Millie Small (1946‒2020)

 By Gary Thornton

The singer Millie Small, who died aged 73 in May, may be one of the more surprising musical connections to Forest Hill. 

Born in Jamaica, the daughter of a sugar plantation manager, Millie arrived in London aged just 17, having been spotted by Chris Blackwell, the music producer and founder of Island Records. Blackwell brought Millie to Forest Hill, where she took dancing and elocution lessons, and recorded her best-known song, My Boy Lollipop, which reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart in 1964. 

Originally recorded by The Cadillacs in 1956, Millie’s version was arguably the first international hit with the distinctive rhythm of Jamaican ska music, influencing a generation of musicians and leading to a 1980s revival with bands such as The Selecter and Bad Manners (who had a hit with their own re-gendered version, My Girl Lollipop). 

Much less well-known is Millie’s 1970 cover version of Mayfair, written by Nick Drake but itself quite obscure, not appearing on any of the three albums released in his short lifetime. Although Drake’s typically fragile English melancholy is replaced by upbeat ska rhythms and calypso brass, the song retains its mystery and sense of detachment. In their very different ways, in Mayfair both artists were strangers in a strange land. 

Mayfair was released as a single to moderate success, but it was its remarkable B-side, Enoch Power, which still resonates today. Here, Millie is an immigrant living in Birmingham, where her brothers “work all week, to keep the British country running” and dance to reggae music at the weekend. Originally titled Enough Power, the chorus was changed in response to the Midland MP’s infamous “Rivers of Blood” speech, but this is a positive song about unity and harmony, not division: 

“One day there'll come a time

When all men will be brothers

They'll talk as well as dance

And live and love with each other”

Banned by the BBC, Millie performed the song at Wembley Stadium in 1970 as part of the landmark Caribbean Music Festival ― her performance is documented in Horace Ove’s film Reggae, where it appears alongside footage of Powell's speech.

Her second and final album was released in 1970, following which Millie withdrew from both the music world and public life, leaving a brief but important legacy to the influence of Jamaican music.

“I Am a Man”

In June this year, after the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in the American city of Minneapolis, two new artworks appeared in Forest Hill. The first, on Waldram Park Road; simply stated ‘Black Lives Matter’ ― a recognition of the difficulty Black people continue to have, even today, in being seen and treated equally.

The second artwork, created by Nathan Bowen, can be seen on Perry Vale, close to the underpass. It is a powerful image in its own right, but it is also a representation of the 1968 Memphis, Tennessee sanitation strike.

 

The Memphis sanitation strike was provoked by the death of two sanitation workers who were crushed to death in a garbage truck that malfunctioned while they sheltered from the rain. This led to strikes and marches, with the protestors taking up the placards shown in the photo, in a peaceful protest against poor working conditions and a host of other grievances.

Martin Luther King Jr was a strong supporter of the cause of the sanitation workers and led some of the marches in Memphis. It was on 3rd April 1968, in Memphis, that King gave his last speech ― “I've Been to the Mountaintop” ― and on the following day he was assassinated on the balcony of his motel room.

Bowen’s artwork reminds us of the injustice and inequality for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people, not only in 1968, but also today. "For at the heart of racism is the idea that a man is not a man, that a person is not a person. You are human beings. You are men. You deserve dignity." ― Rev James Lawson 1968.

Swifts Take Up Residence

Two years ago, the Lewisham Swifts group enlisted the help of the Forest Hill Fire Brigade to install swift nest boxes on the side of a block of flats in Wynell Road, SE23. Swifts are migratory birds and visit the UK from May to July to breed and fledge their young, before returning to Africa for the rest of the year. As swifts only nest in buildings, providing nest boxes is vital in trying to reverse their declining numbers. 

This year a local swift spotter was very excited to see two of the new nest boxes in use by swifts. It is not known whether the new residents were breeding pairs, but now that swifts have found the boxes it is highly likely they will produce new generations of swifts over the coming years. Look out for them when they return in May!

Ellie Reeves MP

Labour Member of Parliament for Lewisham West and Penge

The last few months have been the most difficult since being elected to Parliament three years ago ― the pandemic has been extremely challenging and not surprisingly I have been dealing with an unprecedented amount of casework from constituents.

I am heartened though by how the community has pulled together. Through volunteering, fundraising and many individual acts of charity, residents in Forest Hill and across the constituency have been exemplary, and I want to thank everyone for the work they have done.

I do not underestimate the challenges that people have faced, but I know that by working together we have been able to get through the lockdown. As restrictions are eased it will be by continuing to work together that we will be able to recover from this crisis. 

Although my Forest Hill office is closed and my team have been working from home in line with Government guidance, I have continued to work with the local community. I have visited the Lewisham food bank in Forest Hill, which has been getting out £10,000 worth of food each week to Lewisham residents. I sent a video message of support to Holy Trinity on their celebration of Trinity Sunday, thanking them for their work over these past months.

I have written to schools, supermarkets and care homes asking them what I can do to support them. And I have also made representations to Transport for London to carry out urgent upgrade work to the pedestrian crossings in the centre of Forest Hill, as it is almost impossible to socially distance when crossing the road there.

As we now start to see the easing of lockdown restrictions, it is important to get things right. If we are going to reopen our society and economy safely and successfully, we also need to have confidence in the Government’s advice and handling of the pandemic.

To date, guidance and communication has been confusing and many decisions have come with an unnecessary delay. In my view, the Government was too slow to implement the lockdown, too slow on testing and getting PPE to frontline workers and too slow in getting a task force of education stakeholders together to build consensus on the wider reopening of schools.

As we move to a new normal, we need to have total confidence in the Government. That means we need absolute assurances that test, track and trace is working properly, that all children will have support over the summer and can return to school in September, and that parents will be able to get back to work safely.

In the middle of lockdown, in April I was extremely proud to be appointed to the Labour Front Bench as Shadow Solicitor General. In this role, I work with the Shadow Attorney General to scrutinise the Government Law Officer’s oversight of prosecuting bodies and the legal advice they give the Government, as well as ensuring they fulfil their duty to uphold the rule of law.

For my despatch box debut at Attorney General Questions in April, I was able to participate virtually, under the Hybrid Parliament. I have been campaigning for a long time for Parliament to reform and modernise, and so I welcomed remote participation and voting.

Despite the new system working, the Government disappointingly scrapped it after just a few weeks and required all MPs to be present in Parliament, leading to a mile-long queue to vote.

In my role as Shadow Solicitor General, I obtained urgent legal advice on shutting down the virtual Parliament which found that if MPs were ‘employees’, then the Government’s decision would likely amount to discrimination on grounds of disability, age, sex and/or pregnancy under the Equality Act.

Nevertheless, the government was reluctant to back down but have since introduced limited measures for proxy voting and virtual participation. As a result, my questions from the despatch box have been both virtual and in person. I’ve been able to cover a range of issues ¬— from Dominic Cummings’ apparent breach of lockdown rules, to ensuring that domestic abuse cases are prosecuted swiftly and effectively.

As always, I can be contacted on ellie.reeves.mp@parliament.uk.

Positivity Rocks!

By Belinda Evans

There has been a fabulous project running at Brent Knoll School on Perry Rise called “Positivity Rocks”. 

Pupils at the school have been creating many different artwork projects to raise awareness of the issues of Covid-19 amongst the school community and to help the local community stay safe, keep well and support our key workers. 

As part of the curriculum, pupils have created posters to reinforce the hand-washing message and posters thanking key workers for their hard work and commitment. These posters don’t just adorn the school’s walls; they are put outside the school on the fence for the general public to take away and display them to spread these important messages to all. Quite sensibly, the posters are put outside with an explanation letting people know when they were created and the time to wait before taking them away, which again reminds us all how to keep safe. They certainly have brightened up the neighbourhood.

Then the positivity rocks appeared!

In the same vein as the posters, beautifully painted stones then appeared outside the school for people to take away. The stones were simple pebbles painted with images and patterns of the pupils’ own designs. The idea was that the stones would be picked up by locals who would be passing by, and then travel away from the school, and for the pupils to then find out just how far they had travelled. The coordinator of this project at the school said that, as part of the project, the pupils were using their geography lessons to map out where their rocks had been taken. 

People who did let the school know where the rocks ended up got a lovely response back from the school ― here’s the response I received: 

“That's absolutely amazing, thank you. This rock was painted by one of our Year 11 pupils, whose mum is a front-line worker in Lewisham Hospital. We think that her choice of rocks shows her personality.

We will share this with the children tomorrow, they will be very happy.”

We hope you agree that this project really brought the school and the local community together in a very positive way, as well as making passers-by smile and feel positive!

Sans Store

Opened in August, this new shop at 5-7 Brockley Rise (close to Stanstead Road) offers a wide range of produce including:

• Bakery items and seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables

• Hand-picked artisanal produce from across London and the UK

• Dry-store and refrigerated items, including veggie, vegan, free-from and organic ranges

• Greeting cards and flowers

Pop in or visit them at https://www.sansstore.co.uk.

From Our Foreign Correspondent on Lockdown … Blythe Hill Fields

Opportunities for far-flung exploration have been curtailed during the coronavirus lockdown and you probably don’t want to read about a three-mile walk to Waitrose in Beckenham. So I will focus on a destination that is only partly foreign: Blythe Hill Fields, which straddles the border of SE23 and SE6.

Firstly, as anyone familiar with the topography of SE23 knows, the word ‘hill’ in a local place name indicates a substantial incline not suited to a gentle stroll. Blythe Hill Fields is no exception. Sitting on the summit of Blythe Hill, the park is reached by a determined walk up one of the many surrounding access roads. However, it is less strenuous than walking up to Horniman Gardens and the views are just as good, if not better.

Blythe Hill Fields has panoramic views of central London to the north, from Canary Wharf to the Shard and the City of London. To the south are glimpses of a far-reaching treescape, hinting at what the Great North Wood might have looked like.

The park has a lovely mood on summer evenings. The light from the setting sun casts a warm glow over the city skyline — a warmth that extends over the park itself, creating a magical atmosphere over the small clusters of park visitors. The midsummer magic wasn’t confined to this correspondent, as a member of a group of youngsters doing cartwheels was overheard to exclaim “We came here to drink and ended up doing gymnastics!”.

A visit to Blythe Hill Fields is further rewarded by including  a walk up or down nearby Lowther Hill (warning: steep hill alert). Looking west to the Sydenham Hill Ridge reveals a wonderful view of Forest Hill and the top of Horniman Museum’s clock tower nestled among the trees.

https://www.blythehillfields.org.uk

Railway Station Recipes

By Belinda Evans

Our previous newsletter’s recipe of spaghetti with sage and butter went down so well with some readers that we thought you might like another recipe, again using some of the herbs freely available from Platform One at Forest Hill station. On your way back home, why not pop into the garden area behind the bike shelter and pick some sage or thyme for the following gratin, along with some mint for a refreshing tea?

SAUSAGES WITH ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pack of sausages (meat or veggie/vegan)

• 500g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1cm thick rounds

• 200g any other root vegetables you have at home (e.g. turnip, parsnip, celeriac, carrots), peeled and cut into even-sized slices or chunks 

• 2 onions, sliced

• 2‒3 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried sage, or thyme)

• 300ml vegetable stock

• 250ml double cream

• 1‒2 tbsp Wholegrain, French or English mustard 

• 75g Parmesan, Pecorino or other hard cheese, grated

• A handful of breadcrumbs 

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• In a large mixing bowl combine all the vegetables including onions.

• In an oven-proof dish, layer half the mixed vegetables.

• Pour over the vegetable stock, scatter the fresh herbs, and dot with a few teaspoons of mustard on top.

• Repeat with the remaining onions and vegetables. Pour over the cream to coat the top layer of vegetables.

• Mix the breadcrumbs and grated cheese together in a small bowl, and season with salt and black pepper.

• Scatter on top of the dish and place in a preheated oven (190C / 170C fan) for 50 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the top is golden. You can cover the dish with some tinfoil for the first half of the cooking time to stop the top from over-browning.

• If you have space in your oven, place the sausages in an oven-proof dish and cook for the remaining 20 minutes of the gratin’s cooking time. Alternatively, fry or grill whilst the gratin is cooking.

• Serve the sausages and gratin together. The leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2—3 days and can easily be reheated in the oven or microwave.

All washed down with a refreshing mint tea using your freshly picked mint…

MINT TEA

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups water 

• 15 fresh mint leaves (peppermint or spearmint)

• Optional: 1—2 teaspoons sugar (or honey)

• Optional: lemon slices

• Optional: fresh lemon juice

• Optional: ice

Method

• Bring the water to a boil.

• Remove from the heat and add the fresh mint leaves.

• Steep for 3—5 minutes, depending on desired strength.

• Add optional sweetener. Start with 1 teaspoon per cup and add more as desired.

• If serving iced, fill tall glasses with ice and pour the tea over. If serving hot, pour the tea into mugs. Garnish with optional lemon slices and/or lemon juice to taste.

Birley House Open Air School

By Sheila Carson

In the latter part of the 19th century it was recognised that pollution, overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions in many cities contributed to the development and spread of infectious and debilitating diseases. Children were particularly affected, primarily with tuberculosis, but also with asthma and anaemia. These children were often described as 'delicate', meaning that they were malnourished and underweight.

German studies in the 1890s showed that the health of children with tuberculosis could be improved with good nutrition, fresh air, exercise and rest. Purpose-built schools implemented these interventions alongside education. The first of these ‘forest schools’ or ‘open air schools’ opened in Charlottenburg, near Berlin, in 1904. As a result of the success of this school the idea was copied in many European countries and further afield. A delegation from London County Council visited Charlottenburg, and were so impressed that it was decided to repeat the experiment in London. The first Open Air School in London opened in Bostall Wood, near Abbey Wood in 1907. The following year three more were opened including Birley House School in Forest Hill.

Birley House was a mansion with a large garden located at 108 London Road next to the newly built Horniman Museum. Being high on a hill it was above urban pollution and benefitted from a steady breeze. The school was open all year round but was not residential. Children were brought up daily by tram from the slums on the south bank of the River Thames. The school buildings initially consisted of prefabricated wooden sheds; later, some permanent pavilion-style classrooms with open sides were added. Staff consisted of a trained nurse, a head teacher, three assistant teachers and some domestic help.

By 1913 the school accommodated 90 children from 6 to 14 years of age. At this time, children left school at 14 years old and started work. The children arrived at 9am and were given a breakfast of porridge or bread and milk. During mid-morning they had a snack of bread and butter or dripping or hot soup in the winter. The main meal consisted of meat or fish with two vegetables followed by a pudding or stewed fruit. Before they went home at 6pm they were given tea with bread, butter, jam and a slice of cake. The staff ate with the children but at their own table. The children sat at tables of ten and elected a monitor who supervised table manners and made sure that children ate their food.

 

After the main meal the children had two hours of rest every day. They laid in reclined deck chairs or on the grass and were given blankets. There were weekly checks of underwear and heads for lice followed by a hot bath. The children regularly had their height, weight and haemoglobin measured and recorded. Education focused on developing useful citizens through cooperation, division of labour and self-reliance. Activities for boys and girls included gardening, acting, dancing, cooking, domestic skills and infant care. Other subjects studied included mathematics, geography, music and nature study. The school was successful in improving the health of the children and gave them skills to succeed at work and in their personal lives.

After the Second World War the health of children improved greatly as a result of the use of antibiotics to treat tuberculosis, improved standards of living and the introduction of the National Health Service. Open Air Schools were no longer required. Many closed and some were repurposed as Special Schools for physically handicapped children.

Birley House Open Air School moved and was incorporated into Brent Knoll Open Air School in Sydenham in 1927. Birley House was demolished in the 1950s and the land used to extend Horniman Gardens. No trace of this pioneering school in Forest Hill is visible today.

Prioritising Pedestrians at Forest Hill Rail Station

 After many years of campaigning on the issue, the Forest Hill Society is pleased to see that their proposals for prioritising pedestrians at Forest Hill station are being given serious consideration, but it is early days and there are many partners to consult. 

Our proposal is for a temporary closure of the WHSmith side of the station forecourt’s car park, to allow pedestrians a safe access to the station’s entrance, unimpeded by moving or parked vehicles.

If successful, and assuming no possible adverse effect on traffic on the south circular road outside the station, this closure could lead to the permanent removal of car parking on that side of the forecourt next year. This would allow for improved paving and planting, and installation of a drinking water fountain. Keep an eye on those four parking spaces!

In addition to improving the station’s car park, we will continue our campaign for improved pedestrian crossings on both sides of the station: on the South Circular, by making the pedestrian island more safe from vehicular traffic; and on Perry Vale, by improving vehicular sightlines for pedestrians attempting to cross the road. In July, we highlighted the difficulties of social distancing on the pedestrian island on the South Circular outside the station, which prompted Ellie Reeves MP to write to TfL requesting that “works are done as soon as possible to upgrade this crossing”. We wait to hear if any action will now be taken to make this busy crossing safer for pedestrians.