Herne Hill, Dorchester and Carnegie: One other episode in within the sequence of posts on my stroll in south London on Sunday seventh Might 1989 (on earlier posts I put the date wrongly as sixth Might). The stroll started with Hanover, Belgrave, Chapel, Retailers, Taxis. The earlier publish was Ruskin & Half Moon, Herne Hill.
There are some positive late Victorian homes on Herne Hill and most appeared in a very good state of restore, although this one was getting some main work achieved. The chimneys are spectacular. Should you click on on the picture you’ll go to my Flickr album the place you will see a pair extra photos of homes on this part of the road – and there are additionally a couple of I haven’t put on-line.
A bit additional up I got here to this splendid group of 1930’s ‘moderne’ fashion flats. There are 96 flats in 8 blocks round a courtyard. In-built 1933-4 Dorchester Court docket is Grade II listed, the architects had been Leslie H Kemp and Frederick E Tasker and the property was developed by an area builder and developer, Mr Morrell. The title in all probability got here from that of the Dorchester Resort which had been opened in 1931 on Park Lane supposed to be the proper luxurious lodge.
In accordance with Historic England “There are structural issues with the balconies and common exterior deterioration. A Listed Constructing Consent utility for the extension and refurbishment of the blocks is pending willpower” and the Night Commonplace in 2022 ran an article with the impresively lengthy headline “Inside uncared for Artwork Deco block the place residents face carbon monoxide leaks, mice, cockroaches and lead pipes” stating “Residents on the Herne Hill property are caught in a nightmare.”
Till just lately Dorchester Court docket was owned and uncared for by the property firm Manaquel, a household firm whose wealth is estimated at £200 million. The Commonplace says they’ve appealed towards a 2021 enchancment discover from Lambeth Council and that their “endgame seems to be a full-scale redevelopment.”
The Dorchester Court docket Tenants Union sate that “Dorchester Court docket is operated by Property Companions, who’re owned by Beaumaris Ventures Restricted (British Virgin Islands), a monetary middleman of the IFM Group Restricted (Jersey), who’re each listed within the Panama Papers. Dorchester Court docket generates round £1.5 million in hire per yr with further earnings from leaseholder service fees.“
A grand pair of Italianate mid-Nineteenth century semi-detached homes, now flats, with a most uncommon design. The home has now misplaced its white fence and fairly hides behind a brick wall and a tall hedge.
I turned left into Herne Hill Highway from Herne Hill, and walked alongside it to {photograph} the Haredale Highway frontage of the Carnegie Library earlier than happening to {photograph} the primary entrance on Herne Hill Highway. This Grade II listed library is a type of constructed with a grant from Scottish-American metal baron, Andrew Carnegie, utilizing his huge earnings from his ruthless exploitation of staff to determine over 2,800 libraries. He offered a grant of £12,500 to allow the Herne Hill Library, designed by architects Wakeford and Sons, to be constructed and opened in 1906.
I used to be again on the library in 2016 on the finish of a ten days of occupation by native residents towards Lambeth council’s plans to show it right into a fee-charging gymnasium run by Greenwich Leisure Ltd with an simply un-staffed lounge with books. Their occupation had hit nationwide headlines with big assist from across the nation.
The gymnasium plans went forward, however with slightly extra library provision than initially deliberate and there may be additionally now the Carnegie Library Hub based mostly within the constructing, “a thriving sustainable centre of native exercise engaging to the entire neighborhood for growing employment alternatives, studying, health and wellbeing, cultural and social exercise” which protects and celebrates its historical past and legacy.
I didn’t take many extra photos as I walked again to Herne Hill and walked again down it. After a brief stroll alongside Half Moon Lane I circled and went in the direction of the station, the place the following a part of this stroll will start.
Tags: 1989, constructing in danger, Carnegie Library, neighborhood hub, Dorchester Court docket, Night Commonplace, flats, Haredale Rd, Herne Hill, Herne Hill Rd, Historic England, homes, Italianate homes, Lambeth, library closure, library occupation, London, London Pictures, Might, peter Marshall, Tenants Union, Stroll
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