Thirteen.

The photos above - click on either for a larger version - show the garden party held by The Friends of Christ Church Erith last Sunday afternoon in a private house in Avenue Road, Erith. The event was held to promote the Friends group, to sell raffle tickets, and to bring local people together for food and drinks and to experience one of the very best gardens in the area. The fund raising aspect of the event is to raise funds to install toilets and washing facilities inside the Grade II* listed Christ Church building. At present, anyone who needs to use the toilet needs to trek round to the church hall, which is quite a walk, especially in bad weather, or in the dark. The Friends group have been working towards getting toilet facilities within the church building itself for around five years, and things are now moving towards realising the project. The plan is to construct three toilet cubicles - male, female and a larger unisex disabled / baby change facility in the East lobby of the historic building; the area where the toilet facility will be located is not currently used, and in effect is "dead space". A firm of specialist church architects have been engaged, and a series of preliminary drawings has been created. The final design choice will be made in August, and corporate sponsorship - along with money already raised by the Friends group will go towards the cost of the building work. More on this story in the future. You can read more about the Friends of Christ Church Erith, and the work they do by clicking here. Do feel free to join, and help maintain the historic local landmark building. 

This week marks an important landmark for me - it is the thirteenth anniversary of the launch of the Maggot Sandwich, which was first published on a Saturday night in July 2006. Very soon the Blog took on a regular format, being updated every Sunday afternoon. I am proud to say that I have not missed a singe weekly update in all thirteen years, even to the extent of having to go elsewhere to publish when my home broadband connection failed. Back in 2010 I won an award from OFCOM at a Blogging conference they held in their HQ building on the South side of the Millennium Bridge in London. It was at this point I met fellow local Bloggers Darryl Chamberlain of 853, and Malcolm Knight of Bexley is Bonkers. Over the years the Blog has led me to meet many people whom I otherwise would never have been in contact with, and a number of close friendships have resulted. The Blog is just a hobby for me, albeit a time consuming one; each update of the Maggot Sandwich take around ten hours to research, write and edit. The work is spread throughout the week; I don't sit down each Sunday morning and plough through it all, as some readers have erroneously suspected. This week the Maggot Sandwich becomes a teenager. I have no idea where it will head from here, but I have no plans to slow down or stop publication. Please feel free to leave comments below, or you can Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

One worrying trend is now coming to light; homeowners are deliberately failing to report minor crimes in their area, because they fear that doing so could damage the value of their property. Now that there are several online services featuring interactive online crime maps, homeowners are turning a blind eye to minor crimes, raising fears that the interactive maps are actually distorting official crime statistics. A recent survey found that half of households had been the victim of minor property crime, such as vandalism or theft from a garden shed. Two thirds of the people surveyed said that they did not report the incident to the Police. One in twelve said that their motivation for not reporting the crime was the worry that it might adversely affect local house prices. Official statistics show that the crime rate in England and Wales fell by seven percent in 2017, the most recent year that figures have been published, to the lowest figures since 1981. Studies in the U.S.A show that higher crime rates depress house prices. Since 2011 the Police have mapped every incident of recorded crime online, where users can see exactly how many crimes and the type of offence committed on every street in Britain. More than half of prospective house owners check the website before they buy, and almost two thirds said that they would not buy a property in an area with a crime rate that was higher than average. The figures have raised concerns that crime mapping may be encouraging criminals and distorting crime statistics. What do you think? Have you encountered this kind of behaviour?

In the early 1800's two Scottish engineers, Tom Chalmers and David Ross Fraser, emigrated independently to the USA to further their studies. It was a coincidence that they met, and after working in various manufacturing places, realised that their knowledge and experience warranted them starting their own business. A mining engineering works was then established by them in Chicago in 1847. In 1891, with a well won international reputation, they set up a similar works at Erith in what is now Fraser Road, under the supervision of D.R. Fraser, which became one of the largest employers in the Borough. The land sold to Fraser and Chalmers for the works consisted of an 18 acre site which had been excavated for valuable foundry loam and subsequently part was used as a recreation ground. The machine shop of the factory is said to have been built on the site of several historic cricket matches played from 1884 to 1890 between Erith and Australian teams - On Saturday 20th September 1884 a local team of sixteen played an eleven raised By a Mr. H.H Hyslop - a local businessman, from the Australian touring side of that year. Hyslop's Australian team won. A similar match took place between another scratch Australian team again put together by Mr. Hyslop on the 3rd May 1890. The Erith local team was composed of eighteen local men, pitted against a visitors team which included nine members of the Australian test side. This match resulted in a draw. Hopes for a rematch were dashed when the cricket ground was sold and the Fraser and Chalmers factory was built on the site. Nevertheless, local historians refer to the matches as "when Erith took on the Australians". The principal products produced were initially machinery for mines, including prospecting plants, crushers for rock and ore, and engines for running machinery. Over 90 percent of the Erith products were exported. During the Boer War the works had a slack period and the nearby Maxim gun factory made an offer of £300,000 for the Fraser and Chalmers factory which was rejected. The firm began to recover in 1902 and were receiving success in the home market with the growth of conveyor belt and turbine production. Access to the works was improved in 1906 by the construction of Fraser Road alongside the factory where only a rough track existed before Conditions in the factory were explained in a small book entitled "The Rules and Regulations of Messrs Fraser and Chalmers Ltd, Erith Works, Erith" dated 1900. Every employee was provided with one of the books. It stated that the working week was to consist of 54 hours, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5.45 p.m. and Saturdays 7 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. No-one was allowed to enter the works after 8 a.m. without special instructions. Workmen were not allowed to bring intoxicating liquids onto the premises or to harass their fellow employees. A medical officer had been appointed after several accidents at the works. In the pre World War I period there was a marked expansion of trade and intake of workers. Then, on the outbreak of war, men leaving to join the forces were told that their families would be supported up to 10/- a week (50p in today's currency). The heavy mechanical work carried out at Erith during the 1914-18 War was attracted to the attention of The General Electric Company Ltd. After a period of negotiation the company was acquired by them on 1 April 1918 to complement the GEC works at Witton. The Fraser and Chalmers name was retained. The plant was heavily involved in work for the War Department, and it was also one of the largest employers in the local area; including a large number of women, in what had previously been a male dominated industry. Workers at the factory assembled armoured cars and military tractors which were sent over from the USA in kit form; controversially close to the end of WWI, the Fraser and Chalmers Erith works manufactured hollow shell casings ready to be filled with chemical agents - something that would later become illegal under international law. They also made most of the explosives handling and conveying equipment for The Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. As if this was not enough, the Fraser and Chalmers works was also one of the largest manufacturers of marine engines in Europe. They made triple expansion coal fired steam engines for the use in fishing trawlers, and large scale steam turbine engines used in both British and French naval vessels. They also were one of the very first companies to introduce turbocharging to their smaller petrol and diesel powered motors. Eventually GEC closed the Fraser and Chalmers site, and it was converted into what is now the Europa Industrial Estate in Fraser Road. 

Bexley Brewery have just won another award. They have won the Gold award for their Black Prince Rum Porter at the SIBA South Eastern competition at the beginning of the month. SIBA is the independent trade body for small breweries, and each year they hold the competition to judge beers in various categories from their brewery members all over the UK. Black Prince Rum Porter will now go on to the national competition next year along with other regional Gold winners.

Whilst doing some research for this Blog update, I came across some information that may well be of interest to a number of Maggot Sandwich readers. The largest and most successful privately owned television station in the UK is one that you probably have not heard of. Talking Pictures TV (TPTV) is a British free-to-air vintage film nostalgia television channel. It launched on 26 May 2015, on Sky channel 343 (it is now on channel 328). It is on air for 24 hours a day, and concentrates on older British films, both classics and B-films, but the schedule also includes some American films, straight-to-video programmes, cinema shorts, and period home movies of British locations. The channel was initially only available via digital satellite on the Sky platform in the United Kingdom. Since the 15th September 2015, it has also been available on Freeview channel 81. It became available on Freesat channel 306 in February 2016, and on Virgin Media on 1 June 2017. On Freeview it was initially broadcast only in standard definition (SDTV) on HD multiplex and could only be received by Freeview HD equipment. From 30 November 2017, it became available, to those within coverage (90 percent of UK households), on any TV capable of receiving Freeview. TPTV is a family business, founded by Sarah Cronin-Stanley, and is run by her with assistance from her father, former producer/editor Noel Cronin, and her husband Neill Stanley. A wide range of movies from different genres are shown, including horror, comedy, drama and thriller films. In-house productions are also shown, as are items from the Cronins' own back catalogue, including Noel's Dandelion Distribution, as well as series from the Southern TV franchise archive, and early American television shows. Movies are usually copied directly from film reels; damaged reels from the catalogue are often replaced by donations, either from online, viewers or available libraries. One of the aims of the founders was to maintain the history of British cinema; it was said to have been in the making since ca. 2007. Classic movies were originally shown on terrestrial channels, such as BBC and Channel 4, but had declined in the 2000s, with the most well-known of films occasionally getting aired. Cronin-Stanley explained to the Watford Observer in 2016 that "People were interested in the big titles but he [her father Noel] wanted to save the smaller, more obscure titles, from getting lost". However, television networks rejected their pitches, unconvinced that it would be of high demand, so they decided to set up the channel independently. For over 20 years, Cronin-Stanley and Cronin have been patrons to a DVD membership club, The Renown Film Club, for fans of B-film classics. Cronin had worked for The Rank Organisation and Central Office of Information, and bought the rights to several libraries that owned films that air on TPTV, such as much of the Southern Television library, and originally licensed them out to terrestrial channels. Many of the films aired on Talking Pictures TV are available to buy on DVD, often sold as compilations under different genres, through the distributing company, both online and through the Renown's telephone service. Each DVD set is full of films made between the 1930s and 1960s, and also include special features, such as interviews and history. Other merchandise is also sold on the website, such as mugs, clothing, biographies, and calendars (available to buy in December for the new year), often branded under Talking Pictures TV's name. In spring 2019, Renown released its first CD compilation album named Hits From the Flicks, three CDs of songs from musicals and movies with pop song theme tunes that had aired on the channel. Talking Pictures TV is especially popular with older viewers, and has a weekly audience of about 2 million - an astonishingly high number in the current multi channel broadcasting environment. 

There are going to be severe restrictions to traffic in Crayford for some time next week; Parts of Crayford Road between Nando’s restaurant in Roman Way and McDonalds restaurant, at the junction of Station Road, will be closed from between 10pm on Monday 22 July and until around 1pm on Tuesday 23 July. Vehicle access will be maintained to the garages underneath Town Hall square until 9.30am on the 23 July. Buses that use this route will be diverted. The usual town centre parking restrictions will be in force. Local car parks are expected to be busy. Barriers will be installed to assist with the road closure on the evening of Monday 22 July.  While vehicle access will be restricted for a short time, there will be emergency vehicle access. The reason for this extensive disruption is due to a visit by His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent KG will visit Crayford on Tuesday 23 July to officially unveil the magnificent new Alcock and Brown (photo of them above - click on the picture for a larger version) bench. The special occasion is part of the centenary events that mark 100 years since the pair made the first ever trans-Atlantic flight in a Vickers Vimy originally designed and built in the Vickers Factory, Crayford. Local business Erith Group paid for the new bench designed by artist Tony Stallard. It will sit outside the Tower Business Park close to the Clock Tower. Along with the bench, a number of plaques based on the aeronautical feat will also be unveiled. They were designed by local schools and the mental health group Centrepieces and made by ‘M@ke’, with support from the Learning and Enterprise Centre Bexley. The Duke’s visit coincides with the 100-year anniversary of Alcock and Brown’s visit to Crayford on 23 July 1919. They returned to celebrate their achievement at the re-opening of The Princesses Theatre by the then Duke of York (later King George VI). HRH Duke of Kent will be met by the Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Bexley. Major David Hewer OBE. He will be accompanied by the Mayor of Bexley and Chairman of the Alcock and Brown Centenary Project Group (Crayford) Councillor Geraldene Lucia-Hennis.

Next weekend The Exchange are holding a summer garden party. Saturday, July 27, 2019 11:00 AM Sunday, July 28, 2019 7:00 PM.  A weekend of outdoor pleasure at the new garden around Erith's Old Library.

"This is a free event, but please let us know you are coming by signing up for the event.

There are some elements that you will need to book onto in advance of the day, and can do so by following the links below.

The programme:

Throughout the weekend, there are things to do including Painting a Big Garden Mural, planting workshops and Garden Games.

There is also going to be a Garden Hat Competition - we will be taking polaroids throughout the event, and prizes will be given on Sunday.

Saturday 27 July

11am - Drop-in Seed Bomb workshop with Re-Instate

11am - Drop-in Flower pressing 

12pm - BBQ with Old Haven BBQ

12pm - Live Acoustic music 

12.30 - Theatre Box Performing Arts perform!

1.30 - Taster Yoga Class with Bayleaf Yoga (Book here)

2.30 - Bhangra Dance Workshop 1 with Jugnu Bhangra Group (Book here)

3pm - African circus skills and drumming from Emmanuel the Magnificent

3.15 - Bhangra Dance Workshop 2 with Jugnu Bhangra Group (Book here)

5.30 - Live Shindig soft rock

8pm - Live Classical music from members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra

Sunday 28th July

11am - Matisse inspired Print workshop  (Book here)

12pm - Lunch time talk on 'Erith & The River Thames' by Ken Chamberlain, Erith & Belvedere History Society  (Book here)

1pm - Live Cello & Guitar music from Sophie Gledhill and Tom Fleming

2pm - Spoken word performance by Jade, Theatre Box Performing Arts

2pm - Sashiko Embroidery Workshop with Lemuel MC (Book here)

3.30 - Live Jigs & Reels 

4pm - Judging of the Garden Hat Competition with prize from Rosie Beard Illustration

5-5.30 / 6.15-6.45 - Live Steel Pan Band"

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "I am very pleased to report that there have been no crimes to report over the last week. Whilst this is fantastic news we must not become complacent neither as local police or residents. Local police will continue to patrol ASB hotspots and potential burglary hotspots. We will also continue with stop and searches, especially in the battle against drug use and dealing, where sufficient grounds allow. We also implore residents to remain vigilant in a combined effort to keep crime at a low rate. Simple things like making sure windows are shut when the house is empty will help deter burglars. So many windows are left open at this time of the year when temperatures are soaring. Ensure that your car is securely locked and please do not leave any valuables on display in your vehicle. Let's keep this low crime trend continuing". Belvedere ward:- "No burglaries to report this week. We have been continuing to patrol in particular the drug hotspots on our ward in both uniform and plain clothes. Two male adults were stopped having been seen parked up in Ruskin Road Belvedere. Both were searched and cannabis found on the driver of the vehicle. He was issued with a community resolution for cannabis. Unfortunately at the time he was not driving his car so no further action in terms of driving under the influence could be pursued. Also this week both PC Rob and PCSO Jay have spent a lot of time dealing with incidents in our 2 local primary schools. In partnership with staff at the schools they are dealing with issues involving bullying between both parents and pupils. PC Rob has resolved one by issuing one of the parents an Harassment warning letter. PC Marc has spent time attending our local shops who deal with money transfers where letters warning the shops of becoming victims of money laundering have been delivered. This is a MET wide initiative looking at reducing money laundering and stopping the bad guys being able to hide their illicit gains using law abiding businesses". Bexleyheath ward:- "There have been two reports of a theft of motor vehicles reported on our ward: Tuesday 09/07/2019 – Albion Road Car Park between 1330hrs and 1340hrs; Tuesday 16/07/2019 – Watling Street Bexleyheath Motorbike stolen from a car park in Watling Street. There have been two reports of purses / wallets that were stolen. Saturday 13/07/2019 – Along the Broadway exact location not given; Friday 12/07/2019 – Believe to be outside M and S on the Broadway. A mobile phone was reported stolen on the Broadway believed to be outside Cancer Research shop on Friday 12/07/2019 between the times of 1130hrs and 1145hrs. A shopping bag was also reported stolen on Thursday 11/07/2019 by Monsoon / Accessorize. The team regularly conduct patrols along drug hot spot areas and ASB areas on the ward and conduct regular stops and searches where necessary". Crayford ward:- "Unfortunately we have had a residential burglary and a business/commercial burglary in Crayford this week and an increase in motor vehicle crime. On 12th July a burglary occurred between 8.20-12.30 in Ridge Way, entry was made via the front door which was kicked in, a safe was stolen containing cash, nothing else was touched or removed. Overnight 12th/13th July the VCD club at Old Road was broken in to, windows were smashed and one window was removed, money was stolen from the gaming machines. There was a theft from motor vehicle at Bookers, Thames Road on 8th July at approx. 11.00, a mobile phone, driving licence, purse and currency were stolen, the items were stolen while the vehicle was being loaded. A high value of tools and a bag containing personal items were stolen from a white Ford Transit on 10th July between 12.00-14.00 in Bourne Road. The sliding door was opened but there was no signs of damage. A rose gold Samsung J3 was stolen from the staff area at KFC on 10th July at 16.09, this has been clearly captured on CCTV.  An incident occurred at Claston Close for which the suspect has been arrested. Someone tried to break in to a van whilst parked in Green Place overnight 11th/12th July, when this proved difficult the perpetrator stole the number plates instead, AJ59BWF should be on a blue Ford Transit.  A grey Yamaha that had been left insecure and then stolen outside KFC on 11th July was later recovered at Bostall Hill. A black Piaggio Nrg 50 with the registration of LC67UBK was stolen from Optima Park on 9th July between 15.30-15.45. A number plates were stolen from a vehicle (no details given) overnight 12th/13th July from Tanners Close. Criminal damage was made to a black Ford Fiesta whilst parked in a poorly lit area close to Sainsbury's on 14th July, this was discovered by patrolling police officers and the registered keeper made aware. A black Aprilia SR50, number plate LK03MKF was stolen from Crayford High Street between 23.00 on 12th July and 02.00 on 13th July. A door was badly damaged on a white Citroen whilst parked in Sainsburys car park overnight 13th/14th July. An Apple iPhone 8 was stolen off a table at McDonalds on 14th July between 22.30-22.35. A grey Volkswagen Golf registration RJ60RYY was stolen outside a property in Bexley Close, it had been advertised for sale, the male jumped in it and drove it away before the registered owner could get in to the vehicle.  A TV was stolen from the communal area at Elwick Court in Beech Walk overnight 14th/15th July, it is not known how entry was gained. On 13th July, youths caused criminal damage at St Paulinus community hall. They entered the playground area through an unlocked gate and jumped on shed roofs causing damage, they also damaged children's toys. The youths are aged between 12-15 years of age. Number plates YF58WEV were stolen from a black BMW 1 series outside Crayford BR Station (date and time not confirmed on report). A blue BMW 1 series was stolen without keys from London Road, it seems a window was smashed while it was being removed (at this time the date and time has not been confirmed on the report). A ladies EM Decathlon bicycle with a mark “Born to be wild” was stolen from near Crayford Library, at this time the date and time have not been confirmed. Please be sure to double lock doors and close/secure windows when leaving your home and always be aware of your personal possessions when out and about. Crook locks or similar are always a bonus to secure vehicles. I know sometimes it seems inconvenient but these simple tweaks can prevent crime happening to you or someone you may know. We will be holding a community contact session at Crayford Library on Wednesday 24th July between 10.00-11.00 if there is anything you would like to discuss face to face". Erith ward:- "Weekly crime report: Theft of MV (Motor Vehicle) Thursday 11/07/2019 Christchurch Avenue; Theft from MV Friday 12/07/2019 Avenue Road; Theft of MV Saturday 13/07/2019 Avenue Road; Theft from MV Thursday 02/05/2019 near,Queen Street Baptist Church, Queen Street; Theft of cycle Thursday 11/07/2019, Dell View Road". Northumberland Heath ward:- "The team continue to target ASB on Bexley Road and surrounding alleyways, working together with the schools and the local authority. This week we visited Jaquelines Jems Nursery on Stelling Road. We had a lovely question and answer session with the children. The team have been doing door to door enquiries in Becton Place, with regards to a breach of tenancy when smoking drugs within their premises, especially when it is affecting other residents.Very pleased to say, that there have been no burglaries again this week. Our next community contact session is on Friday 26thth July at 4pm in the Mill Road Library. Please do come along and meet a member of the team to discuss any issues or concerns you have, or just pop in and say hello". 

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "We had the pleasure of attending The Slade Green Big Local Event last Saturday and enjoyed speaking to a lot of local residents and engaging with potential members. Our outdoor event season is now in full swing and our volunteers have been pulling out the stops to help us staff our stand most weekends to spread the word about NW and recruit new Coordinators and other NW scheme members across the Borough. We have had 3 sets of number plates stolen in the last week. All of them occurred overnight. They were in Reddy Road on Tuesday 16th July, Canada Road on Sunday 14th July and Peareswood Road on Thursday July 11th. If you would like some anti theft screws for your number plates, please let us know. PC James found and recovered a stolen vehicle in the car park behind Grange House yesterday (Weds 17th July). All parking areas are regularly checked on patrols for stolen vehicles. PCSO Mark attended the Slade Green Big Local Community Fun Day last Saturday (as did Bexley Neighbourhood Watch!) where many many people enjoyed all the bouncy castles, farm animals, donkey rides, slides, football etc. Picture of Mark and Mel from Big Local is above - click on it for a larger view. A new anonymous watch has been set up for Cook Square in the Frobisher Road estate. It has been running for a few weeks but all residents finally have their letters now that Mark is on full duties again". Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglaries - No burglaries this week. Remain vigilant at all times. Crime prevention: Close and lock all your doors and windows, even if you're going out for a few minutes. Photograph and keep a detailed inventory of each item of jewellery and keep it in a separate place. Motor vehicle crimes - Thursday 11/07/19 an unknown suspect/s stole the catalytic converter from the Victim's vehicle while it was securely locked and parked at Argali House, Kale Road. A neighbour informed the Victim that she observed two males near the Victim's vehicle at around 03:00am. Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention: Did you know that your vehicle is like a shop window? If you can see any property left on view then so can a thief . Take it with you. Recent thefts of Catalytic converters on the ward. Vehicles made after 1974 all have Catalytic Converters. There are 3 precious metals in your Catalytic Converter and thieves know this. Protect your vehicle before you become a victim of theft. Mark your catalytic converter by etching your vehicle registration onto the metal shell, or by using a Secured By Design (SBD) approved forensic marking solution which is heat-resistant. This makes it easier for police to trace the converter back to your vehicle should it ever be stolen, and links offenders to a crime. Consider fitting additional security on your vehicle(s) by installing an SBD approved converter security product, such as a catalytic converter clamp. Good news - Following an arrest by PC Pruden attended Stratford Magistrates Court, where a suspect, arrested by PC Pruden was found guilty. Following a theft from a Motor Vehicle, forensic evidence was found linked to a known suspect, an on-going investigation is being undertaken by PC Pruden". West Heath ward:- "Good news this week, we have had no reported burglaries on the ward. Unfortunately, there are several reports of motor vehicle crime this week. On Saturday July 13th at 12.50pm a silver grey golf was stolen from a driveway in Gypsy Road. The victim was still in possession of the keys and no sign of forced entry was seen; Two reports in Plymstock Road this week on Saturday July 13th between 1pm – 2pm a child's bike was stolen, also overnight between Saturday July 13th at 10pm to Sunday July 14th a motor vehicle was tampered with. The owner discovered the vehicle with its doors open and the belongings scattered within it. It is not believed that any items were stolen; Theft of a white Ford Transit van from Hurlingham Road on Monday July 15th; A black Audi was broken in to overnight on Tuesday July 17th between 8am and 7am the following morning. An untidy search was conducted and it is not known at this stage if anything was stolen. The team assisted the Crook Log team with the execution of a drugs warrant on Tuesday morning where a small amount of drugs were found. We have also continued to carry out positive stop and searches for drugs and other possible offences. PC Gill Couzens also arrested a male this week for failure to appear and for being in breach of a court order".

The end video this week features St. John the Baptist Church in West Street, Erith. It is the oldest building in the town by some considerable margin - it is over a thousand years old, and there are references to it predating the signing of the Magna Carta. Leave a comment below, or alternatively you can Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

The Carnegie Library.

The photos above were taken by me on Thursday, during the Erith Carnegie Library open day, to allow members of the public a look at the progress of work to restore the historic former library building, and re - open it for public use once again. Unfortunately the weather for most of the day was dull and overcast, so the photos I took of the scaffolding covered exterior of the building were nothing special, but once inside the amount of work that has gone on since last October really became apparent. The interior has been stripped of most of the wall plaster, to allow the brickwork to dry out - before the start of the restoration process, there were parts of the building that had water running down the inside of the walls. Around ninety five percent of the original woodwork has been retained or re - used, and original materials are being used throughout the restoration process. The building manager told me that he was astonished at the quality of materials, and the high standard of workmanship in the original construction, which has made the restoration process more straightforward than had been originally anticipated. Local arts, heritage, community and education group The Exchange will be taking a long term lease on the building from Bexley Council, and hope to open the first phase of The Carnegie Library in the second week of October. The first phase will include the lower ground floor. The ground and upper floors will be opened in further phases, and it is hoped that the entire structure will be fully open and operating by the summer of 2020. It is a very ambitious and technically challenging project, not least in the area of the original Edwardian toilets, which are in remarkably well preserved condition, as you can see in the lower photo above - click on it for a larger version. The tiles used on the wall of the gents are very similar to modern "Subway" style tiles. They have been fitted so closely and accurately that no grout was required between them - the tolerances are so tight. You can also see that to the left of the photo, the tiles have been specially moulded to follow the curves in the wall beneath. This is an extremely labour intensive and expensive method of tiling. The only work carried out so far in this gents toilet is that a worker ran a damp cloth over the tiled surfaces just before the visitor tours began - other than that, the tiles have not been touched in over a hundred years - which just goes to show the very high quality of construction. Some restoration work is required for the plumbing and electrics, and to replace a few damaged or missing tiles, and this will be happening in due course. You can follow the latest news on the restoration of The Carnegie Library and the other projects being planned by The Exchange by visiting their website here.

As many of you know, I am not a sports fan; personally I just don't see the point in running around a muddy field with a bunch of hairy blokes getting all hot, dirty and puffed out. I have been of this opinion since primary school. Because of this I find it curious how quite a large portion of the UK population are currently getting so worked up over the recently started World Cup. I have nothing against this - part of my libertarian philosophy of "If it works for you". But I just cannot empathise with the football fans. It seems like every other TV advert  at present has some World Cup related spin to it; I suppose it is another way of milking the public for yet more money. One thing that does strike me though - have you noticed how many people are flying two England flags from mini poles on each back window of their car? One thing I learned many years ago was that aerodynamic drag is one of the prime contributors to poor fuel economy. I know the amount of drag from two A4 sized nylon flags isn't going to amount to very much, but if you factor in the sheer number of cars involved around the country, I reckon the aggregated cost in additional fuel consumption is going to be substantial. The Chancellor of the Exchequer must be rubbing his hands in glee at the prospect of all the extra fuel duty and VAT that will soon be rolling in. You heard it here first!

Next year will mark the 100th anniversary of the very first transatlantic air flight. What many people are not aware of, is that the local area had a key part in the historic first flight across the Atlantic Ocean. As you may be well aware, the first transatlantic flight was undertaken by British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown in June 1919 - you can see the pair in the photo above - click on it for a larger view. They flew a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Clifden, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The then Secretary of State for Air, Winston Churchill, presented them with the Daily Mail prize for the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by aeroplane in "less than 72 consecutive hours". A small amount of mail was carried on the flight, making it the first transatlantic airmail flight. The two aviators were awarded the honour of Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) a week later by King George V at Windsor Castle. John Alcock was born in 1892 in Basford House on Seymour Grove, Firswood, Manchester, England. Known to his family and friends as "Jack", he first became interested in flying at the age of seventeen and gained his pilot's licence in November 1912. Alcock was a regular competitor in aircraft competitions at Hendon in 1913–14. He became a military pilot during the First World War and was taken prisoner in Turkey after the engines on his Handley Page bomber failed over the Gulf of Seros. After the war, Alcock wanted to continue his flying career and took up the challenge of attempting to be the first to fly directly across the Atlantic. Arthur Whitten Brown was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1886 to American parents, and shortly afterwards the family moved to Manchester. Known to his family and friends as "Teddie", he began his career in engineering before the outbreak of the First World War. Brown also became a prisoner of war, after being shot down over Germany. Once released and back in Britain, Brown continued to develop his aerial navigation skills. In April 1913 the London newspaper the Daily Mail offered a prize of £10,000 to “the aviator who shall first cross the Atlantic in an aeroplane in flight from any point in the United States of America, Canada or Newfoundland and any point in Great Britain or Ireland in 72 continuous hours". The competition was suspended with the outbreak of war in 1914 but reopened after Armistice was declared in 1918. During his imprisonment Alcock had resolved to fly the Atlantic one day, and after the war he approached the Vickers engineering and aviation firm at Weybridge, who had considered entering their Vickers Vimy IV twin-engined bomber in the competition but had not yet found a pilot. Alcock's enthusiasm impressed the Vickers' team and he was appointed as their pilot. Work began on converting the Vimy for the long flight, replacing the bomb racks with extra petrol tanks. Shortly afterwards Brown, who was unemployed, approached Vickers seeking a post and his knowledge of long distance navigation convinced them to take him on as Alcock's navigator. It was not an easy flight. The overloaded aircraft had difficulty taking off the rough field and only barely missed the tops of the trees. At 17:20 the wind-driven electrical generator failed, depriving them of radio contact, their intercom and heating. An exhaust pipe burst shortly afterwards, causing a frightening noise which made conversation impossible without the failed intercom. At 5.00pm they had to fly through thick fog. This was serious because it prevented Brown from being able to navigate using his sextant. Blind flying in fog or cloud should only be undertaken with gyroscopic instruments, which they did not have, and Alcock twice lost control of the aircraft and nearly hit the sea after a spiral dive. Alcock also had to deal with a broken trim control that made the plane become very nose-heavy as fuel was consumed. At 12:15am Brown got a glimpse of the stars and could use his sextant, and found that they were on course. Their electric heating suits had failed, making them very cold in the open cockpit. Then at 3:00am they flew into a large snowstorm. They were drenched by rain, their instruments iced up, and the plane was in danger of icing and becoming unflyable. The carburettors also iced up; it has been said that Brown had to climb out onto the wings to clear the engines, although he made no mention of that. They made landfall in County Galway at 8:40 a.m. on 15 June 1919, not far from their intended landing place, after less than sixteen hours' flying time. The aircraft was damaged upon arrival because of an attempt to land on what appeared from the air to be a suitable green field, but which turned out to be a bog, near Clifden in County Galway in Ireland, but neither of the airmen was hurt. Alcock and Brown became overnight celebrities, and in addition to the Daily Mail award of £10,000, the crew received 2,000 guineas (£2,200) from the Ardath Tobacco Company and £1,000 from Lawrence R. Phillips for being the first British subjects to fly the Atlantic Ocean. Both men were knighted a few days later by King George V. The aeroplane that Alcock and Brown used was a Vickers Vimy - a British heavy bomber aircraft developed and manufactured by Vickers Limited. Developed during the latter stages of the First World War to equip the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Vimy was designed by Reginald Kirshaw "Rex" Pierson, Vickers' chief designer. Only a handful of aircraft had entered service by the time the Armistice of 11 November 1918 came into effect, thus the type was not used in active combat operations during the conflict. Shortly thereafter, the Vimy became the core of the RAF's heavy bomber force throughout the 1920s. The Vimy achieved success as both a military and civil aircraft, the latter using the Vimy Commercial model of the type. A dedicated transport derivative of the Vimy, the Vickers Vernon, became the first dedicated troop transport aircraft to be operated by the RAF. During the interwar period, the Vimy set several notable records for long-distance flights; perhaps the most celebrated and significant of these was the first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, as previously described. Other record-breaking flights were flown using the type from the United Kingdom to destinations such as South Africa and Australia. The Vimy continued to be operated after the conflict as late as the 1930s in both military and civil capacities. On 26 March 1918, the first production contract for 150 aircraft was issued; work on this batch was performed at Vickers' facility in Crayford; as I have previously written, many kinds of armaments were constructed at the production facilities at Vickers Sons and Maxim in both Crayford and Erith - in fact the original factory site constructed by Sir Hiram Maxim in Fraser Road Erith may not now be there - it is now a major manufacturing and distribution centre for BATT Cables, but older local residents will still know the area colloquially as "The Pom Pom" - after the sound the 20mm marine cannons historically manufactured on the site would make whilst being fired on the test range behind the factory. The Crayford site was primarily for vehicle production, including aeroplanes such as the Vickers Vimy. Use of the Vimy extended beyond its original use as a bomber. A dedicated model with greater internal space was developed, known as the Vimy Commercial within the civil market. The Vimy Commercial would see service with the RAF; known as the Vickers Vernon, it became the first dedicated troop transport to be operated by the service. The Vimy was also used as an air ambulance for transporting wounded troops to medical facilities, while some examples were configured to perform record-breaking long distance flights.

Many thanks to Maggot Sandwich reader Miles Burton, who sent me the photo above - click on it for a larger version. It shows the midweek fire that broke out in the large recycling centre across the River Thames in Barking, Essex. Miles had his camera with him whilst he was close to Crossness on the opposite bank of the Thames, and took several shots of the conflagration, which made the local news. It is down to readers like Miles, who send me photos and stories, that I get to cover so many local news events. I get the feeling that some people think that I know everything about what is going on in the local area - which in reality could not be further from the truth; I rely on people telling me things, and passing on news snippets that they feel I, and consequently my readers might find of interest. Please don't think "he will already known about this" if you come across something of interest - I would rather hear the same news from numerous sources than not hear it at all. You can contact me by sending an Email to hugh.neal@gmail.com.

On Monday a friend of mine had her car number plates stolen; she only noticed when she had driven to work, got out of her car and found that both the front and rear plates were missing. She duly reported the matter to the Police, and got some replacement plates the next day. It has come to my notice that local criminals are not just stealing legitimate plates from parked motor vehicles in order to circumvent the automatic number plate recognition system used to charge drivers for using the Dartford River Crossing, but also, and even more worryingly they are also doing it in order to travel into central London without paying the T-Charge penalty applicable to older, more polluting vehicles. The precise number of cars, vans and lorries currently being operated whist displaying false number plates in the local area is unknown. Vehicle number plate theft is now endemic in the local area. Three or four years ago it was a relatively minor issue, but now it is one of the major problems for the Police and local residents. More on this subject in the Neighbourhood Watch reports later in this issue. 

It will be a busy weekend in Bexley on the 23rd and 24th of June, as celebrations will be taking place to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush at the port of Tilbury. This year the annual Mayor of Bexley's civic parade - which runs along Bexleyheath Broadway each year - will concentrate on the contribution the migrant communities have made to the local area over the last seven decades. Many local community groups are involved in organising the event, which is being coordinated by the Reverend Ann Norman, who is the Deacon of Christ Church Erith. Ann has spent months working with Bexley African Caribbean Community Association, The Exchange and staff from Bexley Council to plan and organise the celebration. On Saturday the 23rd, there will be a number of food stalls and a live exhibition displayed along Bexleyheath Broadway. The exhibition will include residents’ stories of migration and settling in Bexley over the years. On Sunday the 24th the annual Mayor's civic parade will take place, which will include several uniformed organisations such as the Scouts and Guides, and St. John Ambulance, amongst others. After a service of celebration at Christ Church in Bexleyheath Broadway, the parade will meet up at the stage at noon for more music, and the signing of the One Bexley Pledge by community leaders. The pledge officially recognises the borough’s commitment to celebrating the unity of Bexley and focusing on what new and existing communities have in common. In an interview with the Bexley Times, Cabinet member for communities, Councillor Alex Sawyer, said: “It is wonderful to see so many of our talented community groups getting involved in the event. We recognise and value the contribution that all our residents have made to the borough and particularly celebrate the contribution of those brave pioneers of the Windrush generation on this 70th anniversary.”

Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly an account of the Annual General Meeting:- "We had another superb AGM this year which was back at the Bexleyheath United Reform Church in Geddes Place. We used both the church and hall and also had a large drop down screen for presentations. NW Coordinator, Sandra Fox of Burns Close in Slade Green & North End ward, won the Violane Therond award for most proactive Coordinator of 2017/2018. Both our new Borough Commander, Simon Dobinson, and our Patron, James Brokenshire MP, were present and spoke to over 100 of our Coordinators that were in attendance. We also heard from Inspector Kevin Hebdon who along with The Borough Commander assured support for NW and community policing going forward and within the new ward boundaries. Speaking to both those DWOs that attended and our members, it was evident that some evening meetings in the future were needed for Coordinators to meet DWOs and vice-versa. We will try and arrange these meetings over the next few months, possibly as part of our annual coordinator meetings and in agreement with the DWOs so they can be present. A thank you to all our members that attended and to our guests and hard-working DWOs, Nicola Jones & Joyce Barlow, who spoke with a lot of Coordinators at the end of the meeting. A more detailed report including photos and further awards information will be in our Summer newsletter which is due out in a couple of weeks". Now for reports from the various wards; firstly Barnehurst ward:- "Another fantastic week crime wise on the ward with only one crime of note reported, sadly this was a burglary which occurred on Tuesday 5th June between 7am – 10pm in Holmesdale Grove. Suspect(s) have forced open a garage door located in an alleyway at the back of the houses and taken two mountain bikes from inside. One of the bikes was found abandoned in the fields adjacent to Barnehurst Golf Course. The outstanding bike is a Grey Apollo mens 20” mountain bike. The team were contacted about anti-social behaviour and potential drug abuse in and around the Defoe Close area. Proactive patrols both in uniform and plain clothes were conducted which resulted in several stop and searches leading to the arrest of a youth for cannabis possession. As stated previously this behaviour will not be tolerated. If you have any concerns please contact the team and we will do what we can to combat any issues. Please join a member of the team at Barnehurst Golf Course on Thursday 21st June at 11am to discuss any local issues. Finally – we have broken through 500 followers on Twitter, only just with 501. A big thank you to all our followers, Please spread the word the more the merrier, you can also follow the teams antics on face book, just search Barnehurst Police". Belvedere ward:- "A really good news story from the team this week. On 3rd June Inspector Kevin Hebdon from Safer Neighbourhoods attended a burglary call to a commercial premises in Belvedere and took the initial report. From speaking with the victim, he felt the investigation would benefit from being led by the local safer neighbourhood team and as such was passed to us. We obtained CCTV, spoke with neighbours and completed local enquiries quickly identifying people who were present at the time, and as a result the name of the lead suspect. On our patrols of our hotspots on the ward on 8th June we stopped a young male less than 10 metres from the venue of the burglary. He provided his details and the team were satisfied this male was the suspect from the burglary. He was searched, taken home and interviewed regarding the incident. In less than a week the burglar was apprehended and has now been reprimanded and is to engage with numerous agencies. Swift action and intervention has had a huge impact on the victim as well as the suspect and their family. Further to this, the team changed shifts to work later over the weekend following reports of various ASB issues. 1 Community Protection Notice warning and 2 Acceptable Behaviour Contracts have been issued in regards to one issue meaning that the recipients have rules and guidance to follow to prevent them from causing ASB. We also stopped a group of 9 street drinkers in Picardy Street on Friday, 4 street drinkers on Saturday, as well as one male for public urination – he has been referred to the council for the matter to be escalated. Another group of 5 were stopped for loitering in a private residential area with no cause to be in the area". Bexleyheath ward:- "We are happy to mention that we have had no reported burglaries or attempted burglaries on the ward. We recently took part in a initiative that was held on the 9th June 2018 along the Broadway, this was in aid of Bike Week. We had managed to property mark peoples push bikes using Bike Register. There was also a stall to help recruit more Special Constables as well as crime prevention stalls and promoting road safety awareness. It was a great success and hopefully we will be able to hold more events like this more often. Along the Broadway on the 09/06/2018 – We had a report of a theft of bag that was taken from the victim whilst they placed the bag on the floor. We have had two theft of motor vehicles recently. One was on the 11/06/2018 along Belvedere Road, personal items taken from inside the vehicle. The other one was reported on Oakhouse Road between 10/06/2018 and 12/06/2018, tow bar was stolen from the vehicle. We have had one arrested on the Broadway for Theft/Shoplifting as well as assault on Police and a female arrested for ABH – Actual Bodily Harm. On the 12/06/2018 The team was on patrol along the Broadway and had one male stopped on a push bike that was stolen and the matter is now being investigated and the Male shall also be issued with a fine for riding on a public footpath. The bike was returned to the rightful owner and was bike marked using Bike Register in case it is reported stolen again to help easily identify the owners. The team still continue to patrol areas on the ward in relation to ASB and areas reported to us for drugs. These patrols would include the park areas as now the weather is getting better and there was reports of graffiti. Reports have also been reported to us in relation to anti-social behaviour in Brayside Crescent Bexleyheath. Patrols are being conducted as much as possible to resolve the issue". Crayford ward:- "Between 20.00 on Monday 4th June and 10.10 on Thursday 7th June the number plate was stolen from a blue Yamaha XJ6 parked in Barnes Cray Road, the owner recalls seeing the pillion rider of a moped near his drive. Between 07.00 on Saturday 2nd June and 15.30 on Thursday 7th June the front number plate was stolen from a Peugeot 207 whilst parked outside 73 Swaisland Drive, Crayford. On Saturday 9th June at about 3.25 police were called to a fight in Shearswood Crescent, on arrival no one was seen fighting or made themselves known as a victim. But a white Mercedes parked on a driveway had a damaged windscreen, no suspect could be identified. On Friday 8th June between 18.15 and 22.45 a Blue Suzuki Swift had the rear and front number plates stolen from Maiden Lane close to Barnes Cray Road. We would recommend anti-theft screws for number plates to reduce the chances of this crime happening, they are easily available and easy to fit. On Friday 8th June at 11.15 an elderly lady used her bank card at the cashpoint outside Sainsburys, went in to the store and once at the tills no longer had the wallet. They did not feel, see or hear the suspect take the wallet. The suspect tried to use the card but it was declined as it had already been reported to the bank. On Sunday 10th June at approximately 23.45 there was an attempted burglary at Heathview Road. The victim recalls hearing a noise by the front door at that time but didn’t investigate until the morning, realising then that there were tool marks around the door frame. Entry was not gained, nothing was taken. This is a very good example of having well-fitting doors, good locks and using them. On Friday 8th June between 16.00-16.30 a Black VW Transporter was parked in Maiden Lane, the owner returned to find a long scratch across the front causing £2000 of damage. Fortunately the vehicle had a dash cam and the suspect has since been identified and arrest enquiries pending. A red Vauxhall Astra, number plate EA55BCF was involved in a road traffic accident in Crayford Road close to Heath Road on Saturday 2nd June and the rear wheel on the driver’s side was badly damaged. The owner returned on Saturday 9th June and the vehicle had been removed believed stolen. Due to the damage the vehicle would have needed to be lifted as it could not be driven or towed. On Thursday 7th June at 16.45 a lady was walking along Station Road when she was approached by five teenage Males on bicycles, one attempted to snatch her bag but she held on to it and they rode off shouting abuse at her. Thankfully she was not harmed. It is a good idea to have a bag across the body rather than over the shoulder, or to keep the bag as close to the wall rather than pavement as possible to reduce the risk of having it snatched. PCSO John Cullingham and I have been busy patrolling the ward this week and have spoken to lots of our residents about their concerns, especially in the Dale Road area". Erith ward:- "We now have a new Sergeant PS Glenn Turner who has taken over on Erith. We have been patrolling Erith Park most days we are in and are working with the housing officers for the area. The Erith Fun Day is on 7th July – we will be there hopefully teaming up with the Bexley Neighbourhood watch on their stall. We have had reports of Youths riding at speed round Galleons close all weekend from 6 to 7pm at night, no helmets or protection. Putting children and car drivers at risk of serious injury. We are looking in to ways of cracking down on this. A lot of plan clothing patrols have been happening in Erith over the last few weeks". Northumberland Heath ward:- "There have been no reported burglaries across the ward this week. The team have been busy dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour that has been reported in Northumberland Heath Rec Ground where a number of youths have been stopped and several were taken home. The team are working with Bexley Council around this issue as well. We have requested a CCTV camera to be put up covering the car park and also for the wall that the youths sit on to be altered. The team have conducted sixteen Stop and Searches in the last week which resulted in the seizure of cannabis and prosecution of seven individuals. The team have also been involved in a noise issue raised by residents. We have visited the address in question on several occasions and also liaised with the letting agents to deal with the problem". Slade Green and North End ward:- "No burglaries reported on our ward in the last week and only 2 vehicle crimes. Overnight on Monday/Tuesday 11/12 June a wallet was stolen from inside a car in Raleigh Close(all the cards have now been cancelled after they were used), no damage to the car although the owner is adamant the vehicle was left locked. Please ensure you check your car is locked after parking. A car was set on fire in Appold Street around 6.30pm on Tuesday 12 June but it had no number plates on so the owner is yet to be traced. Nobody was injured. PC Brookes-Smith and PC Telfer have had several stop and searches across the ward in the last week. 2 of these searches led to fines being issued for drug offences and another led to a cannabis warning being given. They continue their robust daily patrols and are also doing some plain clothes patrols also to target hotspot areas. PCSO Mark has attended the Little Daydreams Nursery at Orchard House this week and had lots of fun engaging with the children and answering their questions. Sergeant Glenn Turner has this week taken over the reins managing our team as well as managing Erith and North Heath wards". Thamesmead East ward:- "Good News No burglaries to report this week. Motor Vehicle crime There have been several reports. On Wednesday 06/06/18 between the hours of 08:00 and 12:00, a motor vehicle was stolen from Courtland Grove. A vehicle was damaged in Thamesbank Place during Thursday morning of the 07/06/18.During the early hours of Saturday morning 09/06/18 number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked in Bayliss Avenue. Other crimes Over night of Friday 08/06/18 and Saturday 09/06/18 an adult’s pedal cycle padlocked with children’s cycles was stolen from the back garden of a property in Haldane Road. Further News The male found in possession of drugs paraphernalia was interviewed by PC Pruden at the Thamesmead East police office, the male received a Community Resolution, which means, it is a low-level crime, the crime is recorded, the person has to admit/agree to the offence and sign the form. All this without the need for a court appearance. On Friday 22nd June, a Police Surgery will be held at the Thamesmead Library, Bazalgette Way between 3 - 4pm. Feel free to drop in".

The end video this week features a time lapse video showing the construction of the controversial "Belvedere Beach", which replaced the Belvedere Splash Park, despite vocal opposition from many local residents. Please feel to leave a comment below, or alternatively you can Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.