Festival.

The photos above were taken this weekend at the annual Christmas Tree Festival at Christ Church Erith; I took them on Saturday morning, just a few minutes prior to the public being admitted to the event at 10 AM. Click on either photo to see a larger view. The event raises money for several good causes, including The Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice. Hundreds of visitors turned up to the event, which is one of the most popular and well - attended in the local calendar. A very wide cross - section of the local community visited the church over the weekend - the event started on Friday lunchtime, and finishes on Sunday evening, with many live musical performances taking place whilst the visitors walk around the church, which was filled with decorated Christmas trees sponsored by local organisations and individual families. A very large number of local and not so local people visited the events; I spoke to a chap who had travelled all of the way from Norwich to pay a visit to the church. Visitor numbers were definitely up by a significant percentage when compared to previous years, and donations made were also up, though the final figure of the money collected for good causes is not yet available. The event is free, though donations to the various good causes that the event supports are always very welcome. The Christmas Tree Festival is one of numerous events which take place over the course of a year that really show how much of a sense of community involvement there is locally. Thanks to the numerous Maggot Sandwich readers who came over to say "hello" during the festival. Comments to me at the usual address - hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Last week the Guardian news website featured an in - depth article on the remaining door to door milk delivery services still operating around the UK. It turns out that the largest company still offering a personalised doorstep milk and dairy products delivery service has their local depot in Brook Street, Northumberland Heath. The company - Milk and More - describes itself thus:- "Milk & More began over 100 years ago, delivering milk to doorsteps across Britain. The milk round of those times may have changed a little, but we’re still on your street 3 times a week, bringing a little magic to your mornings. Milk, juice, eggs, bread, breakfast essentials, and store cupboard staples - our Milkmen bring them all, from family favourites to weekend treats and those oh-no-we-ran-out essentials. And, though you probably won’t see them, your local Milkman is always just a click away, taking orders up to 9 pm, ready to drop your groceries off by 7 am. At Milk & More, we’re all about your neighbourhood. Our Milkmen take pride in their round, whether that’s just closing the gate quietly, making sure the cat’s back in or helping your neighbours get their car started in the snow. Your local Milkman works silently through the night, allowing you and your neighbours to wake up to everything you need to start your day the right way. So, whatever a good morning means to you, we’ll always do our best to deliver. Your local Milkman will deliver your fresh British milk and essentials by 7 am, up to 3 times a week, come rain or shine. Our delivery is free with no minimum order and no hidden charges. There's also no locked-in schedule and you're free to amend your order until 9 pm the night before, allowing you to choose what works for you". You can read more about Milk and more by clicking here. 

Last week I was contacted by reader Richard, asking if I would write an article about the old Belvedere House stately home; coincidentally I was already considering updating and revising an article which included a mention of the house, which I wrote back in April 2021. There are many local residents who are unaware that the leafy and sleepy housing estate located in Heathdene Drive, off Upper Park Road in Upper Belvedere was for over a century the home to a very important charity – and the site of a former stately home called Belvedere House, base of the Royal Alfred Merchant Seamans Society, and prior to that it was the location of a grand stately home. The history of Belvedere House is a complex and involved one, but here are the outlines of its story. The original Belvedere House - the upper of the two images above - click on it to see a larger view - was built for George Haley in the reign of George II to the design of James "Athenian" Stewart, a fashionable architect of the day. He later designed the interior of the chapel of Greenwich hospital. Belvedere House commanded a wide view over the still rural River Thames. Its name came from the Italian meaning "beautiful view". Haley sold their house to the sixth Earl of Baltimore who died in 1751. Upon Lord Baltimore's death. Belvedere House passed to the Eardley family who had a profound influence on the district for over a century. Later the house came into the hands of Samson Gideon who rebuilt the mansion so completely in 1764 the little of the original House remained. He also laid out and improved the park which was enclosed by an oak fence, the whole state comprising some 120 acres in 1766. He married the daughter of Sir John Eardley with whom he had two sons and three daughters. He then served in parliament and became a member for Cambridge, Coventry and Wallingford .William Pitt - the prime minister visited him at the Belvedere House and he was shortly afterwards raised to the peerage becoming Baron Eardley of Spalding, Lincolnshire. He died eventually on Christmas Day 1824 aged 79. Lord Eardley's second daughter had married a Sir Colin Smith who was created a baronet in 1802 and who died in 1812. He was succeeded by his second son also Sir Colin Smith who thus inherited Belvedere mansion in 1847 upon which he took the name of Eardley as Sir Culling Eardley. He left his mark on the district, developing the estate outside the park and influencing the religious life of the neighbourhood. With this staunch nonconformist fuse, he provided the sites for All Saints Church and Nuxley Road Baptist Chapel and founded a school in the village known as Middle Class Boys School. By now Belvedere house contained a notable collection of pictures which had been begun by Samson Gideon, some of which were now transferred by Sir Colin in 1860 to the Smith family state at Bedwell Park Hertfordshire and the remainder auctioned. The connection with Bedwell is commemorated by the name of Bedwell Road in Belvedere. Sir Culling Eardley died in 1863 at Bedwell Park, leaving two daughters and a son who died in Paris in 1872. The title became extinct and that house was sold soon after Sir Culling's death when Belvedere House entered a new phase of its existence by becoming a home for retired merchant seamen. The origins of the Royal Alfred date back to a meeting held in July 1857 in Mansion House, London, when a group of influential and well-disposed people voted unanimously to establish a hospital for “worn-out and disabled merchant seamen”. That day, it vouched to open its doors to over 500 people in need. A hundred years ago there wasn't a family in England that didn't know somebody or had a relative who was a seafarer. In those days, when the shipping companies didn't employ them any more, they were just left on the dockside or on the City streets. And because they were away for years at a time, rather than months, the family they had would, on the most part, disintegrate. So they did not have homes to go to, or any support mechanism, and there were a great deal of homeless merchant seafarers in desperate circumstances nationally. In the beginning, the place was run by a warden and the seafarers themselves, who used to do their own cooking, cleaning and gardening. Over time, as the residents became older and frailer, an infirmary was built in the grounds of the old stately home, followed by a new house where people could be nursed, should they need it. In the post – war years, it was determined that the old Belvedere House was no longer fit for purpose, and a new building needed to replace it. The new high tech home opened in 1958, it was designed by architect A.E Symes and cost £228,000 – a considerable fortune at the time - you can see a photo of that building in the lower of the two images above above - click on it for a larger view. The home looked after its residents on the Upper Belvedere site until 1977, when it was sold off to a commercial developer; the building was eventually demolished in 1980. The charity then relocated to a brand new, purpose built facility, also called Belvedere House, located in Banstead, Surrey, where it is to this day. The Royal Alfred runs a state-of-the-art nursing home and specialised dementia care unit that houses up to 68 residents, 23 tenants and is supported by 107 staff members. As an island nation whose vast majority of goods arrive by sea, the UK has a longstanding seafaring tradition that continues to this day. In 2016, the estimated total number of British seafarers active at sea was 23,060, according to government data. Due to the unique trials and tribulations of those who spend the majority of their lives at sea, resettling back on shore can be extremely difficult. Finding like-minded companionship and understanding from someone who has experienced a similar lifestyle is another challenge. Today, the retirement age for seafarers is between 63 and 68. You can see the modern Royal Alfred Seafarers Society website by clicking here.

A recent BBC investigation has revealed a worrying trend in England: some restaurants are displaying incorrect food hygiene rating stickers, misleading customers about the cleanliness of their establishments. This deceitful practice not only undermines the public's trust but also poses potential health risks. As I have previously written, The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in England operates a food hygiene rating scheme, ranging from 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good). These ratings, based on inspections by local authorities, are intended to provide consumers with transparent information about the hygiene standards in places where they buy or eat food. While displaying these ratings is mandatory in Wales and Northern Ireland, it remains voluntary in England. Undercover reporters discovered numerous businesses, from independent restaurants to a branch of a well-known supermarket chain, displaying inaccurate ratings. Some even blatantly lied about their scores when questioned. This deception ranged from displaying a slightly higher rating than the one officially awarded to outright fabricating a good score when the actual rating was a 0. This practice has serious implications. Firstly, it misleads consumers who rely on these ratings to make informed decisions about where to eat. This is particularly concerning for vulnerable individuals who are more susceptible to food borne illnesses. Secondly, it undermines the integrity of the FSA rating scheme, which plays a crucial role in promoting food safety and public health. Experts and consumer groups are calling for mandatory display of food hygiene ratings in England, similar to the systems in Wales and Northern Ireland. This would not only empower consumers but also compel businesses to prioritise hygiene and comply with food safety regulations. In an interview on the Kent Online news website, Christopher Elliot, vice-president of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health argues England should go the same way. “In England it is voluntary and because it’s voluntary only about two-thirds of businesses actually bother to display, 80% of food businesses want the system to become compulsory, the FSA do, the Chartered Institute Of Environmental Health do, consumers organisations do, everybody wants it that way. If it’s not mandated those people who do it properly are losing out to those people who chose not to display or potentially cheat the system. In general what we find is that those businesses that get a good rating do display and those that don’t tend not to. That is to me cheating, it’s trying to con the public. Those businesses that have between a zero and a three score are much more likely to have food poisoning incidents than businesses that score a four or a five.” The FSA says in England only 69% of businesses display a hygiene rating at all, compared to 92% in Wales and 91% in Northern Ireland. What do you think? Comments to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The number of motor vehicle and EV related accidents recorded in the UK has been falling year on year for the last decade, whereas the number of pedestrians hit by cyclists in the UK increased by a third from 2020 to 2022, with 462 collisions recorded in 2022, according to a parliamentary answer elicited by the former Metropolitan Police commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, but the figure covers roads, not those killed or seriously injured in public spaces, such as parks and pavements. Cyclists who kill or seriously injure someone can be jailed for up to two years for “wanton and furious” riding under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. In theory, a cyclist who kills could be convicted of involuntary manslaughter. But the figures for transgression are a wild underestimate. In many cases the cyclist does not hang around to be charged, and as their bike has no formal means of identification, tracing them can be next to impossible. It is a problem which is insufficiently recognised, let alone addressed. Last year, Chris Boardman, the Government’s Active Travel Commissioner, declined to back calls for updated laws tackling injuries caused by pedal bike users because “there were more people killed by lightning and cows than by cyclists”. In London, there is little official focus on the number of pedestrians injured by cyclists rather than on the numbers of both who are hit by cars. In 2023, cyclists were involved in seven per cent of serious injuries to pedestrians in London, though this is thought to be an under estimate, as many collisions go unreported.

Do you find a certain kind of story on the web fascinating or irritating? I refer to the links you find at the bottom of certain websites, most notably the News Shopper, with titles like: “A 55 year old woman has the skin of a 30 year old”, “18 tattoos that are the worst of the worst” and “10 celebrity Instagrams that you may have missed this week”. These kind of story titles are designed to pique the curiosity of the reader, and encourage them to click on the link to find out more about the subject in question. They are referred to in the advertising trade as “Click Bait”. The websites that the stories are posted on do not have revenue from subscribers, they make money from advertisers who have banner ads plastered all over the site – and who pay the site owner by the number of visits the adverts get; thus it is in the interest of the click baiters to generate as much traffic onto their site as is possible, as this is what generates them cash. One of the worst click baiting offenders is the website Buzzfeed, which is basically a very low end supermarket magazine that has been created on the web. It is primarily aimed at women, as can be surmised by the majority of the content, which bears a lot of commonality with publications like “Take a Break” and “Hello”.  Many of the beguiling or intriguing links you find on websites that ask questions such as “ten things you would not guess about milk” are feeding directly to Buzzfeed and its’ affiliate websites. Their only interest in their content is how they can get you to click through to it – once you have done so, they really don’t care, as you have generated income for them, and they have no further use for the surfer. If you quite enjoy the little bits of online fluff that Buzzfeed and other click baiters publish, then fine, but be aware that you are just being farmed as a commodity for their advertising stream. Personally I find them intensely irritating, and have only clicked through on a few as part of my research into this story. I did it so that you don’t have to.

The end video this week is from the popular "Gary Eats" restaurant review channel on YouTube. I featured Gary a while back when he reviewed the oldest surviving Wimpy restaurant in Bexleyheath. This time the focus is on the Christmas menu at the Wetherspoon's pub The Flying Boat in Dartford. Comments and feedback as usual to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.