Friday 21 January 2011

Victorian Wood Wharf

We have been quite excited to see a copy of this new book - Victorian Wood Wharf and Greenwich Riverside 1820-2010.

But - before we get any further - we have no information whatsoever on where to get it, or how much it is, and it doesn't have an ISBN It has been produced by the authors Ronald A.Richards & Derek J.Bayliss. Both of them spent working lives in businesses on that stretch of the Greenwich riverside and historical information is interspersed with their own memories and stories.

The book gives a great deal of detail on several, otherwise forgotten, riverside industries:

for example: Coneybeare Ltd. Marine Engineers and Boilermakers, Orient Lighterage Ltd., Baker barge breakers, Wood & Co. forage makers, Anglo Swedish Welding ... and most of all Pope and Bond.

They go into the historic detail of famous firms like Rennie on Dreadnought Wharf and the less famous gas works at Phoenix Wharf, and go on to General Steam and the Royal Daff.

it also gives details of the pubs -The Sun, The Retreat, The Rose and Crown, The Loyal Briton

the cottages and who lived there .............the council estate ... the barge races .............the recording and rehearsal studios............... the artists

People should know about this little book - the area it covers is full of new residents who will know nothing of what was until very recently a busy working area -which has just grown up informally and was full of interest. In fact its a great little book and don't let it sink without trace.

ugh oh late info
The Wood Wharf
Sale price £5 per copy
108 pages Size A5 Colour
Leighton Darwin Press

Friday 7 January 2011

Foxboro-Yoxall in Kidbrook

A REIGATE AND REDHILL history site:

http://www.redhill-reigate-history.co.uk/foxyox.htm

gives a history of the British works of the American instrument makers Foxboro Yoxall. In the article it says they had a factory in Kidbrook??? Does anyone out there have any information on this??

Tuesday 4 January 2011

Bits of news - including - Greenwich back in Kent

We understand that a Kent IA section is being set up with an inaugural meeting in February - we also understand that they are looking at the historic county - which means us! More details when we have them - and see you there!

Greenwich Historical Association - meeting on Wednesday 26th January 2011 - is about the The Making of a Map - by RICH SYLVESTER who will talk about the the process of making a history map of Greenwich Peninsular and East Greenwich.
Rich worked closely with several of our members on this project and we look forward to hearing about it from him. Suspect this is at Blackheath High School, Mycenae Road entrance, 7.30 but you should check

GLIAS - meeting on 19th January at Willhoughby Theatre, Charterhouse Square, 18.30. This is about early computers in London by Dan Hayton. We have been feeding Dan lots of information about London Borough of Greenwich's John Humpheries House and its Leo III. Hopefully he will also take in Elliott Automation - which was on the Tesco site in Lewisham

Our programme (so far) for the next year is as follows:
all at the Old Bakehouse, Bennett Park 7.30

18th January Andy Brockman The First Blitz: The Eaglesfield Park Anti Aircraft Gun Site and the defence of Woolwich Arsenal in WW1.

15th February Brian Strong on the distilling industry

15th March John King on Aer Lingus and the LMS Railway

12th April Diana Rimel - the Ashburnham Triangle. Part II

10th May Duncan Hawkins on Archaeology at Deptford Dockyard

20th September – Ron Bristow on Elliott Automation

11th October Chris Foord on Industries of Barking and Dagenham

15th November – John Grieg on Grieg’s Wharf part II