CityView December 2015

The magazine of the City of London Corporation

5 ber 201 Decem

cityview Airport capacity Up in the air?

Bank Junction Roadway changes

Infrastructure improvements Superfast Broadband On its way

1 Promoting The City 1 Working with London’s communities 1 Supporting culture, history and green spaces

Contents

Issue 80 December 2015

cityview cityview is the magazine of the City of London Corporation, a uniquely diverse organisation that promotes and supports the City and provides a wide range of services for the City, for London and for the nation as a whole.

About the City

3

Speed is of the essence for a Connected City Business

4

The Interview Services

Unless otherwise stated in individual

6

features, more information on

All change at Bank

both the magazine and online

About the City

articles is available from the address below. We welcome, and value,

8

Rain doesn’t stop play

10

Cleared for take-off?

feedback but regret that

Business

correspondence cannot be individually acknowledged.

Services

The magazine is published

12

twice a year and is also

Make room, make room

available to download from

Things to do

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/publications

14

Dark obsession

15

Design for living

If you would like a summary of

Things to do

this publication in an alternative format please contact us at

About the City CityView

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16

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cityview About the City

Speed is of the essence for a Connected City At the time of writing, BT Openreach will have begun work on putting the infrastructure in place to enable superfast broadband for businesses and residents in the Golden Lane area from early 2016.

The work at Golden Lane is a continuation of the successful implementation of improved infrastructure to enable superfast broadband at 65 London Wall and Middlesex Street Estate.

In addition, BT Openreach recently reaffirmed its plans to improve access to affordable, superfast broadband for up to 5,000 City businesses and residents during 2016-2017.

The City Corporation welcomes all developments from telecommunications providers to enable superfast, affordable connectivity for the City. Its Superfast City Programme team continues to encourage telecoms providers to invest in the City, closely monitors progress of such enterprises and communicates them to businesses and residents as sites come on board and ‘go live’ is confirmed.

At present, residents and businesses in some areas report speeds as slow as 4mbps –

meaning a very poor user experience for even everyday online activity such as browsing the web.

Superfast broadband, reaching speeds of up to 80Mbits/s, will be transformative for business and leisure activity alike.

City Policy Chairman Mark Boleat commented: “Our Superfast City Programme Team has been working hard to encourage telecommunications providers to improve the connection infrastructure in the City.

n Broadband download speeds of up to 80Mbits/s

n Quicker downloading of online content such as music, photos and films

n Improved video calls to enhance living and working in the Square Mile

n Making use of cloud technology to access files on the go

n Future-proofing you and/or business with the latest technology to meet newer

“The work on Golden Lane Estate is a first step to greater connectivity being offered across the Square Mile – something a world class financial centre both needs and expects. But at the same time we need businesses (especially SMEs who make up more than 90% of City firms) and residents to play their part. They need to contact their internet services provider to sign up for the faster speeds high speed broadband offers so that telecoms providers can see the clear market opportunities available for continuing the rollout of this infrastructure.

demands

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

“We also need stakeholders across the City to complete our survey to show the demand that exists.” 1

To complete our survey please go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/smesbb www.surveymonkey.com/s/residentbb

MORE INFORMATION

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/superfastcity

t @superfastcity

Superfast benefits

the City Corporation’s other work in supporting business, especially SMEs. Go to www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/business

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cityview The Interview Philip Stephens of the Financial Times talks to Angela Eagle, the Shadow First Secretary of State and Business Secretary

Creating a partnership with business These are tough times on the opposition benches of the House of Commons. David Cameron’s government has suffered several squalls since the Conservatives’ unexpected general election victory. Tory MPs have forced an embarrassing U-turn over tax credits and junior doctors have voted overwhelming in favour of striking. Yet you would be hardpushed to say that Her Majesty’s loyal opposition has been reaping the rewards.

On the day I join Angela Eagle, the Shadow First Secretary of State and Business Secretary, in her eyrie-like office atop one of the towers in the Palace of Westminster, the headlines for Labour are universally bad. In truth, Jeremy Corbyn, the party leader, has faced a week – no, more than a month – of unremittingly bad headlines. First it was the economy; now, in the aftermath of the Paris outrages, Mr Corbyn has been accused as being soft on terrorism.

The fire has come as much from his own MPs as from those on the government benches.

I find Ms Eagle unruffled. But then during the 23 years since she was

elected as MP for Wallasey she has never been one for histrionics.

Quietly spoken, but absolutely clear about what she wants to say, Eagle leaves the tantrums to male colleagues.

A self-proclaimed “working-class” MP, she and her twin sister Maria were the first in the Eagle family to go to university. Angela went from comprehensive school to St John’s College Oxford. Like David Cameron she graduated in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

She is a first-class chess player.

The experience may be useful when, as First Secretary, she stands in for Mr Corbyn at Prime Minister’s questions. Maria joined her at Oxford and then in the Commons. She now serves as Shadow Defence Secretary.

My first question for the politician charged with shaping Labour’s approach to business and the City is the pretty obvious one. Surely the election of the avowedly left-wing Mr Corbyn as leader and his choice of the reputedly hard left John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor has signalled that Labour is now essentially hostile towards business?

Only the other day Mr Corbyn had

We are pro-business, we are pro-wealth creation. We want markets, though, that are ethical and sustainable

cityview

refused an invitation to speak to the Confederation of British Industry, while Mr McDonnell accuses big business of evading tens of billions in tax.

“We’re not”, Eagle protests at the anti-business charge. “We’re not”, she emphasises. Labour, she says, is unapologetically pro-worker, but “we are also pro-business, we are pro-wealth creation. We want markets, though, that are ethical and sustainable.” In a nutshell “We prefer a more stable, fairer and sustainable society to one dominated by ‘wild west capitalism’, but we know that prosperity depends on wealth creation” This theme – that the interests of the hard-working classes and those of

business and finance are coincidental rather than inimical – is one that Eagle returns to many times. “We have to concentrate on how we gain prosperity for this country in the rest of the 21st century of the sort we enjoyed in 20th century... to remake our economic base, our industrial base, our business base, so we can carry on generating the wealth we can use to ensure we have a decent standard of living for everyone.”

As for the City: “We have a very large and successful financial sector which has paid a lot of taxes in the past. We have always had a specialism in financial services from probably the 16th century onwards.

You could probably trace it back further. So we have to ensure we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

Ms Eagle sounds convincing, but there remains something of a sense that she is walking a fine line between loyalty to the new leadership and her own pragmatism.

When I ask about that rejected CBI invitation she admits that “communication with the leader’s office is not all it could be”. On the other hand, she would have been delighted to attend the conference, but had been told by the CBI that the invitation was “non-transferable”.

Perhaps the CBI also wanted to make a political point, she says.

We have to concentrate on how we gain prosperity for this country in the rest of the 21st century

What about suggestions from Mr McDonnell’s office that, with the City in mind, a Corbyn-led government would impose a top rate of tax of 60%? It is too soon to set policies for an election more than

four years off, she says. And tax policy is for the Shadow Chancellor.

Yet she makes no secret as to her instincts. “We have to have fair rates of tax. You know what our policy was at the last election (for a top rate of 50%) and that was specifically because of the issues with the deficit. If we are to believe the chancellor... we won’t have a deficit at the end of this parliament, and that leaves you in a completely different situation”. Then again: “It is as important that we tax as much as necessary and as little as necessary too”.

She is clear also that the party’s commitment to an industrial strategy does not mean a return to the nationalisations of the 1970s. It is too soon to lay out a detailed set of policies, she says. Like a chess player

And what about the City? Has the government got things about right in the wake of the financial crash?

Ms Eagle responds that she is just about to embark on a round of discussions with city groups and regulators. She wants to listen. She also intends to travel to Brussels – there are “great gains” to be made through the deepening of the single market in financial services and the creation of a capital markets union. As for regulation, her starting point is the need for transparency and incentives that discourage excessive risk-taking.

She is on record as supporting a global financial transactions tax, but introduces a vital caveat about the plans of some eurozone states.

Any such tax must be global:

she has to think through the moves.

The final document will be hammered out in the party’s National Policy Forum – a body she happens to chair. The fundamental idea, though, is about “enabling”.

That means a partnership with business rather than state direction.

“We are a fantastically innovative country, but we don’t commercialise things properly, so we have got to start looking at how to build those structures to get innovation to market and commercialise it properly. No. it’s not about nationalising this, that and the other. It’s about being forward looking, building structures than enable us to be at the forefront of the next industrial revolution.”

The end game is a high-growth, high wage economy.

“I think a European one, only happening in Europe, is far more difficult. It would be far harder to see how that would not just disadvantage the City.”

These are arguments, though, that Britain can win. What’s needed is a more confident view of its EU membership. She will be campaigning energetically on the side of the “Better in” side before the promised referendum. “If only we were more engaged and more confident about our ability to have an effect in the EU, instead of throwing rocks and always causing trouble, we would be in a better position to get what we want”. 1

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cityview Services

All change at Bank data has been gathered tracking pedestrian and vehicle movement which can be taken forward into traffic modelling.

For many people Bank junction is the centre of the City of London. Apart from its geographic location, it is the place where six streets meet and is where Mansion House, Royal Exchange and the Bank of England are located. At the three hour morning peak around 47,000 pedestrians and 8,200 cars, taxis, buses, lorries, coaches, motorcylists and cyclists cross this junction.

Pedestrian and cycling figures are also expected to rise in the future as the City’s working population grows.

The work comes at a time when there are several other significant traffic projects taking place that are liable to affect the junction.

Crossrail will open in 2018, work at London Bridge station has already been going on since 2013 and Transport for London is due to start work on a Bank Underground Station capacity upgrade in 2016.

At present Bank Station is used by 98,000 people at its peak and this upgrade will increase capacity to 147,000, future proofing it for 60 years. There are also two major buildings due to open in the future – the Bloomberg Building, opposite Mansion House, and the conversion of the old Midland Bank building into a hotel. In addition, a review needs to be carried out of both Cannon Street and Monument junction in collaboration with Transport for London.

The area has been recognised as being unsafe, confusing, takes too long for pedestrians to cross and is not somewhere people want to linger. Not surprisingly, the City Corporation has been working on ways to improve the junction. Its Bank Area Strategy, published in May 2013 highlighted the junction as a particular problem. Since then movement analysis has been carried out to track pedestrian and vehicle use which can then be taken forward into traffic modelling to see what would happen if certain roads were to be closed. Since then a great deal of

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One of the aims is to create a junction which improves traffic flow and is safe for all road users especially for pedestrians and

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cyclists. To date, modelling has identified four options worth close examination and all based around eliminating one or more of the arms feeding traffic into this six arm junction. To whittle these down to a preferred option will require collaboration with Transport for London and will take time.

should be available in spring 2016.

Full public consultation on any proposals would be undertaken.

The objectives of the Bank Junction Improvements project are n to reduce casualties by simplifying the junction and reducing conflict

n improve pedestrian crowding levels

Once a preferred option has been accepted, detailed design work can be started to show how the movement of cars, buses, delivery vehicles and pedestrians can be accommodated, how all buildings could be serviced , where bus stops would be located and many other detailed matters. It would also include artistic impressions of how the space would look.

n improve air quality and

n improve the perception of ‘place’ – as an area to spend time in rather than to pass through

What traffic modelling will identify n Where motor vehicles will divert to, arising from any

With the scale of the junction, the number of intersecting streets and the huge number of users (and projected additional users), any improvements will take time and be subject to design development and consultation. Once the initial overall approach has been approved by elected Members, detailed design work can begin and the first indications of the form and nature of any changes

changes at the Junction

n How the City network of streets will function

n Changes to traffic journey times through the City

It is planned that the project will be complete before the Bank Station work finishes. However, the City Corporation’s Transport team is also looking at what measures could potentially be brought forward ahead of the full improvement work that might alleviate pressures at the junction.

Already, many business and other organisations in the immediate area have been contacted by the City Corporation to gauge their views on potential improvements and how they might be affected.

Michael Welbank, Chairman of the City Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee, said: “We take safety very seriously – of pedestrians, cyclists and all other road users. That will be at the heart of any changes that are finally proposed. But we also want to make Bank Junction a more attractive place generally bearing in mind its location at the very centre of the City and the historic buildings and amenities around it”. 1

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

the Aldgate area public realm improvements and other City traffic schemes and proposals.

Go to www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/transport MORE INFORMATION

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/transport

t @SquareHighways

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cityview About the City

Rain doesn’t stop play

The weather may not have been kind but nothing takes the shine off the Lord Mayor’s Show – especially when it’s marking its 800th anniversary.

This special event spurred the crowds to turn out despite the poor weather to show their support for those taking part and welcome the new Lord Mayor of the City of London.

With his arrival on the Thames, in a somewhat sturdier vessel than the usual row barge, the Lord Mayor travelled to Guildhall and then Mansion House to wave off the procession.

This was preceded by a two minute silence as a mark of respect for the victims of the attacks in Paris the night before.

As ever there was a strong Livery presence in the Show as well as the military in all its different forms.

That included 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) which was celebrating a landmark of its own with 75 years of operation. One of the highlights of the day was the regiment having the City Privilege conferred on it by the Lord Mayor.

The Lord Mayor’s own links to the

City were marked by the inclusion of Maritime London, the Ward of Cheap, Clarksons Platou, the Society of Maritime Industries, the Corporation of Trinity House and Appeal recipients JDRF and the Sea Cadets.

Taking part for the first time this year was Characters Cars with the iconic batmobile, Agincourt 600, City A.M. (celebrating its 10th year of publication) and Tourism Ireland which featured the Dublin Lord Mayor’s coach.

Built in 1791 its inclusion in the Show was the first time it had left its native shores where it

cityview

leads the annual St Patrick’s Day Dublin Parade.

Other notable entries were the Portsoken Community float with its theme of “Living among Giants” and the Ellesmere Port Giants celebrating Queen Elizabeth II as the longestreigning monarch.

The international element of the City was represented by the Mexican Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain, Singapore’s Golden Jubilee, the UK-China International Exchange Association and Hamburger Morgensprache. 1

Alderman Jeffrey Mountevans is the 688th Lord Mayor of the City of London.

A Crossbench Peer in the House

UK should maintain and enhance

of Lords, he assumed the title of

the UK’s position as a leading

Lord Mountevans in December

maritime centre. He has been

2014. He has served as Alderman

Chairman of Maritime UK since

for the Ward of Cheap since 2007

2014, is Chairman of Maritime

and served as Sheriff of the City

London and is a member of the

of London in 2012-13.

Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.

Alderman Mountevans was born

The Lord Mayor’s main chosen

in Gothenburg, Sweden. He was

charities for his Appeal are JDRF

educated at the Nautical

(Juvenile Diabetes Research

College Pangbourne, and

Foundation) and Sea Cadets.

Pembroke College, Cambridge,

The funds raised will help JDRF

where he read Economics. He

cure, treat and prevent type 1

has worked in the City since 1972,

diabetes through its research

having joined the shipbrokers

work lifeline. Likewise, the Sea

Clarksons as a graduate trainee.

Cadets will be able to help give

He was most recently a Director

young people a positive

in their Gas department, having

experience on their Tradewind

stood down to chair the

yachts and gain accredited RYA

Government’s Maritime Growth

sailing qualifications that will

Study, which examined how the

inspire them for life. 1

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

A film of this year’s Show here: www.youtube.com/user/CityofLondonvideos MORE INFORMATION

On the new Lord Mayor can be found at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lordmayor For more information on his chosen charities go to www.thelordmayorsappeal.org

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cityview Business

Cleared for take-off?

Possibly the UK’s most contentious transport issue should finally be resolved in the next couple of months: whether the government gives the go ahead for a third runway at Heathrow.

For many years the City Corporation has been pressing successive governments on behalf of London business for greater airport capacity in the south east. This is not just for its importance in maintaining the City’s position as the world’s leading international financial centre but also for the associated creation of jobs and growth across the UK.

FLIGHT FACTS Let Britain Fly is led by London First.

It is the campaign to expand airport capacity in London and the South East to support jobs and growth. Its aim is to build cross-party political support to build new runways.

It is supported by a broad and wide strategic campaign coalition that includes business leaders, business organisations, trade and professional associations, trade unions, think tanks, academics and economists.

Other members include n the City Corporation

n the Institute of Directors

n the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry

n Canary Wharf Group

n The Federation of Small Businesses

n Aberdeen Asset Management n Harrods

Now the City Corporation has formally backed the recommendation of the Airports Commission for a third runway at Heathrow. A report to the Policy & Resources Committee in September stated that: “If the City is to continue to compete on the global stage then the financial and professional services firms based in the UK need to be able to do business globally. They especially need to be easily able to travel to emerging markets where economic opportunity is abundant. As the Commission made clear, Heathrow can provide that capacity most efficiently and effectively.”

Although the UK is currently well served for access to other global hubs, Heathrow is already operating at 98% capacity. A special interest paper commissioned by the City Corporation last year set out how short term measures could help with capacity (such as reduced delays and redistribution of traffic) but that only long term solutions could improve resilience, connectivity and competitiveness.

The Policy Committee also pledged the organisation’s support for the package of measures proposed by the Commission to mitigate the expected environmental and

Financial and professional services firms based in the UK need to be able to do business globally

cityview

community impacts. The Commission has recommended that: “The package includes a ban on night flights, more reliable respite for overflown communities, a legally-enforced ‘noise envelope’, a statutory independent aviation noise authority, and a noise levy to fund a far stronger and more generous set of compensation and mitigation schemes. New measures to ensure acceptable air quality

around the airport will also be needed.” These measures would then help protect City Corporationmanaged open spaces nearby.

At the same time as it gave its backing for the Airports Commission’s recommendation, the City Corporation has also agreed further backing for the Let Britain Fly campaign to keep up the pressure for an early decision.

City Policy Chairman Mark Boleat stressed the need to a quick resolution for this issue: “The amount of research backing the need for increased airport capacity clearly shows the urgency of this matter. We don’t just need a swift response to the Airports Commission’s report but for positive action to take place to avoid the risk of London losing its leading position as a business centre.” Indeed the Commission’s report states that a new runway in the south east is needed by 2030 so an early decision would be essential given the decade it will take to bring it into operation.

The City Corporation has long been an advocate for transport improvements for London. It has been one of the Crossrail project’s biggest supporters since it was first mooted back in the early 1990s and is a major financial contributor to it. Crossrail will add much needed capacity to London’s transport infrastructure and will significantly improve connections between airports, reduce journey times and increase the capacity for economic growth. It is estimated that 200m people will use it each year. 1

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Other transport projects in the City. You can find out more at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/transport MORE INFORMATION

www.gov.uk/airports-commission www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/research

Airport capacity and the City Corporation 1996

support given to building Heathrow Terminal 5

2002

commissions research showing overwhelming business

2004

welcomes government commitment to airport expansion in

support for expanding capacity at Heathrow the south east 2008

responds to government consultation and supports extra

2008

commissions report showing 82% of City businesses see

2011

responds to a government scoping document supporting

capacity at Heathrow and Stansted Heathrow as critical or very important increased aviation capacity, particularly at Heathrow 2012

commissions research showing the City as dependent on an airport acting as a global hub for emerging markets

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cityview

Services

Make room, make room The Mayoral elections are due to take place in May next year and one of the biggest issues facing the candidates is that of housing.

It was also one of the key questions posed to all political parties this year in the run-up to the General Election.

This nationwide problem is particularly pressing for London.

The inability to supply sufficient housing to meet demand has led to problems of affordability for many households on low and medium incomes. Almost every day the Evening Standard highlights the record prices being asked for modest

sized accommodation, how the average house price is expected to reach £1m in the coming years and how people are being priced out of the capital altogether.

It has been estimated that London needs to deliver 49,000 homes each year for 10 years to address not just the existing backlog but future demand.

The situation not only affects the capital’s communities but is a risk to its competitiveness and economy as it threatens the recruitment and retention of staff. The majority of Londoners’ incomes puts buying a

house well out of reach for many not already on the housing ladder. In 2014 the cheapest 10% of homes were sold at prices more than four times the salary of three quarters of those in full-time employment.

With this in mind, the City Corporation’s Policy & Resources Committee has given its approval to a report proposing to increase the supply of homes on its social housing estates by 25 per cent (equivalent to 700 homes) and

DRON HOUSE

CITY CORPORATION SOCIAL HOUSING ESTATES Avondale Square, Southwark 640 homes including 47 sheltered housing units

Dron House, Tower Hamlets 79 flats

Windsor House, Hackney 104 flats and maisonettes

Sydenham Hill Estate, Lewisham

AVONDALE SQUARE

(Lammas Green, Otto Close and Mais House) 27 houses, 60 flats and maisonettes and a sheltered housing scheme

Holloway Estate, Islington 180 flats, maisonettes and houses plus 12 homes for people with disabilities

York Way Estate, Islington 275 flats

Middlesex Street Estate, City of London 226 flats

Southwark Estates, Southwark 368 flats

Isleden House, Islington BARBICAN ESTATE

76 flats, 31 of which are sheltered housing

Golden Lane Estate, City of London 557 flats and maisonettes

In addition there is the Barbican

William Blake Estate, Lambeth

Estate (private housing but managed

126 flats and houses (includes York House, Lynton

by the City Corporation) and the

Mansions and St James Mansions)

Mansell Street area which is

Horace Jones House, Southwark

managed through the Guinness Trust.

43 new flats by Tower Bridge

cityview

provide 3,000 extra homes on developments sites that it owns. The plan is to deliver a range of homes – social rented, shared ownership and homes for market sale and rent.

The City Corporation will work with partner local authorities where it identifies potential sites and determine how the land can be used for housing where in the past it has been used for other purposes.

GOLDEN LANE ESTATE

To achieve this target, the organisation will be looking at options to work with developers and housing associations. It will also be exploring the opportunity of setting up a local housing company that could help attract investment and deliver returns by providing this new housing.

ISLEDEN HOUSE MIDDLESEX STREET ESTATE

City Policy Chairman Mark Boleat said: “Make no mistake: housing is a problem that has to be addressed, and it has to be addressed now. If this were a free market, the supply of housing would have increased to match demand, but the market is not free – planning policy and other constraints severely restrict the supply.

Corporation playing its part in meeting demand. But we are also bringing together industry and policy-makers to help spread best practice and take advantage of our expertise in financial and professional services. Hard questions need to be asked: are existing financial models fit for purpose? Do current planning regimes help or hinder the delivery of new housing? Are all local authorities going beyond their statutory social housing obligations by acting as an “enabler” of more new housing units across the whole tenure spectrum?

“We have already helped launch the Housing & Finance Institute to facilitate an increase of housing supply of all types and to promote better delivery and financing of housing. We are also working with London Councils, central government and the Mayor of London to influence policy change that will help the market respond to the scale of need.” 1

MORE INFORMATION

WINDSOR HOUSE

“This commitment to build new homes is one element of the City

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/housing

f CityFYi t @CityFamilyInfo

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

the City Corporation’s work supporting local communities or how it supports City competitiveness. Go to

LAMMAS GREEN

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

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cityview Things to do

Dark obsession Why are we so fascinated by

assassination attempt on Queen

‘Execution box’, contains

crime? From the Jack the Ripper

Victoria in 1840, are amongst the

amongst other things, two ropes,

murders to the Kray brothers and

first items on display. A few

so that the hangman could

the Great Train Robbery, crime

minutes later and you’re drawn

choose the one he felt was more

stories have forever been

into the collection of historical

appropriate and a very specific

surrounded by mystery. But what

evidence,

set of tests took place before

about the objects involved

ranging

each execution. If this is not

in these crimes, what stories do

from the

peculiar enough, a set of real

they tell?

mid-1880s

ropes, each labelled with names of people they were

to modern days.

used on, from 1847 to 1896,

A new exhibition at the Museum of London brings together some

Individual cases, stating names of

never-before-seen objects from

victims, offenders and police

the Metropolitan Police’s Crime

detectives (sometimes working

Museum for public display.

meticulously to solve the crime),

The Crime Museum Uncovered

are chillingly fascinating, like the

unlocks real-life case files to

actual trunk found in Charing

take you on an uneasy journey

Cross station in 1927, containing

through some of the UK’s most

a woman’s remains.

are guaranteed to make you feel really uneasy.

Coming forward to more modern times, truly fascinating items include a ’Murder bag’

notorious crimes.

from the 1940s,

Other stories are really touching, Originally deposited in a property

like the execution of Ruth Ellis in

when forensics was in its infancy,

store for prisoners to collect after

1955. Accused of killing a violent

containing everything used to

being released, items soon began

man who caused her to miscarry,

collect evidence from crime

to pile up. It wasn’t until 1875,

she was the last woman to be

scenes; and a shotgun disguised

when Inspector Percy Neame

executed in Britain. Public outcry

(in true James Bond’s style) as a

began listing them and using

during and after the case,

rather plain, black umbrella.

them to train police officers.

brought changes in legislation,

The Police Museum, as it

and in 1969 the death penalty for

became known, was only open

murder was abolished.

The Crime Museum Uncovered promises to tell the human stories behind the objects

by invitation.

on display.

And did you know that, the Journalists soon began

death penalty in

And in a very simple,

speculating about the collection

Britain was only

yet powerful way, it

fuelling the public’s imagination

abolished in 1998? Up

draws into the life of the

by describing the objects as

until then, apparently, it

victims, the dedicated

being really ‘dark’ – so much so

was still applicable to

detectives and

that the Museum quickly became

treason, piracy with

some truly fascinating

known as the Black Museum.

violence and arson of the

criminal minds.

Sovereign’s ships.

Detailed courtroom sketches, prisoners’ records cards (some as

And on the subject of

young as 12 year’s old!) and more

executions… a large box,

impressively the gun used in the

appropriately named an

MORE INFORMATION

www.museumoflondon.org.uk

fx& /museumoflondon t @museumoflondon

From top: murder bag forensics kit; the Smith & Wesson .38 revolver used by Ruth Ellis to murder David Blakely, 1955; personal possession of Ronnnie Biggs 1963; knuckleduster used in an assault, c. late 19th or early 20th century; masks used by the Stratton brothers – the first criminals to be convicted in Great Britain for murder based on fingerprint evidence, 1905.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

London Metropolitan Archives and the City of London Police Museum www.cityoflondon.go.uk

cityview Things to do

Design for living

their development of a moulded

and Ray began exploring the

plywood leg splint, adapted from

possibility of producing high

their furniture experiments, was

quality furniture but using existing

swiftly put into practice by the

manufacturing methods. In 1946,

More than 380 works across

military during the Second World

Evans Products began producing

than for a client. As well as being

architecture, furniture, graphic

War.

their moulded plywood furniture

a centre for activities, the house

and product design, painting,

and their plywood chair was

became a magnet for architects

Their covers of Arts and

heralded as ‘the chair of the

and designers and is regarded as

photography and more are

Architecture magazine 1942-47

century’ which then lead to the

one of the most significant post-

now on show at the Barbican

are mounted on the wall and are

creation of their plastic chair in

war residences in the world.

the 1950s.

drawing, film, sculpture,

in celebration of the huge impact

accompanied by sketches and

and influence of Charles and

studies of early development

Ray Eames.

ideas – many devised from their

One of their most important

Charles and Ray’s idea of

second bedroom which became

works is ‘Case study house no.8’

transmitting ideas through

a ‘laboratory’.

which includes photos, models

exhibition, film or installation such

and an overhead film covering its

as their involvement in the 1964-5

Considered to be among the most important designers of the

In addition, the exhibition traces

20th century, this is the first major

A display of experimental

design and construction. This

IBM Pavilion at the New York

UK exhibition of their work and

chairs follows with a variety of

project was part of a wider Art

World’s Fair and ‘Mathematicon:

experiments in design for 15

shapes; some familiar, some not

and Architecture magazine

a world of numbers…and

years.

and include a mini elephant

programme but the couple

beyond’ which explored

which was part of a small

designed it for themselves rather

mathematical concepts

It begins with the couple’s move

collection of children’s chairs,

to Los Angeles in 1941 and their

tables, and stools.

through interactive mechanical devices – connecting maths and

use of design to solve problems was displayed very quickly as

the real world.

As the 1940s progressed Charles YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

our Guildhall Art Gallery and the range of themed walks available in the City www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

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www.barbican.org.uk

ft /BarbicanCentre x /barbicanlondon

15

16

cityview And finally Battle scarred On the 100th anniversary of the

line of the city’s defences.

Zeppelin air raids of World War

Records from 1805 tell about the

One, and the 75th anniversary of

Londoners who volunteered to

the London Blitz in World War Two,

defend the capital against

London Metropolitan Archives is

Napoleon and images from 1815

running a new, free exhibition

show how they celebrated when

looking at the impact of five

Wellington defeated the French

conflicts on London and

at Waterloo.

Londoners.

Photographs from the First World From the English Civil War to the

War record the effect of the

Cold War, War in London reveals

Zeppelin air raids, when bombs

manuscripts, maps, photographs

fell on London for the first time,

and films that show the

and a new version of the iconic

destruction of the city, the threat

Second World War bomb

of nuclear attack and the

damage maps shows the

heroism of ordinary Londoners.

destruction wrought on the entire

Documents on display show how

central London area.

Londoners went to war with the King in 1642 and stood in the front

MORE INFORMATION

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma

Help us spread the word...

Worth debating

The City Corporation has

admission/session fees, transport

The new year sees another

launched a £100,000 fund to

hire and supply teachers.

diverse range of free lectures on

assist school trips to the City’s

The aim is to make the City’s

offer from Gresham College.

many iconic venues, including

cultural destinations more

Talks cover such topics as

Museum of London, Tower

accessible to schools in

Celebrities, the Media and the

Bridge, Guildhall School of Music

disadvantaged areas, who

Personal Data Privacy Wars;

& Drama and the Barbican.

often find it challenging to

To Blame or Not to Blame? The

raise funds.

Medical Profession and Blame

and special schools across the

The fund is available for three

Galaxy; and How Can Software

capital where at least 30% of

years and is managed by the

Be So Hard?

pupils receive the Pupil Premium.

Museum of London, which the

Schools can apply for grants to

City Corporation co-funds.

The College is supported by

who live and work in the City of

cover essential costs including

Every year, around 200,000

the City of London Corporation

London to engage in

pupils benefit from the City’s

and the Lord Mayor is its

intellectual debate on those

cultural offering, either

President. It is named after

subjects in which the City has a

through school trips or

Sir Thomas Gresham, son of

proper concern, and to provide

education outreach.

Sir Richard Gresham who was

a window on the City for

Lord Mayor in 1537/38.

learned societies, both national

The fund is for primary, secondary

Culture; The Formation of our

and international.’

Every year its Gresham Professors and other visiting speakers offer over 100 free public events which are ‘to challenge those

MORE INFORMATION

www.gresham.ac.uk (which includes film and MORE INFORMATION

audio of this and previous lectures)

http://cityschoolvisitsfund.org.uk

ft greshamcollege