This week 10, 20, 30 years ago

10 Years Ago

Body parts found on a grassy common belonged to a two-week old baby, police revealed.

Detectives investigating the gruesome discovery said they feared for the welfare of the mother and focused efforts on finding her.

The body parts – two legs – were found on Tooting Bec Common by a Wandsworth council parks maintenance worker.

A post-mortem failed to determine the sex of the baby but established it was born less than two weeks ago and was white.

Police said there was no evidence of a ritual killing. The body parts were discovered lying unconcealed on the grass.

A world-famous nightclub hit out at property developers that it said threatened its future.

The Ministry of Sound (MoS), in Gaunt Street, Elephant & Castle, fought plans by developer Oakmayne to pull down the vacant office block next door to make way for a 41-storey housing development. Eileen House would be replaced by 335 flats as well as office space.

Chief executive of the club Lohan Presencer was worried that if City Hall gave the development the green light, the club would be hit with noise complaints by future tenants of the flats and spell the end of the club that first opened in September 1991.

One of Battersea Power Station’s new owners defended its record after an environmental group said it was “keeping an eye on the business.”

Friends of the Earth (FoE) said Sime Darby, which secured a 40 per cent stake in the London landmark last week, was heavily involved in the palm oil industry.

FoE says this industry has been associated with deforestation in some areas.

The company is part of the Malaysian consortium which bought the art deco power station for £400million and pledged to start work on its £8billion redevelopment before the end of the year.

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20 Years Ago

A row erupted over plans to build London’s tallest building at London Bridge.

The London Bridge Tower project, which would see a 1,000ft tower built over the station won the support of London Mayor Ken Livingstone but deputy prime minister John Prescott said the pyramid-shaped tower, which would house offices, luxury flats and offices should be called in for more scrutiny as it would dominate the London skyline.

But Southwark council leader Councillor Nick Stanton said the tower, which has been nicknamed “the shard of glass” would be good for the area.

A congregation managed to raise enough cash in two years to build a community centre in their church’s crypt.

Work was due to begin at St Peter’s Church in Liverpool Grove, Walworth, in November 2002 after church-goers raised £18,000 by holding quiz nights and sponsored events.

In World War II, the crypt had been used as an air raid shelter and several people died when it received a direct hit in 1941.

Money, to help refurbishment came from the National Lottery and the Government.

A street dealer had his collar felt after trying to sell to borough commander Brian Moore.

The top cop was walking home in civilian clothes when the man approached him and offered to sell him cannabis in Brixton Road.

The commander took out his warrant card and told him who he was.

The man, who was later found to have a knife became aggressive and arrested when back-up arrived.

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30 Years Ago

A security guard was praised after dousing flames after bombs detonated at the Imperial War Museum.

Ken Reed was busy putting out the flames from the 6in device, planted on a First World War display.

When 10 minutes later a second device went off yards away. Twenty firefighters arrived but Mr Reed already had the fires under control.

The attack bore the hallmarks of an IRA attack, according to a minister arriving at the scene the following day.

About 12,000 commemorative plates were thought to be hidden in South London after they were stolen from a lorry.

The Wedgewood plates were worth £27,000.

The driver of the lorry was told that his consignment had been redirected from central London to a warehouse in Rotherhithe and, after unloading the plates, he drove off unaware that he had been robbed.

The theft was uncovered when Holiday Inn questioned where its consignment had gone. The driver told police that he couldn’t remember where he had taken the delivery as he did not know the Rotherhithe area.

A fleet of new trains had to lie dormant for weeks while safety checks were carried out, despite being unveiled amid fanfare in 1992.

Network Rail’s Networker trains, which replaced the out-moded “slam door” carriage trains were left parked at Clapham Junction station, while the rail company carried out rigorous tests.

When the trains were put into service, they would be used to speed Channel Tunnel passengers through South London rather than relieve commuter congestion, watchdog Transport 2000 claimed.

The claim that the new trains would be concentrated on the Bromley to Victoria line to ferry international passengers into the heart of London were refuted by Network Rail.

 

Pictured: Battersea Power Station from the river. Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Alberto Pascual