Plumstead Reservoir

We have a communication from Plumstead about the reservoir in Heavitree Road which it is thought is under some threat. They have included the following information and some pictures.

"A plaque above the access doorway indicates a possible date of construction of 1854. The date may refer to the year when the roof was added; it is possible that the reservoir was constructed before 1840.

We believe it to be one of the oldest covered reservoirs in the UK and the longest serving brick built Victorian reservoir in London.

There are two tanks separated by a common wall. The date of the original tanks is not known. The reservoir may have originally been constructed as an open tank. Visual evidence, such as different brickwork at the top of the sidewalls indicates that the reservoir may have been later enclosed with the addition of the arched roof structure. The two tanks may not be the same age.

The tanks are divided by a N-S aligned raised walkway along the central dividing wall and linked by arched openings in the upper part of the wall. The eastern chamber is c.15.66m wide, the western chamber is c.14.9m wide. Each chamber measures c.29.8m long. The roof rises to give a fall away from the common wall which runs North-South. Cast-iron beams, spanning East-West, support brick jack arches; thebeams are supported at midspan on 8” diameter cast-iron columns. The walls are of yellow brick masonry set in a lime mortar.

The corners are curved to eliminate dirt traps. The brick floors fall to a central North-South drain in each tank. Small bridges span the channels.

The tanks are in good condition, and we submit that the building, as a Victorian brick-built reservoir has intrinsic architectural and historic interest and rarity, in both national and local terms. The design, plan and materials make this building a valuable part of the nation’s industrial architectural heritage

Greenwich Sand Mine

A new Greenwich blog site - http://subterraneangreeenwich.blogspot.com/2010/01/greenwich-sand-mine.html covers all things underground in Greenwich. But, perhaps its me doesn't understand - but I can't see anywhere to leave comments on the blog. Their latest post is, interestingly, about the west Greenwich sand mine.
Now- I was going to point out that Greenwich Industrial History Society covered this in the very first edition of our newsletter back in 1998 - I could reproduce the article - following a survey done by Nick Catford for Kent Underground Research and Sub.Brit. We even had a speaker on it.
Would be nice to liaise ........................ and would be nice to invite them to come and speak to us,

'Walk London' Event - Historic Charlton and Woolwich

Meet at Charlton Station - Saturday 30th January 2010, 11.00am

Walk through the backstreets of Charlton, possibly with Police escort(!), over the level crossing and then into Maryon Park. Chance to go up to the viewing area for those who are feeling fit. Then into Gilberts Pit for the famous geological strata. Thanks to lack of foliage we should be able to see it.

In to Maryon Wilson Park for the animal enclosures and then up the slope into Maryon Park. Maybe a short diversion in here if anyone wants to see where the early scenes from Antonionis 'Blow Up' were filmed. Out of Maryon Park, across the dual carriageway, and into Barrier Park for a look around the Thames Barrier.

Barrier Café for lunch and WCs. They'll know we're coming so should have some food for sale.

Back through Barrier Park to the dual carriageway and along the road/Thames Path to the roundabout. Past the roundabout to the Co-Op funeral services garage which is actually a very old building from the Tudor Royal Naval Dockyard. Now into the Dockyard site to see more old buildings (lots of photos to explain it all) and down to the river. Along the river for half a mile where we go back inland to see more very old and attractive dockyard buildings. Re-trace steps to the river and continue towards Woolwich seeing Ye Olde slipways and dry docks.

Past the Woolwich Ferry and into the Royal Arsenal. Half of group goes into Greenwich Heritage Centre to see Arsenal exhibition. Other half get guided tour around Building 40, also known as Tower Place/The Royal Military Academy/The Model Room. Magnificent interior and usually only open on some 'London Open House' weekends. Other half of group then has their turn whilst first half looks around the Heritage Centre.

Woolwich Arsenal Walk Detail

Walk beside river past the 'Grand Stores'. At end of Stores turn away from river to see the 'Armstrong Gun Factory'. Externally the most original building in the RA - still smoke blackened. Turn right towards the RAs Central Offices alongside south side of the Grand Stores and past both to walk around the old Laboratory building. Back to North side of Central Offices and turn right to see ornamental gates of the Shell Foundry. Continue to south end of Central Offices and turn right to see former Royal Carriage Department on left (now flats) and building 19 'Gun Mounting Shed' on right.

Enter B19 Gun Mounting Shed for the first public visit in NINETY SIX YEARS! Possibly the finest surviving Victorian factory building in London. Half the size of a football pitch and unchanged since

construction in 1887. An wonderful building and a possibly unrepeatable visit. **Highlight of the walk**.

Leave B19 and walk towards former main gates seeing the grade one listed 'Royal Brass Foundry', Verbruggens House and, Dial Square, birthplace of Arsenal Football club. Across dual carriageway to former main Gatehouse. Walk concludes here, within sight of bus stands and railway staions.

You can see the route on the web at...

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3350269>

Greenwich built lighthouse in Cape Town

Maggie Jones writes:

"the purpose of this mail is to send a photo to you. We've just comeback from a trip to South Africa (which included the wedding of a cousin,who went out there when I wouldn't even buy the oranges). At the lighthousenear the Cape of Good Hope we found a mention of Greenwich industry, and here it is".

Crossness Engines - amazing progress towards a great future

Crossness Engines is our local industrial museum – but by an accident of 100 yards or so of boundary has ended up in Bexley Borough. The result is we hear very little about them. Last night at the Greenwich Industrial History meeting we were privileged to have an update on progress at the museum from Mike Jones – and thank you very much Mike.
And what amazing progress it is!! Even those of us who read their newsletter and hope we keep in touch can have very little idea of how near we are to having another very major ‘heritage’ site on our doorsteps – and one that will interpret the great municipal work of main drainage in the 19th century.
The site is currently closed whilst a major programme of work is completed but, for those who have not seen the great beam engines at Crossness – go as soon as it opens again! Prince Consort, which is now regularly ‘steamed’ – is a very genuinely awe inspiring sight. The four engines – the biggest concentration of steam power of their type in the world – were last used in the 1953 floods and were then junked and left to rust. In the 1980s a small group of volunteers began work to save one of the engines, Prince Consort, and hopefully get back to work. Over the next 20 years or so they struggled on with very little help, and great deal of ignorance in official circles.
So –now – they have shown what they can do – and the money and support has become available. What Mike told of us of their plans are really amazing. There is going to be a proper road into the site, which will be publicly maintained, visitors will be able to go, through a Victorian garden, to the original front door – and pass through a replica sewer into a vast exhibition space which will describe the main drainage system of London – and many aspects of sewage treatment as well as its affect on the river and so on. They will then be able to pass through and see the four great engines – Prince Consort in steam, Victoria now being worked on – one day she too will move.
Elsewhere on site they hope to show other engines – and hopefully also put them in steam. They have engines locally made and it would be good to show how south east London was in the forefront of steam power manufacture. A longer term aspiration is to create a a workshop with steam powered line shafting. They are also building links with local wild life groups – clearly the site is of great ecological interest and there are many many birds. They are also involved with walking groups – the Thames Path goes past their site, and the Ridgeway (the Southern Outfall sewer path) comes to them directly from Plumstead Station.
The remaining problem is of course access – it is a long walk from Plumstead or Abbey Wood station and despite efforts, it has not been possible to put the site on a regular bus route. Discussions with many bodies are underway to try and address this.
Greenwich people should take a lot more notice of what is going on so near to our boundary. Current plans will make this one of the most important industrial sites in the country – I probably shouldn’t say, given the subject matter, that it is right under our noses! But it is a site which will celebrate inventiveness and ingenuity in solving a major problem in urban development and how this was achieved through local government action.

Soap and Soames

Arrived two minutes ago - The Greenwich Historical Association Programme. Their next meeting will be of particular interest to students of Greenwich industry. It is:

Wednesday 27th January 2010
The Soames Family of Blackheath
NEIL RHIND will talk about The Soames Family in Greenwich and Blackheath, who were wealthy merchants living in Blackheath from the 1840s to the 1930s. One member was James Soames, an industrialist and owner of the famous Thames Steam Soap and Candle Mills; his brother was the Rev William Aldwyn Soames, Vicar of Greenwich. Among their many mansions were the Red House next to Vanbrugh Castle, Maze Hill House, and 27 Vanbrugh Park.

Thames Soap Works was on the site currently being demolished with the Syriol Glucose refinery on it. They made all sorts of soaps for the hard working and hard pressed = "coal tar" soaps made in the days when the most important thing was to kill the germs NOW!!!

This picture was taken inside the site when it was owned by Amylum. It shows a wall which had survived from the soap works and on which underneath the scaffolding was written 'Thames Soap Works'.



Later meetings are:

Wednesday 24th February 2010
Greenwich Park: Trysts and Intrigues
ROSIE HAYLES reminds us of the Hanoverian neglect of Greenwich Park which gave rise to a wide range of ideas for its exploitation. Prostitutes eyed its seclusion, park-keepers and water boards its natural resources, sculptors and railway companies its position; Greenwich Hospital hoped to build houses in it and Queen Caroline demanded a large corner for her private use. The public began to take the park to their hearts and many hopefuls were seen off by force of public opinion. The ball of protest was set rolling by an abused under-keeper called Cawthorne.

Wednesday 24th March 2010
President's Address: Greenwich Lost and Found
ANTHONY CROSS of Warwick Leadlay Gallery, Greenwich, using the visual means of his archive, will seek to re-discover aspects of everyday Greenwich which have otherwise been lost to the present-day observer. This will be given after our traditionally short AGM.

Wednesday 28th April 2010
Memories of Growing Up in 1930s – 40s Blackheath and Greenwich
SYLVIA WHITE was born and brought up in Blackheath, and grew up in the 1930’s and 40’s when poverty was rife. She was one of five children who were given freedom to roam. This meant that the Heath and the Park were their playgrounds and they came in contact with children from different classes. Blessed with a vivid memory she has written two books about growing up in this area and her talk will be about those times. Now an active member of the University of the Third Age, she runs groups encouraging people to preserve their memories.

More pictures of Redpath Brown

Redpath Brown's structural steel works stood on the Greenwich Peninsula in what was then Riverway which ran from near the Pilot to the river. They were a Scottish based firm which came to Greenwich in 1911.