Petrol.

I took the upper photo above last week; in case you were wondering what a bar in Fitzrovia, just around the corner from the landmark BT Tower is doing on a Blog about events in and around the North part of the London Borough of Bexley, read on, and I will explain. Regular and long term readers will recall that I wrote extensively about Potion Bar in Erith High Street (historical photo shown in the lower of the two photos above) - the notorious drug den and hive of scum and villainy, which was eventually closed down back in 2014. The lower photo of Erith Potion was taken back in 2011. The building in the upper of the two photos above - click on it for a larger view - was the other branch of Potion, though in fact it was a far more upmarket wine and cocktail bar in a very nice part of the West End of London. The two branches were owned by a couple of nefarious businessmen, of whom I have heard some worrying stories. The two Potion bars were only in existence for a handful of years. The Erith branch caused much concern to local residents. As I have previously written, the erstwhile owners of Potion were in deep trouble with both Bexley Council and the Police, even before the place opened to the paying public. The building had previously been a pub called the White Hart, and not only was it fitted with a green, salt glazed tile exterior (the green tiles were made locally – the green colouring was a characteristic of Erith tiles) and ornate, acid etched windows, both dating from Victorian times, but it also had a pretty pub sign hanging from a bracket. When Potion took over, these features were all ripped out and destroyed, even though the Council specifically prohibited them from doing so. Not only was the White Hart a grade II listed building, but it was located in a conservation area. The new owners then installed a hideously inappropriate plate glass frontage which looked completely out of place. Bexley Council did go to great lengths to prosecute the owners of Potion. Initially they issued an enforcement order, which instructed Potion to install a replica of the original Victorian pub frontage -  Potion was then given a period of six months to comply with the order, which ended on the 8th April 2010. They did not undertake any work to restore the appearance of the building, and in the first hearing at Bexley Magistrates Court on the 16th July 2012, neither defendant appeared. Arrest warrants were then issued by the court for the owners. A new trial was set on the 18th December 2012 at Bromley Magistrates Court. The owners of Potion pleaded guilty to all charges, to which they were fined a paltry £350, plus £500 in court costs, along with a £15 victim surcharge. Bexley Council Legal Services were then authorised to commence injunction proceedings against Potion, and the ownership of Potion was subsequently taken over by the freeholders of the building. It was then closed down some months later. The Fitzrovia branch closed shortly thereafter, and the current owners subsequently refurbished the bar and opened it as Simmons music and cocktail bar. The Erith Potion is now the White Hart African Restaurant, and the hideous plate glass frontage was removed, and a close replica of the original Victorian frontage was installed a couple of years ago. Feedback and comments to hugh.neal@gmail.com.

One of my favoured sources of accurate and up to date information on IT and technical related issues is the excellent website – The Register. Stories that get into the general press usually break on The Register at least a day earlier, and in greater detail. The site is very tongue in cheek, and often finds a humorous angle on technology issues. It broke a story a while ago, that caught my attention; an employment agency are looking for programmers who have skills in writing and maintaining software for the DEC PDP-11 series of mini computers. What is so unusual about that? I hear some of you ask. Well, the PDP 11 computer range was first introduced in 1970, and went out of general production in 1990. They are absolute antiques nowadays. The machines were large – even a relatively small installation would be the equivalent of three or four full height fridge freezers, plus a terminal the size of a small school desk. By any modern standards they are museum pieces – indeed, The National Museum of Computing does have some examples of PDP hardware in its collection. When they were first offered for sale, they offered a relatively cheap and reliable entry into business and industrial computing; indeed many PDP 11’s were used to control machine tools in factories – some of the early car welding robots were controlled in this way. Other key users were (and in some cases still are) large banks and insurance companies, who require reliability and very high up time over performance and the latest features. Quite often the old computers such as the PDP 11 range are still employed on the “back end” systems that the customers (and indeed many of the staff) never see. Many of such organisations are exceptionally risk averse, and would rather support an ancient technology than take a chance on upgrading to a modern alternative that may have new and undocumented bugs, possibly causing loss of earnings and damage to reputation. I know that there are a small handful of independent contractors who earn a very good living continuing to support these old clunkers – because the knowledge required to maintain and repair the hardware and software is so specialised, they are able to charge pretty much what they like for their services, as they have their clients “over a barrel” – nice work if you can get it. My first foray into the world of “serious” computers was back in the early 1980’s, when I had a Saturday job as an assistant in Silica Shop in Sidcup. During the 1980’s, Silica Shop were the largest privately owned, independent computer retailers in the UK. They specialised in the early 8 – bit home computers, especially the range made by Atari – for whom they were the European dealers. Silica Shop had its’ HQ in Hatherley Road, Sidcup, where there was a large retail unit on the lower floor of the two storey building, and on the upstairs was a warehouse, an office, and an air conditioned computer room, which housed a large DEC PDP 11- 44 mini  computer - almost identical to the one in the photograph above. As well as working in the shop on Saturdays, I was also able to work during school holidays; during this time I would sometimes be called out of the shop to help the computer system administrator, who for a while made me his unofficial assistant. I learned lots about working with large scale business computers, and all of the basics of system administration – adding and removing users, changing security settings, creating files, running batch processes and the like. Even back then, the 11-44 was quite an elderly piece of kit – the company having purchased the machine second hand, as new they were well over two hundred thousand pounds, depending on the specification and peripherals required. One quirk of the 11-44 operating system was that you could not reformat the large 8 inch floppy disks it used (earlier versions of the machine used reels of magnetic tape). In order to re – use the expensive floppy disks, you first had to manually wipe them of data using a degaussing machine – which was basically a large electromagnet. I think everyone was scared of the degausser – it hummed and buzzed, occasionally emitting a crackle of electricity, accompanied by a faint smell of ozone. I think even by the lax health and safety standards of the time, the machine should have been condemned! What I did to avoid the dreaded machine was looking back, pretty imaginative. The computer room had several old – style telephones with rotary dials. I would place a small pile of disks underneath a phone, then ring it from another extension. The bell ringer built into the phone was an electromagnet, and in ringing it would wipe the disks! Silica Shop wrote their own customer database; what would nowadays be called a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. Whenever someone came into the shop and bought something, a sales docket would be completed by the shop assistant. It included the buyer's name, address and what they bought, along with an itemised total. Each item of stock was allocated a unique part number, which staff could look up on VT100 computer terminals in the shop, which would also record how many of that particular item were left in stock; the real old hands would know most, if not all of the popular stock item codes off the top of their heads. When the stock level got down to a certain point, the system would automatically place a re – order, and debit the company account accordingly. The system would also target postal advertising at customers according to what they had already purchased – there was no point in sending a leaflet on Atari 800XL software to a customer who had bought a Commodore 64 for example. All this is targetted advertising is routine nowadays, but back in 1983 it was unique, and debatably the most sophisticated customer database used anywhere in the United Kingdom. My own thoughts are that if Silica Shop had taken this ground breaking business software and ported it onto the then new IBM PC, they would have had a huge business in selling and supporting enterprise level CRM applications now. Instead they continued to shift boxes of home computers, and eventually went out of business in the mid 1990’s. If the management had employed a more creative vision, Silica Shop could have been a global software name like Oracle now. I have to say that I learned more about computing in my few years working at Silica Shop than I have learned anywhere else. My entire career in IT has been built on stuff I picked up in a quiet side street in Sidcup. 

The world's first female motorist was an Erith based lady called Kate Gildersleeves; she was the wife of engineer and inventor Edward Butler. They can be seen in the upper of the two photographs above, along with their niece. Edward Butler invented the motor car before Karl Benz in Germany, who is popularly thought to be the inventor. this three-wheel fore-car had an elegant 650cc twin-cylinder, four-stroke, water-cooled engine with electric spark ignition. Years ahead of DeDion and Boulton, the Petrol-Cycle made Gottleib Daimler’s “Reitwagen” look like something from the Medieval Period. Butler designed his “Velocycle” while working for an engineering company and filed for a provisional patent in 1884 under the title “A petroleum motor tricycle or small automobile carriage since it is not provided with auxiliary pedalling [sic] gear and was fitted with a comfortable seat and footboard.” That year he exhibited drawings of the vehicle at Stanley Cycle Show in London and in 1885 at the Inventions Exhibition, but neither produced financial backing. Unknown to the English inventor, in Germany Karl Benz was developing his own gasoline-powered internal combustion engine, as was Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. In 1887 he filed for a limited patent and began actual work on the Velocycle, now renamed “Petrol-Cycle” (this is the first known use of the word “petrol”) in the machine shop of F.B. Shuttleworth—an engineer, designer of torpedo boats, and boiler builder—and it was fabricated by the Merryweather Fire Engine Company in Greenwich. The Petro-cycle originally had a two-stroke engine with a magneto ignition when it was test ridden in 1888 at the Invicta Works in East London. Between 1888 and 1890, Butler converted the engine to four-stroke, replaced the magneto ignition with a battery and coil, and invented a spray carburettor he called the “Inspirator.” (Wilhelm Maybach would not invent his spray carburettor until 1893.) In Edward Butler's patent application in 1884, he described the Butler Petrol Cycle thus:- "In this machine one gallon of petroleum or benzolene is designed to furnish sufficient power to accomplish a run of forty miles, at a speed of from three to ten miles per hour. At each side is a motor cylinder whose pistons operate in the four-stroke cycle . . . The pistons operate a crank shaft carried by the rear or driving wheel bearings, the hub of this wheel at one side inclosing a specially devised epicyclic [sic] gear by which the motion of he shaft is communicated to the driving wheel axle in the ratio of six to on. The shaft also carries a flywheel, mounted to be as close as possible to the spokes of the driving wheel. The motor cylinders are each controlled by a balanced rotating valve, and both cylinders are supplied with explosive mixture by drawing air through an inspirator situated over an oil reservoir contain a supply of benzolene, or a similar petroleum product. A valve regulates the oil feed, and the mixture of air and oil spray formed in the atomizer is volatilized before distribution to the cylinders. The compressed charges are alternately ignited by an induced current of electricity passing across terminals fixed in the cylinder covers, the current being generated by a small single-fluid battery under the seat. Stopping and starting is effected by raising and lowering the driving wheel from the ground by a foot lever, the weight of this portion of the machine being then thrown upon small caster wheels. . . . the crank shaft is set in motion by a handle before the driver mounts to his seat. The speed of the motor is regulated by a throttle valve lever, shown at one side, and over-heating is prevented by water circulating through a radiating tank over the driving wheel. The tank is of 3½ gallons capacity, but with a very large proportionate surface. Steering is effected by a pair of rocking handles actuating the front wheels, which move on separate pivots, and the brake is applied to both of these wheels by a foot lever. The diameter of the wheels is 32 inches, and the whole of the framing and the engine rods are made of oval steel tubing". Butler used to run his vehicle on local roads, most notably he used the long and relatively straight Manor Road as his main area for testing; thus Manor Road in Erith is the world's first automotive test track. Butler's wife Kate, commonly known as Kitty used to drive the car on a regular basis, though as far as I can tell, there are only photos of her as a passenger, not as the driver. Kitty thus became the world's first female driver. As if this was not enough, Edward Butler coined the term "Petrol". Unfortunately Edward and Kitty faced a real problem - British law at the time. The Locomotives On Highways Act of 1865 limited all self-propelled vehicles to a speed limit of 2 mph in towns and 4 mph in rural areas. In addition, it required three people to attend to the vehicle, one of which had to walk in advance of the vehicle waving a red flag to warn people of its approach. In the 1890 issue of The English Mechanic, he wrote, “The authorities do not countenance its use on the roads, and I have abandoned in consequence any further development of it.” He sold his patents to Harry Lawson. Upon the repeal of the Red Flag Act in 1896, Butler and his wife took at least one last ride in the Petrol-Cycle on the roads of Erith—his diaries allege reaching a speed of 12 mph - before selling it as 163 pounds of scrap metal. (The weight of the machine was 280 pounds so it seems plausible that the “very compact motor” was salvaged.) Henry John “Harry” Lawson was a bicycle designer of note who clearly saw the future of the internal combustion engine. He acquired exclusive English rights to manufacture the De Dion-Bouton and Bollée vehicles and, in 1896 after acquiring English patent rights from Gottlieb Daimler, formed the Daimler Motor Company Ltd. and the British Motor Syndicate. Ironically, it was Lawson’s successful lobbying that resulted in the repeal of The Red Flag Act in November of 1896, the major obstacle Butler faced in obtaining financial backing to manufacture his vehicle. Despite the failure of this venture, Edward Butler did not immediately fade into obscurity - he published papers on internal combustion engines and carburettors until at least 1920 - yet, his place in automotive history has been eclipsed by that of Diamler, Benz, Maybach, De Dion-Boulton, Duyrea, and a host of others. It is unknown if any aspects of his inventions were incorporated into later ventures such as Daimler cars, but there is one thing he created that has endured to the present day: the word “petrol.” 

The photo above is a part of the history of Erith. It shows the now long gone interior of the old Manor Fish Bar, which used to be in Manor Road, on the corner of Crescent Road. When I first moved to Erith in 1996 the fish bar was run by an Iranian couple who had recently purchased the shop. They were excellent – the fish was immaculately cooked, reasonably priced, very tasty and served in large portions. On occasion I would go into the shop not long before it was due to close; rather than giving me a piece of fish from the warming cabinet, they would always insist on cooking it for me from fresh. The wife spoke very little English, but when I saw her in the street, or shopping in Morrison’s, she would always smile and say “hello”. They were by far the best proprietors of the shop in my experience. The photo below was taken during their tenure – it shows the 1950’s vintage marble effect Formica that lined the shop. It was kept immaculately clean and tidy. I had a gut feeling that if I did not take the photo when I did (September 2005) it would not be around for much longer. I was correct; only a couple of months later, the Iranian couple sold up and moved on. Over the next few years the shop changed hands a number of times, and it got progressively worse with each new owner. Eventually back in 2014 the place was gutted, and the historic Formica interior was destroyed to make way for the King of the Grill kebab shop, which has been there ever since. 

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Over the past week Barnehurst have had no reported burglaries however there was an attempted burglary in Brasted Road on Saturday 7/03/2020 at 00:45 hours. The victim heard someone attempting the rear door handle. This was followed by the victim's dog barking. On looking out a white male was seen making off over the garden fence. In Swallow Close two males were seen vandalising a parked vehicle. Both males fled when they realised they were being watched. Police attended and found the vehicle had been stolen, the vehicle has since been recovered and the owner aware. In Parkside Avenue on Tuesday 10/03/2020 at 07:00am victim found registration plates LV61HTT had been removed from a vehicle in Parkside Avenue.   On Wednesday 18/03/2020 at 11.00am we will be holding our community contact session at Barnehurst Golf Club. We look forward to seeing you". Belvedere ward:- "The team assisted our colleagues in Thamesmead Moorings with two warrants toward the end of last week. Both took place after information given to Police by members of the public relating to suspected drug misuse. Over last weekend there were two reported attempted burglaries in Picardy Road and Elstree Gardens. There were also two reported residential burglaries in Bunkers Hill and Heathdene Drive. There were no signs of forced entry at either location and both addresses were broken into whilst residents were asleep (through the night). At the incident in Heathdene Drive two cars were stolen form the driveway after car keys were taken from the house – one of these vehicles has now been recovered. We have also completed a warrant at an address in Lower Belvedere this week after information relating to suspected drug dealing from the property. This investigation is ongoing at this stage". Bexleyheath ward:- "03/03/20 Other Theft Mobile phone stolen after being put down in Metro Bank, Bexleyheath Broadway 02/03/20 1800 – 03/03/20 1400 Theft From Motor Vehicle Rochester Drive no signs of forced entry to car but items from within stolen 04/03/20 1825 Attempted Burglary Rochester Drive Back Patio Door – Glass Smashed No Entry gained Nothing Taken, believed to have been disturbed by homeowner returning 04/03/20 1600 – 05/03/20 0800 Theft from Motor Vehicle Latham Road Tools stolen from van which was left locked and secured 03/03/20 1600 Theft iPod left at Creams, Broadway Bexleyheath when returned items have been stolen 05/03/20 1945 Criminal Damage Garden Avenue – Brick thrown at window 06/03/20 1400 Theft Kings Arms, Broadway, Bexleyheath - Oil stolen from location 07/03/20 1330 – 2300 Burglary Other Theft Marriott Hotel; Items stolen from within hotel room Please revisit home security and ensure that you have deterrents in place to prevent crime, lights on timers, alarms, security lights outside, and ensure side/back gates are locked". Crayford ward:- "Another week of mainly vehicle related crime but unfortunately there have also been some burglaries. On Wednesday 4th March it was reported that two Males pushed their way in to an address in Iron Mill Lane demanding watches and cash, they appeared to know the victims, they left with nothing. On approx. Wednesday 26th February it was noted that a bank card and £500 cash was missing from an address in Cray Close, not known by what means it was taken. Overnight between Thursday 5th and Friday 6th March a shed was broken in to in Dale Road, entry made by moving bins to gain access to side gate, a motorcycle was stolen with the registration plate of GK18VJU. A white Transit van was stolen from Thames Road between 19.00 on Thursday 5th March and 7.55 on 6th March, registration number DN08ORU, this van is distinctive. A Hermes delivery driver had his vehicle, a silver Mazda, registration YR05MPF stolen from Iron Mill Lane on 6th March at approx. 19.56 hours. Keys, wallet, phone and parcels were also taken at this time. A catalytic converter was stolen from a red Honda Civic between Monday 2nd and Sunday 8th March from Old Road. Number plates LY16KVA were stolen from a black Nissan Note between 12.20 and 12.25 Saturday 7th March at Tower Retail Park. The rear number plate GU12 JZE was stolen off a silver Peugeot whilst parked at Heatherbank Close on Saturday 7th March. Front and rear number plates F11KHP were stolen from a grey Ford Fusion whilst parked at Chapel Hill on Tuesday 10th March between 10.00-10.40. We completed some Met Trace visits at Woolbrook Road on Saturday 7th March, this will be an ongoing project over the coming weeks. Officers from our team assisted with a knife arch initiative at Barnehurst BR Station. They have also recovered some stolen vehicles. Our next community contact session will be on Friday 20th March at Crayford Library between 10.00-11.00, please come along for a chat if you are in the area". 

Fire crews from the three stations in the borough (Sidcup, Bexleyheath and Erith) recently attended a training exercise at the Coca-Cola factory in Sidcup. This was done in partnership with Coca-Cola and allowed the crews to practice carrying out search and rescue of workers following a simulated chemical spill. The exercise went well, with all three ‘missing' workers being located and rescued.

Erith ward:- "An incident occurred on Thursday 27th February at Erith Leisure Centre in the Swimming Pool changing rooms at approximately 15:55pm. 3 lockers were broken into and items including bank cards were taken. Car keys, and house keys, were also taken and a car was stolen from the car park disabled bay with badges in window. This week the PCs on the team have been carrying out plain clothes patrols in hotspot areas, which include stop and searches, We have been doing daily weapon sweeps across the ward as part of a Bexley wide operation. No burglaries this last week in Erith but theft from and of motor vehicles is still on the increase. High street patrols in Erith at school closing times". Northumberland Heath ward:- "Good News no Burglaries reported this week. The team having been completing weapon sweeps on Northumberland Heath Recreation , Horsa road and Northumberland Park. Nothing found. The wall has been removed in Northumberland Park preventing youths congregating and smoking drugs. A new secure fence has been put up to prevent youths from damaging the centre. Theft of motor vehicle from Ightham Road and theft from motor vehicle on Colindale Ave. The team have also seized a dangerous dog and the investigation is still ongoing". Slade Green and Northend ward:-"No crime trends happening over the last week which is good news. PC's Mark and James have completed patrols over the whole ward in the last week culminating in 6 stop-and-searches with 3 positive results. Operation Sceptre is run in relation to knife related crime and we have completed weapon sweeps in Rainbow Road, Frobisher Road and in and around Orchard House, no weapons found. PCSO Mark has twice visited Little Daydreams Nursery at Orchard House this week, spending time with the young children and partaking in story time as well as their other activities. He has also made a visit to Peareswood Primary School on World Book Day last week and popped in every class to say hello to all the pupils. Our next Community Contact Session is on Saturday 21/03/2020 from 9am at the Forest Road Café". Thamesmead East ward:-"No Burglaries this week. If you have a video doorbell such as a Ring device and you get alerted to someone up to no good, please report this. We can often identify suspects who are blissfully unaware of the doorbell camera. Even when having hoods up we often get good facial images which are useful in identifying individuals. If this happens, please report online at www.met.police.uk. This will then come through to us so we can arrange to collect the footage. We will come to your property with a USB memory stick to copy it to. Motor Vehicle Crime - Southmere Drive Saturday 7/3/20 10:30am victim informed by member of public that suspects were seen trying to break into victim's van. Victim reports x3 drill holes were seen in the passenger slide door. Entry not gained, nothing taken. Fairway Drive Monday 9/3/20 4am – 4:37pm Front number plate removed from Nissan Leaf. St John Fisher Road Tuesday 10/3/20 9:15am – Wednesday 11/3/20 7am Victim reports vehicle broken into, nothing reported as stolen at time of reporting. St Brides Close Tuesday 10/3/20 4pm – Wed 11/3/20 9:10 Victim reports front passenger widow smashed, nothing taken. Wolvercote Road Tuesday 10/3/20 7:30pm – Wednesday 11/3/20 9am Victim reports driver's side window smashed, nothing taken. Kale Road Wednesday 11/3/20 6am 6:15am victim reports Theft from motor vehicle. The team were working in partnership with Police Scotland conducting arrest enquiries which proved successful after a male was arrested at New Eltham Station. The team recovered a Suzuki Jeep which had been stolen since October 2019 in Hartslock Drive". West Heath ward:-"We have had one burglary reported to us this week in Brixham Road. The burglary took place between Friday March 6th t 12.00 – Sunday 08/03/20 at 13.35 when the victim returned and discovered the incident after a short break. Entry was gained by smashing the window on the back door and conducting an untidy search of the property. A quantity of cash and jewellery was stolen. Theft of a BMW from Woolwich Road between Friday 06/03/20 - Saturday 07/03.20. Last week I reported that two Skodas that were stolen by means of a burglary in Chessington Avenue had both been recovered, sadly this was not the case and just one was found which had sustained damage. The team have been extremely busy as usual and have had some good results over the past week. A number of stop and searches were made across the ward which resulted in two suspects found in possession of drugs being dealt with by an out of court disposal. Two arrests were also made for outstanding suspects who were wanted on warrants".

The end video this week features a time lapse film of traffic on the River Thames adjacent to Erith Pier. Do give it a watch and Email any comments to hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Erith Fun Day 2018.

The photos were taken by me yesterday at the 2018 Erith Fun Day. Unfortunately the attendance numbers were somewhat down on last year, almost certainly caused by a combination of the intense heat (it was 34 degrees Celsius at 1pm in the sports field where the event was held) and also because of the World Cup. Nevertheless the turnout was still very good. There was representation from many local community volunteer groups and commercial organisations. I bumped into a number of people that I had not seen since the same event last year, and I was also approached by a number of readers - some of whom I had never met before in person, which was nice. Unfortunately, as many will already know, I am not someone suited to heat and strong sunlight. I burn very easily, even when coated in sun screen cream, therefore my normal policy is to wear a stout tweed jacket and floppy, broad - brimmed hat - to basically cover myself in fabric to block out the sun. Whilst this approach works well, it does leave me feeling extremely hot; originally I had planned to stay at the Erith Fun Day for most of the afternoon (I don't watch football, so the World Cup match was not of interest to me), but the extreme heat meant that I only stayed at the event for a little over an hour. I think many visitors were similarly affected. Even though a majority of the stall holders were located under some kind of cover, it must have been unbearable for them, and I don't know how some of them coped under the exceptionally hot conditions. Still for those naysayers who opine that Erith has no community spirit, I would counter that for the Erith Fun Day to get such a good turnout considering both the extreme weather and England's World Cup football match on the same day. I look forward to the event next year. 

I only discovered a couple of days ago, about an event planned for next Friday afternoon. I am concerned that Bexley Council neglect to publicise events in the local area; for example, in the past, the relaunched Erith Market, which some locals commented was "planned to fail", and the 2016 pop - up cinema in Erith Riverside Gardens, which virtually nobody knew about - and consequently the turnout for both events was very low, prompting the Council to discontinue them as they felt there was little interest - which in reality could not be further from the case. I worry that if I struggle to find out about such events, how must everyone else get on? Anyway, here is the official announcement:- "This summer experience a culinary extravaganza as the Erith Kitchen street food fair comes to Pier Road, on Friday 20 July from 4–9pm. Come along and taste fantastic flavours from around the world, including homemade Italian gnocchi, pizza, African and Caribbean food and a unique ice cream experience, luxury alcohol infused and alcohol free ice creams and sorbets. Stay cool in this hot weather with some refreshments at the ‘Not just Gin’ bar. This Vintage Horse Trailer turned fully self-contained bar works with start-up distillers from across the UK to provide premium spirits and mixers, beer and wines. Relax and listen to musicians Tim White and Daran Francis against the backdrop of Erith’s riverfront. As well as bringing people up close to the Thames, Erith Kitchen hopes to evoke Erith’s history as a place of riverside leisure". You can read the full, original article by clicking here. 

The photo above - click on either for a larger version - were taken by me last Sunday evening; they shows a CCTV camera that has been attached to a lamp post adjacent to the recycling centre at the end of James Watt Way in Erith - locally known as the Morrison's recycling point. The facility has for many years been the focus of almost daily criminal fly - tipping. The reasons for this are multiple. Firstly, it is easily accessible by car or van, and the facility is out of the way, at the far end of the dead end road that is James Watt Way. Secondly it is out of the way, bring located at the rear of the Morrison's supermarket, and adjacent to the buildings' loading bay. There are few if any prying eyes to see if someone is illegally dumping rubbish. To a passer - by, it may look as if the criminal fly tipper is merely using the recycling facility as designed - dropping off bottles, cans or cardboard into the designated containers to be responsibly recycled. Instead they dump building waste, old mattresses, industrial waste, used engine oil and all manner of other rubbish, which ends up being collected at great expense to the council tax payer by a waste management contractor. Recently Bexley Council have placed warning notices on the lamp posts in and around the recycling centre to try and deter the fly tipping criminals, and as of last weekend, the CCTV camera in the photo above was installed. I have been in contact with the council in respect of the camera. I have been informed that the installation is only temporary, and not the permanent addition to the local safety and security that many had anticipated. Something is better than nothing however. One concern I did raise with the council is that the CCTV camera unit is only situated about ten feet up the lamp post, and from my own observations, many of the fly tippers are "white van men" with transit type vans. The often have ladders in their vans, and it would be relatively straightforward for one of them to either damage or indeed completely remove the CCTV camera. They agreed that this was indeed a possibility, but that the benefits the camera may bring in either deterring or collecting evidence of criminal fly tippers was worth the risk; I have to say that I tend to agree with this opinion. I am monitoring the situation to see if the level of materials dumped on the site decline over the next few weeks. My concern is that as soon as the camera is removed - whether by the criminals or by the council themselves - the fly tipping at the site will return to the original levels.  What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

As regular readers will be aware, I have in the past benchmarked the activities (or indeed lack thereof) of Bexley Council against our close neighbours on the opposite side of the River Thames in the London Borough of Havering. The two boroughs are remarkably similar in many ways; both have a broadly similar population demographic, geography and council tax budget, yet it seems to me that Havering seem to get much more out of their finances than Bexley do, and this is not just me thinking that "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence". As an example, the News Shopper have recently run a story about the anniversary of the cancellation of the very popular Danson Festival. It is now five years since the council cancelled the annual festival, erroneously stating that this was a temporary cancellation due to problems with the geology of the park, and drainage issues. In an interview with the News Shopper, a spoke person for Bexley Council said:- "Unfortunately Danson mid-park is not currently suitable for large-scale events such as the Danson Festival. The council saves approximately £150,000 from not putting on the festival. Whilst the festival has not been held for a number of years, we have recently increased the number of community and cultural events we have hosted and supported – and we continue to look at new opportunities to bring the community together to share experiences and celebrate". In reality a festival has been held in Danson Park since - but it has been run by a commercial events company, who charge for admission. This rather contradicts the statement that the park could not be used due to drainage issues. The real reason is that Bexley Council do not want to spend £150,000 on the very popular event. It is my understanding that the festival in the past actually operated at a modest profit. This all does look rather poor in comparison with Havering, who run a huge - and free to the public - event in Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch during the month of August. The very popular event, which is having its 40th anniversary this year, has a number of music acts playing live on stage, as well as the usual charity and commercial stalls. Havering does not just have a free festival, it also plays host to an arts festival, the award winning Romford film festival and a Havering in Bloom competition, to name but a few. Bearing in mind that Havering Borough Council has very similar demands and constraints to its budget as Bexley does, it does beg the question, how is it that Havering can offer popular arts and cultural events to its residents, but Bexley Council are unable, or more likely unwilling to? Please feel free to leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The photo above was taken back in 1896. It was recently sent to me by a reader. It shows local inventor and businessman Sir Hiram Maxim (the man with the white hair and beard to the right of the photograph) along with a couple of his staff, along with a couple of. They have been demonstrating the Maxim machine gun to members of the Chinese government - two representatives of which can also be seen. One of Maxim's "party tricks" when demonstrating his machine gun, was to use the continuous stream of bullets to "saw" through a tree trunk - as can be seen in the photo above. Maxim was not a man greatly troubled by ethics - he would sell his various weapons systems to anyone who had the money to pay for them, even if they were two sides in the same conflict. Maxim was also the man that invented both the fire sprinkler and the sprung mouse trap. Maxim also invented the car exhaust silencer, and as an off – shoot (if you will excuse the pun) his son, the American inventor Hiram Percy Maxim, is usually credited with inventing and selling the first commercially successful model of gun suppressor circa 1902 (patented 30 March 1909). Maxim gave his device the trademarked name Maxim Silencer, and they were regularly advertised in sporting goods magazines. The muffler for internal combustion engines was developed in parallel with the firearm suppressor by Maxim in the early 20th century, using many of the same techniques to provide quieter-running engines (in many English-speaking countries automobile mufflers are still called silencers). Former president of the United States Theodore Roosevelt was known to purchase and use Maxim Silencers. So, it is not too much of a stretch to say that many inventions that we all take for granted were either invented in Erith or Crayford at the two Maxim / Vickers factories, or by people also living in the same area. We for example also had the first petrol – powered tricycle by Edward Butler, several years before the Benz automobile, which was tested along Manor Road, and the first submarine capable of firing a torpedo whilst submerged was created by the Nordenfeldt works, also located in Erith. The end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century were a real hot house of inventive talent in the local area – some of the most cutting edge engineering took place in and around Erith.  Hiram Maxim had a stunning failure in addition to his many successes. The very first heavier than air flight was not as is commonly believed made by the Wright Brothers in 1903, it was actually undertaken in 1894 by a team led by Maxim when the experimental steam powered aeroplane accidentally took off during ground testing in Baldwyn’s Park, Bexley – it flew for an estimated 281 metres at a height of 1.4 metres, according to contemporary accounts. You can read more about the story here. Suffice to say that Maxim realised that his design of flying machine was dynamically unstable, and not viable for any longer flights. He abandoned the project shortly thereafter, leaving the Wright brothers to gain the fame and fortune that went with the first viable aerodynamic flying vehicle. As well as being a skilled engineer and inventor, Hiram Maxim was a very shrewd businessman, and I think he realised that his own flying machine was an engineering dead end, and he decided to stop throwing good money after bad, and work on other projects instead. Maxim was already a very wealthy man, and did not really need the flying machine to be a financial success at all.

Last Wednesday - the fourth of July, marked an anniversary that you could be forgiven for having missed. Hotmail turned 22 years old, having ushered in an era of web-based email, great swathes of spam and one of the greatest ever security errors. Launched on 4 July 1996, Hotmail offered "independence" (oh what a pun) from traditional ISP-based email, which required users download messages into a local reader. Hotmail allowed users to create their own email account and view their messages within the web browser, without needing to be tied to a specific provider. With a mighty 2MB of free storage, something that seemed absurdly generous in an era when PCs shipped with between 4 and 8MB of onboard RAM, Hotmail's user base grew rapidly to 8.5 million happy emailers (although it is not clear how many of those were examples of the burgeoning spam industry) and Hotmail soon attracted the attention of a certain software behemoth. Microsoft purchased the service in December 1997 for a purported $400m and found itself in the slightly awkward position of owning a hugely popular internet service that didn't actually use any of Redmond's Windows technologies and, horror of horrors, ran on a variety of UNIX-based systems, which at the time were seen as a threat and direct rival to Microsoft products. While Microsoft worked to incorporate Windows Server systems into Hotmail, competition arrived in the form of Yahoo! Mail in 1997 and the all-conquering GMail from Google in 2004. Hotmail, however, had other problems with which to contend. Back in those days Microsoft were about as good with internet security as Cyril Smith was with hang gliding. A security flaw, that could only be described as "catastrophic", emerged in 1999.  Hackers were able to access pretty much any account, knowing only the user's Hotmail user name. 2001 saw more security problems, with hackers able to retrieve messages from another users mailbox. As GMail attracted many users away from Hotmail, Microsoft tinkered with re-brandings and redesigns seeing the venerable website incorporated into the MSN family and then renamed Windows Live Hotmail in 2005. In 2012 the service became known as Outlook.com, leveraging the branding of the email component of Microsoft's ubiquitous office suite. By 2013, Microsoft had shifted all 300 million active Hotmail accounts to its new web mail client, whether they liked it or not. While Microsoft played with Hotmail, Google's GMail juggernaut rolled on, reporting over 1 billion users at last count, compared to the relatively paltry 500 million claimed by Outlook.com.

Now for the weekly safety and security reports from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly an update from Barnehurst ward:- "Another excellent result for Barnehurst having no burglaries and just one theft of motor vehicle for the past week. Victim left a white Ford Transit panel van, registration number LD11 FHW locked and secured on Friday 29th June 2018 at 09.30pm in Northumberland Way. The following morning the van found was discovered stolen. On Wednesday the team conducted a drugs warrant at Hampton House, Erith Road following continued complaints of drug dealing. Crayford Ward officers, Bexleyheath Ward officers and the dog section also assisted in the warrant. One male was arrested and investigations continue regarding this. On Friday 29th June 2018 a male was arrested following a road traffic collision in Colyers Lane. This male was on a stolen motorbike and was not wearing a crash helmet. The injuries sustained required surgery and the male is now back behind bars. Off road bikes have been reported to have been seen ridden between Northend Road and Hurstwood Avenue. If you know who are riding these bikes or where they are coming from please let us know so will can deal with them appropriately. The team have met some of our vulnerable residents and our visits have been warmly welcomed. We ask our residents to keep an eye on their vulnerable neighbours. If you feel your neighbour maybe vulnerable please contact us and we can pay a visit to ensure crime prevention measures are in place. If needed we can arrange for the bobby van to make a further visit to provide door chains, window alarms etc. to improve security at a reduced charge of cost free depending on the criteria. The team will be at the Barnehurst Golf Club on Tuesday 10th July at 11.00am. Please come along and join us. We are looking for residents in the ward who are interested in Neighbourhood Watch". Belvedere ward:- "Throughout this week the team have been attempting to arrest wanted offenders on the ward. This has resulted in the arrest of a male for domestic related offences, ABH, threats and criminal damage. PC Holmes has also issued an harassment warning letter to a resident of Draper Close in relation to an ongoing ASB (anti-social behaviour issue). The team have spoken to a male in Nuxley Road after various members of the public informed us that he had been asking several people for money – words of advice were given to this male and we are keeping a close eye on the area should he return. Over the last few weeks the team have noticed a slight increase in ASB by children in the Nuxley Road and Albert Road areas. Similar to last summer, this involves bicycles being used in an inconsiderate manner both on the pavements and into oncoming traffic in both streets. The team have been able to speak to some of the young children involved in this activity, to give advice on cycle safety and riding sensibly. Should we receive further complaints, we will be taking further action against those involved. Certain members of these groups have also been involved in other incidents amounting to ASB and criminal damage at a newly opened business in Albert Road. PCSO Worrall has been able to identify the names of these children and the team will be visiting their respective home addresses in the coming days to discuss the issues with them. Our next Community Contact session has been arranged for Tuesday 10th July 2018 from 12.00pm at the Co-Op in Nuxley Road". Bexleyheath ward:- "There has been no reports of any burglaries or attempted burglaries on our ward recently which is fantastic. We are also continuing high visibility patrols around Martens Grove and surrounding areas including the garages between Grove Road and Braeside Crescent as this is becoming an area for youths to congregate and misbehave. A Traffic Operation was conducted along Nursery Road as we received complaints from local residents about speeding on the street. Also a learner driver was processed for no insurance whilst learning to drive, we also took part in a warrant that was recently completed. A mobile phone was stolen whilst the victim was in ASDA Bexleyheath. A theft of push bike was reported stolen between 02/07/2018 & 03/07/2018 along Stirling Road Bexleyheath. In relation to motor vehicle crime, below is a summary of what has been reported: 29/06/2018 – Items stolen from a van within the Broadway area; 28/06/2018 – 30/06/2018 Number plates had been stolen from a vehicle along Grove Road Bexleyheath; 02/07/2018 – Officers on foot patrol had found an insecure vehicle and had made contact with owner, no items are believed to be taken". Crayford ward:- "On Thursday 21 June police were called to Maiden Lane after it was reported that a white Audi A3 had been criminally damaged, it looked like a hammer had been taken to the side of the vehicle. On Monday 25th June at approx. midnight a mobile phone was snatched out of someone’s hand in Station Road, totally opportunist, the Male ran past and quite literally snatched it and continued to run. We all refer to our phones all the time, to check the time of the next bus or train or similar, please keep it out of sight as unobtrusive as possible when out in public. Between Wednesday 27th June at 18.30 and Thursday 27th June at 00.30, two excavators were stolen from a locked site on Crayford Industrial Estate. The equipment was fitted with trackers and the following day police were able to intercept the suspects and arrests were made. At Optima Park on Wednesday 27th June a lady reported that her gold Apple iPhone with a pink case on the back had been stolen from her place of work. It was reported that on Wednesday a door was broken in to leading to a shared storage shed/garage used by residents at flats in Claston Close, the door was forced but nothing was stolen, no CCTV or witnesses. On Friday 29th June at 12.40 an elderly lady received a phone call from a Male saying he was calling from her bank, he told her that her account had been compromised, obtained her PIN numbers and sent a courier to her address to collect her bank cards. She realised that she had been duped and called her bank, to find that some money had been stolen, both cards were cancelled and new ones will be issued. This was a despicable crime on one of our older residents but could happen to any one of us. Please never give anyone your PIN, no official organisation would ever ask for this information, ever! On Saturday 30 June an IC1 Male aged about 20 years was seen to steal front and rear number plates off a Peugeot 206 LX, number plate Y695LBA in Dale Road. A routine stop of a vehicle in Maiden Lane on Saturday 30th June led to the owner admitting that he was in possession of cannabis and he was dealt with appropriately. It was reported that between 1st May and 30th June a black BMW, number plate GU15YLT was stolen from a garage at Willow Walk, the keys were in a safe place and not used to commit this offence. Between 19.00 on Friday 29 June and 09.00 on Saturday 30th June a blue Ford Transit was broken in to and tools stolen near Claremount Crescent. On Tuesday 3rd July police were called to a public order offence. It transpired that a Male had tried to use a £50 for £5.00 of goods, the note was being checked and believed to be a forgery. The Male left the premises after an altercation and threats. The £50 note will be destroyed. On Wednesday 4th July our team assisted Barnehurst and Bexleyheath Safer Neighbourhood Teams with a drugs warrant at Hampton House in Barnehurst, a Male was arrested. In the last week a van has been seized for having no insurance at Maiden Lane as well as tickets being issued for using a mobile phone whilst driving, no insurance and MOT. Today there was a foot chase close to Marden Crescent after a Male was suspected of having cannabis, he dropped his joint and lost his mobile phone along the way which has now been booked in to Bexleyheath Police Station. We have completed several weapons sweeps around the ward in the last week as well as lots of visible foot patrols. We will be working with partner agencies to deal with anti-social behaviour occurring in the Dale Road area. Our next contact session is at the Ellenor charity shop in Crayford Road on Wednesday 11th July between 11.00-12.00, please come along to say hello, tell us your concerns or ask for crime prevention advice". Erith ward:- "Erith ward officers have been out and about on the ward. ASB at St Fidelis Road. Officers have been to the estate and conducted a weapon sweep of the area. No weapons were found. Erith ward has a number of motor vehicle crime this week. TFMV (Theft From Motor Vehicle) - Riverdale Road, tools stolen between the hours of 16:00 on the 24/6/18 and 22:00 on the 26/06/18; Car park Park Spring Court - Damage to paintwork of vehicle; TFMV, West Street - Tools and Hoover taken between 28/06/18 00:00 - 17:00 on the 02/07/18; TFMV, Compton Place - Ladders taken of roof of van between 09:00-15:00 hours on the 03/07/18; Att Burglary (Attempted burglary), West Street - Nothing taken, damage to rear door. 01:00—01:30 hours on the 03/07/18. People have been stopped and searched for cannabis in the Riverside area and have been dealt with. We will be attending 11/07/18 Coffee with Cops at Cops in the Riverside shopping centre - please come along and see us".  Northumberland Heath ward:- "The team are pleased to report that CCTV has been installed at the Northumberland Heath Recreation Ground to help to detect and deter individuals from committing anti-social behaviour in the area. Four stop and searches were conducted by officers in the park which resulted in one male being reported for possession of cannabis and a quantity of alcohol was confiscated. Two further males were stopped and searched in Erith and reported for possession of cannabis. No burglaries reported to us over the past week which is once again excellent news. One motor vehicle interference overnight on Friday 29th of June in Hengist Road. It is not clear how entry to the vehicle was gained as there was apparent outside damage, however the vehicle wires had been cut and were left hanging under the driver’s seat. One theft of motor vehicle in Beechfield Road in the afternoon of Monday July 2nd. The driver was delivering parcels and left the keys in the vehicle whilst delivering. An unknown male entered the vehicle and drove it away at speed. The vehicle was later recovered however the keys and the remaining undelivered parcels were taken". Slade Green and North End ward:- "Only one crime of note this week. A van was left unattended for 10 minutes outside the Premier shop in Bridge Road at 8.30pm on Saturday. Upon returning outside the owner discovered the van had been stolen along with tools inside. PC Mark and James were on patrol on the Frobisher Road estate last Saturday morning. 2 males were seen riding on a moped and upon seeing officers they got off and ran away. Mark and James chased and although the males weren’t caught, they left behind a mobile phone and other evidence meaning the investigation has some excellent evidence in the hope of finding who the suspects were. The bike was registered as stolen and is now back with it’s owner. Two positive stop and searches this week with cannabis taken from both suspects and the appropriate warnings given. Patrols have been ongoing over the marshes and by Erith yacht club in the hope of catching off road bike riders using the land illegally. 2 males were turned away on Sunday as they approached the path to come along and ride". Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglaries - No burglaries to report this week. Motor Vehicle Crimes - Between the overnight hours of Wednesday 27/06/18 and Thursday 28/06/18, a motor vehicle was stolen from Redpoll Way. Between the dates of Tuesday 26/06/18 and Saturday 30/06/18, a motor cycle was stolen from Eastgate Close. A motor vehicle was stolen between the hours of 7:30am and 08:00pm on Saturday 30/06/18 from Parkway. Between the hours of 11:00pm of Monday 02/07/17 05:00am and Tuesday 03/07/18 a motor vehicle locked and secure parked in Holstein Way had the front window smashed, nothing taken. Another vehicle also parked in Holstein Way had the front passenger window smashed, purse and cash was taken from the glove box between 10:30pm Monday 02/07/18 and 11:10am Tuesday 03/07/18.  Have a Say event (Community Contact Session) - Tuesday 10th July between the hours of 12:00pm and 1:00pm, the team will be attending Lakeside Health Centre, Yarnton Way. An opportunity for members of the community who prefer face- to – face contact, to speak with a Dedicated Ward Officer. Good News - Whilst patrolling, PCSO’s Gina Buckley and Lorraine O’Hara who, on seeing 3 males and 1 female on the top floor near to the stairs of Maran Way loitering, made their way to the individuals getting nearer to them a smell of cannabis was detected. Radio call to PC’s John Pruden and Nana Quarshie-Awuah resulted in all being searched and intelligence gained".

The end video this week shows the results of the conversion of the old Woolwich covered market into London's newest street food market. It certainly looks very nice. I actually suggested a use similar to this nearly ten years ago - I suppose good things come to those who wait. Please feel free to leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The Laser Razor.

The photo above shows one of the well - kept ponies located on the piece of riverside waste ground at the far end of James Watt Way, behind Erith Morrison's supermarket. The News Shopper have been covering a story in respect of an abandoned pony on a piece of waste ground in Yarnton Way, Lower Belvedere that has been rescued by a sharp - eyed member of the public. The lady, who chose to remain unnamed said in an interview with the News Shopper "On Tuesday morning, I was driving to work and out of the corner of my eye I saw a horse at a gate, just off Yarnton Way. I immediately stopped and went to the animal - she was very affectionate and wanted all the attention that she could get. I was stroking her while crying my eyes out and she was so skinny that I had to help her. I went to the nearest shop to buy some bread, carrots and bottles of water.  She was scoffing the food down and drank the water so quickly. f I had the money to re-home her, I would. She is the most beautiful and loving horse I’ve ever met – I named her Star. What scares me is that if I hadn’t seen her, a few days later, she could’ve died". The practice of “fly-grazing” has become increasingly common both in the local area, and also around the country. Thousands of horses and ponies are being abandoned by their erstwhile owners as irresponsible breeding, spiralling bills and sale prices which have reached rock bottom take their toll. A pony can fetch as little as £5 at auction – if it sells at all, whilst stable costs, feed and vets bills can amount to around £100 per week per animal. The six main horse welfare charities have come together to compile a report on the situation; it would also appear that the European appetite for horse meat may be fuelling the situation – a £5 pony can turn into a £230 carcass on the European meat market. It may be that ponies are actually being farmed for live export to France, Belgium and Italy. The RSPCA have called for legislation that will enable them to more quickly identify owners and punish them with fines and the seizure of animals for fly-grazing. They also want a review of agreements allowing the free movement of horses not intended for slaughter between Britain, Ireland and France. The British horse population is thought to be just under one million animals in size. The vast majority are owned privately for leisure – a sector which, unlike the horse racing industry, has not historically been tightly regulated.  A new bill was brought into law a couple of months ago which hopefully may go far to changing this situation. The Control of Horses Act 2015 makes changes to the law to deter people from illegally grazing or simply abandoning horses on public and private land, which is known as ‘fly-grazing’. As many as 3,000 horses are thought to be illegally fly-grazing across the country. The changes mean horse owners who fly-graze their animals without permission can now be dealt with more quickly and effectively. These changes to the law will give rural communities greater powers to deal with thousands of horses that are left to graze illegally without the land owners’ permission. Horses that are left to fly-graze can now be rehomed much more quickly and effectively, improving the welfare of these animals and preventing disruption to communities. By allowing abandoned horses to be rehomed much more quickly, this act will encourage owners to pay proper attention to their animals’ welfare and ensure communities are no longer blighted by the illegal practice of fly-grazing. Under the previous Animals Act 1971 an abandoned horse could only be disposed of after 14 days through sale at market or public auction. The new Act means fly-grazing horses have to be reported to police within 24 hours, and owners now have four days to claim their animals. Previously, an abandoned horse could only be disposed of through sale at market or public auction. The new law extends the options for dealing with abandoned horses, which now include private sale, gifting and rehoming. Hopefully this will go some way into resolving the long standing problem.

I have complained at length in the past about the cost of wet shaving razor blades when purchased from any of the UK supermarket chains. The cartridges made by the well-known brands generally cost about 5p - 10p to manufacture, but shoppers are charged as much as £3.49 per cartridge. So what’s the deal? They charge that much because they can. Gillette and Wilkinson Sword spend quite a bit of money conniving people that they are the only ones supplying good razors. With a cartridge costing only 10p to manufacture, they have a lot of budget left for marketing; and that’s what you are paying for. With their duopoly secured by marketing, they are free to charge higher prices, at times, raising them by 20 percent. If you use Gillette’s Mach 3 razor, you were a victim of that sudden price increase, but you probably didn’t notice. Gillette sneaked the price increase in by not directly increasing the price, but by removing one of the cartridges. Instead of five cartridges, you now only get four for the same price – effectively the same as increasing prices by 20 percent. Even if you did notice, where else are you going to get your razors? Unless you want to use disposable razors, there isn’t a lot of choice. Because of the huge cost of razor blades from the established manufacturers, others have investigated alternative solutions. One scheme is clever; it involves cutting out the high street retailer (and their huge profit margins on such consumable items) and selling directly to the public. This has been tried before, but it has never historically been successful, as the blade manufacturers inevitable supply other products to the large supermarket chains, and inevitably pressure is put on the manufacturers to not supply the rival companies. One start up seems to have found a way past this virtual monopoly by sourcing their blades from an independent company in Germany, one that cannot be put under pressure from the supermarket buyers. I have not tried The Bearded Colonel, but their business model and retail proposal sounds intriguing You can read more about them by clicking here. This may be only a first step in freeing up the shaving market, as a brand new product has just been announced. It is only in prototype form at present, but if it can be produced in a reliable and affordable form, it could literally turn the razor market on its head. A new company based in California called Skarp has been established by a former medical device engineer specialising in hair removal by the name of Morgan Gustavsson. His invention is a laser razor. The razor is powered by a small laser, which cuts through hair for a shave which is closer than using a blade and doesn’t suffer from irritation, razor burn, cuts or ingrown hairs. The AAA battery should last about a month and the device about 50,000 hours. It’s waterproof and can be used in the shower, but it does not require a lather. Founder Morgan invented IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) in 1989, which is a preferred method of hair removal and dermatology treatments to this day. A major challenge was finding a laser frequency which could cut any colour of hair, a requirement which makes the device quite expensive. The mass market for cheap lasers comes from Blu-ray players and needing a special frequency reduces the availability. After years of research and development, they discovered a chromophore in the hair which can be cut when hit with a particular light wavelength. Chromophores are particles that absorb certain wavelengths (colours) of light. The chromophore they identified is shared by every human, regardless of age, gender or race. Skarp claims it is safe: “The wavelength we're using doesn't emit UV. The power of the laser is too low to cause damage. But more importantly, the laser doesn't enter the skin, it only enters the hair. So there is absolutely no risk of developing any complications or damage.” The name Skarp comes from the Swedish word for “sharp”, as Gustavsson was brought up in Sweden. The razor is currently the subject of a Kickstarter project, which has vastly exceeded its goal. There are no pictures of a working prototype yet, but Kickstarter’s terms and conditions require that prototypes do exist. This sounds like a very interesting project, and one that I would be keen to try if it makes it to market. What do you think? Drop me a line to hugh.neal@gmail.com.

You may recall I have mentioned in the past how so many of the most important inventions of the last century were developed in and around Erith. The reality was in most cases, other inventors got a commercial product launched first, or the local inventor gave up just before making a significant breakthrough – a case in point would be Edward Butler – the inventor of the internal combustion engine motor car, named the Butler Petrol Cycle (see the photo above which was taken in Erith in May 1889, courtesy of Garry "Tadge" Taylor who supplied the photo some time ago), which pootled around Erith at speeds potentially up to fifteen miles per hour, back in 1884 – a full two years before Karl Benz in Germany would come up with what is popularly considered to be the first automobile. The big problem faced by anyone experimenting with self powered vehicles at that time was the 1865 Red Flag Act, which forced all self powered vehicles to travel at a speed of no more than two miles per hour in built up areas, and no more than four miles per hour in rural areas. On top of this, the vehicle had to be accompanied by three people, one of whom had to walk in front, waving a red flag to warn other road users. Bearing in mind the 15 mph and 40 mpg capability of the Butler Petrol Cycle, the act seriously impacted the testing and development of the vehicle. Edward Butler said at the time” "The authorities do not countenance its use on the roads, and I have abandoned in consequence any further development of it". He then abandoned the project as unworkable under the regulations of the time. Edward Butler broke up the machine in 1896, and sold the metal as scrap. Karl Benz was not so hindered by traffic laws, and was free to develop his automobile in peace. I can sympathise with Edward Butler, but he does seem to be symptomatic of local ground breaking inventors who get to within what seems to be inches of a truly stunning piece of engineering creation, only to say “sod it, I can’t be bothered to take this any further” and chuck in the metaphorical towel. A new development celebrates Edward Butler - more on this later. 

Fellow local Blogger Malcolm Knight of "Bexley is Bonkers" has noted that the cash vending machines at Asda in Lower Belvedere have been stolen, and not in fact for the first time. You can read his observations on the matter here. It would seem that a gang of organised criminals is at large that are specifically targeting local cash machines. Keep your eyes open.

Last week an important stepping stone in the regeneration of the former Larner Road Estate was completed. The new Erith Park development hosted a celebration of the history of the area, and marked the naming of new roads on the development. The press release from Orbit Housing Association reads thus:- "On Saturday 26 September, over 60 people, including people living at Erith Park, local residents and partners delivering the large scale regeneration of Erith Park, hosted a community celebration to showcase the history and heritage of the neighbourhood. At the event, guests were able to view the brand new Erith Park Story video, see the unveiling of the new geology board and take part in a Walk the Talk tour. The new street names were announced, with residents, project partners and representatives of the families who have been chosen to have streets and apartment blocks named after them present to mark the occasion. Debbie Williams is the great, great granddaughter of G H Gunning, who Gunning Place was named after. G H Gunning was an Erith builder and philanthropist, and built some of the older houses around Erith Park. He also donated land for the first Erith Hospital. Debbie attended the event and said; “It was a lovely day, a nice tribute to my great, great grandfather and the other families whose relatives have streets named after them. We are so proud to have a lasting tribute to my grandfather and all that he did for Erith.” Councillor Teresa O’Neill OBE, the Leader of Bexley Borough Council said; “I am very proud to have joined local people in celebrating their move into their new homes, the transformation of their area and the strength of their community. “I really enjoyed hearing about the history of the area and sharing the stories of the families whose names have been given to Erith Park’s new streets and apartment blocks. “Improving the old estate is the result of years of planning, hard work and a real partnership. The project shows just how much can be achieved when everyone works together.” Andy Hobart, Managing Director of Wates Living Space, said; “The street party was a great opportunity for all with a stake in Erith Park’s past, present and future to celebrate how much has been achieved since work started in 2013 transform the former Larner Road Estate. Wates Living Space has worked in partnership with Orbit and local residents at every stage of this development to ensure that it really reflects the community’s rich local history, their needs and ambitions. This has enabled us to create a place where people are proud to call home and we are proud to be a part of Erith’s legacy. I look forward to continuing to visit Erith Park as we enter phase two of the development.” Vivien Knibbs, Executive Director of Orbit South commented: “Erith Park is Orbit’s flagship regeneration scheme and something we’ve been working to deliver since the 1990’s. We are delighted to officially welcome residents into their new homes and to celebrate all that’s unique and interesting about the Erith Park community. After consultation with local people and residents, we found out so much more about the local history and we are proud to now share that with the wider community both today and in the years to come.”

The new roads on the Erith Park development have been named after various local historical and social events, as listed below:-

Downton Mews – Not named after the TV programme, but after artist and philosopher John Downton (1906-1991) who was born in Erith.

Beadle Place – The Beadle family were coal merchants in Erith. Fred and Charles Beadle gave a donation to help build Erith Hospital.

Gunning Place – GH Gunning, Erith builder and philanthropist, built some of the older houses around Erith Park and donated land for the first Erith Hospital.

Starkey Place – Named after the family which ran Randal Press Ltd business in Erith from 1902. The company still exists and have relocated to Crayford.

Butler Drive – Edward Butler (1862-1940), born in Erith, invented the first motor car (see my article above for more details). 

Callender Road – Erith’s Callender Cable Works projects include the D Day PLUTO pipeline under the English Channel.

Talbot Place – Is a reminder of Talbot Estates, who ran the Wharf on the riverfront from 1932 – 1957

You may recall that I began my online campaign to improve the levels of cleanliness and hygiene in Bexley’s food outlets after the revelation back in January 2013 that the Pizza Hut takeaway in Northumberland Heath was so dirty that not only was it served with a temporary closure order, but it was featured in national tabloid newspapers, including the Sun. As a result of this revelation, I carried out some research into the levels of hygiene in local food outlets, and I was shocked at the extremely poor results.  What was also a cause for concern was that the Pizza Hut was one of a total of fifty food outlets in the London Borough of Bexley that scored zero out of five points for hygiene. That was just over seven percent of the commercial food retailing in the borough. Bearing in mind the official recommendation that customers should avoid any place that scores less than three out of five stars, and the area had a lot more places scoring one or two stars, it was very worrying. I am pleased to say that in the last two years the hygiene situation has improved dramatically. The latest figures show 94 per cent of the borough's businesses have a rating of three or above, compared to 87 per cent across London and 93 per cent nationally.  An impressive five hundred eating establishments and shops have been rated with the top score of five by the Food Standards Agency.  Just two years ago, a 'Which?' report named Bexley as one of the London boroughs with the highest percentage of very low scores. The turn – around in a relatively short period of time is pretty astonishing, and is a credit to the Environmental Health team from Bexley Council, and the individual food vendors who have markedly improved their performance in respect of hygiene.

Following my account of the mysterious lights I saw flying over the River Thames from West to East at around 8.30pm on Monday the 21st September, I have been surprised by the lack of reports in the local or regional press. I would have thought that such a spectacular aerial display would have been seen by thousands of Londoners, but the silence has been deafening. One lady has contacted me after reading of my experience on the Maggot Sandwich. She sent me her own account:- “We live in New Eltham and our adult son saw the lights first at similar time to yourself. He was in our garden and immediately called my Husband and I to back up his observations. Our house looks out across the Charlton Athletic Training Ground towards Bexley Road which would run parallel to the Thames. The lights (I saw 10) were travelling from London towards Erith and were in the same formation as you mentioned. They were quite a way over from where we live so were almost certainly moving down the river following its course. I am a member of a Facebook Group - Charlton Athletic FC group and whilst we don't like 'non Charlton' posts within the group normally I posted about them in the hope that others had seen them and could identify what they maybe. I had several suggestions - laser spots from a performance at the O2, Military helicopters from a display which had apparently been taking place in London and Chinese lanterns. As you said yourself they moved silently, none of the suggestions offered within the group really seemed to fit what we had seen. I would be very interested to hear if you have any other people confirm the sightings or more especially if anyone can answer our question - 'what were they?'. My Husband commented that possibly they were something we weren't meant to know about. He may be right, but I am now very intrigued especially as until I read your article no one else had admitted seeing them. Hopefully, the mystery will be solved, but meanwhile we still keep looking skyward”. The mystery deepens. Did anyone else see the lights? I would love to know what it was that I saw; surely someone got a photo or took some video footage of the display? Contact me at hugh.neal@gmail.com with any information on the story.

Some users of Yahoo!'s photo-sharing site Flickr have been struggling or unable to upload photos to the site for several weeks. I have been reading the Flickr support forums, which are full of complaints from people – mostly in the UK – who have been unable to upload their snaps to Flickr. The site seems to be constantly timing out when uploads are attempted. The problem has been reported by Windows and OS X users. Discussions between photographers and Flickr staff have been ongoing for several days in the forums, but users in the UK are still reporting problems with the service. I have a Flickr Pro, paid for account, and have not personally come across any problems, but then I don't upload photos very often, unlike many users who are photographic professionals and use the web service as part of their business. One forum member wrote "I have tried all day again and failed to upload my monthly set of photos – disappointing as on the first of each month I publish a blog that links to my latest set of photos on Flickr. I have 31 photos. With a fast broadband link, as I have, they should take say maybe 10 minutes. It seems to have gone wrong maybe since Windows 10. I have tried using Edge, Microsoft Exchange and Google Chrome to upload – none of them work. I have tried the (beta) Flickr Uploader, and it also doesn’t work. I have twice sent off a log of my attempts to use the Windows Uploader (the old copy and paste upload does not work at all), and it looks to me as though there are some Flickr server problems which Flickr is refusing to acknowledge or even consider. I pay for this service but will probably not continue with it as it is at present. What is the point of a Photo Sharing application for which you cannot upload photos?" Some well put points; as I mentioned earlier, I have not come across the uploading problem, but many users have. You can see my own Flickr photo albums by clicking here. 

Bexley Neighbourhood Watch Association have just made the following announcement in respect of a new initiative that they have launched:- "Working closely with Gallions/Peabody Housing, SNT’s and Bexley Community Safety Partnership we have set up a new scheme called BIKEWATCH, which is aimed at reducing bike crime and bike nuisance in the Borough. Some areas of Bexley have been blighted by the constant noise of youngsters riding around in groups on motorbikes, as well as late night crime committed by similar bike gangs. In an effort to try and target police towards these offenders this new scheme will enable residents to report incidents directly to NW by signing up as members where they will be able to receive updates on offenders and what action has been taken against them. Also being offered is the option of being able to report incidents anonymously by reporting directly to us at Neighbourhood Watch and we will pass this on to the relevant Police Teams (SNT’s). Either way it should see a significant reduction in bike nuisance and crime in the Borough, but it will only work if residents in the areas where recruitment is targeted decide to report all such incidents to us. If you are interested in being part of this scheme or you would like us to pass on information to police teams please contact us directly at: bexwatchoffice@btconnect.com. We will email you back or send you membership cards that include an area for information to be included on offenders". Excellent news; hopefully they will also be able to get some information on the crooks that are stealing local cash machines - though it is now too late for the Asda supermarket in Lower Belvedere. 

The end video this week is a short documentary on the invention and manufacture of the Maxim Gun - the first fully automatic machine gun, which was invented by local inventor and businessman Sir Hiram Maxim. The guns were made in two factories locally - one in Crayford, and the other in Fraser Road, Erith. The sound of the Maxim guns being tested on the shooting range behind the Erith arms factory is the reason that even to this day the area is nick - named "The Pom - Pom".