Smoke.

Following my report of local Police called to a violent incident in Bexleyheath Broadway, which I published on the 10th of December, there have now been further fights between school children in the Broadway - photos above - click on either to see a larger view. I was (un) lucky enough to be standing at the 99 bus stop opposite the Furze Wren pub a couple of weeks ago, when three Police vehicles arrived to deal with an outbreak of fighting in front of the entrance to the TK Maxx store. The Police have increased patrols in the Broadway, and at roughly 3pm to 5pm on weekdays during term time they have increased the number of PCSO's and PC's on duty in the area, to try and discourage violence between children from different local schools. As previously reported, I am aware that some locals avoid visiting the Broadway when large numbers of school children are present, due to fears of violence. Last Wednesday afternoon I was again  in Bexleyheath when I saw eight Police officers in a group, standing outside of the McDonald's branch in Bexleyheath Broadway. From their body language, it appeared that they were expecting some kind of trouble. I did not hang around to find out more. If you have encountered any problems with violence from school children in Bexleyheath, then please contact me in confidence at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The following eulogy was posted by Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association senior committee member, Dana Wiffen:- "R.I.P RAY HUDSON - Ray worked tirelessly in his community and has taken on numerous voluntary roles over the years including as a Magistrate from 1975-2001, a School Governor from 1976 to 2014, Chairman of Lesness Residents Association from 1997-2016. Many of you will remember him from Bexley-Neighbourhood Watch, where he joined the Committee in 1992 he then became the Vice-Chairman from 1995 to 2003 and was voted to Chairman from 2004 until 2013. As Vice Chairman one of his first jobs in 1997 was to oversee Bexley-Neighbourhood Watch in becoming a registered charity and then to set-up the RINGMASTER telephone warning system in 1998. As Chairman working with his team they greatly improved Neighbourhood Watch’s profile both in the community and in securing closer working relationships with both Bexley Police, Bexley Council and Local Press. Together with other volunteers he was often seen at events and fairs across the Borough normally with his great friends and Neighbourhood Watch Committee Member Ray Darsey & John Rayner. By 2008 there were around 350 Neighbourhood Watch -Coordinators covering some 14,000 homes, by 2013 this had increased membership to 450 NW-Coordinators covering around 25,000 homes in Bexley Borough. He was also Bexley-Neighbouhood Watch’s representative on the Safer Neighbourhood Board. A long term sponsorship deal with CORY Riverside Energy enabled to purchase of a gazebo, laptop, street signage and many booklets and leaflets also supporting the expansion in the Borough, while the Council had agreed to fund a part-time administrator to work from our office, which had firstly been in Belvedere Police Station and later Bexleyheath Police Station. The money also saw the return of the Bexley-Neighbourhood Watch printed newsletters which were distributed via Coordinators and Libraries. He was also recognised for his voluntary work with a number of awards which included a Long Service Award from Bexley-Neighbourhood Watch and a London Achievement Award which he collected from London Mayor- Boris Johnson. With the late James Brokenshire MP becoming our Patron and Bexley-Neighbourhood Watch reaching their 30th Anniversary in 2013, Ray stepped down as Chairman leaving the organisation in a healthy and positive position moving forward. He continued to help as Senior Adviser but because of health issues he would later move to a care home and would welcome us when we visited, eagerly asking for updates on our work. His death on the 20th January 2024 has left us all upset and missing one of the most dedicated volunteers in Bexley".  

If you ask a number of retired people who have lived locally for any length of time about Beasley’s Beer, you will get a number of responses – not all of them good. Beasley’s Brewery was located in Plumstead, in Brewery Road, off Lakedale Road.  Before the Second World War,  it was owned by Harry Geoffrey Beasley, who had inherited the brewery. The income from this made him wealthy, and enabled him to spend much of his life engaged in his passion for anthropology; he travelled the world studying various tribes and peoples, and wrote many academic papers on the subject. He was considered to be a leader in his field of study, and in 1932 he became president of the Royal Anthropological Institute, a post he held until 1937, when ill – health in the form of Diabetes meant he had to stand down from the office. For most of his married life he lived in Cranmore Place in Chislehurst, where he set up the Cranmore Ethnographical Museum, which housed six thousand exhibits that Beasley had collected during his travels. He died in 1939, when his collection was moved to the British Museum – just in time, as the house was destroyed during the Blitz. From the records I have read, Harry Beasley had a pretty hands – off relationship with the brewery from which he derived his not inconsiderable income. Local resident Roger Jewiss recalls the following story about day to day life for the average working man in Beasley’s Brewery: "My Grandfather was a blacksmith and during the depression found work a bit hard to find. He was pleased to get two days work to do a repair in the brewery. All employees were given two brass tokens a day which they could exchange for a pint of beer. My grandfather, very hot at his temporary forge, had used his tokens and was indeed very pleased when a brewery worker called down to him, “ Fancy a pint blacky?” “ Not 'arf,” replied my grandfather. Soon after, a copper vessel came slowly down from the vat above, on a long wire, and my grandfather gratefully quenched his thirst. “ Thanks”, he shouted back to his new friend, “that certainly was a long pint.”  “PINT!” came the reply, “that vessel held a gallon!”. The account was originally published on the Plumstead Stories website that you can see here. My Grandfather on my Mum’s side (and indeed my Mum) called the output of the brewery “Beasley’s beastly beer” as they both heartily loathed it. Apparently this was a not uncommon opinion at the time, thought for a period I understand that their beers had a royal warrant – if anyone has any details, I would love to hear from them. Beasley’s Brewery was taken over by the much larger Courage in 1963; not much later it was closed down. You can see a collection of Beasley Brewery photographs and beer mats which have been framed and hung on the wall of the excellent Robin Hood and Little John pub in Lion Road, Bexleyheath.

For two decades, a toxic inferno has smouldered in Rainham, directly across the River Thames from Abbey Wood, Belvedere, Erith and Slade Green, turning Launders Lane in Rainham from a peaceful neighbourhood into a battleground for clean air, which can also affect residents this side of the River Thames. This illegal rubbish dump, nicknamed "Mount Toxic" by residents, has become a source of perpetual fires, spewing a noxious cocktail of fumes that plague the community with respiratory issues, burns, and a serious fear for their health. The fires are not exclusive to the summer. They reignite with alarming regularity, fueled by the smoldering debris of years of illegal dumping. The London Fire Brigade has reportedly attended over 70 fires at the site since 2018 and the organisation has said the site poses a significant risk to its firefighters due to its unstable nature. Mountains of waste, towering over three houses high, contain a toxic cocktail of materials – from plastics and tyres to hazardous chemicals. This inferno burns not just with heat, but with the acrid sting of uncertainty. Residents describe foul-tasting smoke that infiltrates their homes, turning everyday tasks into a suffocating ordeal. The consequences are seriously affecting the community. Children suffer from nosebleeds and coughing fits, their play is affected - they are choked by the invisible grip of toxic fumes. Adults report chronic respiratory problems, burning eyes, and skin irritations from mere proximity to the site. One mother shared the heartbreaking story of her son, diagnosed with cancer, unable to play outside due to the toxic air. The health concerns are far from anecdotal. Studies have shown elevated levels of harmful pollutants in the air around Launders Lane, including lead, benzene, and benzo-(a) pyrene, all linked to serious health problems like cancer and respiratory illnesses. The long-term effects of this toxic exposure are yet unknown The fear extends beyond the immediate physical effects. Residents live with the constant apprehension of another fire, another plume of poison engulfing their homes. They speak of a "living hell," their lives tethered to the intermittent rubbish fires. Liberal Democrat London Assembly member Hina Bokhari has said the site is “potentially major health hazard in the area” and has asked London Mayor Sadiq Khan to put pressure on Havering Council and the Environment Agency to solve the issue. She added:- "Air pollution of this kind could have serious long-term impacts on people living in the area, especially young children, many of whom have to stay indoors when the fires are burning. It may only be January, but summer will come around fast and residents will be faced with the impact of months of fires yet again if this issue is not tackled. We cannot allow human health to continue to be placed at risk like this. We also cannot continue to expect London’s firefighters to continue to put their lives at risk tackling fires at this site year in year out when the problem is resolvable.” Despite years of complaints and protests, the fire persists. Blame passes between Havering Council, the Environment Agency, and the London Fire Brigade, each claiming it's not their sole responsibility. Experts believe it could cost as much £10 million to finally put out the fire with cash-strapped Havering Council only saying they will closely monitor air pollution levels for a year. Meanwhile, residents are left asking for solutions, their pleas lost in the bureaucratic labyrinth. The Launders Lane fire is a stark reminder of the environmental and human cost of inaction. It's a story not just of negligence, but of the systemic failure to protect communities from the invisible hazards lurking in their back gardens. This problem is not purely limited to Rainham. The dump site is only a couple of miles as the crow flies from the aforementioned Abbey Wood, Belvedere, Erith and Slade Green. If the wind is blowing in the direction of the local area, then it is highly likely that we will also suffer from the air pollution that our neighbours in Havering get - I know that it is common to see the River Thames as some kind of barrier, and that somehow Essex is a separate entity, but in situations such as this, The London Borough of Bexley is in very close proximity to the illegal dump, its fires and the resultant chemical air pollution. In many ways it is our problem too. Comments to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

A serious house fire took place in Manor Road, Erith in the early hours of Monday morning. The ground floor of the terraced house was severely damaged, and the upper floor of the building was badly affected by smoke from the blaze. Three adults and two children were rescued from the property by the Fire Brigade - three fire engines and around 15 firefighters from Erith, Bexley and Plumstead fire stations attended the scene. The occupants of the property were all taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews after suffering from smoke inhalation. Smoke inhalation is one of the leading causes of death in fires, far exceeding the flames themselves. Toxic fumes and gases released during combustion can quickly overwhelm and incapacitate, making escape nearly impossible. This is where smoke hoods step in, offering a precious lifeline in the midst of blinding darkness and choking air. Following the blaze, it has been suggested that the condition of the fire victims was helped by the fire brigade's use of smoke hoods to protect the respiration of fire victims. Traditional firefighting relies heavily on self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for firefighters, providing them with clean air amidst the toxic fumes. However, for civilians caught in a fire, escape routes are often shrouded in choking smoke, hindering their ability to flee to safety. This is where smoke hoods come in. These hoods, made of heat-resistant material, are equipped with chemical filters that remove harmful gases and particulates from the air. While they don't provide oxygen, they offer precious minutes of breathable air, allowing trapped individuals to navigate smoke-filled corridors and reach safety. Since 2018, the London Fire Brigade has equipped all front line firefighters with fire escape hoods. These compact devices are designed to be easily carried and deployed, allowing firefighters to offer immediate protection to anyone trapped in a smoke-filled environment. The hoods, typically made of heat-resistant material, feature a snug-fitting seal around the neck and a chemical filter that removes harmful gases like carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. These hoods provide invaluable protection to vulnerable individuals who may not be able to evacuate quickly, such as the elderly, children, or people with disabilities. Firefighters can fit the hoods on unconscious victims or those with limited mobility, giving them precious minutes to escape the inferno or wait for rescue. Using smoke hoods effectively requires more than just carrying them. London firefighters undergo rigorous training in the safe and efficient deployment of these devices. This includes understanding the limitations of the hoods, such as their 15-minute lifespan and the importance of maintaining a clear escape route. As technology advances, smoke hoods are becoming even more sophisticated. Research is ongoing into developing longer-lasting filters and incorporating features like communication systems and heat shields. 

Following my previous articles on the increasing levels of unreliability in local buses, I came across another example of a broken down Arriva bus on Wednesday morning. As you can see in the photos above - click on either to see a larger version - an Arriva double deck bus had broken down in the bus halt in front of Erith Riverside Shopping Centre. A mechanic was (unsuccessfully) trying to repair the vehicle. As I have previously written, I was a passenger on a Woolwich bound 99 bus on the 10th of October last year, when it stopped in Erith town centre for a change of drivers. As is often the case during these changeovers, the drivers had a chat; I happened to be sitting in the seat nearest the front of the bus, opposite the drivers cab, and was able to hear the conversation quite clearly. The two drivers were bemoaning the fact that the buses they drove were breaking down far more regularly than in the past. They both agreed that the reason for this was down to penny pinching by the bus operator, Arriva. Apparently buses used to have a minor mechanical service every week, but Arriva had recently instructed their engineers to carry out the minor service on a monthly basis to save on parts and labour costs. This the drivers agreed was the main cause for the increase in mechanical breakdowns. I can only report on the overheard conversation and cannot guarantee its veracity; I have also been told that the secondary reason for the increase in bus breakdowns is because many of the vehicles are old and at or nearing the end of their service lives. 

Thanks to the aforementioned Dana Wiffen for bringing my attention to an article published in The Daily Express newspaper yesterday. The article follows the one that I wrote and published in the previous edition of the Maggot Sandwich about fly tipping in Ray Lamb Way and Wallhouse Road, which lead to the Darent Industrial Estate from Erith. I do sometimes wonder if someone from the press reads my articles! Talking of issues previously raised by me, one reader called Alan has brought to my attention a documentary about Smart Meters which is to be broadcast next Wednesday evening at 8pm an Channel 5. It could be worth a watch. 

The end video this week is from YouTuber Vic Stefanu, who descibes his channel as:- "Videos dedicated to travelling around our beautiful world! My channel is dedicated to culture, nature, history, science, art, architecture and to  hundreds of interesting subjects from my visits to over 170 countries! You can find almost anything here!" In this video Vic explores Erith Pier - in my opinion it is always interesting to get views and feedback from people unfamiliar with the local area. As always please feel free to comment to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.