This week 10, 20, 30 years ago

10 years ago

Treasured memorial plaques for loved ones had fallen victim to metal thieves who preyed on a cemetery.

Almost 200 of the copper plaques have been stolen from the rose garden at West Norwood Cemetery in the last 12 months.

The cemetery has previously been targeted by thieves who stole copper from the crematorium roof and lead lettering from gravestones.

Members of the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery have now been asked to be “vigilant” for suspicious behaviour in the sprawling Victorian cemetery.

A report to the management committee on Wednesday said Lambeth council officers would use security screws to secure plaques in place and line bronze memorials with concrete to foil would-be looters.

It said cemetery staff were operating a daily checklist to see if things were being stolen overnight.

Meanwhile, Lambeth council’s trading standards officers are launching spot checks on scrap metal dealers in the borough to look for stolen metals.

Councillor Florence Nosegbe, cabinet member for culture, said: “Metal theft is a nationwide issue, not just affecting Lambeth, but we are taking steps to address the problem.”

Graves could have be reused in a Victorian cemetery as another borough looks to solve a burial crisis.

The proposals to reuse graves at West Norwood Cemetery in Norwood Road were revealed in documents presented to the cemetery’s management committee on Wednesday night.

A report said the management committee, including representatives from Lambeth council, had a greed the reuse of loved ones’ plots should be considered “as a priority”.

20 years ago

Government ministers backed plans to turn an old chapel in Peckham into a community centre.

Residents of Caroline Gardens in Asylum Road wanted to reclaim the chapel, which was being used by local artists.

Solicitor General Baroness Tessa Blackstone and Camberwell and Peckham MP Harriet Harman pledged their support for the proposal.

The chapel had been badly damaged during the Second World War, but despite its poor condition was temporarily being used by the Canal Head Community Arts Project.

Caroline Gardens Residents’ Association chairman Kevin Gould said he was encouraged by the high-profile support.

A high-rise housing development was put in doubt following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

Sainsbury’s was considering scaling down plans to build two 40-storey towers in Nine Elms.

The supermarket giant had already carried out a consultation and was ready to submit an application to Lambeth council.

A Sainsbury’s spokeswoman said: “We were all ready to put in an application but because of concern following the New York attacks we decided to delay the decision.”

A saga on the demolition threat to homes on the Brandon Estate ended with victory for residents.

They had been at odds with Southwark council since a consultation started on the regeneration of the Camberwell estate.

One of the options suggested was to demolish more than 100 homes to make way for higher density housing.

Lib Dem and Labour councillors eventually supported residents opposed to the plan, but council officers stuck to their guns.

The demolition option was ruled out, with the acting director of housing, Keith Broxup, writing to residents with the news.

30 years ago

Housing officers said good riddance to their offices on a Peckham council estate by staging a drunken, noisy, all-night party.

Police were called three times after angry residents complained about the noise coming from the Neighbourhood Housing Office on the Tustin Estate.

The party was held to celebrate a move for around 30 housing officers to new offices in Meeting House Lane on the Acorn Estate.

A council housing office was to be named after an Irish hunger striker, if a Labour branch plan was agreed.

Peckham Labour Party was calling on Southwark council to name housing offices in Bournemouth Road, Peckham, “Terence MacSwiney House”.

MacSwiney was an IRA sympathiser who died in Brixton in 1920 following a 74-day hunger strike.

The call was criticised by some residents who branded the idea “a disgrace”.

Jimmy Shannon, chairman of the Herne Hill branch of the Royal British Legion, said the idea drove him “potty”.

But Peckham Labour Party chairman Kevin Gould hit back at critics, claiming MacSwiney had been a champion of public housing.

Pupils at a school once threatened with closure because of poor academic standards had achieved some of the best results in London.

Fifth year students taking GCSEs at Kingsdale School in Alleyn Park, Dulwich, achieved a 90 per cent pass rate in maths and 86 per cent in English.

Headteacher Stephen Williams, said: “I’m a traditional head with old-fashioned values. I believe in hard work, good manners and the wearing of school uniform.”

Compiled by alexandra@slpmedia.co.uk

Pic: This week ten years ago, thieves stole hundreds of plaques from West Norwood Cemetery.