Annual report from the Friends of Brockley & Ladywell Cemeteries

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ANNUAL REPORT for 2014 - 15 TO THE AGM OF FRIENDS of BROCKLEY AND
LADYWELL CEMETERIES JUNE 2015
The Friends group was formed in July 2007, and at the end of March 2015 had a membership
of 110, up from 104 at the end of March 2014. The majority of members live in and around
South-east London, but others further afield as well as abroad.
The Friends group had six open committee meetings during the year, plus one General
meeting in addition to the AGM. The meetings were held in the Chapel in the Ladywell
Cemetery.
10 general “work sessions” have taken place, including two in conjunction with the Council’s
Nature Conservation Department’s Nature’s Gym. Work has mainly been removing sycamore
and ash growths, as well as Turkey Oak saplings, in both Cemeteries. Two sessions dealing
with Japanese Knotweed were also undertaken by two members with the necessary
qualifications. Numbers attending have varied between 3 and 5, representing approx.70
hours’ work over the year.
Four public guided walks were held during the year, plus one at the request of a local
community group. Attendances have varied between 3 and 23, but those attending expressed
their thanks to the guides. Development of new walks, and the honing of skills, continues.
We again worked with the Brockley Max organisers, putting on a walk in conjunction with
the week-long arts event. Discussions have taken place with the Brockley Society over their
plan to recreate a photograph taken in August 1918, on Hilly Fields.
There were several notable events during the year including the celebration of the 7th
Anniversary of the Friends in July. Displays of photographs and information were set up in
the Chapel, as well as a table selling homemade cakes, tea and coffee, and a plant stall. A
successful series of walks took place. It was estimated that around 400 people attended,
including Lewisham councillors. Names were gathered in support of the bid to the Heritage
Lottery Fund for a grant to renovate the civilian war memorials.
We hosted a Public Art Exhibition in the Chapel commemorating the start of the First World
War. Guided walks took place during this.
The group was pleased to show the third part of the film trilogy by Derek Sheil about poet and
painter David Jones. This was well supported by members of the David Jones Society as well
as local enthusiasts.
We held our fifth Remembrance Day event, laying wreaths at the two war memorials and
picking three relevant points of interest in between. Up to 20 people including children
attended the event.
Members of the Commemorations sub-committee went to the Arras area of France to link
names on memorial walls and headstones there with names in our Cemeteries. Work
continues on specific walks and publications.
The group had stalls at a number of events, helping to raise the profile of the group, including
the Brockley Society Tree Conference (April), Friends of Nunhead Cemetery Open Day
(May), the Hilly Fields Midsummer Fayre (June).
The group is represented on the Council’s Biodiversity Partnership, and supplies details of
work done and numbers attending for a national reporting scheme. A survey of plants and
flowers has been carried out. Bird sightings are also reported. Advice is also given to the
group.

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The Friends remained a member of the National Federation of Cemeteries’ Friends, and sent a
delegate to the 2014 AGM in Glasgow. The group will be represented at the 2015 AGM in
Leeds.
The group is also affiliated to Voluntary Action Lewisham, an umbrella organisation which
offers training and advice to voluntary groups and organisations. Members have attended a
seminar on the new Charitable Incorporated Organisation category of charities, and on
making bids for funds.
The website and BlogSpot, managed by Patrick Napier, continues to be the channel for
enquiries from within the UK and abroad about friends and relatives buried in the Cemeteries.
According to the Google statistics, there were 6271 visits during the year. Among the top
three pages read with over 300 viewings each were Margaret McMillan, Jane Clouson and the
Memorial to Rorke’s Drift. The web page had visitors from countries including the USA,
France, Germany, Canada and Australia.
Research into the histories individuals memorialised continues. Members also keep a few
graves “tidy” at the request of descendents unable to visit the graves.
The bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund securing a grant to renovate the Hither Green/Sydenham
civilian memorial in the Ladywell Cemetery and the Deptford Civilian airship memorial is in
the final stages of preparation.
Work continues on a publishing programme. The ever-enlarging body of information should
lead to several publications over time.
I would like to thank all members for their continued enthusiasm and support over the past
year, although more “willing hands” are always welcome.
The group would like to thank Alison Beck and Colin Burgess, the Council Officers
responsible for the Cemeteries, for their co-operation in the past year.
Thanks is also due Nick Pond, of the Council’s Nature Conservation Department for his
advice and to Sarah Foraud, the erstwhile occupant of the Brockley Lodge, for her
enthusiastic support of our work.
Geoffrey Thurley
Chair