Spitalfields Jewish Maternity Hospital - an inglorious ending?

Spitalfields Jewish Maternity Hospital (affectionately known as Mother Levy's) is being demolished for a mixed group of housing, for rent, rent-and-buy, and for sale, PRIOR to consultation on the sites future or applying for planning permission. The proposal is a development of the Peabody Trust.
Spitalfields has variously been home to predominantly Huguenot French, Ashkenazim Jews and now Bangtladeshi communities. Naturally, buildings that can adapt to change do, the Jamme Masjid was formerly a Synagogue and before that a Huguenot chapel. Slowly now the remnants of the Jewish East End of London are fading. When I started living nearby, Bloom's was a kosher restaurant, now it is a chain burger joint.
The local planning authority, Tower Hamlets, planning brief specifies 
"1.3 In summary, the statement seeks to guide the redevelopment of the site for residential uses. Any redevelopment at this site must consider: 
• The amenity of surrounding residential development; 
• The relationship of any development on the site with Osmani School; and 
• The potential to convert the existing building to residential uses" 
http://moderngov.towerhamlets.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=7804
Peabody are ‘proposing to begin demolition prior to the submission of the planning application‘ for their five- or six-storey replacement building (13 October letter from Peabody to Dr. Kadish), Peabody can do this by applying for ‘prior notice of demolition’. The proposed demolition would be what is called ‘permitted development’ and officers would simply have to give ‘prior approval of the method of demolition’. ‘The Council acknowledges that the buildings do represent a non-designated heritage asset in accordance with PPS5‘  http://residents-first.co.uk/ This would normally entail a detailed survey of the historic building as apart of the decision-making process. Residents efforts to save a couple of cottages in Underwood Road -- as a memorial to the pioneering work of the Maternity Hospital (before state provision) have so far been rebuffed 

see also http://spitalfieldslife.com/2011/10/17/tom-ridge-the-jewish-maternity-hospital/
If you - like Arnold Wesker - are concerned about these proposals - or about the way the process is being pursued, you can write to Stephen.Howlett@peabody.org.uk and owen.whalley@towerhamlets.gov.uk
I suspect no-one is against affordable housing or mixed schemes, but the compromise of keeping the cottages as a memorial is helpful in retaining a local landmark which contributes to the character of the area - as one where  waves of refugees have settled and built better lives.

Pie and Mash shops

A unique feature of East London, and the East End in particular, is the prevalence of Pie and Mash shops. Traditionally these sold minced beef pies with mashed potato and green liquor (a parsley sauce made with old potato water) and stewed eel and mashed potato... They were a feature of the working class districts where a cheap cafe was needed when many folk had no designated kitchen in their living space (living in houses divided into rooms to rent). Nowadays they persist as a nostalgic food for the local white working class. But for how long? Take-away kebabs and spiced chicken outlets, Chinese and Indian restaurants and pizza delivery have all taken the place of the Pie-and-Mash shop. New migrant communities have no nostalgia to the food. IS this part of the local character of the east End of London destined to disappear?

Name new gate on Vicky Park after Ernest Jones -- to make a real mark for the future

East End Life are inviting RESIDENTS to name a new gate on Victoria Park (see text and link below)
Despite lobbying at an early stage the Park was never adopted as a "Royal Park" and is administered by Tower Hamlets (a London Borough - if your outside London). Mayor Lutfur Rahman refers to royal links in announcing the opportunity to name a gate - but in truth there are few. Much more significant was the use of the park, and its predecessor open space Bonner's Fields as an area for debate and public meetings. Most significant of all was a meeting in 1848 that united radical Chartists (calling for the vote) and Irish nationalists. This huge meeting was broken up with considerable force by the police, with military reserves. 

Ernest Jones  was arrested and subsequently condemned to 2 years solitary confinement for sedition, attending an unlawful assembly, and a riot, at Bishop Bonner's Fields. The words he was condemned for were, "Only organise, and you will see the green flag floating over Downing Street; let that be accomplished, and John Mitchell shall be brought back again to his native country, and Sir G.  Grey and Lord John Russell shall be sent out to exchange places with him." 

Please suggest the "Ernest Jones Gate" for Vicky Park to Tower Hamlets  email your suggestions to dave.hime@towerhamlets.gov.uk 

Police violence prompted questions in an unreformed House of Commons Click for hansard report


 Make your mark to land a place in park history

RESIDENTS can leave their mark in history by naming a new feature at Victoria Park.

The council, Big Lottery Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund have secured £12 million to carry out an extensive programme of improvements to the park. They include a new community centre, a new island to house a Chinese pagoda, two attractive bridges leading to the island, improvements to the play areas and a makeover of the Old English Garden.

Mayor Lutfur Rahman visited the park to unveil the newly-refurbished Canal Gate and laid the final glass slab of the Jubilee Greenway Walk, a route that starts in the park and links the Olympic Park with other heritage sites and parks. It is intended to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Mayor Rahman also launched a competition to name a new entrance in Grove Road. The park currently has 31 gates which are named after famous people, local landmarks or have a royal connection – for example Royal, Crown, Queens, Bonner, St Augustine’s, St Mark’s, St Agnes and Gunmakers.

Mayor Rahman said: “Victoria Park has a rich history ranging from its role as the People’s Park hosting political meetings and rallies to recreation, live music and sport and will be playing a key role in the Olympics as a live site. The competition is a chance to find a unique name which pays homage to the popular park and its royal links. It is the borough’s royal links and distinctive history, which marks it out as a leading contender to be the UK’s next city.”

Tower Hamlets is bidding for city status as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

To enter the competition email your suggestions to dave.hime@towerhamlets.gov.uk or by post to Victoria Park, St Mark’s Office, Cadogan Terrace, E9 5DU by September 16.

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park (revisited)

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, a group on Flickr.

Historic Landscape Characterisation divides the landscape into character types. But then you need to draw an arrow, of direction. Ontologically "Everything is in the act of becoming". It is perpetually on the cusp of existence, only to be converted into a memory. "Now" is infinitely small, and the past infinitely big. The common understanding of "now" actually includes a fair chunk of what is past and gone, never to reappear. Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, as the name implies, is a cemetery but is administered by the local council as a nature reserve for the purposes of recreation and education. So what is its "Type". Take a look at the photos and you decide. Not that having overlapping "Types" invalidates Historic Landscape Characterisation. Here, normally, a decision is made over which Type is "dominant". Would you say that THCP is predominantly a recreational park? a nature reserve? or a cemetery?...
Whatever it is, it is one of my favourite spots in London. Birdsong at dusk and dawn is as good as I've heard anywhere and the place is full of flowers (and trees and ivy). If you stand in the middle you can barely hear traffic!

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

Panoramio photos (handy map / aerial photos)

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, a set on Flickr.