This week 10, 20, 30 years ago
10 years ago
Casual observers of the Twitter website may have noticed some surprising messages seemingly published by a borough’s Mayor this month.
At face value, comments posted under the profile Sir_Steve_B would suggest Lewisham council leader Sir Steve Bullock has adopted an irreverent attitude to the town hall.
Messages published about life in charge of the authority, which has agreed a £33million savings package, say staff made redundant should “enjoy the sunshine” and that the borough’s annual free community festival Lewisham People’s Day would this year be “28 per cent less enjoyable”.
One of the most recent messages, posted after the Grand National on Saturday, said: “Bad day at the races. I’m afraid these cuts may bite a bit harder now.”
The accompanying profile shows a photo of eccentric actor Brian Blessed, who bears a passing resemblance to Sir Steve.
For those who may have failed to realise it, it also contains the words: “THIS IS A PARODY ACCOUNT.”
A 104-year-old – believed to have been Britain’s oldest worker – has died in his sleep hours after getting home from his job cleaning vans.
Buster Martin passed away on Tuesday night five years after starting work at Pimlico Plumbers opposite his home in Sail Street, Kennington.
In 2008, Buster ran and walked three marathons that would have seen him entered into Guinness World Records for becoming the oldest man to complete the 26-mile challenge.
Judges refused to accept his entry because he did not have a birth certificate although he later managed to acquire a passport that showed his age.
20 years ago
Former Premiership footballer Lee Chapman was at the centre of a row with council planning officers over his popular Clapham night spot.
Mr Chapman, 41, had accused Lambeth council of treating him unfairly in his attempts to get a late licence for the bar/restaurant he ran.
The Balham resident had twice been knocked back in his attempts to get an opening hours extension for SO.UK in Clapham High Street.
A council spokesman said the other applications had been rejected as officers were mindful of the “additional noise and disturbance to neighbours”.
Church bosses had caused uproar with plans to introduce market rents on the Octavia Hill Estate.
The Church Commissioners, who owned the estate, wanted to rent as many as two-thirds of homes at market rates.
The remaining third were to be offered to key workers, including bus drivers, teachers and nurses.
Octavia Hill Estate had around 1,600 homes, mainly in South London, including property in Vauxhall, Walworth, Lambeth and Southwark.
Popular Brockwell Lido was threatened with closure after Lambeth council only agreed to extend its operator’s lease for a year.
The leaseholders on the 60-year-old outdoor pool in Brockwell Park were facing a £250,000 bill for repairs to the lido, which had become run-down.
Leaseholder Paddy Castledine said: “There is a lot of work to be done and we need backing, support in getting funding and a long lease from the council so we can get on with it.”
Councillor Paul McGlone said: “It has increased in popularity dramatically since we first leased it. Lambeth is planning a consultation on the future of the lido.”
30 years ago
The pure-as-snow part of singing, dancing nun Maria, made famous by actress Julie Andrews, was getting a lesbian revamp.
The Albany Empire theatre in Douglas Way, Deptford, was planning what it was billing as “an unmissable Alpine extravaganza – the first-ever all-lesbian version of The Sound Of Music”.
The newly-formed women’s thespian group, Slip of the Tongue, started rehearsals for the show which was to be specially adapted.
It was renamed The Hills Are Alive, and producers were promising the show would be “crammed with goats, goat-girls, dancing trees and singing nuns”.
Gary Mason announced his retirement from the boxing ring after taking medical advice over an injury to his right eye.
The Wandsworth heavyweight’s eye had been badly damaged in his seven-round defeat by Lennox Lewis a month earlier.
The bout saw Mason lose both his undefeated professional record and his British crown.
He said: “I knew there was a problem with the eye following the Lewis fight and I had it examined by several specialists.
“There was only one verdict – I had to stop fighting.”
Do you have any memories of stories in the South London Press from the past 10, 20 or 30 years that you would like to see reprinted again?
If so, drop Alexandra Warren a line with details. Email her at alexandra@slpmedia.co.uk
Main Pic: 104 year old marathon runner, Buster Martin dies ten years ago.
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