In other news…

Kevin (you know who, don’t make me say the moniker) seems to have taken up oil painting. A strange blue landscape is being painted on the step next to Shepherds Food.

Blackheath Funfair back on the heath

UPDATE: For photos and prices of the current fun fair, see Blackheath Fun Fair 2011
The funfair has been back on the heath all weekend. Lots of people coming to the blog, looking for the opening times. Today (Monday) it is open from 12noon until 10pm. Spooky photo by flickr user superba_ (would have posted this even spookier one, but it’s copyrighted unfortunately).

More big holes on Blackheath…

…In the 1880s. But were they naturally formed, or evidence of hidden tunnels?
http://subterraneangreeenwich.blogspot.com/2010/08/blackheath-subsidences-natural-or-man.html

News Shopper sinks to new low

Saw this, spotted by @mudlarklives in News Shopper Page 15:

Wrote this to Webster’s Pen Shop:

Just wondering if your business is pleased to be associated with this bigoted rubbish: http://twitpic.com/2iesl1

Please let me know if your company believes that homosexuals “exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator.”…

Keeping it low-key

As spotted yesterday by @ollyknight on twitter:

I like the subtle approach India Jane is taking to its event tonight.

I would send you a link to one of their lovely £300 angle-poise lamps, but it seems their ASP-based site has crashed…

If you want to save the library…

Write to the mayor, and sign the petition. That’s the message from the Blackheath Society, who today sent out an email to its members:

The first priority is to mobilise and demonstrate as much support as possible to preserve a credible library service in the village. The BVLUG are organising a petition which we hope as many as possible will sign. This can be done at Blackheath Station on Saturdays and at the Farmer’s Market on Sunday mornings in coming weekends. This got off to a flying start last weekend, with some 900 signatures – please add yours.

An online petition will also be organised for those unable to sign in person – details will be announced separately.

UPDATE: The online version is here.

They recommend writing to the contacts listed below, and (interestingly) quoting the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964, which lists the duties of Library Authorities. Lewisham Council is a Library Authority, and here’s the section:

7 General duty of library authorities

(1)It shall be the duty of every library authority to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use thereof, . .

Provided that although a library authority shall have power to make facilities for the borrowing of books and other materials available to any persons it shall not by virtue of this subsection be under a duty to make such facilities available to persons other than those whose residence or place of work is within the library area of the authority or who are undergoing full-time education within that area.

(2)In fulfilling its duty under the preceding subsection, a library authority shall in particular have regard to the desirability—

(a)of securing, by the keeping of adequate stocks, by arrangements with other library authorities, and by any other appropriate means, that facilities are available for the borrowing of, or reference to, books and other printed matter, and pictures, gramophone records, films and other materials, sufficient in number, range and quality to meet the general requirements and any special requirements both of adults and children; and

(b)of encouraging both adults and children to make full use of the library service, and of providing advice as to its use and of making available such bibliographical and other information as may be required by persons using it; and

(c)of securing, in relation to any matter concerning the functions both of the library authority as such and any other authority whose functions are exercisable within the library area, that there is full co-operation between the persons engaged in carrying out those functions.

What I think this means is that in 1964, Lewisham Council agreed to take on these responsibilities, and they aren’t able to shirk them, just because central government threatens them with massive cuts.

Anyway, please sign the petition if you can, and please write/email to the people the Blackheath Society suggests. They’ve prevented the closure in the past, so they know what they’re talking about!

The Mayor : Sir Steve Bullock
Mayor’s office
Civic Suite, Town Hall, London SE6 4RU
tel: 020 8314 6193
email: steve.bullock@lewisham.gov.uk

Ms Aileen Buckton, Executive Director for Community Services
email: aileen.buckton@lewisham.gov.uk

Please CC blackheath.soc@lineone.net and the local councillors and MP:

Chris Maines(LibDem) CllrChris.Maines@lewisham.gov.uk
Amanda De Ryk (LibDem) CllrAmanda.DeRyk@lewisham.gov.uk
Kevin Bonavia (Labour) CllrKevin.Bonavia@lewisham.gov.uk
Heidi Alexander MP Heidi.alexander.mp@parliament.uk

The Keep, Blackheath

A new wikipedia page about The Keep in Blackheath has appeared, but it needs more images and links, otherwise in may be deleted. Any Wikipedians out there in Blackheath, do your best! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_keep_blackheath_london

Blackheath’s illustrator in residence

Great piece on Sir John Gilbert, an artist who worked on the Illustrated London News, as well as other papers. The post is crammed full of examples of his work. Well worth a look:
http://john-adcock.blogspot.com/2010/08/sir-john-gilbert-ra.html

The picturesque bus stop

I’ve spotted this bus stop looking iridescent several times on my new (and hopefully to be continued) running route. This photo, captured by twitterer Neil Clasper captures it well!

What were the skies like when you were young?

Lovely timelapse video of Blackheath at sunset, filmed and suggested by David Boyle, using a TrouserMac application called iTimelapse.
Previous example by KhE 龙.
Any my attempt back in July 2008.