Pear Tree House
Encyclopedia
Pear Tree House was the former Civil Defence control centre
for South-East London. It is a block of council flats in the Central Hill Estate of Upper Norwood
with 8 two-bedroom flats and the control centre in the basement.
was grouped with the neighbouring boroughs of Southwark
and Camberwell
to make up civil defence region 53a. Negotiations took place between them for a site to build a control centre for the area during the heightened atomosphere in the era of the Cuban Missile Crisis
. A large area of Gipsy Hill
in Lambeth was designated for a new housing estate and, as it was in the extreme south of the borough and well protected by the local hills, a site at the junction of Lunham Road and Hawke Road in SE19 was chosen.
Whilst the two-storey bunker was being designed and approved the structures of civil defence and London government were changing. Work on Pear Tree House started in 1963 but it was now merely going to be a borough control centre, the existing borough control in St Matthews Road, Brixton
was to become a sub-control. It cost £31,850 of which the Home Office paid 75% (£23,250). The 18-room bunker and flats were completed in 1966 and the bunker went into care and maintenance when civil defence was stood down two years later.
In 1971 London was designated a civil defence region again and in 1973 the GLC
set up emergency planning teams looking at the future structures of civil defence in the capital. It was decided that London would be split into 5 groups of boroughs each having its own control centre. The GLC selected the Pear Tree House bunker as the South East group war HQ and although not ideal it was converted in 1979.
Because of its location Pear Tree House received a lot of attention in the 1980s. It was a focus of local CND
marches, its blast doors were fly posted and it was open to the public for a week in 1982 for CND's Hard Luck campaign which coincided with the dates of the cancelled Hard Rock
exercise. Speakers during that week included Duncan Campbell
and Bruce Kent
.
In the late 1980s the arrangement to rent the bunker from Lambeth expired and 'nuclear-free' Lambeth threatened the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority with eviction. Another site was looked for but an agreement was made and it remained the South East group emergency centre until 1993. It was later used as a social services store and is now empty.
Civil Defence centre
Civil Defence centres are administration, communication and logistics command centres built in the United Kingdom by the British Government for use in the event of war or serious emergency. During World War II they were often called Air Raid Precautions Centres...
for South-East London. It is a block of council flats in the Central Hill Estate of Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood is an elevated area in south London, England within the postcode SE19. It is a residential district largely in the London Borough of Croydon although some parts extend into the London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Bromley. Upper Norwood...
with 8 two-bedroom flats and the control centre in the basement.
History
In the early 1960s the Metropolitan Borough of LambethMetropolitan Borough of Lambeth
The Metropolitan Borough of Lambeth was a Metropolitan borough under London County Council from 1900 to 1965.-History:The borough covered the area of the former Lambeth parish vestry. In addition to the historic riverside area of Lambeth, this included Kennington, Vauxhall, Stockwell, Brixton, the...
was grouped with the neighbouring boroughs of Southwark
Metropolitan Borough of Southwark
The Metropolitan Borough of Southwark was a metropolitan borough in the County of London from 1900 to 1965. It was created to cover the western section of the ancient borough of Southwark and formed the northwestern part of the current London Borough of Southwark. In common with the rest of inner...
and Camberwell
Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in the County of London. The borough was created in 1900 by the London Government Act 1899, covering the area of the ancient parish of Camberwell...
to make up civil defence region 53a. Negotiations took place between them for a site to build a control centre for the area during the heightened atomosphere in the era of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
. A large area of Gipsy Hill
Gipsy Hill
Gipsy Hill is an area of South London near Upper Norwood, it is considered to be part of Crystal Palace. This area of Gipsy Hill also includes the Central Hill estate...
in Lambeth was designated for a new housing estate and, as it was in the extreme south of the borough and well protected by the local hills, a site at the junction of Lunham Road and Hawke Road in SE19 was chosen.
Whilst the two-storey bunker was being designed and approved the structures of civil defence and London government were changing. Work on Pear Tree House started in 1963 but it was now merely going to be a borough control centre, the existing borough control in St Matthews Road, Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
was to become a sub-control. It cost £31,850 of which the Home Office paid 75% (£23,250). The 18-room bunker and flats were completed in 1966 and the bunker went into care and maintenance when civil defence was stood down two years later.
In 1971 London was designated a civil defence region again and in 1973 the GLC
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
set up emergency planning teams looking at the future structures of civil defence in the capital. It was decided that London would be split into 5 groups of boroughs each having its own control centre. The GLC selected the Pear Tree House bunker as the South East group war HQ and although not ideal it was converted in 1979.
Because of its location Pear Tree House received a lot of attention in the 1980s. It was a focus of local CND
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
marches, its blast doors were fly posted and it was open to the public for a week in 1982 for CND's Hard Luck campaign which coincided with the dates of the cancelled Hard Rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
exercise. Speakers during that week included Duncan Campbell
Duncan Campbell (investigative journalist)
Duncan Campbell is a British freelance investigative journalist, author and television producer who, since 1975, has specialised in the subjects of intelligence and security services, defence, policing, civil liberties and, latterly, computer forensics. He was a staff writer at the New Statesman...
and Bruce Kent
Bruce Kent
Bruce Kent is a British political activist and a former Roman Catholic priest. Active in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament , he was the organisation's general secretary from 1980 to 1985 and its chair from 1987 to 1990...
.
In the late 1980s the arrangement to rent the bunker from Lambeth expired and 'nuclear-free' Lambeth threatened the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority with eviction. Another site was looked for but an agreement was made and it remained the South East group emergency centre until 1993. It was later used as a social services store and is now empty.