This week 10, 20, 30 years ago
10 Years Ago
Pockets of South London now have the longest dole queues in the capital, according to new Government statistics.
The grim reality of the economic crisis is drawn into sharp focus by Office for National Statistics figures, which show that Southwark is faring worst with almost 12,000 people out of work, while the grim picture is little better in neighbouring Lambeth.
In Lambeth, around 11,000 people are claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance and councillors from both boroughs have spoken out about the crisis.
Southwark council cabinet member for economic well being, Claire Hickson, said: “There is a high concentration of deprived communities in Southwark and coupled with this there have been a lack of opportunities for young people.
“A lot of young people in Southwark have been unemployed for over a year and it’s very difficult to break this cycle”
Children have written heartfelt letters to a chief police officer after their school was targeted by burglars four times in just a month.
The children, who are all pupils in years seven and eight at Rushey Green Primary School in Culverley Road, Catford, wrote to Lewisham borough commander, Chief Superintendent Russell Nyman, after £20,000 worth of computer equipment was stolen in raids on the school between November 11 and 29.
Chief Sup Nyman visited the youngsters to talk to them about his officers’ inquiries.
In one letter a child wrote: “The robbers took our lovely computers and now we don’t have any computer no more. We are heartbroken.”
Another child wrote: “I think the robbers were silly because they stole our computer. Why did they steal our computer? Could you tell them when you catch them, stop!” Chief Sup Nyman said: “I was touched by the letters.
“Many of them quite rightly asked what is being done to apprehend them and I decided to tell them what we are doing in person.”
20 Years
Nearly 300 dogs were abandoned and had to be taken in by Battersea Dogs Home over the festive period in 2002.
But staff said there had been a drop in the number of dogs being left with them by families who had bought them as Christmas presents.
Strays given a new home at the rescue centre included Sam, a Doberman found needing medical treatment in Twickenham and Scruff the mongrel, found by police in Hounslow, west London.
A Chelsea pensioner had his eyesight restored thanks to surgeons at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital.
Doctors hoped the pioneering treatment for cataracts would be used to help thousands of people.
Ralph Dickinson became one of the first people to have an artificial lens placed in his eye to correct his cataracts and was able to dispose of his reading glasses within days.
At the time, Guy’s and St Thomas’ had the UK’s only cataract research centre and started a two-year study to test if the new procedure would be effective long term.
Police announced the launch of a crackdown on gun crime in January 2003 after 26 South Londoners were shot, marking the worst year on record for shootings in South London’s black community.
The Met recorded an unprecedented number of firearms offences and police chiefs pledged to put more resources in to tackling the problem.
A bolstered Tactical Support Unit Group was mustered and due to be deployed on regular patrols and raids and armed-response units were set to be put on full-time patrols in Lambeth and Southwark.
30 Years Ago
A massive housing racket which involved letting homes to illegal immigrants was exposed by Lambeth council.
The illegal lets – which involved illegal immigrants using false documents to obtain temporary accommodation, involved 1,000 council homes and cost the council an estimated £4million.
After an investigation, those involved in the scam faced prosecution for fraud.
The council said the bogus documents were sophisticated and the network of criminals, which operated from Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, was highly organised.
Police were pelted with bottles and three officers were injured when 200 marauding yobs ran rampage in Brixton after a New Year’s Eve party.
The revellers, who had been at a warehouse party in Somerleyton Road, Brixton, attacked officers after they broke up the party at 4am.
Police arrived with CS gas to disperse around 500 party-goers, who then rounded on the police, hurling bottles and stones before streaming into Coldharbour Lane. A police car was also damaged before reinforcements arrived.
The ensuing stand-off lasted for around 90 minutes.
Scores of homeless people were treated to a Christmas feast thanks to a homeless charity.
Gifts, food parcels and warm winter clothes donated to charities Shelter and Crisis were given to the homeless at 11 South London shelters.
But the charities said they were still struggling to cater for an estimated 3,000 people who had to sleep rough during the festive season.
The Government gave Shelter a £150,000 grant to keep its hostels open until March, but the charity also issued a public appeal for donations.
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