Tag: Citizen’s Advice Bureaux

A Knight’s Tale (84: Charles And Betty)

When I walked past it on 15th August 2012, as often, before 10 a.m. opening time, when it would open, there was a queue outside Merton Citizen’s Advice Bureau.  These offices, now found all over London, are charities where people in need may obtain information, and at certain dedicated times, free legal advice.  Relying on various sources of funding, their opening hours are restricted.  This put me in mind of Charles and Betty Wegg-Prosser.  By the time I joined the Beauchamp Lodge Settlement Committee in 1974, Charles was no longer actively involved, although Betty was in the chair, where she remained for some years until I took over the position.  She was still a lively and influential member.  As a leading Labour Lawyer, Charles had, I think, founded the Paddington Citizen’s Advice Bureau.  This was a couple who gave a great deal to the poor and underpriveleged of Paddington.

Wikipedia has this to say: ‘Charles Wegg-Prosser (16 August 1910 – 7 October 1996) was a British politician and solicitor.

Wegg-Prosser attended the Downside School, then studied at Oriel College, Oxford, and became a solicitor. In 1934, he joined the British Union of Fascists (BUF), soon becoming director of the group’s Shoreditch branch. For the April 1936 edition of the “Fascist Quarterly”, Wegg-Prosser wrote “The Worker and the State”, denouncing Communist governments as “controlled, not by national workers, but by parasitic Jews” and Fabianism as a “Jewish racket.”

At the 1937 London County Council election, he stood for the party in Limehouse, and the party then relocated him to Paddington.[1][2]

Wegg-Prosser became disillusioned with fascism, making contact with anti-fascist activists, and leaving the BUF at the end of 1937. He then began speaking out against the group’s anti-semitism and fondness of dictatorship, and was admitted to the Labour Party, on a year’s probation. He served in the British Army during World War II.[1][2]

In 1945, Wegg-Prosser was elected to Paddington Metropolitan Borough Council, soon becoming chair of its finance committee, and then leader of the Labour group on the council. He stood unsuccessfully in Paddington South at the 1945, 1950, 1951 and 1955 UK general elections. He campaigned against Peter Rachman, was the first chair of the North Kensington Law Centre, and was the first Labour activist to be elected to the governing body of the Law Society.[1][2][3]‘

Eid

On this dull and humid morning I had intended to follow Jackie’s suggestion that I take a bus somewhere and walk around there.  As I reached Morden bus station, a few drops of rain suggested I should pay attention to the weather forecast, and stay closer to home.  I therefore backtracked and made a tour of the derelict school sportsground and Morden Park.  I had received an e-mail from Mike Kindred telling me it was even hotter in the village I had just left.

As often, before 10 a.m. when they open, there was a queue outside Merton Citizen’s Advice Bureau.  These offices, now found all over London, are charities where people in need may obtain information, and at certain dedicated times, free legal advice.  Relying on various sources of funding, their opening hours are restricted.  This put me in mind of Charles and Betty Wegg-Prosser.  By the time I joined the Beauchamp Lodge Settlement Committee in 1974, Charles was no longer actively involved, although Betty was in the chair, where she remained for some years until I took over the position.  She was still a lively and influential member.  Settlements are charitable community organisations which either run or house activities, such as Adult Literacy schemes and various projects for young, disabled, or elderly people.  There are also facilities for minority groups, often accommodating them until they are established enough to obtain their own premises.  As a leading Labour Lawyer, Charles had founded the Paddington Citizen’s Advice Bureau.  This was a couple who gave a great deal to the poor and underpriveleged of Paddington.

Passing the concrete slabs, on which I sometimes sit and read in the sunshine, at the opening to the former ILEA sportsground, I noticed three vans parked on the grass.  A gang of men were laying something out beside them.  Naturally I wandered over to investigate.  They were in the process of erecting a marquee which was to house the expected overflow from the mosque which would be celebrating Eid at the weekend. Eid celebrates the end of Ramadin.  It is an end to fasting.Cameo event hire 8.12  Although the mosque itself, a tour of which I described on 18th. May, has a great deal of accommodation, it was not expected to cope with the many thousands of people who would be converging on this small suburb at the weekend.   Perhaps in preparation for this, the meadows were being mown by two enormous vehicles.  This was much more sophisticated machinery than the scythe with which I had romantically cut down our orchard meadow in Lindum House every autumn, taking care not to slaughter that year’s young frogs which frantically leapt out of my way.  For a different reason, I also carefully avoided disturbing bees’ nests when I applied the mower to it.

The windows and doors to the derelict building, posted on 29th. June, have now been cemented over, but someone has determinedly broken into two of them and placed an access board against one.  The inside is still a complete shambles.  The unofficial car parking area has had Flytipping (see 2nd. July) notices attached.

Graffiti artists had remembered the Queen’s Jubilee earlier in the year.  The Olympic torch also puts in an appearance.

On a wooded footpath I came across a squirrel burying his nuts.  When he had no trouble scampering away, I was reminded of the hoary old jocular definition of a macho man, being one who runs home from his vasectomy.  The owner of an interested Alsatian made his dog sit down and watch me walk by.  I thanked him.  When I arrived back at Links Avenue, the rain was falling in earnest.  Probably on Ernest as well, since he was going shopping.

Our repast this evening was a varied salad accompaned by Wickham Celebration rose, 2010