• Norwood Forum

Lambethans Society: closing down arrangements

The Annual General Meeting on 30 November agreed that the Lambethans Society would close.  Alternative arrangements are set out below.

Summer Walks series: Several societies and friends groups provide the walks, with shared publicity organised by the Lambeth Local History Forum.  A printed list of walks will be available at Lambeth libraries or from the amenity societies listed below by April.

Lambeth Heritage Festival: After positive responses to most of the events held as part of the Festival last September, including the Local History Fair at St. Leonard’s Church, Streatham, plans are in hand for another series of events this coming September.  The ambition is to move the Local History Fair around the borough, with the 2018 event at Omnibus in Clapham.  See also: www.lambethlocalhistoryforum.org.uk

Amenity Societies in Lambeth

Balham Society: John Rattray, johnmrattray@gmail.com

Brixton Society: Alan Piper, info@brixtonsociety.org.uk

Camberwell Society: www.camberwellsociety.org.uk

Clapham Society: Alyson Wilson, www.claphamsociety.com

Dulwich Society: www.dulwichsociety.com

Herne Hill Society: Jeff Doorn, www.hernehillsociety.org.uk

Norwood Society: www.norwoodsociety.co.uk

Streatham Society: Shea Richardson, shea.richardson@homecall.co.uk

Vauxhall Society: vauxhallcs@gmail.com www.vauxhallcivicsociety.org.uk

Societies over wider areas

The London Society This long-standing body has undergone a major revival over the past year or two, with 2500 people attending some 60 events in 2017.  Their busy programme of walks, talks and Saturday morning Schools is continuing through 2018, including a series of talks on London in the 1930s, when the Society helped shape new planning policies.  The emerging London Plan, London Icons and London’s Great Estates will continue to feature.  Enquiries to info@londonsociety.org.uk or see website: www.londonsociety.org.uk

The London Ashridge Circle offers a similar programme of talks and visits to our own in past years. There are opportunities to sample events before joining up.  Most talks are at the Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard, SW1 (near Charing Cross/ Embankment). See website www.londonashridgecircle.london for their current programme, or enquiries@londonashridgecircle.london

Museums News

London Fire Brigade Museum: continues to operate on a “pop-up” basis in the old workshop on the opposite side of Lambeth High Street to the Brigade HQ fronting Albert Embankment.  Ambitions are for a permanent museum once this and the old Southwark HQ have been redeveloped.

Meanwhile, the museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm, and will host a number of special events in 2018. Enquiries to museum@london-fire.gov.uk or see website www.london-fire.gov.uk/london-fire-brigade-museum.asp

Garden Museum: re-opened last summer in the former parish church of St. Mary, Lambeth. The renovation left much more of the church’s history and memorials visible.  More details of visitor arrangements are now available on their website at https://gardenmuseum.org.uk. Visitors also have the option of climbing the old church tower without paying the full entry price of £10.  Tower-only tickets are just £3 - 131 steps to views across the Thames to Westminster. Tower closes one hour before the museum, and may be closed in inclement weather.

For Further Enquiries

For any outstanding questions, please contact the Chair, Alan Piper at APiperBrix@aol.com.