Fred Karno (1866-1941) was one of greatest impresarios of music hall. He had numerous troupes touring the world. His fun factory, from where many of the UK tours departed, was at 28 Vaughan Road (now called Southwell Road), Loughborough Junction, between Brixton and Camberwell.

A 14 acres VICTORIAN park, opened in Ma 1889, used for recreation, including ornamental and horticultural bits.

it was designed by FANNY ROLLO WILKINSON, the first British woman to become a professional landscape gardener. She designed it on behalf of the METROPOLITAN PUBLIC GARDENS ASSORIATIONS. And the LORD MAYOR’s grant was another help.

”Thanks God for the MINET family” said JOHN BENJEMAN., as the land was donated to the  METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS, by the MINETS (Joseph) (on condition to keep, at that time, their anonymity). The MINET family had tenanted this farm land for a time. Some 118 acres of land they had purchased  from Sir Edward Knatchbull. 
Before  this area became built up, Joseph Myatt was a market gardener who, from 1818 to 1869, had leased part of this land and he became famous for his rhubarb, strawberries and cabbages.
They also gifted ST.JAMES’S CHURCH, the PARISH HALL and the LIBRARY.

The fields were transformed from market gardens into a populated distric in a few decades. VAUXHALL BRIDGE was built in 1816, and CUT THROAT LANE  became CAMBERWELL NEW ROAD.

Minet Estate’s borders are Akerman Road, Lothian Road, Camberwell New Road, the railway line, Paulet Road and Lilford Road

The MINET sold land to the LCD Railway and a station was built.

There was a demand for smaller houses. Builders got long leases and sold the homes , but the new tenants  got direct leases by the freeholder.

The area was not fully built until the 1900s, but even so it was overcrowded. And, in fact,  the creator of the PARK attracted further  dwellers to the area.

The MINETS build as well BURTON, CALAIS, ORCHARD, DOVER, HAYES, COLIGNY, HUGUES (houses or courts) in the 19th and  20th cent. (1964 was the last one)

In 1889 this was housing got the well off. At the beginning, in this area, no shops of trade premises had to be built, as mandated by restrictive covenant.

Yes, the as finials on the gables, you can glimpse the terracotta cats!

Set up in 1882 by LORD REGINALD BRABAZON, EARL OF MEATH, a publicly spirited man, concerned about the physical health conditions of the poor

The first woman landscape gardener in Britain, Fanny Wilkinson was one of a circle of pioneering women social reformers, including Millicent Garrett Fawcett, campaigner for women’s suffrage, her sister Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first woman doctor in Britain, and cousins, Agnes and Rhoda Garrett, the first women interior decorators. Fanny also worked with Miranda and Octavia Hill developing public gardens for the benefit of the poor, Octavia later being involved in setting up what was to become the National Trust.

Plans to redevelop it as residential.
In 2016 LAMBETH C. commissioned a survey on the conditions of the building

1900. Art Nouveau. Orig.4 storeys, brick bands in 2 tones. Canted oriel bays, in brackets. Framing bay with a projecting gabled porch (a Tudor age ornament freely added).

The building was requisitioned by BARTS HOSPITAL  in 1914, becoming part of the 1RST LONDON GENERAL HOSPITAL.  VERA BRITAIN was stationed here (Memoirs).

Afterwards, a rest home, run by the LCC

And then,a women teacher school. 

in 1870, before building started in earnest, it stood alone, overlooking the fields.
Mr.MINET took a lot of interest in building a church for the new neighbourhood… “My church, he used to say..

Impressive, with a capacity for 800 people, and a 145 ft.spire.

Made redundant and deconsecrated, it was converted to social housing by BLACK ROOF HOUSING ASSOCIATION 

As William Minet was interested in the cooperative movement, it was built by a company which he formed in cooperative lines.

The New Church bases its doctrine on the Bible as revealed anew in the ‘Writings’ of Emanuel Swedenborg. This New Christianity is a belief that the Lord used Swedenborg as a means through which to fulfil His promise and come again to Humankind at its hour of greatest need.

A baffling oddity… on account of its nautical lines… definitely this is not a submarine. Is it a ventilation shaft for the tube?.  Nope. The nearest tube line is more than a mile away. A forgotten defence relic from the Cold War era, then?.  Nope. 
There is a substantial subterranean boiler room, 2 floors down, including an electronic control panel. What you see are the ventilation shafts.
Here, high pressure boilers heat the developments of the area (former council estates). 

Published here West Indian Gazette and W.I. Observer.

And THEO CAMPBELL’S RECORD SHOP.

Not far away: Towards ST.JOHN’S THE DIVINE, but not part of the route

The name?: A reminder of Breton onion sellers, based in Camberwell, cycling heavily laden with strings of onions and garlic.  It must be a joke!.

Towards Vassal Road

Back to the tour 

In 1701 the manor on which these buildings were constructed was let to Sir Stephen Fox, father of the First Baron Holland of Foxley and grandfather of Charles James Fox, noted Whig politician and anti-slavery campaigner. Various members of the family retained the leases until the early-twentieth century. A terrace of early to mid-nineteenth century houses with basements, ornamental cast-iron balconies on the first floor, and steps up to the front doors over the basement areas.

Tower restored  in 1994.

New grotesques and statues added, representing caricatures of the congregation, the royal family, the clergy.

Opened in 1905, From here operated 1.500 London taxis. It housed offices and garages for up to 2.000 vehicles. The yellow and red brick and terracotta building included a Museum with a collection of restored taxicabs.

A cooperative undertook repair with facilities for cab owner-drivers.

On the gable was originally ‘General Motor Cab Co.Ltd.’ in art deco lettering. Next to it the archway into the courtyard was similarly lettered. The rest of the building, now the business centre, comprised garaging, washing and repair facilities.

Not far away,

Artists Jack Fawdry Tatham and Tom Scotcher were commissioned to lead the community project by Brandon Tenants Residents Association and Bee Urban.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN lived here

This was a squatted street which resisted eviction orders for more than 30 years. When a number of derelict houses were scheduled for demolition to extend Kennington Park in 1969, squatters occupied the properties and a High Court injunction prevented the demolition. The street was run by a housing cooperative until 2005, when Lambeth London Borough Council obtained an eviction order. Demolition was completed in 2007.

According to a resident in 2005: "It's evolved into a unique community in London. You can walk in and out of people's houses here. It's a safe street. There's no mugging here. I think there is a lot of things society as a whole could learn from the way we live here."

There were several community projects at St Agnes Place:

• Housing the homeless
• A social centre at house #60
• Free parties^[5]
• Studios for musicians and artists
• Radio: The street hosted Wireless FM, and a pirate radio station Rasta FM which was raided by Ofcom in October 2005.
• Rastafari community (at least a third of the residents were Rastafari).
  Bob Marley stayed at the street on several occasions in the 1970s.
• Rastafari Temple (also known as Negusa Negast)
• Ethiopian World Federation London headquarters

in 1977 Bob Marley frequently visited the Rastafarian Temple in St Agnes Place, next to the park, while he was in London recording the Exodus album. And it seems that he also enjoyed playing football with friends in the As he did  in BATTERSEA PARK, while living in CHELSEA. See DESTINATION LONDON

KENNINGTON PARK

Kennington Park is a public park in Kennington, south London and lies between Kennington Park Road and St. Agnes Place. It was opened in 1854 on the site of what had been Kennington Common, where the Chartistsgathered for their biggest "monster rally" on 10 April 1848. Soon after this demonstration the common was enclosed and, sponsored by the royal family, made into a public park.

1852 Kennington Common was enclosed. The petition for enclosure was led by the vicar of St. Mark's, aided by the young Prince of Wales. No more gathering or vulgar recreations were allowed without permission. The sacred mound was levelled, the common fenced and landscaped into an urban park. Planted with mostly sapling London Plane trees (which are still living). North and South game pitches are fenced with iron railings (removed during the Second World War).

During the CHARTIST MEETING, the first photograph of a crowd taken by William Kilburn probably from the Horns. The daguerrotype negative is now kept by and copyright Queen Elizabeth and is kept in the Royal archives at Windsor Castle.

Father Chatham was a slave from ST.KITTS.  Mother.

Born in GILLINGHAM, apprentice tailor, worked in the High St., moved to London. Married (twice)

He rejected OWENITE TRADE UNIONS. 1834 strike- 10 h. work (8 h in winter). Earnings: 6 s. 5p per day.

Sacked and blacklisted, he helped form the the METROPOLITAN TAILORS CHART. ASSOCIATION.

He became one of the organisers of the CHARTIST RALLY,  belonging though to the radical fact partisan to show physical force.

He was betrayed, arrested and accused of conspiracy, judged and convicted to 21 y. penal TRANSPORTATION to TASMANIA (for the journey, and in recognition of his patriotism and moral,worth the Chartists gave to him BYRONKs collected poetry!). Pardoned after 3 y. he stayed in TAS., worked as a tailor and became involved in politics.

Australian newspapers published his obituary.

Ann heroic figure, the interest for him has been rekindled recently:

BBC and ABC radio

TV show Vict

Exhibition in Parliament, on occasion of the 145th anniversary of the PEOPLE’S CHARTER.

2 examples of involvement of BLACK MEN in the Chartist movement, they were arrested and brought to trial before the great RALLY of 1848.

BLACK BEN and DUFFY were both seamen. Duffy was from ST.THOMAS ST.KITTS, and, according to police, a beggar at the MINT, going about without shirt, shoe or stocking. He was arrested after a meeting on 13 March when sectors of the crowd committed looting. He was found guilty of felony for breaking into a dwelling, and stealing watches. 7 years transportation.

PROPHETT found guilty of stealing cigars. 14 years to BERMUDA.

Their convictions were harsher than the ones given to others.

Definitely, they were taking to MILLBANK PRISON (holding place),  then to PRISON HULK (the YORK).

Prophett, after half the sentence was complete, was sent back to England, then held at  NEWGATE,  before being discharged on license.

 BEE URBAN: THE HIVE

BeeUrban is a social enterprise that aims to work with communities to improve the environment for the benefit of us all. We focus on responsible urban beekeeping, horticulture and community growing.

It’s not just about bees. People are also vital to BeeUrban. Community engagement and volunteering are important to us, as we strive towards providing opportunities to contribute to the locality, inspiring to be creative and reduce social isolation.

This is where you can see our new history boards! The boards were conceived, researched and designed by an FoKP team, with support from Lambeth Council and Surrey County Cricket Club. We wanted to share with park users some of the fascinating stories about the park and the area that surrounds it. Local MP Florence Eshalomi cut the ribbon and declared the hut open in December 2021.The shelter dates from the 1930s. It is similar to a Victorian shelter in Battersea Park.

At the heart of the park is an award-winning Old English ‘Flower Garden’, recently restored with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Lambeth Council.

During World War Two there were shallow trench air raid shelters in the park's south field. On  15 October 1940, the shelters took a direct hit during a raid. It's thought that 104 local people died. But only 48 bodies were recovered. They were buried in Streatham Cemetery – the remainder still lie beneath the park. This was Lambeth’s worst WW2 civilian incident. It was hurriedly covered up to avoid negative propaganda. The tragedy was largely forgotten until a memorial service in 2002 at St Mark’s Church.  

​

The Friends of Kennington Park through Lambeth’s Opportunities Fund commissioned a permanent memorial. In Caithness stone, designed and carved by local resident Richard Kindersley. Unveiled in 2006 with a service in 2010 for the 70th anniversary.  The daughter of one of the casualties still visits the park each year to lay flowers. There was a small service of commemoration in October 2020 on the 80th anniversary of the tragedy.

INo longer a fountain, this structure has been in three different locations in the par. From 1869 it was the centre piece in  a sunken garden between Prince Consort lodge and  the Childrens’ playground in the centre of the basket ball court, then it was moved east to the circular rose bed by the table tennis.

The fountain is just a stump now, but it was originally a large ornamental fountain made with unglazed, buff coloured terracotta used by the local firm, Royal Doulton, for making garden ornaments. Designed by John Sparkes, head of Lambeth School of Art, it was exhibited in 1872 at the International Exhibition in Kensington. At the base was a pond, above a bowl with fountain, a central column with a sculpture at the top of a man carrying cross with a woman and chiild. This was called “The pilgrimage of life”, it was donated by Henry Doulton, the sculptor George Tinworth.

Tinworth was born in Walworth in 1843, the son of a Wheelwright. Aged 18 he started evening classes at Lambeth School of Art, 3 years later he entered the Royal Academy and, in 1866, he exhibited his first piece at the RA. He then became resident sculptor at Royal Doulton’s Lambeth factory, his work above the Doulton factory door in Black Prince Road.  Look out for the Doulton stamp.

It now stands by one of the park entrances on the Kennington Road. Over the years the cross on the top was vandalised. The story is that it was bomb damaged in WW2, the bowl was removed and used elsewhere as a jardinière,  so it ceased to be a fountain, the sculpture was lost to vandalism in 1981. It was used as air rifle target practice from the Kennington  Park Estate!  There are some rather botched concrete repairs and specialists have advised that cleaning might do more harm than good.

Originally built for the Great Exhibition of 1851 (an erected in the yard of the OLD CAVALRY BARRACKS,  where the current ones are) at the command and expense (£458) of the Prince Consort -  Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria - who was President of the Society for improving the condition of the labouring classes.
Designed to the ,then, latest standards, by Henry Rogers, to house 4 families, originally it was going to be a gate lodge at Primrose Hill, but was re-located to Kennington for the new park possibly because of fears following the 1848 Chartist rally that had been held on what was then Kennington Common.

​The Era Newspaper of 22 August 1852 wrote: "All doubts and fears, whether the long-talked of improvements of Kennington Common would ever "come to anything" are now set at rest." The necessary Act of Parliament to enclose the Common as pleasure grounds had been passed but "contractors, who, taking advantage of 'ruin's hideous gaps' had, for months past, been raising mountains of rubbish 'Olympus high', are 'warned off', to the great gratification of the inhabitants, who prefer sweet and balmy air to the large supply of pestiferous gases exing from the unsightly heaps of decomposing matter, painful to every sense. The forges of Vulcan are at this moment glowing with hot bars to be hammered into shape for a neat and durable railing.
Directly facing the Horns [tavern] is a spacious hoarding to keep off intruders, while two model houses presented by Prince Albert, as porters' lodges, are erected. Every body remembes the model homes exhibited last year opposite the Crystal Palace.  These are they, and when finished still form a very tasty and appropriate main entrance. ... When the contemplated improvements are completed, Kennington Common will not only be one of the pleasantest wings of the metropolis, but, better still, one of its most healthy lungs".

Access to Prince Consort Lodge was via a central open stair case.  Each home had a lobby, 2 small bedrooms for children, a larger parents bedroom, living room, scullery, WC that flushed from rainwater on the roof, lobby, meat safe, picture rail, plate rack,  linen closet, warm cupboard behind fireplace.
Built of hollow bricks, no plastering was required, they  were cheaper, durable  and kept the houses dry and warm, and better sound proofed. No wood was  used 
84 similar model dwellings were built including  Cowley Gardens, Stepney featured in the 1950s Barbara Windsor film “Sparrows can't sing”, and the CROMWELL BUILDINGS, THE BOROUGH.

Similar ones in Warrington, in, in The Hague  and in St Petersburg.

The building, named Prince Consort Lodge, was modified to house 2 park attendants on the upper floor and the ground floor open to the public, as a cottage museum. In 1859 rear porch was added for a cafe run by the Lodge Keeper’s wife, later the building was used as storage, offices, changing room for sports teams, from 2003 TREES FOR CITIES. Originally there were loos near by – possibly the urinals at the nearby road junction.

A possible diversion… into the BRANDON ESTATE, WALWORTH and ELEPHANT & CASTLE

I hope you are enjoying the guide!