The Xtra Diary - Pimlico Plumbing's Buster Martin, bows out at 104

Published: 22 April, 2011

SPORTSMAN and rock star Buster Martin lived in south London, but as an employee of Pimlico Plumbers, perhaps he could be considered an honorary Westminster man. 

Buster, who died last week aged 104, was legendary for his hard living, but he also kept fit, even running the London Marathon in 2008, aged 101. 

He played in a band, The Zimmers, with other pensioners, and worked for five years as a part-time van cleaner for the plumbing firm.

“He was his own person,” said Pimlico Plumbers boss Charlie Mullins. “He used to smoke, drink, bet – do all the things that they tell you not to do. When he first joined the company some of the guys were a bit taken aback and thought it wouldn’t last long, but people forget that men like Buster, they’ve been through a lot in life and they are strong.”

Born in September 1906, Buster was orphaned in Cornwall in his teens. He worked for many years as a market porter in Brixton and served in the army during the Second World War. 

Up until his death he was a familiar face in the pubs close to his home in Bermondsey, including The Lambeth Walk, and when he turned 100, the Young’s brewery brought out a beer to mark the event. 

“He was a great character and a great inspiration,” said Mr Mullins. “He always said that the only time he’d stop working was in his box and he was true to his word. 

“He will be sadly missed.”

Arrangements have been made for Buster’s funeral procession, which will drive past some of the pubs where he liked to drink. It is scheduled to take place on May 3 at 10.45am at the Honour Oak Crematorium in Brockley Way, SE4 – though the date may change in due course. Anyone who wishes to attend and wants more information should call Karl Plunkett at Pimlico Plumbers on 020 7928 8888.

Must we pander to these odd queries?

THE Freedom of Information (FoI) Act divides opinion among hacks. 

In theory it is a great resource for prising data from local authorities and other public bodies. But in practice councils are these days very adept at using various loopholes and exemptions to deflect the glare of the media. 

Go to whatdotheyknow.com – a website that catalogues pending FoI requests – and you can browse 167 relating to Westminster City Council.

Perhaps there is cause for sympathy, then, for the overworked staff charged with tackling enquiries such as “How many Jedi knights work for the council?”, and “How much does the council spend on paranormal investigators?”  

Last week the government’s secrecy watchdog, the Information Commissioner, rapped City Hall for taking too long to respond to FoI requests.

Alastair Gilchrist, the council’s strategic director, said the number of such inquiries had trebled in Westminster since 2007.

Requests recently received have included scores of (largely sensible) questions relating to motorcycle parking charges and the council’s accounts. But Diary wonders what inspired one member of the public to ask how many exorcisms the council has commissioned, or why another requested to view all information about giant pandas currently held by Westminster City Council.

He’s a doc ’n’ roll star!

BY day Dr Adam Bakker is a GP at the Lisson Grove Health Centre in Marylebone – but in his spare time he plays in a “palm court” musical outfit following in a great Edwardian tradition.

Formed in 1996, The Aspidistra Drawing Room Orchestra have released numerous albums inspired by the popular concerts which took place in the Waldorf Hotel, Aldwych, in the early 1900s and which featured a wide repertoire including In a Persian Market by Albert W Ketèlbey and hits from Gilbert and Sullivan.

This humorous and charming style of music, which became known as “palm court”, was all the rage back then but, sadly, it is widely overlooked these days. 

“There are so many people who listen to our albums and say ‘that’s lovely’, and who play them again and again,” said Dr Bakker. “But even more people never get them out of the cellophane wrapper. The thought of listening to palm court music they find slightly disgusting.”

Actor and musician Elizabeth Menezes, who plays alongside Dr Bakker in the orchestra, said: “I call it Edwardian pop music because it’s the equivalent of just putting something in a jukebox. A lot of people think of this as classical so it gets overlooked by both extremes, but when people actually hear it they really enjoy it. ”

Judge for yourself at the Aspidistra Drawing Room Orchestra’s spring bank holiday concert on May 30. It takes place at Lauderdale House, Highgate Hill, N6, at 2.30pm. Tickets £9. For more information and tickets call 020 7633 9313, www.aspidistra.org