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:
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 ....................................
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