Greenwich news and information
Articles on Greenwich.co.uk about Stockwell Street in Greenwich. Stockwell Street is now home to a big new University of Greenwich development which includes their school of architecture and a library. Before that, John Humphries House was on the site and other buildings and land which were for years hosted the Greenwich Village market every weekend.
Previously on this spot stood John Humphries House, now demolished as part of the University of Greenwich’s development of the site.
With the 1960s office building gone, you can now see the back of properties in Nelson Road and the top of the Canary Wharf skyscape from the corner of Burney Street.
A TEAM of archaeologists have recovered items stretching back hundreds of years at the site of a new development in Stockwell Street.
Ceramic jugs, bone handled toothbrushes, thimbles, coins and bottles were among the items brought back to the surface in the £85,000 project.
The dig was commissioned by the University of Greenwich who have been given planning permission to build a new campus library and dedicated school of Architecture on the site.
The oldest items found were fragments of medieval pottery, and the largest item was a mid 19th century jug, pictured below, depicting the story of Robinson Crusoe.
The land was home to a malt house in the 18th century, and brick wells on the site were used by local residents for dumping rubbish.
Lead archaeologist Duncan Hawkins, from CgMs Consulting, says: “These finds throw light on the lives of the people who lived here, and the work they did. They provide evidence that Stockwell Street was home to a ‘middling’ class of workers: professionals, artisans, tradesmen and craftsmen. In many ways, those communities were not so different from ours and, in archaeological terms, we are separated only by a small amount of a time.”
A detailed study of the discoveries will be undertaken by the University and their permanent home will be in the Musuem of London’s archives.
The redevelopment of the site is expected to be completed in 2014.
The next phase of the University of Greenwich’s ambitious Stockwell Street plans will soon see John Humphries House disappear forever.
The 1960s building, which housed a pioneering shared local authority computer centre, will be gradually dismantled as the contractor uses a “nibbling” process on it.
The former offices will be taken apart along with a storage unit and a large underground petrol tank.
The University says that brick and concrete from the dismantled buildings will be kept on site and processed for reuse in the construction of the new development. That development, expected to be completed by 2013/14, consists of a new campus library and School of Architecture and Construction.
The University of Greenwich plans to publish the findings from its recent archaeological dig at the site later in the year.
A new viewing area allows the public to see archaeologists at work in Greenwich during August.
The University of Greenwich has opened up the spectator area whilst the dig takes place on land behind Stockwell Street.
The vantage point, accessed at the northern end of Stockwell Street, between John Humphries House and the neighbouring newsagent, overlooks the foundations to a 19th century former brewery.
Spectators can see the month-long dig taking place Monday to Friday, between 10am and 4pm.
Archaeologists were today retrieving items from an old well, including this piece of a plate (pictured below) which is believed to be from around 1710-1720. Significant finds from the dig will be put on public display, says the University.
Construction of the University’s School of Architecture & Construction and campus library is expected to begin later this year.
When the University of Greenwich demolishes John Humphries House in Stockwell Street this year to make way for its new School of Architecture, it will be the end of a building which once upon a time was part of the white heat of new technology.
A building that to many just looks like a dated office building had been at the forefront of the computer revolution fifty years ago and provided a lead in showing how local authorities could pool services and resources to maximise efficiency.
The site itself on the eastern side of Stockwell Street had originally been ear marked for a road widening project.
In November 1950, councillors from the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich’s Works Committee adopted a scheme to widen Stockwell Street to deal with “the increasing amount of traffic using the thoroughfare.”
As some of the buildings on the eastern side had suffered damage in the war, it was thought that they would need redeveloping anyway, thus creating an opportunity to buy and demolish the buildings.
The council set about buying up the land necessary to widen the Stockwell Street from the junction of Burney Street to Greenwich High Road.
By April 1961, the council had acquired parcels of land in Stockwell Street but still had to acquire numbers 4, 3 (Sabo’s newsagent) and 2 (the Spread Eagle) if it was to proceed with its widening scheme.
Following a change of heart, councillors decided to “avoid the necessity for purchasing the additional property,” although the council did also subsequently purchase number 4 Stockwell Street, by shifting the scheme across to the western side of the street.
Around about the same as the council found itself with plots of land on the eastern side of Stockwell Street that would no longer feature in the widening scheme, it also was looking for a base for an exciting new project – a computer centre.
Computers had been used for processing activities such as payroll several years and organisations that did not own a computer would purchase processing time on commercial computers.
One man who had worked extensively with the new computers was the Treasurer of the Borough of Greenwich – Mr John Henry Humphries.
Humphries, born in 1904, moved to London from West Hartlepool in the mid 1920s, where he first worked at Hammersmith Council, then Stoke Newington before joining Greenwich Council in 1934. His rise was quick, going from Assistant Borough Treasurer to Deputy Borough Treasurer and then Borough Treasurer in three years.
One of his “many contributions to Greenwich”, according to the local Mercury newspaper, “was the devising of a new formula to fix rents on the council’s housing estates” which was widely praised as one of the fairest to be used by local authorities.”
Humphries has been described as a “pioneer in the application to municipal accountancy of electronic computers” and his department was involved in a complete rewrite of the payroll application on a commercial computer to cope with a newly introduced graduated pension scheme.
He was also one of the key architects in the formation of the London Boroughs’ Joint Computer Committee.
The JCC included the Metropolitan Borough Councils of Bermondsey, Camberwell, Deptford, Greenwich, Southwark and Woolwich and was created with the intention of purchasing a shared computer so that the member boroughs could pool their data processing requirements.
Its remit was to “provide, operate and manage an automatic data processing service.”
Greenwich’s lead role in the project is illustrated by the decision to make Greenwich’s Town Clerk and Borough Treasurer (Humphries), the Clerk and Treasurer for the JCC respectively.
Stockwell Street was chosen as the site for the JCC’s new Computer Building and contractors for its construction were appointed in July 1962. GE Wallis and Sons of the Strand successfully tendered for the construction contract at a cost of £104,762.
W.H Penfold and Sons of Lewisham got the £579 contract for the demolition of existing buildings on site before the work could begin on the Computer Building, as it was known.
Inside the Computer Building would be a LEO III, ordered from Leo Computers at a cost of £202,008. It was the fourth installation of LEO’s third generation machine and was known as LEOIII/4.
It was a successor to the original LEO computer which had been the first computer used for commercial business applications. According to Wikipedia, LEO IIIs “allowed concurrent running of as many as 12 application programs through the “Master program” operating system.”
In his article for the Greenwich Industrial History Society, Harry Pearman explains more about the LEO III.
“Files were stored on magnetic tape reels and data was entered by completing batches of forms, which were punched onto paper tape. Programs were written in a wholly numeric language called Intercede, and the primitive operating system required a great deal of operator intervention. LEO’s principal benefit was the ability to print forms and tabulations at speeds of up to 1,000 lines a minute.
The first application was Rate Accounting and this was followed by Payroll, General Ledger Accounting, Job Costing, Stock Control, Creditor Payments, Miscellaneous Debtors, Transport, Housing Rents, Electoral Registration, Library Cataloguing and Land Use Registration. Subsequently The Forest and Bexley Hospitals and the Bloodstock Agency also used the services of the site.”
The LEO III computer was installed and operational in February 1963 but unfortunately, John Humphries would not live to see the Computer Building open. He died at the age of 58 at his home in Courtlands Avenue, Eltham, on November 19th 1962
Tributes were paid to Humphries by councillors and a report presented to a Special Meeting of the Council noted he had “given outstanding service to the Borough and that he will be greatly missed.”
Dense fog had prevented some councillors attending the Special Meeting so further tributes were paid the normal meeting a week later: they “expressed their deep sense of personal loss at his passing.”
His passing was recorded in the Mercury and the Kentish Independent. According to the Kentish Independent, “one of his great interests was music, particularly church music, and he was considered an organist of great accomplishment.”
The minutes of the Finance Committee meeting for December 1962 record the decision of the Joint Computer Committee to approve the name “John Humphries House.”
“The Joint Committee were unanimous that the valuable and untiring efforts in the computer sphere of the late Treasurer to the Committee (and Borough Treasurer of Greenwich) should be recognised in this way.”
The LEO computer was used at John Humphries House until 1975. By that time, local government had been re-organised – the London Borough of Greenwich had been created – and it was also becoming cheaper for organisations, and even home users, to own their own computers.
The building was still used by other council departments – Planning was based there for a time – but it was subsequently sold to a private owner.
As the council moved out, the building and its annex became home to a wide variety of small businesses and art studios. The Village Market was set up in the car park and would take place every weekend, causing much disappointment when it closed in 2009.
Various attempts were made by developers to revamp the site and do away with John Humphries House, and planning permission was given for a large mixed use development but when the housing market tanked, developers shied away from the risky project and the University of Greenwich stepped forward with a plan to redevelop the site and build a new library and School of Architecture.
John Humphries House will soon disappear from the local streetscape but its legacy will be in the pioneering use of computers and demonstrating a way in which boroughs were able to work together on shared services to create efficiencies – something that politicians still aspire to achieve today.
Thanks to Greenwich Heritage Centre, Harry Pearman, Leo Computers Society and Dr Mary Mills.
Did you work at John Humphries House? Did you know John Humphries? Share your memories in the comments below.
Greenwich Council’s Planning Board gave the the go-ahead to the University of Greenwich’s Stockwell Street redevelopment last night – despite a withering assessment of the project by council leader, Chris Roberts.
The £76 million project will see the construction of a new dedicated School of Architecture and Construction in Greenwich town centre at the site of the old Village Market. A new university library will be also be included, as well as public areas such as a gallery and coffee shop.
Professor Neil Garrod, Deputy Vice-Chancellor from the University of Greenwich, told councillors that this was a “once in a generation opportunity.”
He described how the building has been designed to be as “porous as possible,” with the “whole ground floor open to the public.” A new public walkway will be created adjacent to the railway cutting, connecting Stockwell Street and King William Walk, subject to an agreement with Network Rail.
27 objections were raised with the council and residents from King William Walk attended the meeting to voice their concerns that servicing for the building would take place in areas bordering residential properties.
Before the project can begin, the 1960s office building, John Humphreys House, will be demolished. Local industrial historian, and councillor, Mary Mills told the Planning Board that she wanted to see more recognition of the building’s role as a pioneering council computer centre and that “we should be a bit more proud” of it.
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) described the the Heneghan Peng-designed proposal as “exciting”, adding that it was “well designed with an intelligent internal organisation.”
Cllr Steve Offord said it would be a “tremendous asset” to Greenwich. Cllr Denise Hyland, said she was “impressed” by the scheme.
Following the expressions of support from his colleagues, Leader of the Council, Cllr Chris Roberts spoke strongly against the proposals.
“I can’t like this building,” he told them, adding that they would “repent at leisure” if the scheme was passed. If he walked past it, he said, he would look over the road and “prefer the architecture of the Ibis [hotel],” prompting laughter in the public gallery.
The project received the backing of the Board with a 6-2 vote. The decision is subject to approval by the Mayor of London.
Commenting afterwards, Professor Neil Garrod said: “We are very pleased to have won the support of the local authority and we will continue to work closely with all our neighbours in Greenwich as the project takes shape.”
The University of Greenwich has submitted its planning application for a new £76million development in Stockwell Street.
The proposals, designed by Heneghan Peng, include a new campus library, a School of Architecture & Construction and other facilities such as TV studios and editing suites.
The new buildings, which would be bring up to 1,800 additional students into Greenwich each week, would restore Stockwell Street’s traditional curved street line with “an elegant glazed frontage opening onto a gallery, café and exhibition space” which would all be available to the public. “Living roofs” have been incorporated, which the University says will create “a haven for wildlife in the centre of the town.”
The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Baroness Blackstone, says: “We hope that people in Greenwich will be as excited by these plans as we are. The high quality design of the new university building will greatly enhance the town centre. With some facilities and services open to local people and organisations, it will add to the creative and cultural energy of Greenwich and benefit our wider community.”
The former Village Market site had previously been ear-marked for a mixed use development but the University acquired the land last year. Most of the buildings have now been cleared although the 60s office block, John Humphries House, remains. The building was originally a pioneering purpose built computer centre, handling data processing for several Metropolitan boroughs.
The initial designs were exhibited by the University at an eight day consultation last July. When asked if feedback received through the consultation event had resulted in changes to the scheme, a spokesperson told Greenwich.co.uk that there had been a “a reduction of the building mass; in height and stepping it back away from the neighbours gardens” and also a “a relocation of service facilities.”
Local residents and businesses will have another chance to examine the plans at a public exhibition from February 23rd to February 26 – click here for full details of times.
A new Head of the School of Architecture & Construction at the University of Greenwich has been appointed.
Neil Spiller, currently a Vice Dean at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College, London, will take up the post on September 1st.
The University plans for the School of Architecture to move from its current site at Avery Hill to a new purpose built facility in Stockwell Street.
Professor Spiller commented: “It is a great time to be joining the University of Greenwich as the School of Architecture & Construction makes plans for its new building in central Greenwich.”
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich, Baroness Blackstone, added: “Neil will play an important role in the development of our plans for a new building for the School; taking advantage of its new location, close to the City and Docklands, which will provide many opportunities to enhance its academic profile and reputation.”
A public exhibition showing the University of Greenwich’s plans for the run down site in Stockwell Street begins today.
The exhibitions opens to the public today at 5pm at Queen Mary Court and will be open every day up until the 9th July.
The University proposes replacing the existing 60s office building, John Humpreys House, with a brand new library and School of Architecture, which would be moved from its current site in Avery Hill.
The redevelopment would open up a new public walkway between Stockwell Street and King William Walk and include a gallery and cafe for the community at ground level.
The University is keen to receive feedback on the proposals so visitors to the exhibition are encouraged to submit their own thoughts and ideas using either paper-based forms or computer terminals which have been set up in the exhibition room. For details on the exhibition’s opening hours, visit the dedicated website.
Updated – 06/07/2010
Nick Raynsford MP has told Greenwich.co.uk that he believes the proposed new development is “a good scheme” that is “high quality” in terms of architecture.
He does, however, think that the designers “need to have a further look at making a decent public space” at the main entrance as he thinks the proposed approach and entrance looks “rather mean and disappointing”.
I asked Mr Raysnford if a larger public space should incorporate a resurrected Village Market as some critics have asked for, but he said that as Greenwich was already served by the covered market and Clocktower Market, he was “not convinced that there needs to be an additional market” at the Stockwell Street site.
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The following official artwork from the proposals has been supplied by the University of Greenwich.
I noticed the other day that the annexe of 4 Stockwell Street has been demolished as part of the work being undertaken by the University of Greenwich.
I had an office in there a few years ago back and after doing some work for a local artist, I commissioned some work from him in lieu of payment. He did an original piece directly onto the partition wall, which I assume has now been lost to the bulldozers – if the office occupant after me didn’t paint over it in disgust!
So here’s the piece (which was loosely inspired by the work of Mondrian), preserved for all time by way of a webcam as he did the work.
