Home

Welcome

The Society was formed in 1985 to save from demolition London's first public library in Great Smith Street (above right). Since then we have kept a watchful eye on developments in this area, which includes the World Heritage Site encompassing the Abbey and Houses of Parliament. We respond on behalf of residents and businesses to local planning applications. Our 350+ members enjoy local visits & talks of historic and other interest, social events and an archive of books, prints, plans and ephemera.

Ignatius Sancho, Short Talk by Victor Keegan - February 2020

This was the 2nd of our 35th anniversary series of short talks and we were treated to Victor Keegan's personal research into the unique and intriguing C18th Thorney Island resident, Ignatius Sancho.

Reading like a guest list to a royal garden party, Victor highlighted the numerous aristocrats of the day who subscribed to a book of Sancho's letters published after his death by Joseph Jekyll. The book became a bestseller which was quite extraordinary at the time for the memoirs of a black man born on a slave ship whose mother died of disease and his father from suicide. At 2 years old he was given to 3 sisters in Greenwich whose treatment and regard for him is not very complimentary and it was they who named him Sancho.

It was not until he met the Duke of Montague who took him under his wing, he learned to read and write and he flourished as a thinker of the day. He worked for the Montague family for many years until after the Duke's death and with money from the family, he moved to Charles Street, now King Charles Street (between the Treasury and the Foreign Office) and opened a small grocery shop. Married at St Margaret's Westminster, he lived with his wife and 6 children, not all of whom survived. They would have walked over Westminster Bridge, the only bridge in the area and strolled through St James's Park.

He had many important acquaintances and was a prolific letter writer to politicians, newspapers and reknowned thinkers and authors of the day. He urged them to talk and write about the abhorrant slave trade. He also wrote poems, plays and music. It was clear that this extraordinary man had a unique life in London at a dangerous time, at the height of the trade, when he could have been press-ganged, kidnapped or deported at any time. Clearly highly regarded, his portrait was painted by Thomas Gainsborough in 1768 and he is buried in what is now Christchurch Gardens and has no known decendents.

Ignatius Sancho, Short Talk by Victor Keegan - February 2020

The Victoria Tower Gardens & The National Holocaust Memorial & Learning Centre

UPDATE! February 2020

On February 11th, WCC Planning Applications Sub-Committee unanimously supported the principle of building a Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre but REFUSED the application to do so in Victoria Tower Gardens.

The main issues of planning policy were loss of protected park space, risk to the mature trees and negative impacts on two conservation areas, the World Heritage Site and several listed buildings and monuments (including the Buxton Memorial and Spicer wall). Here is the summary of the event and decision by WCC: https://www.westminster.gov.uk/opinion-holocaust-memorial-planning-application

The application will now be reviewed by the Planning Inspectorate from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. An inquiry will spend 12 days in total before making a decision at the end of May. The cost of legal advice to continue the fight to protect Victoria Tower Gardens is being funded by donations to a CrowdJustice site. Please give generously to help save this precious park. Thank you. https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-victoria-tower-gardens/

Environmental Statement, Our Response - December 2019

We have now submitted our response to the new Environmental Statement documents, submitted by MHCLG/UKHMF in October 2019 as part of the planning process. To view our response, CLICK HERE

WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE SAVE VICTORIA TOWER GARDENS CAMPAIGN.

https://www.savevictoriatowergardens.co.uk/

Visits & Events 2020

Our visits and events are open to all unless specified and we hope non-members will enjoy our programme and consider joining the Society.

To book and read further details, please go to our Eventbrite page CLICK HERE.

If you do not wish to book online, please contact us and we will be happy to make your booking (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by post to 10 Old Pye Street, London SW1P 2DG) A full description of visits is on our Events/Visits page.

2020

Monday 9^th March 2020, 2pm Talk and workshop by Master Florist, Jens Jakobsen. MEMBERS ONLY. The Blewcoat School, 23 Caxton Street, SW1H 0PY – £20-£25pp - SOLD OUT/WAITING LIST

Saturday 4^th April 2020, 2pm Visit to St Stephen’s Church, Rochester Row, SW1P 1LE - £15-20pp

Wednesday 6^th May 2020, 12.30pm Westminster/Kingsway College, Vincent Square, SW1P 2PD Lunch in The Vincent Rooms Restaurant and tour - £20-£25pp

Tuesday 2^nd June 2020, 3pm                  Visit to RUSI (Royal United Services Institute), 61 Whitehall, SW1A 2ET - £15-£20pp

June 2020, Date & Venue to be confirmed            T@35 Celebrations – The Society's 35th Celebration Summer Party

Saturday 4^th July 2020, 2pm                   ‘Caring for the Poor & Vulnerable on Thorney Island’ - A local walk by Michael Marriott. Meeting point in Broad Sanctuary tbc, SW1P 3EE - £15-£20pp

Tuesday 14^th July 2020, 2pm The IncrEDIBLE RHS Collections Tour, Lindley Library, 80 Vincent Square, SW1P 2PE - £15-£20pp

Tuesday 8^th September 2020, 10.15am Tour of Shepherd’s Bindery and Talk on Antiquarian Books by Anthony Davis, 76 Rochester Row, SW1P 1JU - £15 MEMBERS ONLY

Saturday 19^th September 2020, 2pm T@35 ‘In Celebration of Thorney Island’ - A new local walk by Victor Keegan. Meet at our Archives, 10 Old Pye Street, SW1P 2DG – £15-£20pp

Tuesday 29^th September 2020, 12noon The Guards Museum and Guards Band Recital in Guards ChapeL. MEMBERS ONLY. Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, SW1E 6HQ - Free of charge

Monday 5^th October 2020, 7.30pm T@35 Celebrations - Cocktails and Canapés at The Cinnamon Club, Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, SW1P 3BU – Further details to follow.

Tuesday 10^th November 2020, 6.30pm The Society’s 34^th AGM and Talk, Blue Orchid Rochester Hotel, Vincent Square (entrance in Vane Street) SW1P 2PA – Free of charge.

Monday 7^th December 2020, 6.30pm T@35 Celebrations - Christmas Party, Carols & Raffle Draw, The Chapel, Blue Orchid Wellington Hotel, (entrance on Vincent Square) SW1P 2PA - £14pp

Visits & Events 2019 & 2020

Christchurch Gardens Reconstruction Short Talk - January 2020

Illustrative CGI used for previous public consultation in June 2018

We were delighted to welcome David Beamont, from Victoria Business Improvement District (BID), to launch our 35th birthday events and short talk series, fulfilling our plan to use our Archives for talks on planning and history.

The reconstruction of Christchurch Gardens in Victoria Street is now in full swing. The design and planning were extensive due to this very historic site including arrangements in the event of archaeology discoveries. Dating back to the 17th century this was the burial ground of St Margaret's, Westminster, prior to the construction of Christ Church in the 19th century, which was destroyed in the Blitz. Among those buried there are Captain Blood, who famously tried and nearly succeeded in stealing the Crown Jewels, and Ignatius Sancho who was born on a slave ship but educated himself to become a distinguished man of letters in Georgian England (more about Sancho in our February Talk).

David explained how with great reluctance they cut down a number of plane trees which prevented sufficient light from reaching the grass and gardens. New flowering trees are being planted and although it will be a long time before they have the same impact on carbon reduction, most people accepted that this had to be done if the gardens were to be made attractive for visitors and increase bio-diversity. New lighting and benches are being installed together with a new paved performance area. Flower beds would be re-installed with well chosen shrubs and permeable resin pathways would further aid drainage. The Purcell sculpture will be moved slightly to enhance its visability, the Suffragettes sculpture will stay where it is and then the back wall, against the ugly BT building, will be covered in flowering jasmin. To remember the history of the site, we have contributed to the content of a series of information noticeboards which are displayed together with a historical map.

With thanks to David and his team and we look forward to the new gardens opening in late summer.

Christchurch Gardens Reconstruction Short Talk - January 2020

Christmas Party 2019

Our Christmas Party at the Rochester by Blue Orchid Hotels was loud and fun with the South Westminster Community Choir and accompanying brass section. Many thanks to all for a great evening.

55 Broadway - New Owners, New Plans!

The iconic 55 Broadway is being redeveloped as a hotel. As the tallest office building in the capital in 1929, it was dubbed ‘London’s first skyscraper’ at just over 53 metres and won the RIBA London Architecture Medal upon its completion.

View the display boards from the recent pre-planning public exhibiton and consultation: http://www.55-broadway.com/#secondSection

Richmond House, Whitehall - The Northern Parliamentary Estate

The Government has just applied for planning permission to radically alter their Northern Estate. They have been working towards the Restoration and Renewal project in the Palace of Westminster and the full decant of all the people who work there into the various buildings in the ‘northern estate’ – the block that contains Portcullis House at the south end and Richmond House at the north. It has been decided that the two parliament chambers will move, the House of Lords into the Queen Elizabeth ll Conference Centre, and the House of Commons into a temporary replica chamber. It is claimed that the only possible site can be achieved by demolishing the interior and rear façade of Richmond house.

SAVE Britain’s Heritage is leading a campaign to save the whole of Richmond House from demolition – see https://www.savebritainsheritage.org/campaigns/item/550/Richmond-House-a-building-worth-fighting-for

We will also object strongly to the demolition of the interior of Richmond House. Facadism might be acceptable in certain circumstances, but for the sake of a temporary building it should not be countenanced. We will also object to the alterations to the buildings facing Whitehall and encourage a more sympathetic treatment of the various gateways to the Estate than currently exists.

The Planning application can now be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/wqryu5t

It would be good if as many people as possible make their views known as a Comment through this web page.

20mph Throughout Westminster ?

Westminster are seeking opinions on a plan to restrict all their roads to 20mph. There are already some areas, mainly near schools, that already have 20mph restrictions. And there are other areas, for instance round Vincent Square, that have applied to become 20mph areas. The Council has had positive feedback on the experimental areas so far.

It may be that the decision is made for them because TfL are contemplating a 20mph speed limit on all their roads in central London. If this goes ahead it would be ridiculous for the main roads in Westminster to have 20mph speed limits while the side streets are 30mph. If TfL decides on 20mph then the whole of Westminster would become a 20mph zone.

Whatever happens on the TfL roads, WCC would still like to know people's views on this question. There have been some public consultations, but it is also possible to make your views known on-line at https://www.westminster.gov.uk/20mph. Click on Take the Survey.

Duck Island Volunteer Project

ONGOING ! This exciting collaboration with St James's Park is calling for volunteers from TTIS to help restore and revitalise Duck Island. If you are interested in helping clear brambles and paths, raking and tidying the meadow area and lake edges, making log and deadwood piles, sorting and documenting artefacts in the barn or helping in the cottage garden, please get in touch to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or post us a note to TTIS, 10 Old Pye Street, SW1P 2DG.

This is a really fun project and we are working one Wednesday a month, from 10am to 2pm. Next dates: 18th Dec '19, 15th Jan '20, 19th Feb, 18th March, 15th April and 20th May 2020.

Go directly to The Royal Parks volunteering website to register CLICK HERE Then book yourself in on the specific dates under "TRP Conservation Volunteers"