This website is dedicated to the past History of Deptford. If you have any stranger than fiction stories about Deptford I would welcome your input. This may include stories of the people, the places still here or long gone, the characters, the war years, ghost stories and haunted places, ancient buildings and bygone memories, long forgotten. You can contact me with your stories at axelgs1@yahoo.co.uk
Friday 19 November 2021
Deptford Decades from the Deptford Ragged School Archives.
Thursday 7 October 2021
Buttons of Deptford
The image is from http://www.thamesbuttons.com/page1.html The button was found on the Thames foreshore by Mike 'Cuffs' Walker |
Sunday 31 January 2021
Our Shop part 2
Here's a story involving our shop which might interest you, and might even jog some memories
I must have been about 9 or 10 years old when this happened.
Opposite Wilson street, on the other side of New Cross Road, there was a fried fish shop, I guess you might call it a fish and chip shop today, but we just called it, 'the fish shop'. I can't remember it's name. One day a horse and cart was parked outside the fish shop when a steam engine went past. I don't mean a train, but rather a road-based steam engine. If my memory is correct, anyone delivering using a horse and cart had to make sure that someone was holding the horse's reins whilst the delivery was taking place, I think this was the law at the time. So usually there were at least two people with a horse and cart. The steam engine terrified the horse, and the horse was unattended, or the person with it was not holding the reins, or they were and the horse got away from them, I'm afraid I don't know exactly why, but the horse bolted, and headed down Wilson Street.
It ended up by crashing through our shop door and putting it's front hooves on the counter. It had stopped because the drawbars for the cart had become wedged in the doorway. I didn't see all this myself, as I was at school. When I got home the doors were seriously damaged, and there were two hoof marks on the counter of the shop. These hoof marks stayed there until the shop was destroyed by a bomb in the early years of the war. Thanks goodness there were no customers in the shop at the time! I remember that the doors had to be repaired, and this was a little awkward as they were slightly rounded, being on the corner of the building. I don't know who got the horse out of the shop, or whether anyone paid for the repairs.
Our Shop part 1
Friday 22 January 2021
Monday 21 December 2020
Brookmill Road Conservation Area (BRCA Society) online talk
Dear Olddeptfordhistory.com
I thought I’d let you know about the Brookmill Road Conservation Area (BRCA Society) online talk coming up in January in which you, or your subscribers, may be interested. Entitled “18th Century Artisans’ Houses in and around Deptford”, the talk will be given by Peter Guillery, architectural historian and Editor of the Survey of London. The talk will be followed by the BRCA Society’s AGM.
Monday 9 November 2020
THE UNITED FRIENDS PUBLIC HOUSE
The address is listed as 25 Wellington Street in 1882 and earlier, prior to street renumbering, and as Flagon Row in 1847. The address is at 74 McMillan Street by 1944, again due to street renaming. A listing of London historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Deptford, Kent in the parishes of St Pauls or St Nicholas - now partially in London.
A Post Card from Eileen
Hello everyone
I though you might be interested in this old postcard as it mentions Southwark Manufacturing at 16 Evelyn Street, Deptford which I believe was gone from there by 1940.
It also mentions some names: Joan who lived somewhere past Heybridge Avenue – the sender, nothing known of her; Miss Cottrell – nothing known of her. It is addressed to Betty who I believe is my husband’s paternal grandmother. She was Elizabeth Redding, born 1888, and I believe at the time she would have been living in New Cross/Newington but I’m not sure. It must have been sent before December 1914 as that is when her father died. I find it unusual that this Joan sent the postcard to what appears to have been Betty’s workplace rather than to her home.
Betty’s father was John Matthew Redding born c.1836 who was on Deptford Council from 1900-1905.
Yours,
Eileen O'Leary
Sydney, Australia
Wednesday 26 August 2020
HELP FOR ANDREW. CAN ANYONE IDENTIFY THE DEPTFORD LOCATION IN THIS PHOTO PLEASE.
Hi,
Monday 13 July 2020
Help for Kellie
Letter from John C. Buckley, 57 Florence Road, New Cross, Deptford, [England], to William Lloyd Garrison, July 3, [18]67
Wednesday 1 July 2020
FOUL PLAY AT 17 WATERGATE STREET DEPTFORD
GEORGE LEADBEATER (38) , Feloniously wounding Emily Lewis with intent to murder her. Second Count, with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.
The Star Music Hall, Bermondsey. |
Harp of Erin |
Prince St Police Station |
GREENWICH Infirmary |
Report from the Old Bailey Records
Saturday 27 June 2020
Deptford Water Works Chimney Demolition 1966
I was sent this old photo showing Deptford Waterworks chimney demolition. Can anyone tell me what location the photo was taken from. Thanks.
Help for Louise
Hi guys it’s a long shot but I’m looking for my grandad I have a very limited amount I know about him. His name is Sidney William Nicholls he lived at 23 Hyde street deptford in 1963&64 he lived with his dad who I believe is Sidney Nicholls (He was a lorry driver) & younger brother. I believe he would now be around 80 He was in to motorbikes and tattoos other than that I don’t know much 🙁
Saturday 4 April 2020
Leighs Story
My family name was Morris, my first name was pretty unusual at the time, being Leigh. Perhaps someone remembers my family. My dad Joe was one of identical twins married to my mum, Joy. I had an older brother Steve. I remember we used to go to the local baths (not swimming) but for taking a bath and doing your weekly wash, we obviously didn’t have a bathroom in our flat. It may have been in Evelyn Street. I remember a sweet shop just under some railway arches? and in another street nearby either a pet shop or a shop that had a minah bird in a cage outside that would talk to passers by. In those days your local doctor was a family one and would come and pay home visits. Ours was a Dr Conway, does anyone remember him ? On one occasion he was visiting to see my father (who was a steel-erector and had fallen through a roof damaging his back) when he saw that I was having a severe asthma attack. We had no home telephones in those days, so he had to run to the local call box to dial for an ambulance. One of many I’m afraid. I spent more time in Lewisham hospital than in school! The air pollution was pretty bad in those days often with thick “pea souper” smog. I do remember we also had a smallpox outbreak in London and everyone had to be vaccinated. I attach a copy of a photo of myself (aged around) 3Yrs I guess immediately taken after that. I am the first one. We don’t look too impressed do we ?
Wednesday 4 March 2020
The Peppercorn Brothers Deptford Broadway
Tuesday 3 March 2020
Trying to find out about the Mantles & Gitshams from Mill Street
Friday 21 February 2020
Jeff Memories of Carrington House
Thursday 21 November 2019
EXCELL FOUNDRY Co. New Cross Road
Steve Frampton
Friday 6 September 2019
Deptford Ragged School Archive Heritage Open Day
Hi All
Look forward to seeing you all
Katherine