wildcornerz
... of South East London.
Latest posts
Wild man Kyle Pidduck
Kyle Pidduck documents his life living wild around the uk with his two dogs. There's quite a lot of 'outdoor living' Youtubers out there. Some more interesting than others. I first found his channel while he was walking and sleeping along the coastal path up to Scotland . After many months he decided to cross back over the border and settle down for the winter in a small cabin he built illegally…
Common Crown
Made this little intervention the other day up on Whitefield’s mount, which is the name given to the island of scrub growing wild on Blackheath. It is named after the 18th century Anglican preacher who would deliver sermons from it to audiences of thousands. Before this though, for centuries the patch was known as ‘Wat Tyler’s Mound’. Apparently speeches were made up here to the rebel encampments…
Wild corners connected
This guy sets himself the challenge to cross Greater London without using any roads. Some of these Youtuber geo adventures can seem a little gimmicky at times but what is created here is fascinating. He maps a route using larger green spaces and in between these he navigates, trespasses an internal network of edges, alleys and water ways through the city and suburbs. See him passing through…
The Swamp [Vol 1]
Here is the full length version of my film The Swamp. A poetic documentary about my favourite wild corner, hidden on a secluded train embankment close to my childhood home. It is the place I was first told about the legend of the Lewisham Natureman and shown his scratched crown tag. The film is made from a collage of footage I filmed there over the last 20 + years. It is the first of a series…
Malcom Appleby's studio
One of many gems from BBC Archive's Youtube account. Lovely footage of Malcom Appleby's home and studio built in a derelict train station on a long discontinued line.
Devils Steps Portal
Proper original Lewisham Wildcornerz stuff ... A post on Facebook that caught my eye recently. Devil's steps was an access point for local children to climb onto the railway which led to a huge disused gravel pit a little way along the tracks. This is obviously where the road name Granville Park came from. 'A paradise for adventurers'. An old Lewisham Natureman white stag can sill be seen behind…
Pirate Radio Pirate
More UK pirate interviews. This time with Killer, former owner of Y2K Essex. He features in an episode of the now informous BBC mini series 'Tower Block Dreams' in 2003. Elements of this episode were directly parodied in early episodes of the comedy 'People Just do Nothing'. After this period he became better known within pirate radio circles as a prolific rig thief and racketeer, preying on…
Brains of the top Pirate
Eastman, head honcho of London's top pirate Kool FM. Great documentation of 'the complicated life' of a great London character. He shares memories with his old friend Dj Ron of growing up in 1970's Hackney and Sound system culture. Its interesting hearing about some of the trials and struggles of running such a successful pirate station in London and how they overcame them and flourished. He is a…
Skippering
Another element often found in the wildcorners of South London are traces of 'Skippers'. This slang term was used by homeless communities of old London, meaning a temporary site used for rough sleeping. The word is derived from Skepper or Skypper; another name for a Barn. The term seems to appear often when referring to the barn as somewhere to sleep the night. It gradually widened to include all…
Anti Piracy Ads - VHS, DVD and Downloads
Telephone box Painter
Nice short doc by Matthieu Livingston about Robert Pammen; London's last [official] telephone box painter.
Motorway Ditch [Road-side Microworlds], 2023
Wild Corners on the Western Borders
Exploring Lewisham's far South Western border, in search of wildness. Behind some flats in the shadows, a dark path can be seen through scrub and pine trees. It continues and starts to climb into steps upwards, away from the visibility of the road. The trail then steadily falls into a small woodland valley; a remaining shred of the ancient Great North Wood. Remains of the Crescent Wood Tunnel…
Bunking - a Mini Workshop
This is a mini workshop I ran as part of a two day online event for Chisenhale art studios, the Alt-MFA and Into the Wild alternative art programs: Local hiding places. If you were a kid, where would you bunk school? Workshop by Jack Thurgar [WILDCORNERZ] A workshop focussing on hiding places, spaces away from authority and the public eye. This is a quick exercise in imaginative thinking. The…
Lightship Artwork
Radio producer Cathy FitzGerald and digital innovator Tony Churnside collaborated on this excellent audio installation on the LV21 Lightship, as part of the Thames festival 2016. The work is broadcast on an fm radio signal and is received on the ship by a column of the thames salty estuary water which is used as an aerial. The audio, softly played out on the deck, is made from FitzGerald's…
Governors, Duo's, Lone-wolfs - Graf Storytellers of old London Town
Here are some of my picks from the Killa Kela podcast. This is a selection of my favourite characters behind some of the biggest tags, from the 80s and 90s London scenes. The Char and Steam interviews are particular jewels. They tell childhood stories, growing up in a different era of London, as well as tales of missions and danger, memories of names and locations that interweave to form part of…
Uncle Yammy; The great storyteller of life behind the door
Thought this was definitly one for the wildcorner corner. Check out Yammy B's youtube channel for his regular stories from over 40 years in the uk prison system. Yammy came from an extremely traumatic childhood and was put into care at the age of 9 and then on to borstal and then prison. He spent years in the 'Cat A's' where he got hooked on class a drugs and became a notorious hitman for various…
The Swamp [Vol 1] Extended Trailer - NEWNESS!
This is a trailer for my first video in a new series. The videos explore the infamous Swamp; a secluded piece of wild land in Lewisham and are made from footage I filmed there over the last 20 years. In this first chapter I look at the mysterious pond and the unnamed stream. Run time of full film: 24 mins
Wild Cornerz Show this week in Peckham
Im showing my new video 'The Swamp' this week as part of a group show named after this very blog. The video is the first of a new series made of footage filmed at the infamous swamp over the last 20 years. Accompanying the video I am showing my shrine to the Swamp [pictured below]. Im exhibiting alongside three other local artists; Andrew Finch, Tobias and Ed Carter who's work also explores…
Back from the future!
It's been a minute on here. I started posting on my insta account: @jackthurgar more these days. Maybe I should bring back the ol blogspot.. or just leave it be... hmm... I like that its still here as a little archive of work and research anyway. In the mean time, heres a new tee I've made 'Unknown Dangers' and am selling though my online shop: Cornerz Clothing
Welcome to the family kid!
My Corner Weedz print is available to buy [along with the tee version]. Each Corner Weed member, represents four different species of 'weeds' that grow in the wild places of South London. Meet, Poppy Head, Levi the dandy Lion, Ragz [Ragwort] and 'Mad' Bud [Buddleia.] .... More Road than the green cross code!
Lewisham Natureman article [Archive]
Newshopper Article from 2014 about some of the stag sightings in the borough. Interesting the article suggests they have been made using stencils. The few that I have seen close up, look like they were painted with a brush.
Raids on Lewisham Pirates [Archive]
Article from 2001 One location mentioned is Aragon tower, formally the tallest residential block in Europe. Also formally owned by Lewisham council until it was sold off to Berkeley Homes in 2006 and turned into luxury apartments. It was at an early phase of the 'gentrification' of Deptford. This is documented in the BBC series 'The Tower: A Tale of Two Cities' Mentions Nigerian pirate; N Power…
Lewisham Natureman Catford Bridge Sighting
These photos were taken some years ago now [maybe 5 or 6] featuring Lewisham's own wandering spirit of wild places. Under Catford Bridge it is seen walking alongside the Ravensbourne, as the river passes underground. Thank you to P.M for the tip off. .. and again some years later, disappearing and reappearing.