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LLEEIICCEESSTTEERR CCIITTIIZZEENN THE JOURNAL OF
LLEEIICCEESSTTEERR CCIIVVIICC SSOOCCIIEETTYY www.leicestercivicsociety.org.uk
No.46 JULY 2018
PUTNEY ROAD AND EVESHAM ROAD LINKS. FLEET HOUSE, LEE CIRCLE. THE BLACK BOY. TREE STRATEGY. CIVIC SOCIETY 2017 AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS. OLD LONDON ROAD:
THE ROMANCE OF LEICESTER. HERITAGE OPEN DAYS 2018. THE LAST JOURNEYS OF RICHARD lll. CHESTER COACH TRIP. ANNUAL DINNER.
PLUS REGULAR FEATURES & MUCH MORE.
LEICESTER CIVIC SOCIETY
Founded 1971
Patron: Olwen Hughes MBE. M.Phil. Dip.Ed. FRSA President: J.B. Josephs MA (Oxon.)
Vice-President: The Very Reverend Alan Warren MA Provost Emeritus of Leicester
REGISTERED CHARITY No. 502932
MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC TOWNS & VILLAGES FORUM
MEMBER OF THE EAST MIDLANDS ASSOCIATION OF CIVIC & HERITAGE SOCIETIES
INTERIM CHAIRMAN: PETER JONES: 10 Shanklin Gardens, South Knighton, Leicester.LE2 3QJ. [email protected]
HON. SECRETARY, WEBMASTER & INTERIM PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER: HOWARD WILKINS: 46 Brookside, Burbage, Hinckley LE10 2TL. 01455-635043. [email protected]
HON. TREASURER & MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: GORDON GOODE: 53 Cort Crescent, Leicester, LE3 1QJ. 0116-285-6620. [email protected]
ARCHIVIST: LEIGH PICCIANO MOSS [email protected]
And Committee Members: RICHARD ALLSOP, SUSAN EPPEL, MARGARET SCOTT, MICHELE GOODCHILD, JENNIFER MACGREGOR, STUART SIMMONDS and IKE EASINGWOOD.
CONSERVATION TEAM
STUART SIMMONDS: Conservation Officer Leicester West & Central (All Saints, Ashleigh Road, Aylestone Village, Braunstone Village, Castle, Church Gate, Granby Street, Greyfriars, High Street, Loughborough Road, Market Place, Market Street, Town Hall Square and West End CAs) [email protected]
RICHARD ALLSOP: Conservation Officer Leicester South & East. (Evington Village, New Walk, Old Humberstone, St. Georges, South Highfields & Spinney Hill Pk CAs) [email protected]
MARGARET SCOTT: Tree Officer. [email protected]
NICK KNIGHT: Stoneygate Conservation Area Society. VIRGINIA SAVAGE: Belgrave Hall Conservation Area Society. DAMIAN DEWHURST: The Knighton Society. (Knighton Village Conservation Area) SERGE MOZOTA: Evington Footpath Conservation Area Society.
Leicester City Council Conservation Advisory Panel: SUSAN EPPEL and NICK KNIGHT.
HERITAGE TEAM: ANN & RICHARD ALLSOP, PETER JONES, JENNIFER MACGREGOR, PHIL TAYLOR and HOWARD WILKINS.
City Mayor’s Heritage Partnership: Vacant.
PUBLICATIONS and EXHIBITIONS TEAM: GORDON GOODE and JENNIFER MACGREGOR.
The deadline for Leicester Citizen No.47 is Saturday 13th October 2018. The best times to submit original material for this issue are in August or September.
IT TEAM: HOWARD WILKINS, GEORGINA SEAR and EMMA FITZGERALD.
PICTURE CREDITS: Leicester Mercury (cover), Phil Taylor, City Rooms, Howard Wilkins, ISKCON, Nick Knight, ULAS, Nicki Merrall, De Montfort University, Peter Jones, Jennifer Macgregor, Google Streetview, BBC online.
The opinions expressed in LEICESTER CITIZEN are not necessarily those of the editor or Leicester Civic Society.
Front Cover: Stuart Bailey 1949 - 2018
JULY to OCTOBER EVENTS DIARY
Sunday 8th July 11.30 - 3.30pm BRINGING OUR PAST TO LIFE. Launch event for The Festival of Archaeology at Jewry Wall Roman Baths and St. Nicholas Church. See the advert.
Tuesday 10th July Sunday 29th July
7.30pm: Regent Club, Regent Road: Committee meeting open to invited society members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or Chairman if you wish to bring any matter to our attention.
11.30 – 3.30pm ROMANS ON PARADE. Join Friends of Jewry Wall Museum as they celebrate our Roman past at Jewry Wall Roman Baths and St. Nicholas. See the advert.
Wednesday 1st August 09.00am: Coach tour to Taylor’s Bell Foundry, Loughborough and Melbourne Hall, Derbyshire with STONEYGATE CONSERVATION AREA SOCIETY. See handbill for details.
Saturday 4th August 10.30am: Guided Walk: OLD LONDON ROAD – THE ROMANCE OF LEICESTER. Bookings now open. See the advertisement for full details and use the Bookings Page.
Tuesday 14th August
7.30pm: Regent Club, Regent Road: Committee meeting open to invited society members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or Chairman if you wish to bring any matter to our attention.
Wednesday 15th August 2.00pm Visit to St Paul’s Church, Woodhouse Eaves with the VICTORIAN SOCIETY See page 10 for details
Monday 3rd September
7.00pm Private Steaming at Abbey Pumping Station with the VICTORIAN SOCIETY See page 10 for details
Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th September.
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS
LEICESTER HERITAGE EXHIBITION: ISKCON, GRANBY STREET. See advertisement for full details
Saturday 8th September
10.30am: THE LAST JOURNEYS OF KING RICHARD III.
Guided walk as part of 2018 Heritage Open Days. Bookings now open See the advertisement for full details and use the Bookings Page.
Tuesday 11th September 7.30pm: Regent Club, Regent Road: Committee meeting open to invited society members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or Chairman if you wish to bring any matter to our attention.
Saturday 15th September
Tuesday 9th October
THE HISTORIC CITY OF CHESTER Civic Society Coach Tour. Liable to be a popular day out. See the advertisement for full
details and use the Bookings Page. Bookings are now open.
7.30pm: Regent Club, Regent Road: Committee meeting open to invited society members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or Chairman if you wish to bring any matter to our attention.
Friday 12th October 2018 CIVIC SOCIETY ANNUAL DINNER at WYGSTON’S HOUSE: 8.00 pm.
With pre-dinner drinks from 7.00 pm in Leicester’s oldest house. Bookings are now open. See the advertisement and the enclosed handbill for full details
Saturday 28th October
7.00, 8.00 and 9.00pm. Abbey Pumping Station presents “THE GHOSTLY ENGINEER” and other chilling tales. Adults £5.00. See the advertisement for details.
THIS EDITION OF `LEICESTER CITIZEN’
This edition of `Leicester Citizen’ arrives later then usual but sadly, as most of you will already know, there are extenuating circumstances. Among his many roles, Stuart was also the editor of `Citizen’ which he launched in August 2003 as a successor to `Civic News’ (the publication which, in one form or another, had been the Society’s newsletter since 1973) and it has taken a while for us to pick up the reins. We are now looking for someone who can give `Citizen’ a distinct personality, as Stuart did, build on his legacy and move it even further forward. If you think you can help or would like to contribute an article, please get in touch. And bear with us.
THE INTERIM CHAIRMAN’S PAGE I first met Stuart Bailey when I went on a Civic Society guided walk recreating the last days of Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth. This was before the King was discovered underneath the now famous car park and I can still recall Stuart’s masterly evocation of the public excitement at the demise of the last of the Plantagenets and the clamour as his body was brought back to Leicester. I did not know then what a formidable scholar of the history of Leicester Stuart was and how much respect he was held in by those who knew him. All I noticed that day was an
enthusiast with a great story to tell and a great way of telling it. He was never one to brag, but once asked a few questions or given the opportunity to speak (which was quite often), he could hold forth without any notes, drawing on the vast well of knowledge that he had accumulated over his lifetime. He was witty and charming and could be very critical but was never cruel or insensitive to the feelings of others. It was his enthusiasm and ability to hold the audience that persuaded me to become a member of the society. Stuart was born in Leicester and spent his formative years living in his grandmother’s house at the bottom of Shoulder of Mutton Hill
on Hinckley Road. He was proud of his education at Richard III Secondary Technical School. A secondary technical school was a type that came into being following the 1944 Education Act, now just remembered for creating Grammar Schools and Secondary Moderns, and Stuart took a quiet satisfaction from being different, even at this early age. Following school, he went straight into paid employment, embarking on what would be a varied and eclectic working life. He quickly tired of his first post as a bank clerk and his second, as a technician at Leicester University, although an improvement, failed to offer the scope for personal development that he was looking for. His third brought him into contact with a life-long interest – the railways – and was much more promising. He became a booking clerk at Leicester station, was subsequently promoted to a post rather grandly titled `Area Auditor’ and later on became manager in charge of the marketing of Executive Business travel service; an early attempt to sell the virtues of an enhanced railway travel experience to business people travelling first class. Unsurprisingly, he became bored by this and decided to leave but did not move away from his beloved railways. Stuart went to work as a freelance Project Manager for Network Rail in Birmingham, also working on the new line which opened up the city’s historic Jewellery Quarter– an early example of the successful regeneration of an historic but run-down part of a major urban centre. Stuart took to transport and travel in more ways than one. During this time - with characteristic disregard for convention - he was living on a 70-foot narrow boat on which he would explore the industrial waterways of the Midlands, mooring near to a railway station so that he could jump on a train to get to work! Stuart finally came back to dry land in 2000, when he and his partner Simon moved to a small house in Loughborough. A series of temporary jobs followed and a varied and colourful working life finally concluded with a new career as an office manager in the planning department at Nottingham City Council and a short period with Nottingham County Council. A founder member of the relaunched Leicester Civic Society in 1971, Stuart quickly showed his organisational acumen and ability as a civic campaigner. Throughout his association with
the Society over the next four decades he campaigned on a whole range of issues, too numerous to mention here. He faced criticism that he was halting the march of progress and prosperity. But names like the Midland Station, Sun Alliance Building the Bowstring Bridge and the Black Boy Pub, all spring to mind, and while not all of these were successful, many were and Leicester is a better place for it. Perhaps the best legacy Stuart leaves is that Leicester City Council now sees the importance of preserving heritage for the benefit of all, and one example, spurred on by Stuart, was the creation of conservation areas, the most recent of which - the Greyfriars historic area in the centre of the city – he gave considerable personal support. Outside his Civic Society duties, Stuart had a wide range of interests and hobbies. He was a very active member of the Loughborough-based Falcon Players, specialising in comedy and farce (Stuart naturally took a number of memorable roles in their productions) and a passion for history led to his long involvement with the friends of Jewry Wall Museum. His interest in film, theatre and music was also reflected in his affection for the original “Jazz Singer”, Al Jolson – indeed the last trip that Stuart went on shortly before he died was to the USA to take part in the international Al Jolson Society convention in Connecticut. There isn’t space here to go into his involvement with the Mainline Steam Trust or his role as station master of the Great Central Railway at Rothley but friends will fill in the gaps, if you ask them. So how to sum up this remarkable man? Perhaps one small indication is given by a booklet that his partner Simon received from Leicester City Council’s Planning Department. It contained tributes from almost every member of staff from the most senior down to the most junior. When someone expressed surprise to a member of the planning team, pointing out that Stuart had been such a thorn in their side over many years, the response was – “A thorn he may have been, but he was a much respected thorn”. WHAT NEXT FOR THE SOCIETY? I am sure that you will all have been as shocked and saddened as I was to hear the news of Stuart’s passing. He had been the Society’s chairman for over ten years, driving it forward to ever greater achievements, attracting increasing support and making it the respected organisation that it is today. He had an unwavering vision of the role that Leicester’s history and heritage should play in its development as a modern city and he defended it staunchly, leading by personal example. The many tributes from across the city and beyond show that he will be missed by everyone who knew and worked with him and his knowledge and experience will not be easily replaced. The Society’s Executive Committee met in June and agreed that the work of the Society must continue and that Stuart would expect no less. As the recently elected Vice Chairman at our recent AGM, the committee has agreed that I should become the interim Chairman. We now need to take stock, ensure continuity and plan for the future. I would like to assure members that we will be moving forward in a way that honours, safeguards and builds on Stuart’s considerable legacy. I know that I can count on your support, and if you have any comments or questions, or feel that you are able to help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me. Best wishes
Peter Jones
AN INVITATION
Stuart’s sister Sue and family warmly invite you to a commemoration of Stuart’s life which will take place on Tuesday July 24th at the City Rooms, Leicester. It will be a celebration of Stuart’s many and varied interests and an opportunity for the organisations he supported to display and promote their work and for friends and colleagues to share their memories. Arrivals are planned from 3:30pm and there will be speakers between 4:30 and 5:30pm, followed by a chance to chat until 6:30pm. We hope you will be able to come.
LEICESTER CIVIC SOCIETY GUIDED WALKS
SATURDAY 4th AUGUST 2018 10.30am
OLD LONDON ROAD THE ROMANCE OF LEICESTER
A GUIDED WALK BY PETER JONES & LEIGH
PICCIANO MOSS
START: Granby Street at `The Barley Mow’ 10.30AM
FINISH: `The Old Horse’ opp Victoria Park 1.00PM
£4.50 SEE THE BOOKINGS
PAGE
THROUGH LOST BYWAYS BUILT FOR HANSOM CABS WE GO ON THE TRAIL OF IRISH BALLADS & A REAL LIFE SHERLOCK HOLMES, TILT AT LOST
WINDMILLS, LOCATE A GALLOWS, UNCOVER A MASSACRE, DISCOVER A VENETIAN CATHEDRAL and EXPLORE A ROMAN ROAD.
2 hours 30 mins – City Streets – Gentle uphill.
YOUR GUIDE TO OUR EVENTS
SKITTLES MATCH Friday 6th April Another very well-attended session at the Black Horse, Aylestone and this year (for a change) we won! THE CAPITAL OF NONCONFORMITY Saturday 5th May Many members enjoyed this new walk led by Jim McCallum during which they took in four of the city’s most famous chapels and were able to trace the history of Leicester as a centre of Protestant nonconformity, a development which began in the 17th century. COACH TRIP: THE SHROPSHIRE OF A.E. HOUSEMAN Saturday 12th May 2018 There was an excellent turn-out for this trip which saw us enjoying our lunch among the splendid half-timbered buildings of Much Wenlock and then driving gently through the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty along Wenlock Edge to Stokesay Castle,
England’s most perfect example of a fortified medieval manor. LEICESTER HERITAGE FAIR Saturday 26th May This year’s Fair was bigger and better than ever! All exhibitors expressed themselves well satisfied and 248 visitors to our stand established a new record. Many thanks to Peter, Howard, Gordon, Michele, Jennifer and Ike for their help JOSEPH: THE LIFE, TIMES AND PLACES OF THE ELEPHANT MAN Saturday 2nd June There was a large turnout for this fascinating illustrated talk given by Joanne Vigor-Mungovin in which she debunked many of the myths surrounding the life of Leicester born Joseph Carey Merrick and brought to life the Wharf Street area of the Victorian city. RADICAL LEICESTER Saturday 16th June More than twenty people joined local historian, Cynthia Brown, on another new walk which looked at the association
between various Leicester landmarks, the voices of social and political protest and the demand for reform; a most informative and interesting walk. OLD LONDON ROAD - THE ROMANCE OF LEICESTER Saturday 4th August Meet at 10.30am outside ‘The Barley Mow’, Granby Street, which was originally No.1 London Road. For only £4.50 why not take a stroll with Peter Jones and Leigh Picciano Moss for an exploration of the strange and beautiful? Afterwards you can join them for drinks or even lunch at ‘The Old Horse’. This walk lasts 2 hours30 minutes. See the advert and use the bookings page to reserve your place now! THE LAST JOURNEYS OF KING RICHARD III Saturday 8th September Meet at 10.30am at Bow Bridge. Join Peter Jones and Leigh Picciano Moss who will take you through the dramatic events of just seven days in 1485 which changed the course of British history. This walk lasts 2 hours and ends in Highcross Street. It is FREE and is offered as part of Heritage Open Days 2018. See the advertisement (below) and use the bookings page, as you need to book your place in advance.
CIVIC SOC EXHIBITION AT ISKCON Thurs 6th – Sunday 9th September
During Heritage Open Days why not come and talk to us at Joseph’s Goddard’s Leicestershire Bank on Granby Street? We’ll be supporting The Friends of Goddard and ISKCON in their roof appeal and encouraging you to `sponsor a slate’ so don’t forget to bring your wallet! (see also the `Campaigns’ page of our website) CHESTER Saturday 15th September
For our late summer coach tour we offer you a special day out in this fine city where history lovers will be spoiled for choice for things to see. There are coach pick-ups at the Secular Hall, Humberstone Gate and the Premier Inn, Narborough Road. See the back cover for details and use the bookings page. CIVIC SOCIETY ANNUAL DINNER at WYGSTON’S HOUSE Friday 12th October
Our table is booked for 8.00pm but we warmly invite you to join committee members from 7.00pm for pre-dinner drinks. There have been a few changes since we visited last year and you now have the opportunity to enjoy fine dining in this beautifully restored Tudor merchant’s house at a very reasonable cost.
SATURDAY 8th SEPTEMBER at 10.30am
THE LAST JOURNEYS OF KING RICHARD III
A FREE GUIDED WALK BY PETER JONES & LEIGH PICCIANO MOSS
START: Bow Bridge 10.30am FINISH: Highcross Street at 12.30am
THE KING OF ENGLAND ARRIVES IN LEICESTER TO LEAD HIS ARMY INTO
BATTLE. THE WARS OF THE ROSES WILL BE BROUGHT TO AN END AND THE HISTORY OF
ENGLAND WILL CHANGE COURSE.
SEE THE BOOKINGS PAGE
TWO HOURS. CITY STREETS – LEVEL
NEWS AND SOCIAL THE CIVIC SOCIETY AWARDS DINNER: Friday 13th April
Our Awards are getting bigger and better. This was our second year in the great ballroom of the City Rooms and our Guest of Honour, Dean of Leicester, The Very Reverend David Monteith presided over an encouragingly large and talkative gathering. Many thanks once more to Peter, Howard, Jennifer, Richard and Ann for their hard work. NEW WALK MUSEUM BIRTHDAY EVENT Saturday 16th June
Jennifer was accompanied by Howard and Richard and we were very pleased to hear that nearly 1,000 visitors passed through the doors on the day. We were also touched to receive the following message from the organisers;
This is just to say `Thank you’ for all the hard work and assistance that the Leicester Civic Society contributed to our birthday celebrations. We received lots of positive feedback from our visitors telling us just how much they enjoyed meeting and interacting with you. I’m certain they have gone away with a much better understanding of our collections and heritage and how our local societies are integral to keeping us running as a museum service. Your members’ professionalism and enthusiasm on the day was an absolute credit and we are deeply grateful, especially in the wake of your recent bereavement. Stuart will be very much missed by us all.
PLANNING
PUTNEY ROAD and EVESHAM ROAD
The City Council’s consultation on the proposal to open Putney Road at the Aylestone Road end closed on April 29th. We made our views clear. The proposal will increase traffic volumes on Victoria Park Road and put renewed pressure on the London Road traffic island and we oppose it. But there is more to it than that. The consultation felt the need to point out that
`this is a stand-alone project and is not connected with any other road improvement scheme - either currently being considered, or potential future developments that may, or may not, ever take place’
Since we now know that the Council’s funding bid to the Dept of Transport for the Putney Road link contained the statement
`The Putney Road scheme would greatly improve the viability of the Evesham Road Link’
is it really surprising that many people have grown to view City Council transport planners as unreliable, if not downright untrustworthy? Like us, many suspect that what is really being planned here is a future link across Aylestone Meadows, creating a new inner ring road between Narborough and London Roads. It is causing widespread alarm and we would urge the Council to address it openly. THE BLACK BOY
We are grateful to have been invited to meet the developers and their architects to discuss revised designs. We will let you know when we have more to report. TREE STRATEGY
In March we received a disturbing phone call from one of our members. There is a footpath of about 100 yards in length from the east end of Corporation Road next to Abbey Pumping Station. It connects with the riverside walkway along the west bank of the river. This footpath has 21 mature Lombardy Poplars in a line along its south side. However, workmen were on site, apparently to cut them down. She spoke out and they said they would be planting replacements - though we all know what that could mean. I do not think there was planning consent for this, though, if it counts as routine maintenance of street trees, City Highways or Parks will say that it doesn't need it. I could only suggest she ring her Ward Councillor straight away. Quite clearly we need greater protection through consultation periods incorporated in the proposed Tree Strategy, otherwise Council departments are going to be cutting down mature trees all over the place as a part their maintenance schedules.
VICTORIAN SPLENDOUR
2018 HERITAGE OPEN DAYS
LEICESTER CIVIC SOCIETY at iskcon
Leicester Heritage Exhibition. Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th September 2018. 10.00 am to 4.00pm.
Marvel at Joseph Goddard’s breath-taking Leicestershire Bank of 1874. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PLANNING (cont) THE BSS FACTORY and FLEET HOUSE, LEE CIRCLE
Both Fleet House and the old BSS factory complex are on the Local Interest List .We objected to a separate application to demolish and have now also objected to further applications to develop the site which would involve destruction of the existing buildings. The proposals (for high-rise apartments) were very poorly presented; a point also made by the Council’s Conservation Advisory Panel (CAP). ISKCON The Grade 2 listed Joseph Goddard–designed Leicestershire Banking Company building on Granby Street (see above) remains on the Historic England `At Risk’ register due to the very poor condition of the roof which is deteriorating structurally and leaking; damaging internal decorations and making further renovation work increasingly difficult. The successful repair and refurbishment of the magnificent stained glass windows makes us hopeful that this problem can also be overcome but the need for action is increasingly urgent. We hope you’ll visit our exhibition and see for yourself. You might also like to visit the Friends of Goddard website to see how you can help https://www.friendsofgoddard.org or make a pledge by visiting the `Campaigns’ page of our website http://www.leicestercivicsociety.org.uk where you can also read the latest Historic England assessment.
THE CIVIC SOCIETY ARCHITECTURAL AWARDS In the March 2018 edition of Leicester Citizen, we featured the overall winners of the 2017 Civic Society Awards – Winstanley House for the restoration award and the Lumis Building for the new build award. In this edition, we focus on the buildings which in the opinion of the judging panel deserved special mention and so were awarded commendations. It is unusual to have awarded five commendations in the same year, which shows the exceptionally high standard of entrants and we are delighted to feature architects, clients and developers who are making such a positive impact on the city. It is also particularly pleasing to be able to commend work to three private houses. For restoration, we gave commendations to De Montfort University Business School for the Great Hall of Leicester Castle, the University of Leicester for the Stirling & Gowan-designed Engineering Building and to local builders and craftsmen Tippetts & Brooks for 15 Portland Road in the Stoneygate Conservation Area.
The Great Hall was built around 1150 to serve Leicester’s Norman Castle complex and the historic Grade 1 listed building which it is now part of also housed the district law courts for 700 years until 1992. It was a very difficult task to transform this unusual structure into a modern business school facility while retaining, and in some cases restoring, its historic aspects. The £4.2m project was jointly designed and delivered by De Montfort University’s Estates & Commercial Services, Maber Architects and Woodhead
Heritage, part of Woodhead Construction. Our panel of judges were impressed by the way in which this ancient and historic building had been given a new lease of life to secure its future despite the challenges of the project. It is now a building which continues to serves a useful function but respects and celebrates its historic past. It is worth noting too that the work in the Castle Hall actually revealed a previously hidden entrance dating back to when it was first built, which is now restored and preserved, a wonderful addition to this historic asset. You can see more at https://www.maber.co.uk/projects/great-hall-leicester-castle/ and read about the project at http://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/news/2016/october/heritage-campaigners-praise-restoration-of-leicester-castle.aspx A second commendation went to the University of Leicester for their world-famous Engineering Building. This visually striking and innovative building is a familiar sight on the skyline near to Victoria Park, which not many of us get an opportunity to see at close quarters. It was a privilege for the panel of judges to have a guided tour of the building and to marvel at some of the innovations created by the original architects, Stirling and Gowan. The panel were especially impressed by the quality of roof conservation that has been achieved on this Grade II-star listed building. Read more here; https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2017/october/roof-reconstruction-on-university-of-leicester2019s-engineering-building-has-2018exceeded-expectations2019
Tippetts & Brooks have been working in the Stoneygate Conservation Area for some years now and bring a wealth of expert craftsmanship and experience to their bespoke restoration of family homes. Their ability to sympathetically restore original features in period properties has previously been admired and recognised in the Society’s awards, so we were pleased to see them featuring again this year with 15 Portland Road. A Victorian villa-style home in Clarendon Park which had been neglected and suffered some unfortunate adaptations over the years, it is now what it was originally intended to be – a fine and elegant house - with its period charm enhanced by the addition of modern facilities including a stunning rear extension which provides a living and kitchen space looking out onto the garden.
The judging panel felt that the close working relationship between the clients and Tippettts & Brooks had worked exceptionally well to create a high quality contemporary
home within a beautifully restored period property. Turning now to the commendations for new-build awards. these featured two contemporary homes, both exceptional in quality and design but very contrasting styles. At 16 Burlington Road, Warwickshire-based Metropolis Architecture have created a modern house which the judging panel were impressed to find sat perfectly within its surroundings as if it had been there for many years. Timber clad with copper and stainless steel features, this is a home full of energy-efficient features which means that it is economical to run and has a low carbon footprint. Its many impressive features include a double height living area which captures the natural light and helps to warm and regulate the temperature of the house and a green roof which also helps temperature regulation and captures grey water for recycling. It is a home which could be described as being `built for life’, which means that it is easily adapted to suit the requirements of residents as they become older; accommodating a lack of mobility by – for instance - including sliding doors and providing rooms with wider than average doorways.
1 The Avenue is also very contemporary but with a completely different design and feel as you enter and explore. Set within what was previously the rear garden of a nearby Victorian property, it is a striking new house again designed to be energy-efficient with a super- insulated, air tight shell, with the first floor visible from the street and presenting a white stucco façade with walls of opaque vertical panelling made from recycled glass. Once inside, there is a spectacular single-storey living and kitchen area, with
a curtain of glass which looks out onto a walled garden. This has the wonderful effect of bringing the outside inside and was much admired by the judging panel, as was the incredible attention to detail of the fittings. All in all, a wonderful contribution to the architecture of the surrounding area.
With the high quality of these commendations in our minds, we look forward to the 2018 awards. Watch this space!
FED UP ALREADY! (from the August 2006 edition of `Leicester Citizen’)
I've only been Chairman for ten weeks and already I'm sick, tired and fed up. I'm sick, tired and fed up with councillors, who continue in their bad old habit of putting any and every consideration before the historic built environment of the City. I refer in particular to the West Bridge Wharf development on Bath Lane where anyone with any sense could have seen that most of the electorate didn't like it and don't want it. However the problem goes deeper than this. It shows itself in an endless litany of complaining letters to the Mercury about declining museums, closing libraries, developments in residential areas that none of the residents want, reduced bus services and lack of maintenance for listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments in City Council ownership. Meanwhile councillors think that a multi-million pound new theatre and a greatly enlarged shopping centre will solve everything. Well they won't! There now - I feel better for that. Stuart Bailey ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FED UP AGAIN! (from the December 2006 edition of `Leicester Citizen’)
Once again I must report myself fed up. This time it's with lax standards in development control whereby many developments in conservation areas are starting work before a planning decision is made. This makes a mockery of the whole development control process and leads to the need for retrospective permission that developers are often then granted. Where not it leads to enforcement notices being served. However the planning department enforcement section is, to say the least, overstretched and many notices are not followed up with the vigour that we would expect. Starting this month our website will be naming and shaming those developments that are doing this and I shall be writing to the chairman of the Development Control Committee and telling him so. It's about time that the 'whistle blowing' became a little more strident
Stuart Bailey
THE VICTORIAN SOCIETY LEICESTER GROUP
SUMMER OUTINGS
Wednesday 15th August 2.00 PM
Visit to St Paul’s Church, Woodhouse Eaves Meet at the church. Cost £5 per person
Monday 3rd September 7.00PM
Private Steaming of the Beam Engines, Abbey Pumping Station
Meet at Corporation Road entrance. Cost £5 per person
Advance booking for the above please: Contact Carol Face: 0116-267-5946.
EVENING TALKS ALL AT BISHOP STREET METHODIST CHURCH 7.30 PM Pay at the door £2.50
Tuesday 2nd October William Timpson: A Victorian Boot & Shoe Man Carole Face
Tuesday 6th November Leicester’s Debt to a Victorian Engineer: Joseph Gordon 1832-89
Sir Kent Woods - Emeritus Professor of Therapeutics, Leicester University
LEICESTER CIVIC SOCIETY 2018 ANNUAL DINNER
Wygston’s House,
Applegate www.wygstonshouse.co.uk
Three Course Menu £23.95 Two Course Menu £18.95
FRIDAY 12th OCTOBER 2018 at 8.00pm
MEMBERS, FRIENDS and POTENTIAL NEW MEMBERS ARE ALL WELCOME. PRE-DINNER DRINKS FROM 7.00pm
Wygston’s House was built c1490 for wealthy wool merchant Roger de Wygston, uncle of the more famous William Wygston. The front part of the house was dismantled in 1796 and the present building constructed. The rear wing was added about 1827. After some years as a costume museum Wygston’s House was closed in 2000. It reopened as a restaurant last year. We shall be dining on the first floor overlooking Leicester’s principal medieval street.
SEE THE HANDBILL FOR FULL DETAILS & BOOKING FORM
WE ARE BETTER (AND STRONGER) TOGETHER
(from the August 2006 edition of `Leicester Citizen’) The Civic Society is always keen to work with other organisations in Leicester to help protect our historic built environment and to encourage developments that will benefit the City. There are two sorts of organisation with which we need to be in contact to achieve this aim. Firstly there are citywide groups whose aims often overlap with ours. The Victorian Society, The Archaeological & Historical Society and the Vaughan Society fall into this category. Secondly there are the groups whose aims coincide exactly with our own but whose concerns centre on one locality or even on one building. The Stoneygate Conservation Society falls into this category, as do various 'Friends' organisations. We know of the Friends of Jewry Wall Museum, Leicester's Riverside, St. Mary de Castro, Welford Road Cemetery, New Walk, Abbey Park and Braunstone Hall. Some of these already have active links with the Civic Society, others we know only by name. To work better on Leicester's behalf we all need to be in contact with each other. Any member who is also a member of any of these organisations, or knows someone who is, should make sure that they all get this message. Contact can be made with either our secretary or myself. There are a lot of deeply unsatisfactory things going on in this City to the detriment of its historic environment. In the past we have all worked apart. Now we must come together. United we stand divided we fall.
Stuart Bailey
STONEYGATE CONSERVATION AREA SOCIETY www.stoneygateconservation.org
We strongly objected to a recent application to demolish 19 St John’s Road and build a pair of 4-bed semi-detached houses with designs `inspired by the architectural styles of the existing buildings’ on the site. Originally named `Whitelands', the house was built in the late
1890s as a family home. Its soft yellow brick contrasts with its neighbours and although more modest and homely than Isaac Barradale’s red brick townhouses (with their stepped Flemish gables), it makes an important contribution to the street’s architectural character. The applicant claimed that demolition would remove `incongruous and unsympathetic single-storey extensions’ which have `an awkward relationship’ with the main house. This is true – and we would support their removal as part of a plan to restore the house and front garden (now just a parking area) -
but the removal of unsightly additions does not provide a case for clearing the entire site. We do not believe that `preserving and enhancing the character and appearance of the conservation area’ is best achieved by demolishing a perfectly good Victorian house to allow more profitable infilling of the space with modern houses whose design is a poor imitation of the one lost. Nor do we believe that this `strengthens residential character’ (that can be achieved much more simply by changing the existing business use). We are relieved that the application has been withdrawn.
From July 5th landlords and estate agents will need planning consent to erect `to let’ signs on properties in parts of Clarendon Park. This is good news. Despite the Council’s efforts to establish a voluntary code of practice, some landlords and agents have been using permanently displayed boards as a form of company advertising and they have become a blight – particularly in streets with a large number of rental properties. We hope, in time, the scheme may be extended to other parts of the conservation area. We don’t usually comment on applications relating to trees. Over the years we have learned to trust the judgment of officers and we have had few reasons to regret it. However, on one or two occasions, where a tree is of particular value or is at significant risk, we have felt it
important to make our views known and we did this recently when the owner sought to fell a mature TPO-protected cedar tree in the front garden of a house in Southernhay Road. Trees make a significant contribution to the special character of the Stoneygate Conservation Area, particularly large mature trees such as this. They contribute to the distinctiveness of the streetscene and the area's biodiversity and they also act as a highly visible historical link to Stoneygate's Victorian past. The tree in question is particularly valuable because it seems to be the sole surviving specimen from `Knighton Frith', the London Road home of Harry Simpson Gee (1842-1924), founder of boot and shoe manufacturer/retailer Stead & Simpson and one of
Leicester's most influential pre-war business leaders. Gee's executors seem to have sold the land to his neighbour Joseph Wallis Goddard (another leading businessman) and after his death in 1927, the house was built for Goddard's second son, Charles. The tree must have been large even then and it seems possible that the younger Goddard deliberately retained it, perhaps as some sort of memorial. Commenting on previous applications, tree officers noted its `very high amenity value'. We strongly supported them and are relieved that the application was refused.
While our main focus is on planning, design and conservation, we are aware that amenity issues are often equally important to residents; particularly bins which can have a seriously negative visual impact. A resident of Stoneygate Road recently drew our attention to the situation outside the ex-Burlington (and Mitchell) Hotel in Elmfield Avenue which was converted into flats in 2008 and has since been enlarged. The original planning consent (20081178) was conditional on the new apartments having a permanent bin store to preserve visual amenity but it seems to have been removed – and the resulting eyesore is unacceptable in a residential conservation area. After the resident contacted a local councillor, the excellent city wardens paid a visit and things improved but the long-term solution is clearly to reinstate the bin store. This is, of course, a planning issue - and one that we suggested should be drawn to the attention of the Council's Planning Compliance and Enforcement Team.
Finally, St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School has secured City Council funding to create additional classrooms and facilities for an extra 154 pupils. Building work is expected to begin shortly. It is great to have an outstanding primary school in Clarendon Park but you have to ask whether it is socially responsible (and fair on residents) to create 154 more places without effective plans to manage pupil-related transport issues. Despite the best efforts of the school, there are chronic weekday traffic problems at drop-off and pick-up times which have been visibly
worsening in recent years and have not been deterred by the occasional presence of enforcement officers. Parental choice replaced the local catchment area decades ago and many schools are no longer the local community-based hubs they were designed to be in the 1960s and `70s. The attendance of car-borne pupils from distant households has a negative impact which residents feel daily. Surely the local authority should be looking for sustainable ways of addressing it before allowing a school to expand?
Chairman's Message from the first ever Civic Society Newsletter - July 1973 Leicester Civic Society has now been in existence for just over two years. As you will see from the contents of this newsletter (and the fact that we have a newsletter), considerable progress has already been made and we can be proud that we have kept pace with the work of other civic societies throughout the country and with our parent body the Civic Trust. Leicester is a big city; and. the larger the community, the greater are the problems for a society such as ours. Our goal is a city which is not merely prosperous – Leicester is that already - but which has pride in itself and shows it by its care for its buildings, streets and open spaces; a city which is determined that prosperity shall not result in self-satisfied vulgarity and unrestrained commercialism. The greatest obstacle to the achievement of our aim is - APATHY. It is lack of thought, lack of care, and lack of appreciation of the importance of the environment to ourselves and to future generations of citizens that we must fight against and overcome. Leicester's surest protection against the corrosive effects of apathy is a vigorous and influential Civic Society. As yet we are only a young society and so possess the vigour of youth but not the influence that comes with maturity. In order to attain a position of real influence we must have your continued support. We need more active members and more money, so spread the word. Our aim is a Greater Leicester in the aesthetic as well as the physical sense. We are sure there are others who share this aim. For the sake of our city we must reach them and bring their energy and talents into the Civic Society. If we succeed, Leicester will be the better for it.
Stuart Bailey
WHERE IT ALL STARTED?
By Neil Crutchley Joint Chair of the Leicester Branch of the Victorian Society Those of us who lived through them remember that the early 1970s were a difficult time for historic buildings. A determination to confront economic challenges opened up opportunities to re-imagine and remake our city and that inevitably led to strong differences of opinion. Many felt that old Leicester had had its day and that modernity in town planning and building design were the only ways forward; with the car an essential aid to urban mobility.
However, as I was reminded by a July 1971 article in the `Leicester Mercury’, there were dissident voices – and one figure in particular was launched into prominence by a proposal to demolish a section of Loseby Lane to create a new car park for Leicester Market;
“Threats to Loseby Lane, an old part of Leicester, produced dramatic stirrings in people's hearts. Although the city's civic society had folded several years ago, the possibility of part of the lane being demolished and replaced with a multi-
storey car park brought shouts of horror and immediate reaction. The civic society was immediately re-formed at the instigation of Mr. Stuart Bailey, who duly became the chairman and several meetings have been held during the past few weeks.
“Somewhat surprised no doubt by the sudden interest shown by citizens in their own environment, a recent town planning committee meeting heard about an alternative scheme which would site the car park elsewhere and leave Loseby Lane completely untouched. A secondary step would turn the street – reckoned to be one of the most picturesque in old Leicester – into a pedestrian precinct. This scheme would entail the construction of a new entry to High Street near the Cameo Cinema.
“So from threats the cries turn to promises. Committee members were said to be favourably disposed to the alternative scheme and reports have gone to the traffic, finance and estates committees. The big factor that will probably determine whether the new scheme is accepted is its cost. It is estimated that it will add an extra £100,000 to the bill for the present plan. After the meeting the committee chairman, Alderman Kenneth Bowder, said members regarded it as very appropriate alternative scheme. He added that as elected representatives, councillors had taken notice of the volume of public opinion against the plan to demolish half of Loseby Lane....
“The newly-formed Civic Society is discussing the alternative plan put forward at town planning meeting, but is also considering the possibility of drawing up another plan for the area. It may also arrange a seminar to which leading councillors will be invited to answer all sorts of questions. “As if all this sudden activity was not spur enough to the council to watch its step on matters of conservation, the city may soon have a special watchdog committee to help it make the best use of its environment....
At which point the writer, perhaps wearied by bitter experience, returns to earth;
“Despite all the fuss not everyone agrees that Loseby Lane is a feature of Leicester worth retaining. Many members of the public have commented on the poor condition of some of the buildings in the area and claim that a car park would be more beneficial.”
“As always, it is very difficult to take sides in such a controversy. To many Leicester lovers at least it must seem as if the rape of the city has been completed thoroughly within the past decade and the only thing to look forward to is the continuing existence of the old Guildhall and an increasing number of modern buildings.”
A depressing conclusion. But with at least one glimmer of hope that – as we now know - got increasingly bright as the years passed. Farewell Stuart. We shall all miss you.
THE FESTIVAL OF LEICS & RUTLAND ARCHAEOLOGY - JULY MMXVIII
SAT 14th – SUN 29th JULY
9.00 – 5.00 pm
THE STIBBE MOSAICS
In 2017 people queued for hours to see the Roman mosaics being
excavated at the old Stibbe factory.
They have now been expertly
conserved and are on display at BBC Radio Leicester by kind
permission of the University of Leicester Archaeological
Services (ULAS).
Come along and see them FREE
at
BBC RADIO LEICESTER 9 ST NICHOLAS PLACE
LEICESTER LE1 5LB
SUNDAY 29th JULY
JOIN THE FRIENDS OF JEWRY WALL MUSEUM
FOR A DAY OF
ROMANS ON PARADE!
11.30 - 3.30 pm
Meet the Romans. Roman displays. Roman activities. What did the Romans ever do for us?
Tours of the Roman Baths. Discover Roman Leicester –
Try our new Roman App.
ADMISSION FREE AT JEWRY WALL ROMAN BATHS and ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH
ALL DAY FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY.
The City Rooms is a historic Grade One listed building, conveniently located in
the City Centre of Leicester.
It offers a delightfully grand setting, available for meetings and celebrations
large and small in one of our newly restored function rooms.
The City Rooms
Hotel Street LEICESTER LE1 5AW
T: 0116 251 5337 F: 0116 262 1845
[email protected] www.thecityrooms.co.uk
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JEWRY WALL MUSEUM
The Friends of Jewry Wall Museum have met with Joanna Jones, the new Head of the Arts & Museums Service to discuss their concerns for the future of the museum and its collections. It was clearly confirmed that the 1,000-plus exhibits, large and small, are in properly recoded storage and that Leicester Museums are obliged to fulfil this professional commitment to maintain their accreditation as a recognised museum. The Roman mosaic pavements in the collection (including the Dolphin Mosaic from the Cherry Orchard Villa, those parts of the Blackfriars Mosaic not previously on display and the three mosaics formerly in the Museum) have all been professionally conserved. The recently discovered All Saints and Stibbe mosaics have also been expertly conserved by the University of Leicester Archaeological Service and the Friends are confident that room will be made to display them at the new museum. If so this would constitute one of the finest collections of Roman mosaics in the country and would be a huge boost to both Roman research and tourism in Leicester.
Unfortunately, what good news there is stops there. Although Leicester City Council’s £116M 2018-2020 Capital Programme (published in November 2017) states that plans `include the continuing work to turn the Jewry Wall Museum into a top-class attraction telling the story of Roman Leicester’ and a new access from St. Nicholas Circle and new internal layout for the museum both have planning consent, no works have commenced. Both the Friends of Jewry Wall Museum and the Civic Society would love to know more but there is silence in the corridors of power. Quite clearly the timing of funding is going to be a political decision. The museum was emptied by October and we looked forward to works commencing shortly afterwards to meet the intended completion date of April 2019. This is obviously no longer achievable and we are now looking at August/September 2019 at the earliest. This is very unsatisfactory, and we continue to press for information at every opportunity. There seems however little choice than that we all remain patient.
THE BOOKINGS PAGE (Please copy this page or write to us if you do not want to cut your Journal)
ADVANCE BOOKING PLEASE FOR ALL EVENTS: LEIGH PICCIANO MOSS, 105 LETCHWORTH ROAD, LEICESTER LE3 6FN.
CHEQUES PAYABLE TO `LEICESTER CIVIC SOCIETY’.
PLEASE RESERVE ________ PLACES ON THE GUIDED WALK “OLD LONDON ROAD” ON SATURDAY 4th AUGUST 2018. I ENCLOSE ______________ IN FULL PAYMENT (£4.50 PER PERSON) NAME_________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________POSTCODE____________________
PLEASE RESERVE ________ PLACES ON THE GUIDED WALK “THE LAST JOURNEYS OF KING RICHARD III” ON SATURDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 2018.
THIS WALK IS BEING GIVEN FREE AS PART OF 2018 HERITAGE OPEN DAYS BUT YOU MUST BOOK IN ADVANCE PLEASE AS PLACES ARE LIMITED.
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PLEASE RESERVE _______PLACES ON THE DAY COACH TOUR TO THE HISTORIC CITY OF CHESTER ON SATURDAY 15th SEPTEMBER 2018.
I ENCLOSE _____________IN FULL PAYMENT. (SEE ADVERTISEMENT ON BACK PAGE)
I/WE WILL JOIN THE COACH AT__________________________________________ ________ NAME_________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________POSTCODE____________________
CIVIC SOCIETY SOCIAL FUND
Members are reminded of the Civic Society Social Fund. This enables you to deposit money in advance and at any time with our Treasurer. This money will be held under your name and can then be drawn upon to pay for events. You can pay as much or as little as you like into the fund whenever you wish. Simply write to our Hon. Treasurer, Gordon Goode, 53 Cort Crescent Leicester LE3 1QJ. Cheques payable to "Leicester Civic Society".
THERE’S A LOT HAPPENING IN LEICESTER CIVIC SOCIETY
IT PAYS TO BE A MEMBER!
(TELL YOUR FRIENDS)
LEICESTER CIVIC SOCIETY COACH TOURS
SATURDAY 15th SEPTEMBER 2018
THE HISTORIC CITY OF CHESTER
From its Roman roots as Deva, through a medieval period of church building to its
signature late Victorian neo-Tudor architecture, Chester is a real treat for history lovers.
Founded in the 1st century A.D., it was one of the main army camps in Roman Britain, and
later became a major civilian settlement. Chester’s extensive Roman walls encircle its
medieval centre and constitute the most complete city walls in Britain. The nearly two-mile
circuit affords great views of the city and the Roman amphitheatre (with its ongoing
excavations), just outside. You might want to take a look at the Town Hall, built in the
Gothic Revival style and the Cathedral, dating from the Norman era, with its beautiful
stained glass and cloister garden. Or perhaps The Rows; unique in Britain, they consist of
buildings with shops on the lowest two storeys and are just one example of Chester’s
many Victorian Tudor-style half-timber buildings. There’s history in abundance, an unusual
selection of shops set on two levels, a uniquely circular race course and a tranquil river
setting… all to be enjoyed at your leisure. Why not join us?
COACH DEPARTS: HUMBERSTONE GATE (Secular Hall) 9.30am
NARBOROUGH ROAD (Premier Inn) 9.40am
RETURNING AT: 7.00pm FULL FARE: £27.50 (MEMBERS: £25.50) CONCESSION: £25.50 (MEMBERS: £23.50) Senior Citizens, Students & Unwaged.
DISCOUNTS FOR MEMBERS - SEE THE BOOKINGS PAGE
