Photos from S.P.A.R Centre Thamesmead, Peabody Info Hub
23 March – 31 May 19

Brian Guest with the rubble drawings made by visitors to S.P.A.R Centre Thamesmead

Members could see a film of a demolition in Bow carried out by a company called Erith,
Erith is close to the Thamesmead Info Hub

S.P.A.R Centre within a developers Hub
will Peabody understand the beauty of rubble?

S.P.A.R was invited to present the campaign at the Info Hub
by Liam and Vanessa Scully of  Thamesmead Texas
Brian Guest encountered a local cowboy called Adrian
does his enthusiam extend to Rubble?

Brian Guest was here for two months to find out more about the Rubble of Thamesmead

This member remembered when Lesnes Abbey nearby was extensively excavated
Bringing that age old S.P.A.R question – Is it a ruin or is it rubble?

There were detailed tales of Rubble encountered in Thamesmead
including this one found close to the S.P.A.R Centre

At the end of two months there were many Rubble drawings
and many new members at S.P.A.R Centre Thamesmead

Spring 2019 – S.P.A.R Centre Thamesmead 23 March – 31 May
Thamesmead Updates / Members Photos

Thamesmead 50th Fund presents: Thamesmead Texas
Meet Brian Guest on Saturday 23 March 2pm-5pm

South Thamesmead AGM (23 September 18) Photo Miyuki Kasahara

S.P.A.R returns to Thamesmead but in different location to the AGM
this time over two months at the Peabody Parkside Hub

Thamesmead Texas, Peabody Parkside Hub, Unit 212-214 Yarnton Way DA18 4DR
23 March – 31 May
Opening Saturday 23 March – 2pm-5pm
Also open every Tuesday and Wednesday 11am-4pm
and first Saturday of the month (6 April & 4 May) until 31 May

Thamesmead 50th Fund presents: A group exhibition by
local artists based in Thamesmead.

Participating artists include:
Joseph Griffiths / S.P.A.R with Brian Guest / Almudena Romero
Liam Scully / Dominika Kieruzel / Miyuki Kasahara / Vanessa Scully / Jackson Payne

Thamesmead Texas Art Bar by Liam Scully
with surprise artist cocktail!

S.P.A.R AGM at Thamesmead Texas Report – 23 September 2018

S.P.A.R General Secretary Brian Guest and members met at Thamesmead Texas
in South Thamesmead

There was much discussion on the definition of admirable rubble

S.P.A.R would like to thank Thamesmead Texas for hosting
there will be further meetings in South Thamesmead during 2019

There were reference books to consider the types
of rubble on display

Members could draw rubble they had recently encountered
there was also a questionnaire for the AGM

Thamesmead Texas’s canine (Prince Power) is here attempting to identify which
rubble was found in Thamesmead

Further Rubble in South Thamesmead

The largest rubble mountains are found in South Thamesmead
where there was once Newacres Library

It is possible to get quite close to rubble in Thamesmead

This rubble will be steadily reducing as the site is developed into ‘Southmere Village’

Annual General Meeting 2018 in South Thamesmead with Brian Guest
Sunday 23 September  2pm – 5pm

S.P.A.R at Thamesmead Texas – Radley House Wolvercote Road London SE2 9TW

All attendees to the AGM email thamesmeadtexas@gmail.com by
21 September for the exact address of Thamesmead Texas

Nearest Station: Abbey Wood (South-Eastern service Zone 4) then 8 minute walk
Station two stops from Woolwich Arsenal DLR/Rail – Buses close-by: B11, 177, 180, 401

S.P.A.R’s 2018 Annual General Meeting will convene at Thamesmead Texas
in South-East London with General Secretary Brian Guest
We will discuss an increase in brutalist rubble and view the latest reports
There will be a survey for members and further opportunity to draw your favourite rubble from memory

Brian Guest and Thamesmead Texas are looking forward to your attendance

S.P.A.R AGM (Annual General Meeting) – South Thamesmead

There is much rubble being produced in South Thamesmead,
which on 14 July 2018 celebrated its 50th Anniversary
The above is on Yarnton Way, the S.P.A.R Annual General Meeting
will be held in the area September 2018, all members welcome, details to come

Sculptural Demolition – Royal College of Art

S.P.A.R Members in Battersea have been keen to observe the demolition
of the remaining older buildings at the Royal Collage of Art, Howe Street site

Many rubble gems could be found in this sculptural pile

Demolition commenced during the Final Year RCA exhibition
The new building is being designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron

Unique evidence of art being created and now destroyed
These bricks are full of art and should remain in the new development

The buildings were used by the college for over twenty-five years

Old Rubble with possible New Rubble behind

There is much variety of brick to be seen at Howe Street, Battersea

Regents Canal Rubble Giant

S.P.A.R was confronted by this spectacular pile, the remains of Ion House, on the corner of Andrews Road
and Sheep Lane by the Regents Canal in Hackney

S.P.A.R could not help but be impressed by this rubble found near the canal,
these were once garages and light industrial buildings

Although this rubble is all too well protected at least the sight lines are clear

A wonderful cascade of concrete and red brick

There is planning application from 2016 for it’s re-development but now
the land has been acquired by Aitch Group: https://www.buildington.co.uk/london-e8/sheep-lane/sheep-lane/id/7135

A message from a concerned citizen, this seems likely as the average for a
new-build flat in Hackney is £531,840! According to Foxtons!

Another visit saw this wonderful evening light on these
concrete slabs, lighting is very important for rubble

Tustin Estate, off the Old Kent Road, London

S.P.A.R noticed some fine rubble on Ilderton Road around the Tustin Estate

This tangle of rebar should surely be preserved

Gala Bingo Gone – Hackney Road

Part of S.P.A.R’s ‘Rubble from Buses’ series here is a view taken from the
top-deck of the No. 55 – The building was originally an Odeon Cinema opened in 1939
it was then one of the earliest to be turned into a Bingo Hall in 1961 – It survived
unti 2015, and it is now to be a housing development by Hackney Property Holdings (they are based in Jersey)

Members Photo

At the start of 2018 active member J Lang took a photo of this
fine stack the last remains of West Ham Football Club’s Boleyn Ground
it is now being developed by Barratts Homes, Newham Council
have purchased 211 flats of the over 800 for ‘affordable’ rent

Latest Reports June-Nov 2017 : Death of a Fire Station / Toynbee Rubble
Hackney Wick Dreams / Ramsgate
Members Photos : London – Colchester – Porto – Murano

Death of a Fire Station (Kingsland Road)

Kingsland Road Fire Station, Hackney was closed in 2014 by then mayor
Boris Johnson – S.P.A.R was there in August 2017 as demolition began
The site had been bought for 16 million pounds from the
Fire service by Benyon Estates and the Education Funding Agency (EFA), a government body

S.P.A.R found a growing pile of rubble rising above the hoardings, in current
mayor Sadiq Khan’s Housing Policy, 50% of new developments should be marked
as ‘affordable’ which can include Shared Ownership,
Living Wage and Social Housing

By September there was this beautifully balanced collection of stones,
planning was previously rejected by Khan for lack of affordable housing,
this time  his office had no objections – Benyon Estates and the EFA are building
a new free school with at least 68 flats –  It has been reported contrary to
Khan’s policy that only 8% of these homes are to be affordable
and those may not even be on-site!
External Site: http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/sadiq-khan-waves-through-kingsland-fire-station-development-with-just-8pc-affordable-housing-1-4974439

S.P.A.R wants this beautfully balanced rubble to remain in the new development

When the Society visited Kingsland Road at the end of October, just this
single rubble pile remained

It’s magnificence diminished, by November, even this rubble was gone,
the site being rapidly prepared for Hackney New Primary School

Toynbee Rubble, Whitechapel (July 17)

The site of Toynbee Hall, an anti-poverty charity on Commercial
Street in Whitechapel is largely in a state of post-rubble

On Wentworth Street this facade is all that remains of the original building
Toynbee Hall opened in 1884 to relieve poverty in East London, after bombing
in WW2,  it was rebuilt and reopened in 1967, it was later named Profumo House
after disgraced minister of war John Profumo
who worked there for over forty years

The regeneration is to be a mixed-development with an open public square,
S.P.A.R members should this link to see if further demolition is planned – External Link:
http://www.toynbeehall.org.uk/redevelopment-latest-news

Hackney Wick Dreams

Hackney Wick has been a haven for Rubble especially since the 2012 Olympics
it is evident on Bream/Dream Street in Fish Island

These mountains of stones bring-up that long-standing debate amongst members,
if rubble is created from road surfaces and not building demolition
can it be truly admirable

London Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q) own the land beside the Foreman & Sons Fish Restaurant – This site had been used for the Hackney Wick Festival and DEN-CITY, but it is to become ‘Bream Street Wharf’ with the building of  170 Canalside Apartments,
L&Q say it will be a mixture of private and shared ownership,
what percentage is likely to be truly affordable?

The majestic contours of this rubble should be retained in the Bream Street
Wharf development

Ramsgate – Rubble in action

  This action shot was taken during a demolition of advertising hoardings
revealing twisted metal and wood, taken in
Ramsgate by  S.P.A.R general secretary Brain Guest

The Asda Carpark in Ramsgate on the corner of Chatham Road and
Boundary Road provides a good viewing platform for these layers of earth and stone

Member Photos

London: Upper Clapton (June 17)

Mr D. West of Hackney sent this wonderful conglomeration of concrete and brick
found close to the River Lea navigation in Upper Clapton, London

Colchester (July 17)

On the train leaving Colchester Station, you can see this vast field of rubble,
this is where to find the best of Essex aggregate,
although that is for S.P.A.A (Society for the Preservation of Admirable Aggregate)
to judge not S.P.A.R

Porto Rubble (September 17)

S.P.A.R has been told much demolition is to be found in the centre of Porto, Portugal
These office workers have an excellent elevated view, although most of the
ground rubble had been removed

  Murano Rubble (November 17)

Long-time S.P.A.R member L. Scully encountered a mysterious rubble stack, guarded by an accordion player
This was on the island of Murano, near Venice, Italy, surely a work of art worthy of the Venice Biennale

Click to join the S.P.A.R (Society for the Preservation of Admirable Rubble) newsletter list

Latest Reports 2017: Rubble from Nakatsu-City, Japan / Lincoln Update /
London Member Photos / Ramsgate

Rubble from Nakatsu-City, Kyushu, Japan

In April S.P.A.R director Brian Guest visited the South of Japan for geological research
One stormy day during a visit to Nakatsu-City in Kyushu he saw this road-side covering 

Behind the covering was an impressive array of rubble, with no barriers or holdings, just these red cones

Komatsu are involved in much rubble creation in Japan and elsewhere: here are two fine examples
Komatsu make military equipment as well, construction and destruction always linked

Note the range of concrete, with splashes of red paint throughout
Does it differ in consistancy and geometry from rubble found in the UK?

This variety of rubble, also included cables, a fridge and water tank
This is a fine opportunity to study rubble, potential Japanese members can seek out
this site near the station in Nakatsu-City
S.P.A.R say always read the warning signs, be aware!

Lincoln Update – May 17

The Society visited this site over April and May 2017
These prominant buildings off Steep Hill were constructed in 1777 as the County Hospital and in 1879
became the Lincoln Theological College, it is very close to Lincoln Cathedral
In recent years it was rented to De Montfort University and The University of Lincoln

This is a wonderful tumble of bricks
However this former place of health and learning
is to be turned into flats with prices ranging from £350,000 to 1 million!

This rubble continues to increase up-to the end of May,  members have an excellent opportunity to study it
There were many Brick Manufacturers in Lincoln during the 19th and early 20th Century, these amalgated
as Lincoln Brick Company Ltd in the 1880’s – Lincoln bricks are often dark red in colour

The building is known as ‘Chad Varah House’ named after the founder of the Samaritans,
Chad Varah (1911-2007) who was born in Lincolnshire – The site was sold by Banks Long & Co in September 2016
to Peach Estates, Philip Good and Colin Holden who this year were granted permission to build
S.P.A.R urges them to keep some of this  fantastic rubble prominantly in their ‘luxury apartments’

External Links:
The Lincolnite, with photos of the proposed ‘Chad Varah House’ development:
http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2017/02/final-decision-due-plans-1m-luxury-housing-239-year-old-former-college-site/

For Brick officianado’s this blog ‘East Midlands Named Bricks’ is worth studying: https://eastmidlandsnamedbricks.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=lincoln

London Members Photos

Carpenders Park – May 17

Mr J Swann from Muswell Hill reports from Carpenders Park, a suburb of Watford

“I was heading to Oxhey Woods nearby when I saw this site near Carpenders Park Station,
I thought the membership would be interested in this complex swirl of
steel rebar on the right, how it meshes and compliments the variously sized stone”

S.P.A.R note that ‘Countryside Properties’ are involved in this rubble creation, they appear to be a
developer of choice for Three Rivers Council in Herfordshire, so we request that compact
piles such as this can be retained for public display, and discussion

New Cross – April 17

A brief report from South London member Ms J McCormick – “It’s near new cross fire station, on my walk to work. I pass through a housing estate round the back of the fire station, and the rubble is brick tiles that used to line the floor of the car park in that area They dug up all the brick tiles and replaced them with tarmac. A bit of a shame really cos they were a nice purplish colour and quite shiny…”

Ramsgate Rubble – March 17

This spring S.P.A.R was alerted to a demolished industrial estate in Ramsgate, on Newington Road
It had been empty for some time and permission was granted in 2016 for a Primary School to
be built there with places for 420 pupils

Some members would not count these broken
wooden slats as rubble, in this context they can be argued to be so
On visiting there was a great variety of rubble on view

There are further buildings to be demolished on this site, with potential to
match this dynamic mix of brick, concrete and steel
S.P.A.R would like this rubble to be preserved in the new development, with Child friendly measures taken

Click to join the Society for the Preservation of Admirable Rubble newsletter list

Wishing everyone a wonderful year of rubble discovery

Brian Guest, S.P.A.R General Secretary

Image: Rubble Peaks in Walthamstow, 2016