Inspector of Nuisances
Inspector of Nuisances is a heritage and creative research project inspired by Alice Billing, Newham’s first female sanitation inspector, who served between 1897 and 1930. The project takes its name from the official Victorian-era title for public health officers—a role Alice held at a time when few women occupied such civic positions.
Despite having a Grade II listed building named in her honour, little is widely known—or celebrated—about Alice Billing. We see her as a radical and important figure in Newham’s history, and through this project, we aim to uncover and share her story. Why was a former firemen’s residence, later a council building, named after her? What legacy did she leave behind?
Alice Billing House today stands as a site layered with stories of Newham’s civic, social, and architectural past. This project aims to uncovers stories from the past and from today!
Research and Historical Context
We will work with a local genealogist to research Alice Billing’s life, uncovering details about her family, personal choices, and career as a pioneering woman of her time. Never marrying and dedicating her life to the health and safety of Newham, Alice's story provides unique insight into women’s roles in civic life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
This research will also trace the varied uses of Alice Billing House since 1964, exploring how the building has remained connected to themes of health, safety, and social progress—from a hostel for the homeless to council departments and even as a film set. The findings will shape both community engagement activities and the direction of commissioned artistic work.
Artist Residency and Creative Engagement
An Open Call will commission a Newham-based artist or collective for a two-week artist residency at Alice Billing House. The selected artist will explore the building’s uses post-1965. The building’s transition from a firemen’s residence to a multi-use civic site will provide rich material for artistic response. The residency will include public-facing creative sessions and outreach within the space.
Community-Led Storytelling and Mentorship
Frames of Mind, an existing studio resident at Alice Billing House, will lead a series of creative engagement sessions with local residents and women health workers. Their sessions will explore Alice Billing’s legacy through objects and artefacts as storytelling prompts, using stop-frame animation to bring these stories to life.
Frames of Mind will also be:
Spending time with for the artist in residence, sharing research methods and community practices.
Offering training to a locally recruited heritage producer, who will assist in the engagement sessions and contribute to the planning of the final public event.
Newham Heritage Month 2025
This project is part of Newham Heritage Month 2025, an annual festival celebrating the borough’s rich and diverse history. With the theme “Newham at 60: A Borough Like No Other,” this year’s programme marks six decades since the borough’s formation. The festival supports creative, community-led projects that shine a light on underexplored local heritage and invite new conversations about identity, place, and shared history.