10 SOUTHWARK COLLEGE VOICE
NOVEMBER 2009: ISSUE 6
WHAT’S MADE THE NEWS IN SOUTHWARK
Children’s
AWARD: Edward
festival is
Turner junior and
Erum Waheed, the
instigator of the blue
a success
plaque campaign
and (below) the
plaque unveiled
THE first ever Southwark
children’s book festival has
been hailed a resounding
success by organisers after
crowds of people took part
in the fun.
Organised by Southwark
Council’s library service, the
festival brought together a
host of great events with
talks by some of Britain’s
best children’s authors.
With quirky, fun and
thought-provoking events
on offer, there was
something for everyone to
enjoy.
Among some of the famous
names called in for the
event was popular writer
Malorie Blackman, who
revealed the secrets behind
her success and the
inspiration behind her
famous noughts and crosses
series, Lauren Child, and
Julia Eccleshare, The
Triumph for former
Guardian’s children’s editor
and author.
Haye in line
for honour
motorbike designer
THE new world
heavyweight boxing
champion David Haye could
ONE of Southwark’s greatest
built his first ever motorbike at his own
be offered the freedom of
exports to the world of
Chepstow Motors before going on to become
the borough following his
motorcycling has triumphed
a household name, not only throughout
shock victory over Russia's
Southwark but also throughout the
Nikolai Valuev.
over other notable figures in
motorcycle industry.
Haye, a former student at
the city’s history and been His son’s memories of him are all positive
Southwark College, defied officially awarded his own blue
as he explained: “It might be an age thing
the odds to overpower the
plaque.
because I was only 11-years-old when my
Russian giant and gain a
Edward Turner revolutionised the
dad passed away but I remember him to be
victory on points, earning
motorcycle industry in the 1920s, designing
a wonderful man. That’s it really; he was
him the heavyweight title.
and building bikes in his own workshops
just a wonderful, wonderful man. I think
However, that is not the
and later going on to run the Triumph
that we can learn a lot from the ambition
only honour he will receive
chain of products and introducing the
and motivation he had in developing his
before Christmas if his
world to a number of new, innovative bikes.
career.
hometown gets its way.
Now, as part of the Southwark blue
“He spotted a passion for motorcycle
Plans for an open top bus
plaque scheme run by the borough council, By JOHN EDDEN
design and stuck at it, eventually going all
tour of the borough were
his contribution to the world of motorcycle
the way to the top so I think that this
already in process quickly
design has been officially recognised and a
a blue plaque and then they were revealed
plaque is fully deserved. He would be over
after his win and now
lasting tribute to his work erected in the
to the public and they were asked to vote on
the moon if he were here today to see it.”
Southwark Council is keen
city. After passing away in the early 1970s,
who they wanted the plaque to go to. The
Edward junior was the man who
to mark his achievements by
Edward’s legacy has continued to be recog-
fact that they voted for my father means officially unveiled his father’s plaque in
giving him the coveted
nised by the people of Southwark, so much
such a lot to me and my family and he front of such people as Tony Benn and
Freedom of the Borough
so that his much-deserved plaque was two
would be absolutely thrilled if he knew that Southwark’s mayor, Coun Eliza Mann, as
nod.
years in the making.
the people of Southwark and surrounding well as hundreds of people who gathered to
The Mayor of Southwark
His son, also called Edward, explained
areas are still recognising his achievements honour his father’s legacy.
has already suggested to the
how he beat off stiff competition from such
today.” For keen motorcyclists throughout the
council’s Chief Executive,
famous local names as Sir Henry Cooper,
Edward Turner senior was a Southwark world, his work will always live on through
Annie Shepperd, that the
John Harvard and Anne Shelton.
boy through and through and it was such models as the Ariel Square Four, the
Freedom of the Borough
“I think it was Southwark Council who
actually in Peckham where he developed Triumph Speed Twin and the Triumph
could be offered to the
originally picked the candidates to receive
his career in the motorcycle industry. He
Bonneville.
Bermondsey man but in
order to make it official, it
would have to be ratified at
If you have an interesting story to tell, e-mail john.edden@mytvonline.co.uk
a full council assembly.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12