Sea Witch Pub - the tankards

SEA WITCH PUB

 

The Sea Witch Pub stood along the Greenwich Riverside Path,  facing the river, until it was bombed in the Second World War and was subsequently demolished.  It stood just where the path turns abruptly left to go round Morden Wharf - until five or six years ago this was the site of the Amylum Laboratory building, which strangely echoed its size, shape and layout.

 

 
 
 
I wrote an article about the Sea Witch for Bygone Kent a few years ago and it can be found online at https://greenwichpeninsulahistory.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/two-vanished-greenwich-pubs/  and I understand more research has been done by others, since.

We have now been sent two pictures of the base of a tankard which has clearly come from this long vanished pub.  They came from Alex of the Brightwater Brewery which is in Claygate, Surrey.  It occurs to GIHS that there must be more like this out there - so - if your grandpa is using a Sea Witch tankard to keep his used paint brushes in, please let us know (we also think that there are collectors out there willing to - er - pay)



 

 

Greenwich Park Bandstand

Greenwich Park Bandstand – Update on post of 6th September 2015

by Barbara Holland

(this is an update on a previous article on this blog by Barbara - see below)

Barbara says

I finally managed to find the opportunity to do a bit more research on this story with the help of David Adams from Royal Parks, who raised the original query.

After much searching online for information, we located one file in the National Archives at Kew from the Office of Works (WORK 16/142B) which David viewed there.  This confirmed that Coalbrookdale did indeed produce the roof frame and that Deane & Co. assembled it and installed the iron columns.   

Quotations for estimates and designs were originally received from five firms:

·               Geo. Smith and Son

·               Brass and Son

·               Hill and Smith

·               Deane & Co.

·               Steven Bros & Co.

Deane & Co and Steven Bros & Co both planned to use Coalbrookdale for the roof.  W. M. Curl were the installer/sub-contractor operating on behalf of Deane & Co. 

 

 

The bandstand was ‘opened’ in June 1891, with a performance by the Northumberland Fusiliers Band from nearby Woolwich.  The Kentish Messenger reported the event which took place on Thursday 4^th June:

“A large concourse of people was attracted to Greenwich-park last evening, when the Northumberland Fusiliers, under Bandmaster W.H. Dencer, began the summer series of Thursday evening performances with a well-chosen selection of popular melodies. The chairs within the enclosure round the bandstand were mostly occupied, and considering the inclemency of the weather until nearly the time for the beginning of the performance the number of people strolling about within hearing of the music was very large.  The Park is just now seen at its best. The hawthorn and horse chestnuts are in full bloom, and light up the green turf and trees which the late heavy rains have helped to deck in luxuriant coats.”

The following week’s edition of the paper estimated that 5000 people had attended the concert. 

I hope this finally solves the ‘mystery’.

 

(this is an update on a previous article by Barbara at http://greenwichindustrialhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/greenwich-park-bandstand-deane-and-co.html)
- or search on this blog for 'Bandstand'.

 

 

more news

SERIAC 2000  - This is the South East Regional Industrial Archaeology Conference - this year on 23rd April in Kingston. There are talks on 18th century iron in the Weald, Papermaking history,  Berkshire windmills - and - and - Amazing Malcolm on The Demise of the Gasholder (and seriously that would we worth the journey to Kingston alone)  - the way of booking, or finding out about it seems to be to send a stamped addressed envelope to Mr Bryson, 6 Wychelm Rise, Guildford, GU13TH (no web site, no phone, no nothing)

GLIAS NEWSLETTER.  As ever. forthcoming events:
17th Feb - Father Thames - changing role of the Thames Wharves by David Hilling (6.30 Swednborg Hall)
16th March - Gold Refining in London by Michele Blagg (6.30 75 Cowcross Street)
20th April - Engineers perspective on restoring historic buildings.  James Miller (6.30 75 Cowcross Street)
18th May. AGM plus The City at Play. Simon Inglis (6.30 75 Cowcross Street)

10th April Crossness Open Day with Prince Consort in steam 10.30-5 www.crossness,org,uk
22 April Crossness Guided Tour. www.crossness,org,uk
22nd May Crossness Open Day with Prince Consort in steam 10.30-5 www.crossness,org,uk

Anything about Greenwich in the GLIAS Newsletter??  er  - no

FOOT TUNNEL ENTHUSIASTS -(not sure they exist outside FOGWOFT)  A web site has details of a (very clean) foot tunnel in Antwerp http://www.theladytravels.com/antwerp/

BRITISH TRANSPORT TREASURES
- we have been sent links to:

 http://www.britishtransporttreasures.com/product/the-life-labours-of-mr-brassey-1805-1870-by-sir-arthur-helps-k-c-b-g-bell-sons-1876-ebook/

 

http://www.britishtransporttreasures.com/product/the-railway-at-balaklava-looking-south-published-may-24th-1855-by-paul-dominic-colnaghi-co-13-14-pall-mall-east-publishers-to-the-queen-day-sons-lithographers-to-the-queen-illustration/

PORT OF LONDON NEWSLETTER
This is now online but only to subscribers.  The latest edition has an excellent article about the 'facelift to the bargehouse causeway' - which is  just opposite us on the north bank of the river down from the Ferry. Until the 1960s it was actually in Woolwich so we should definitely take some notice of it.

LEWISHAM LOCAL HISTORY NEWSLETTER.  This includes an article which is actually about the Greenwich riverside. It was written in 1962 by David Knight, and here are some scraps from it:

"By Blackwall Tunnel are the Metropolitan Gas Works. There seemed no access to the River. I got
into a timber yard and ... (into)  hole in the riverside fence .....On this side of the fence, right by the water's edge, ran a tow-path paved with bricks stamped with diamond markings ....barges stacked with timber had nice names Rinqdove, Whitehorse, Maine, Romani. Hardly anyone was about, only two men craning up the long timbers from the barge to the stacking point on the timber yard. The tide was out and the river so low that the black, grimy beach was visible ......At half past nine I came upon the Cutty Sark Tavern, a Free House not yet vanquished by the brewery combinations, but selling Burton bitter ale, draught Worthington, draught Guinness, draught Bass.  Further up the river stands the old Trinity Hospital, now an old people's home ......At 19 Crane Street are Corbett & Son, Boatbuilders. The Yacht Inn just beyond sells Watney's draught Red Barrel ale, and has a garden and terrace overlooking the river. The Curlew Rowing Club next door, founded 1866, looks as if it expired the same year, broken-backed behind dust and shutters. At 10 o'clock, the sun a bit warmer, the Royal  Naval College hove into view, overwhelming a couple of hundred yards of river bank with its two huge domes, large gates with anchors and tridents wrought, and bare formal lawns. Tugs .. all the time, singly or hauling barges. .... Bright sun on Greenwich Pier and, startlingly, Cutty Sark close at hand with her smart white masts, trim black shrouds, and eager-bosomed matron on the prow. ...
Greenwich Tunnel displays an alarming list of by- laws. ..... There are scatterings everywhere at ebb-tide of planks and river wood. ...... Crossing Creekside by the Creek Bridge, had a hot
bacon sandwich and a large cup of strong tea at a dockers' cafe on McMillan Street., Deptford, near
the old church of St Nicholas".

(thanks Lewisham)

Another, present day, walk along the peninsula riverside, with some great pictures, can be found at http://alondoninheritance.com/category/the-thames/  -( and, thanks, to the author for the plug for the book.)  Great blog, please read

Crossness Engines trust tell us that they have got Bexley Council to agree to rename 'Belevedere Road' as 'Bazalgette Way'.
so ....................................