Body.

You may have possibly seen the two photos above on local social media, or in the press. I have not stolen them - I actually took the images myself on Tuesday morning, after a tip - off from a reader that something unusual was happening on Erith Pier, the Pier Gardens, and in the adjacent Wharfside Court, on the banks of The River Thames.  The Police, Fire Brigade, Ambulance Service and several Forensic vehicles were parked in Wharfside Close, and it was evident that something serious had transpired. I spoke to a member of one of the ambulance crews on site, but he was understandably extremely tight lipped about the situation, only revealing that a body of a man had been removed from the river. 

If you have an older type of mobile phone that uses 3G technology, you may need to get it replaced in the fairly near future. BT has updated the schedule to phase out 3G services from its networks a little later than planned, saying this will now start early next year. BT says the EE mobile division will commence a nationwide 3G switch off in January 2024 and plans to complete the process by March, but is keen for everyone to know it aims to take a responsible approach to turning out the lights. As part of this, the company promised that all of customers that are registered as vulnerable will be offered a free 4G-ready mobile phone, or a discount on a monthly plan if they prefer to choose their own handset, to ensure they still have a phone service once 3G is turned off. BT has prepared a 3G fact sheet to help elderly and vulnerable people, as well as their families, understand what is happening and how to make sure they are not impacted by the switch off. BT is not the only company turning off its 3G services, as all of the mobile networks are looking to shut off the now outdated technology in order to focus on rolling out newer technology such as 5G. Vodafone announced last year that it would begin retiring its 3G network in 2023 as part of a network modernisation programme, and is also aiming to complete its switch-off early in 2024. Three expects to discontinue 3G services by the end of 2024, leaving O2 as the laggard planning to switch off in 2025. This means that the telecoms companies are all ahead of the plans announced by the UK government back in 2021 to have 2G and 3G networks phased out by 2033. There are good reasons for doing this, as newer kit is more energy efficient than the older gear; BT claimed that 3G represents around 35 percent of the EE mobile network’s total power consumption, despite 3G usage falling to just 0.6 percent of total data downloaded and 7 percent of voice traffic this summer. In addition, retiring 3G means that network operators such as BT/EE can reuse the radio spectrum for other purposes, such as enhancing their 5G network support.

On a second mobile phone related subject, have you noticed how companies - including Samsung have been heavily promoting their flip smart phones in a series of radio commercials recently? Samsung are currently offering a free Google Chromebook laptop worth £229 when a Samsung Galaxy Z flip phone is purchased. Flip smartphones were once seen as the future of smartphones, but they have not sold in the numbers anticipated; indeed they are hardly selling at all. There are a number of reasons for this, including:- Price. Flip smartphones are often substantially more expensive than traditional smartphones with the same specifications. This is because they are more complex to manufacture and have a smaller production volume. Durability. Flip smartphones are more fragile than traditional smartphones because of their hinge mechanism. This makes them more likely to break if dropped or mishandled. Battery life. Flip smartphones typically have shorter battery life than traditional smartphones because of their smaller batteries and more complex internal components. App compatibility. Not all apps are compatible with flip smartphones. This is because some apps rely on features that are not available on flip smartphones, such as a large screen or a front-facing camera. Lack of innovation. The flip smartphone market has not seen a lot of innovation in recent years. This means that flip smartphones do not offer the same level of features and performance as the latest traditional smartphones. Overall, flip smartphones are facing a number of challenges. The high price, durability concerns, shorter battery life, app compatibility issues, lack of innovation, and low consumer awareness are all contributing to the decline of the flip smartphone market. It has been said that the modern flip smartphone is actually a solution that is looking for a problem. 

The King' Arms pub in Bexleyheath Broadway, opposite Asda has just won a prestigious award. In the category of "Best Pub for Entertainment" the King's Arms came top in the recent Great British Pub Awards. The venue holds a variety of regular events, including weekly live music, pub quiz nights and film screenings on their roof terrace. It is good to see a local pub experiencing success; only a few hundred metres Westwards along Bexleyheath Broadway is Wetherspoons pub The Wrong 'Un - which has now been sold, and is anticipated to close soon. J.D Wetherspoon, the UK's largest pub chain, is selling off more of its pubs amid rising costs and sluggish sales. The company announced in November 2022 that it would be selling 39 pubs, in addition to the 32 pubs it had already sold earlier in the year. This brings the total number of pubs sold off by Wetherspoons in the past two years to 71. The company's decision to sell off pubs is a sign of the challenges facing the hospitality industry as a whole. Rising energy bills, food costs, and labour costs have put a strain on many pubs, and Wetherspoons is no exception. The company has also been hit by a decline in sales, as people are spending less money on going out due to the cost of living crisis. Wetherspoon's chairman, Tim Martin, has said that the company is not looking to close any pubs, but is instead selling off pubs that are not performing as well as others. He has also said that the company is still committed to opening new pubs, but that it will be doing so at a slower pace than in the past. The sale of Wetherspoons pubs is a blow to the UK pub industry, which is already facing a number of challenges. The closure of pubs has a negative impact on local communities, as pubs often serve as important social hubs. It can also lead to job losses and a decline in tourism. It is unclear what the future holds for Wetherspoons. The company is facing a number of challenges, but it is still one of the largest pub chains in the UK. It remains to be seen whether the company will be able to weather the current storm and continue to operate successfully in the long term. What does this mean for Wetherspoons customers? For customers, the sale of Wetherspoons pubs means that some of their favourite pubs may close down. It is also possible that the company may raise prices in order to offset its rising costs. However, Wetherspoons has said that it is committed to keeping its prices low, so it is too early to say what the long-term impact will be on customers. What do you think? Please send comments and feedback to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Another history of a prominent figure who lived locally. Sir William Anderson (born 5 January 1835 in Saint Petersburg, Russia –  died 11 December 1898 at Woolwich Arsenal) was an English engineer who also served as director-general of the Ordnance Factories from 1889 to 1898. He was the fourth son of John Anderson (26 June 1796 - 22 January 1870), a member of the firm of Matthews, Anderson, & Co., bankers and merchants of Saint Petersburg, Russia by his wife Frances, daughter of Dr. Simpson. He was educated at the Saint Petersburg high commercial school, of which he became head. He carried off the silver medal, and although an English subject received the freedom of the city in consideration of his attainments. When he left Russia in 1849 he was proficient in English, Russian, German, and French. In 1849, he became a student in the Applied Sciences department at King's College, London, and on leaving became an associate. He next served a pupilage at the works of Sir William Fairbairn in Manchester, where he remained three years. In 1855 he joined the firm of Courtney, Stephens, & Co., of the Blackhall Place Ironworks, Dublin. There he did much general engineering work. He also designed several cranes, and was the first to adopt the braced web in bent cranes. In 1863 he became president of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland. In 1864 he joined the firm of Easton and Amos of the Grove, Southwark, and went to live at Erith, where the firm had decided to construct new works on a riverside site at Anchor Bay, east of Erith's centre. He became a partner, and eventually head, of the firm which at a later date was styled Easton and Anderson. At Erith he had the chief responsibility in designing and laying out the works. Part of the business of the firm at that time was the construction of pumping machinery. Anderson materially improved the pattern of centrifugal pump devised by John George Appold, whom I have written about in the past. While in Erith, he also contributed to the establishment of local schools, serving for 27 years on the Erith School Board, which he chaired from 1886 until his death. He was also actively involved with local churches. In 1870 he went to Egypt to erect three sugar mills for the Khedive Ismail, which he had helped to design. In 1872 he presented to the Institution of Civil Engineers an account of the sugar factory at Aba-el-Wakf for which he received a Watt medal and a Telford premium. Anderson next turned his attention to gun mountings of the Moncrieff type, and designed several for the British government, which were made at the Erith works. In 1876 he designed twin Moncrieff turret mountings for 40-ton guns for the Russian admiralty, which were made at Erith and proved highly successful. Later he designed similar mountings for 50-ton guns for the same country, and about 1888 he designed the mountings for the battleship HMS Rupert. About 1878–82 he was occupied with large contracts which his firm had obtained for the waterworks of Antwerp and Seville. To render the waters of the River Nethe, which was little better than a sewer, available for drinking purposes, he invented, in conjunction with Sir Frederick Augustus Abel, a revolving iron purifier, which proved perfectly effectual. He contributed a paper on the Antwerp Waterworks to the Institution of Civil Engineers for which he received a Telford Medal and premium. About 1888 Anderson was asked by the explosives committee of the War Office to design the machinery for the manufacture of the new smokeless explosive, cordite. He had hardly commenced this task when, on 11 August 1889, he was appointed director-general of the ordnance factories. The duties of this post, mainly focused at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, prevented him from continuing his work in relation to the cordite machinery, which was committed to his eldest son. Anderson made many improvements in the details of the management of the Arsenal, and introduced greater economy into its administration. During the 1890s, Anderson's continuing interest in education led to him becoming a trustee of the newly established Woolwich Polytechnic; he was a member of its governing body in 1893, and later (1895) represented the War Department on its board of governors. He was also involved with the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society. Anderson contributed numerous papers to scientific institutions, and delivered many lectures on scientific subjects. His Howard Lectures on the Conversion of Heat into Work, delivered before the Society of Arts in 1884 and 1885, were published in 1887 in the Specialist's Series. A second edition appeared in 1889. He was elected a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers on 12 January 1869. In 1886, he was elected a member of council, and in 1896 a vice-president. He was also a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, of which he was president in 1892 and 1893. In 1889 he was president of section G at the meeting of the British Association at Newcastle, and on that occasion he received the honorary degree of D.C.L. from Durham University. On 4 June 1891 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. He was a vice-president of the Society of Arts, a member of the Royal Institution, of the Iron and Steel Institute, and of other societies. He was also a lieutenant-colonel of the engineer and railway volunteer staff corps. In 1895 he was created CB, and in 1897 K.C.B. In his personal life, He married Emma Eliza, daughter of J. R. Brown of Knighton, Radnorshire on 11 November 1856, and they had at least two sons and a daughter. He lived in Lesney House, in Lesney Park, Erith.  He died at Woolwich in 1898, and was buried in the churchyard of St John the Baptist, Erith, where a monument was erected in his memory. His coffin was carried by Woolwich Arsenal workers and placed on a special train to Erith where workers from the Erith Iron Works carried the coffin from the train to the hearse. 

Recent visitors to Nuxley Road, Upper Belvedere may have noticed that a long empty shop unit is being refitted as a pizza outlet, as you can see in the photo above - click on it to see a larger view. After doing some research, it appears that this new shop - the Peri Peri & Pizza Company - is actually the fourth business in the village that is owned by local entrepreneur Mr Kadir Ahmet, who also owns the Bronze N Beauty salon located at 6, Albert Road, along with The Village Bistro Cafe at 70, Nuxley Road. He also owns The Village Sandwich Bar at 59, Nuxley Road. Until November 2021 he also owned the Envoy Night Club in Sutton, Surrey. Mr Ahmet would seem to be a very busy man!

The Exchange recently published the following press release:- "Community Craft Organisation, The Exchange, Receives Dual Nominations for 2023 Wood Awards and Dezeen Awards. The Exchange, a community craft organization based in Erith, is celebrating a double triumph as it receives nominations in two prestigious design awards: longlisted for the 2023 Dezeen Awards in the Furniture Design category, and shortlisted for the Furniture & Product Design category in this year’s Wood Awards. These nominations underscore The Exchange's dedication to innovative design, sustainability, and community empowerment. Both nominations celebrate the same project: designed by Mentsen, commissioned and made by The Exchange, the folding tables and stackable chairs are made from solid FSC certified European Oak. The furniture is designed perfectly for its community craft space within the historic Carnegie Library in Erith. Both pieces of furniture are designed for space efficiency - foldable tables custom made to be stored on the wall when not in use, echoing the panels which once lined the Newspaper Room of the Old Library. The stackable chairs were designed to complement the tables, and are used by the community during all sorts of events. Both are completely repairable, promote sustainability and community engagement. The designers, Yasuyuki Sakurai and Risa Sano of design studio Mentsen, Co-founder and Creative Director Peter Nutley, along with lead volunteer Richard Websdale, played pivotal roles in the creation of these pieces. It is, however, the team of volunteers, led by Richard, who have done the hard work on this project which began in early 2022.  After an intensive four days of skill sharing with the designers, the timber workshop volunteer team went on to produce twenty-six tables and are now in the process of making over a hundred oak frame chairs, complete with linen webbing. The project has been nominated for the Furniture Design category of the Dezeen Awards 2023, a globally renowned accolade recognising exceptional achievements in architecture, interiors, design, and sustainability. This year, more than 4,800 entries were received for the Dezeen Awards, with only 123 entries making it to the longlist. The project has been recognized for its beauty, innovation, and benefit to people and the planet. Judges seek entries that exhibit aesthetic rigor, original thinking, and considerate design for users and the environment. The Wood Awards judges seek thoughtful, inventive, and aesthetically pleasing designs across various categories. Competing with 13 other nominees, The Exchange's nomination underscores its commitment to sustainability, innovative design, and community engagement. The 2023 Wood Awards will reveal shortlisted projects during the Material Matters exhibition this week at Gallery@Oxo, London Design Festival, from September 20 - 23, 2023. The project is a part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund project to repair and reopen Erith’s Old Library as a space for community, craft, and empowerment. With additional funding from London Borough of Bexley, Power to Change, The Architectural Heritage Fund, Co-ops UK, National Lottery Community Fund, Orbit Housing, Arts Council England -and the community who invested in the organisation itself. Both nominations represent a remarkable achievement for the entire team at The Exchange and recognise the thoughtfulness and clarity of Mentsen’s design. The Exchange has made these unique pieces available for pre-sale, to help ensure the financial sustainability of the organisation and to see this beautifully designed and made furniture enrich many different homes and spaces. For more information, please contact Lilly Maetzig at lilly@theexchangeerith.com or go to tex-craft.co.uk".

The period photo above shows the Ritz Cinema, which was located in Pier Road, Erith, until 1956. It originally opened as The Picture House on 8th November 1928 with 400 seats. It was built for and was operated by the Sydney Bacon Circuit. It was the first cinema in the local area to show ‘talkies’, when on 14th October 1929, "The Broadway Melody" was screened. The Picture House was taken over by the Union Cinemas chain in December 1935. They closed it in June 1937, to be modernised and enlarged to the plans of architect Percy L. Brown. The seating capacity was increased to 1,170, all on a single floor. The proscenium was 38 feet wide, the stage 11 feet deep and there were two dressing rooms. It re-opened as the Ritz Cinema on 2nd August 1937. Union Cinemas were taken over by Associated British Cinemas (ABC) in October 1937. ABC closed the Ritz Cinema on 24th November 1956 with Dean Jagger in "X: The Unknown" and Simone Signoret in "The Fiends"(Les Diabolique). The building was later demolished and was replaced by a row of shops, located next door to Electricity House, and opposite the car park which became the home of Erith Market for many years, and is now back in use as a pay and display car park. Nowadays there is absolutely no sign of this classic old cinema on the site, and indeed I only became aware of it through the study of old documents. If you have any old photos of Erith and the surrounding areas that you would like to share, please forward them electronically to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The end video this week is from Network Rail. It outlines the works to the UK rail network that were undertaken last week; one significant news item on the video is the engineering works currently under way at Plumstead to enable step free access to both platforms at the station. This is excellent news for users of Plumstead Station, but it further underlines the need to have step free access at all railway stations in the area - specifically Erith Station, as I have written in the recent past.