Locally listed.

In a move that surprised some locals, Bexley Council have given Erith Town Hall locally listed status. Councillor Louie French signed the listing approval document, which states: - "Erith Town hall meets the criteria for inclusion on the Local List. The structure has historical and architectural significance and contribute to the townscape, for the reasons set out in this report. The inclusion of the properties on the list would make their preservation and enhancement as heritage assets a material consideration when determining relevant planning applications". Bexley maintains a Local List of buildings and structures that have been identified as positive elements within the local environment due to their local historic or architectural significance. Locally listed buildings are of local significance, as opposed to national significance. They are heritage assets that contribute to the understanding of the borough’s past and inform its present character. They add to the quality of the local environment. Buildings on the Local List are not subject to additional statutory controls, but their conservation and enhancement is an objective of national, London-wide, and local planning policy, and therefore is a material consideration when determining planning applications. Erith Town Hall opened on 2 June 1932 and is of historic importance locally in that it provided services for the locality as part of the Erith Borough Council (and formerly Erith Urban District Council). Erith Town Hall remains an attractive and prominent landmark building located within Erith Town Centre and retains the original Council Chamber. The design of the Town Hall building borrows features from the adjacent Carnegie library. ‘Italian Renaissance’ is quoted within the Erith Observer (published 10th June 1932) as the style in which the building has been constructed. The external surfaces feature red brick of attractive proportions and decorative stone features including window casements. The protruding front pediment exhibits the Coat of Arms of the Erith Urban District Council and is inscribed with the motto ‘labour overcomes all things’ (Erith Urban District Council was granted their own coat of arms by the College of Arms On 27 February 1906). There have been some unsympathetic alterations, namely the replacement of approximately 50 percent of the original metal-framed windows with that of UPVC. The metal railings to the perimeter walls (located to the front of the building) are also missing in places. The side access to the Council building (located along Bexley Road) has also been blocked-up and replaced with a UPVC window. The scale and ambition of the Erith Urban District Council was realised in the construction of the Town Hall as we know it today, which was part of a government scheme of public works to enable jobs (particularly for military veterans and the unemployed). The Town Hall was constructed almost entirely with local manpower and ninety per cent of the materials used for the construction were purchased in Erith. The building housed the Council’s administrative functions and thereby was an important point of contact for local people for a number of decades, until the formation of the London Borough of Bexley on 1st April 1965. To the present day, the building continues to operate some of the functions of the London Borough of Bexley, namely council tax and benefits, which were outsourced to Capita in 2011. The building is the only remaining purpose-built Town Hall within the borough. It is currently utilised for some of the statutory functions which are provided by Bexley Council. Personally I find it somewhat surprising that the building has been included in a local listing, as it is my understanding that one of the prime conditions for local listing is that the building in question should be substantially unchanged since it was constructed; this cannot be said of Erith Town Hall, which had an additional storey added (the raised roof level) in the early 1990's. I also am aware that the Council are looking to dispose of the building, now that its main function - as the centre for council tax and housing benefits has been merged with Bromley. Erith Town Hall is nowadays somewhat underused. It also makes me wonder that the cost of converting if for another use - for example as a hotel, might be greater than the cost of demolishing it and replacing it with an entirely new structure. As mentioned earlier, Electricity House, which is directly opposite, is of a similar vintage, and is already being targetted by Bexley Council in an attempt to buy out the leases prior to an expected compulsory purchase order being sought. What does the future hold for Erith Town Hall, now that it is covered by a local listing? Only time will tell. 

After a recent survey, more than half of Britons believe fireworks should be restricted to official and professionally managed displays only, and that the private use of fireworks should be banned. Since 2003, under 18’s have been prohibited from buying or using fireworks. The measures come under the Fireworks Act 2003, which also bars any member of the public from possessing high-powered "category four" fireworks of the kind used in professional displays. Now many activists, animal lovers and others have been campaigning for a further strengthening of the law, and as a result Police have been getting tougher with people using fireworks illegally. The clampdown is intended to tackle the problem of anti-social behaviour involving fireworks, Further hard line enforcement is due to come into force next year, including curfews on the setting off of fireworks, recognised training for display operators and the introduction of a tougher licensing system for suppliers. In a surprise move, giant supermarket brand Sainsbury's announced that they were no longer going to stock firework products as a result of negative feedback from pet owners, and also as a result of information from the Police about the use of fireworks in anti - social behaviour. I have since discovered that Canada, South Africa and Australia have limitations or bans on private firework displays, and the UK needs to seriously consider if it needs to follow suit. I was also made aware by a reader that an organised campaign to get heavy restrictions on the sale and use of fireworks is already under way. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The Association of Bexley Charities '78 - Autumn Fair 26 October 2019. An announcement from the group:- "We are holding our Autumn Fair at the United Reformed Church, Geddes Place, Bexleyheath DA6 7DJ (near the Broadway Shopping Centre) on Saturday 26th October 2019 from 9.45 am  - 1.00 pm. There will be a variety of charity stalls selling Christmas gifts and cards, CDs and DVDs, collectables, jewellery, chutneys, jams, cakes, books, children’s toys and games and model railway accessories. Refreshments will be available and the entrance fee is 50p (accompanied children FREE)".  

News reaches me that the beleaguered owners of the P2 Events Centre and the former children's nursery in the aforementioned Electricity House located at 33A Bexley Road, Erith have put both spaces up for rent. As I recently wrote, the temporary planning permission for the two areas of the building has been withdrawn by Bexley Council. Details of the former children's nursery space can be seen by clicking here. The proposed annual rent of £39,000 per year is in my opinion frankly eye watering. That is nothing in comparison to the P2 Events Centre, details of which can be seen by clicking here. The proposed rent for this shabby space is a staggering amount for what was formerly the Erith Snooker Centre - an incredible £95,000 a year - that is £7,916 a month. They will never get anything like this amount, especially as the future of the entire Electricity House is in some doubt. This is all under a background of Bexley Council negotiating with the individual leaseholders in order to buy out the leases in Electricity House prior to what I and many others believe to be a compulsory purchase order and then site redevelopment.

Erith is rightly known for its many engineering contributions to the world, and to the great inventions that have come from the small riverside town. The fire sprinkler, the sprung mousetrap and the first automatic machine gun were invented by Sir Hiram Maxim at his works in Fraser Road, and the first heavier than air flying machine - the Maxim Flyer. Maxim began his aerial experiments at Baldwyns Park, England, in the late 1880's, leading to the construction in 1893 of his enormous biplane Test-Rig, which weighed about 7,000 pounds. The machine's two steam engines each produced 180 h.p. and turned two pusher propellers each 17-1/2 feet in diameter. Since the device was intended to be a test vehicle it was held to a track, preventing it from rising more than a couple of feet. The Maxim Flyer took briefly to the air on its third test run, on July 31, 1894, with Maxim and a crew of three aboard, it lifted with such force that it broke the reinforced restraining track and careened for some 200 yards, at times reaching an altitude of 2 or 3 feet above the damaged track. It was believed that a lifting force of some 10,000 pounds had likely been generated. Maxim never took to the air again, and the flyer became a fairground ride, which to this day is still in use in Blackpool. You can read more about the Maxim Flyer by clicking here. Other local inventors of note include Edward Butler - who invented the Butler Petrol Cycle, which he tested along Manor Road in Erith in 1884 - two full years before Karl Benz built his first vehicle in Germany. Butler gave up on his invention, hence why Mercedes Benz are now credited with the invention of the car. I wrote at some length about this in the past, which you can read by clicking here. Apart from these big local engineering organisations, there have also been numerous smaller and less well - known enterprises, one of which I am featuring this week. The following information should be of particular interest to the significant number of my readers who are Radio Amateurs, but it should also be interesting to a general audience - or so I hope.  This is the story of a important, specialist electronic component supplier that for many years was based in a small industrial unit in Pier Road, Erith, opposite the spiral entrance to the old multi storey car park that used to be above the hideous brutalist concrete shopping centre. Thanks to local resident, regular reader and occasional contributor Miles, who brought this bit of local history to my attention, and who also sent me the price list scan above - click on it for a larger view. The company was called Quartslab, and it imported, manufactured and sold quartz oscillator crystals for the communications industry. A crystal oscillator is an electronic oscillator circuit that uses the mechanical resonance of a vibrating crystal of piezoelectric material to create an electrical signal with a precise frequency. This frequency is often used to keep track of time, as in quartz wristwatches, to provide a stable clock signal for digital integrated circuits, and to stabilise frequencies for radio transmitters and receivers. The most common type of piezoelectric resonator used is the quartz crystal, so oscillator circuits incorporating them became known as crystal oscillators. You can read more about crystal oscillators by clicking here. Quartslab became the largest supplier of crystal oscillators for use in electronic devices. Their story started in the 1970's. Quatrslab founder Dave Court, G3SDL received a significant quantity of commercial land mobile radio equipment for conversion to the 144 MHz amateur radio band. Finding a supplier of the necessary crystals at a reasonable price proved rather difficult. This was in the pre-Internet age but nevertheless a new quartz crystal factory in Singapore with good prices and a reasonable delivery time was identified and the crystals duly arrived. During a discussion with Dave Collings, G8EOK the idea of importing crystals for commercial mobile radio equipment on popular 144 MHz channels was discussed and Quartslab's predecessor company C and C Electronics was born. This enterprise was started with £200 capital and operated from rental accommodation in South East London. C and C expanded rapidly, and moved into the supply of crystals for professional as well as hobby radio applications and imported quartz crystal from suppliers in Canada, Denmark, India and Japan as well as Singapore. In 1978 the two Dave Cs decided to form a limited company and QSL or Quartslab Marketing Limited was established. In 1979 a change of address was triggered when the two QSL directors embarked on married life. This was the period when Quartslab traded from PO Box 73, Summit House. In the early 1980s Dave Court resigned his position as Director of Quartslab Marketing Ltd, due to increasing responsibilities in his full time occupation. Thus the most successful period of Quartslab’s existence commenced with the company trading from Pier Road in Erith under the sole stewardship of Dave Collings (now G4YIB). Quartslab went from strength to strength and started to manufacture small quantities of crystals itself to meet the demand for very fast delivery times. A good friend of mine, Bob Mersh G8JNZ who unfortunately is now deceased, was very close to the two Daves, and also told me that Quartslab manufactured the transmitter crystals for a large number of London's AM and FM pirate radio stations - something that they understandably kept quiet about. The situation carried on in much the same way for two decades and into the 21st century. At Christmas 2006,  the two Daves met again; the conversation turned to crystals and the next phase of the story was decided. Dave Court (now EI3IO) had started a telecommunications consultancy, Connogue Limited as well as a number of other initiatives, following his career in radio communications and had settled in Ireland after living in Denmark during the 1990s. It was agreed that Quartslab should move to the Emerald Isle and become part of the Connogue group of companies. In 2009 some major changes took place in respect of Dave Court’s business activities, which involved a move to Bahrain. Luckily another Dave (G4AKY) agreed to take over the reins of one of the British Isles’ most successful crystal companies and QuartSLab has returned to South East England, where it started over 35 years ago. The company is still very much active, and is now based in Sevenoaks, Kent. The Quartslab industrial unit in Pier Road was located where the currently empty units at 66 - 68 Pier Road are - right next to the Energie Gym. The old industrial units were demolished during the redevelopment of Erith Riverside Shopping Centre.

Recently I wrote that I did not want to describe Erith as one large building site; I am now of the opinion that to all intents and purposes it is. The entire town is undergoing a degree of regeneration not seen in a couple of generations. Not since the old and beloved Victorian town centre was demolished to make way for the brutalist concrete monstrosity that was the 1970’s era shopping centre (of which my enduring memory as a small child was the ever present smell of stale wee). Whatever issues or subjects Erith residents of a certain age disagree with, the unifying subject is that the heart of the town was ruined when the shopping centre was constructed. Only really in the last few years have things started improving, firstly by the fundamental re- engineering of the old shopping centre to form the current Erith Riverside Shopping Centre, which is a very pleasant place to be, and light years away from the gloomy and threatening old structure. Morrison’s have added a lot to Erith; in fact the Erith store was the first the then Northern based supermarket chain opened in the south, back in 1999. I recall being served by Sir Ken Morrison on the first day of opening (though I had to be told who he was, as I was clueless). Morrison’s employ well over five hundred local people, and put a lot of money back into the local economy. I would estimate that they are second to, or equal with ADM Oils as being the largest employer in the town. A new primary school will be opening next year on the Erith Quarry residential development, and the Riverside Baths development has now been fully occupied. On top of this, the Post Office building in Erith High Street is currently up for sale and possible redevelopment. If you have any information about other developments in the local area, please feel free to drop me a line to hugh.neal@gmail.com in complete confidence.

Now for the weekly local safety and security reports from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Obviously this week's updates are overshadowed by the tragic incident that occurred on Sunday afternoon at Barnehurst Avenue junction with Merewood Road. At the moment enquiries are ongoing but residents can be reassured that this was a one off incident and there is absolutely no reason for residents to be concerned. Apart from this I am pleased to report no burglaries since the last update. However there have been sporadic incidents of vehicle crime. In Normandy Way at 5:45am a male was seen running away from a vehicle which he had tried to break into. There was visible damage left on the car door. In Birling Road on Sunday 13th October at 8:20pm there was a theft of a moped. Local cctv shows two males of medium build wearing black helmets and dark clothing taking the moped off the victim, driveway. The suspects arrived at the scene on their own motor bike. Overnight of Sunday 13th October in a residential parking bay of Badlow Close there was an incident where the victim's vehicle has had its front driver's side window smashed. An untidy search of the vehicle has then occurred. It appears nothing was taken. On Saturday12th October at 11pm in Beechcroft Avenue a vehicle parked on the roadside has had its windscreen and driver's side window smashed. All four tyres have also been slashed. Local cctv shows a blue BMW 3 series pull up. Two males leave the car and approach the victim's vehicle. One male is seen walking around the vehicle slashing the tyres while the other throws a brick through the windscreen. The male that slashed the tyres then throws a brick through the side window. The victim has no idea why this has happened. The next community contact session will be coffee with cops at Barnehurst Golf Course at 11am on 23rd October". Belvedere ward:- "On Friday 11th throughout the early hours of the morning, there was a brick thrown at the front window of number 51 Ripley Road. Damage was caused to the double glazed window as the first pane of glass smashed completely. Also on Friday 11th and into Saturday 12th there was a further burglary at 38 Elmbourne Drive in which the rear patio doors were damaged (glass smashed) in order to gain entry. On Sunday 13th there was a further attempt to gain entry to the stand alone garage at 14 Lower Park Road. Once again, this proved to be an unsuccessful attempt. There was a burglary at 16 Halifield Drive this week, on Monday 14th between midnight and 3:45 pm. It appears that a hall way window had been left slightly open allowing possible entry to the property. On Thursday 10th October, PCSO Worrall and PC Holmes discovered a silver Audi A5 after we were alerted by Councillor Hinkley to its whereabouts in Lower Road. The vehicle was taken to the Police car pound for further examination. PC Holmes then recovered a second stolen vehicle from Picardy Manorway an hour later. On Wednesday 16th , PCSO Worrall was also alerted to a motorcycle that was in St. Thomas Road. Subsequent checks showed that it had been stolen a few days earlier from a nearby street. The owner was then contacted and has been reunited with his vehicle". Bexleyheath ward:- "There was an attempted shed burglary in Heathfield Avenue overnight on the Saturday the 12th of October. No entry was gained to the shed and nothing was taken. Between Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th of October there has been a residential burglary in Parkhill Road. Rear patio doors were smashed to gain entry to the property. Cash and jewellery was stolen. Between Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th of October a white Audi, registration GK13DPZ was stolen from Dale Road. It's unknown how the vehicle was taken as the owner has the keys. Stops and searches continue across the ward, including the war memorial, car parks for possession of cannabis. The team will be working several more late shifts than usual from now into November for Operation Autumn Nights, to tackle ASB that tends to increase at this time of the year. If you are aware of any issues in your local area please do get in contact with the team". Crayford ward:- "I am really pleased to say that there have been absolutely no catalytic convertor thefts this week. In fact, motor crime has been very much reduced this week other than one theft of motor vehicle which occurred between 22.00 on 10th October and 13.00 on 11th October when a white Audi Q5 S Line, number plate GK13 DPZ was stolen off a driveway in Dale Road without keys. There was an attempted burglary at Aldi on Monday 14th October at 4.15 am. Seen on CCTV, two male suspects aged between 15-18 years and on bicycles broke through a door and realising they could not continue in to the store then left. Four worn tyres were stolen from a business in Crayford Way surrounded by a six foot fence on Monday 7th October. There have been two distraction thefts this week in Crayford, please be very aware of this sort of crime. A blue I Phone XR was stolen from a shop in Crayford High St at 10.50am on 9th October, the suspect is seen on CCTV and is described as IC2, possibly Algerian. The other theft occurred at the Post Office on 12th October at 16.30. The suspect and his accomplice kept changing their minds about how they wanted their money resulting in a loss to the Post office. The main suspect is described as IC2, about 5'4”, medium build and was wearing a hat. (colour not given on report) His accomplice was described as having a beard, greasy hair and thin. Our next community contact session will be on Wednesday 23rd October at Crayford Library between 2-3pm". Erith ward:- "For residents that attend our ward panel meeting we have had to have a change of location this month, we are having it on the same day Wednesday 30th Oct, but the location has been moved to Erith Pier Road Police Station, Feel free to email me if you would like more info. We are having a free bike marking event outside Erith Pier Road Police Station on the Saturday 2nd November between 11am and 1pm this will be FREE so pop along with your bikes. Also we are carrying out a crime survey and are looking at getting 1000 of these completed in Erith, these are for you are residents to complete, Any of my NHW members across Erith who would like to deliver and collect these to the area they cover PLEASE get in contact with me. Crimes of note from the week, Theft from MV Wednesday 09/10/2019 11:00:00 14/10/2019 Friday Road, Theft from MV Monday 14/10/2019 09:00:00 Avenue Road, Theft of MV Wednesday 16/10/2019 18:40:00 James Watt Way, Theft Wednesday 16/10/2019 19:17:00 Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, in James Watt Way". Northumberland Heath ward:- "There was an attempted burglary of the garage area opposite Thorne Close around 10pm on Thursday 10/10/2019. Suspects in 2 vehicles (a white van and a grey mini) were disturbed by a passer by. No garages were broken in to. Bolt cutters were left behind by the suspects and have been taken for forensic examination. There has been an increased amount of shop lifting reported in the last week at BP on Bexley Road. CCTV images are being looked at by the team to identify who may be involved. ASB has been reported in recent days outside BNN shop in Brook Street. The team will be patrolling the location to try and prevent this becoming a bigger issue. A dangerous dog warrant was executed by the team in Beechfield Road on Saturday 12/10/2019. A dog was removed from the premises after it had recently attacked another dog. One fine was issued to a male who was found with cannabis on him during a stop and search last week".

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Six vehicle crimes have been reported in the last week. All of them took place overnight. 2 of them were thefts of number plates. The other 4 were Catalytic converter thefts. They all took place between the Monday 14th and Wednesday 16th of October. The number plates were stolen from Bilton Road and Alexandra Road. The Catalytic converters were taken from Boundary Street X2, Frobisher Road and Manor Road (these were both taken overnight between Monday 14 – Tuesday 15th). All of the catalytic converters were taken from Japanese made cars, Honda, Toyota etc. Please be aware that if you are the owner of one of these vehicles to try and park your vehicle in a well lit place or garage if possible. On Wednesday 16/10/2019 PCSO Mark attended the Slade Green Big Local Stakeholders conference where the last few years of The Local Plan were discussed as well as an update on activities in the last 6 months. Our next CCS is on Tuesday 22/10/2019 from 12 Midday at the Welcome Café in St Augustines Church. Please come along and say hello". Thamesmead East ward:- "No Burglaries this week. Haldane Road Wednesday 9/10/19 at 10;22pm a witness stated that they had seen someone pull up to the house and smash windows. On police arrival smashed windows were seen, the house appeared empty as there was no furniture to suggesting anyone lived there. Kale Road Thursday 10/10/19 between 10am - 2 pm passenger window smashed and vehicle broken into nothing taken. Yarnton Way Thursday 10/10/19 between 7:30pm – 9pm victims front number plate removed by suspect/s unknown an attempt to remove the rear plate was unsuccessful. Wolvercote Road between Thursday 10/10/19 11pm – 8am 11/10/19 side window smashed glasses and perfume taken by suspect unknown. Wolvercote Road Friday 11/10/19 at 4:30am Victim went down to his car, noticed that the car window had been smashed. In the distance a male in dark clothing was seen smashing the window of another vehicle. The victim chased the male down Wolvercote Road, towards Yartnton Way but lost sight of the suspect. Kale Road Friday 11/10/19 at 8:30pm victim could hear shouting and looking out of his flat window could see a group of males and females possibly arguing. One of the male suspects was seen by the victim to kick his car. Victim shouted out his window and the suspects ran off but not before kicking both wing mirrors off. Damage to rear nearside light also seen. Templar Drive Friday 11/10/19 between 3pm – 8:30am Sat 12/10/19 Victim has noticed the glove compartment was open and the driver door was unlocked. £25 in Euros and car key to work lorry taken. Templar Drive Friday 11/10/19 between 4pm – 1:45pm Sat 12/10/19 victim noticed that suspect/s had been in his vehicle and removed personal items as well as a brown pouch containing £50 without his permission. Yarnton Way Saturday 12/10/19 between 7pm – 7:30pm Victim reports the theft of his mobility scooter after leaving it unattended when it ran out of charge. Victim returned an hour later and it had been stolen". West Heath ward:- "We returned from rest days this week to find out we had one attempted burglary in Elmstead Crescent on Tuesday October 8th. At 11.15am the occupant was sitting in the lounge of their property when they heard the back door handle being tried. The suspect was disturbed and ran away slamming the outer door behind them. On Tuesday October 8th between 7am and 11.15am police were driving in Long Lane when they heard an alarm going off in Nicola Terrace. A side door to a property was smashed in and an untidy search of the property conducted but at this stage it is not known if anything was taken. In relation to motor vehicle crime, one theft of a BMW in Little Heath Road between Sunday October 13th 10.30pm – Monday October 14th 6.45am. Criminal damage to a vehicle in Preston Drive on Tuesday October 15th between 8.30am – 6.10pm. Last week we held our quarterly ward panel meeting which was well attended. Our promises for the next quarter remain unchanged focusing on Motor Vehicle crime, Burglary and ASB/Drugs. The next drop in police surgery will be held at the Bostall Library in King Harolds Way on Friday October 25th at 1pm".

The end video this week features highlights of local football team Erith Town FC, playing in a match with Welling Town for the Buildbase VA Vase.

Quintet.

The front doors of the former Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith, were open to the public for the first time in well over a decade last Sunday afternoon. The reason for this was a performance by five members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra of three pieces of classical music, including one by a little known composer from Erith, whose work has not been performed in public in living memory. A capacity audience of 130 visitors listened to the nearly two hour long recital, which was held to raise money to refurbish the book lift in the Grade II listed library building, which is being restored and converted into a community, arts and education centre by not for profit group The Exchange. The programme of music consisted of:- Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958): Phantasy Quintet, followed by a piece by Percy Hilder Miles (1878-1922, of Erith) String Quintet in A - which to me in some parts sounded very similar to the theme from the "Band of Brothers" TV series by HBO, but I digress. This piece was followed by a short interval, then the recital was concluded by W.A. Mozart (1756-1791) String Quintet in C. The recital was hugely popular; I spoke to many concert goers who were keen for recitals of this type to be staged on a regular basis. The BBC Symphony Orchestra members who formed the string quintet were so impressed by the excellent acoustics in the building that they are keen to return to make some recordings. The Phantasy Quintet by Percy Hilder Miles was performed in public for what may well have been the first time in nearly a century; Miles was born in Crayford 1878, he lived nearly all his life in Erith, at 18 Queen's Road. Percy was a child prodigy, composing from the age of 8. He was also a very talented violinist and performed the Beethoven violin concerto with an orchestra at the age of 13. At 15 he entered the Royal Academy of Music and one year  later composed this quintet in A major, which was the piece played last Sunday. Later, in 1917 he reminisced about the work in a letter to his cello-playing brother Maurice: “A thing of mine I have a very warm affection for is the A major quintet...for grace and charm, general euphony, transparency and naturalness, I have never beaten that A major quintet”. It is a short work which reveals the influence of Brahms and Dvorak, both of whom had written viola quintets only a few years earlier. Percy became a Professor of Harmony and Counterpoint at the Academy upon graduation and later became an examiner for the Associated Board. As such he travelled all over the Empire, going six times around the world, including a stint in Australia. Percy never married and sadly he died of pneumonia in 1922 aged just 43. He left behind over 150 compositions, mainly Chamber Music, but also some songs and a few orchestral works and concertos. He is buried with his parents in Brook Street cemetery. There are plans for the first ever CD recording of his music in the Autumn.

Another event to shortly be taking place in the former library is that visitors from the parallel world of Par Bexia are inviting residents to visit their planet at two special performances at the The Old Library, Erith. The visit to the Old Library, Erith on 21 and 28 June is connected to the Performing Places project and is being hosted by The Exchange, who manage The Old Library.  The Old Library plays host to an exciting programme of events and is also home to the fabulous Bookstore Café. Performing Places features beings from a parallel universe Bexleyheath, called Par Bexia. Par Bexia is falling apart. The Par Bexians want to understand more about our Bexleyheath and how we care for the town centre and the people that live, work and visit it. They believe they will learn how to care for their own place from this visit. The Performing Places concept was developed by Professor Sally Mackey from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and has already been delivered successfully in several other towns, including Oldham, Abergavenny and Camden. The Old Library event, called The Bexliest Day of our Lives, promised to treat Bexley residents like real VIPs. They will shoot through the galaxy in our time travelling space portal, be offered a Bexley burger in our famous Earth Café, the chance to meet our very own Bexley human replica robots - and maybe even audition for a special Parbexian episode of ‘Bexley’s Got Talent’. This piece of children’s theatre will be performed by Drama, Applied Theatre and Education students from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and is aimed at 10 and 11 year olds, with their families. You can find more about the event, and book spaces by clicking here.

As I covered back in April, Bexley Council and a couple of their hired consulting firms undertook two open days in the empty commercial units at 68 Pier Road, Erith. This was to encourage opinion and feedback on the proposals the council had published relating to improvements in the public realm in the local area. Over two hundred people turned up to these events, and the council have now decided to expand the consultation with two additional open days. The events are held as part of the Erith Kitchen, at Pier Road on Friday, June 14 4pm-9pm and Friday, July 12 4pm-9pm. Residents can also fill out a survey online at www.greatererith.com/riversidegardens.

Residents in Sandcliff Road in Erith are up in arms yet again – and with very good reason. They are blighted by the incompetence of Thames Water. Ever since 1998 the road has had drainage problems – a giant chemical effluent leak caused several thousand gallons of industrial liquid waste to seep up through the drains and flood a number of houses in the road; I recall at the time that several houses were evacuated for months on end – and one was condemned as unfit for human habitation, Thames Water were subsequently fined £250,000 by the Department of the Environment for the spillage, and their apparent inability to properly organise the subsequent clean up. There have been a number of sewage floods in the road since, to the point where locals re – named the road “Poo Mews” – something which seems to have stuck. Back in 2012 there were floods of liquid excrement – you can read all about it on the News Shopper website here. Since then, nothing much has been done to permanently rectify the situation. In the last few days with the heavy rain, Sandcliff Road has once again been flooded with raw sewage. It strikes me that the local residents are blighted not just by the actual floods, but by the damage to the reputation of the road. I would not be surprised if house prices are badly affected by the situation – after all, who would want to live in an area where you had a strong chance of ending up knee deep in other people’s number twos when you ventured outside your front door? From Thames Water’s perspective, it is a PR disaster; I think the main reason that they don’t take a more proactive approach to the problem is that Sandcliff Road is a little travelled side lane, with a predominantly working class population. If a flood of dung was to happen in somewhere rather more affluent (rather than effluent) like Bexley Village, I reckon that the “sharp elbowed middle classes” would have got a rather better reaction from the powers that be. I have walked down Sandcliff Road several times recently, and I can confirm the aroma of multiple bowel movements is hard to ignore; it is just as well I am a non smoker, as the volume of methane in the air could well be close to a combustible level. I feel sorry for the residents, and hope that the problem can eventually be resolved. If you have any insight into this situation, please Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com - any messages will be treated in the strictest confidence. 

In last week's Blog update I wrote at some length about historical local engineer Thorsten Nordenfelt and his work on early submarines; I touched on the subject of his collaborator, the Reverend George Garrett, and now I will expand on this. The Reverend George Garrett (1852–1902), clergyman and submarine designer, was born on the 4th July 1852 at 45 Waterloo Road, Lambeth, London, the third son of John Garrett, an Irish curate, and his wife, Georgina. The Garretts moved to Manchester in the early 1860s, and George attended Rossall School in Fleetwood until 1867, when the family was financially ruined and he was moved to Manchester grammar school. From 1869 he worked as a schoolteacher and studied chemistry at Owens College, Manchester. The combination of work and study reflected the financial pressures on his father. At Owens he developed an effective system for self-contained breathing, using caustic potash to remove carbon dioxide from the exhaled air. Work on this device probably damaged his lungs, and brought about his early death. In 1871 he went to work and study in Ireland, and graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, with an honours degree in experimental sciences in 1875. After a year travelling in the south seas Garrett married Jane Parker of Waterford—they had four children—took the Cambridge theology examination, and in 1877 became curate to his father. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–8 and the war scare that gripped the British empire inspired Garrett to develop a simple one-man submersible, built in Birkenhead and demonstrated by the autumn of 1878. This secured support for a company from a mystery backer, possibly the Swedish armaments magnate Thorsten Nordenfelt, for the construction of a larger, 33 ton, steam-driven version. This craft, the Resurgam, was completed at Birkenhead in November 1879. Extensive trials were conducted at Liverpool and at sea, demonstrating that it could be submerged, if only briefly, and propelled underwater. This was the first time any vessel had been mechanically propelled below the surface. In February 1880, while on a voyage to Portsmouth for Royal Navy inspection, the boat was lost off Rhyl in a storm. In August 1882 Garrett travelled to Sweden to work for Nordernfelt's Submarine Torpedo Boat Company. Here the interests of inventor and owner clashed; Garrett sought an effective submersible, while Nordenfelt wanted a torpedo boat that could submerge. While Nordernfelt's name graced the product, the design was essentially Garrett's. The new boat carried a single locomotive torpedo. The boat was completed in August 1883, but underwater trials were hampered by the poisonous fumes from the steam plant. However, public trials were held in September 1885. Despite Garrett's best efforts the flawed design did little more than show that it could operate on the surface and run briefly underwater. It was sold by Nordenfelt's agent Basil Zaharoff to the Greek navy, and delivered in January 1886. While trials in Greece were a failure the Turks were persuaded otherwise, and bought two boats. These were badly built, inferior, if larger, versions of the prototype, and did not work when completed in 1887, though Garrett did manage to carry out the first submerged launch of a torpedo. In their efforts to make the boats work the Turks even commissioned Garrett as commander, though on an honorary basis. A fourth boat was built at Barrow in Furness to an improved design, but the hectic schedule of work in Britain and Turkey finally caught up with Garrett, never in good health, who suffered a breakdown. He recovered in time to demonstrate the latest craft at Portsmouth in May 1887, and at the jubilee naval review in July. Eventually the Russians agreed to try the vessel on a sale-or-return basis, but it was wrecked, en route on the Danish coast. Garrett, who was living in some style at Southampton, continued to work on enclosed steam systems, but when the Nordenfelt company was subsumed into the new Barrow Shipbuilding concern, which eventually became Vickers, Garrett lost his major backer. The Germans built two Garrett/Nordenfelt submarines, but paid no royalties. Not surprisingly, they also made them work rather better than the originals. In 1890, after discussions with John Jacob Astor, Garrett moved to the United States to become a farmer in Florida. He was already seriously ill with the pulmonary disease that was to kill him. Farming proved disastrous, and after a spell as a railway fireman in New York, and an American soldier during the Spanish-American War of 1898, when he became an American citizen, he died of tuberculosis in New York Metropolitan Hospital on 26 February 1902, aged forty-nine. He was buried in Mount Olivet cemetery, Maspeth, New York on 1 March. Garrett's career combined innovation, triumph, absurdity, and failure in a way that quickly obscured his real contribution. By creating a submersible, though it failed, he spurred the work of others, notably the American John Holland, which resulted in effective submersible warships entering service within a decade of Garrett's death. The Garrett family remained in the United States, and subsequently prospered. At the time of writing the Resurgam had been located by divers, with the possibility of being raised.

Monty Python’s Spamalot is a musical comedy adapted from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Like the motion picture, it is a highly irreverent parody of the Arthurian legend, but it differs from the film in many ways. The original 2005 Broadway production, directed by Mike Nichols, received 14 Tony Awards nominations, winning in three categories, including Best Musical. This is the amateur premiere by members of Erith Playhouse. You can read more about the production and also book tickets by clicking on the link here.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association, starting with the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Good news for Barnehurst, no burglaries have been reported in the last week. We have had another theft from motor vehicle in Barnehurst Avenue on Friday 07th June 2019 at 1900 hours. On this occasion a hole was made to access the vehicle however nothing was taken. This area has been targeted particularly over the last month. Can we ask you double check your vehicle is locked as thieves will go round trying door handles until they get lucky. Remove all items even if you feel they have no value. Sensor lights may quickly discourage thieves away from your vehicle too. A quantity of drugs were found following a drugs warrant being executed on Friday 07th June 2019 in the local area. Investigations are ongoing. Just a reminder our community contact session will be on Tuesday 18/06/2019 at 4.00pm in Barnehurst Golf Club, Mayplace Road East, hope to see you there". Belvedere ward:- "On two consecutive nights recently there were reported break-ins at B&Q in Lower Road. These offences took place in the early hours of both Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th June at around 2am. Two males were seen to break into the store via the locked exit doors after having smashed through glass panels with a hammer in order to gain entry. In total around £6500.00 worth of goods were removed from the store. There was a burglary in Abbey Road on Sunday 9th June at around 7.30pm. A male gained entry to the property via the rear door before being disturbed and challenged by a resident of the address. The suspect made his way from the property without having taken anything from within. An attempted garage burglary took place in Grosvenor Road on Sunday 9th June at 5.35pm. Two young males were caught on CCTV as they were observed trying to enter several garages without success. All of these incidents are still being investigated. The team also attended the Sikh Temple in Lower Road on Sunday 9th June to offer Smartwater kits to the community". Bexleyheath ward:- "Good news: There have been no reports of residential burglaries over the last week. There has been a report of a theft of motor vehicle along Heversham Road on Monday 10/06/2019 between 3 & 4pm. Ward officers are conducting regular patrols along drug hot spots on the ward along Albion Road and surrounding areas, so far the team has had approximately 18 stop and searches. Car parks on the ward are also included in the patrols. ASB patrols also take place around the war memorial as the team have received complaints about ASB and drugs. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 and 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "On Monday 3rd June property was stolen from a delivery vehicle at the rear of Currys. The rear number plate was stolen from a vehicle parked in Old Road on 5th June. A white Ford Transit van was stolen from Bexley Lane at 00.20 on 7th June, this has since been recovered by Crayford Safer Neighbourhood team in Shearwood Crescent. A bag was stolen from the locked staff room of a local business in Waterside on Friday 7th June between 18.15-18.20. The bag was discarded nearby but money, ID, and an IPhone were stolen. Between Thursday 6th and Friday 7th June a car was broken in to and money taken in Woodside Road. A front number plate DY59FHM was stolen on 8th June from Maiden Lane, this should be on a blue Fiat Punto. A blue Nissan was stolen from Ridge Way between Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June, it has since been recovered from Halcot Avenue. A lady had her money taken on Monday 10th June at 14.00 whilst near Stadium Way, at this time there are no further details. £10,000 worth of tools have been reported stolen from a building site at Mayplace Primary School in Woodside Road on Tuesday 11th June, no further details given at this time. A light metallic grey sports car with a canvas roof has been stolen from the garage area of Claremont Crescent on Monday 10th June, the wing mirror was broken on the driver's side, the garage door had already been damaged. We have been very busy around the ward this week with our officers conducting uniform and plain clothes patrols, many stop and searches completed and class A and B offences detected". Erith ward:- "We have been hit again with quite a few theft from motor vehicles, do all you can by not leaving anything on show in your vehicle overnight, even a little bit of small change left is enough to tempt some people. Also remember to lock the vehicle doors, you will be surprised at how many people forget to do this. One Burglary from the week at Bexley college where a male broke into the café and stole some items of food and drink this was captured on CCTV. Crimes of note from the week: Shoplift <£200 Wednesday 05/06/2019 Morrisons, James Watt Way; Theft from motor vehicle Monday 03/06/2019 Winifred Road; Theft from motor vehicle Thursday 30/05/2019 Pembroke Road; Theft from MV Thursday 16/05/2019, Erith Road; Other theft Saturday 08/06/2019 W M Morrison petrol station, James Watt Way; Burg-Bus/Com Monday 10/06/2019 Bexley College, Walnut Tree Road; Theft from motor vehicle Wednesday 05/06/2019 Chandlers Drive; Theft from motor vehicle Tuesday 11/06/2019 Chichester Wharf".

Northumberland Heath ward:- "Unfortunately we had two garages broken into. Burglars will usually try a shed or garage first because they can potentially find tools needed to get into a house nearby. It's worth having a good padlock on the door with no exposed screws. Pay attention to hinges as these are sometimes easily removable. Consider a battery operated alarm; they look low-key but respond to movement or contact with an extremely loud siren. If you have windows then these could be vulnerable unless they are secured with wire mesh or grills. Drape a sheet or blanket over items inside to keep them covered from view. Ideally lock everything away securely. Never leave your garage or shed door unlocked if you are not around. Check that your insurance covers the contents of your outbuildings. A set of number plates has been taken from a parked and unattended vehicle in Frinsted Road. If you happen to see registration number RN51CCY please contact police so further enquiries can be made. Should you wish to protect your vehicle from this type of offence drop us a line and we may be able to provide appropriate anti-theft devices. Our next open surgery to give local residents an opportunity to speak to us about any issues or concerns is due to take place 4pm Friday 21/6/19 at the Library in Mill Road DA8 1HW. The surgery is scheduled to run for an hour and no prior notification is required to attend". Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Two vehicle crimes in the last week to report. Tools were stolen from a van in Peareswood Road overnight on Sunday June 9th and overnight on Monday June 10th some Rayban sunglasses were taken from the glove box of a car parking in Hazel Road. Please do not leave anything valuable in your car, even if it is parked on a driveway as both of these vehicles were. The police helicopter was flying over and the ward in the early hours of Sunday June 9th and noticed a moped driving dangerously on the pavements in Slade Green. Units were called and after a short chase, both suspects were caught, arrested and interviewed. We just are awaiting a charging decision but our thanks goes to our colleagues in the air. 2 positive stop and searches from Mark and James this last week with a PND fine issued to a suspect after a car was stopped in Whitehall Lane with 3 occupants. The vehicle and suspects were all searched with some drugs recovered. The team helped Immigration Officers last week on an operation in Belvedere, no arrests made. Photo's were sent to us by Orbit Housing showing a group of youths on the roof of Grange House Sunday afternoon. No positive ID's at this time but enquiries are ongoing and the access door to the roof area has been secured with warning letters sent out to all residents in the block and in Daleview". Thamesmead East ward:- "Vehicle Crime - Theft of Motor Vehicle Martham Close Thursday 06/06/19 between 10am – 6pm Vehicle seen on drive at 10am Victims husband arrived home at 6pm the vehicle was no longer at the location however there was evidence of broken glass on the ground. Victim had been home all day and heard nothing. Thamesbank Place Friday 07/06/19 between 2:30pm – 8am 08/06/19 Victims vehicle has been removed from location without permission my suspect/s unknown. Chadwick Way Monday 10/06/19 between 12pm – 9:40pm suspect/s unknown taking victims vehicle from the location without permission. Theft from Vehicle. Maran Way Monday 10/06/19 between 9:15pm – 8am 11/06/19 Victim states vehicle broken into suspect/s removed items within". West Heath ward:- Unfortunately we have two burglaries and an attempted burglary over the last week. On Thursday June 6th between 07.15 and 07.30 the victim was at their home address in Woolwich Road when the victim was at her home address in her bedroom. At approx. 0715 hours the victim's husband left their home address via the side gate as he does every morning. At approx. 0720 hours the victim heard a noise as if a door was being closed and thought nothing of this as she normally hears next door in their property. A few minutes later she went downstairs and noticed her phone had been taken from the kitchen side along with her purse containing multiple store/membership cards and 2x debit cards. A Lloyds Bank car and royal bank of Scotland card which was also taken. There was no sign of forced entry. On Monday June 10th between 1am to 2pm a window was forced to a property in Amberley Way several electrical items were taken. One attempted burglary in Long Lane on Monday June 19th at approximately 11.30pm. The property was empty following the recent death of the resident, a window was forced but entry was not gained. We have also had several reports of motor vehicle crime this week. A black Ford Fiesta was stolen from Woolwich Road overnight between Tuesday June 4th between 5pm and 5.30pm the following day. A green Volkswagen Polo was stolen from Brampton Road between midnight and 6.30pm on Thursday June 6th. The team executed a warrant in Darenth Road on Wednesday June 12th to seize a believed pit bull to assess the dog and to ascertain if it could potentially be of a dangerous breed".

The end video this week comes courtesy of long established local recycling firm, Abbey Car Breakers, whose large facility is located at Wheatley Terrace Road in Erith, close to Morrison's supermarket. They have around seven hundred vehicles for breaking and recycling on site at any one time, and also sell new and refurbished spare parts for a wide range of vehicles. I had occasion to visit Abbey Car Breakers last week, on the lookout for a rare and  hard to located component for a friend's car. The last time I visited Abbey Car Breakers was about thirty years ago, and the place seems to have changed little - they still have a huge supply of new and used spares for a wide range of vehicles. Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

Another incinerator?

I recently took the photo above from Erith Pier; it shows the M.V Sand Fulmar, a British registered sand dredger that I photographed on its journey up river whilst full of marine sand that it had dredged from the English Channel. The ship was heading for the commercial port at Angerstein Wharf, which is an industrial area and location of a marine construction aggregate and an associated cement facility and freight station in the Port of London, operated by the Cemex company, located on the South bank of the River Thames, between Charlton and Greenwich. The wharf is where the sand is unloaded and transferred onto rail containers to be transported to construction sites around the South East. The M.V Sand Fulmar is based in the port of Cardiff and was built in 1998; it regularly trades on the Thames, and most of its movements involve trips to the Angerstein Wharf. The wharf was built and opened by Russian born Charlton landowner John Angerstein in 1852 in order to get rail access to the to Angerstein Wharf on the River Thames; it also ran deep into the old East Greenwich gas works. Nowadays it is purely used for freight. Many of the ballast and gravel trains one sees passing along the North Kent line divert onto the Angerstein Wharf branch line. Gravel and sand that has been dredged from the sea is collected by the freight trains for use in the construction industry. No passenger trains run on the branch line; it is exclusively used by freight trains. Regular readers may be aware that I recently featured a story on the wharf back in April, and the railway line that links it to the main line adjacent to Charlton Station; the Angerstein Wharf branch line is the oldest full gauge freight rail line in the world, and it has had a well used and very popular pedestrian crossing over it, linking parts of residential Charlton to Westcombe Park station. As I wrote then, a couple of readers who brought the story to my attention, that plans by Network Rail to close the foot crossing were shortly to be implemented. Since then, and after a number of campaigns on social media, a couple of well watched YouTube videos by the likes of Geoff Marshall, and an investigation by Daryl Chamberlain's excellent 853 Blog, the closure of the foot crossing has been put on hold for now. The reason Network Rail gave for their wishing the closure of the foot crossing is that they intend for a greater number of freight trains to run on the branch line; at present there is usually only one train a day, but if the number of train journeys is to increase, Network Rail will need to improve the signalling on the line, which would mean the closure of the foot crossing due to safety concerns. No provision had been made by Network Rail for locals to be given an alternative crossing arrangement, and very little information was published about the proposed closure. You can read the full details of the way both Network Rail and Greenwich Council covered up the proposed closure of the foot crossing by reading the in - depth investigative article on the 853 website here. Darryl and his small team of journalists have - for the time being - stopped the closure of the foot crossing, but what will happen in the long term is still unclear.

Mark Deveney, Chairman and owner of Erith Town FC writes:- "Erith Town Community Scheme held its first ever free coaching day at King Henry School, Erith today (Friday).We were genuinely overwhelmed with the response with 105 children taking part. Interestingly there were 38 girls in attendance, which bodes well for local girls football. Local professional footballer Bradley Dack was on hand to present the medals, trophies supplied by Supreme Engraving and water bottles, which were kindly provided by the Erith Group. Due to the success of today we are planning to hold half term and summer term courses at the School".

Next Sunday afternoon, members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra will be performing as a string quintet in the main hall at the former Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith. The recital starts at 3pm and will run until around 5pm, and costs £10 per adult, and £5 for concessions; money raised by the concert will go towards the restoration of the historic mechanical book lift in the library, so please feel free to give more than the ticket face value if you are able. Full details of the classical recital, and details of how to book online can be found by clicking here. Viola player and local resident Phil Hall describes the musical programme planned for next Sunday thus:- "RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS wrote his Phantasy Quintet in 1912- the third piece he had written at that time bearing the title “Fantasy”, the most famous being his Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis.  His quintet is a short, attractive work where each movement runs into the next. It prominently features the composer's own instrument, the viola, which begins the work pentatonically. This is followed by a rollicking Scherzo in 7/8 time which subsides into a beautiful slow Sarabande where the cello is silent. The Finale is a lively Burlesca with tunes one can imagine being sung by the people from whom he collected folk songs. At the close there is a foreshadowing of his Lark Ascending as the violin rises higher and higher before closing in a mood of rapt ecstasy. PERCY HILDER MILES, born in Crayford 1878, was 6 years younger than Vaughan Williams but unlike his more famous predecessor he lived nearly all his life in Erith, at 18 Queen's Road. Percy was a child prodigy, composing from the age of 8. He was also a very talented violinist and performed the Beethoven violin concerto with an orchestra at the age of 13. At 15 he entered the Royal Academy of Music and one year later composed this quintet in A major. Later, in 1917 he reminisced about the work in a letter to his cello-playing brother Maurice: “A thing of mine I have a very warm affection for is the A major quintet...for grace and charm, general euphony, transparency and naturalness, I have never beaten that A major quintet”. It is a short work which reveals the influence of Brahms and Dvorak, both of whom had written viola quintets only a few years earlier. Percy became a Professor of Harmony and Counterpoint at the Academy upon graduation and later became an examiner for the Associated Board. As such he travelled all over the Empire, going six times around the world (all by boat of course). Percy never married and sadly he died of pneumonia in 1922 aged just 43. He left behind over 150 compositions, mainly Chamber Music but also some songs and a few orchestral works and concertos. He is buried with his parents in Brook Street cemetery. There are plans for the first ever CD recording of his music in the Autumn. Following this there will be an intermission, then a piece from MOZART who composed his C major quintet in April 1787.  It was not a happy year for him since although he had recently triumphed with his new opera "The Marriage of Figaro" in Prague, his father was gravely ill and his best friend Count August von Hatfield, a fine amateur violinist, had died at the age of thirty-one. By April, Mozart was penniless and he and his wife Constanza were forced to move out of their lavish apartment for a cheaper one in the Viennese suburbs, a move which upset his dying father. To make money he taught privately and sold manuscripts of chamber music in sets of three or six. Purchasers usually enjoyed exclusive rights to performances for a fixed period prior to the works being published. This misfired with three of the six quintets he composed, however, as he was now being branded as a “difficult” composer. They were eventually sold to a publisher and published a year after his death. Mozart also played the viola and his C major quintet is his most ample in the genre, equivalent to his great “Jupiter" Symphony or 25th Piano Concerto, both in that key. A large first movement in sonata form contrasts with a beautiful slow movement which has a love duet for the first violin and first viola. Then follows a typical Austrian-sounding minuet and trio and finally a playful finale". The string quintet will be made up of Anna Smith and Lucy Curnow on violins, Phil Hall and Peter Mallinson on violas, and Michael Atkinson on cello. You can book your tickets by clicking here. 

There is currently a spate of thefts from motor vehicles of a particular component; Thieves are cashing in on lucrative prices for Rhodium, Palladium and Platinum in vehicle catalytic converters, which form part of the exhaust system. The metals which clean cars’ toxic gases can be recycled for use in jewellery, dentistry and electronics. The crimewave reverses a decline in the number of metal thefts from a peak six years ago which led to the introduction of new laws making it illegal to buy scrap metal for cash. Rhodium can command prices of up to £2,000 an ounce, twice the value of Gold. Palladium and Platinum trade at 70 to 80 percent of the value of Gold. BMW, Audis and VWs are being targeted, according to the police who have urged car owners and businesses to take protective steps to make the catalytic converters harder to steal. Police have advised etching security details into the converters, installing extra bolts or protective sleeves to make them harder to cut out and “defensive parking” against a wall or by another lower-slung vehicle to make it more difficult to reach under. Businesses or even homeowners with high numbers of vehicles parked overnight are recommended to deploy CCTV, secure perimeter fencing and security lighting which stays on from dusk until dawn. 4X4s such as the Mitsubishi Shogun / Pajero have also been targeted by the gangs, because they have have a high clearance off the road, making their catalytic converters accessible. Honda Jazzes and Accords are also favoured because their older devices are particularly easy to reach and rich in the precious metals. A professional gang can jack up a car and use a battery-powered steel cutter or angle-grinder to steal the catalytic converter within five minutes. While thieves might make £300 from a catalytic converter, car owners are left with repair bills of £2,000. In an interview with the Telegraph, Ian Crowder, of the AA, said it was rural as well as urban as gangs often targeted county shows where hundreds of vehicles were parked for long periods. He said: “It’s not an amateur job to recover precious metals as they are toxic and you need various chemical treatments to extract them. They are done by factories particularly overseas. When sufficient are collected, they will put them in a container and ship them off." On May 21 Kent Police searched a house in Erith as part of an investigation into the thefts of catalytic converters from across the county. They arrested two men, aged 28 and 34, and seized power tools and scrap metal dealership cards. In a recent interview in the News Shopper, Police Superintendent Warren Franklin said: "We are working closely with neighbouring forces and our colleagues in the British Transport Police to tackle a nationwide trend in the theft of catalytic converters. Criminals have been targeting vehicles across the county, paying particular attention to those left in railway station carparks. Catalytic converters contain valuable metal and recently vehicle manufacturers have introduced new models which contain less precious metal. Though the changes by manufactures may have deterred some thefts we still see older models being targeted. Often the vehicle suffers considerable damage which is costly to repair. Even if insurance covers the replacement and repair, the victim will incur an excess charge an increased insurance premiums as a result. We work closely with scrap metal dealers to make it easier to trace sellers of stolen metal and take action against dealerships who operate illegally. I would also ask residents to play their part, by remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicious behaviour."

On the 14th of May, the Financial Times published an article that there was a critical vulnerability in the popular WhatsApp messaging application and that it was actively being used to inject spyware into victims phones. According to the report, attackers only needed to issue specially crafted VoIP calls to the victim in order to infect it, with no user interaction required for the attack to succeed. As WhatsApp is used by 1.5 billion people worldwide, both on Android phones and iPhones, the messaging and voice application is known to be a popular target for hackers and governments alike. Once the story broke, and a patch to fix the vulnerability was released, other news outlets started publishing their own take on the issue, sometimes getting the details of the story drastically wrong. One of the worst offenders in this respect was the popular business news website, Bloomberg. Journalists at Bloomberg published an opinion piece that stated that:- "WhatsApp’s hack shows end-to-end encryption is largely pointless". The article, which was republished multiple times on FaceBook and elsewhere, reinforced the myth that end to end encryption is a waste of time. This is analogous to to pointing out that locking your doors and windows at night is “largely pointless” because someone could simply hire a JCB and drive through your kitchen wall. WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption, which means messages sent between sender and recipient are encrypted, meaning they cannot be intercepted and read while in transit. End-to-end encryption is seen as an important feature that greatly boosts the privacy of an end user. There is a myth circulating (in a similar way to the spurious stories that vaccinations cause conditions such as ADHD and Autism, which have subsequently been proved to be completely false); that end to end encryption is pointless. This could not in reality be further from the truth. To be clear, end-to-end encryption technology does not make it impossible for intruders to read your messages (and no one says that it does). However, it does make it much, much harder for them to do so. That is because it makes it near impossible to intercept messages in transit (between sender and recipient) and read them, because they are encrypted. That type of interception-based snooping is a popular (and often easier) method of spying on someone, and with end-to-end encryption, it is a spying technique that is all but taken off the table. There are other ways of spying, and the WhatsApp security flaw that presented a zero-day vulnerability that could allow spyware be installed on a victim’s device (and subsequently read their WhatsApp messages) is one such method; however with apps like WhatsApp, with their dedicated security teams, this is no easy feat, and it took a professional well-funded organisation to do it. None of this demonstrates how “pointless” end-to-end encryption is. End-to-end encryption is one of the best and more effective ways to keep your privacy safe. To say that it is rendered pointless simply because of the existence of other potential (and more difficult) methods of attack demonstrates a clear misunderstanding of fundamental cyber-security principles. For most users – unless they’re the target for a state-sponsored attack – end-to-end encryption is perhaps one of the best privacy roads to take. As long as you are using the latest, patched version of WhatsApp, you will be fine, and your information will be safe. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is now involved with a project that has been condemned by both local MP's - Labour's Teresa Pearce and Conservative MP David Evennett. Mr Khan has also come down against the plan that has been submitted by Cory Riverside Energy to build a waste incinerator on a site adjacent to the Crossness Nature Reserve, which is home to a number of very rare species of both birds and bats. The site would also be very close to the existing Cory waste incinerator pictured in the photo above - click on it for a larger version. Local Democracy reporter Tom Bull has written a piece on the situation that you can read here. In an interview that has been published on the News Shopper and elsewhere, Mayor Khan said of the Cory proposal:- "London’s air is a toxic air health crisis and the last thing we need, in our modern green global city is another harmful waste-burning incinerator polluting our cityEmissions from incinerators are bad for our health, bad for our environment and bad for our planet. Instead of granting permission for an unnecessary new incinerator that will raise pollution levels in the boroughs of Bexley and Havering, the Government should focus on boosting recycling rates, reducing the scourge of plastic waste and tackling our lethal air. I am urging ministers to reject this proposal". What do you think? Email me in complete confidence at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly a report from Barnehurst ward:- "There has been one reported burglary on the Ward along Coniston Road, Bexleyheath. This was reported on Tuesday 28/05/2019 and had happened in the early hours of the morning. Entry was via the side of the property, alarm had disturbed suspect. Also there was a report of a theft from motor vehicle along Manor Way, Bexleyheath. This had happened overnight Friday 24/05/2019 & Sunday 25/05/2019. The Team shall be holding a contact session on Thursday 6th June between 4pm and 5pm. It will be held at the Barnehurst Golf Club". Belvedere ward:- "After ongoing issues in Picardy Street involving reported drug use and dealing in Mary Slessor House the team have been patrolling the area as much as possible. Recently a male was arrested at the location by response team officers having been found in possession of cannabis. We will continue in our efforts to catch offenders and stop this group from gathering at the location as the presence of the group is causing issue for long-time residents. On Sunday 19th May between 9pm and 10pm a group of male youths were caught on CCTV entering the forecourt of WRH and Sons car showroom in Nuxley Road. The males then proceeded to cause a substantial amount of damage to nine vehicles whilst attempting to enter each of them. We have since viewed these images and have been unable to identify any of the group responsible. If anyone can provide information or witnessed this group that had initially gathered outside of the Sainsburys supermarket (opposite the venue) please contact the team. The team also responded to a call from a concerned resident who reported that a damaged moped had apparently been dumped in Parkside Road, near Franks Park. We were able to locate the vehicle and after completing enquiries, we discovered that the moped had been stolen from Crayford a few days earlier. We were able to contact the owner who was happy to collect the vehicle. On Tuesday 28th May we received a report of an attempted garage burglary in Elstree Gardens. It appears that between 12.30pm and 6.30pm a garage door located in the footpath to the rear of houses bordering the Lesness Abbey woodland area was forcibly opened although whoever was responsible for this did not enter the property and no items were taken. Our next Community Contact Session is due to take place on Wednesday 5th June 2019 from 3pm at the Starbucks coffee shop, Clydesdale Way".  Bexleyheath ward:- "There has been no reports of burglaries over the last week as well as any attempted burglaries. There has been three reports of theft from motor vehicle over the last week: Broadway Square car park – Tuesday 28/05/2019 between 9.30am and 2.30pm; Hazelmere Road Bexleyheath – Vehicle was unlocked and items taken overnight Thurs 23/05/2019 / Fri 24/05/2019; Belvedere Road Bexleyheath Thursday 23/05/2019 – Happened late night; A theft of motor vehicle was reported along Long Lane overnight Wed 22/05/2019 / Thurs 23/05/2019; A wallet was stolen along the Broadway on the Tuesday 28/05/2019 at about 3.30pm. Regular patrols are being conducted around the war memorial as the team have received complaints about ASB and drugs, also the car parks are regularly patrolled". Crayford ward:- "Crayford has seen an increase in burglaries this week, businesses in particular, as well as theft of vehicles. Between Thursday 23rd May and Saturday 25th May a building in London Road was entered via a window, an untidy search and a computer was stolen. Tools were used in an attempt to lever shutters and a window smashed in an attempt to enter a business in Crayford Road between Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May, no entry made. A small business in Crayford Way was burgled between Friday 24th May and Monday 27th May, a large quantity of computer, audio and other electrical items were stolen, entry via sided gate and removal of window. Between Tuesday 21st and Wenesday 22nd May, a silver Toyota was stolen off a drive in Halcot Avenue. A white Ford Transit was stolen on Thursday 23rd May from Stour Road, it was taken for a test drive, the person left a vehicle and mobile phone but did not return. Two motorcycles were stolen on Saturday 25 May from Crayford High Street, one has since been recovered, the other, a grey Honda 125 registration GV16 WVK is still outstanding. A delivery driver was alerted that his moped was on fire in Roman Way on Monday 27th May, four youths on two mopeds were close by. The wing mirror was deliberately kicked off a vehicle parked in Shearwood Crescent on Sunday 26 May. At 23.30 on Friday 24th May someone kicked a locked and secured front door in Old Road, similarly, on Wednesday 15th May, a front door was kicked in Crayford Way, the resident has clear images of this suspect from their ring door bell. Many people in Crayford are kind and like to help those that appear less fortunate than themselves but it would seem that this kindness is being abused. A drink and something to eat is a positive kindness, giving money may be used for other more negative reasons. Your team have been busy this week with arrest enquiries, reassurance visits and patrols as well as plain clothes patrols. Our next Community Contact Session will be held on Thursday 6th June at Crayford Library between 3 and 4pm". Erith ward - no report received this week. Northumberland Heath ward:- "An investigation is taking place following a disturbance at the Royal Oak pub, Bexley Road DA8 3HB at the weekend. Alcohol licensing officers are also aware of the incident. Any information please get in touch or freephone Crimestoppers 0800555111 Officers have continued to utilise stop and search powers resulting in two positive searches for drugs on the ward. A blue Ford Fiesta vehicle registration number CK02 TZR has been reported stolen from the local area. If you happen to see this please contact police so further enquiries can be made. Several vehicles have been broken into. Always close, lock and activate any security devices when leaving your vehicle unattended, even briefly. Park with care particularly at night or if you are leaving the vehicle for a long time. If possible, park in a busy, well-lit area, close to CCTV cameras. Never leave valuables inside. Our next open surgery to give local residents an opportunity to speak to us about any issues or concerns is due to take place 11am Thursday 6/6/19 at the Library in Mill Road DA8 1HW. The surgery is scheduled to run for an hour and no prior notification is required to attend".

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Tesco Express was broken into in the early hours of Sunday 26th May and Wednesday 29th May by unknown suspects. Money was stolen from the till on both occasions. CCTV enquiries are currently underway. An attempted burglary took place in Crescent Road last Wednesday evening. The suspects were disturbed by the homeowner who went downstairs after hearing a noise. No entry was gained and the suspects ran off. PC's Mark and James have carried out 13 Stop and Searches in the last week. 3 were positive with one suspect due back for interview and the other 2 given the necessary warnings. PCSO Mark will be at the Slade Green Seniors Cinema Club this coming Monday June 3rd for a special D-Day event being held at the Community Centre". Thamesmead East ward:- "Attempted Burglary - Haldane Road Tuesday 27/05/19 between 8:45pm – 2:55am Victim arrived home to find suspect/s unknown have caused considerable damage to his front door. A witnessed stated they saw 4 suspects unknown standing outside the property at 11pm. Theft of Motor vehicle - Maran Way between Monday 20/5/19 and 28/05/19 vehicle stolen without keys no further information; Alsike Road Tuesday 28/05/19 between 9pm – 7.15am Vehicle stolen overnight no signs of broken glass. Theft from Motor Vehicle; Lensbury Way Wednesday 22/5/19 between 10pm and 8am Thursday 23/05/19 both front and rear number plates stolen. Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicle - Kale Road Friday 24/05/19 between 1am - 8am The Victim has had criminal damage to two vehicles by suspect/s unknown rear windscreen smashed on his car and front windscreen smashed on his wife's car outside his home address; Seacourt Road Between Saturday 25/05/19 and Tuesday 28/05/19 Victim parked the vehicle outside their garage around 1845hrs on the 25th May and had been away. When the victim returned home 28/05/19 suspect/s unknown had egged the car and scratched it across the boot and down the full right side. Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention - Your car is like a shop window if you can see any property left in view then so can a thief. Good News - After a lengthy investigation by the team, a female has been found guilty at court, for a number of theft/making off without payment offences. The female will appear in court early next month for sentencing". West Heath ward:- "One Burglary in The Bedonwell Road Childrens centre on Bank holiday Monday May 27th that was discovered at 3.30am when the alarm was activated, police attended and found a broken window. At this stage it is not clear what was taken. The spate of motor vehicle crime across the ward has continued. Six theft from motor vehicles, overnight mostly in the early hours of the morning .Please ensure that all personal items are stored either out of sight, or better still take them with you, any items left on display could increase your chances of being a victim of crime. One theft of motor vehicle from Pembury Drive in the early hours of the morning, the vehicle was discovered burnt out in a car park. One theft of a Land Rover Discovery from Chessington Avenue On Sunday May 26th at 4am, the vehicle had a tracking device fitted and was recovered at an address in SE2. The owner of the vehicle was unsure if he left the vehicle unlocked with the keys This week the team have conducted proactive burglary patrols in hotspot areas in addition to motor vehicle crime hotspot areas. Arrest enquiries have been made this week for wanted offenders with our colleagues from East Wickham and Crook Log. Several stop and searches and one confiscation of cannabis were made. The team have started to deliver Smart Water to local residents who have previously had burglaries in their roads, this will be an ongoing programme across the ward. Last but not least, PCSO Muriel Edwards has decided to hang up her hat and boots and the role will be handed over to PCSO Dee Reid who has come over from the Northumberland Heath Team".

As regular readers may well know, I am a big fan of Romford based independent radio station Time 107.5 FM. They do a huge amount of charitable, volunteer and community work, and provide some excellent radio programming, including in my opinion the best and most up to date travel news for the area. Whilst their primary audience is based in and around the London Borough of Havering, they have a sizeable audience in the London Borough of Bexley. They have many regular listeners in Thamesmead, Abbey Wood, Belvedere, Erith and Crayford, and also somewhat further into Kent. It is a tribute to their excellent programming and talented presenters that this happens to be the case, when there are other far bigger radio station broadcasting in the area, and providing competition for the attention of listeners. Last week, Time 107.5 FM presenter Mark Dover visited the huge Amazon distribution centre in Tilbury, where a large number of the goods purchased online by residents of the London Borough of Bexley and others are consigned from. Mark has made the video below, and also set up a competition for listeners to the station with some very worthwhile prizes. Budding competitors need to watch the video and then get ready to phone Mark live on air in order for a chance at winning. Mark writes:- "I get to do some fantastic things in my job and a highlight for me was my recent visit to the Amazon fulfilment centre in Tilbury. Anyone that knows me will know I am a bit of a techno geek and I was honestly blown away with the efficiency of the fulfilment centre, it’s just amazing how they get all those packages to wherever they are going so quickly. I filmed my tour and it’s well worth watching because by watching it you will learn the answer to a question that could bag you a fantastic prize. Amazon has given us 1 x Echo Show, 1 x Echo Spot and 1 x Amazon Smart Plug to give to one lucky listener. The competition will be done live on air on Monday, 10th of June around 1.30pm during my show so watch the video and get prepared".