The following text is a transcription of the Thamesmead Codex, from left to right and top to bottom. Any spelling mistakes have been left in.
1. The Thamesmead Codex
The Thamesmead Codex
To Thamesmead it’s a trip along the
north Kent coast beside the estuary
through towns: some prosperous, some not.
Through Margate, Whitstable, Chatham. Across
flatlands with pylons, seabirds, industrial estates, to talk
2. I am 18 years old
I am 18 years old. It's all messed up.
I want to go to Warwick University. I don’t know how
it's going to go with not taking my exams and social distancing.
I have been in one house for 18 years. I am a bit bored with it.
I loved primary school. It was very small and there was a
hub of Chinese people. We used to celebrate Chinese
New Year, so there would be lion dances, professional musicians
celebrating the lunar new year, so there would be mums and
grandma's bringing in home cooking. We would have authentic
Chinese food for lunch. There was a community hub. My grandma
who is a really nice lady, she is 91, used to go to meet other Chinese
people to play majong and talk about old times. It’s been closed for many
years. ‘Global sustainable development’ is the degree for me. If you
don't understand sustainable development you won’t be around for
long. I want businesses, be they large or small, acknowlaging
their impact on the world, and trying to make their impact a positive one.
3. I trained as a teacher
I trained as a teacher. I had health problems.
I was always looking for something to do.
I found I was good at getting alongside others,
one to one. I have continued this therapeutic engagement.
The penny dropped. I can combine music and therapeutic
potential, so that the potential can be magnified 10, 20 times. So
that really fired me up to try and explore. It’s very
different from music as we normally know it because it’s
not about performance. It’s about participation. Musicians
expect to perform and audiences expect a performance.
So for the audience to accept the performance depends on
them is a whole new concept. One woman with serious mental
health problems was very keen to come along. She loved singing
‘could be a big character. But if you saw her you would have thought
she was hating it. But afterwards she has been on an up. The psychiatric team can’t believe it.
4. I am a mum of 9
I am a mum of 9. I have lived in Thamesmead
since 1997. I am active in the community
I get involved locally. I am a co-minister with my
husband. I was born here then emigrated to Canada
with my parents. I moved back with my husband. Coming from
Canada I found it a bit of a culture shock. In Canada
people are very friendly. When I first came I was shocked
to see I would go for a walk and say ‘hello’ to people.
People would look at me as if I am crazy or something. In Canada I
was teaching dental nursing at the school where I was taught
but here I was back down to the lowest level of dentistry. It was
discriminatory. I couldn’t even take an x-ray. I went back to ‘sucking
spit’ I felt I was going back 10 years in time. They did not have a
computer. Patients’ records piled up in the office. No lead aprons.
Covid and the murder of George Floyd means things that were already there
have been brought to the surface. I like to stay involved because although it
takes a long time eventually things move forward.
5. I have a special interest in pain
I have a special interest in
pain. There seems a narrow field for people in chronic
pain. People for whome everything has failed for a long time.
Pain is suffering. Suffering has a spiritual dimension. The people
here have to put up with what is equivalent to imprisonment,
torture basically. We are very interested in who this person is.
In the Russian labour camps it was known if you wanted to survive
you gave your bread away. Try to help, is quite a beginning. You
don't just learn things from out in the world but through the
doing of things. So. Massage, the doing of art, colour, charcoal,
sound, what the experience arouses, water colours on a wet paper
what does yellow do? Blue is a sky. When someone is surprised. Surprise
is discovery. One woman played her instrument like bang! Bang! Bang! But
then one day she was able to listen to the person next to her in the
group and she was able to make something beautiful.
6. I usually go on tour with bands
I usually go on tour with bands.
I look after their equipment and set stuff up for
them. Some people I was working for, they have a ware-
house on an industrial estate. I build sets for theatre and
stuff. Because of the Covid thing I was supposed to be
away but everything has been pulled and I have been staying
in the workshop. It’s not ideal. I've got a bicycle.
If I go one way I am down at the river, the Thames.
If I go the other way it's just a whole network of wood-
land. This time of year Bostell woods are stunning.
I have a thing about trees. The secret life of trees. There
is a particular place I have found. It’s a place of
high ground, it’s really flat. It’s like a cathedral.
Like columns in a cathedral. I have always loved going
outdoors. When I was young I was always going off to the woods.
I was brought up on the southside of Glasgow, Halton. I could
sneak off to the woods. If I can find a way, I want
to stay. I am really enjoying being here at the moment.
I have got a friend who is living in the woods. I was
half contemplating moving in with him. There
is a community there from opposing the
airport in the 1970s.
7. I am in year 13
I am in year 13. Me as a person I have
always wanted to take the challenge. I am
taking a gap year. I want to do medicine.
I want to specialise in neuro-surgery. There is
a lot about the brain that is undiscovered. I
think it’s cool that something that controls us
is so hidden from us. I would say I am an ambivert
I can be introverted and extraverted. My mum works
quite often. She works in childcare with disabled children,
I have to look after my two brothers. I am the eldest
unfortunately. It’s quite stressful right now we have been
using Zoom to check up on friends. I am engaged with Black Lives
Matter. It is important to me. It’s quite an emotional topic. There
should not be a disagreement about why one person of a different colour should live happily.
In my gap year I want to go climbing in the French Alps. I went with
school. We went from the green bottom up to a snowy mountain top.
8 & 9. I was born in Hackney
I was born in Hackney. Thamesmead
was a new modern estate and it was suggested
to my mum to apply. My mum went to various art
schools in Belgium, walking around Thamesmead
she would tell me about 2 point perspective, ‘see that
road over there see how it dips up and down?’ When
I lived in Mangold Way I used to go out with friends
on our bikes. In that respect it was quite safe. If I went out
the front door it was all pedestrianized, you didn't have to cross
any roads. It was quite labyrinthine and mezzanine. There
was no need to keep up with the Jones’. Everyone had
the same sized house. When I was 13 we got into B.M.X.
We were all over the estate. North Thamesmead was a real
adventure. It was really half urban, half rural. It was about
time that robotics, electro and break dancing came out.
Underground garages made you feel you were in New York.
We had a crew of mates and we would have our
rolled up kitchen lino. We would try our moves with
our beat box. We had break dancing battles with kids
from north Thamesmead. It felt like an occupational
hazard but there was a lot of discrimination in my time.
At primary school I got singled out a lot. It’s not easy
to talk about because Thamesmead has a reputation and that's
what gets focused on. My memories are quite happy. But I was
quite aware of some negative things. The crews that
I had been break dancing with became, basically, racist
gangs. I don't know, it’s people processing their views in an
unhealthy way. Some people snap out of it, some people don’t.
It was quite troubling, bullying. It was very difficult to process
as a young person. I used to sail every summer 50p, a
day. We would be out on the lake. That was great.
I began to make paintings about where I grew up.
10. I am Pastor Bunmi
I am Pastor Bunmi. I was a
founder member of the church but I am the second
pastor. It’s mainly multicultural, Black African,
Caribbean in nature. Not by design but a reflection of the
community. The services are big musical events. We
all sing together. It’s kind of a wild party. We get to
mingle and jingle. There is finger food. Occasionally we
have something more elaborate. I was born in Paddington,
went to secondary school in Lagos. I have lived in Thamesmead
15 years. We were living in a bed sit in north London
expecting our first baby. When we came down we thought there
was a lot of green. It is like living in the country but not far from
London. We didn’t realise Thamesmead had a reputation. There was a racist
incident where a black boy was murdered that was even before Stephen
Lawrence. That case was not handled very well.
In 18 years I have not experienced anything extraordinary.
11. It’s a bit of a struggle when
It’s a bit of a struggle when
you are first generation in this country. I stayed
at home, then I got bored and started a food
business. My food is Nepalese. My food is healthy
and fresh. I use ginger, garlic, red onion,
good quality red onion, rice, cut away the
fat. I give the food a lot of thought.
My daughter goes to the dance school on
Thamesmead. It’s amazing. She is doing so
well. English people. Lovely English people
sometimes say ‘oh we can’t do this. We can’t
afford that!’ But you can do that! I can do
anything. I make life busy. I like to make every-
one busy! Desk job kills you! It’s the type of tomatoes
you use. I just put food out there. They love it!
12. My mother worked in the King David Hotel
My mother worked in the King David Hotel
in Jerusalem in 1946. As a member of the Mandatory Government
she took a few days off because she had pregnancy
pains and on one of those days the hotel blew up. The
Stern Gang blew it up. About 90 people died. She heard a bang ran
out into the street and had me early. They couldn't find a craddle
small enough so I came over to London in an orange box stuffed with
cotton wool. I was in London as a teacher and I joined a band. One
has to join a band doesn't one? We were called 'Tintagel' and we had
a year’s residency in Beckinham at the Three Tons. Running the folk
club that we were part of was David Bowie. So we played with David Bowie
for a year. One day we woke up and heard 'Space Oddity' on the radio
and never saw him again. I found I was a drama teacher. I was
born to it. I wrote musicals. I wrote 10. I wrote music and
words. I sure had a wonderful few years. My youth was
full of inexactitude. I am in Trusbury house. It has the
biggest windows of any development. I have fantastic views
13. I am quite used to being locked down
I am quite used to being locked down
I take part in excavations in Iraq.
We are locked down for 9 to 10 weeks
I photograph for the British Museum.
Militants who wanted to destroy monuments
actually discovered archaeological sites because they
dug so many tunnels. I wanted to be part of an art
community but life sometimes takes over. I had no
place to live so I said ‘you know what? I am going to apply
for this.’ I was always curious and also knowing the Clock-
work Orange I said this place is amazing and the flats
were incredible. They were in a really bad state. I am
having the time of my life. To be honest I love
the people in Thamesmead. People talk to you. I am
in one of the towers that will be demolished. I live
on the 9th floor. I am doing a project called in and
out. I am sort of watching passers by. I am making art
out of people not being there. Empty streets, empty
buses. I have been down but because of the empty spaces
I bounce back. All the down aspects of Thamesmead. No transport,
no cinema, no cafes. During covid it does not matter if it
feels remote, because it feels safer.
14 & 15. I came from the Punjab at 14
I came from the Punjab at 14.
I ran a business teaching people to drive. It was just
empty land here. We got the first shop here, Lake-
side Wine Merchants in 1969. Thamesmead was very advanced.
People used to come in coaches from all over the
world to have a look at it. Everything was made for this
town on this site only. Electrical components, everything
every day. There would be coaches. It was constructed in
panels. The Greater London Council thought it was exciting.
They were so careless. They didn’t bother collecting rents.
There were lots of fights. A lot of racism, we were the
first Black people here nobody else only us. They
would always try and steal. When you asked them to stop
they would hit you. We were younger then everyday
there were fights. You had to be on your guard.
We had 3 or 4 people in the shop at the
time, on Saturday afternoon people wanted steak.
They were drinking in the club and they would come
downstairs get a steak and try to steal it and
you try stopping them. Everyone wants a punch up
with you! The police were not very helpful. The
police divide people up. People who they can help…
shop keepers, we are not human. They only want to
know what’s going on out there not in my shop. On
Wednesday afternoons we used to close. I learnt
to fly at Biggin Hill, twin engine planes. If you
ever got lost when you were flying and you saw
Thamesmead, you set 26 on your dial and to go back
to Biggin Hill. It’s a beautiful town from above.
This country is very safe. In the old days it didn’t feel safe.
16. July 20th 1972 we moved
July 20th 1972 we moved
here. It was classed as high rented. You had
to come for an interview and ‘have a good job’
to come here. I was a coal miner’s daughter brought
up in Wales. I bought my first camera when I was
15. I joined the Airforce I ended up in Africa.
I started textiles about 20 years ago. Colour
makes you feel good. It happens with a lot of
people. On the balcony when we had that hot
weather we had the most amazing sunsets.
Deep purple crimson, deep pink. It was almost
like Africa. I like patterns with patterns, reflections
on the lake, shapes, colours. This summer has been brilliant
with all the birds. DO you know what a great crested grebe
looks like? It looks like a punk rocker.
17. I have always loved swans
I have always loved swans
because of the way they are. They are graceful and
tranquil birds and their mannerisms are quite
funny. We had a spate where the swans were being
mutilated. At first they thought it was fox related
but then realised it was human related. I took it upon
myself that I can’t allow that to happen. I had to
make a stand. We set up a Facebook group. We go out on our
patrols. The swans were here before us. In fact,
it’s not ours, it’s theirs.
You look at any old black and white photograph of
Thamesmead and there is a patch of light
and sure enough it’s a beautiful bird.
18. I have been here 44 years
I have been here 44 years.
I am 44. We work at the Hawksmoor Youth
Club. Older generations keep grudges going.
People stick in their postcode. Young people
have to make a decision what groups they want
to be in. There is a past history of gangs from diff-
erent postcodes not getting on. Tinie Tempah was in the
Teapot Gang. There are positives of being in a gang. If some-
one wants to fight you you have people who will cover
your back. Community events are fun. The whole family
can come. I did one recently, 500 people came. The
population has increased but the services have not.
People are making a living illegally because of the benefits syst-
em. If a kid goes to work but lives at home he has to pay the rent for
mum and dad. I have a new partner. He volunteers here. He is a nice man.
19. When I was studying art
When I was studying art I couldn’t recognise myself in
anyone. I need to be a Brown Muslim female artist. I need to
shout about it. I have done textile design for Zara
but no one would know. Textile design can be very
anonymous because it’s female. I thought you had to be a
white person to be an artist. We used to visit
Lahore to visit my grandparents. I have these really vivid memories of going to
to these bazaars with fabric rolled really high. It was
like you were at a sweetshop. There was not much ready-
made clothing. You would have a family tailor, you would
pick your fabric then go to see your tailor and that has
always stuck with me. The power textile has to transform
things, that really appealed to me. You could define or
change who you were just by the clothes you wore.
This year didn’t feel like Ramadan but one thing was quite good
during lockdown. It was good to think and reflect. We did get
dressed up at Eid. Me and my husband had a picnic it was so great.
20. I was born in Leamington Spa in the War
I was born in Leamington Spa in the War. The War had a big
impression on me. I wrote lots of poems about the War.
Aged 16 I was a supervisor in Marks and Spencer. I went into
interior design. I worked my way through, developing other
people’s homes. I built up a reputation. I have been doing
that for 33 years. I worked with people with lots of
money in the center of London. It was pure delight
coming up with ideas which they loved. This is my love of
nature. We have to be in nature. I saw this building which is all
grey and black with steel panels. I went for my interview. They
showed me a room with a four meter window and on the
other side of the balcony are the woods and I cried.
I have been here a year, I have watched the transformation
of nature. When I moved in there were hardly any leaves on the
trees and they have grown with me living here. The sun rises
through the trees an amazing red. It’s all up across
Thamesmead. I have a 360 view. I feel so blessed.