The capacity for our community to transform and evolve is sometimes more than us mere humans can absorb. To those who don’t visit Elephant and Castle regularly, it can be unsettling to see how it’s changed over the past 10 years.
We recently discovered a charming, 22 minute short film called ‘UnEarthing Elephant’ about the people and community that sprung up in Elephant and Castle shopping centre. Shot in 2017, it’s both a celebration and an elegy to a shopping centre that people knew was doomed but not when. The touching and at times funny personal stories of love/hate relationships are mixed with tales of how the shopping centre never really worked until saved by small, independent shopkeepers, many of whom were immigrants to the UK.
Credits to the amazing Eva Sajovic, who created the piece and narrates most of it.
And we’ll never forget the erotic massage chairs……
From the archives, the second of our month of best history posts
For a period of over 35 years London’s longest running squat was to be found in our very own beloved Kennington Park. In 1969 Lambeth purchased a beautiful terrace of Victorian properties in St. Agnes Place with the intention of demolishing them to extend the park southwards. As the plans sputtered and the council changed hands the buildings became derelict and occupied by squatters, who over the years made the buildings secure and liveable.
In 1977 Lambeth made a concerted effort to evict the squatters and a large chunk of the properties were destroyed by the council. However, complete expulsion was successfully resisted by squatters refusing to leave by standing on the rooftops. A large and very high profile High Court battle ensued which garnered national attention. The court and the public were on the side of the squatters, and Lambeth were forced to stop pulling down the buildings. A much smaller but much more high profile terrace of homes survived. The conservative leader of Lambeth council, however, did not survive and was forced to step down.
In the years that ensued the residents were mostly left to their own devices. They enhanced their autonomous community with a social centre, studios for musicians, a pirate radio station, and a separate Rastafarian temple (it was estimated that 1/3 of the residents were Rastafarian). A place of great religious significance for Rastafari, the great Bob Marley himself visited the temple several times when he was recording in London in the late ‘70’s. And far from being derelict, the residents renovated the flats by means of electricity, re – roofing and running water.
As the years progressed the squat became more well known and with the addition of people from Spain, Brazil and Portugal had a more cosmopolitain vibe. According to residents the community had little crime, folks knew one another, and people helped the most vulnerable residents. However, in 2005 Lambeth got its act together and the squatters were faced with the choice of either leaving or paying 30 years of council tax, so the police arrived to empty St. Agnes Place of it’s 150 strong community. For a couple of years after the building was occupied by a small group of various protestors but they soon acquiesced and the community and buildings were consigned to history.
In this fascinating picture from 1960 we can see a woman pushing a pram through Kennington Cross. You can see the gas holders on the right and the lorry is stopped in front of the present day Tommyfield. What is now Marsh and Parsons estate agents on the left was a fruitier (wouldn’t that be nice) and in the middle, what is now Daniel Cobb was Ferguson which sold TV’s. It is also handily the main attraction at the top of this webpage.
On the right you can see a derelict building with the word ‘Puddefoot’ on the side. Puddefoot, Bowers and Simonett advertised itself as selling ‘ivory, tortoiseshell, and horn merchandise’ and had been in Kennington Cross since the end of the 18th century. This hideous link to the past was probably abandoned after being hit by enemy action and by 1965 it was bulldozed and replaced by Edinburgh House.
We recently took advantage of a discount to make the bold and frankly quite terrifying decision to step out of Greater Kennington to visit the Van Gogh House on the Oval/Stockwell borders. The house isn’t really a museum per se, and was described by the perky and well drilled staff person as ‘a gallery space for people inspired by Van Gogh and other artists’.
In a reality that might seem a bit surreal to the unaware, before becoming an artist Vincent Van Gogh did indeed live around the corner from the present day Lidl in Stockwell. The house outlines his life at the time through the letters that he prolifically wrote to his brother Theo, a few photos and drawings, and the efforts made to establish Vincent’s residency in the home in the 1970’s. The rooms also offer a fascinating glimpse into a busy 19th century boarding house and school, where 11 people lived.
On the gallery front, the exhibit on now until 17 December is called ‘The Living House’ celebrating the 150 years since the great man’s residency. The exhibits explore the notion that the home is still inhabited in some manner and plays on the notion that the house is a collaborator in the artistic process and toys with the concept that art and living are entwined. And you even get a bar of soap for your cerebral efforts.
Until 30 September Lambeth residents can visit Van Gogh museum for £4 and tickets can be nabbed here. If you live in Southwark then sorry, no discount for you. If you live in Wandsworth we’re not sure why you’re reading this site but should nevertheless be applauded for your profoundly good taste.
The North Lambeth Parish Fete is coming up on Saturday (poster below) and if we weren’t on a team building retreat (more on that later) we wouldn’t miss it. This is a big event in the Greater Kennington social calendar and very inclusive. It’s now bigger and better than ever, and the weather looks pleasing indeed.
While we may have never been to this Fete, we have been to the gardens of Lambeth Palace and they are stunning, extensive and almost never open to the public. The price of the ticket itself (£5) justifies a wander around. According to our sources, the Fete is kid friendly but not exclusively, and is known for its dog show and features prizes, including fastest sausage eater and least obedient (we assume these prizes are for the dogs and not humans). There is also face painting, live music, and races for the kids. If you don’t have kids there’s a Pimms tent to keep you sane. And if you do have kids there’s a Pimms tent to keep you sane. And there are a number of great local food stalls looking pretty delish on the website. And you even get the chance to watch old white dudes throw serviettes in the air.
We would love to join you for this fun event but unfortunately it clashes with our annual staff teambuilding weekend at Glastonbury. This little kernel of fun is the only thing we get after a year of faxing, stapling, and filing and we still get criticised for not remembering anything after the weekend is up. But what we do recall from last year is sending Phil from accounts to get the ciders in during Billie Eilish and then not seeing him again for three days. Such is the stress of working here.
As frequent readers are all too aware, we here at the Runoff love nothing more than anonymously sticking our noses where they don’t belong. And you too can take part in our passion/dysfunction by attending the great Pullens Yard Open Studios weekend happening this weekend (10-11 June) in Walworth.
The studios at Pullens Yards are usually not open to the public, but twice a year they fling their artistic portal open to give us a glimpse into their creative universe. The artists are more than happy to show you what and how they create, and of course you can buy what’s on show. And of course buying is by no means compulsory, as at the end the day these folks just want to show off how creative they are and it’s totally free. Have we mentioned how much we love free?
If you’re feeling spiritual, the Jamyang Buddhist Centre in Renfew Road are having an open day on Saturday from 10 -4 and we’re all invited. The building that houses Jamyang is an old courthouse dating from 1869, in its latter days used as a maximum security court for special remands including IRA terrorists and the Kray twins. One of the activities on the day is a tour of the building. Other talks include discovering more about Buddhism and meditation, and something we find curiously alluring called a ‘Death Café’. The event is free but you need to register and it can be done here.
If you’re feeling vocal, the folks at Be In Vauxhall are once again hosting ‘Bearpit Karaoke’ this weekend. The press release describes it as ‘attracting huge crowds each month of both professional and non professional singers’. We walked by it last month and at first didn’t know if was Karaoke or some kind of weird spiritual revival. But it looked fun, and this year Mother Kelly’s and Bokit’la (Oval Market) French Caribbean will be on board with stalls.
Bear Pit Karaoke takes place this Saturday (10th) from 3 to 7 and then on every second Saturday of the month over the summer. It’s located at that sketchy bit at the end of the Pleasure Gardens where you indeed might be accustomed to seeing people singing, but for once it won’t be men on their own bursting into song while gripping a bottle of ‘White Lightning’.
We’ve been told that this is not, in fact, Catherine Tate
Ever wondered about the existence and future of that giant gravelled eyesore of a vacant lot next to the Beefeater Distillery in Montford place? Well we’ve just been on a tour with the developers and we’re here to fill you in on what’s in store
For many years the site was occupied by Hayward’s pickle factory until it was partially destroyed in 1944. The bit that survived lives on as the Beefeater Factory. After changing hands a number of times, the lot next to it was purchased by TfL in order to have a place to store equipment and lorries working on the Northern Line extension. TfL have now partnered with Grainger Homes to deliver 139 homes, 40% of which will be dedicated to affordable living. It will be 11 floors and occupy most of the footprint of the site, with grasses and trees included. Construction will started by the end of 2023 and it will be called Montford Mews
Not what it will look like, This is the pickle factory
My first question to very peppy and well informed TfL developer Susanne is probably the question that almost all Runoff readers are thinking right now. Namely, what do you call ‘affordable’ and why is it that only people in high earning jobs appear to be living in these allegedly affordable flats? She said that Lambeth Living determine what is affordable and it is usually between 40 to 60% of the market rate. She added that people are allocated the flats based on their earnings the previous year and preference is given for people already living or working in Lambeth.
Gripping site photos
On our previous tours of Oval Village across the road we asked about access to the general public and if people will offer a short cut between Kennington Lane and the Oval. They confirmed that it will, and Susanne confirmed that the public will be able to walk through the Montford site as well. There will be businesses on the ground floor, but they will be light industrial (ie offices). We were heartened to discover that the affordable living people living in the affordable flats will have access to the same amenities (gym, etc) as folks paying the full whack.
Susanne also mentioned another very similar project that will see 450 (!!) new homes built above Nine Elms tube station. However, dear reader, it was long ago we became unable to keep up with the vertical insanity of Vauxhall, so if you want more details click here.
Planning permission has been granted for both the Montfort and Nine Elms sites. But please don’t ask us to weigh in on planning consent as we did that once and we still can’t get that toothpaste back in it’s tube.
Like a pig to a truffle, you can be assured that we here at the Runoff are always sniffing out free stuff for you to do. St. Mary’s Eco Church has been created by Lambeth Palace and Southwark Diocese in response to the climate and biodiversity crisis. Once a month they organise free and mind expanding talks called the ‘Eco Chamber’ and the next one is coming up right here in our manor.
The upcoming Eco Chamber will be chaired by Radio 4’s Point of View Presenter Tommy Shakespeare and he’ll be joined Green Peer Baroness Jenny Jones and Professor Joanna Haigh. The topic will be the elimination fossil fuels and carbon emissions and questions if Net Zero initiatives will be sufficient to do this. Their talks will be followed by a group discussion and all are encouraged to ‘join is with juice, a glass of wine or a beer’. The venue is the Duchy Arms pub in Sancroft Street.
The Eco Chamber takes place on 18 April and free tickets can be obtained here. And it’s a good thing that it is being held at the Duchy Arms, as the place seems go through more management changes than the Tory party and we’re a bit concerned about their future.
Email Sharon if you have any questions: hello@stmarysecochurch.org
The eccentric and independent nature of Greater Kenningtonians runs deep in our history and veins. In our midst we once had living a visionary artist who was cast out by the artistic establishment due to his refusal to accept to artistic norms and being from south London. Maybe this piece will go a small way in reviving his legacy.
Austin Osman Spare (1886 – 1956) and his family moved to Kennington Park Gardens when he was a boy and Spare trained as an illustrator and artist. He got his first big break when he was just 17 with an exhibit at Newington Public Library (now the Art Academy) in Walworth Road. He followed this success with having a picture displayed at the Royal Academy, and was soon lauded as the new enfant terrible of his generation. This was spurred on by Spare’s wild hair and love of giving outrageous interviews.
In spite of his increasing fame, Spare decided to pursue his own style which proved increasingly out of step with the art establishment. He dabbled into the furthest reaches of his imagination with coded paintings and illustrations depicting the unconscious, the occult, graphic images of sex, and paganism. Spare achieved this by painting in what he referred to as trance like states enhanced by mysticism. You can imagine his body of work was not exactly in step with post Victorian tastes as he was far ahead of his time and was marginalised as a result.
Unsurprisingly, as Spare’s art was not to everyone’s tastes he faded into obscurity and penury. However, our local boy continued to give interviews and churn out work from his tiny flat/studio at the top of Walworth Rd. He believed that art should be enjoyed by everyone, and he often displayed his art in local pubs. After his studio was bombed in WW2, Spare lost much of his collection and confidence and began to build up both gradually. The culminated in a large exhibition of his work at his local, the White Bear pub in Kennington Park Road in 1953. When this turned out to be a flop he retired and died several years later. What we are left with is his groundbreaking oeuvre of work and a realisation that we can all leave impressions after we’ve departed Greater Kennington.
The best way to appreciate Spare’s work today is to examine online collections, as his work is still usually not on display. He also had an endearing side hustle in painting his friends and neighbours. The BBC clip below relates to a 2010 exhibit of his work at the Cuming Museum:
From the archives, the third edition of our month of best history posts
If you’re a new arrival in the area or your interests are not so much focussed on local history, you might not be aware that for almost two centuries London’s most acclaimed pleasure garden existed on our anointed patch. Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens has been celebrated in books and songs, and even featured at key moments of the recent Netflix hit ‘Bridgerton’. While we can’t do the legendary place justice in the space of a solitary blog, we can crystallise it’s meaning by the man at the helm of its glory days in the first half of the 18th century, and his name was Jonathan Tyers (1702-1767)
A young Jonathan Tyers subletted ‘Vauxhall Spring-Gardens’ in 1729 and undertook the hefty task of reimagining the slightly disreputable old gardens into an innocent and elegant venue for families and people of all classes. However, with an admission charge of one shilling in reality it was out of reach for most people. He was inspired by a meeting with artist and buzzkill moralist William Hogarth, who advocated the value of creating something that sent a moral message cloaked in the guise of humour and entertainment. We now refer to this as ‘family friendly’.
The egalitarian and polite nature of Spring Gardens was a welcome and needed riposte to a London that was violent, smelly and uncouth and it would kick start the civilisation of Georgian London. However noble, the Spring Garden regulars were still out for a bit of bawdy fun and didn’t take kindly to being preached to. Tyers had to think on his feet before the whole thing went belly up, and his masterstroke was that beyond the elegant supper boxes and promenading avenues he created a wooded and dark area called the Grove. We will leave it up your imagination what went on in the Grove, but let’s just say it was dark and proved very popular.
Assignations aside, what Tyers created for those who could afford it was a site for music, dancing, eating and drinking. The paintings in the supper boxes made it in reality the first public art gallery in Britain. On a typical night revellers could be entertained by performers, bands, fireworks, operas and masquerades. George Fredrick Handel became a kind of ‘artist in residence’ at the Garden and performed there regularly. When Tyers made profits he drove them directly into new structures and events, making the spot a ‘must see’ on a regular basis. After Tyers’ death in 1767 the Gardens were passed to his son and this initiated the very slow but inexorable decline of the place.
The precise location of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens only roughly matches the footprint of the current Pleasure Gardens (created in the late 1970’s), and it’s epicentre was at the current St. Peter’s Church. Rumours of redemption from carnal sin abound about the decision to place a church on this site, and we invite you to make your own conclusion. Tyers Street is a commemoration of his efforts, both lurid and noble.
And as you can see, dear readers, attempts to gentrify Vauxhall from a place of dissolute debauchery into something more agreeable to a wealthier public for profit making purposes is by no means a contemporary undertaking.
