William Joseph Armitage

 Greetings!

My name is Wes Long and I am a writer with the Salt Lake City Weekly. I happened upon your website and thought you might have some insight or suggestions on what I could do to locate information on a residence in old Deptford.

I am researching an article on an artist named William Joseph Armitage (1820-1890), who at the age of 15/16 was admitted to the Royal Academy of Arts as a student in Dec. 1836 (see attached image). On the Royal Academy's admittance sheet, I saw Mr. Armitage's name beside the residence of "10 Union St" in what appears to be Deptford. Having discovered that Union Street was later renamed as Albury Street, I was curious to know if you had noticed any information on 10 Albury Street [may not be current numbering anymore] or if there were resources you'd recommend that I utilize.

From what little that I have been able to find thus far, Mr. Armitage went on to teach art somewhere in London and showcase his work while raising a family. They later relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1881.

I would appreciate any guidance or advice your website might have to give.

With regard,

Wes Long

Salt Lake City Weekly

Help for Tony

 

Hi,

I read this morning, with great interest, your Old Deptford History, very good, so much information. My reason for looking on your site was because I am starting a novel which begins in Deptford High Street in the summer of 1914.

Why I am sure you ask am I starting my novel there. My mother and her family, of two sisters and four brothers, were born there, although I'm not sure if they were all born there certainly some of them where. 1921 was the year my mother was born there and many years before she passed in 1999 I took her back there. I still have relatives, a sister and now a son that lives in London so I have been a regular visitor over all of my life, indeed I worked there myself for several years.

On my visit back, and in previous family recollections, I learnt about Carrington House, the 'Doss house' it was called, and I learnt about the area and a specific part which I want to check my memory on. My mother said their two up two down terrace was in Speedwell Street.  I remember her taking me along the high street, through a passageway to an area behind the high street that was the terrace that they lived in. My grandparents only rented the top two rooms, there was a second family on the ground floor. I clearly remember being told by my mothers two older brothers that conditions where so cramped that they went next door to sleep.

The other memory I have, as I said if it is true, is that these terraces where opposite a high wall that had behind it an abattoir. I can , I am sure, remember my mother talking about hearing the cattle and the noise and smell. As the family grew they moved to a property in New Cross which was eventually bombed and a final move for the family to Woolwich road in Charlton. 

Could you, or your many subscribers, confirm if my memory is correct before I commit this to paper.

Kindest regards,

Tony 

Last 4 houses left standing in Speedwell Street. 

Photo curtesy of Tony.

His facebook page is here

https://www.facebook.com/thestateoflondon/photos?tab=album&album_id=127196217837206