Notes and news — October 1998CP in Camden Town
Silvia Rodgers in her autobiographical book Red Saint, Pink Daughter (André Deutsch 1996) describes her astonishment at London when, escaping Nazi persecution, she arrived here from Berlin in 1939. She first lived at Eton Place near Chalk Farm underground station and from an industrial archaeological point of view it is interesting to note some of the differences as seen by an 11-year-old girl. Compared with Berlin double-glazing in windows was all but unknown and duvets on beds were many years into the future. Being tucked into bed and held down by English blankets felt very restricting. Electric light switches did not turn but flicked up and down and the light bulbs did not screw but bayoneted into place.
In the streets trams did not run in trains of two or three but were top-heavy double deckers which swayed alarmingly and there was a curious hybrid between a bus and a tram known as a trolley bus. Fruit was abundantly available from the corner shop, Britain had an Empire, and the bread was so white — but the sausages were not so attractive. In Woolworths the display of Chocolate biscuits was tremendous, so many varieties, and as well as a chocolate and sweet culture there was also a tinned culture. In Berlin no self respecting person would have prepared a meal from tins but in London even smart shops stocked all kinds of things in tins, even luxury items. There was also a novelty; baked beans. With all those chocolates and sweets how was it that English people were so slim?
The cinemas were a great attraction, the Gaumont at Camden Town had an organ which rose out of the floor and there was community singing in the interval between films, the audience reading the words projected on the screen. With films considered unsuitable for children it was easy to attach oneself to an adult and get admitted. The fruit and vegetable market nearby in Inverness Street was splendid but buying there had its difficulties. It took time to learn that 'tuppence hipenny' meant two and a half pennies. There were also ungainly tricycles that carried a box over the front wheel with the words 'stop me and buy one'. What could that mean? However, at first one thing did seem clear, the cardboard notices displayed in shop windows with the letters CP. They must be places where meetings of the Communist Party were held. Only later did she discover that CP stood for Carter Paterson, the road transport firm. Does anyone remember the CP notices? Bob Carr
Following Mary Mills' 'Millennium News' in the last Newsletter (GLIAS Newsletter August 1998), I am not ruining my wizened curmudgeonly gas man image by owning a mobile phone. Also George Livesey's Ghost needs some further explanation. East Greenwich works was George's engineering magnum opus, and while the works was under construction in the mid 1880's it is said he lived on site in a flat above the works offices. After George died in 1908, footsteps were heard in the offices from the flat above. The building was badly damaged in the last war, the top floor destroyed and not replaced, consequently.
George continued taking exercise in the roof space. Since the offices have been demolished, George may have surfaced again to have a few words with whoever rendered him homeless, or possibly to look for lodgings. 'virtually on top of the Dome!'
I do not know when manifestation supposedly began. I first heard about this some thirty years ago. Considering it is not proven that George lived on site at Greenwich, he died in Reigate, and is buried in Nunhead Cemetery, this is in reality probably no more than a ripping yarn for entertaining visitors; and also, so it appears, the artificers of the Dome. Only George knows the answers - anyone adroit at Ouija Board? Seriously, these merry japes have informed the public there is more to the Millennium site than just pollution. Therefore the Dome should contain fitting tribute to the thousands who devoted their working lives to public service at East Greenwich gas works, lest it be forgotten. Brian Sturt
Many GLIAS members are probably familiar already with 'Archive', the quarterly journal for British industrial and transport history, but for those who are not, it is to be recommended for its authoritative articles and excellent photography. Now in its fifth year of publication, the magazine has included regular features on London subjects, notably the East Greenwich Gasworks, the construction of Fortis Green Reservoir, London sewers, and two articles on the Longhedge railway works at Battersea. All back numbers are currently available.
Issue No. 18 (June 1998) has a fascinating article on John Saxby and the 'interlocking system' for railway signalling. Saxby (1821-1913) was born in Sussex and began work in 1840 as a carpenter with the London & Brighton Railway, becoming a foreman at the Brighton Locomotive & Carriage Works just sixteen years later. Having witnessed an accident caused by signal-error at the Bricklayers Arms Junction in London, he set his mind to producing a safer signalling system and took out his first patent in 1856. The system allowed for the mechanical connection between the operation of the points and the indication displayed by the signals. Later patents also provided for the construction of lever frames of considerable size.
Saxby continued to develop his system and in 1862 he left the London Brighton & South Coast Railway to go into partnership with John Stinson Farmer, a former assistant traffic manager on the LBSCR. They leased land beside the LNWR main line at Kilburn to construct a signal works. The article reproduces very early photographs of the works, taken in 1863 and 1866, the latter showing the construction of signal gantries for Cannon Street Station. There are also very well reproduced early photographs of the signalling systems at Victoria and Waterloo, but the best and most interesting illustrations show the signal boxes on gantries over the lines on the bridges into Charing Cross and Cannon Street Stations. They are all accompanied by detailed captions.
Saxby and Farmer were very successful and in 1874 introduced a design which was to endure well into the next century. It became a standard, not only in Britain, but also in the USA, France and Belgium, where they set up another factory outside Brussels.
Further information on subscriptions to 'Archive' is available from the Lightmoor Press, 120 Farmers Close, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX8 6NR. Stephen Croad
The remains of German U-boat pens in Brittany
The current interest in these structures is that Lionel Jospin, the French Premier, has issued an edict that they must be preserved and brought into use. Plans have been drafted to bring these buildings into full use for the millennium. In consequence these structures should be visited within the next 12 months. Whilst they will doubtless still exist for many years to come, there is a danger that their stark nature will be lost as they become 'sanitised' for new purposes. Currently proposed uses are as arts complexes, multi-screen cinemas and museums. The proposals for the Keroman basin are for a series of museums of ship construction, diving and a submarine museum, in addition to the one already in existence at St Nazaire. At St Nazaire there are plans for a museum of passenger liners, with the reconstruction of the interior of a major liner. The structures were built by the German organisation, Todt.
On June 21 1940 the German invasion of Lorient commenced and it was decided that the town should be the main base for the battle of the Atlantic. Within a few months the two blocks, Keroman 1 and 2, were built. Whilst heavily defended from assault by both sea and air, these almost indestructible buildings resulted in the evacuation of the civilian population of Lorient and the almost total destruction of the city in 1943.
Once the town was liberated in 1945, the French Navy took over the base using it for Narval, later Daphne and finally Agusta class submarines. The last submarine left the base in 1997 which means that now the general public. and not just French nationals, can visit the base.
The submarine base at St Nazaire also remains although lying derelict for many years. 14 bays, a total of 300m by 125m, could contain 20 submarines with machine shops at the end of the bays. To allow the U boats to set to sea with minimal observation, a covered lock 53m by 13m was built which today houses the French Sous Marin Espadon. This was the first French submarine to cruise under the polar ice cap and is open to the public.
The submarine pens at Brest (Lanion) are still in use by the French Navy and in consequence are available only to those of French nationality. Tim Crichton
© GLIAS, 1998