Chelsea College of Art & Design Collaboration

^{In October we started our collaboration with our neighbour Chelsea College of Art and Design. As part of their BA Interior and Spacial Design course, 20 students were given an orientation tour, covering the history, culture and architecture of The Thorney Island area. They then visited the Archives in groups with their tutor, Shibboleth Shechter, browsed and found an object that sparked their interest. From this they sketched, measured and photographed, then went away to research, plan and create a new piece of work based on the item.}

^{We could hardly wait to see what they produced and eagerly accepted the invitation to their exhibition in early December. Attended by past and present tutors, including a curator at the V&A, each student presented their own and their group’s work and the tutors gave comment, praise and criticsm. There were a wide range of subjects that were well thought out, then skilfully and beautifully crafted.}

^{Here are some of the exhibits and what inspired them:}

^{From a 1950’s 'Bakelite-type' telephone, the 1953 Coronation Approved Souvenir Programme and souvenir cups, came an installation work; a 1950’s desk unit, complete with original tv footage of the Coronation playing on a fitted screen accompanied by other objects of the day and a study of the social significance of the first such public broadcast.  From an embroidered purse, or wallet, containing a personalised invitation to Queen Victoria’s Coronation complete with seat number, a study of the owner, Lady Gerard and her journey from her home in Mortlake to the Abbey on 28th June 1838 and a 3D pop-up paper collage, displayed with an embroidered fabric book.} 

^{From an C18th drawing of Dr Busby’s (Headmaster at Westminster School 1638-1683) chair, a study and reproduction of the caricatures depicting English grammar on the chair. From a description of Devil’s Acre, a small hand bound illustrated children’s book entitled “The Story of Old Pye Street through the eyes of Tommy”. Tommy was a pickpocket and the work included items that Tommy might have in his own pockets!  A study and architectural drawings of Millbank Penitentiary.} 

^{From an old photograph of once local Pulic Baths, a study of its use and a 3D pop-up cut out collage.}

^{From a shoebox containing objects found on the Thames foreshore and on local building sites, a giant box containing 3 students work. One was a working jug made of mosaic of old glass and ceramic fragments.  From a plaster model of Buckingham Palace, a number of same size reproductions in herculite, wax and clear Perspex, made from a rubber mould and a study of methods of fabrication and value depreciation caused by the mass production of souvenirs.}

^{From a small wooden plaque carved with the words “For My Pet” found in the foundations of 50 Tufton Street, a study into the house, its  inhabitants and possible pets!  Also a model of the interior of the ‘original’ house.  A pop-up book and study of the Abbey and The Chapter House. Copies of a newly created local newspaper full of Thorney Island articles and pictures. These were displayed in a lit case standing on carved legs copying the thorns in our logo.}

^{A study of the Womens Suffrage Movement, their local meeting places and how letters from June Stubbs to an MP to save a building, showed modern womens’ continuing determination to be heard.  Lastly a study of the Army & Navy Stores and comparison between a 1907 copy of their global mail order catalogue and the Argos catalogue and Amazon.} 

^{Apologies to those whose work is not described here due to lack of space, but we would like to thank all the students, Shibboleth, the tutors and Chelsea Local for making this collaboration such a success. We hope to exhibit this work again soon.}

^{Chelsea College of Art & Design Collaboration}

Introducing our New Chair

We are delighted that Sue Ball accepted nomination as Chair at our AGM in November 2017. Sue joined The Society after meeting June Stubbs at meetings of Westminster Police Community Consultative Committee and got to know members through Pippa Parsons' events programme. Sue has lived locally for 13 years and has a keen interest in Roman and London local history. She is Vice-Chair of the Cathedral Area Residents Group (CARG) and she looks forward to meeting many members in the coming months.

Thorney Tales (14) Siegfried Sassoon

If you walk down Bennett’s Yard off Tufton Street, you will be able to glimpse over the high wall a dignified, if lonesome, plane tree. It is located in what was the garden of the great First World War poet Siegfried Sassoon who lived there for over five years. It was believed to have been planted by Winston Churchill in memory of the poet, Col. d'Arcy Hall and their comrades of The Great War, though this has not been conclusively proved.

 

That it is there at all is thanks to a forceful campaign led by our co-founder June Stubbs, which failed to save the nearby houses (Sassoon’s house had been all but destroyed in the 2nd World War) but at least they preserved the tree, though sadly without public access.    He lived for five productive years at 54 Tufton Street where he entertained many celebrated friends including T E Lawrence - Lawrence of Arabia - who lived nearby in Barton Street, E M Forster and W J Turner who lived with his wife in Sassoon’s house. Turner is not much known about these days but Yeats was “lost in admiration” at his work. 

 

Sassoon is remembered by a plaque on the wall of the new house on the site which was sponsored by the Thorney Island Society and the City of Westminster.

 

 

 

 

Proposed memorial statue to Lady Margaret Thatcher in Parliament Square

UPDATE !  January 2018 - Westminster Council have turned down the application for this statue.  They feel less strongly about the ten-year rule, and have based their decision more on the quality of the sculpture.

July 2017  STATUE BLOCKED ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40529770

May 2017  - Our response to Westminster City Council (Nelson Mandela statue details corrected 7th July 2017)

We acknowledge the significance of Lady Thatcher as the first female Prime Minister and the longest serving of the twentieth century, but we feel that the principle of leaving a ten-year gap between the death of a subject and the erection of a public memorial should in this case be adhered to. We note that the statue of Nelson Mandela was erected before he died but that should not set a precedent, especially as Mandela was an entirely uncontroversial figure, respected throughout the world. While Lady Thatcher was also widely respected it cannot be said that she was uncontroversial in this country. There is a strong case for the ten-year rule to be respected - there should be a decent interval before permanent statues are erected, especially when they are controversial enough to risk vandalism.

We also feel that the quality of the sculpture does not do justice either to the subject or the site. The understated and reverential character of the statue is disappointing given that the Churchill statue is so much more interesting. We understand that Lady Thatcher's daughter dislikes the statue.

For further details or to give your own comments to WCC, follow this link (CLICK HERE)

AGM 2017 & Talk

On Wednesday 15th November 2017, the Society held its 31st AGM with the generous support of Grange Hotel Rochester.  Following the business of the meeting Caroline Shenton spoke on her fascinating new book "Mr Barry's War", sequal to "The Day Parliament Burned Down". 

Tour of St James the Less church in Pimlico - September 2017

 Tour of St James the Less church in Pimlico - September 2017

Local Tree Walk with Paul Akers, WCC Arboriculturalist - September 2017

A fascinating tour around the local streets with Paul, sharing his vast experience and knowledge.  Trees and shrubs from the Mediterranean, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, China, Japan & Iran are to be found in our streets.  Carefully chosen for their trunks, flowers, colour of foliage, height, shape, roots and always a tolerance to pollution and pavements !

Who would have thought there were Olive trees in Abbey Orchard Street, a Tulip tree (first introduced in the UK in 1650) in Wilcox Place, a Myrtle and a Loquat in Howick Place and a Japanese Pagoda and a Strawberry Tree in Thirleby Road ?

Many thanks to Paul for introducing us to them and general fascinating discussion on these lovely trees and plants that he and his team look after.

Thorney Tales (13) - Elizabeth Woodville

Lambeth Bridge Roundabout

August 2017    We object to plans to remove the roundabout and replace it with traffic lights.  Read  OUR RESPONSE HERE

Proposed

Existing

Suffragist Millicent Fawcett - First women honoured in Parliament Square ?

July 2017:  Following an announcement in April 2017 (Read BBC article here), a planning application has now been made.  Millicent Fawcett may have pipped Lady Thatcher to the post !  See our Planning page for link to WCC to make a comment.

Our response to the planning application:  "Although we have no objection to the subject matter of this statue, which is not controversial, we have strong reservations about the current rapid increase in the number of monuments in an area that has been declared a Monument Saturation Zone. This Westminster City Council policy should be adhered to, both now and in the future."