Clapton Pond Blog

Memory of the Mothers' Hospital

One August morning in 1984, my first child was born in a maternity hospital on Lower Clapton Road which stood on the site of what is now called Mothers' Square. The Mothers' Hospital was opened by the Salvation Army in 1913, replacing the Ivy House Maternity Hospital on Mare Street and serving the same purpose, that being to cater for unmarried pregnant women and girls whom most other hospitals spurned.

Fifty years of the Amhurst Café

Now that there is no truly traditional English cafe in the vicinity of Clapton Pond - must be an opening there, young entrepreneurs - the Amhurst Café on Amhurst Road opposite Hackney Central station feels even more precious than before. When only a straightforward bacon, egg and chips will do, it's definitely worth the walk or short bus ride to an eating establishment that, amazingly, celebrates its half century anniversary this year.

New homes for the site of the lost synagogue

In July 2006, exactly ten years ago, the beautiful but disused Clapton Federation Synagogue on Lea Bridge Road was knocked down. The site has stood empty ever since until, at last, it is being redeveloped on behalf of the North London Muslim Housing Association. A microcosm of demographic change in Clapton on one small piece of East London land.     

Tram depot's deserted village

There's a long story to be told about the former tramway depot at 38-40 Upper Clapton Road, just beyond the roundabout. The short version is that the Hackney Societyhas tried to save it from redevelopment, others have expressed concerns, ownership has changed hands and we'll have to wait and see exactly what happens next. What is certain is that the varied group of artists and small businesses that once occupied the Victorian sheds has had to scatter, leaving Tilley Harris and Alex Pielak to honour and display their work.

Dom's Place is one year old

Last October I described the transformation of the long-established Dunya kebab take-away into Dom's Place, a new kind of Turkish food establishment under the same family ownership. On Saturday, Dom's Place held a celebration party for its regulars, hosted by Dom himself. That's him, lit up, in the picture.

What will take the almshouses' place?

It's sad that the Grade II listed Bishops Wood almshouses are to be sold to developer after standing on their site next to the pond for centuries. Just how sad will ultimately depend on what is built in their place. The Hackney Citizen reported in February that any buyer would have to confrom to strict conservation rules, but the aesthetics of a new development will only be only one consideration. Another will be the affordability of the new homes. Will many, if any, be within the price range of people on average or low incomes?

History Of The Empire

The latest Hackney podcast traces the Hackney Empire's past ups and downs and considers its future as it prepares to "go dark" after this year's panto run comes to an end. A venue that has played host to Opportunity Knocks, Maria Callas and Giant Haystacks as well as Marie Lloyd and Clive Rowe can surely adapt and survive. I certainly hope so. I'll be at Aladdin on Boxing Day, maintaining what has become a family tradition. This year's Susie McKenna presentation has already been praised in the Evening Standard and by my kids when they went a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't there that time and they've been very good about not telling me all the jokes. Happy Christmas to the Empire and all the best for the New Year. 

Pond Memories

A reader writes:

I went to Millfields [school] back in the '50s and my brother did too during the war years. On their website I also saw your blog, which led me to your Clapton Pond blogsite. It's interesting what you can find on line. We used to live in Powell Road behind what used to be the Ritz cinema. My brother was back in England earlier this year and found the cinema's no longer there. I now live in California and my brother lives in Ottawa, Canada but I remember growing up in Clapton and I remember the Pond. From pictures I've seen it looks like it's been cleaned up. My brother actually fell in the Pond when he was a kid!

Thanks for such a lovely letter. And should you - or anyone else - wish to revive the former Ritz cinema*, you could start by signing here. 

UPDATE: But it wasn't the Ritz, was it, Dave? It was the Kenning Hall. Sign up anyway, though. 

Film Treat: The Big Smoke

If you saw the British Film Institute's compilation of old documentary film footage of London when it was shown in our local St John's Ambulance Hall the other week - part of that Clapton celebration day - you might want to see the full 90 minute version of The Big Smoke at the Rio in Dalston tomorrow afternoon. In fact, come to think of it, you might want to see it even if you didn't see the short version. It's eye-opening stuff, capturing scenes and citizens from the capital between 1896 and VE Day. The longer version, I'm told, contains quite a lot of material from Hackney. Tickets are £5 and £3 (concessions). There will be an introduction by the BFI's James Taylor and a question and answer session. You can book in advance here.  

  

The Future Of Pond House

The Pond House Group writes:

A developer is proposing to convert an important historic heritage building in the Clapton neighbourhood. The late Georgian villa in question (c.1800) is within the Clapton Pond conservation area. Please take a minute to sign the Pond House petition and to complete the survey. Your views will help us to define a community driven vision for this local Grade II* listed villa and adjacent Grade II listed stables at 162 Lower Clapton Road, E5. Your ideas could form a foundation for an alternative future for the Pond House.

We are aiming to collect 1000 signatures before the 5th of May. The petition will be delivered to the Planning and Conservation authorities. There is a link to a page on the Clapton Pond Neighbourhood Action Group (CPNAG) site below the petition statement, which describes the proposed development in more detail. Please forward this message onto your neighbours and local friends.

Sign the petition here, take part in the survey here.