The Transmitter Issue 29 by Transmission Publications Ltd

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A SOUTH EAST LONDON MAGAZINE www.thetransmitter.co.uk

ISSUE 29 Autumn 2013

All about the girls CAMPAIGNERS COLUMNISTS CONTENDERS CREATIVES CULTIVATORS & CURATORS THEY ARE ALL HERE IN

THE WOMEN’S ISSUE

BOOKS • CYCLING • FOOD • GARDENING • MUSIC • NEWS • PROPERTY

WELCOME to THE WOMEN’S issue ...

Curator Andrea Pontin Assistant Curator Annette Prosser Exhibition Designer Simone Sharville www.simonsharville.co.uk Catalogue Photographers Andrea Pontin Louise Haywood-Schiefer Catalogue Writers Justine Crow Michelle Fairbrasss Howard Female Clare Goff Maryam Haque Ali Howard Jessica Johnson Joan Main Claudine Nightingale Rachel De Thample Sue Williams Catalogue printed by www.buxtonpress.com

It seemed wholly inappropriate that this, our women’s issue, should be ushered in by a bloke, so the Editor asked me (his sister, Andrea) to guest edit this issue. I refused point blank and so he decided the only way to proceed would be to impersonate me and just edit the thing himself. After that things got quite complicated as I am only, in any case, a figment of his imagination but he does not realise this and so I keep up the pretence so as not to generate any further disruptions to his already fragile psyche. And so, as a woman, I am immensely proud to welcome you, dear readers, to our first issue dedicated almost entirely1 to the exploits of women. Anyway, it turns out that all the curators of all the museums in London live in, or around, Crystal Palace. This is a surprising and wonderful fact that we have taken full advantage of. We interviewed two fascinating ladies from the V&A (p27 & p32) and one from the Guildhall (p42) — all local and all doing fantastic curatory and exhibity type work. We spent a lovely afternoon with our cover girl Sarah Campbell whose designs are making this issue so bright and gay (that’s Sarah’s to the left). We also chatted over tea to Mak Gilchrist, guerilla gardening activist and model — who will never be allowed to forget being the best looking one in a particular 80s music video (sorry Mak, now we are at it as well) about targeting Crystal Palace for her gardening shenanigans (p18) and had a coffee and a piece of cake with local mum, Jo Elvin, who just happens to edit the most popular women’s magazine in Britain (p22). We have, of course, all our regular columns and all is well with the world. I am going to stop being a girl now.

Exhibition Organisers Transmission Publications PO Box 53556, London SE19 2TL www.thetransmitter.co.uk editor@thetransmitter.co.uk 07530 450925 @thetransmitter Cover Sarah Campbell Photo: Louise Haywood-Schiefer

Enjoy

1 our regular book and music columnists chose, as usual, to mainly highlight the work of men. It is not so much that they are unreconstructed chauvinists, it is more that they prefer not to be bothered with tiresome matters like issue themes. Which is perfectly understandable.

Disclaimer The views expressed by contributors are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect this magazine’s editorial policy or the views of any employee of Transmission Publications. So there.

Contents Features

10 GIVE HER A CLAP Pioneer Marie Stopes was once a local lass 13 A LIFE IN COLOUR (COVER STORY) Textile treasures from Sarah Campbell 18 ADDICTED TO GARDENING Mak Gilchrist talks about her bust op

Regulars LOCAL NEWS 4 Anything much happening? No? CYCLE CORNER 46 Annette has a pash for Pashley COOKBOOK 51 Rachel hopes you like jamming too PALACE PATCH 52 Sue meets a hardy Helene Richards MUSIC 55 There’s a world out there. And it’s mainly a man’s world, it appears. He’s not called Male for nothing. BOOKS 58 Jonathan writes about writers and wot they have wrote THE [UN]FUNNIES 60 Well, we did warn you 21 Q&A’Z Brilliant local ladies questioned

THE OLD FOSSILS 62 An old fossil discovers something on the Discovery Channel

27 CURATING 1 Claire’s world of 80s fashion 32 CURATING 2 Susanna’s world of photography 42 CURATING 3 Sonia’s world of Victoriana 48 PALACE PATCHWORK Not sewing but growing

News & Local Events EMAIL US: editor@thetransmitter.co.uk

REBEL REBEL

APPLE JAMBOREE

Good things come to he who waits, and we’re pleased to announce that the second instalment of the Palace Stories podcast will soon be with us. Episode 2 features Palacians who have decided to go their own way in life – from the man who said goodbye to the day job in order to turn a passion into a profession; to the person who broke the law for gritty, underground fame; to the writer who penned the most famous headline in history. These are the rebels of the Triangle. Listen in at www.palacestories.co.uk from 30 September. While Roxanne and Lucy get the next episode in shape, they’d like to hear from you: would you be interested in listening events? Recording booths? Community storytelling evening? Get in touch! palacestories@gmail.com, @PalaceStories on twitter www.facebook.com/PalaceStories

If you’ve got a glut of homegrown apples take them to the Spa Hill Allotments between 10am-2pm on Sunday 15 September – along with a container or two – and get them pressed into juice the old fashioned way at their annual Apple Day. London Glider Cider will be there sharing their cider-making secrets along with Transmitter foodie Rachel de Thample who will demonstrate how to make her Victorian apple jam featured on page 49. More details from Rachel via food@ crystalpalacetransition.org.uk

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS Congratulations to students at Sydenham High School who really did pass their GCSEs with flying colours this summer (67% achieved A* and A grades). Excellent news too to hear that the top performing subject areas included maths, statistics, science, ICT and design technology: go girls! On 15 October the school will be remembering the world’s first computer programmer – yes, a woman – as part of Ada Lovelace Day, an international celebration of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). A worldwide event anyone can take part in, Ada Lovelace Day encourages everyone to talk about women whose work in STEM they admire. You can blog, post a link on facebook or twitter or maybe just find out more about Ada and her inspirational work.

TEENAGER SHOUT OUT One of the many wonderful things about Crystal Palace Park is Capel Manor: in case you didn’t know, if you’re aged 16-18 ALL their courses are free (and are equivalent to GCSEs or A levels, so pretty useful qualifications to help get you to uni or into a job). Year-long courses start in September and most are likely to be full by the time this issue comes out, but if you’re quick, it could be worth contacting them to see if late places are available. Their apprenticeship scheme runs throughout the year and can be started at any time. If you’d like to know more about learning on the job in areas such as Trees & Timber (arboriculture), Environmental Conservation, Animal Care or Parks, Gardens and Green Spaces get in touch on 08456 122122 or visit: www.capel.ac.uk

WIKI SHOUT OUT Those of you a little too familiar with Wikipedia will know that some pages have a tiny green circle with a cross in it positioned in the top right hand corner: it means that the page has had the honour of Good Article bestowed upon it. Transmitter reader Gareth Young has been working hard to improve the quality of the Crystal Palace page – currently unadorned with the little green symbol – and now needs your help. Could you contribute to the page, specifically to its history and geographical sections? This is where you’ll find it www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Palace,_London 4

Palace and Penge WI What about joining the local WI? They formed in February 2012 and are a friendly bunch and a real mix of ages and backgrounds. They do all kinds of stuff: this year they had a talk from Alexandra Nurseries and learnt a cheerleading routine with Crystal Palace FC’s cheerleaders, the Crystals. In October they are learning to decorate cupcakes, in November there’s cheese and wine tasting and in December they will be making Christmas garlands and having a good Christmas carol singalong with mulled wine and mince pies. They’re planning 2014’s activities at the moment and would love to hear from anyone locally who would like to speak at a meeting. They meet on the first Tuesday of every month at Anerley Town Hall, 7.30-9.30pm. It’s £33 to join for a year, but you can come along to a meeting as a guest for £4. www.facebook.com/ palaceandpengeWI @palacepengewi on twitter or palaceandpengewi@hotmail.co.uk

THE CHINESE ARE COMING

AS BILLIONAIRE OWNER OF SHANGHAI-BASED REAL ESTATE GIANT MAKES A MOVE ON THE PALACE, WE ASK “WTF?”

frisson of excitement has been running through SE19 as a plan by Ni Zhaoxing – billionaire owner of Shanghai-based real estate giant ZhongRong Holdings – to build a replica of Paxton’s glass palace was made public. Comments aplenty were made in the press and emotions ran high in the twittersphere. The Transmitter will be watching this story and reporting back in detail, in the meantime here’s a round-up of some first reactions: “ We’ve been here before, it’s like groundhog day” “London is and always has been a swirling, international cosmopolis. It sometimes throws up architectural behemoths that some love and some hate. Some people hated the original Palace. If you don’t like what London is you should move somewhere like Lincoln. Chinese billionaires won’t build anything scary there.” “Everyone knows that the idea of rebuilding the Crystal Palace is an architectural, engineering, environmental and commercial nonsense.” “Hope it gets planning and is developed. Jobs, progress, interesting architecture, boost to the local and wider economy. If the original was still standing today it would no doubt be providing these much needed things anyway, so there’s no argument” “Yippee. Property developers want to build a massive commercial development on our park (it has been open parkland for many decades). Lucky old us!” “Why are the locals against the building which if not destroyed by fire would be classed as the eighth wonder of the world and would rival all the great London landmarks?”

“I’m all for it. The top end of the park is a boring, scrappy mess and something spectacular being built there would be a tremendous boost to the area.” “If this idea was to get any traction, it would result in 10 years of trench warfare. Planning inquiries, legal challenges, appeals...” “Crystal Palace Park is the remnants of a giant theme park for god’s sake. It’s like moving to Hounslow while there were no planes flying from Heathrow because of the volcano ash, and then complaining about the planes when they restart.” “Unlikely to happen, but I also hope they get rid of the transmitting tower there. It’s an eyesore.” (steady!- Ed) “I don’t live anywhere near Crystal Palace but I know what our country needs - and it isn’t more shopping malls. The new Crystal Palace needs to be environment-friendly, innovative and culturallystimulating.” ”The prospect of the Crystal Palace being re-built is a truly exciting one. As an events venue and a tourist destination, it would give a huge boost to the local economy. But the project isn’t without concern. Would a Chinese billionaire really understand the rich history and legacy that the Crystal Palace had in the area before it burnt down? Has he visited the park and felt its ghostly presence? I would hope he’d be prepared to work closely with local historians and the entire community to ensure the project has maximum benefit for all and the Palace itself is as closely replicated as possible.” - Rachel Bull, associate editor of Event magazine and resident of Crystal Palace.

A NEW SCHOOL FOR THE PALACE ong-time Palace residents will have noticed an influx of young people in recent years: the Triangle is awash with babies in buggies, the parks full of scooting toddlers. Not surprising then that many of the local primary schools are becoming oversubscribed. Whilst on maternity leave, local mum Nina Gohil raised her concerns about under-provision, posting on the Crystal Palace Mums facebook page. Her suggestion of creating a new free school was met with great excitement; a steering group was formed and in the spring an application for the Crystal Palace Primary School was submitted to the New Schools Network. The campaign started well: their submission was selected as one of 80 ‘most likely to succeed’ applications across England which resulted in an award of £5k, essential to fund marketing. The official application will be made to the Department for Education (DfE) in January 2014, an interview with members of the group will follow, and by March or April a decision will be made. Passionate about the project, the group aim to create a school which would be non-selective, state-funded, and two-form entry not a huge ‘academy-style’ school. ‘The worry is that all the talent and investment brought to the area when young families move in will be lost. If all our new parents have to take young children to a school miles away, they will simply move and Crystal Palace will lose out.’ says group member Francesca Wilson. ‘What we want – what we need, as there is going to be a huge shortfall very soon – is a local school for the local community’.

The process of setting up a free school is a complicated one. Aside from needing educational expertise, the involvement of people experienced in areas such as finance, community engagement, property and governance is essential. Members of the group include: Deborah Gostling (previously head of 6th form at an academy in Wandsworth); Anna O’Donohoe (an Assistant Head of a primary school in Southwark); Leah Holmes (a project manager with the Wellcome Trust) and Jacqui Esimaje-Heath (a qualified project manager and non-executive director, who will be setting up the mandatory limited company). So, will Crystal Palace Primary School become a reality? It’s not a sure thing, though the signs are good: the development fund award is already a commitment from the DfE. What will follow are regular submissions of educational, financial and marketing plans. If successful the first intake will be for 2015/16. Potential sites are being discussed, with the epicentre of the catchment area at the Westow House junction, where our five boroughs meet. One thing is certain: without public support nothing will happen. The DfE requires proof of a real need and substantial backing from local parents. Public consultation evidence is critical. Public meetings will next be held on the evenings of 20 September and 27 September and there’ll also be stalls popping up all over the place including the CP Food Market. www.crystalpalaceprimaryschool.com

25 BIG ONES FOR ANERLEY T

hanks to sterling work by the Anerley Regeneration Project (founded by four more fabulous South London women, pictured right) the parade of shops between Crystal Palace station and Crystal Creams is set for a £25k makeover, which will include sprucing up the pavements and shopfronts, promoting ‘pop-ups’ in empty units and two murals depicting the area’s heritage. Respect to Bromley Council for not ignoring this more urban area at the edge of their borough, and for granting the site the maximum sum available to an individual project. The murals, soon to be finished, are by artist Angela Menezes and you’ll notice too that the dinosaur murals by the station have also had some much-needed love and attention. For updates on progress visit crystalpalacelife.com founded earlier this year by ARP committee member and owner of vintage beauty salon La Belle Jolie, Renée Thornley.

L-R: Ellinor Michel, Renée Thornley, Amanda Sciberras and Gill Wing. We don’t know who the bloke carrying the door is.

Trading Places SUPPORT YOUR INDIE BUSINESSES PEOPLE!

new mums especially, including Lotus Room Yoga and Baby Sing & Sign – and you’ll often find a friendly buzz of activity. Proceeds from the café and room hire all go to the LWS charity, a social enterprise established 12 years ago which re-invests its profits towards empowering women to overcome domestic violence. As well as supporting the café, contributions to the cause can also be made by popping into their very restful second-hand book shop on Church Road and picking up a paperback or two. www.livingwatersatisfies.org.uk

WESTOOOOOOOW! Get your creepy costume on to celebrate a belated Halloween at a Witches and Wizards night at Westow House on Friday 1 November. There’ll be live music from Tankus the Henge and a DJ till 3am. Don’t think you’ll bother dressing up? You will when you find out there’s a bar tab for the best outfit. £2 entry with all proceeds going to Parkinsons UK. A few days later on bonfire night (Tuesday 5 November) the lovely Lovebirds will be performing at the pub and there’ll be fireworks from the roof lighting up the SE19 sky.

GIPSY ROSES Cheering yourself up after a busy day at work has got a darn sight easier, commuting folk of this parish, as a bijou florist has opened up at Gipsy Hill Station. Victoria B has an impressive client list (including the royal family) and has previously worked with Harrods and Moyses Stevens. All her flowers are British grown and Victoria can supply all your floristry needs from a bunch of cottage roses to brighten up the kitchen table to a full-scale all-singing, all-dancing wedding reception extravaganza. No event too big or small, says Victoria whose speciality is the ‘wow’ factor: you can have a peek at her work at www.victoriabflowers.com or call in an order on 07919 160626 8

Janet Bakar

CRUCIAL CAUSE

BRAVE NEW GIRL

As this Transmitter is a special women’s issue, we think it’s about time we reminded everyone about the brilliant Living Water Satisfies (LWS) community café warmly and passionately championed by the ever-resourceful Janet Bakar. The café itself provides delicious food, and (as many of you already know) it’s a spacious and relaxing place to be. Along with signature dishes of rice & peas with curried goat and Jamaican jerk chicken, they’re now doing afternoon Teapigs tea and fantastic street food on Saturdays to complement the food market down the road. But it’s not just about food: the space is also home to several established activities – catering for women and

A cute new shop has opened up on the Triangle – opposite Westow House – specialising in quirky gifts and homewares. Owner Liz Perridge (a long-time Crystal Palace resident) is keen to stock locallyhandmade items and has asked The Transmitter to put the shout out to all you creatives looking for a retail outlet. Amongst the unusual bits and bobs you’ll find alternative jewellery and playful kitsch pieces such as a decorated vintage plates and hanging charms. A welcome addition to our indie business community! Brave Girl Gifts will be open 7 days a week and although it’s not big you can’t miss it: just look out for the bright new fuchsia door. www.bravegirlgifts.co.uk

Over a hundred years ago Crystal Palace was home to a little girl with academic parents and an enquiring mind. Over half a century after her death, the name of Marie Stopes lives on. JUSTINE CROW tells all.

mong the many undulating streets of our neighbourhood, one of the finest calf muscle-testing climbs is the leafy, black-topped roller-coaster called Cintra Park. Billed as ‘desirable’ by estate agents today, it was also in demand in the days when its residents’ noses were practically pressed up against the palace itself. Generally there was a special sort of Victorian that aspired to live locally and these tall, brave villas riding the heights were often inhabited by artists and thinkers, forward-looking, modern and fashionable. In 1880 one such couple moved into a dapper address at Cintra Park’s rising elbow where Rama Lane and Patterson Road intervene; he was a well-rounded bloke – engineer, palaeontologist, brewer and architect – and she was a scholar and a women’s rights campaigner, both pretty hip by today’s standards even. Among the tea-crates and trunks, was a baby girl. 10

Home-educated here in the shadow of the age’s great explorative showcase until she was twelve, little Marie Charlotte Carmichael Stopes was clearly comfortable in the company of scientists (no coincidence that Waterhouse Hawkins lived a gob and a spit away). Indeed, her parents met at the British Association of the Advancement of Science and their daughter was apparently taken along to meetings. Super smart, she eventually attended UCL to study botany and geology and graduated in only two years. After that she became the youngest recipient in Britain of a doctorate – not bad for a mere girly – and became a lecturer in palaeobotany in her twenties, the first ever female academic at the University of Manchester. The rest of us may well have hung up the gown by this point – by the time the Origin of Species was published for instance, Charles Darwin had long since withdrawn

The novelty of having such a clever wife soon wore off for Canadian geneticist Reginald Ruggles Gates. She had insisted on retaining her maiden name and was vocal in her support for the suffragette movement. Worse, while he was struggling with work, hers was thriving. Claiming their marriage was unconsummated, she filed for divorce and Mr Gates fled the country. But she was already putting catastrophe to good use and began writing what was to become a bestseller, Married Love.

What Marie Knew 1915-1917 Unhappily married, Marie Stopes writes Married Love, a manual offering women practical advice about sex 1918 Married Love is an instant success, needing five editions in its first year. A sequel is quickly published entitled Wise Parenthood: a Book for Married People. Thousands of women request further advice about birth control 1921 Stopes and second husband Humphrey Roe open The Mothers’ Clinic in Holloway, North London which moves to central London in 1925 1930 Stopes co-founds the National Birth Control Council (later called the Family Planning Association) 1934-43 Marie Stopes Clinics are opened in Leeds, Aberdeen, Belfast, Cardiff and Swansea 1975 Despite continuing after Stopes’ death in 1958, the clinics close due to financial problems 1976 Marie Stopes International (MSI) is established by Dr Tim Black and wife Jean as an international non-governmental organisation working on sexual and reproductive health, working overseas for the first time in 1978 2013 MSI works in over 40 countries, has 600+ centres worldwide and more than 12,000 outreach locations

from public life. Not Marie. Ambitious, inquisitive and not yet thirty, she managed to persuade Scott to collect fossils for her during his Antarctic expedition to prove geological theory (they were eventually found with his body) and in 1907 she travelled to Japan to work at the Imperial University. It is hard to imagine the extreme cultural contrast she must have experienced; it was difficult enough forging a scientific career as a woman at home in Edwardian Britain but in turn-of-the-century Tokyo, the task would have been positively Herculean. There is no doubt, given her achievements thus far, that history would still have been kind to Ms Stopes had she simply slipped into academic obscurity, publishing papers, resting on her fossilised laurels and raking in the plaudits. But in 1911 she had a bad marriage to make, the consequences of which went on to affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of British women.

Her controversial take on contraception and relationships catapulted her into national notoriety and when the follow-up, Wise Parenthood, appeared, she was in demand as a sort of agony aunt. Remarried and pregnant, she then suffered an horrendous labour culminating in the death of her baby which she blamed on a lack of personal choice during delivery. Still she didn’t rest. With church and establishment snapping at her heels, she resigned her lectureship and supported by her second husband, Humphrey Roe, set about opening a clinic in Holloway employing midwives and doctors offering advice to mothers. By 1925 the clinic had relocated to its current famous location and ferociously fundraising, Marie created more clinics dedicated to reproductive health across the country. In the footsteps of that other Upper Norwood heroine Annie Besant, she also became an articulate advocate of women’s rights. Highly literate she published plays and poetry and had many celebrity acquaintances including George Bernard Shaw (who also knew Besant pretty well, to say the very least) and H G Wells. But she remained a controversial figure especially loathed by the Catholic community for her views, some of which seem almost pedestrian by today’s standards, others utterly unpalatable in these enlightened times. She did manage to have a child in the end, a lad called Harry, but sadly her practical brilliance could not sustain their relationship and she never forgave her son for marrying a woman she disliked. She was only human, after all. But it is thanks to her that the likes of me and many others treat the experience of a family planning clinic as routine and barely blush when a neighbour bowls into the waiting room and gushes with surprise, ‘Hello, what are you doing here?’ For it takes a certain force of character to come from a rarefied childhood in a dappled corner of Crystal Palace (just beside the home of the oldest existing scout troop in the country by the way) to fight prejudice and religious dogma to form an organisation that operates more than 600 clinics giving hope, strength and help intelligently and without bias to women, men and their families in 41 different countries all over the world. Stopes died of breast cancer in the late 50s, having been witness to that most particular era of change that stretched from the industrial revolution right through to Elvis. And another thing. She made enough money from her book to buy a lighthouse. Now that’s what I call desirable. 11

GADGETS FOR GIRLS

SELF-CONFESSED GEEK KATIE LEE MAKES A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF WHAT SHE’D LIKE FOR CHRISTMAS

ALARM CLOCK Available in five different retro colours and with glow-in-the-dark hands. AA battery required. £9.95 www.dotcomgiftshop.com

iPHONE 4/4S POUCH This one is by Kaporal and is lined with Liberty fabric €29.90 www.ichicgear.com

LOMOGRAPHY BELAIR X 6-12 JETSETTER Original medium-format camera with automatic shutter settings. Takes 6 x 9 and 6 x 12 panoramic photos as well as 6 x 6 square format £269.00 www.shop.lomography.com

KOBO AURA HD Takes E Ink clarity to the next level! The 6.8in E ink screen has a massive 1,080x1,440 resolution and a pixel density of 264ppi, which is much higher than Amazon’s 212ppi Kindle Paperwhite. This makes text and images look far sharper on the Aura HD than any other eBook and makes graphic novels look great! £142 www.kobo.com/koboaurahd 12

All images © Sarah Campbell Ltd

LIFE IN COLOUR JESSICA JOHNSON TALKS TEXTILES WITH SARAH CAMPBELL

Photo by Louise Haywood-Schiefer

Walking into textile designer Sarah Campbell’s home in Crystal Palace, I’m struck with a jolt of panic that I’ve been living life in muted shades of beige. Her small but perfectly formed 1960s sitting room sings in joyous rainbow shades, depicted in the battered sofa covered sumptuously like a patchwork quilt, ordered parcels of bold printed fabrics and a bright apple green of a wall, which replaced the ‘fiendish’ shade of brown met on move-in day this spring. ‘I wanted the wall to be a ‘friend of the trees’ Sarah tells me, nodding to the canopy of leaves outside that flit up against the window pane. ‘I’m easily pleased by small things like that.’ 13

Small things are leading to big fish for Sarah. She’s flying solo for the first time since working, for most of her life, as one half of iconic design duo Collier Campbell. She ran the partnership with her sister Susan from 1979 yet they’d already been whipping up their trademark hand-painted designs – vivid floral prints and Matisse-inspired patterns – for the likes of Liberty of London, Jaeger and Yves Saint Laurent, railing against changes for mass-produced cloth in the process. In 2011, Susan tragically died from cancer just weeks before the sisters’ half-century retrospective at the National Theatre. Weaving together a visual feast of design and bound in the classic pattern Cote d’Azure (from their 1984 prize-winning Six Views collection), a book encapsulating their journey in fabric sits prettily today on Sarah’s own coffee table. The Collier Campbell Archive, 50 years of Passion in Pattern is, Sarah tells me with a smile, ‘a wonderful record of our work together and though bittersweet in the making, a very lovely calling card’. Despite early dreams of becoming an explorer and moving to the Kalahari Desert, Sarah has lived in London since the age of 13 – and SE19 for the past six years, gaining inspiration from daily goings on around the Triangle. ‘Everything feeds into my work’ she says. ‘I very much like the openness and the feeling of space here and more than anything, the view of the city from the top of Gipsy Hill, particularly how all the colours work together. I consider that view a daily blessing.’

Top: original painting for Cote d’Azure as a bedlinen design, USA 1991 Above: chair for West Elm, USA 2012 Right: Boho Patch, current M&S bedlinen, 2013

Sarah sits proudly in the middle of five generations of influential women. Her mother was actress Patience Collier, whose own mother was a ‘glamorous’ milliner and author of the book The ABC of Millinery. On the other side of the family, ‘Granny Collier’ was a talented seamstress, cook and gardener, while Sarah’s nieces (Susan’s daughters) work across poetry, art and education research, also helping Sarah to maintain Collier Campbell’s sumptuous archives. ‘All the women in the family are able to use their creativity, hands and brains to earn a living,’ says Sarah. ‘We’re lucky to all be in touch and have interests that cross over. One great niece is a photographer and the other has just finished her GCSEs – I suspect they too will be forces to be reckoned with.’

Top right: painting for Chedworth, M&S bedlinen, 2012 Above: a little knitting experiment, 2012

A typical Sarah Campbell morning is gloriously moveable but might well include an early morning swim at Beckenham Spa, a potter around her allotment or a sit down to emails – leaving the rest of the day free to work, paint and ‘pace about’. Current projects range from collaborations with retail giants West Elm, M&S, Habitat and stationery company Roger La Borde, through to special projects with local glassmakers, the Triangle’s Do South (see the fabulous SC over-sized laundry baskets), and weekly work alongside BTEC textiles students at a local school.

All images © Sarah Campbell Ltd

Above: Herbaceous Border, a silk scarf for Liberty of London Prints from the Collier Campbell Archive, 1974 Right: special editions of The Collier Campbell Archive, each covered uniquely in a vintage CCArchive fabric Far right: a detail from The Alphabet Tree, 2007

As an expert in her craft, what does she glean from the lifestyles of teenagers she works with today? ‘I see the effect of the internet a lot,’ she says. ‘What concerns me is that the internet is marvellous for information but things can lose their natural context. Understanding my own context – knowing where I begin and end – means I know how textiles have to work on bodies and sofas – getting information from all over the world online can be strangely dis-locating. I’m in the lovely position of being able to share experiences with the students and tell the simplest stories about connections – I think that’s what we might miss today; I love the exchanges we have.’

‘Yes, but is he a red herring or a potential big catch? I’m always asking myself that question,’ she tells me. ‘I wonder if Susan might say it’s a lot of nonsense but my new creations are really built on all our years of work together, which was magical. I often used to think of our work as the third sister who kept us in order!

Sarah’s story-telling, stoked by her infectious zest for life’s simple pleasures, is recorded fortnightly on her blog Fabric – and other things. Like virtual shots of sunshine, each vignette comes with a hand-painted image, capturing anything from a new art venture or exhibition, to close-ups of daily life in her pint-sized studio. Her temporary lodger, Liberace the goldfish, has his very own mug-shot, as does a hand-crafted miniature cow, which, dapple-dotted in fetching spots of green, yellow and pink, sits between us on her kitchen table. He’s very sweet, I tell her.

The Collier Campbell Archive: 50 years of Passion in Pattern is available from our local bookshop and also to order from a limited edition of 190, each bound in a unique vintage fabric.

‘I feel this is now the second part of my creative life. Do I have any hobbies? My life is my hobby, and every day is a new adventure – I’m so lucky. I spend my lifetime trying to work it all out – when I’m 97 I might just have got it right!’

To find out more and to read Sarah’s blog visit www.sarahcampbelldesigns.com

Right: detail from The Singing Tree (yellow colour way on linen), part of the last decorative fabric collection from Collier Campbell for Fabricut, USA 2011 All images © Sarah Campbell Ltd

THE BUS STOPS HERE Working lives can often follow an unusual path, as former Chanel model – and bass guitarist in the 1980s iconic Addicted to Love video – MAK GILCHRIST can confirm. Now based in South London, she is working towards a very different kind of success story. Claudine Nightingale talks to Mak about her latest role Photos by Andy Pontin

rystal Palace is no stranger to community projects, especially those based around food. Whether it be the new Saturday market by Haynes Lane or the Palace Pint, the people of Crystal Palace have shown a real flair for getting together and making things happen.

Many will be pleased to discover that another such opportunity is coming to town, this time in the form of an Edible Bus Stop. The concept is a number of small gardens with vegetables, fruit bushes, and all things edible, run by the community for the community – with a little help from co-founders Mak Gilchrist and Will Sandy. Two Edible Bus Stop projects are already set up – one in Stockwell and another in West Norwood (Norwood Road). As both are on the 322 bus route, the next logical step is Crystal Palace bus station – where the route begins and ends. The concept for the project was formed back in 2011 when Mak spotted a planning proposal notice on the lamp-post on Landor Road in Stockwell, near to her own house. ‘I was horrified,’ she explains. ‘We would have lost our one big tree in the area – a silver maple,

which is quite unusual. The wide pavement would have gone; the bus shelter almost certainly would have gone … it was going to really cram us in as a neighbourhood.’ ‘My neighbour popped round in the evening to ask if I’d seen the notice, and asked, “What are you going to do about it?” It was one of those eureka moments where I thought, you know what, I’m finally going to do something.’ After some research and leafleting, her campaign gained momentum and a local councillor voiced his support for one of Mak’s alternative suggestions for the space – a community garden. She organised a meeting with him and some local people to discuss the use of the land. ‘At one stage, I said, “Has anyone seen that guerrilla garden patch that was there?” – about two square metres of the plot had recently been turned into a veg patch by a mystery gardener. Without fail, all 30 people at the meeting said yes, and all had a smile on their face. It was another eureka moment – and everyone clocked it. If that small patch made us all smile like that, imagine if we did all 130 square metres.’ The name of The Edible Bus Stop soon followed and Mak teamed up with Will Sandy, the company’s creative director.

Mak Gilchrist

The Edible Bus Stop installation Roll Out the Barrows was commissioned as part of this summer’s Festival of Neighbourhood at the Southbank

Each bus stop project goes through three stages: the first is to engage with the community; the second is to animate the space – so getting local people to start gardening and growing; and the third and final stage is to redesign the site. ‘We came up with the idea that it should be design-led,’ says Mak. ‘Once we have engaged the community and got it set up, we will look for funds to redesign it completely and make it a landmark space, raising the whole tone of the area.’ The long-term aim is for the host community to run the project themselves. ‘What we’ve found with our first one in Stockwell,’ says Mak, ‘is that there’s an incredible sense of community pride about it. I don’t have to have much to do with it now – they mostly run it themselves. We do have a basic ethos, though, that people have to get on board with from the get-go: that is, the garden is entirely inclusive and no one stakes ownership over it. That is not Bill’s raspberry bush – it’s the community’s.’ I felt compelled to ask the question that no doubt also springs to the minds of the more cynical among you: surely the gardens suffer from problems of vandalism? ‘Not really,’ claims Mak. In fact, she believes that the opposite is true: ‘You do find antisocial behaviour tends to drop [around the projects].’ Mak does concede that there are the occasional problems: ‘We have what I call “random harvesting”, of which about 75% is within reason – that’s really the idea of the fruit bushes, so people can pick fruit while waiting at the bus stop – and about 25% is a little bit greedy. There are very 20

few plants that are just yanked out. It does happen from time to time and is heart-breaking, but when it is witnessed, it is nearly always stopped.’ As each project is designed to be edible, I wondered how the food is harvested and shared. ‘That has sort of developed,’ says Mak. ‘Those who are the keenest, hardest-working gardeners are encouraged to take as they wish, because they’ve worked hard to produce it. Having said that, they tend to be the people who feel strongest about sharing it.’ But Mak is keen to emphasise that the Edible Bus Stops are about more than the food grown in them. ‘It’s all about community love. It’s about having chats with neighbours that you wouldn’t normally chat to. My main motivation behind the whole project is to get people talking to each other.’ The chosen site at Crystal Palace is a small plot – roughly 25 metres by 5 metres – located at the back of the bus terminus, at the top of the park. Having gained permission from Bromley Council, they’re just looking for local people to join in now. ‘We’re working with Crystal Palace Transition Town to develop the plot. What we’re proposing is a high-impact, lowmaintenance garden. We’d like to grow things like apple trees, fruit bushes, even hops maybe, to go towards the Palace Pint. It’s just a question of finding members of the community who want to be part of it.’

Visit www.theediblebusstop.org if you’d like to get involved.

WITH EMMA STEWART Emma Stewart started her career as a documentary filmmaker, but motherhood led her to co-found awardwinning social enterprise WOMEN LIKE US. Honoured with an MBE five years later, Emma’s passion to improve the future for working women with children goes from strength to strength. Do you have any favourite Crystal Palace haunts? The White Hart for a drink and Casa Cuba for good coffee. What do you think South London does better than North, West or East? It’s got a lot more green space, one of the things that makes it really good for families. Who were your role models when you were a teenager? My drama teacher at school – I was desperate to be like her! In our rather strait-laced grammar school, she stood out as being really dynamic. She was very supportive too. What do you regret not doing when you were younger? I really regret not taking a year out between school and university, I went straight into work and have worked ever since. Now I think it’s important to gain a wider life experience before you start following a career path. What was the best advice you were given as a young woman starting out? To listen. And to learn from everyone around you. My first job was as a runner in a small television production company and I was encouraged to roll my sleeves up and get stuck in. Does that mirror the advice you yourself would now give? Yes definitely. It’s important, especially for young people, to keep their eyes open and watch what’s going on around them. To grasp every opportunity to talk to real people about what their job entails on a day to day basis. Never be afraid to ask questions about what a specific job is all about. If you could tell your 18-yr-old self one thing, what would it be? Believe in yourself. You’ll get there in the end, though the end may be a different place to where you thought it would be! Also not to take failures personally – ultimately they will make you stronger.

Did you go to a single-sex or mixed school? All girls. It was all straw boaters and stripy blazers. What were you interested in at school? English, drama and art. What did you think you would be when you ‘grew up’? I knew I wanted to be something creative. At first I thought maybe a drama teacher, but soon a desire to be a filmmaker took over. Has having qualifications made a difference to your success? Qualifications are a basic requirement, but it’s more about how to use those qualifications. For me it was much more about entrepreneurial spirit and ambition. I was prepared to work hard. Which is the life-achievement so far you are most proud of? The creation of Women Like Us. We have a strong social mission: it’s simply not fair that people should be locked out of work purely because they need to look after their families, and women are particularly disadvantaged in this area. Being awarded the MBE in 2010 was also an achievement we’re very proud of, and great recognition for what we believe is an essential cause. What do you consider your most useful quality with regards to your work? Open-mindedness is important, being able to welcome new ideas. Passion too – I’m driven by a personal connection to my work. It’s all about tackling gender inequality: I want to change the world. www.womenlikeus.org.uk 21

WITH JO ELVIN

Which is your favourite shop, restaurant, café or pub around these parts? There’s too many to choose just one! I absolutely love family dinners at Trattoria Raffaele in Sydenham – the best pizzas ever. And I really think Gurkha’s is the best curry I’ve ever had. I am also really enjoying all the popups, um, popping up all over the place with the SEE3 initiative and I really hope the Sydenham Food Fair, the last Sunday of every month, is here to stay. What do you think South London does better than North, West or East? We wipe the floor with them all when it comes to traffic. Yeah, in your face, Rest of London! No, seriously, I don’t really think in those terms. I’m very grateful that there’s a lovely sense of community where we live, that’s my favourite thing about living here. But I know friends in other boroughs who feel similarly. It’s not the location, it’s what the people in that location do to make it nice. Who were your role models when you were a teenager? Funny you should ask that. I was out with one of my first role models just yesterday, Lisa Wilkinson. When I was a teenager, the editor of my favourite magazine, Dolly, was barely out of her teens. I just thought she was amazing – a real career inspiration. Later she became my editor-in-chief. She’s still kicking goals, she’s the most well-known TV breakfast presenter in Australia and I’m proud to now call her a friend. She is so inspiring, warm, friendly, and very generous with her time and praise. It’s no wonder the country loves her!

Jo Elvin, Glamour editor, Aussie and Sydenham-dweller gives her lowdown on life, South London & everything

Closer to home, my mother was very influential – she really encouraged me to work hard and go out and get myself a career that meant I could enjoy working and not need to rely on anyone. And then, like a lot of teenagers from the 80s, I was absolutely in awe of Madonna. She was unapologetic about her ambition and that was an amazing message for young girls to hear. It was so challenging, ballsy, most unladylike and thus, incredibly inspiring.

What do you regret doing when you were younger? I regret worrying so much about what other people think. And I regret being so hung up about not being fancied by boys. A total waste of time and energy and all that comes when you focus on yourself, your interests and developing your own personality. What was the best advice you were given as a young woman starting out? The very Aussie work ethic from my parents; ‘Head down, bum up’ is still one of my dad’s favourite phrases. Get on with it and expect the odd rejection along the way, and just learn from it rather than collapse over it. If you could tell your 18-yr-old self one thing, what would it be? As above. Stop worrying so much about what other people think of you. As you get older, you see that it really is true that everyone’s too busy worrying about themselves to spend much time thinking about you. And in all things, value your sense of humour. Did you go to a single-sex or mixed school? I went to a mixed state school in a Sydney suburb. What were you interested in at school? I loved English and history and was violently irritated about having to do anything else. I used to moan to my maths teacher that maths was only useful to maths teachers. Beyond the basics of adding and subtracting, I think I still believe that. What did you think you would be when you ‘grew up’? I wanted to work in magazines. I wanted to write. Some would say I’m very lucky that that worked out, but I truly believe that if you focus, and work hard, you zero in on the course of action that gets you to where you want to be.

Has not having qualifications made a difference to your success? I don’t have any official qualifications. I dropped out of university, in my second year, when I was offered a job on a magazine. It hasn’t made any difference whatsoever in being able to do what I want to do. But I do wish I had more time now to study – I would absolutely love to learn something now for learning’s sake. What do you consider your most useful trait for your work? Probably creativity – that applies to having ideas and working out the way around challenges. Give us a trick of your trade to steal When you are having serious doubts about something or just don’t know what the right decision is, keep smiling calmly and enigmatically, pretending it’s all part of the plan, until such time that you find the answer. Trust me. Is there a book or piece of music that changed the way you think about life? On a very pragmatic level, I was obsessed with English music as a teenager (The Smiths, David Bowie in particular) so that made me just want to come to England. I get a lot out of other inspiring women. For instance, there’s a lot in Tina Fey’s book [Bossypants] that’s very inspiring as it makes you realise even the most scary-successful women you can think of are just working hard and muddling through like the rest of us. Which is the life-achievement so far you are most proud of? Making a human being. And to paraphrase Bill Murray from Lost in Translation, she’s the loveliest one I’ve ever met.

WITH JO ROWSELL How did your first competitive races feel? I had a few races in 2004 when I was a complete novice and didn’t understand the concept of drafting at all. I thought because I was at the front of the bike race I was winning. In fact everyone was just sat behind me saving energy and then would sprint past me for the finish! What was the best advice you were given as a young woman starting out in sport? There is no such thing as a bad race, just a good learning experience.

Olympic Gold Medallist and World Champion Jo Rowsell didn’t start her cycling career until the age of 15 when British Cycling’s talent scouts visited her school. The sprint and endurance tests they put her through that day changed her life completely. Before you discovered cycling, did you enjoy other sports? I used to swim at primary school and also competed in biathlons (swimming and running). At secondary school I did cross country and athletics, representing the school and my borough. What did you think you would be when you ‘grew up’? I was interested in the sciences, particularly biology, and wanted to study Natural Sciences at university and go into an area of research science. Who were your role models when you were a teenager? Bradley Wiggins was always someone I admired. I started cycling in 2004, the year he won three medals at the Athens Olympics. I was totally inspired and wanted to race in the same events. At first did you spend more time on the track or on the road? Far more time on the road. I used to go to Herne Hill velodrome [before it closed due to lease problems] and to training camps in Newport and Manchester, but predominately I would ride on the Surrey roads. I always wanted to be a track rider, though, as I liked the atmosphere of competing in a stadium with the crowd. 24

You’ve raced on the Crystal Palace Park circuit many times and have described it as one of your favourite circuits: why is that? I did one of my first ever races around the Crystal Palace Park when I was a complete beginner. I came back for more in 2005 and have raced there every year. I love the circuit because it is such a challenging one – both technically and physically – so by racing there I am guaranteed a good work out. Was making the decision to become a full-time sportswoman an easy one to make? Yes it was pretty easy. I was offered a place on British Cycling’s Academy programme but I stayed at school to do my A Levels. I did still apply to university in case cycling didn’t work out, but eight months after becoming a full-time cyclist I became World Champion in the Team Pursuit so I knew I had made the right decision. What do you consider the most useful trait that has helped you become so successful? I like to prove people wrong. A lot of people have doubted me along the way but I think that has made me even more determined to succeed. I have always believed in myself plus I really enjoy training so that makes it a lot easier day to day! Which is the life-achievement so far you are most proud of? Winning Olympic Gold is definitely my best achievement! The hardest thing about the Olympics was the pressure and expectation. We had a squad of four girls at the Games and only found out an hour before the final which three would be riding. An incredible amount of pressure to deal with on top of the fact that it was the biggest event in the world. We were the favourites to win too. I don’t think anything else in my life will ever compare to that in terms of the pressure and expectation. If you could tell your 18-yr-old self one thing, what would it be? Chill out! It is best not to take things too seriously too young.

FROM THE PALACE We asked some local ladies about their teenage role models, their regrets (they’ve had a few) and what advice they would give to their younger selves

ne of my role models was a guy in high school who started his own ‘zine which then got banned by the local school district for being anti-establishment. I admired his stand against authority. I wish I’d travelled more and worked less. I didn’t realise that I had the whole rest of my adult life to work. What would I tell my 18-year-old self? Have more confidence in yourself, missy! What I thought were flaws turned out to be strengths. Also, to worry less about what others think of you. Roxanne Escobales, journalist

hen I was a teenager my role models were actually my friends, especially one who died of cancer at the age of 14. She had such a graceful, youthful and fun spirit. I regret not getting to know my mother a little better: she was quite closed and secretive. I’d tell my 18-year-old self this: depend on your own thoughts and go with your own instincts. Don’t let others decide your destiny, learn to make your own choices. Don’t let others influence what you really want. Live your dream and be yourself. Caron Clarke, artist

had three role models: Debbie Harry, Lee Miller and Eileen Gray. I remember reading that when Debbie Harry was a teenager she used to get bullied. Rather than shying away and conforming, she bleached her hair with kitchen sink bleach defiantly expressing her craziness. I went to a Lee Miller photography exhibition expecting a male war photographer, but was completely blown away by this amazing woman. During her incredible life as a model, photographer and journalist she worked with Man Ray, was friends with Picasso and became one of the most celebrated WWII photojournalists. Eileen Gray was an architect whose work is often wrongly credited to Frank Lloyd Wright. She died in 1976 aged 98. I remember seeing a last interview and was struck not only by her incredible architecture, but also by her elegance and large onyx stone ring. I bought one straightaway and still wear it nearly every day! Another role model was my maternal Grandfather who was amazing

and hilarious. I used to spend a lot of time with him and he taught me so much including some Welsh, the Pythagoras theory and how to debate. I often used to stay up with him until the small hours of the morning watching the boxing, The Two Ronnies and checking the United Biscuits share prices on ceefax. I try not to regret anything in the past, as even the awful times have got you to where you are today. But I would have liked to have travelled a bit more before starting university and my career. I would teach my 18-year-old self how to have a bit more confidence – low self-esteem was the bane of my teenage life. It wasn’t until my late twenties and having the most fabulous husband that I feel that I have finally reached a point when I am happy with myself and have a healthy amount of confidence in my abilities. Laura Jane Clark, architect

y role models were my mum and godmother, who are best friends to this day!!! I regret not having more strength to support others at times of crisis during my teenage years. If I’d been stronger for them, they may still be with us today. I’d tell my 18-year-old self to push boundaries, take risks and believe that you can achieve anything you set your mind too. But above all to be true to yourself and those around you. Support from those who love you is the most valuable support you will ever receive. Deborah Tallentire, bespoke tailor

y role models were Bonnie Langford, Julie Andrews and Delia Smith. I regret not continuing to learn the piano or how to speak French. I would love to be fluent in another language. I’d tell my 18-yearold self not to wait for anything. And not to believe anything until you are actually doing it. Laura Thomas, Brown & Green cafe

y role models were Debbie Harry, Pamela Stephenson and Tracey Ullman. I regret not reading my History Leaving Cert paper (Irish A Levels) all the way through and missing out on a possible A; not realising how hot I was; and not going to see Neil Young at Slane Castle. I’d tell my 18-year-old self to go see the world, **** university and believe you can do anything! Noreen Meehan, Chair of the Crystal Palace Festival 25

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Pic of claire

ALI HOWARD MEETS CLAIRE WILCOX FASHION ENTHUSIAST AND CURATOR OF CLUB TO CATWALK: LONDON FASHION IN THE 1980s CURRENTLY SHOWING AT THE V&A

The Cloth, Summer Summit 1985 © Anita Corbin

Trojan and Mark at Taboo 1986 © Derek Ridgers Unknown © Derek Ridgers

tepping back in time to the 1980s to witness the V&A’s latest exhibition was thrilling enough, (if you haven’t already indulged, you really must) but to be guided through, getting the inside scoop from the museum’s head fashion curator, was a real treat. Fellow South Londoner Claire Wilcox clearly loves her job and has been with the V&A for many years. She displays a passion for fashion that far exceeds my style credentials – weekly trips to Topshop and a loyal Vogue subscription just don’t cut it next to Claire’s studied, enthusiastic and impressively encyclopaedic knowledge of all things sartorial. As we enter the cavernous, club-like room that’s already pumping out the heavy synth sounds of Animotion’s Obsession (irony duly noted), I know I’m about to go on a very fashionable journey of discovery. I pull up my high street ankle socks and pay attention. Claire explains: 27

Installation image of Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s © V&A

Jonny, Batcave 1983 © Derek Ridgers

At Subway 1986 © Derek Ridgers

‘The idea behind this exhibition is to look at the relationship between club and catwalk and how they influenced each other. On the one hand you had catwalk design becoming increasingly professionalised with the support of the government and the emergence of London Fashion Week in 1984. But at the same time you had this very vibrant club culture. It’s that intermingling – the way that clothing, fashion, music, clubs, London were all mixed up together. It was quite tribal: particular groups were really into a particular kind of music and in some ways I don’t know whether the music led the fashion or the fashion led the music but I think they were probably indivisible.’ Claire worked closely with Wendy Dagworthy, Club to Catwalk’s expert consultant, and showing me a Michiko Koshino jacket – which they’d teamed with Vivienne Westwood shorts and trainers, a vintage copy of i-D and an original 80s skateboard – it became clear that collating each look was no mean feat: ‘We’d been looking for a skateboard for months. 80s skateboards are very particular and we got this one about a week before the opening. Wendy got it from the son of a friend – it had been in their garage for years and when she arrived with it we realised to our absolute amazement that the skateboard was painted with a very similar logo to what’s on our i-D cover. It was just one of many happy accidents in this exhibition.’ Serendipity may have had its part to play but the success of this colourful, multi-faceted and ultra sensory retrospective (think original catwalk VTs, extensive club footage and an agreeably obtrusive 28

soundtrack) has so much more to do with plain hard graft. It seems that Claire and co left no stone unturned in the meticulous research process. She enthuses: ‘we took great delight in putting together outfits and looks based very carefully on research – to not just show outfits of the same designer, top to toe, but to show the kind of clothes that people would really wear.’ Authenticity was vital to Claire’s creative vision, and while there were some truly iconic pieces on show – Katharine Hamnett’s slogan T-shirts and crisp, white sweatshirts adorned with the famous BOY London logo to name a few, she was keen to keep it eclectic, explaining that ‘it’s not only about the creative design, it’s about the creative wearing … so we’re looking at different scenarios of 80s fashion just to demonstrate the incredible diversity in the decade. We wanted to offer alternative views of what it was to be fashionable in London in the 1980s.’ One very clear message that resonates throughout Club to Catwalk is the evolution of menswear in the story of 80s fashion, which Claire describes as ‘quietly subversive, showing terrific authenticity and creativeness’. She waxes lyrical about Boy George’s considerable role as one of the decade’s most important and iconic muses. ‘I look at images of him and they’re extraordinary – very beautiful. You can see why people were confused. The look was totally androgynous. So you had all these inspirational messages coming through about guys dressing up and not being afraid to be feminine.’ Having scurried passed a huge Blitz Club-inspired

Denim jacket, ‘BLITZ’, by Levi Strauss & Co., customised by Leigh Bowery 1986 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Denim jacket, ‘BLITZ’, by Levi Strauss & Co., customised by Vivienne Westwood 1986 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

mirror, inscribed with the words, WOULD YOU LET YOU IN? (I’m told club host, Steve Strange would hold up a mirror to an expectant queue of beautiful freaks and decide who’d make it and who wouldn’t – ouch!), Claire takes me on a whistle stop tour of the capital’s subcultures from New Romantic to Hard Times, High Camp to Customisation and Body Conscious to Goth. The latter, I discover, Claire holds dear to her heart. She talks passionately about its strange, romantic gloom: ‘Of all the tribal groups, this was the one that fossilised – you could see any of these looks in Camden market today and not be surprised. What I like about Goth is it brings in different elements – the neo-Victorian, the Addams Family look and then the fetishistic, punk look. At its best, Goth dressing is magnificent and extremely visually exciting. I still love Goths – my daughter was a Goth briefly and I encouraged it hugely. It’s very camp isn’t it!’ Before I’m left to my own devices (I’m keen to go round again and immerse myself in this stunning, vibrant universe) I ask Claire about her life and career. Giving little away she tells me, simply ‘I’ve always been interested in appearance’ so I wonder what advice she’d give, from one discerning fashionista to another (ahem!). She tells me that ‘happiness is about setting yourself achievable goals and making sure you see your friends a lot’. ‘I go to Crystal Palace all the time, meeting my friend Sue. We always go to Jasper Road, to the Antiques Warehouse, and then we go for coffee and then on to The Secret Garden. That’s our typical Sunday.’ I told you she had taste.

Joseph Tricot ensemble Elle, November 1985 © Giles Tapie

Leigh Bowery and Gerlinde Costiff at Taboo, London 1985 © Michael Costiff

Silk T-shirt, designed by Katharine Hamnett 1984 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s runs at the V&A until 16 February 2014. Dress to impress.

Brooklyn-born Arthur Elgort is a high-profile shooter at American Vogue. Working in the eye of the ‘supermodel’ storm, his covers and spreads featured Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington et al. This, however, is a photograph of his make-up artist, Wendy Whitelaw, grabbed as he followed her on their way to an American Vogue fashion shoot. In this irresistibly beautiful composition Wendy is a distillation of casual charm as she walks along a New York street, assailed by three voyeurs: Elgort, who captures her figure from behind, the chauffeur lounging on the car watching her approach, and you, your gaze drawn inexorably towards her naked shoulder. Arthur Elgort Wendy Whitelaw, Park Avenue. Personal picture taken on American Vogue fashion shoot, July 1981 © Arthur Elgort / Victoria and Albert Museum, London

COLLECTING DREAMS Sixth-form student Maryam Haque meets Susanna Brown, a former pupil at her school, whose interest in photography was ignited in the art department Curator of photography at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Susanna Brown is the woman behind the critically-acclaimed exhibition – and beautiful accompanying book – Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton, which coincided with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Her latest exhibition, Selling Dreams: One Hundred Years of Fashion Photography, is currently running at the State Library of New South Wales in Australia: it comprises highlights from the V&A’s collection and spans a century of fashion photography by forty different practitioners. Susanna grew up in South London and attended Streatham & Clapham High School, a Lambeth girls’ school whose art department has a strong local reputation. She left in 2000, taking first a degree in History of Art at Bristol University, then an MA at the Courtauld Institute. As part of the school’s Head Master’s Lecture series last year, Susanna gave the audience a fascinating insight into the forward planning for preparing an exhibition and its potential as a global travelling event. Her inspirational talk elicited huge enthusiasm amongst Sixth Formers at the school.

What is your connection with South London? I was born in South London and, apart from my three years studying at Bristol University, I’ve lived here all my life. Was there anything in your childhood that led you towards your career? As children, my sister and I both enjoyed art and our grandmother was a marvellous painter, a great inspiration. Then at school there were excellent art and design facilities and teachers who offered great advice and encouragement. I always wanted to work in a creative environment.

Which is your favourite gallery, and where in particular is your favourite place to view photography? London is full of outstanding galleries and museums. Among my favourites are the Photographers’ Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate and Somerset House. I work at the V&A in South Kensington, the world’s greatest museum of art and design. It’s a spectacular and atmospheric building in which to encounter treasures from around the world. The V&A has two galleries dedicated to showing photographs from the museum’s collection and we also stage major photographic exhibitions. I love walking through the museum after public opening hours; it can be a magical place.

John French was one of London’s top fashion shooters of the 1950s and 1960s. His ‘skater in a Digby Morton coat’ shows many of the key elements of top-end British fashion photography of that time – beautiful well-connected women, wealthy city gents at a slight distance (eyebrows raised as the debutantes parade themselves for the camera) – all done with a light, knowing humour. As we see here, the ‘photographer’ is about to click the shuttle cable. Yes, it is cheesy. 34

John French Skater wears a Digby Morton fur trimmed velvet coat, city gentleman Michael Bentley in the background, London. Daily Express, 1955 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Horst photographed society girls and the famous for Paris Vogue in the interwar years. Mainbocher Corset is one of the most achingly beautiful fashion images ever created and was Horst’s very last photo in Paris. After taking the picture at four in the morning in 1939 – with the invasion looming – he left his studio forever, taking his wife and children to a new life in America where he worked at Vogue until 1951. He said that for him this image represented the ‘quintessence of that moment’.

Horst P Horst Mainbocher Corset. Pink satin corset made by Detolle for Mainbocher, American Vogue, 4 March 1939 © Horst Estate / Victoria and Albert Museum, London

In a career spanning seven decades Frank Horvat has used fashion to fund his passion for travelling the world shooting photojournalism and personal projects. This fashion image, from work in the early 1960s for Harper’s Bazaar, was taken just after he became an associate photographer for the Magnum photographic agency, working alongside his friends Henri CartierBresson and Robert Capa and it shows the influence of Cartier-Bressonesque photojournalism. . 36

Frank Horvat Fashion by Harrods, photographed in New York. Harper’s Bazaar, February 1962 © Frank Horvat / Victoria and Albert Museum, London

If you have not seen Melvin Sokolsky’s ‘bubble series’ taken in Paris in 1963, please put down this magazine and go immediately to www.sokolsky.com. These hauntingly beautiful, dreamlike images – of his favourite model Simone d’Aillencourt floating around in a Plexiglass bubble – are a fantastic example of fashion photography transcending its commercial ‘low art’ boundaries. Even today, after 50 more years of image creation, they retain their power to generate awe and surprise. Pre-photoshop, the chain suspending the bubble from the crane was painstakingly removed!

Melvin Sokolsky Simone wears fashion by Venet, River Seine, Paris.American Harper’s Bazaar, March 1963 © Melvin Sokolsky / Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Tim Walker is deservedly everyone’s favourite ‘coffeetable book’ photographer. His lavish, colourful, romantic and surreal shoots for Vogue seem to epitomise what is possible in this medium without compromising artistic vision and integrity. This photo of Lily Cole leaning against a giant camera is a typical Walker mixture of beauty, fashion and fun. Tim Walker Lily Cole & Giant Camera, Italian Vogue, 2005 © Tim Walker / Victoria and Albert Museum, London

SAYS Born in 1897, Erwin Blumenfeld is regarded as one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century. An experimenter and innovator, he took more covers for Vogue than any photographer before or since. This image of a woman and mannequin, both with trademark scarlet pouts, shows Blumenfeldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artistic side casting an edgy shadow over what would otherwise be just a standard fashion image.

Erwin Blumenfeld Model and Mannequin, American Vogue Cover, 1 November 1945 ÂŠ Estate of Erwin Blumenfeld / Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Rankin suffers the unfortunate fate of being an immensely talented fashion photographer working in an era when pretty much everything worth doing in fashion photography has already been done. Although never short on ideas, his work often seems to be a kaleidoscope of rehashed styles and imagery. This shot for Dazed & Confused celebrates the beauty of mature women, who rarely feature in mainstream fashion magazines. Rankin Silver Ladies. Margo wears Jacket by Isaac Mizrahi, Vest by Marc Jacobs’ Look and Shoes by Helmut Lang, Dazed & Confused, Issue 18, March 1996 © Rankin / Victoria and Albert Museum, London

How was your degree in History of Art related to photography? Although photography is still a young art form in comparison to painting or sculpture, its development is very much a part of the broader history of art. My MA research at the Courtauld Institute in London focused on the history of photographic exhibitions and the changing status of photographs in museum collections. What is your favourite aspect of your job? I’m one of a team of four photography curators and our days are very varied. We care for the national collection of the art of photography – around half a million objects in total – and our work involves seeking out new photographs to acquire, managing storage, cataloguing, research, writing, lecturing and the preparation of displays and exhibitions. Discovering new work and meeting photographers is always exciting. The V&A collection is international in scope and I travel quite often: last week I was in the Netherlands and next week I’ll be in the US.

Which photographer has been your greatest inspiration? It’s impossible to name just one! Recently, I’ve been researching the history of fashion image-making and among my favourite early Vogue photographers are George Hoyningen-Huene and Horst P Horst, who both worked in Paris in the 1930s creating sublimely elegant pictures that fused classical and surrealist influences.

What skills and strengths do you need to curate an exhibition? I try to put myself in the shoes of the exhibition visitor and create an experience that is enjoyable and memorable, as well as educational. Producing a major exhibition requires the skills of many individuals and as a curator I work with everyone from conservators, exhibition designers and technicians to press officers, audio-guide creators and fundraisers. What are the highlights of your career so far? The exhibition Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton was a really fascinating project to work on. During my research I was able to meet members of Beaton’s family and several photographers who had worked with him in the 1950s. They had a lot of fantastic stories to tell. Where do you see yourself in the future? When you work with a huge collection like I do, it takes years to build expertise and I’d like to continue working in museums and galleries. They are incredible places, capable of educating, inspiring and entertaining visitors. Streatham & Clapham High School is hosting its own inaugural art exhibition in the autumn, featuring work by art students from many of the Girls’ Day School Trust schools. All are welcome to attend. Streatham & Clapham High School GDST 42 Abbotswood Road London SW16 1AW Tuesday 15 - Saturday 19 October Contact 020 8677 8400 for more information 41

Photo by Andy Pontin ÂŠ Transmission Publications

A CABINET OF CURIOSITIES Andy Pontin visits a curious and charming new exhibition and asks its curator Sonia Solicari how she came to create it

An escapee from the dark side (aka North London) Sonia Solicari has been plotting her world of Victorian wonders for years. ‘I moved to Crystal Palace about a year ago, but I had always loved it for the dinosaurs: I am a Victorianist’. Her spectacular and eclectic show of Victorian-related/inspired works by artists from a broad range of disciplines has finally come to fruition via her post as Principal Curator at the Guildhall Gallery. The exhibition was not fully completed when we visited but already the main space looked fabulous with a series of huge photographic prints dominating one long wall and a steel and glass staircase sweeping up to a mezzanine floor. If you have never visited the Guildhall gallery (or didn’t know it existed) there is no need to be ashamed as Sonia tells me that it’s ‘only quite recently that the gallery has started to seriously promote itself as a place for visitors rather than a place where the City of London hangs a few of its paintings’. Although the headline is Victoriana, these artists’ works are all very recent. There’s a fascinating mash-up of Victorian-inspired pieces here, with ideas of time travel rubbing shoulders with dark, unsettling phantasmagoria and Steampunk imaginings. With graphic design, film, photography, ceramics, taxidermy, furniture, textiles and fine art, the show explores work of contemporary artists who have been inspired by the 19th century and offers a perspective into the on-going cultural legacy of the Victorians.

What exactly is curating? Essentially it is putting together a group of disparate things and making them make sense under one single heading or theme. How did you become a curator? I studied English Literature at Royal Holloway in London and was originally going to be a university lecturer. But then I went to King’s to study 19th Century Studies, and afterwards Museum Studies at UCL. After than I got on to the assistant curator programme at the V&A – which is a 4-year traineeship - and then became a curator at the V&A, first in paintings and then ceramics. Do qualifications matter in this game? It doesn’t generally matter what your BA degree is, although history is obviously useful, but there are also science collections like the Natural History Museum. It’s really about what you do post-BA that matters. Normally museum studies courses and, controversially, voluntary work is how most people get into curating. What’s your role here at the Guildhall? At the moment I am very focused on this exhibition obviously, but it’s also my responsibility to help rotate the main collection and we have a permanent Victorian section upstairs. I have been here for two and a half years now and have curated other exhibitions (including The Age of Elegance: 1890-1930, Atkinson Grimshaw, Painter of Moonlight and Sir John Gilbert: Art and Imagination in the Victorian Age). 43

What’s the best thing about your job? Definitely going to meet all the artists in their studios and selecting the works for the exhibition.

Tell us a bit more about the exhibition, for example what are these huge photographs about? These are large scale photographic prints by the artist Yinka Shonibare (pictured on previous page). The work is from 1996 and it’s the artist re-imagining himself as Dorian Gray. The work is about race, our perception of time and the Victorians. The aesthetics are inspired by Albert Lewin’s 1945 film The Picture of Dorian Gray which will be showing, along with other works of neoVictorian film, at a film season at Birkbeck which has been set up in collaboration with the exhibition. It’s great to do this with Birkbeck as we could never expect people, for example, to come here to sit for an hour and a half and watch the whole Albert Lewin film. This exhibition is one of the most ambitious ever staged here and we’ve tried to create something both playful and thought-provoking. It has four major themes: the neo-Victorian Identity; time travel; the cute and the curious; and the re-imagined parlour. We’ve got works by 28 contemporary artists including Grayson Perry, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Paula Rego, Rob Ryan and Dan Hillier. There’s even a Gothic Ball happening one evening in October so visitors who’ve been inspired by what they’ve seen can dress the part and watch some cabaret events. Victoriana: The Art of Revival runs until 8 December at the Guildhall Art Gallery, Guildhall Yard, London EC2V 5AR : £7/£5 concessions Films show at 2pm on Tuesdays 22 October-26 November at Birkbeck Cinema, 43 Gordon Square, WC1H OPD : FREE Guildhall Gothic Ball is 6-10pm on Friday 25 October Tickets £10 in advance, £12 on the door www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/victoriana

Clockwise from left: © Dan Hillier, ‘Mother’ (2006). © Stephen Kenny, ‘Drink More Gin (2010). © Miss Pokeno, (Allanah Curry), Trophy Chair (2009). (Photograph copyright Tim Walker) © Yumiko Utsu, ‘Octopus Portrait’ (2009). © Rob Ryan, ‘I Remember, Nobody Remembers’ (2010).

CyCLe Corner

LADY CYCLISTS! WHETHER YOU’RE A SHOPPER, COMMUTER OR RACER, CRYSTAL PALACE TRIANGLE HAS A BIKE FOR YOU SAYS ANNETTE PROSSER

he name of Pashley conjures up nostalgic images of long skirts, golden tresses flowing in the wind and small dogs in baskets. Bikes by Pashley Cycles – England’s longest established bicycle manufacturer, founded in 1926 – have really made a comeback in recent years, as women have sought out a bike with classic looks but 21st-century engineering. Favoured by the vintage crowd, they are pretty darn cool, though personally I’d advise against riding down Gipsy Hill in an Indian cotton maxi. All Pashley bikes are hand-built in Stratfordupon-Avon using traditional manufacturing methods. There are over 15 different adult styles available – including pastel blue Poppy, above – as well as tricycles and deli-style workbikes. Not just for the ladies, gentlemen interested in all-things 1930s will love the remodelled Guv’nor bike (fantastic name) which features Reynolds 531 tubing, a Brooks titanium saddle and handlebars with leather grips. Blue Door Bicycles are an official Pashley dealer, go drool over their catalogue with David. 46

Popiel Cycles specialise in Dutch brands Koga and Gazelle (the latter a company which dates back to 1892). Traditionally we think of Dutch bikes having a look similar to Pashley – sit-up-and-beg bikes in delightful colours – but that’s not the whole story. Both these brands offer a range of practical cycles, ranging from mountain trailers to daily workhorses. One of Popiel’s best-selling bikes over the last two years has been the Paris Plus, a solid commuting bike which has some nice touches: the security lock and front light are both integrated and the bike features a fully closed chain case and integrated automatic chain tensioner which means maintenance is low. It’s not the lightest bike in the world, but does the job nicely, as does the Bloom model which is specially designed for mothers and toddlers. The Bloom features extra space than usual between rider and child, a specially adapted extended rear carrier and extra-stable parking due to its two-leg kick stand. Useful when you’ve a little one to load and unload. And if everything matching

is important to you, its child seats and panniers are styled to complement the bike’s design. The established racers amongst you will know exactly what you’re looking for in a bike, but if you’re currently toying with the idea of joining a club and need a decent road bike to get you going, Blue Door can hand build you a greatlooking Raleigh Capri from £550. At Cadence you should be able to find a small selection of entrylevel road bikes from the Giant Avail women’s range. When you start winning races you can treat yourself to a pair of bib shorts from their X-Bionic range of performance wear. (Not cheap but it has won lots of awards: google cohesion wrap technology to find out more …). Back in the real world, you’ll find great biking accessories all over the Triangle, from Basil colourful shopping panniers at Popiel to Altura’s excellent women’s cycling kit at Blue Door. www.bluedoorbicycles.com www.popiel.co.uk www.cadenceperformance.com

PALACE PATCHWORK

As demand for land increases, the concept of a farm is changing with foods being grown in locations of all shapes and sizes. CLARE GOFF tells us what’s growin’ on in SE19

he Patchwork Farm, launched in the summer, is a Crystal Palace Transition Town (CPTT) initiative; perhaps you’ve seen our stall at the new Saturday market. We sell and barter fruit & veg grown on a network of over 20 ‘farms’ in SE19 and further afield. Locally-grown herbs are bundled up for 30p and our popular Market Salad (comprising herbs, leaves and edible flowers from the CPTT’s five community gardens) usually sells out within an hour. I’ve sold a glut of radishes (grown in a window box); a neighbour, Mehul, brought along kilos of rocket (garden produce that would otherwise been wasted); Mark forages for ground elder and wild garlic to sell; Khoria – one of our most productive farmers – has sold bin-bags of spinach (excess from her allotment).

The Patchwork Farm started with five growing spaces: now there are almost 30. We’ve been amazed by how much is already grown locally and want to expand the supply. It’s easy to get involved. If you have excess produce to sell or barter, you too can join our network of farmers. If you have land we could turn into a growing space, we will happily take it on and give you a share of the produce. You can join in by becoming a volunteer harvester on Friday afternoons, helping to man the Saturday stall or by becoming a farmer yourself: we’ll teach you. Rising food prices, a growing world population, climate change and the end of cheap oil will put even more pressure on food production in the near future. The horsemeat scandal and food poisoning

cases linked to bagged supermarket salads show the importance of knowing where your food comes from. Supermarkets have dominated our food supply for so long that we find it hard to believe there is another – better – way. But wouldn’t it be nice to pick the herbs for dinner on the way home from the station? Or exchange the mountain of apples in your garden for butternut squash grown next door? We’re proving that there is another way. With your help we can turn the whole of Crystal Palace into a Patchwork Farm. www.facebook.com/groups/crystalpalacefoodmarket email: patchworkfarm@crystalpalacetransition.org.uk Crystal Palace Food Market (every Saturday 10-3pm) 49

COOKBOOK

BEAMISH’S VICTORIAN APPLE JAM IS RACHEL DE THAMPLE’S NEW JAM This recipe is named after Antonia Beamish of Beamish & McGlue in West Norwood (not sure she knows about this). It’s based on a Victorian recipe, as the name suggests. Last year Antonia let our team of local jammers forage apples from her back garden so we could make 50 jars of apple preserves for Crystal Palace garden centre The Secret Garden.

WHAT YOU NEED: 3kg of local apples 2.5kg sugar 3 lemons, juice and rind your choice of flavouring: • herbs and/or • spices and/or • fruit* *if you do use fruit, weigh it then reduce the initial measurement of apples by that amount, so you keep the fruit/sugar ratio in check! If you’re using a fruit with a soft skin (such as peaches, apricots, plums or figs) either peel, cook in a little water or roast first to soften the skin before it gets mixed in with the sugar.

WHAT TO DO: Wash the apples before dividing them into two equal piles. The first pile should be grated (skin on). The second pile should be peeled, cored and diced – you want decent sized hunks, about 2-3cm in size. *If you’re swapping some of the apples for other fruit, grate ALL the apples. This is important as it is the skin which contains pectin. Pile it all into a large stainless steel pot – one with a heavy bottom so it doesn’t catch and burn: it’s really depressing when that happens. Pour in the sugar (and do look the other way as, yes, it is a shocking amount but it’s the sugar that does the preserving). Squeeze in the juice of two of the lemons, plus their grated zest. Give everything a really good stir to help dissolve the sugar and to bring out some of the juice in the apples. Place the pot on a low heat. Stir continuously until all the sugar has dissolved and the apples start to soften. *If you’re using other fruits, add them now.

If you’re not using any other fruits and the jam needs a bit of moisture, add just a trickle of water, or a dash of booze (like brandy or cider, if you like). Stir often. When it begins to look jammy, increase the heat and place a saucer in the freezer so you can do the jam test when it starts looking thick and glossy, and when the sound of the jam moves from sounding like a hyper 5-year-old on a trampoline to a mellow adult strolling through the park (ok – really bad metaphor!) Now is the time – at this nearly-done stage – to add any spices or herbs if you’re using them. Putting them in towards the end helps to retain their freshness, and their flavour will continue to permeate the jam as it ages. Start with a little. Taste, then add more and more until the jam tastes so good you can’t stop eating it. Test the doneness of the jam by spooning a little on to your frozen plate. Let it sit a minute. Push it with your finger. If it holds its shape and doesn’t dribble all over the plate when tilted – it’s done. The warm jam in the pan will look a little less firm. But if it looks set on the plate – it’s done. Ladle it out and put into hot sterilised jars (whilst the jam is still rather hot). Seal with lids immediately. Turn the jars upside down for a minute as this makes the wax on the lids hot and will help to seal them. That’s it! Now, pour yourself a mug of tea. We’ll be at the jammin’ again this year, every Monday until December at The Grape & Grain. If you would like to join us or have excess fruit, email me at food@crystalpalacetransition.org.uk. Times are to be confirmed but we’re hoping to jam day and night. 51

SUE WILLIAMS EXPLAINS HOW A SMALL SQUARE OF THE TRIANGLE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED THANKS TO LOCAL GUERRILLA HELENE RICHARDS

Helene Richards

few years ago our esteemed editor received a letter from a local ‘guerrilla gardener’ requesting a spot of pruning advice from local gardeners. I remember my interest was piqued as I’d read about green fingered individuals who were taking over pockets of disused land and planting them up for general enjoyment. It seemed to epitomise the new spirit of the time ... the much heralded Big Society. And this was before Crystal Palace became trendy. I responded to the request and so began my friendship with our very own gardening guerrilla, Helene Richards. Helene moved to Upper Norwood in 1997 in to one of the Barrett homes which were built on the site of the original Triangle. This had housed a mill, a laundry and a hotchpotch of workers’ cottages and the original cobbled paths still remain to the side of the Royal Albert. During her early years here Helene noticed that there was a spare bit of land near the

pub which had come to serve as a rubbish tip and dog latrine. By 2003 she decided to take action. Out with the knee high borage, crisp wrappers and assorted turds and in with the new shoots of a community garden. The site needed completely clearing and then digging over. With the help of a friend the garden was prepared for planting. A compost heap was established at the back of the site and a local resident supplied some large logs to act as a border. This looked good and acted as a physical deterrent to littering the garden. Plants needed to be purchased. Undaunted Helene embarked on a series of fundraising coffee mornings. These produced sufficient funds to start the planting, with a row of Pyracantha providing the backdrop to the garden and a Ginkgo tree the exotic structure. The side fence became home to a Passion flower and Climbing rose with a vigorous Akebia added later. Gradually the community garden began to take shape and various

cuttings and plants were left by local residents. However out of the blue in 2011 Helene discovered that the rear fence had been taken down and a new housing development was about to go up at the back of the garden with potential catastrophic consequences for this horticultural haven. She acted quickly ... Pyracantha first then the builders. Fortunately the developers were receptive to the protection of the garden and with Helene’s persistent negotiations they eventually erected a new fence to the rear and paid a handsome amount in compensation. This enabled the garden to be restocked. A Euonymus hedge was planted to conceal the compost heap, Acanthus spinosus as a feature perennial in the middle of the garden and a selection of Hebes and Irises all filled out the gaps. With the help of a strong accomplice the fully grown Pyracantha were re-erected and are thriving. Marvellous. And almost all down to Helene’s singular efforts to bring the project to life and then keep it going. The compensation funds have, however,

now been used and the garden has suffered a few losses throughout this very dry summer. Helene needs YOUR help, community-minded burghers of Upper Norwood. There is to be a stall at the garden at 11am on Saturday 5 October where there will be a delicious array of homemade cakes, soft drinks, tea and coffee. Please come along and support this tremendous local project. A drink and a cake will be £1 and hopefully enough money will be raised to provide some autumnal planting. The garden is also sorely in need of a water butt as at present Helene has to haul watering cans from home in the very dry periods. If you know of anybody who has one of these kicking about please contact The Transmitter and we can arrange to pick it up. And if you’re planning to divide the perennials this autumn then any redundant clumps will be gratefully received ... just leave them at the garden. See you there, we hope, and happy gardening. 53

THERE’S A WORLD OUT THERE! This time Howard Male rides the sonic waves to Ethiopia via Mali, Morocco, Egypt and Palestine before ending up closer to home with an Irish band who give indie rock a good name

Natacha Atlas. Does the name ring a bell? Probably not, but it’s a great name for a pop star don’t you think? And she probably would be a pop star if our national TV and radio stations didn’t just play westernised, homogenised factory-produced pap 24 hours a day. As Habibi: Classics and Collaborations (Nascente) amply demonstrates, she’s produced some pretty heavy grooves over the past twenty years with a diverse group of collaborators including Jah Wobble, Nitin Sawhney and Peter Gabriel. If you want to break yourself in gently, check out this Moroccan, Egyptian, Palestinian singer’s coolly sensuous and strikingly original covers of I Put A Spell on You and From Russia With Love (with Bond composer David Arnold). Then imagine how great it would be if such tunes occasionally pulsed and shimmered between Lady Gaga and Beyonce on Capital or Radio 2. Also out this month is a new album from the father of Ethio-jazz, Mulatu Astatke. This genius of the vibraphone (an instrument he introduced to Ethiopia) would not be known to us today if it hadn’t been for the Ethiopiques CD re-releases acquiring the enthusiastic endorsement of high-profile figures such as Brian Eno, Elvis Costello and Jim Jarmusch (who used Astatke’s music in his film Broken Flowers). But Sketches of Ethiopia (Jazz Village) is no exercise in nostalgia, revisiting glories past. It’s a polished, vibrant and constantly inventive exploration of jazz as a contemporary art form which manages to be accessible but never predictable – a very difficult balance to strike in any art form.

Next we’re off to Bamako via Paris for Donso’s second album Denfila (Comet Records). Donso play a unique mix of Malian roots music (the donso is actually a Malian musical instrument distantly related to the guitar) and grungy, glitchy electronica. But unlike many groups who endeavour to mix oil and water by combining traditional instrumentation with laptop hijinks, these gentlemen pull it off. Their secret lies in the fact that rather than sounding like opportunistic westerners trying to ‘jazz up’ traditional ‘exotic’ music for a dance crowd, French DJ Pierre-Antoine Grison has wisely allowed Thomas Guillaume’s donso to be the dynamic and sonic focus of the record, and have just added tense, gritty atmospherics. Consequently the end product has an organic cohesiveness which is rare in such projects. If you’re a fan of Eno and Byrne’s classic My Life in the Bush of Ghosts this may well float your boat. Finally, as I’ve always been one to judge a CD by its cover, it’s nice to occasionally have one’s irrational and time-saving selection process reaffirmed as reliable. I had not heard of Irish band Bell X1 before this album landed on the doormat. But I strongly suspected that what lay behind such quaintly sinister artwork had to have some merit. And sure enough, it was hard not to fall for dryly amusing melancholic epics such as A Thousand Little Downers in which vocalist Paul Noonan softly croons lines like The operator says, our call is important and The disclaimer says, may course death or injury as if he is mourning the loss of the love of his life. It’s often struck me what a misnomer the label ‘indie music’ is, because, generally speaking, the form’s purveyors aren’t musically independent at all. They are busy churning out a particular style of music just as reggae or hip-hop acts are. So it’s always a pleasure to hear an album such as Bell X1’s Chop Chop (Belly Up Records) which genuinely displays an independent spirit in its offbeat arrangements, eccentric bitter-sweet lyrics and unique song craft. Yes, there are echoes of other artists as diverse as Donovan and David Byrne here, but it’s a unique vision that dominates. True indie rock shouldn’t sound like indie rock, in my humble opinion. Howard Male’s dystopian conspiracy thriller Etc Etc Amen is available from The Bookseller Crow 55

WHATS ON - THEATRE South London Theatre The Old Fire Station 2a Norwood High Street West Norwood London SE27 9NS Box Office: 020 8670 3473 Website: www.southlondontheatre.co.uk NOT TALKING by MIKE BARTLETT Tues 17th – Sat 21st Sept 2013 at 8pm LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS by HOWARD ASHFORD AND ALAN MENKEN Fri 4th & Sat 5th at 8pm and Tues 8th – Sat 12th OCT 2013 at 8pm, Sat matinees 3pm SHINING CITY by CONOR McPHERSON Tues 22nd – Sat 26th OCT 2013 at 8pm

THE BOOKSELLER JONATHAN MAIN tells of local writers and Hollywood legends

often get people approaching me to tell me that they have written a book and that they are a ‘local author’ as though this somehow automatically grants them special privileges. Most of the time I will try and support them whilst also inwardly reminding myself that at one bookshop I ran Philip Roth was a local author.

Another example would be would be Peter Evans. Peter lived for decades on Sydenham Rise. In the 1960s he had been a columnist and foreign correspondent for the Daily Express in New York when the Express was at the height of its influence. He knew everybody from Richard Burton and Richard Harris to Dirk Bogarde whose own newspaper columns he ghosted. He wrote his first book Goodbye Baby and Amen in collaboration with the photographer David Bailey. It remains a classic and were you to try and buy a decent copy it would cost you, at the very least, somewhere north of a couple of hundred pounds. Peter went on to write an authorised biography of Peter Sellers and then, more famously, the definitive biography of Aristotle Onassis – he had been recommended to Ari for the job by John Paul Getty who Peter had spent some time with and had written a magazine article about. Peter was fond of mentioning that the immensely rich Getty kept a payphone in the hallway of his home for the use of his guests. Later Peter would write Nemesis (HarperCollins £8.99) his account of the love triangle between Onassis, Jackie O and Bobby Kennedy with the implication that 58

Ari was deeply involved in the assassination of Bobby. This in turn was made into a West End play starring Robert Lindsay and is currently in production as a major movie directed by Fernando Meirelles. In January 1988, Ava Gardner – Hollywood star, former wife of Mickey Rooney and Frank Sinatra, lover of Howard Hughes – called Peter late on a Sunday evening and asked him to write her memoirs. He had been recommended to her by Dirk Bogarde. She explained that she was pretty broke and needed to either sell her life story or her jewels and she was, as she put it, ‘kinda sentimental about the jewels.’ In the end that book never happened: after many months of working together, Sinatra interfered and Ava got cold feet. Evans, who had once been sued by Frank for suggesting on the BBC that he had mob connections (the very thought!), assumed that Sinatra had paid her off. Ava Gardner: The Secret Conversations (Simon and Schuster £20.00) is Evans’ beautifully measured account of their meetings and their late-night telephone conversations – Ava was in the habit of phoning him at three in the morning in her cups, thereby providing some of her more candid moments. It is by turns a portrait of the larger-than-life star in reduced circumstances – albeit a mansion block behind Harrods – the stroke victim, the heavy drinking foul mouthed lonely old broad who was also as sharp as sixpence, and it’s also the story in her own words of her rise from rural North Carolina to Hollywood fame and those many and famous marriages and affairs. ‘You can sum up my life in a sentence, honey,’ she told Evans. ‘She made movies, she made out, and she made a fucking mess

of her life. But she never made jam.’ Long time readers of The Transmitter might remember also the lovely piece Peter wrote for us in the film issue from 2009 reminiscing about the time in 1948 when he saw a gala screening of Brighton Rock at the Rialto Cinema on Church Road. You can look it up on the web. Sadly Peter died a year ago at his desk, just as he was on the final chapter of his book. We miss him very much. Richard Burton has a stagger-on role in Jess Walters’s wonderful Beautiful Ruins (Penguin £8.99) pound for pound the most purely entertaining book I have read this year. It begins in Italy in 1962 when Burton and Liz Taylor are filming Cleopatra in Rome. It moves to present day Hollywood, it passes through the Edinburgh fringe and unravels as a concoction that keeps on giving. It’s also very funny and whilst it doesn’t take itself too seriously, it’s a very smart book. A perfect late summer read in fact. Alcohol is the star turn in Olivia Laing’s sublime The Trip to Echo Spring, subtitled Why Writers Drink (Canongate £20). The answer of course is that they drink no more nor less than anybody else, but Laing, whose previous book To The River I wrote about last year, considers the impulses of both writing and drinking for six major American scribblers, John Cheever, Raymond Carver, Tennessee Williams, John Berryman and Ernest Hemingway. She does so by travelling in their footsteps across America, mainly by rail, gracefully punctuating her journey with observations from the world she passes through whilst also ruminating on her own alcohol-fuelled childhood.

Go into a bookshop, any bookshop, I don’t care if it’s not mine, and find a copy and read the last two paragraphs of page 133. If that doesn’t blow your socks off you’ve had a drink or you need a drink. It’s one of the two. Catherine O’Flynn deservedly Costa Award winning author for her debut novel What Was Lost (Profile £8.99) takes fairly routine subjects and turns them into the sort of magic that reminds me of good quality television. Her books are easy to read, no bad thing, but they also always have a tougher more thoughtful core. In her latest novel Mr Lynch’s Holiday a retired Birmingham bus driver pays a surprise visit to his son living in a failing modern housing development in Spain. It’s very warm-hearted and funny about expats living abroad, and not stereotypical at all, but it turns out that it also subtly, makes you think about emigration per se. Definitely one, come Christmas, to give the Ukip uncle in your life. Finally another local and self-published author has turned in a fascinating and entertaining novel set in Crystal Palace that should be on the TBR pile of any self-respecting Palacian. Strange Air by Tom Brown (CreateSpace £9.99) is based on the myth – or is it? – of a Victorian railway carriage buried somewhere deep in the Palace park grounds. It is the twin-themed story of the ‘atmospheric railways’ of mid 19th-century London cleverly entwined with a present day story of Eric a former tube driver who is one day attacked by a skeleton rising from the earth, on his first walk through the park. You have been warned.

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Mystic Mike Channelling the tragically unalterable cosmic blueprint of your life

Virgo The Virgin Aug 23 - Sep 22 Naked except for your Ray-Bans, jump in the car, tightly shut your eyes and drive at high speed through the junction at Central Hill. I predict you’ll be fine, promise.

Libra The Scales Sep 23 - Oct 23

Taurus The Bull Apr 21 - May 21

Mowing the lawn on the 24th you cut a snail in half. As my predictions go, not the most exciting thing, but neither are you.

Next week, life’s like a rollercoaster. Particularly at the moment you explosively vomit all over yourself and a close friend.

Scorpio The Hunter Oct 24 - Nov 21

Gemini The Twins May 22 - Jun 21

Mixed fortune is forecast as you get stabbed in the eye by a mentally ill fellow tomorrow. On the upside, after a 20 year coma, your book My Eye Coma Trauma is a best seller.

As you are somewhat impulsive, in 2015 you get a life sentence for killing a wasp. It lands on your husband’s nose and you shoot it.

Sagittarius The Archer Nov 22 - Dec 21 Next Sunday morning, due to a retrograde Moon, you wake up in the park with black lungs, chopped liver, lame brain, a broken heart and missing a kidney. Great night though.

Capricorn The Goat Dec 22 - Jan 20 Be aware, your dog doesn’t like giving high fives as much as you think he does.

Cancer The Crab Jun 21 - Jul 22 You feel frustrated that work decisions are out of your control. They are, because you are the cleaner. Get a better job.

Leo The Lion Jul 23 - Aug 22 With the Sun moving into your sign this month, you need to make radical changes to stay afloat financially. Abandon your spouse and kids and go to Vegas.

Aquarius The Water Carrier Jan 21 - Feb 21 You are about to go on holiday; cancel it immediately. You come back poorer, fatter, more stressed and feeling slightly lost inside on your purpose in life. (This isn’t a prediction, it happens every year).

Because...

They are better than you

Pisces The Fish Feb 22 - Mar 21

Liam Gallagher 21 Sept 40 Virgo

Be on your guard as next Tuesday alien spores colonise Uranus, giving you a desire to rule the world and a slightly funny walk.

Noel bater as Noel better.

Aries The Ram Mar 22 - Apr 20

Stephen King 21 Sept 65

You have an average car in the driveway and an average life in the house. Help arrives next month in the form of a mid-life crisis.

Carrie on horror.

Mystic Mike is omnipresent but can be found here.... @mrmysticmike www.mysticmike.co.uk 62

Celebrity Birthdays Bill Murray 21 Sept 62 Hound dog face lost in Groundhog.

Billie Piper 22 Sept 30 Cheesy grin chin.

Julio Iglesias 23 Sept Libra 69 Long Leathery Latin Lothario

SLEEP

By Pip Irkin-Hall

DEFLATED

BY ECONOMY CUSTARD

You wake. You go to sleep where you are. You go to sleep in your cot. You brush your teeth and go to sleep in your single bed. You go to bed drunk and sleep. You go straight to bed, have sex and sleep, wake, have sex and go to sleep in anyone’s bed. You brush your teeth, take make up off, cleanse, moisturise, have sex and go to sleep in your double bed You brush your teeth, take make up off, cleanse, moisturise, take your medicine, read, make love and go to sleep in your double bed. You brush your teeth, take your medicine, apply your ointment, read and go to sleep in your double bed. You soak your teeth, take your medicines, apply your ointments and lay awake in your single bed. You go to sleep where you are. You go to sleep.

@ ECONOMYCUSTARD | ECONOMYCUSTARD.CO.UK