Letters fromOctober 1999

Letters from GIHS Newsletter October 1999

The two foreground cranes are the ones
mentioned as submitted for listing

From Listings Branch, Department for Culture Media and Sport, PLANNING (LISTED BUILDINGS ACT). TWO CRANES ON LOVELLS WHARF, SE10.   We are seeking advice from English Heritage. Shortly after we have received their recommendation we should be able to notify you of the Secretary of State’s decision on whether the structures are to be listed.

From Ted Barr

Angerstein Works -  I have been trying to arrange a visit to this derelict site in Siebert Road and have been let down on several occasions.

Silvertown Explosion - Pat O’Driscoll has suggested a book ‘ With Disastrous Consequences - London Disasters 1830-1917 by Wendy Neale  (ISBN 1 874312 00 1).

Greenwich Park Branch  of LCDR - for Philip Binns info. there is a good description and pictures in ‘Holborn Viaduct to Lewisham’ by Vic and Keith Smith of Middleton Press, pub 1990 and still in print.

Redpath Brown (or is it Redpath Dorman?) - Very recently the Guardian newspaper had a picture of Sydney Harbour Bridge with caption ‘Built by Cleveland’.  Of course this is incorrect, it was built by Dorman Long & Co. of Middlesborough.  It brings to mind that many years ago as one went northwards along Horn Lane, passing the oil installations on the right, and along the western side of Angerstein sidings, there was a notice on the left hand side ‘Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Co.’ From memory the site appeared to adjoin or be part of Redpath's premises. In these days of take-overs, buy-outs and name changes I wonder if there is a common factor in any of all this?  Does anyone know?

The name ‘Bellot Street’ and the Bellot Memorial by the Naval College. Rightly or wrongly I’ve always been under the impression that little seems to be known about this. I recently came across an account of Bellot in a book now nearly 100 years old - this says that the obelisk is ‘in memory of the brave young Frenchman Bellot, an officer in the French Navy, who had permission to join the English Expedition, that went out in search of Sir John Franklin.  He endeared himself by his pluck and presence of mind to his English companions and on a second expedition was overtaken by a storm while making a perilous journey with two comrades across the ice, and was blown through an opening and drowned’.

From Howard Murphy (via  GIHS web site)

I am interested in any information concerned with clipper ships, owners,

captains, crew or anything related to them ie, trades that were involved. All information will be appreciated.  Do  you know how to get crew lists for the Taeping, 1869-1895 owned by  Captain Alexander Rodger and the Ariel,1865-1872 Shaw,Lother,Maxton & Co. were her owners?

From Eileen West

I am sending you some information about the Coalite Company.  I think the Coalite plant was on the Greenwich Peninsula where the branch railway line crossed Riverway. The signal box was still there when I went down to Bugsby’s Hole to see the Queen come up the river to open the Flood Barrier.  I can also remember the building of of the Coalite Plant (on license) in 1929.   My father told me a lot about petrol being produced from coal - is this what they were doing at the nearby chemical plant?  It must have been of good quality since they supplied the RAF and Fleet Air Arm,etc.

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Coalite  plant, East Greenwich

From Margaret Chapman

I was reading Mary Mills’ interesting book ‘Greenwich Marsh’ and was plased to find on page 66 mention of my great uncle, Tom London, was was murdered in Mombasa, while working for Telcon, There is a bit of a story attached to this but I am still hunting for information.  I hope that someone researching Telcon might find some records of him. I have the name of Cable and Wireless - are they the same?

From Elliot Einzig Porter (via GIHS web site)

I have seen one of your newsletters and enjoyed it very much.  I am working on undersea cable history for a book and I was wondering if  your group has produced anything so far on Telegraph and Construction Maintenance Co. at Enderby's Wharf, the India Gutta Percha Telegraph Works at Silvertown, the GPO Submarine Cable Depot, or the Siemens Brothers Works in West Woolwich?  Are there walking tours of any of this area?

Berkeley, California

From Ian Sharpe

Barratt East London are soon to have an American unveiling of the 1st Settlers Monument at Blackwall by the Ambassador on Sept 23rd.  We in the community in Tower Hamlets did a lot of work on this and were responsible for enlightening them on the local Historic significance, I myself was given a verbal promise that I would be invited on behalf of our Group.  Such an important occasion must have Community representation. Perhaps you can help too with community representation for this most important historic event.

From Neil Rhind,

Blackheath Station was exactly 150 years old on July 30 1999 so we encouraged the current railway company  to unveil a plaque.  It is the oldest operational railway station unaltered or re-built still in use.  I had a  big article in the July issue of Blackheath Guide and a spread in Mercury for July 22 or thereabouts.  Blackheath Preservation Trust has now  taken over the Blackheath Fire Station (Brigade House, Brigade Street) - not, alas, to restore it as a fire brigade station but as quality offices.