Pat Kingwell grew up with his “wonderful parents and two lovely sisters” on the Rockingham and Tabard Gardens estates and attended the local primary school, Joseph Lancaster. His years at Walworth Secondary School seem, however, to be the most informative.
It was the teachers at Walworth who instilled and nurtured a passion for sport, English and history. He name-checks ‘Paddy’ Price for backing his love of football and cricket, English teachers Valerie Avery, Alex McLeod and Peter Medway for opening his mind to “writing and books” and ‘Bruno’ Le Brun’s history lessons. He says now: “The interest in working-class stories and history fostered by my Walworth teachers has stayed with me ever since.” In fact, it was the high quality of Mr Le Brun’s lessons that Pat believes gave him the necessary skills to get into University College, London, to study BSc International Relations, at a time when going to university was not as common as it is now.
On leaving education, Pat’s first job was in Rotherhithe library, a Salvation Army hall in Lower Road converted to replace the library in Rotherhithe Town Hall which was destroyed by a V1 rocket. Here, working with “friendly, funny and generous-minded characters” he could immerse himself in all the books and history that he wanted.
In 1975, the library moved to the Rotherhithe Civic Centre that opened in Albion Street, where Pat was eventually placed in charge of the children’s section and had story-telling duties. Because of working in close proximity to Southwark Park, Pat was able to play cricket there on pitches that he describes as “dangerous.” It was also where he would take walks with his girlfriend Lesley and her dog Jezebel that he also describes as “notoriously dangerous.” “It would snap at people’s legs,” he recalls. “It’s a wonder we never got banned by the parkies!” Lesley, on the other hand, was neither notorious or dangerous and, in 1975, they wed in Walworth Registry Office – next to Newington Library.
After around ten years of working in Southwark’s public libraries, Pat transferred into policy planning and project development. It was here in the late 1990s that he became much more involved with Southwark Park. “The park had sadly gone downhill in all sorts of ways,” he remembers. He joined The Friends of Southwark Park, formed by socially-conscious people to help bring about change. A successful National Lottery bid led to significant improvements in the park, “which still bring benefits to the community today – the lake extension, the new children’s playground, the two art galleries, the bowls pavilion and the bandstand are examples,” he declares proudly.
But being involved with The Friends of Southwark Park and its achievements had other benefits. “The restoration project gave me a lot of personal satisfaction, a circle of friends and a desire for knowledge about the park which has possibly strayed into the obsessive,” Pat says, adding that he was “very lucky” to work alongside “talented” colleagues. Pat went on to become Secretary.
Since those exciting fin de siècle days of change The Friends of Southwark Park has been connected to many events. Some of the stand-out results for Pat are: “The relocation of the Rotherhithe Caryatide, led by Gary Magold; Stewart Morgan’s documentary film It’s Our Park; Debra Gosling’s The Trees of Southwark Park; Alison Clayburn’s Voices of the Park; successful lobbying for more tennis courts, an outdoor gym, a synthetic cricket pitch, a better One O’Clock Club, an upgraded sports centre and a new café.”
He also enjoyed relocating the long-forgotten dolphin sculpture, the former centrepiece of Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, to the lake.
But in 2018, The Friends of Southwark Park fell into different hands, so the original founders established The Southwark Park Association 1869, a new group with similar aims to the old, offering the community “a democratic voice for their beloved parks.” Pat emphasises it is “a thriving, open and friendly organisation with hundreds of members and supporters, aiming to promote and protect Southwark Park and King’s Stairs Gardens.”
Already they have implemented events and noticeable improvements. “In 2019, we celebrated the 150th Anniversary of Southwark Park with a programme of activities involving local organisations,” Pat says.
“Highlights included the sinking of a time capsule containing creative work by children from Southwark Park Primary School; the publication of Women and Southwark Park; the children’s book Fun in the Park, created in partnership with Rotherhithe and Riverside Primary Schools, and yarn bombing of park railings.”
In recent troubled times, when a community needed some light in the darkness of Covid, The Southwark Park Association 1869 provided that glimmer of normality while the world was in turmoil. Pat explains, “during the pandemic we made a decision not to close. Instead we provided the community with weekly updates online, which we know were appreciated. Last year we celebrated half a century of the Council’s ownership of Southwark Park with free activities for all ages such as guided bird, bat, heritage and tree walks; a ‘Come and Try’ bowls evening; a carol concert; a photography competition and exhibition, and the publication of Birds of Southwark Park booklet.”
The Southwark Park Association 1869 is totally voluntary, with no membership fees but goes a long way “on enthusiasm and partnerships.” This year, the Salter’s Centenary year, will see free concerts and free tennis sessions, thanks to the support and sponsorship of local charities and businesses, as well as backing from the Council.
And in between all the volunteering and campaigning, Pat Kingwell has still found time to research and write books on local history: Once Upon a Street in Bermondsey in 2016 and Once Upon a Street in Rotherhithe in 2017. They are both A-Z compilations of events, incidents or people connected with the streets of the two areas, mainly drawn from old newspaper articles. More recently Pat published Southwark Park and King’s Stairs Gardens: A Day Book, which costs £10 (or £13 posted) with all proceeds going to the Association.
Contact Pat on: ourpark@live.co.uk
This article was brought to you from The Bermonsey Buiscuit and Rotherhithe Docker
