Letters from Ann Pembroke to Clerkenwell Councillors in response to the Vision for Clerkenwell 2021

From: Ann Pembroke
Sent: 12 July 2022 14:42
To: Matt Nathan, Islington Councilor for Clerkenwell
Subject: Vision Statement from Clerkenwell Ward Councillors for Islington Clerkenwell Community Plan – November 2021

Good morning, Matt, Benn and Kadeema,

Congratulations on your election to continue to serve the Clerkenwell Ward as Councillors of the London Borough of Islington! The Clerkenwell Green Preservation Society Ltd. appreciate your care and support.

Thank you for sending out your Vision Statement of November 2021 on which I will comment relating to Clerkenwell Green. In fact this historic public open space is not recorded as a Common! It was the rough ground between the Priory of St. John and the Nunnery of St. Mary on which people were able to make their protest, outside the City Walls, without fear of arrest. They still do, the COVID Pandemic intervening, when adults and their children in native dress from all over the World, with banners and drums, express their grievances. The site in the 19th century of such political gatherings and back through the centuries.

We are very proud that John Betjeman’s “first London Village” is the home of Freedom of Speech and, as such, is to be cherished.

You may know that Islington Council called on meetings of local people to discuss the future of Clerkenwell Green, the last meeting, with Officers always present, took place in 2017, with a Report due in the Spring of 2018. I represented this area. For some reason this Report did not reach the Clerkenwell Green Preservation Society Ltd. Please send a copy to be much appreciated.

It would be helpful if you would review the decisions made at that time, one of which is that the application from a group outside the Borough, who sought a space to put a statue of Sylvia Pankhurst on the Green, was refused by the meeting. The reason given is that Sylvia has no connection with area, she was neither born, lived or died locally. More significant, she never spoke on Clekenwell Green and was unknown here. Many important people did speak on Clerkenwell Green, Cobbett and Gladstone come to mind, but any statue on Clerkenwell Green has never been considered. It is space for gatherings, not for dead stones. Local people continue to object to this proposal, which is resurrected by your Vision and do not wish an unknown to make a precedent. How is it that this unwanted proposal forms your Vision? Please confirm that you will notify the pressure Group, who have not found a space in the East End, where Sylvia did speak, that her statue will not be accepted on Clerkenwell Green. Its position has already been rejected by local representatives and noted by the LBI officers at the earlier meetings. Please send me a copy of the relevant Minutes.

You will know that, despite the COVID Lockdown, the Society has worked hard to improve and restore elements that form Clerkenwell Green. The Listed granite Metropolitan Horse and Cattle Trough on Clerkenwell Green, used by drovers on their way to Smithfield Market, had been maintained by Islington Council’s Highways Department. However, this service ceased on the grounds of cost and rubbish sacks and other refused used the Trough as a dumping ground. Noxious liquids would leak from these sacks causing a breach in hygiene. The Society took it upon themselves to ensure noxious material were not put into the Trough. A team of two members volunteered to supply the growing material, flowering plants and maintain the Trough into its glory.

Much admired, winning prizes with photographs in the local Press encourages us to take on its twin Trough, dilapidated and full of rubbish, in Ray Street Hill, hopefully with the local traders’ support.

My concern, in particular, was the condition of the two Listed BT K2 red Telephone Boxes on Clerkenwell Green. Stamped with notices, graffiti and full of autumn leaves, uncared for and unused. I telephoned BT Pay Phones in Cardiff and explained the situation. Hastily, they responded by cleaning and re-painting the Boxes and putting the telephones into working order. Their only caution being that they must be used! A gratifying restoration of iconic public amenities. A heritage feature of Clerkenwell Green.

The Society obtained grant funding for restoring the Public Notice Board on Clerkenwell Green now used for Society public notices and by our colleagues
Blue Band Clerkenwell Walking Tours.

We were also conscious that the public seating was broken, with rough surfaces, including nails and green algae which their condition left unused. Again the Society worked on obtaining grant funding from a charity to renew these six, double public benches, now on each end of Clerkenwell Green and of particular importance during COVID when outside accommodation was required. I note your Vision intends to add to these benches, which is good.

The Society continues its work to preserve and restore heritage features of Clerkenwell Green, that of the enclosed Public Lavatories now having priority. Closed for fifty years with a loss of public amenity, the Council’s Planning Consent to install a Cafe there most recently, failed after three years’ of Agents, Copping Joyce promoting the site. The Local people’s campaign to stop another Cafe and restore George Jennings public lavatories drew the attention of Cross Rail, too.

The Society was told that the Victorian sanitary fittings were removed for restoration and we would wish to know when the work to restore these long-neglected Public Lavatories will have fittings returned and work commence? We note that there is £660,000 available for this purpose which replaces the £150,000 designated from the development of the Allied Brewery site in St. John Street. On enquiry, the Socety was told that the Council had used these funds for needs north of the Borough. We were not told what the needs were, but Clerkenwell lost out.

George Jennings is the celebrated engineer to put the first Public Lavatories underground in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition in 1850, opened by Queen Victoria. These Conveniences brought much interest and use to include a Barbers’ Salon and other amenities. The profits in all amounted to £680,000 which enabled the building of the South Kensington Museums. The interest in restoring these Victorian local Public Conveniences with their marble tops and slips, brass fittings, white porcelain bowls and W.C.s, slate urinals, pine panelling, tessellated Italian marble floor, glass ceiling, with a separate room for the Attendant, with a posy of flowers, will increase tourist visits as, within the railings, postcards, History of Clerkenwell Green, Tour Guides, etc. would be available. When I first visited, the builder told me that it would not take much to get them working!

The ugly black palisade hoarding blocking the western end of Clerkenwell Green and the views from, and to, The Old Sessions House to be removed as a matter of urgency. Islington Council’s Film Unit is inhibited by Film Makers’ obstructed by this eye-sore, thus spoiling an excellent earner for the Council.

Your Vision refers to the provision of a community hub, with the hint that it will replace the Public Lavatories. Clerkenwell is well endowed through the existing Peel Institute and St. James’ Church with extensive areas of community space. The underground of the Clerkenwell Green Public Lavatories, airless and window-less, does not provide suitable space for community hub programmes.

The Islington Local History Centre’s telephone line is not working. A visit to the Clerks’ Well in Well Court, Farringdon Lane, EC 1, a near-by significant heritage link with Clerkenwell Green, appears in a dirty and neglected condition. Please advise the Society when this critical origin of Clerkenwell ‘s history will be restored? Education and Tourism should be at the heart of Clerkenwell Green.

The reference Clerkenwell Green S106 (1,037.000 makes no note to the stopping of the “Rat Run” from Clerkenwell Road to Farringdon Lane and onwards to Kings Cross, referred to for action in previous Islington Council “People-Friendly Streets” leaflets. Motor traffic leaves Clerkenwell Road to skirt between the parked LT Double Decker buses from south London causing hazard to pedestrians. When will this Rat Run be stopped and LT take their buses elsewhere, which offer no service to Clerkenwell, being a hazard to traffic with their double parking on the Green and blocking the view of the Listed Old Sessions House. In a previous LBI Report all parking was to be removed from the Green and access to deliveries, taxis, ambulances and fire engines, others restricted. The continuation of the bi-secting Clerkenwell Close to be filled in to form a grassed enlargement of this public open space. The removal of the broken Tarmac on the cobbled surface, clearly visible. Cobbles to be re-placed when local utilities dig them up, inspection at the beginning and throughout this work to be subject to the LBI Licencers. Currently, the area is covered in different textures and colours, when the original cobbles should be sublime. Granite cobbles were the highways of Clerkenwell, still seen, but cruelly removed for gain.

The replacement of the 12 inch squares and brickettes by the original York stone paving will make for safer walking, where pavements are currently ridged and uneven.

We are glad that it is intended to retain listed and historic items on Clerkenwell Green, the foremost being George Jennings’ Public Lavatories. There is also the requirement to find the original cast iron Water Fountain and supporting Gas Lamps installed in the 1830’s on the Green, as part of the Temperance Movement. The Society learns that these important structures were removed in the 1930’s. Can they be found and re-installed, please?

It is important to the future restoration of Clerkenwell Green that you are fully familiar with local opinion as agreed and set out in our earlier meetings. It is important for the Society to receive a formal design of Clerkenwell Green and to have the date when the Public Lavatories will be restored. it was some years ago that a Society member alerted me to men and cement mixer on Clerkenwell Green. On enquiry, they had been instructed to pour cement down the Victorian tiled steps to both the Ladies and Gents. Public Lavatories. I pointed out that this would destroy the steps, but my suggestion was to have iron plates fitted above the Steps, to prevent access, simply removed when required. I am glad this proposal was taken up by Islington Council. We trust that a LBI Conservation Officer will take up the challenge of renewing the Lavatories, enlarging the public open space with green grass, as in the 19th century, and ensuring that such intrusions from parking as the LT busses, find another home. Clerkenwell Green is to be respected and not a shunting ground.

The Society would appreciate a meeting with you to ascertain agreement on the long-awaited Restoration of Clerkenwell Green, by its public authority.

Best wishes,

Mrs. A.M.F. Pembroke, B.E.M., OSt.J.,
Founder/Director,
Clerkenwell Green Preservation Society Ltd. (a non-profit-making local amenity company no. 453031, run by Volunteers).

Registered Office:

The Penthouse,
42 Clerkenwell Green,
London EC1R 0DU.

Telephone: 0207 490 2000