

year old daughter in the art of browsing

among books.

Suddenly they were aware

that their little charge was

no longer present. With that

terrible gut --wrenching feeling

they’d loudly exclaimed “Has

anyone seen our little girl? The

shop and precinct was empty

of tiny feet. There was nothing

for it. My friend’s husband ran

out, retracing their steps, past

Argos and left into the busy

High Street.

It felt like ages, but then he saw a small fi gure with a couple of

teenaged boys who were asking where her parents were. She had

been heading back to an ice-cream van they’d passed earlier. The

teenagers had been about to go into WHSmith and ask what they

should do.

With many thanks, my friends went home, still without ice-

creams, resolving to keep a closer eye on such a quick-silver

daughter in the future. They talked of how kind those teenaged

hoodies had been.

Yes, there could have been abduction and a terrible end to that

Saturday afternoon, but no, Eltham’s villagey feel came to the

rescue.

Jane Webb has lived in Eltham since '85 with her husband and daughter. She has taught at several local primary schools

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I Am 100 Jane & Mark Wall are the only writers to appear in every one of the 100 issues of SEnine

SEnine ChampionWriter

SEnine

6 Vote at elections, it is your right

JANE’S JOTTINGS

A major development of three storey housing, rising to four alongside the

Winter Garden, is planned for the Avery Hill Mansion site.

Sale documents released by the University, seen by SEnine, put forward a series of ‘development options’ which have already been rehearsed with the council’s planning offi cers.

However, potential purchasers will almost certainly try to expand the scale of the re-development, citing housing shortages and targets.

The University is looking to vacate the site by 2018 with the teacher training department moving across the park to modern accommodation on the Southwood site.

At least £20m is expected to be raised by the University which it would plough back into more modern facilities, probably in Greenwich.

Campaigners are seeking assurances that the sale and planning approval would come with a responsibility to renovate and maintain the Winter Garden, along the lines of the £2.6m lottery bid, which the University decided to scrap. It has agreed to pay back nearly £100,000 already advanced by the lottery for preparation fees.

Off ers for the Mansion site are being sought by the middle of March with a single developer likely to be chosen in the following months.

It will bring an end to a 110 year history of teacher training there, initially under the London County Council, and latterly with Thames Polytechnic.

The site, which stretches from the Bexley Road crossroads in the east to Pippenhall allotments in the west, is mostly scheduled for two or three storey housing with existing trees retained for screening.

But a controversial surprise is the ‘development option’ for the area to the east of the Winter Garden where the University’s landscape consultant suggests re-creation of the scale of the original mansion, bombed in the war.

The sale documents speak of the need for ‘avoiding overwhelming the historic focal point in the horizon line provided by the glazed dome of the Winter Gardens and maintaining a balanced façade’. But this is thrown into doubt elsewhere in the document.

The author, who described the Winter Garden as ‘very well-maintained’ overlooked the need for re-glazing, heating and guttering if it is to have a sustainable long-term future.

The council, with a poor record in keeping developers in line after planning approvals will, unfortunately, play a crucial role in ensuring that whichever developer is chosen enough money will be plough into the repair of the Winter Garden.

Although there are covenants which require the Garden to be maintained, and a Grade II listing, these are notoriously diffi cult to enforce and campaigners, led by the Park friends group, are looking to the council to insist on a full renovation as part of agreement to allow housing to go ahead.

The Friends also want to be sure there is sustainable stream of fi nancing to keep the Garden in good condition and open to the public, free of charge, for the foreseeable future. (See page 17 for more)

North

Are the Winter

Gardens and

Avery Hill Park

under threat?

Avery Hill Park

The Cafe

BMX track

‘The Avery Hill Park friends group has

arranged a public meeting to discuss the

future of the Winter Garden.

Christ Church hall, Eltham High Street,

on Thursday March 19 at 7.30pm’

Where will be next?

Winter Garden ThreatJohn Webb reports on the story so far

Is the Winter Garden, the old Mansion house and the long history of Colonel North in jeopordy?

SEnine NEWS

7 Don't wait for people to be friendly, show them how.

News in BriefNews in Brief A chance to watch the mid-summer sun rising over the North Kent Downs

is being off ered by Eltham’s leading environmental charity Widehorizon.

Their ‘Nightline’ walk is aimed at raising money for Widehorizon a charity that runs six children’s adventure centres in addition to their site in Bexley Road.

Walking will start from Bexley Road on the evening of Saturday June 20 with two options; either 25km to the Widehorizon centre at Horton Kirby or the full 50km trek over to the residential centre at Wrotham in Kent.

This second leg will take place overnight and feature the opportunity to watch the sun rising over the Kent countryside at around 3.30am on Sunday 21st June.

Entry costs £10 but each walker is given a fundraising target of an additional £90.00.“It’s a chance for people to see the local countryside in a completely diff erent light. The route is all off -road and led by experts with support”, said Ceri Rhoades, fundraising co-ordinator for Widehorizon.

“People can stop after 25km if they like or go on further to take in the sunrise early the following morning”, she said.

“We need to raise money to enable as many children as possible to take advantage of our centres and facilities”, she said.

Widehorizon also has residential centres in Swanage, Dorset and three in Wales.

Shuttle buses will be available to bring walkers back to Eltham after completing the walks. Widehorizon is also promoting a long distance cycle ride round Kent in April. More details at www.widehorizons.org.uk/

Night-a-thon Progress progress

Bacon Sandwich

A new picture, by local artist Lynn Bennett-Usher, is available from the

Progress Residents Association. It is part of the ‘merchandise’ produced by the group in connection with its centenary celebrations in 2015. The scene, set in an archetypal Progress road, depicts a mother and father waving farewell to their son, who is leaving for the War. It is available either as a print or notelets from the group by emailing [email protected]. Mugs, t-shirts, chutney and a montage of the estate are also available. Progress Garden Talk

A garden event attended by Jim Buttress, judge on BBC2’s Big Allotment Challenge will be the curtain raiser for the Progress Estate’s centenary celebrations. Held at the Progress Hall, Admiral Seymour Road on Saturday March 21, there will also be a talk by local garden historian Russell Bowes. The event runs from 2-4pm and is free. It is the fi rst of a series of events being organised by the Progress Residents Association. Further information from www.progressestate.co.uk

I don’t know what kind of establishment they think they are running here. I asked

for a bacon sandwich for breakfast, but they wouldn’t let me. Gave me scrambled eggs, my favourite apparently. That’s what they told me. Phaa, what do they know. Blooming dictators. ` I think I’ll pop out later and get one for myself. Now where can I get one in the high street? Ohh, I can’t think of anywhere. I bet if I got the bus into Woolwich I could go into British Home Stores. They have a cafeteria, bet they’d let me have a bacon sarnie. Mum used to take us in there when we went shopping. We used to have a crusty roll with lashings of butter and a glass of milk. A real treat that was. Mind you I could always go home and get mum to make me one. That sounds like a better idea. I’ll stop in Westmount Road and get a lovely crusty loaf from Ayres. Mmm, the one with those tiny black seeds on; what are they called? Oh yes poppy seeds. Poppy, poppy aren’t they poisonous. Don’t they give you hallucinations? Well, be more fun than sitting here with this lot. Look at them they’re ancient. Now where was I, oh yes, my bacon sandwich. I’ll stop off at Mc Donald’s the butchers and get the bacon. They wrap it in loads of paper. I remember mum breaking off the end of the loaf for us to nibble on the way back from the shops, then when we got in she’d unwrap the meat and give us the clean sheets of paper to draw on. Happy days. I’ll just fi nish this cuppa then I’ll be off . Wait who’s this heading towards me with a big grin on her face. Gosh she reminds me of my sister. Hold on she’s not talking to me, oh, she is. That’s odd, why is she calling me Nan. That’s not my name. Strange girl. You’re taking me out for lunch you say. Well I’ll get my coat. You timed that right. I just fancy a bacon sandwich. ‘But Nan you’re a vegetarian’.

Story by Jill Carr

Royal Eltham Writers Circle meet every Friday at

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More news in brief on page 27

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The friends of SEnine Magazine have played

a very important role in its growth and

well being. There is no doubt in my mind

that were it not for the wonderful SEnine

Friends support, that the magazine would

have suff ered during the fi nancial troubles

of the last few years. The contribution

of Friends members helps the magazine

maintain a community focus by not having

to act in a purely commercial fashion.

If you would like to become a friend send your name, address, telephone number and email contact along with a cheque for £24.00 (or £36.00 for Royal Mail delivery) to SEnine PO box 24290 Eltham Royal Greenwich SE96ZP. More details can be found at the bottom of page 3 or at www.senine.co.uk

Friends are like stars, you do not always see them but you know they are always there.

SEnine

8 Join in a Community Activity

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SEnine

9Don't Litter, put it in a bin

Saturdays 28 February – 11 AprilContemporary British AbstractionWork by 35 UK-based artists, group show

SE9 Container Gallery

Free entry, parking on site 11am until 3pm

Sunday 1 MarchMusic in the barRichard Finch-Turner, modern classic vocals

Tudor Barn Sunday 6-8pm

Wednesday 4 MarchCharity Quiz NightFull carvery meal and entry to quiz £10

In aid of Eltham Arts

White Hart, Eltham High Street

www.whiteharteltham.co.uk or 8850 1562

6.30pm onwards

Weds to Saturday 4 – 7 March‘The Herbal Bed’Period drama by Peter Whelan directed by Maggi Law

Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road

Tickets £9 (£8conc) 7.45pm

8850 3702 or www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

Sunday 8 MarchMusic in the BarGordon Marc Webber and Steve Mac, guitar and vocals

Tudor Barn Sunday 6-8pm

Thursday 12 March Eltham Jazz ClubLee Gibson, vocals and Michael Coates, sax

Meets at Eltham Warren Golf Club, Bexley Road

Tickets £9 on the door 8 – 11pm

Saturday March 14Spring concertEltham Choral Society with the Amadeus Orchestra

Music by Mozart and Carissimi

Holy Trinity Church, Southend Crescent 7.30pm

Tickets £12 (£10 conc) on door or from Normans Music

Sunday 15 MarchMusic in the BarRichard Finch-Turnet, modern classic vocals

Tudor Barn Sunday 6-8pm

Wed 18 to Saturday 21 MarchA Chorus of DisaprovalPlay by Alan Ayckbourn

Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road

Tickets £12 - 7.45pm

8850 3702 or www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

Wednesday 18 March

Charity Quiz NightIn aid of Middle Park Community Centre

Full carvery meal and entry to quiz £10

White Hart, Eltham High Street

www.whiteharteltham.co.uk or 8850 1562

6.30pm onwards

Thursday 19 MarchAvery Hill Winter Garden: The FuturePublic meeting organised by the Friends of Avery Hill Park

Christ Church Hall, Eltham High Street 7.30pm

Saturday March 21Garden talk and Plant SaleWith TV’s Jim Buttress and Garden historian Russell

Bowes. Part of Progress Estate 100th anniversary

celebrations. Progress Hall, Admiral Seymour Road

Entry free. More information www.progressesatteco.uk

2-4pm

Saturdays from 21 March to April 26 ‘Death of Nature’; An exhibition of paintings by Michael Porter

Reflects on environmental concerns

Orbits & OccultsEight contemporary artists from North America and the

United Kingdom explore the ways in which we navigate

complex and ever growing networks of cosmologies.

Gerald Moore Gallery, Mottingham Lane

020 8857 0448 or www.geraldmooregallery.org

Free entry 12 – 4pm

Sunday 22 MarchMusic in the BarFrancesca Payne modern classic vocals

Tudor Barn Sunday 6-8pm

Wednesday 25 MarchTudor Barn Wine ClubThree course themed meal and six different wines

£45 per head Bookings only 0845 459 2351 or

www.tudorbarneltham.co.uk

Wednesday 25 MarchEaster ConcertMottingham Village Concert Band at Our Lady Help

of Christians Church, corner of Mottingham Road and

Leysdown Road at 7.30pm. The programme will include

seasonal and sacred music. Admission is free with a

retiring collection.

Weds to Sat 25 – 28 March‘Sister Act’Musical staged by Elderado Musical Productions

Bob Hope Theatre Tickets £13 and £14 7.45pm

8850 3702 or www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

Thursday March 26Eltham Jazz ClubJim Rattigan, French horn - Meets at Eltham Warren Golf

Club, Bexley Road - Tickets £9 on the door 8 – 11pm

Sunday 29 MarchMusic in the barSteve Mac & Gordon Marc Webber modern classic vocals

Tudor Barn Sunday 6-8pm

Sunday March 29Comedy@Bob Hope TheatrePaul Adams and guests

Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road

Tickets £10 (£9 pre-book) 7.30pm

8850 3702 or www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

Wednesday 15 – Saturday 19 April‘Blitz’Sidcup Operatic Society Wartime community drama with

Lionel Bart hit songs Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road

Tickets £11 and £13 7.30pm (plus 2.30pn Sat)

8850 3702 or www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

Wednesday 22 – Saturday 26 AprilLend Me A TenorMusical comedy set in pre-war US. Bromley Players

Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road

Tickets £12 and 14 7.45pm (plus 2.30pm Sat)

8850 3702 or www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

Wed 29 April - Saturday 5 May ‘Dad’s Army’.Roan Theatre Company’s take on the comedy classic

Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road

Tickets £9 (£8conc) 7.45pm (plus 2.30pm Sat)

8850 3702 or www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

2-6 Sherard Road,

Eltham SE9 6EX

020 8315 1850During March there will be the usual huge array of events and activities for you to choose from.

Tuesdays, Chair based activities, French and on the 18th Nutrition advise.Wednesday the 26th is our History groupThursdays Craft Group meet on the 6th and 20th while the forget-me-not singing group meet every week.Fridays every week is the Technology Club.Saturday on the 22nd men in sheds meet. For more information call Age UK or visit the SEnine web site and follow the links on the RHS of the page.

Sold OutSold Out

SEnineThis page is sponsored by ElthamSE9 Limited

10 Need a service or product in Eltham? Visit ElthamSE9.co.uk

WHAT'S ON

BOB

HOPE

THEATRE

COMING ATTRACTIONS

TEPOS returns to the Bob Hope Theatre in March with something a

little diff erent from their usual musical off erings. Alan Ayckbourn’s A Chorus of

Disapproval is a play with some musical interludes and hilariously pokes fun at the hobby of amateur dramatics. Whilst TEPOS were deciding on their next piece, their chairman Eric Whiting was rehearsing for Alan Ayckbourn’s It Could

be Any One of Us, performed at the Bob Hope Theatre last October. This reminded him of A Chorus of Disapproval, the next play written by Ayckbourn. With its large cast, its strong ensemble nature and fantastic script, it felt like a good fi t.

Guy Jones is played by Paul Redfern, a newcomer to TEPOS. This was a crucial piece of casting for this production, and Paul needed some arm twisting as he’d taken a break from theatre after a heavy schedule in the Geoff rey Whitworth Theatre in 2012-13. Guy is a handsome young widower who joins an amateur theatre group (PALOS), and gradually moves from the chorus to leading man. PALOS are rehearsing a production of

an operetta, ‘The Beggar’s Opera’, about a charismatic highwayman Macheath who lives life on the edge and enjoys the attention of plenty of women. The inept and domineering artistic director of PALOS, Dafydd ap Llewellyn, is played by Eric Whiting. His wife Hannah, played by another TEPOS regular Penny Walshe, is (un)surprisingly playing the lead.

Other newcomers to TEPOS are: the director John McLaren, though he has plenty of experience mainly at Erith Playhouse; Wendy Reynolds as Rebecca Huntley-Pike, who was the brilliant orang-utan librarian in last May’s Guards! Guards! She has also taken on the role of choreographer for the three dance numbers, helped with the props, and co-ordinated the wardrobe; John Hart as her husband and annoying know-it-all Jarvis; the nasty but ‘very sociable’ Ian Hubbard, is played by Richard Harfst who was the unaired composer Mortimer in It Could Be Anyone of Us; Bette Davis is his wife Fay, who is also very ‘sociable’; Ken Swan as the nervous Ted Washbrook; Holly Foster as his spoilt daughter Linda; and

Tony Garrett as her thuggish boyfriend and original lead in ‘The Beggar’s Opera’.

Mr Ames, the shy rehearsal accompanist for PALOS is played by Peter Wilson, and has helped the cast get to grips with the music of this piece. The feisty stage manager Bridget Baines is played by Liz Gillett and Enid Washbrook by Sarah Cummings-Cove.

This is another fast paced comedy that is particularly funny to anyone who has ever set foot on an amateur stage. It is full of backstage gossip, love triangles, dodgy deals and diva tantrums. The shenanigans of PALOS are refl ected in the characters they play in ‘The Beggar’s Opera’. Not to be missed, it contains mild swearing and some sexual references that should go over the heads of younger audience members.

Thumbs up for A Chorus of DisapprovalSEnine

11Be a good neighbour

CULTURE & ARTS by Beattie Slavin

Greenwich & Bexley Credit Union was fi rst registered in 1998 as

Timeline Credit Union for Greenwich Council employees and pensioners. In 2004, it merged with Greenwich Waterfront Credit Union and began off ering services to everyone living or working Greenwich and Thamesmead - the name was changed to Greenwich Credit Union to refl ect this. In 2012, coverage was extended to anyone living or working in the borough of Bexley, and the credit union’s name was changed again to Greenwich & Bexley Credit Union.

Since it was established the credit union has grown to over 6,000 members. The credit union is extending its services to reach existing and future members from SE9. GBCU is keen to welcome new members from Eltham and the surrounding area.

The Community Engagement Offi cer, Peta Cubberley, wants to meet with organisations and community groups in SE9, as well as with schools, children’s centres, churches, health, sports and leisure groups and businesses in the Eltham area.

Opening in

March

The credit union’s general manager, Kay Campbell, lives in New Eltham SE9.

Kay said “Credit unions are a really great place for people to develop a savings habit as members must save at least £2.50 a week or £10 a month. It’s so important to have a cushion of savings for emergencies or a rainy day for your fi nancial protection. Our loan rates are amongst the cheapest available, particularly compared to pay day & doorstep lenders.”

Peta said, “ We do not have an exact opening date in March [at time of going

to press ED], but will advertise it in next months issue of SEnine. However if you

want more information Peta can be contacted on 0208855 4344 or email: [email protected]

Credit Union LaunchGreenwich & Bexley Credit Union (GBCU) will soon

be opening a new service desk in the Eltham Centre, to serve those in the

southern half of the borough.

98 Riefi eld Road Eltham London SE9 T: 020 8333 0452E: scott @londonandkent.co.uk

• Free detailed quotes and

professional advice

• We survey and provide design

services for planning permission

• All aspects of building works

undertaken, from new build to

patios

• We have a portfolio of work

available for you to see

• References available

• £5,000,000 Public Liability

Insurance

• Landlord and property

management services

• Punctual and polite we

always commence work on

time.

Open Day

Saturday March 7

10am - 12noon

SEnine

12

NEWS

Take a walk in the Tarn

020 8850 2040 Main Offi ce 180 Eltham High St

Anstridge Hall

Anstridge Road SE9 2LL

Flintmill Hall

Flintmill Crescent SE3 8LU

Lionel Road Hall

Westhorne Avenue SE9 6DH

Progress Hall

Admiral Seymour Rd SE9 1SL

St Mary's Community Complex 180 High Street Eltham

For more information on

Halls and Rooms for Hire at

aff ordable prices contact the

main offi ce on 020 8850 2040Supported by The Royal Borough of Greenwich

Celebrate in one of our Halls

Available for hire for your special day

Special off er Children's Parties held at 'Lionel, Anstridge or Flintmill Hall', 3 hours for the price of 2 Please contact our offi ce for further details, Conditions Apply

We host 80 community groups in our 5

community buildings.

A full list of activities and Affi liated Groups

who off er a wide selection of activities and

available from our web site www.stmarys-

eltham.co.uk or from our high street offi ce.

Do you have any ideas for new groups or

activities?

TaTTTaTTTaTaTaTaTaTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTaTTaTaTaTTaTaTaT blblblblblbbblbbblblbblbblblble e eee ee eee eee eeee e clclclcclclclclclcclcllcclotototototototototototoottotottotthhshshshshhshshsshhhshshhs, , , , ,,, , dededededdedededdeddedeededededeeeedeeedeeddeecocococococococococccococcocoocococcococococoorrrararararararararaaarararrararaaararaatititititititiititititititiittitittititttit onononooononnonnonononooonnooooo ssss ss sssssss anananananannanannnnnnnnnnnd dddddd d dd ddddd chchchcchchchchchchhchaiaiaiaiaiaiiaiaiirsrsrsrsrsrsrss hhhhhhhihihihiiihhh rererereereereereddddddddddddddddddddddddd ssesesesesesesesesesessseesees papapapapapapapapaapapapapapppppppp rarararararararararateteteteetetetettteteteettetelylylyyylylylyylylyyyyyyylyylyyyyyy

ST MARY’S COMMUNITY COMPLEX

Thomas Philipot's Almshouses The Trustees of Thomas Philipot’s Almshouse Charity are currently seeking applications from couples and single people of retirement age who may be interested in moving into our warden assisted complex. Applications are invited from

people of limited fi nancial

means who live within the

Ancient Parishes of Chislehurst

and Eltham and who are

capable of independent living.

Today this equates broadly to

Eltham, New Eltham, Mottingham, Chislehurst and parts of Sidcup and Lee.

For further information please visit our website, philipots.org.uk or write to the

Clerk to the Trustees at the postal or email address below.

Philipot Path, Passey Place, Eltham, SE9 5DJ

www.philipots.org.uk

[email protected] Charity No. 210074

SEnine

13Join a local community group

Spencer Drury: Getting a better deal for Eltham

Twitter: @Spencer_Drury Email [email protected].

74 Westmount Road Eltham SE9 1JE. T: 020 8850 2880.

Spencer has worked with

Boris and the GLA to:

Fund improvements

to Eltham High Street

Improve safety on red route roads

Provide family homes across

the borough

Force the Labour Council to put

DLR for Eltham back on the agenda

Printed and promoted by Andrew Lee on behalf of Eltham Conservatives, both of 74 Westmount Road, Eltham, SE9 1JE.

Follow us on

Facebook & Twitter@

TheWhiteHart3

2 Eltham High StreetEltham London SE9 1DA

020 8850 1562www.whiteharteltham.co.uk

[email protected]

Great food, Lagers & Real Ales, a large selection of wines & spirits. The White Hart has a friendly & comfortable atmosphere.

You are guaranteed a warm reception.

If you have not been out in Eltham in a while, visit the White Hart. You will be glad you visited 'The Hart of Eltham'.

Residential Property ConveyancingResidential Lease Extensions

Commercial Property LeasesLasting Powers of Attorney

Employment Law AdviceFamily Law Advice

Probate & WillsLitigation

We refuse to pay estate agents for recommendations – we prefer to give you impartial advice and represent your best interests, without outside infl uences.

*Terms & proof to be provided

www.wattsandleeding.co.uk

Quality Legal Services

@ aff ordable prices

legally yours.. call us on: 020 8850 6366

Our fi rm will better any other local solicitor’s quotes* by 5%.

S o l i c i t o r sWatts & Leeding

Established 1969

4 Novar Rd, New ElthamSE9 2DN

We would love to help you with:

SEnine

14 Be active in your community

Normal Hours9 am to 6 pm Mon to Thurs 9 am to 5 pm Friday. Closed for lunch between 1 pm and 2 pm.

Eltham Park Dental Practice

Eltham Park Dental Practice provides a friendly and modern dental service in the heart of Eltham Park, South London.

The practice was established in 1974 with a philosophy of providing the highest standards of dentistry to our local community. We provide a full range of dental techniques in a friendly yet effi cient environment.5 Westmount Road,

Eltham Park, SE9 1JB

020 8850 8515www.elthamparkdental.co.uk

New patients are always welcome.

Conran Estates has won a Silver Award at a prestigious award ceremony held

by The Guild of Professional Estate Agents held on Thursday 29 January 2015.

Held at the Millennium Hotel in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London, the awards are designed to recognize outstanding performance and innovation from a carefully selected network of over 790 independent estate agents. The judges who awarded Conran Estates were particularly impressed by the way the agent demonstrated marketing innovation, expert market knowledge, a commitment to high standards of knowledge and expertise, and outstanding customer service.

Members of The Guild of Professional Estate Agents from across the UK attended the awards ceremony dinner following the most important day in the year for The Guild – its Annual Conference – the theme of which was ‘Communication in the Modern Era’.

Marcus Whewell, CEO of The Guild of Professional Estate Agents, presented the awards to Simon Hughes and his management team, Conran Estates, commenting ‘Rewarding outstanding achievement within our network is an honour and a privilege. The quality of award entries this year is the highest ever, refl ecting how our organization is moving forward and assisting its agents to provide

a truly unique and exceptional service to the public. My sincere congratulations go to Conran Estates who should be very proud of winning this hard-fought and prestigious award.”

Simon Hughes, added, ‘This award is testament to the drive and expertise of each and every one of our staff which is second to none. We

constantly endeavor to provide our clients superior service which is possible through our access to high quality marketing tools. We could not be more proud to receive this award and thank everyone at The Guild for the professional support they have provided us over the past twelve months’.

Award Winners

Tamer Alcici (manager of Greenwich), Rob Iommazzo (Manager of Eltham), Marcus

Whewell (CEO of the Guild of Professional Estate Agents), Simon Hughes (MD of

Conran Estates), Anne Angus (Manager of Lettings Management Dept), Michael John

(Manager of Charlton)

Could you business benifi t from association with Eltham’s oldest and most trusted web referal sight. This exclusive site has previously only been open to town centre businesses.

However we are now changing that provision and calling for applications from any business with a registered address in the SE9 postcode area.

Give us a call on 020 8333 7493 or email [email protected] for a information pack, or to arrange for us to visit your business.

SEnine

15Help keep Eltham safe - report suspicious activity!

NEWS

Twin brothers Ronald "Ronnie" Kray (24 October 1933 – 17 March 1995) and

Reginald "Reggie" Kray (24 October 1933 – 1 October 2000) were gangsters who were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in the East End of London during the 1950s and 1960s. With their gang, "The Firm", the Krays were involved in armed robberies, arson, protection rackets, assaults, and murders. As West End nightclub owners, they mixed with prominent entertainers including Diana Dors, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland, and with politicians. The Krays were much feared within their scene, and in the 1960s became celebrities in their own right, even being photographed by David Bailey and interviewed on television. They were arrested on 9 May 1968 and convicted in 1969 by the eff orts of a squad of detectives led by Detective Superintendent Leonard "Nipper" Read, and were both sentenced to life imprisonment. Ronnie remained in Broadmoor Hospital until his death on 17 March 1995, but Reggie was released from prison on compassionate grounds in August 2000, eight weeks before his death from cancer.

At the turn of the 1990s, the Krays 21 years of imprisonment took on a notoriety amongst teenagers who felt that the twins had served their time for the gangland killings of George Cornell and Jack McVitie and therefore should be released. The Krays were dubbed political prisoners who had served their time and were considered heroes by some. The older generation knew better, seeing the twins as the evil criminals they were.

Despite their justifi ed life sentences, the Kray story still sparks interest amongst the general public and, with regard to our Eltham, there are two clear occasions when London’s most notorious gangsters ventured south of the river to visit our quiet rural suburb. The fi rst was on 7 March 1949, when London Youth Boxing Clubs were invited to a tournament hosted by the Rochester Way Boxing Club at Eltham Baths. Charles Kray senior (the boys’ father) brought his 15 year old twins to fi ght against representatives from Eltham in the junior contest.

Eltham amateur boxing bouts were notoriously competitive. In later life, Sir Henry Cooper, who also started his boxing career in Eltham in 1949, explained that he had some of his most brutal matches while fi ghting at the Eltham and District Amateur Boxing Club. Cooper never fought the Krays, who claimed that they never lost a fi ght as amateurs. That maybe so, but a recently discovered copy of the Eltham boxing tournament programme for 7 March 1949, suggests a diff erent story for at least one of the twins. Reggie, the more groomed fi ghter, appears to have lost his fi ght to T. Bryant, as someone had annotated (W) for Won against Bryant’s name. There is no record of what happened to Ronnie against W. Fay.

Immersed in criminal life from their late teens, the Krays eventually had their boxing licenses taken away for assault on the police. As 20 year olds, in the late 1950s, they were called up for National Service with the Royal Fusiliers. They reported but attempted to leave after

only a few minutes. The corporal in charge tried to stop them, but Ronnie punched him in the chin, leaving him seriously injured. The twins walked back to the East End "just in time for tea". The next morning they were arrested and turned over to the army and are recognized as being the last criminals to be imprisoned at the Tower of London. Convicted they were sent to a military prison in Canterbury where they also escaped and stole a car to drive them back to the East End. Unfortunately it broke down enroute and they walked to the nearest town – Eltham. Reg later recalled that their prison clothes drew a lot of attention in the ‘busy’ high street and they were soon arrested and taken

to the newly opened Eltham Police Station in Well Hall Road. They gave false names at the time, but further investigation into their escape proved who they were and, after a rest in a warm cell and a cup of tea, they were taken back to prison.

The Krays military life, like their boxing careers, ended in dishonorable discharge. They were then fi rmly embedded in the criminal underworld of the East

End of London, where they very soon built a reputation of fear and violence and were punished accordingly. In their heyday they entertained some notable celebrities at their London clubs, included amongst them was a certain Heavyweight Boxing champion: Henry Cooper. Unfortunately the Krays’ boxing careers failed to impress as much as Coopers, who interestingly, also had a twin brother; but neither of the Krays chose to use their fi ghting talents; but instead carved a level of notoritey founded on violence and fear.

‘Kray’ biographer and SEnine feature writer Craig Cabell details two occasions in which London’s notorious

Kray Brothers came to our manor

Gansters in Eltham

Further readingThe Image Shattered (2001) Craig CabellGetting Away With Murder (2006) Cabell & Hamilton

SEnine

16

FEATURE

Take a walk in the Pleasaunce

One of London’s oldest music stores. Celebrating 100 years in Eltham.

We stock a large range and variety of musical instruments and printed music, including Associated Board Publications

amammm.

32 Well Hall Road Eltham SE9 6SF tel: 020 8850 1263

Why risk buying from the internet or a catalogue shop when you can buy from the specialists?

www.normansmusic.co.uk

Free advice and guidance on all our products before and after your purchase.

It is never too old to learn to play a musical instrument. Music-

making is linked to a number of health benefi ts for older adults.

Call in to the shop and see what instrument might interest you.

Uni Justifi es Sale John Webb talks to the Chief Operating Officer,

of the University of Greenwich, Anne PoulsonWhy are you selling the Mansion site? It’s been a great base over many years. But higher education is changing, and so are students’ needs, so we’ve taken the decision to sell to release funds for investment in our core priorities: teaching and learning; research and enterprise. Why was the lottery bid ditched? The costs were just too high. The estimate of funds to be underwritten increased by 222%, plus on-going revenue commitment. Those escalating costs, and the risks, meant that the initial proposal couldn’t off er a stable, sustainable outcome. Are you paying back the lottery money? Yes, we’ve returned all the funding received, £98,973. That had been spent on the costs of preparing the bid, for example,

initial surveys and design work. We’ll make that available to the new owner along with all the other background studies. Where’s the Education department going to go? The plan is for teacher training and related courses to move to Southwood site. Time-scales? The details will depend on who we sell to, and when. The most likely outcome is that we’ll move from the site over the next few years.

Are you committed to Southwood? Yes, it’s not part of the sale. The next step will be to build up student and staff numbers there a bit. The whole Faculty of Education & Health is recruiting to the full range of professional courses starting at

Avery Hill this coming autumn.

Rumours of other developments on the site?

We’ve heard those too! There seems always to be some speculation going about and we have been able to reassure Friends of Avery Hill Park about their specifi c concerns.

SEnine

17Report unusual or suspicious activity!

The naming of Eltham’s roads and thoroughfares does much to refl ect

its proud history through persons, places and associations from former times. Walking along the high street gave me the idea for this article to highlight the names of places leading off our main shopping centre whose meaning may be little known – until now!

The name Eltham High Street appeared in 1933 as the road was being widened, new buildings constructed and renumbering instituted which can trap the unwary researcher into coming up with false locations for grandfather’s shop. Before renaming the road was plain ‘High Street’.

Until 1929 Southend Crescent was part of Southend Road, which led to the Southend area around Southend House and Southend Hall (now Inca Drive) before becoming part of Footscray Road.

Westmount Road is named after Westmount near Paisley in Scotland, which was home to Mrs Alice Corbett wife of Cameron Corbett who built the Eltham

Park Estate from 1900.

The section of Footscray Road nearest the high street was, until around the 1860s, the Love Lane footpath, which when widened became Victoria Road as houses were built alongside on Crown land. As there were so many roads of this name in London their number was reduced and in Eltham ‘Footscray Road’ was substituted in 1929.

Blunts Road is named after Blunts Croft a fi eld of about 2 acres dating back at least to the 15th century when it became a piece of charity land where the 15 Penny Field almshouses now stand.

Elm Terrace was named for a housing development of the mid 19th century. There was no provision for elm trees so the name may be a shortened version of Eltham.

The short section of Pound Place we see today was several centuries’ earlier part of a longer Shepherds Lane, which ran down to the Southend area skirting roughly what is now the boundary of

the Royal Blackheath Golf Club. On the site of Graham Webb’s shop stood the pound where stray animals were kept until reclaimed. Most villages had one. The last pound in Eltham is recorded at Eltham Green although the name has re-appeared in shops of that name!

History in the High StreetJohn Kennett looks at an interesting aspect of our local history

Elm Terrace looking t

Eltham High Street, early 1930s

SEnine

18

HISTORIC ELTHAM

Only historians can alter the past

All pictures are from the John Kennett collection

Sun Yard has recently been designated for the cul-de-sac alongside Eltham Library and is the third use of that name in this area. The fi rst naming was for the yard

with housing and businesses behind the original Rising Sun pub located west of the present house. In the early 1930s the name was revived for Woolwich Borough Council’s depot accessed off Archery Road, which was demolished to make way for the Eltham Centre.

The northern part of Archery Road runs across part of the former East Field where archery butts were established by a parliamentary act instituted by King Henry VIII. There was much local protest in 1909 when the council wanted to use the name Batang for this new road, along the course

of the old Woolwich Lane footpath, but wiser counsels chose a historical name.

Roper Street stands on one-time Roper Charity land donated by Thomas and William Roper by a deed of 1578 ‘being four acres in the common fi eld called East Field.’ Eltham C of E School stands on part of this gift.

Carpenters Arms Path runs alongside a former pub of this name, which was replaced, by the Next store. When it was agreed that the path needed a name one of the proposals was ‘Fish up Alley’ being a sign advertising a former trader on the spare ground behind Greggs but the historical pub reference was deemed more appropriate.

Merlewood Place was the name for this path, then shorter, in 1933. The council agreed to revive the name in 1998 but took three years to put up a sign, which soon disappeared through the actions of metal thieves; a new Royal Borough of Greenwich sign has recently been affi xed. Merlewood was the name of a historic detached house to the west of the footpath which was demolished in the early 1920s as part of the road widening scheme for the high street and replaced by single-storey shops.

Passey Place is named after John Passey whose will of 1509 left money ‘to

twelve honest men in trust’ for various benefactions. Passey House and garden stood on the present site of Boots and extended to Philipot Path. From the mid 19th century, when it was a cul-de-sac, until 1938 the road was known as Park Place and accounts for the naming of The Park Tavern pub.

Elizabeth Terrace is recorded as Elizabeth Place in 1836. It may be named after Mrs Elizabeth Todman who owned nursery gardens here with a path alignment surviving between the Victorian houses and their gardens.

Court Yard leads to Eltham Palace on part of the site of the Outer Courtyard and The Green Court.

The section of Well Hall Road from the high street to the railway bridge was constructed in 1905 as an addition to the upgraded road to Shooters Hill and on to Woolwich, which passes through Well Hall.

Wythfi eld Road was named after a 6-acre fi eld in this area, which was detailed on the 1605 Survey of Eltham. Until 1937 the thoroughfare was known as Wellington Road in deference to the famous Duke of that name, but that was duplicated in Woolwich so a trawl of historic documents unearthed the present name.

Sherard Road is named after the 18th century Sherard brothers who were famous botanists and lived in a house on the site of the Natwest Bank. The road was originally known as Woolwich Road as this was the original road to Woolwich before Well Hall Road was extended to the high street in 1905.

History on the doorstep!

ng to the high street

The original Rising Sun pub on left

Passey Place, Park Tavern on right

SEnine

19

HISTORIC ELTHAM

past. So do it right the first time.

As well as the opening of Eltham’s

new community hospital this

month, pharmacists have been adding

to the services they provide to the

public.

They are off ering services direct to

patients saving the need for visits to

either GP surgeries or QE hospital in

Woolwich.

Both Eltham Pharmacy in Westhorne

Avenue and Mangal Pharmacy, who

have three pharmacies, two in Eltham

and one in Greenwich, can help patients

with services at one time available

only from doctors surgeries or district

hospitals.

It’s part of a drive to bring services closer

to patients with easier access and more

convenient appointment booking

processes, driven by the Greenwich

Clinical Commissioning Group, the new

body which controls primary health in

the area.

The latest service which Mangal

Pharmacy and Eltham Pharmacy

provide is for customers taking the drug

Warfarin, commonly given for those

considered at risk of heart attacks or

strokes.

Previously, patients have had to endure

long trips to QE for the regular blood

testing required to ensure dose levels

are optimised.

Now, both pharmacies are able to take

blood test and modify dose levels in

bookable appointments lasting just ten

minutes. The advantage is the ease of

booking, no waiting time, easy parking

and close to home.

Alok Mangal said: “It’s important those

on Warfarin are checked regularly.

Coming to a local pharmacy is quick and

easy. Appointments

can be rolled over

from one session

to the next and

adjustments made

to medication very

quickly.”

All a patient

needs to do

is to contact

the pharmacy

who will email

the hospital to check their suitability for

being transferred.

Another attraction is the more fl exible

working hours, with the pharmacies

open from 8.30am to 7pm during

the week, and Saturdays; Greenwich,

10 until 7, Well Hall Road 9 until 5.30

and the Sherard Road, 9 until 12. The

Greenwich branch is also open on

Sunday afternoons 2 until 6pm.

At Eltham pharmacy, which is also open

until 6.30pm, there has been a major

re-fi t of the premises to accommodate

the new remit, with an easy-to-access

consulting room.

Superintendent pharmacist Ravi Patel

said: “We have made a deliberate

move into providing more health care

services for patients and hope to keep

expanding this.

“Our warfarin clinics are

very popular with

clients because they

save the problems

of getting to

and waiting

at QE. Parking is

also diffi cult and

e x p e n s i v e

there”, he

said.

“It’s much simpler to make appointments

with us and we’re happy to do various

checks at the same time”, he said.

“We aim to be able to check the blood

for warfarin drug takers within minutes

and adjust their medication if necessary”,

he said. “I’m told waiting times at QE can

often be well over an hour and that’s

after you’ve got there.”

Both Mangal Pharmacy branches in

Eltham and Eltham Pharmacy have

free parking outside; they also off er fl u

and pneumonia immunisation, which

are free for those most at risk of their

complications.

Mark Wall (SEnine) who suff ered

heart failure in 2014 was Mangal’s fi rst

Warfarin patent.

Mark said: “It saves me hours. The

hospital is 20 mins on the bus each way,

and if you get in and out of the hospital

in under an hour you are chuff ed.

Attending locally takes 10 minutes

including travel time.”

As well as the Warfarin clinics, all the

pharmacies off er blood sugar and

cholesterol checks, an in-store NHS Stop

Smoking Service and can give advice

on mobility equipment issues.

Local Pharmacies that have a higher customer facing satisfaction ethic are poised to introduce new era in the provision of

local health services is starting this spring.

New Era in Health Services

Eltham Pharmacy,

560 Westhorne Avenue,

Eltham SE9 6DT

Tel: 020 8850 1944

Mangal Pharmacy

71 Sherard Road, Eltham SE9 6ER,

020 8859 0036

59 Well Hall Road, Eltham SE9 6SZ

020 8850 6680

8 Green Place, Greenwich SE10 0PE (open

Sundays 2 – 6pm) 020 8305 0748.

SEnine

20

WELLNESS

Strong People, Strong Families, Strong Community

NOW OPENEltham Warfarin (INR) Clinic

A new warfarin clinic is now available for patients to have their INR checked locally. A quick and efficient new service.

No more trips to the hospital and no more long waiting times! Simply pop in or give us a call and we can arrange everything for you.

Clinic address: Eltham Pharmacy,

560 Westhorne Avenue, Eltham,

SE9 6DR

You will need to bring your yellow record / diary book to each appointment.Modern Clinic Room

Tel: 020 8850 1944

100 Years in a Snip

Appointments on Saturday March 14 will be cut short as staff and

customers let their hair down.

Woodhead’s was established by the current owners’ grandfather in 1915.

Jane Bennett said: “My grandfather worked in the shop until he was called up to the First World War, where he cut soldiers’ hair.

“After the war, he then set up one of the first ladies’ hairdressers in Eltham”, she said.

Jane is the daughter of the original owner’s fourth child, Beryl. The other three children went on to buy hairdressers’ shops in Northampton, Newbury and Dartford.

Her mother took up the scissors in the 1930s and ran Woodhead’s for more than 40 years, always in the same premises. Jane took over the running of the shop in Well Hall in 1972.

She said: “I’ve had a great team of girls and boys over the years and the current team have been with me for many years. We’ve a wonderful clientele who helped us celebrate our centenary.”

The salon will be decorated for the day and a selection of refreshments will be on hand from 2pm onwards.

She said: “We’d really like to get people together for this anniversary and meet old friends.”

The last major change was the new shop front in 1997, replacing a green front livery which had been in place since the shop was affected by bomb damage in the Second World War.

One of Eltham’s oldest businesses, Woodhead’s in Well Hall Road, is celebrating its 100th birthday this month.

SEnine

21Eltham has something for everyone

Why does it always seem to rain on a Saturday? The unusual rainfall patterns recently are certainly causing havoc among the football fraternity at the lower levels of the game with matches regularly being postponed due to waterlogged pitches. And with two teams sharing the pitch at Badgers, it’s certainly going to be a busy last two months of the season, although March seems pretty quiet at Badgers at the moment!

There have been some matches played of course and Cray Valley PM extended their excellent unbeaten run to 11 games in all competitions. In the 12th match though, the Millers fell to a 2 – 0 defeat at Crowborough Athletic despite dominating the match for long periods but just could not fi nd a way past the inspired Jack Collick in the home team’s goal. Two goals in 4 minutes just before

half time sealed the Millers fate and it was the fi rst time in 21 League fi xtures that the Millers had failed to score.

It looks likely that we will fi nish the season in a comfortable mid-table position but I know that manager Paul Gross will want to fi nish his fi rst season in charge as high up the League as possible with plenty of points still to play for.

There is still a battle at the bottom of the League as Erith Town attempt to avoid relegation to the Kent Invicta League and have appointed a third manager of the season as the committee of the Dockers look to inspire a reversal of fortunes. Previous manager Ennio Gonnella left the club in February by mutual consent, after just 6 months in charge. The experienced Martin Ford, and son Joe, have now been handed the task of dragging the club

away from the relegation zone. Martin, who has previously managed at VCD Athletic, and Joe have been coaching a Cray Valley Under 18 team this season and it will be a big task for them to avoid the drop as they try to assemble a new squad of players capable of moving the Dockers up the League table. It was quite an inauspicious start for the duo in their fi rst match in charge however as Rochester United visited Badgers and went away with a 5-0 win!

With a little more time to work with their new players though, I’m sure it won’t be long before the Dockers start climbing the table in what will surely be a frantic and exciting end to the season.

Frank MayChairmanCray Valley (PM) FC

Badgers Sports ClubHome of Cray Valley (pm) FC & Erith Town FC

For Cray Valley: Contact

Dave Wilson (Secretary)

07715 961886

[email protected]

or Frank May (Chairman)

07778 987579

[email protected]

Middle Park Avenue Eltham SE95HT

020 8355 [email protected]

www.badgersportsclub.co.uk

For Erith Town: Contact

Paul Carter (Secretary)

07863 347587

[email protected]

or Ian Birrell (Chairman)

07956 291274

[email protected]

Set in the grounds of Cray Valley & Erith Town

Football Clubs, Badgers Sports Club is the

ideal venue for a variety of functions & events.

Our professional catering & hospitality team

can tailor a package that best suits your

requirements. Our newly rebuilt & refurbished

Clubhouse has lifted the whole venue, now

with air conditioning, while the large glass

domed roof fi lls the hall with sunlight. As

part of our package we can also recommend

a range of services, from Wedding cars &

fl owers, to DJs & even live bands if you require.

February at BADGERSSouthern Counties East Football League unless stated

Saturday fi xtures kick off at 3pm

Midweek fi xtures kick off at 7.45pm

Saturday 7

Cray Valley v Woodstock Sports

Saturday 28

Erith Town v Erith & Belvedere

Left: Millers keeper Stevie

Sutton punches clear at

Crowborough

Right: Ronnie Vint heads

clear at Crowborough

SEnine

22

SPORT

Join you local neighbourhood watch scheme

Junaid, 18, who will be turning out for Essex this summer, started taking

wickets at the age of fi ve and has been climbing the cricketing ladder ever since.

A former student at Crown Woods, Junaid has started taking an after school club at the Academy, giving youngsters a fl avour of the game at its highest level.

And at Thomas Tallis, Nadir’s Cricketing Academy meets on Mondays, teaching youngsters new skills.

Junaid has worked up through the ranks of junior cricket, progressing to Beckenham and Blackheath in the Kent Premier League, where he won the league’s young cricket of the year award. In one game he took eight wickets with the league’s best ever haul.

“I’m looking to put something back into the game; it wasn’t long ago that I was in their shoes, so I want to pass on my experiences fi rst hand”, he said.

Junaid had a spell with Kent, where he moved up the county’s various age groups, before moving to Essex where he was involved in several second eleven games last year at the tender age of 17.

A fast right armed bowler, he has been spending the winter working up plans for his cricket academy and training,

alongside some of the game’s biggest names.

At Crown Woods and Thomas Tallis, he is working alongside senior coaches in passing on the basics of the game to local

youngsters, some of who got their fi rst taste of the game at primary schools.Year 7 students Daniel Luo, William Harris, Marwan Mohammed and Morgan Pritchard are among those in his academy at Tallis having had experience of the game at the junior schools.

Eltham’s young bowling sensation Junaid Nadir is chancing his arm with some masterclasses at local secondary schools.

Cricket Coaching

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Free EstimatesFree Estimates

SEnine

23

SPORT

Take an interest in local events

Full range of skin treatments.

Dermalogica® stockists.

Gift vouchers. Graham Webb salon

202-204 Eltham High StreetEltham SE9 1BH

Telephone 020 8850 6311www.beautywithineltham.co.uk

Come & meet our friendly team in our 100th Anniversary year

OAP special off ers - Tue or Wed

020 8850 2772

Hair for all occasions

Nails, eyelashes, eyebrows

& Indian Head Massage

140 Well Hall Road SE96SN Near Eltham Station

Contact Sally for details

0751 009 4170or [email protected]

Fitness Classes St. Luke’s Church, Westmount Road,

Wednesday 7-8 pm Thursday 7-8 pm

FSt W

WT

50 plus Ladies Classes (all levels) Eltham Park Methodist ChurchWestmount Road,

Monday 10.30am - 11.30amWednesday 2.00pm - 3pm

5CEMW

An ample slice of afternoon luxury

is now available in the heart of Eltham.

Eltham Lodge, the 17th century manor house and home of Royal Blackheath Golf Club, has started to open its doors for cream teas.

A sumptuous spread in opulent surroundings only moments from anywhere in SE9 can be booked to make any occasion a special one.

Three tiers of home-prepared fayre, taking in delicate sandwiches; scones, jam and cream; topped off with a selection of dainty cakes, come with a choice of unlimited speciality teas and coff ees.

For £20 per head, afternoon diners can sink into their armchairs in stately surroundings overlooking more than 100 acres of parkland and the famous golf course’s 18th green. Easy and free parking is available right outside.

An extra treat could include a glass of Laurent Perrier champagne.Already a popular venue for events of all kinds, the afternoon teas are part of a drive to open up the Lodge to the local community. New facilities for Sunday lunches are due to start in the coming months.

Gift vouchers are also available to make ideal gifts or prizes.For more information or to book visit www.elthamlodge.com/home/dining or email [email protected].

Cream?SEnine

24 Local Business - use it or lose it

Sporting eff orts at Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy were celebrated at the Academy’s Sports Personality of the Year award in February 2015.

Eltham MP and shadow sports minister Clive Eff ord presented the cups; former student Junaid Nadir, now in the Essex county cricket squad along with Paralympian Steve Brown attended the evening.

1. Overall Academy Sport Personality Award,

Harvey Humm

2. Arden Post 16 Centre Sport Personality Award

Keiron Smith

3. Commitment to Sport Awards, (Front L-R) Archie

Collins, Paralympian Steve Brown & Charlie Collins,

(Back L-R) Lewis Stubbs, Luke Aylmer & Cameron

Beresford-Allen.

4. Delamere School Sport Personality

Yasmin Byrd with Clive Eff ord MP

5. Ashdown School Sport Personality

Yasmin Chelali

6. Sherwood School Sport personality

Jack Bunce

No1

2

5

6

3

4Photo’s with gratful thamks to

Erol R Bent

Photoniche Photographers

315 Baring Road

Grove Park

SE12 0DZ

presnowPaPaPaPaPPaPaaPaPaParararaa

2

SEnineSEnine

25

YOUNG ELTHAM

When in doubt, do the right thing

What is the book about?

It’s a story of survival and how people might react if it was the end of the world as we know it. The zombies are a vehicle to start things off and get the human side of the story going. It’s written in the fi rst-person and starts the night before the apocalypse.

Where is it set?

A lot of the action takes place in Eltham including the High Street, Sainsbury’s, B & Q, New Eltham Co-op, as well as Sidcup, Bexley, Lewisham and The Old Kent Road. The main character lives in Eltham.

Do you have a particular interest in zombies?

I’ve always had a guilty pleasure for zombie fi lms and that gave me the nudge to start reading zombie novels, which are generally based in the US. American’s tend to take the genre far more seriously than we do and guns always play a major role in them. British zombie stories tend to be more tongue-in-cheek. Do you write for a living?

No, I’m a project manager for the environment department at Lewisham Council although I do write a community update newsletter for residents.

How did you get to write a book?

I’ve always loved reading and wanted to write but had never really done anything about it. One weekend I was stuck indoors at home because I had hurt my back and decided to start writing a story that I’d had in my mind for a bit.

Did you think it would be published?

I got to 20,000 words and realised I was getting quite serious about it. I sent what I’d written to an editor who was very supportive and gave me some good feedback. It took me two years to fi nish it. It’s currently published exclusively with Amazon as an eBook. I had the story professionally edited and proof-read as well because I wanted to do it properly. I’ve had really good reviews so far.

Will it be published in paperback or hardback?

Yes, a paperback edition is due out this month and that will again be sold via Amazon. I will continue to keep my exclusivity with them as they are very supportive of independent authors. I’ve used Facebook and Twitter to promote my book and sales have been going very well. I was really chuff ed when Dead South became the number #1 Best Seller Post-Apocalyptic Book on Amazon after only six weeks.

Whose books do you enjoy reading?

I’m into crime writers like Lee Child and Michael Connelly. I enjoy fast-paced page turners which I’d like to think applies to my book.

Did you enjoy English lessons and writing at school?

I went to Colfe’s which is a great school but none of the books on the English curriculum greatly inspired me. My passion for reading now is so diff erent. I try to read for around 40 minutes in my lunch break every day. I fi nd that reading fuels my writing.

Are you planning your next book already?

I’d already started a crime thriller based in Eltham before ‘Dead South’ was published. But since it was published all of my time has been devoted to promoting it. I’ve also had lots of lovely people ask me when the sequel is coming out, so I’ve made a start on that too! I don’t want to leave them hanging so the crime thriller will be put on hold whilst I put all of my energy into Dead South 2 or whatever it will be called!

*To buy the book go to Amazon via this link:

Dead South: The Zombie Apocalypse in London

eBook: David Brinson: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Or visit David’s Facebook page https://

w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m / p a g e s / D a v i d -

Brinson/761023250599393

David Brinson, 33, from Eltham, has just published his first novel ‘Dead South: The Zombie Apocalypse in London’, which has a local flavour. Matt Bell spoke to him.

Zombie ApocalypseSEnine

26 Help keep Eltham tidy! Put your litter in bins.

PERSONAL ELTHAM

It’s a Total Solar Eclipse in Svalbard (Norway) and the Faroe Islands, and a

Partial Solar Eclipse in Europe, northern and eastern Asia and northern and western Africa.

The eclipse starts at 7:41am UTC on March 20th 2015. The maximum point (totality) begins at 09:45am UTC and will last for 2 minutes and 47 seconds.

Below is what the eclipse will look like near the maximum point in London.

There will be a chance to see art at Eltham’s two new exhibition spaces

during the coming month.

Both are open on Saturdays, making SE9 an ideal weekend cultural destination during March.

At the SE9 Container gallery in the grounds of St Thomas More School, Footscray Road, there will be an exhibition of ‘Contemporary British Abstraction’ from 11am -3pm on Saturdays throughout the month. It is a group show including 35 UK based artists.

At the Gerald Moore Gallery, in the grounds of Eltham College, starting on Saturday 21 March, there will be an exhibition of paintings by Michael Porter entitled ‘Death of Nature’. The artist has exhibited widely in museums and galleries, including Tate St Ives and this exhibition refl ects and comments on environmental issues and society’s loss of connection with nature.

Eltham Art

Eltham Choral Society’s spring concert takes place on Saturday March 14 at

Holy Trinity Church, Southend Crescent, starting at 7.30pm.

It will features works by Mozart and 17th century baroque composer Jephte.

Conducted by musical director Peter Asprey, accompanied by organist Charles Andrews and the Amadeus Orchestra, tickets are £12 (£10 conc) available on the door or from Normans Music, Well Hall Road.

Eltham Choral

Solar Eclipse

News in BriefNews in BriefContinued

CONTACT US TODAY

To book your private viewing and

discuss how we can host your event

Weddings at Eltham LodgeDiscover one of South East London’s most stunning hidden venues and

experience the Royal treatment on your special day

We have limited availability throughout 2015 & 2016.

Afternoon teas Enjoy a sumptuous cream tea

Afternoon tea starts from £20pp available Monday to Friday from 2-5pm (advance booking required)

Private eventsWhether is a special birthday, anniversary, engagement, baby shower

or celebration of life, let us make it a memorable occasion with hire of our house by the room or exclusively yours.

Protect your

eyes while

watching solar

eclipses. Never

look directly at

the Sun.

Orbits & OccultsEight artists explore the depth, power, and reach of the ideology, metaphors, and poetics of cosmologies within contemporary culture. Gerald Moore Gallery. Saturdays March 21st to June 6th.Details: www.geraldmooregallery.org

SEnine

27Don't fi nd fault, fi nd a remedy

SEnine

28

Eltham Park Guide Price £600,000-£625,000 Much character on off er with this halls adjoining extended Edwardian

Corbett house! Spacious 4 bedroom semi with original features, three

receptions, extended kitchen, stylish bathroom and ground fl oor

shower. Sought after area close to extensive park and woodland and a

variety of highly regarded schools.

Mottingham OIRO£410,000 This spacious family home only a stones throw from Mottingham station

and amenities. Off ers open plan living room to kitchen, three bedrooms,

spacious family sized bathroom, landscaped garden and ample off road

parking. There is also potential to extend subject to consents.

Eltham £350,000CHAIN FREE! Super three bed Edwardian Corbett house, within

few hundred yards Deansfi eld school. With stylish, extended

kitchen, spacious through living room and ground fl oor, there is

off street parking, 65’ garden with summerhouse , take a look!

Central Eltham OIRO£285,000Enormous three bedroom fl at in this popular apartment block

with Eltham station and High St immediately to hand, probably

bigger than most houses in the price range, with spacious lounge

and kitchen/diner, stylish bathroom with shower, balcony, new

lease being arranged, no chain

Lee £220,000Two double bedroom fi rst fl oor maisonette facing a green, with

own westerly facing garden, 90 year lease, reasonable service

charge, ideal fi rst time purchase about three quarters of a mile

from station, take a look and see for yourself

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this exceptionally spacious two double bedroom split level fl at is

above shops, would ideally suit cash buyer looking for investment,

sizeable lounge/diner, patio garden, entryphone

On the menu…Speculation is mounting that the poorly rated Prezzo will opt to cross the road and take one of the two restaurant slots in the Poundland Picturehouse. Both are bound to be occupied by national chains. In the past the council has made restaurant approvals diffi cult in Eltham and the town centre is capable of sustaining more. The six screen complex needs the two eateries to make its economics work.

Upton Down...A bête noire among many in Eltham is developer Richard Upton, who seems to have fallen from grace from his perch as the council’s go-to regeneration guru. At one time, he sat on the now-defunct Eltham Regeneration Board and had the Coronet Cinema and Grove Market site in his portfolio. Sadly, the latter went sour to the tune of £7m when the vision of a hotel, supermarket and fl at project proved itself to be pie-in-the-sky. In that, SPY has some sympathy with him, as he understands the hapless Upton was prevailed upon by old operators at the RBG to cook up a mess of potage when he’d advised it was more achievable just to build fl ats there, the ultimate outcome. One of his hats is executive director of Development Securities Ltd who have been carpeted by his old council chums for marketing a housing block in Abbey Wood as having ‘no social housing’. A press release from RBG was dispatched using the words ‘appalling’, ‘out of touch’ and ‘crass’, apparently phase 2 of the development has loads of social housing. Upton wasn’t available to SPY for comment, although SPY understands he’s been sniffi ng around the Avery Hill Winter Garden sale details.

Almost full marks…The local educational establishment could be forgiven for a wry smile when looking at the lastest round of inspections of secondary schools. While the Harris Academy Greenwich, Eltham Hill, St Thomas More, Thomas Tallis and Crown Woods are rated excellent and good, it’s the new kids on the block, Greenwich Free School, that have been kept back in detention by inspectors OFSTED. Opened with a fl ourish of hubris about raising standards and discipline the Free School, in Shooters Hill Road, survived in temporary buildings for the fi rst year before moving into its newly built accommodation in September. But, only the behaviour and safety of pupils was judged good in its fi rst inspection last year with a follow up in September not showing much

improvement. The ‘achievement of pupils’, ‘quality of teaching’ and ‘leadership and management’ all required improvement, was OFSTED’s verdict. A new head is said to be taking the bull by the horns.

Away school days….It is the high marks given by OFSTED to the others which has led to a new trend, SPY learns, of educational tourism into the borough from beyond. Latest fi gures show the numbers coming into the borough for secondary education last September was 50 per cent higher than two years ago, at 436, getting on for a fi fth of the entire roll. The previous trend was for one way traffi c in the other direction with parents of more able children sending their off spring to the Grammar Schools in Bexley.

Any answers?Election time in Eltham might be a little more exciting in 2015 thanks to the Progress Residents Association’s 100th centenary celebrations. They have invited BBC 4’s ‘Any Questions’ panel to broadcast from the heart of SE9. This will be from the Gordon primary school in Grangehill Road on Friday April 17, just under three weeks before election day, Thursday May 7. Judging by the way the ‘debate about the debate’ is going, expect the panel to be as numerous as the audience.

A losing ticket..While Greenwich Uni has taken most of the fl ak for scrapping its plans to restore the Winter Garden, the Heritage Lottery Fund must take its share of the blame, SPY understands. The funding folk always take a ‘tick-box template’ to schemes of this kind, in their attempt to turn the whole of national life into an educational experience. So, it wasn’t good enough for the Uni just to restore a precious community historical asset, much beloved by people and families of all ages, the better to stroll around and savour. They were compelled to tack on a full bells and whistles educational off er with classrooms, toilets, interpretation suites and so on ballooning the already appreciable costs out of all proportion. Much of this educational experience seemed to be focussed on Colonel North, a swashbuckling capitalist who earned vast piles of money through barbaric enterprises in foreign climes. SPY wonders what kind of lesson that would have been anyway?

Sutcliff e Car Park…Stung by criticisms that Sutcliff e Park was to be built on and overshadowed by a huge shed for a small number of out-of-borough minority sports fanatics, the council has bolstered its contents to include a number of ‘on-message’ outdoor adventure pursuits for locals to sweeten the pill. Already suff ering from the heights of the emerging Kidbrooke City, the park is rapidly becoming an urban oasis rather than a pleasant open area. Sadly, when planning the huge athletics shed, the council forgot there would be the need for a car park, until TfL intervened. In the latest manifestation, the planned car park is even more prominent, taking up a large area of frontage onto Eltham Road, an area the athletic club SPY understands arrogantly currently consider to be their overspill parking area, to everybody else a nice grassy stretch of sward. Laughably, the café which is supposed to serve park users is shoved between the new shed and Kidbrooke Park Road.

Photos A photographic record of Eltham in 2015 will be one of the highlights of the 50th anniversary of The Eltham Society.

SPY understands that the organisers are asking for people to send pictures of buildings, parks and open spaces as well as interiors, events and sporting activities. It is not a competition, there are no prizes.

Francis Lee Vice Chairperson of The Eltham Society said “The intention is to capture places and people so that future generations can see what Eltham looked like and what its inhabitants were doing in 2015”.

For more information about the society or how to get involved visit www.theelthamsociety.org.uk

Judge for YourselfSPY learns that among the fi nal judges for this year’s prestigious Costa Book Awards, rubbing shoulders with Dame Diana Rigg and the BBC’s Robert Peston, were two women with SE9 connections: Wendy Moore, local author of best-selling book ‘The Knife Man’ and Bernadine Evaristo, former student of Eltham Hill school. The winner they chose was ‘How to be both’ by Ali Smith.

SEnine

29Have your say, your opinion counts

Yalways newsy, sometimes

inaccurate or irreverent, often

controversial or gossip, but never

the opinion of SEnine.

Either go to the SEnine web site atwww.senine.co.uk

or write to the Editor at:

SEnine, PO Box 24290

Eltham SE9 6ZP

We live in Eltham park Area and have, what we believe is an underground air raid shelter.

It was not listed on the property documentation when we purchased it back in 1990. We knew nothing’s about it until we started clearing up the garden and dIscovered it hidden under collection of garden waste and general rubbish. It’s well constructed with some type of rsj supporting the roof structure. It has brick walls and is built with basic facilities like power, drainage and ventilation. The main problem is that it’s rather damp and is prone to fl ooding during heavy rainfall. I would love to know more about its history and perhaps make it good. I did make some enquiries with council but they didn’t really know nor were they interested.

Would love to hear from anyone who has any information.

Surjit Parkash

Names

In my letter printed in your January edition I agreed with Mrs. Webb’s , (Jane’s jottings),unease at being addressed by complete strangers with her Christian name only, as  a  modern disrespectful and mistaken  approach,  thereby silently insinuating that she had a right in society to a title, a surname, reserve and privacy.

In the February edition  someone has  raised an irrational objection to this and quoted the words  “Multicultural society” and “gender neutral” and attacked the term Christian name, as well as a puerile statement about not liking one’s own name. He also took a totally unjustifi ed side-swipe at the editor. I was at fi rst intending a long and strong response, but am now persuaded to let it lie as an example of naked and unlovely militant political correctness, and  to wonder at the writer’s aims and ambitions. Terry Jones.

And More Names

b

I

nucIssad

pplmci

Thank you so much, Ian Small, for your ‘lesson’ in fi rst name terminology. Yes, you do detect a tone of sarcasm. You may be happy to live in a multi-culti society - I, and many others, are not, as it has been foisted upon us by politically correct politicians with absolutely no mandate from the general population.

Personally I don’t care who does or does not have a religious faith, nor do I care that some people have none at all. The fact is that this is still a Christian country, whether you like it or not, and the term ‘Christian name’ is one which has been in honourable use for centuries. I see no reason why those who wish to use it should not do so, and I do not consider Mr Jones’s use of it to be a mistake to be ‘corrected’ by the editor, or you, for that matter.

Please refrain from hectoring the readers and producers of this excellent magazine.

Margaret Robinson.

We live in Eltham park Area and have what we

Air Raid Puzzle

I’m writing in response to Mr. Small’s comments regarding Christian names. He should be aware that many people that live in this country, including immigrants have been Christened (Baptised) and therefore have a Christian name, which is part of their culture.I would suggest that Mr. Small’s ill judged political correctness achieves nothing positive in a Multi-Cultural Society and is judged to be condescending by many people of diff erent Cultures that live in this country.We all should respect other Cultures, but not be ashamed of our own. Lets not be Small minded.

Peter Marchant.

Names

Reading comments re CPZ around the Eltham Park area. I live in Glenlea Road which has recently been completely replanted by TFL who are responsible for the gardens in the road. A great deal of money has been spent and the gardens are already being spoilt by commuters who park their cars and are too idle to walk around them to the grass area and walk through the gardens. Pathways have already been established and the gardens are being spoilt by this thoughtless attitude. Hopefully CPZ will limit the number of commuters parking and solve the problem

Marianne Atterton

Parking & CPZ

I went to see the pantomime “Jack and the Beanstalk” performed by the Priory Players at the Progress Hall in Eltham with my family at the end of January. I must say the show was fantastic. It was very professional. The acting was of a high standard and the costumes and scenery were amazing. The production really caught the imagination of our young children but equally appealed to myself and my husband. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will defi nitely will be booking again next year. It is always nice to support local talent  but especially when it is as good as this.

Lisa O’sullivan

Prior Players

Found

They Miss Us

Short & Sweet

Please send a friends Membership subscription for 2015 of the SEnine Magazine to Anne Greenall. She and my brother moved from Eltham last year and are missing it. A cheque is enclosed

Frances Greenall

Great magazine. Keep up the good work. Happy New Year

Patricia Burberry

I have just discovered your wonderful magazine, although I have lived in Mottingham for 10 years. Please fi nd enclosed a cheque being payment for a years subscription.

R Smoker

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SEnine

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ELTHAM

HARRISON INGRAM

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ESTATE AGENTS RESIDENTIAL LETTINGS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

156 Well Hall Road, Eltham, London, SE9 6SNT: 020 8859 4419 F: 0208 859 8207 E: [email protected]

www.harrisoningram.co.uk

FIRST FLOOR FLAT

TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS

NEWLY FITTED KITCHEN

FULLY RE-DECORATED

BRAND NEW CARPETS

RESIDENTS LIFT

SPACIOUS FIRST FLOOR FLAT

LARGE LOUNGE

KITCHEN

TWO BEDROOMS

LONG LEASE

CLOSE TO BLACKHEATH STANDARD

Blackheath: £350,000

New Eltham: £1,000pcmNew Eltham: £190,000 (Guide Price)

Lewisham: £1400 pcm

REFURBISHED TOP FLOOR FLAT

ONE BEDROOM

OPEN PLAN LOUNGE/KITCHEN

BRAND NEW FITMENTS/APPLIANCES

SMART SHOWER ROOM

LONG LEASE

GROUND FLOOR APARTMENT

TWO BEDROOMS

GOOD SIZE LOUNGE

FULLY FITTED KITCHEN

ELECTRIC HEATING

SITUATED CLOSE TO STATION

NeNeNNNN ww lElElElElElEl hhhththththamam:: ££££££111111 00000000000000000p0pcmcm

SEnine

31Look after your garden, if not for yourself then for your neighbours

SEnine

£262,995Footscray Road

32 Pick up litter and bin it

facebook.com/conranestates

mobile friendly website

Ground Floor Victorian Conversion Flat

Two Bedroom

Allocated Parking

Access To A Communal Garden

Open- Plan Living Arrangement

Double Glazing & Gas Central Heating

Fitted Kitchen & Bathroom

No Service Charge Or Ground Rent

Building Insurance £24.00 Per Month

Share Of Freehold Divided Between Four Flats

Leasehold Of Appox 116 Years Remaining

Now Available

@conranestates

SEnine

Sidewood Road £380,000

33Look out for you neighbour

ELTHAM / MOTTINGHAM42 Well Hall RoadEltham SE96SFT: 020 8378 5450E: [email protected]

GREENWICH/ BLACKHEATH221 Greenwich High RoadGreenwich SE10 8NBT: 020 8312 8312E: [email protected]

CHARLTON / WESTCOMBE46 Charlton Church LaneCharlton SE7 7ABT: 020 8293 0454E: [email protected]

ASSOCIATED PARK LANE121 Park LaneMayfair W1K 7AGT: 020 7409 4693E: [email protected]

LETTINGS MANAGEMENT DEPT221 Greenwich High RoadGreenwich SE10 8NBT: 020 8312 8316E: [email protected]

FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPT221 Greenwich High RoadGreenwich SE10 8NBT: 020 8312 8317E: [email protected]

Branches across London

Larger Style 1930 Semi Detached House

Three Bedrooms

Driveway To Front

Garage

Ideal DIY Project Offering Plenty Of Scope For

Updating & Modernization

Through Lounge

Upstairs Bathroom

Double Glazing & Gas Central Heating

Ideally Located For Dulverton Primary

Within Easy Access To New Eltham Station &

Amenities

Chain Free

Gas Engineer Central Heating and Gas work.

Breakdown, repairs & Installation. Gas

Safe Reg, Insured, Lives Locally.

Call Steve on Mob

07 930 327 889

GardenerPlanting, design and maintenance for

family gardens. Free consultations.

Contact Tom at 07534 577 [email protected]  

Painters & DecoratorsInternal & External- Dulux Approved

40 years experience, Family run

Free estimates

Paul 07835779167

Victor 07985547621

Home Appliance RepairsWashing machines Dishwashers,

Tumble Dryers, Electric Cookers

David Sanderson

020 8301 0251

New Builds or Repairs

New Builds or Repairs

ALL ROOFINGALL ROOFING

Local Eltham

contractor

Local Eltham

contractor

Sapsford & Baker Roofi ng Sapsford & Baker Roofi ng 07947 624 737 or 07784 483 17007947 624 737 or 07784 483 170

ReplacementReplacement, repairs & leaks., repairs & leaks.

PPitch roofing, flat roofing, lead work,itch roofing, flat roofing, lead work,

UUPVC Soffitts, fascias & guttering.PVC Soffitts, fascias & guttering.

Free Free quotesquotes

All Roofing Repairs

0800 211 8924

New Roofs

Flat roofs

PVC Guttering

Lead work

Chimneys

Free estimates

All work

All work

fully guaranteed

fully guaranteed

Anas platyrhynchos (or Duck)

A quick, or should it be, quack, look around our local watercourses on

a winter day reveals the usual crop of ducks, usually huddled around looking for scraps.

For the most part, they’re well able to feed themselves without a well-intentioned hand giving them bread, for which their digestive systems are not suited.

Mostly it’s mallards, busy coupling up, resplendent in their winter colours. At the ‘Long Pond’ in Eltham Park Norht we can see moorhen too, also at Mottingham Tarn, with the occasional tufted duck. At Sutcliff e Park, the mallards are joined by coots, moorhen and occasional heron, Canada geese and cormorants.

In and amongst, there are often specimens of dubious origin, many with variations of the mallard’s shiny black, green and grey plumage. Sometimes they have muddy patches and areas of white.

These are the hybrids and a quick beak count suggests that they account for about one in every ten. Without wishing to label them ‘ugly ducks’, their mottling seldom does full justice to the species.Although many waterfowl are prone to hybridisation, mallards are particularly so. Scientists speculate that this is because the species evolved late and rapidly, leaving genetic similarities with other duck species, hence their ability to reproduce across the species barrier.

The hybrids often take on diff erent characteristics; in some cases becoming ostracised by the pack. Others can become aggressive to the point of trying to attack the off spring of other broods.Mainly they are infertile, so don’t jeopardise the integrity of the pure mallard strain, a familiar sight across the

whole northern Hemisphere but, for some reason, nowhere south of the equator.Hybrid ducks, however, can be fertile with disastrous results. The introduction by collectors of the ruddy duck to the UK and subsequent escape has threatened the future of the white-headed duck in Spain, the two populations gradually coming together in France and cross-breeding. As the white-head is a totem of Spanish w i l d l i f e

conservation success, the entire feral ruddy

population is being shot to avoid the white heads being compromised.

With Hybrids accounting for 1 in 10, Daffy may in fact be Donald

White-head duck left.

Ruddy Duck right

Tina Mobile Hairdresser

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comfort of your own home. City & Guilds

certifi ed, expirenced, Seniors discount

01689 837808 07947 050 844

Brickwork & DrivesPainting & decoratingTilingAny home improvement and instalment work

Mobile: 07944 575 848 Home: 020 8850 0354Email: [email protected]

Building Contractor

For free estimates and advice contact

Bill Treadgold

Reasonable rates and reliable

DAZELECELECTRICIAL

Rewires

Domestic & Commercial

Part Rewires

Test Inspections

Fault Finding

Part P Approved

07923 236367Email: [email protected]

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34

NATURE NOTES

Support small business, give them a call today

W. UDEN & SONS LTDFAMILY FUNERAL DIRECTORS

ESTABLISHED 1881

The Family Business that still off ers a personal service

51 - 53 Passey Place, Eltham SE9 5DATel: 020 8850 2868

Covering all areas Pre-paid Funerals Monumental Masons

Private Chapels of Rest 24 Hour Service

Branches also at:Petts Wood, Dulwich,

Forest Hill, Sidcup,

New Cross & CamberwellIn the care of Nicholas & Matthew Uden

Gastronomy & Geography, Bedfellows?The dark months of early spring are

when Herbaceous finds alternative

uses for the well-meaning but misplaced

gifts from Christmas.

Having dealt swiftly with anything

edible or drinkable, his mind turns to

how to deal with those items whose

relevance to his life seem tenuous.

So unwanted books are pressed into

service under table legs and weightier

items deployed as doorstops.

Material from gaudy shirts and

inappropriately coloured socks is cut up

and used for cleaning out the shed and

oiling the lawnmower.

Other items are either dispatched to

the local charity shop or put in a box

labelled ‘raffle items’, some of

which have been appearing

on the local fete circuit for

many years.

A particularly useful

adaptation was made from

a massive Atlas of Britain.

This tome not only contains

maps of every county in

a variety of scales, down

to the remotest Highland

village, but is complete

with climatic charts, satellite

images, rainfall averages,

sunshine hours, astronomical

information and ancient tableaux of

early map making.

The Old Grump’s initial reaction was to

wonder what bookshelf could possibly

accommodate this monster. Maybe

a new coffee table would have to be

bought?

Therefore it was left propped up against

a radiator behind his trusty armchair

where much of his daily inactivity took

place, scene of many TV dinners.

It was on the occasion of a particularly

hot plate burning his thighs that he cast

around for insulation.

What came to hand was the two

inch thick gazetteer, broad enough

to accommodate not only the plate

but also knife and fork, selection of

condiments and a beer mug.

Weighing as heavy as a slate, it has since

been pressed into daily action, allowing

gastronomy and geography to make an

unusual combination.

Splashes of gravy create new islands

and stray strands of spaghetti make

motorways across continents.

Fortunately, the heavy-duty cover is

wipeable, making the whole operation

tolerably hygienic.

It has also led an enduring strand of

banter between the Old Grump and

his mates along the lines of ‘is that

Lancashire there, Herbs?’ ‘No it’s a piece

of Cheshire’, he says, pointing at his

cheese.

f

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35There is always hope, never stop trying

HERBACEOUS

Your 2015challenge

LOCAL 25km - 50km Charity Night WalkSaturday 20th JuneEltham, London – Wrotham, KentFunds raised from the eventwill help to provide life-changing adventures for local childrenand young people.

WIDE HORIZONS IS A REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1105847 www.newsshopper.co.uk www.britainonfoot.co.ukwww.merrell.com

Sign up atwww.widehorizons.org.uk/nightline

Supported by

What’s provided on the day? Arrowed course

Event management & safety

Water & feed stations

Shuttle bus back to start locations

Post-event hot food

A welcoming & friendly atmosphere

The chance to see

3 of Wide Horizons’ Centres;

where our work takes place!

SEnine - Your Community Magazine