The December 2011 edition of the GLIAS Newsletter is out –
so – our regular trawl and the most important question – What does it have to
say this month about the industrial history of Greenwich and/or Woolwich??
In fact – it’s largely the usual stories embellished. But
never mind that.
First of all – a ‘thank you’ to Editor Robert (and Sue) for
advertising all the next GIHS talks at the Old Bakehouse (7.30 all Welcome)
17th
January Jeremy Hodgkinson on Iron
Founding in the Weald21st February John Yeardley on Ropemaking in London
13th March David Cufley on Bricks and brickmaking locally
17th April Peter Luck on Sugar & Soap – (site recently known as Amylum)
15th May Diana Rimel on Bazalgette
And then there are some GLIAS events – reciprocally advertised
below:
18th January – 300 Years of the Newcomen Engine
by Prof. Dave Perrett. Willoughby Theatre, Charterhouse Square, 6.30And a leaflet is enclosed for SERIAC 28th April 2012. At Newbury. Details www.biag.org.uk
SERIAC is the South East Regional Industrial Archaeology Conference – and the programme, as ever, is all rural industries with a bit of military stuff.
Back to the newsletter:
There is a long long list of items from the London Archaeologist’s
Annual Fieldwork Round-up. This
includes:Eaglesfield Park, Shooters Hill – excavation of First World War anti-aircraft gun platform Deptford Green, Lower School – rice mill established around 1700 replaced by warehouse 1875
Convoys Wharf Deptford – 52 trenches excavated, identified area of c19th Great Dock. Outline of Grade II listed c19 Olympia building and area of Tudor storehouse. Other walls and surfaces.
Next comes some bits from News in Brief
Deptford Dockyard – they report about the surviving important remains. And point out ‘the two listed shipbuilding
sheds are at present likely to be surrounded and obscured by high rise buildings.
These listed slipway covers are the only extant shipbuilding structures above
ground in Greater London (Ref. R.J.M.Surtherland Trans Necomen Society, vol 60
pps 107-126)
Then there is a lot of information about a Deptford built
warship HMS Pandora and her wreck, referring us to a Queensland Museum website. She was built in Deptford by Adams, Barnard
and Dudman in 1778-9
Enderby Wharf - they report 'bad news'.... ‘Security is no longer
being maintained at the property next door and squatters have got into Enderby
House. The interior is now so badly damaged that the house’s continued status
as a listed building is under threat.
The developers have decided that the Enderbys were ’unkind to whales’ so
it is bad to perpetuate their memory. The name 'Enderby Wharf' will probably be
changed’. They also refer to the cable gear on the jetty and refer us to
Dockland (NELP/GLC 1986 p255)
And then – we come to more on the Woolwich Ferry. And can I repeat the plea that all these
ferry enthusiasts PLEASE get in touch with us – or could the GLILAS newsletter
ask them to??
First there is a long piece by David Dawson about the
connections between the ferry and Crossness sludge vessels. This concerns
a grid iron build at Crossness for boat repair recommended to be installed in
1894. And it is added that there was a suggestion
that the ‘Woolwich Ferry boats could be serviced on the gridiron at Crossness
and with a little alteration in the levels of the blocks the gridiron can be
used for the Fire Brigade boat’. This gridiron was 230 feet long, 50 ft. wide
and built of fir timber, most 12 inch square.
Timbers were driven vertically into the river bed and cross members use to
support the vessels. This structure apparently
survived into the 1940s, but its subsequent fate isn’t recordedDavid Dawson point to the remains of a similar structure at Woolwich just down from the ferry, known as the Woolwich barge blocks.
And - finally – someone called Bob ‘sewerpipe’ Rogers has
been ‘prompted to put pen to paper’ because of the item in the last GLIAS
newsletter which said there was ‘little justification for the taxpayer funding the
ferry'. Bob Sewerpipe says ‘The Woolwich Ferry
is living heritage and many of the foot passengers would not be able to use the
foot tunnel. As such it is a lifeline’.
(And can I add – it is also extremely busy and many many vehicles
use which are not heavy transports)
1 comment:
Mary, came across this interesting article from BMJ earlier about Greenwich District Hospital:
http://www.bmj.com/highwire/filestream/300964/field_highwire_article_pdf/0/1587.full.pdf
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