Roundabout.

 

Many readers will already be aware of the collision on Monday morning of last week which has partially demolished The landmark De Luci fish roundabout in Erith. I must say thank you to so many readers who contacted me with photos they had taken of the collision and the aftermath. The upper photo of the two above was sent to me by a long time reader and occasional contributor Alan, and the lower one I took myself later in the week, after the white van which caused the collision had been removed by the authorities. The precise circumstances behind the collision and the severe damage to the sculpture are still unclear. I'm aware that the Thamesmead based artist - Gary Drostle - who created the sculpture and his team of assistants have been on site to survey the damage. At the time of writing, it is unclear whether the statue is going to be repaired or whether it will be removed and scrapped. As long-time readers will be aware, I have had a long held and not entirely flattering opinion of the statue, however, over the last few years, my opinion has mellowed somewhat, and although I still am not a great fan of it, I do find that it has a place within the local geography and it is a notable local landmark, especially for people who are not familiar with the local area. I am aware that some time ago the Gypsy Cob horse sculpture at the other end of Bronze Age Way which was also damaged by a van colliding with it. It was taken away and repaired, but that structure was made of stainless steel and was relatively straightforward to repair. Whereas the fish sculpture has an outer coating of ceramic mosaic and an inner core made of steel tubing, but the filler between the core and the skin appears to be made of a mix of concrete and expanded polystyrene, which is extremely fragile and difficult to repair. I am also unclear as to whether the sculpture had any form of insurance or whether it was a liability for Bexley Council, in which case I think the chances of it being repaired are somewhat slim, as the council has stated that it is financially very badly off. Personally, even though it is not a favourite piece of local art, I would like to see it restored to its original condition. I also wonder if the insurers of the driver of the van may be liable to pay for the sculpture to be restored. I will be contacting local councillors to establish what the situation regarding either restoration and repair or demolition and removal is. Comments and feedback to me at the usual address - hugh.neal@gmail.com.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Bexleyheath Broadway Shopping Centre, which opened in 1984. Readers with a long memory may remember the Bexleyheath shops which preceded the construction of the Broadway Centre, which included the Hides department store, and a rather large Clarks shoe shop, amongst others. The Clarks shoe shop was pioneering in one particular area within the UK. It used a then cutting edge technology which at that point in time had previously only been used in the USA. When you entered the Clarks shoe shop, an imposing device could be seen at the centre of the customer service area - an X - ray machine designed to examine your feet to determine the correct size fitting of shoe. Correctly called the shoe fitting fluoroscope, it was a common fixture in shoe stores during the 1950s and on into the 1970's. A typical unit, consisted of a vertical wooden cabinet with an opening near the bottom into which the feet were placed. When you looked through one of the three viewing ports on the top of the cabinet (e.g., one for the child being fitted, one for the child's parent, and the third for the shoe salesman or saleswoman), you would see a fluorescent image of the bones of the feet and the outline of the shoes. The machines generally employed a 50 kv X-ray tube operating at 3 to 8 milliamps. When you put your feet in a shoe fitting fluoroscope, you were effectively standing on top of the X-ray tube. The only “shielding” between your feet and the tube was a one mm thick aluminum filter. Some units allowed the operator to select one of three different intensities: the highest intensity for men, the middle one for women and the lowest for children. Most units also had a push button timer that could be set to a desired exposure time, e.g., 5 to 45 seconds. The most common setting was 20 seconds. X-ray images of feet inside shoes and boots were produced for various reasons long before the invention of the shoe fitting fluoroscope. In the second half of the 20th century, growing awareness of radiation hazards and increasingly stringent regulations forced their gradual phasing out. They were widely used particularly when buying shoes for children, whose shoe size continually changed until adulthood. Dr. Jacob Lowe, a Boston USA physician, has the strongest claim to the title, “inventor of the shoe-fitting fluoroscope.” Lowe created his first fluoroscopic device for x-raying feet during World War I. By eliminating the need for his patients to remove their boots, the device sped up the processing of the large number of injured military personnel who were seeking his help. After the war, he modified the device for shoe-fitting and showed it for the first time at a shoe retailer’s convention in Boston in 1920. Although the application date for Lowe’s patent (1,614,988) was February 6, 1919, the patent wasn’t granted until January 18, 1927. For some reason, Lowe assigned his patent to the Adrian Company of Milwaukee. Perhaps Lowe sold his interests in the device to Adrian so that he could return to being a full-time physician. The name Lowe gave too his invention was the Foot-O-Scope, and the company that he formed to produce it was the X-Ray Foot-O-Scope Corporation, Inc. The latter, incorporated in 1920, was located at 100 Boylston Street (room 525) in Boston, Massachusetts USA. Nevertheless, the machine was actually manufactured in Lynn, Massachusetts by the Campbell Electric Company. Made of mahogany, it wasn’t cheap. The $900 price represented a major investment for a shoe shop that wanted one. the first shoe-fitting fluoroscope was built in Milwaukee sometime around 1924 by Clarence Karrer who worked for his father, a dealer in surgical supplies and X-ray equipment. After selling several such units to shoe manufacturers and retailers, Karrer was asked by the Radiological Society of North America and some radiologists to stop because it "lowered the dignity of the profession of radiology." Karrer complied, but another of his father's employees quit the company and patented the device. At more or less the same time that the Foot-O-Scope and Adrian X-ray Shoe Fitter came along, a similar device known as the Pedoscope was invented in Great Britain. The patent for the Pedoscope was applied for in 1924 and granted in 1926. Nevertheless, in 1925 the Pedoscope Company claimed that their device had been “in continuous daily use throughout the British empire for five years.” A press article from the time said:-"New X-Ray Device. Holiday shoppers in London now stop at Baber's Ltd., a retail shoe store in Oxford street to see how his or her foot appears inside the shoe and if it is really a true-fitting shoe. This up-to-date shop has installed an X-ray apparatus by which shadow pictures of the foot are made upon plates and the customer has the satisfaction of seeing whether or not the shoe pinches the foot." In 1946, the American Standards Association established a “safe standard or tolerance dose,” that the feet receive no more than 2 Rads per 5 second exposure. Children were not to receive more than 12 such exposures in a single year. The State of New York adopted similar requirements in 1948, and other states and major cities began to follow suit. As a result, the manufacturers of shoe fitting fluoroscopes became concerned that their products would have to meet a myriad of standards that varied from location to location, and they asked the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) to recommend a uniform set of standards. The ACGIH did so and issued their guidance in 1950, an event that allowed the manufacturers to advertise that they met the ACGIH standards. By the early 1950s, a number of professional organizations had issued warnings about the continued use of shoe-fitting fluoroscopes, e.g., the ACGIH, American College of Surgeons, New York Academy of Medicine and the American College of Radiology. At the same time, the District of Columbia issued regulations that shoe fitting fluoroscopes could only be operated by a licensed physiotherapist. A few years later, Massachusetts passed regulations requiring that the machines be operated by a licensed physician. In 1957 the State of Pennsylvania became the first jurisdiction to ban the use of shoe fitting fluoroscopes. By 1960, these events, plus pressure from insurance companies, had led to the demise of the shoe-fitting fluoroscope, at least in the U.S. In the end, the shoe stores were probably just as glad to be rid of the things—at least one survey had indicated that the machines were perceived by shoe salesmen a sales gimmick rather than a useful tool. Attempts to impose regulatory restrictions on the use of shoe fitting fluoroscopes seem to have been limited to the United States. Despite considerable effort, Jacalyn Duffin and Charles Hayter, authors of the book “Baring the Sole: The Rise and Fall of the Shoe Fitting Fluoroscope,” could not find any Canadian or British legislative action pertaining to these devices. In fact, Duffin and Hayter noted that these machines continued to be used in Canada and the UK, albeit to a limited extent, at least until  the mid 1970's. While the radiation exposure rates associated with these machines varied considerably, the measurements reported by various authors are reasonably consistent. Measurements performed during the late 1960's indicated that the doses to the feet ranged from 7 to 14 Rads for a 20 second exposure. It was also noted that surveys at the time indicated that more than 60 percent of inspected machines exceeded the American Standards Association recommendation of 2 Rads to the feet per five second exposure. Despite these relatively high exposures, there were no reported injuries to shoe store customers. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the operators of these machines. Many shoe salespersons put their hands into the x-ray beam to squeeze the shoe during the fitting. As a result, one saleswoman who had operated a shoe fitting fluoroscope 10 to 20 times each day over a ten year period developed dermatitis of the hands. One of the more serious injuries linked to the operation of these machines involved a shoe model who received such a serious radiation burn that her leg had to be amputated. The machines were gradually phased out of use in the UK by the mid 1970's when the dangers of ionising radiation were better understood. 

A long term reader and occasional contributor, who chooses to remain anonymous sent me the following historical account of their time working in a local factory:-"Between leaving school and going to university, I did a temporary job  at the Morphy Richards factory at St Mary Cray testing toasters, and every morning I received 3 loaves, which were used to test the toasters, from the Tip Top bakery, which was located next door.  When the mechanism jammed, the factory would smell of burnt toast and the women on the assembly line would be very unhappy, as it meant that the previous hour's work had to be unpacked and checked.  They were on piece work so it affected their pay. The factory had an excellent canteen with a trolley service to the assembly lines morning and afternoon.  There was also a staff shop selling household goods at a good discount for staff. Alas Morphy Richards has long gone and all the jobs with it, and I believe that all its products are now made in the Far East.  A sad loss of a good and thriving local employer".

While electric scooters have been adopted in many European towns and cities, it remains illegal in the UK to use them on the roads or in other public spaces. Yet despite such stringent laws, 100-plus e-scooters are seized every year by police in Kent - and in the majority of instances destroyed - as tough punishment for the riders caught using them illegally. E-Scooters are only legal to ride on private land, unless they are operated by a hire company as part of the government approved scheme. In February this year - as part of its own clampdown on anti-social behaviour - Dartford council announced it was banning e-scooters from pedestrianised areas of the town centre using civil powers contained within a Public Spaces Protection Order. Anyone caught riding an e-scooter in the High Street, Market Place or Lowfield Street, up to the junction with Market Street, it warned, risked a maximum £100 fixed penalty notice. While Dartford council has not confirmed how many fines it has issued in the last 10 months, 16 e-scooters being ridden illegally have been seized by police in the borough since early 2022 according to data published. In Parliament at the end of last month an E-scooters (Review and Awareness) Bill was introduced by Labour MP Jessica Morden who is pressing the government to improve public awareness. Using a Ten Minute Rule motion, she told MPs: “The landscape on our roads has changed dramatically over recent years. The use of e-scooters has exploded, and it was estimated last year that e-scooter ownership is now close to one million in England alone. But legislation has just not kept up with this trend – our legislation is years behind other countries. The Bill is about asking the government to address this quickly – and I know there have been positive moves about this – and also, as we approach Christmas, when many people may be tempted to buy them as presents, to remind potential buyers of the law.” In a recent interview with the Kent Online website, Superintendent Pete Steenhuis of Kent Police said while they remained popular Christmas presents, it was important those keen to buy them understood the rules. He said: “E-scooters are likely to be popular again this Christmas but it is important gift-buyers understand that they cannot legally be ridden on public roads and pathways in Kent, and that doing so may constitute a criminal offence and result in a fine. We have a responsibility to keep people safe and regularly engage with individuals on the street and in schools to provide advice, many of whom are unaware of the law. We have also run operations in parts of the county where particular concerns have been raised about their use and the risk they can pose, particularly to elderly and vulnerable pedestrians".

Back in July I wrote:- "The rising tide of shoplifting in the UK has prompted supermarkets to adopt innovative strategies to protect their stock and staff. With retail crime on the increase, retailers are turning to technology and enhanced security measures to deter thieves. Consequently, the high value products are being secured behind glass and steel cabinets with coded buttons that customers need to press to summon a member of staff to open the security cabinets and allow customers to remove bottles of rum, whisky, vodka and gin and also champagne. The reason for this is that many supermarkets and other retail stores have been suffering from high levels of shoplifting. The new security measures are designed to reduce or indeed prevent shop theft from happening in future. I and others have serious doubts as to how well this particular issue will work. Principally, due to the fact that Morrisons are not increasing the number of staff available and existing stuff will have to go from other duties to helping customers when they need to access any of the high value alcoholic drinks. I am aware that staff are not happy about the situation but there is little that they can do". It would appear that that the supermarket has decided that requiring customers to summon a member of staff to unlock the cabinet containing high value alcoholic drinks, mainly including spirits and champagne has now been dropped, although whether this is just for the Christmas, or permanently is not currently known. I was aware that many of the staff in the store were unhappy about being pulled from other duties in order to manually unlock the security cabinet for customers, and customers were unhappy about having to wait for a member of staff to attend when they were quite often very busy with other tasks. Whether this will mean the removal of the security cabinets, I do not know but I am aware that Morrison's have deployed innovative retail technology in the past, including back in 2012, when they had water vapour mists spraying over fresh vegetables which was meant to keep them fresh but actually ended up making them rot, and the very expensive display cabinets were quickly withdrawn within a few months - you can view the photos I took of them back then by clicking here. Whether the same is going to happen with the drinks security units is not yet known and I have not been able to get any kind of response from Morrison's senior management at the time of writing. Although I will continue to try. If any reader has background knowledge to this and could let me know, I would be grateful and I would keep any information you could supply in complete confidence. Contact me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

As people gear up for Christmas, the whole thorny issue of gifts and gift wrapping comes up. I have a major issue with gift wrapping paper for Christmas presents; due to the treatment much of the paper receives during production, it cannot be recycled, and is especially bad for the environment, as the only way to get rid of it is to put it in landfill, or to burn it. What I have chosen to do is rather than wrapping Christmas presents, I will be giving them in sparkly gift bags, which can be reused, year after year. As I have previously written, this is also the reason that I don't send Christmas cards, as I believe them to be ruinously bad for the environment - wood and rags are pulped to make the cards, energy is used to print them, fossil fuels are used to transport them to the shops, electricity and gas are burned to light and heat the shops, then once they are purchased, more fossil fuels are used to deliver the cards around the planet, then after a few days they are discarded, I can understand the practice in the past, when a Christmas card sent to friends and loved ones would be a form of annual communication when you might otherwise not hear from them, but nowadays this is far from the case; instant worldwide online communications mean that from my perspective, Christmas cards are consigned to the past. one can send electronic, online greetings for a fraction of the cost of a postage stamp and many cannot be recycled, due to the plastic or wax derived finishes that many cards have.

Some great news from my former employer - Radio Caroline. They recently made the following announcement:- "Status Quo front man, Francis Rossi, has officially become a patron of Radio Caroline's charity MV Ross Revenge Home of Radio Caroline, established two years ago to drive vital fundraising efforts to restore and preserve the historic former pirate radio ship, Ross Revenge. Rossi lends his support the charity at a pivotal moment, with Ross Revenge needing urgent structural repairs in dry dock to secure its future as a key piece of broadcast history. Radio Caroline, the legendary offshore radio station that transformed UK radio in the 1960s, has taken a major step in safeguarding its legacy by setting up a dedicated charity focused on raising funds for Ross Revenge. Since taking to the waves in 1983, Ross Revenge has served as an important symbol of independent broadcasting, resilience, and freedom of expression, anchored in the hearts of millions of listeners and fans. The station still regularly broadcasts from the vessel today. Despite being maintained by a team of dedicated volunteers, extensive wear from years at sea means that Ross Revenge requires urgent structural repairs, requiring it to be taken to dry dock. These repairs are crucial to maintain the ship’s structural integrity and ensure its survival as an important part of both broadcasting and deep sea fishing history. "The Ross Revenge is more than just a ship, it is an important part of British musical history that deserves to be preserved," said Francis Rossi. "Radio Caroline allowed many bands like ours to be heard – and I am glad now to repay the favour by lending my own voice in support of this project." Radio Caroline station manager Peter Moore said: "We are thrilled to welcome Francis Rossi as a patron for this important cause. His support, along with the public’s generosity, is essential to protect Ross Revenge and all it represents. We’re determined to secure a future for this legendary ship, and with Francis on board, we’re confident that our goal will resonate with even more people." Radio Caroline’s new charity initiative aims to generate the support needed to cover dry docking costs and conduct essential repairs that will extend the ship’s life for years to come. Ross Revenge is on the National Historic Ships register". You can read more about how you can support this worthy, registered charity by clicking here. 

The end video this week s a short piece explaining the work needed to restore the radio ship Ross Revenge back to her former glory, and how people can help. Comments and feedback as usual to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.