"Exploring the Elizabeth Line" - Walk 20 Shenfield to Brentwood via Ingrave & Thorndon Country Park

 

Gill and I were lucky today to have a perfect warm, sunny spring Sunday to complete this 7.5 mile walk from Shenfield station to Brentwood Station. This was courtesy of this book "Exploring the Elizabeth Line", which has 23 walks starting (and mostly finishing) from the new London Crossrail line. 

Just around the corner from Shenfield station, we stopped of at petrol station with M&S food store, for picnic supplies (I had to eat, there and then, their hot sausage roll - super delicious). 

The first part of the walk is through the "Hutton Mount" estates, which I had assumed beforehand was a Council estate but turned out to be hundreds of mostly gated luxury homes with  private security security patrols. Incredible - I have never seen the like outside central London. None of whom had Labour Party posters up (see end of walk). I note that some homes cost more than £4 million. Which to me, to be honest, pretty sickening, that some have so much while so many others have so little.  

Wikipedia however, describes the wider village of Hutton, as being where the first Essex Policeman was murdered on duty in 1850 and were in 1905, the Chair of Poplar Board of Guardians (East London workhouses) George Lansbury (famous for going to prison over the Poplar rate rebellion and becoming the  leader of the Labour Party), built a training school for destitute children. I use to manage the social housing block called "George Lansbury House" in Tower Hamlets. 

Thorndon Hall was also an impressive building to view. A former stately home (top left) now converted into luxury private flats. I doubt "very much" it contains any social housing.

It was surprisingly quiet and even isolated in most part but there were a fair number of walkers, cyclists and runners enjoying the countryside. Due to recent rain it was very green and lush. The bird song was marvellous, lots of squirrels and occasional dragon flies. There was also lots of shade and lovely dappled sunshine paths. 

No stiles or obstructions to climb over (on the day). 

Instructions in book pretty clear but best to have a gps backup on your phone such as Detailed maps & routes to explore across the UK | OS Maps

Just before we finished in Brentwood, we came across a large "Vote Labour" placard (bottom left) on the balcony of a flat in a small tower block, which I am not sure if it was private or social housing but I am sure it did not cost £4 million. 

Afterwards stopped off at the Holly Tree in Forest Gate, where I enjoyed a pint of Spitfire in the crowded pub garden (but in plastic cup). 

Jon Cruddas MP "George Lansbury's Legacy for the Labour Party"

Last Thursday evening I went to the inaugural lecture of the George Lansbury Memorial Committee in Queen Mary's, Stepney, East London. The speaker was Labour MP Jon Cruddas.

George Lansbury was a former leader of the Labour Party in the 1930's and at the time a very poplar politician in East London. But he is not that well known nowadays.

Jon described him as a man of ethics, principle and character.  A great servant of the people. Born 1859 (to a Welsh Mother) he was a MP 1910-1912 and 1922-1940. In 1921 he was Labour Mayor of Poplar and led the Poplar Rates rebellion which resulted in him and 30 councillors being imprisoned for 6 weeks. He was leader of the Labour Party 1932-1935.

Jon believed that Lansbury by his example saved the Labour Party following the treachery and its near electoral annihilation in 1931. He was a supporter of the suffragette and trade union movements. A teetotal Christian socialist pacifist who despite their differences, laid the way for the great reforming Labour Prime Minister, Clement Attlee.

Lansbury was courteous to all but would bend down to none.  He was a patriotic, free born Englishman in the romantic tradition of William Morris. Not backward or anti-technology.

He was not a scientific socialist or transactional rationalist like Morrison, Dalton or Gaitskell. He believed in human virtue and the power of transformation. The need to motivate people and lead by personal example. Tell a story that speaks to hopes and dreams.

He hated the workhouse and refused to accept the concept of an undeserving poor. He wanted to gain power only to give it away ‘to chain down misery and set happiness free’.

The Labour Party went on to believe more in transactional politics than transformation. Jon argues that Labour's current "One Nation" politics is a return to such transformation beliefs.  This is Lansbury legacy to the Labour Party and in 2015 as in 1945 we will win power and recover from defeat.

There was a wide ranging Q&A chaired by local MP Jim Fitzpatrick. I was able to mention that I was the former Estate officer for George Lansbury House which is a Council Housing building in Bow which is built on the site of his former home.

My question was is (Labour Leader Ed Miliband's promise) to fix broken markets "transactional" or "transformational"? Jon grinned and said it is both.

You can check out the full transcript of his speech at New Stateman. 

Will Crooks: A celebration

Will Crooks: A celebration.  Tuesday 29th May, 6:30pm - 8:30pm at St. Matthias Community Centre,

This event will celebrate the 160th anniversary of the birth of Will Crooks:-  Trade Unionist, the fourth Labour Member of Parliament and first Labour Mayor of Poplar.

Speakers will include Nick Raynsford, Member of Parliament for Greenwich and Woolwich and David Edgar, councillor for Limehouse.

RSVP to: ramona.iosip@canarywharf.com or 020 7418 2462.

 

Check out Will Crooks and Pathe News (above) of his funeral in 1921.

Quote about Will Crooks "I once heard him say that a non-Union workman who tried to gain personal advancement at the expense of his mates was like a man who stole a wreath from his neighbour's grave and won a prize with it at a flower show!"

14th Floor: The History of Social Housing in Tower Hamlets

Last week I finally saw the film "14th floor: The History of Social Housing in Tower Hamlets". I've worked as a housing management officer in Tower Hamlets for the last 24 years so as you can imagine I am just a little interested in this subject.

Columbia Buildings (1872) is mentioned which I use to manage in 1992 just before the estate action bid which transformed it into one of the most attractive buildings in the borough.

Good to see Mike Tyrrell and many other Tower Hamlets housing characters talking about their experiences. Mike is now the CEO of Tower Hamlets Community Housing (THCH) and in the film he talks about how his newly appointed staff find it impossible to believe that as a child in the 1960s he and his family lived in a 2 bedroom flat without its own toilet or bath.

I must admit that I disagree with the romanticism of the 27 storey Balfron Towers in Poplar designed by Ernő Goldfinger.  While I personally like living in high rise tower blocks I cannot see how how people ever thought that such monstrosities were ever suitable for young families with children.

There should also been more about the truly radical history of social housing in Tower Hamlets. Such as the role of the suffragettes, rents strikes, defeating the fascists at Cable Street and "Red Stepney". 

I also think that the film was rather spoilt at the end by being too uncritical of modern developments. I have no doubt that there is lots of examples of good decent sustainable social housing developments currently taking place. But for a "history" programme it is just far too soon to judge. Many of the historic estate developments judged now to have been disastrous and knocked down (before even the loans to build them had been paid off) had at the time been thought "wonderful" and won lots of prize's and awards.

The intro video clip is a good taster to the film. I am surprised it is not on YouTube?

UPDATE: Mike Tyrrell corrected me on FaceBook to say it was "not a two bed flat we lived in but a two roomed flat. One room as a bedroom and the other as a living room and kitchen, let alone sharing the toilet on the landing with neighbours!!!!!!!!!!". Retired housing worker Bob Sheldrick also posted "I spent the first 21 years of my life in BG , living on the Horwood Estate- Pott Street. Unlike Mike we did have our own bathroom and toilet but central heating- no chance! We all lived in walk-up blocks back then and I saw mothers with their prams and babies literally climbing 8 flights of stairs". ..and people call those times "the good all days".

The "Poplar Rebellion" & LGPS Fiduciary Obligations

At the UNISON Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) seminar on Tuesday I was surprised to see the “Poplar Rebellion” being mentioned during a presentation on LGPS case law.

This was really interesting (to me anyway). In 1921 a radical Labour Council was elected in Poplar, East London (now part of Tower Hamlets) led by George Lansbury (see photo left). This Council was most famous for refusing to set a “rate” since they felt that the poorer districts of London were unfairly treated when compared with richer parts of London. This meant that many of the Councillors were jailed for contempt of court.

However, this incredibility progressive Council also set an equal minimum wage of £4 per week for all employees - male and female. Which was unheard of at the time!

In the judgement Roberts v. Hopwood 1925, the courts found that the council had acted illegally in giving all employees equal pay, since women’s pay was usually far less than men at the time (even worse than now).

By paying women a rate the same as men the council was found to have been not acting in a “business-like manner” and it was declared unlawful.

This case is still cited as relevant case law with regard to to LGPS and British local authority governance.