Bromleag The newsletter of the Borough Local History Society

March 2006

DVD first for Bromley local history

Bromley Palace — ARP posts in changing fortunes Beckenham Bromley Borough Local History Society

Registered Charity No 273963 About the Society Bromley Borough Local History Society was formed in 1974 so that anyone Contents with an interest in any part of the borough could meet to exchange information March 2006 and learn more about Bromley’s history. History is continually being made and at the same time destroyed, buildings All copy for the June are altered or demolished, memories fade and people pass away, records get edition of Bromleag must destroyed or thrown in the bin. We aim, in co-operation with the local history reach the editor by early library, museums and other relevant organisations, to make sure at least some of this history is preserved for future generations. May. We hold regular meetings and produce a journal and occasional publications News where members can publish their research. P3 Chairman and Membership Secretary DVD of Bromley and Dr Anthony Allnut Sheppards college Woodside, Old Perry Street, Chislehurst, BR7 6PP 020 8467 3842 [email protected] Society meetings Secretary P4 Mrs Patricia Knowlden A sideways look at 62 Harvest Bank Road, West Wickham, BR4 9DJ 020 8462 5002 Nelson and Trafalgar P5 Bromleag Bromley history on film This newsletter is published four times a year. The editor welcomes articles of between 100 and 1,000 words, along with illustrations and photographs. Spring Park Video Society These can be in paper copy, disk or e-mailed. P6 — 9 Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope if you wish material to be Tracing the changing returned. Items remain the copyright of the authors and do not necessarily fortunes of the Bishop’s reflect Society views. Each contributor is responsible for the content of their Palace in Bromley article. Articles are not always used immediately as we try to maintain a balance between research, reminiscences and articles about different subjects and Features parts of the borough. P10 — 11 Editor ARP posts in Beckenham Christine Hellicar P11 150 Worlds End Lane, Chelsfield, Kent BR6 6AS 01689 857214 The day that changed my Email [email protected] life P12 Religion , politics and education in Orpington, Thomas Watts Subscription Rates P12 Yearly subscription from 1 January Elderslie, Beckenham Individual £8.50; couple £10. Senior citizens pay a re- duced rate of £6 per person or £8 for a couple. Members joining after 30 June pay half rates.

2 Bromleag March 2006 News A major achievement — Bromley’s best kept secret on DVD It will be available as either a DVD or The first history DVD produced by The 25 minute, highly professional Video tape at £7.50 a copy of either BBLHS was previewed at our and enjoyable film has taken the format. For anyone interested in December meeting by our partners in best part of a year to produce and is Bromley’s history it is a must have. It the project, Spring Park Video Society an exciting tour round the buildings, will be available from our book sales (SPVS). Copies of the DVD, Bromley’s a run through their history and an officer John Clarke on 020 8462 Best Kept Secret, about the Bromley introduction to every day life in the 3519 or at our next meeting. and Sheppard’s College, will be on college, past and present. See also P5 sale from this month. The idea of making a film was Stills from originally considered by the the film committee in 2004, when we were Bromley’s looking at what sort of project might Best Kept be eligible for a Local Authority Grant. Secret It was suggested that we make what, eventually we hope, will become a series of films about our borough that will help open up local history to a wider audience. A sub-committee was formed and we approached SPCVS. Fortunately at the same time we had been asked by Bromley College to assist in sorting their archival material and helping in their appeal for restoration funds. So the two projects came together and it was decided to make the first film about Bromley & Sheppard’s College.

Future meetings March to June 2006

Meetings are held at 7.45 pm on the first Tuesday of the month, from October to July, in the Methodist Church Hall, North Street, Bromley. The hall has free off-street parking, good public transport links and facilities for the disabled. Non-members are welcome at the society’s meetings for a nominal charge of £1.

7 March The History of Biggin Hill Aerodrome in Two World Wars — Josie Cole 4 April Annual General Meeting Emma Darwin and others from Downe — Barbara Stevens 2 May The Best of Bromley A whistle stop guide to the Grade 1 listed buildings in Bromley — Marc Timin, conservation planner, Bromley Council 6 June The Streatfeilds of Chiddingstone. The History of a Kentish Family—Mervyn Streatfeild

March 2006 Bromleag 3 Society meeting A sideways look at Nelson and Trafalgar

At our first meeting of the year we were pleased to welcome Ray Garwood to talk to us about the life and distributed to the whole ships company to a set formula battles of Nelson and, being very successful, this made Nelson very popular with his crews. ay started by tracing the early life of Nelson, born in But the glory was achieved at a price. Nelson was sent to 1758 at Burnham Thorpe, a small village in North Tenerife, after a reported Spanish treasure ship, and in the R Norfolk. When he was only nine Nelson’s mother sea battle that ensued he was injured in the right arm, died and some commentators believe this tragedy was a which was later amputated. major reason for his feisty temperament. He was educated at Norwich school and through the Battle of the Nile preferment of his Uncle, Captain Suckling, he entered the Injury notwithstanding he was soon back in the Royal Navy at 12. His first posting was to a ship sent to Mediterranean searching for Napoleon, who he cornered explore the mysterious North West passage — round the in Abu Qir Bay, Egypt, there followed the Battle of the Nile. north of Russia to the East Indies — and it was on this trip The French were anchored in a line, in shallow water, that he was later credited with an encounter with a polar hoping to keep the English out, but Nelson, with his bear, which he is supposed to have killed. experience of such conditions and his up to date charts, From there to warmer climes, an abortive trip to sailed his ships down both sides of the enemy. It was a Nicaragua where he caught a disease - unspecified - and bloody battle, ships were set on fire and many died but was sent home. Nelson won. He quickly found promotion and by the age of 20 he had It was about this battle that the famous poem The boy attained the rank of Post Captain. He also found love. In stood on the burning deck… was written. The battle the West Indies he met and married ‘Fanny’, Frances effectively cut Napoleons’ lines of communications with Nesbit and with peace and no wars to fight he spent the France and scuppered his plans to conquer the Middle next five years at home in Burnham. East. Battle of Cape St. Vincent But Nelson was ill and he withdrew back to Naples to Eventually he was sent to Naples with the objective of recover. And while there was responsible for the establishing a base in Corsica and there, at Calvi, he lost reinstatement of the Neapolitan royal family and, as a result, was created Duke of Bronte by King Ferdinand I, the sight of his right eye, from a ricochet bullet. King of Naples. He took part in the battle of Cape St. Vincent, a traditional sea battle with the adversaries lining up in two It was at this time that Lord Spencer, First Sea Lord, got lines facing each other. At that time the Spanish fleet was wind of Nelsons liaison with Emma Hamilton and ordered made up of good ships but badly manned by poor sailors. him back to England, in the hope that “he will recover Nelson saw that the battle was going well for the English faster”. Nelson decided to return overland and was feted but that some Spanish ships were escaping so he broke wherever he went. his line and boarded an enemy ship, which surrendered to Once back home Fanny, Emma and Nelson must have him. been on ‘good terms’ as they attend the theatre together. Nelson was very aware that it was usual for the But Nelson hadn’t seen Fanny for four to five years and Commander to write a report of the battle and that he they decide to separate. Emma was pregnant. would most likely not get his due share of credit. So he Nelson’s next assignment was to the Baltic, to wrote his own report, which he had authenticated by other Copenhagen. There was an alliance between Denmark, captains and by Prince William (who he had befriended in Sweden and Russia (with the covert addition of France), the West Indies), and sent a copy to his friend Mr. Lockyer which threatened the British trade in softwoods, tar etc. with the suggestion that it was given to the press. Once more Nelson was in the thick of the resulting naval They published this report and Nelson became a hero battle. overnight. From then on Nelson sent his own report every It is a very difficult. Conducted in very shallow waters time he was in battle. Nelson was ordered to withdraw. And another naval legend But the Spanish had not seen the last of Nelson. Ray told was born. He held up his telescope to his blind eye and how, as a Rear Admiral, Nelson patrolled the Spanish said: “I see no signal”. A truce was negotiated after both coast causing considerable problems. He attacked using sides had suffered great losses. small ships, such as bomb ships, which he led personally Battle of Trafalgar — an unheard of thing at that time — and this enhanced The Peace of Amiens had been negotiated but this didn’t the Nelson legend. last. Now in charge of the Channel fleet Nelson decided to As a commander he was strict but fair. Prize money was

4 Bromleag March 2006 Society meeting Bromley’s history captured on film

ver the past year BBLHS and bacon awarded to the couple who Spring Park Cine and Video have not had an argument for the about Rouse Farm where dairy O Society have been last 12 months and one day) and a farming was still taking place in 1997 collaborating on an exciting project to funfair. in a farmstead, which dated back to 1310. But the days of farming were produce a film on one aspect of It was filmed by the founder of the numbered and the film captured Bromley’s history – Bromley Colleges. society, Harry Waldon, who was also Rouse’s last breath as a working farm And in November members had a a regular contributor to the before it was demolished two years chance to view the film, Bromley’s Beckenham and Bromley branch later. The film makers went back for Best Kept Secret, which has drawn on Historical Association magazine until that demolition the historical expertise of society his death in 1996. It was capturing for the last members, particularly chairman Tony fascinating to see just time some of the Allnut, treasurer Brian Reynolds and how elaborate and fun original features as the Michael Rawcliffe, the filming skills of the costumes and the Spring Park and, bringing a little floats were despite the disappeared into rubble. human interest, the acting skills of post war austerity. And The changing members of several local drama although most of the techniques, equipment groups. As well as considerable help movie was in black and and technology were from the Collegians and college staff. white Harry had been able also evident as we moved through films The film was the crowning finale to to procure some very made in different the January meeting where Spring expensive colour film decades but all showed Park showed a series of short films stock, which he used to the skill and expertise of made by society members. They were film the final fair the film makers. And chosen for their historic content and sequences. from a local historian’s There was also a relevance to Bromley. point of view it makes delightful film Hidden It must have been a hard task to you aware that film is a History of Hayes, which select from the hundreds of films in medium that holds a our Hayes experts were their archive but the six films that wealth of material for able to spot from the preceded Bromley’s Best Kept Secret the history of the 20th outset was a spoof. But it were a delight that spanned nearly 60 century in Bromley. years of movie making. fooled many of us for a while as we ‘discovered’ the passing Spring Park Cine and Video The oldest was Fair & Flitch, a connections of Andy Warhol, Ronald record of Whitsuntide celebrations in Society Regan, Harold Wilson and others to West Wickham in 1949, with a Meet weekly in West Wickham for procession, the crowning of the May Hayes. the sole purpose of making and queen, a trial for the Flitch (a side of Then there was a poignant film watching amateur movies – attack Napoleon’s fleet and tracked down the combined on till evening and Nelson was killed quite early on in the fleets of France and Spain holed up in Cadiz Bay. battle. After the battle a famous storm blew up which Before the Battle of Trafalgar Nelson called a pre-battle wrecked a number of the French and Spanish ships, the meeting and planned his attack. The battleships were big English retiring to Gibraltar. ships, three, four or five decks high. It took six days for the report of the battle to reach Experienced sailors, who adored Nelson, manned the England. English ships and before the battle he talked to all of Nelson was taken to lay in state at Greenwich and then them. His captains were very experienced seaman, not given a state funeral attended by seven thousand men and aristocrats as were the enemy. no women. He was put in a black sarcophagus, originally At the meeting he said, as communications were very intended for Cardinal Wolsey, in St. Paul’s. Fanny was difficult, once the battle had been engaged that: “A captain given a pension of £2,000 p.a. and Nelson’s brother John can do no better that put his ship alongside the enemy”, a pension of £5,000 p.a. and an estate. which is what they proceeded to do. Our thanks to Ray Garwood for this very interesting talk. There was not much of a breeze blowing and the enemy Brian Reynolds was sighted about eight o’clock in the morning. The battle did not commence in earnest until about mid-day and went

March 2006 Bromleag 5 Society meeting/Feature Tracing the changing fortunes of

A synopsis, by Michael Rawcliffe, of the talk he gave to the society in December

he Bishops of Rochester first held land in Bromley in other with a continuall spring to feed them.” the Saxon period but there are no detailed plans or . The whole was assessed at a yearly rent of £25. In T illustrations of the Palace before the 17th century. addition “the parke before the House” (of about 16 acres) In the Domesday Book “the same bishop holds and laid down to pasture was valued at £12 rental per Bronlei” (Bromley) and it is probable that by this time the year. The survey concluded by stressing the proximity of bishops had already a house in Bromley. Bromley and London Hasted suggests that the builder of the White Tower in In an appendix to the survey is an interesting paragraph the Tower of London, Bishop Gundulf, built, or rebuilt, the suggesting that the demolition of the Palace was house, though some historians doubt that it could have contemplated “the materials of the Mansion House and all been Gundulf’s work. outhouse, buildings, barnes, stables, lead, wainscotes, But by 1184 it was said to be so inconvenient that flags and walls and other materials belonginge to be taken Bishop Gilbert de Glanville rebuilt it and by the of the ground and sold (beside the charge of taking them Reformation Bromley had become the main residence of downe) which we value at fourer hundred pounds.” the Bishops of Rochester, largely because of the proximity In the same year as the survey the Long Parliament to London. passed a bill ending the episcopacy and its property The first inventory of the Palace was in a Parliamentary Commissioners were appointed to arrange for the disposal survey of 1646, by the Parliamentary Commissioners, and of the land. it gives a good description of the main buildings and the Changing hands surrounding land. The then Bishop was , an active Royalist: The mansion house “containing below stayres one great along with the other bishops he was to be ejected from his new hall built parte of brick, parte of timber, one Little Hall, lands, but he showed great resolution, remaining in one Wainscott parlour, Two studies, one Buttery, tow Bromley for another two years. Kitchings, one Larder and three other rooms adjoyninge He was finally ejected after the sheriff of Kent ordered being built parte of flinte parte of Timber and Morter, him to depart. It is said that he left in disguise. The Above the staires several lodging roomes and one faire Roundhead who had been placed in charge of the sale, Dyning Roome with six garrets above.” Captain Augustine Skinner, was clearly so taken by the Note the probable use of local building materials – flint, property that, on Warner’s departure, he bought it himself timber and bricks which were undoubtedly made in a for £5665/11/11d. nearby brickfield, perhaps at Widmore. In 1658 a further survey was undertaken. This was the Surrounding the house was a variety of buildings – a year of Cromwell’s death and the Interregnum was soon to washhouse, “two stables tyled”, “two Barnes thatched”, be ended. Skinner had either sold or rented the estate to “one Great Barne thatched a John Morris “at with a yard before it paled his house in about”. The latter would Cornhill.” probably have been the tithe The survey which barn. had attracted At the front of the house Morris began: “ A was “one Court Yearde” with faire and pleasant, a brick wall on either side, healthy and and an outhouse containing sweete seate, full, “one wainscott Chappell, one faire and lower roome and two convenient rooms, Chambers overhead.” and usefull offices These buildings were both within the “moated and paled about all doors and without, with the moate contayninge situated in an Two acres or thereabouts.” antique park …” The ’s Palace, Bromley, Kent, before 1756 Nearby were: “Lower fish In 1660 the ponds at the heade of each Stuarts returned

6 Bromleag March 2006 Society Meeting/Feature The Bishop’s Palace in Bromley and Charles II became King. Bishop Warner was also libertine course, to which his temper and good nature restored to his diocese and lived at the Palace until his carried him, without considering his duties, or even the death in 1666. In his will he left money for the foundation decencies of his profession. He was “justly esteemed” a of Bromley College which was to provide for 12 widows of great master of our language and one of our best writers.” clergymen. Young forged an incriminating document and his Three years later, in 1669, John Evelyn of Sayes Court, accomplice Robert Blackhead went to Bishop’s Palace to Deptford, visited the Palace and in his diary noted that hide it. The authorities were informed and Sprat later Bishop Dolben was repairing the Palace “after the wrote: “ It was on Saturday the seventh of May in the dilapidation of the late Rebellion.” present year 1692 in the evening, as I was walking in the The Flower Pot Plot orchard at Bromeley (sic) meditating on something I deigned to Preach the next Day; that I saw a Coach and In 1684 was consecrated Bishop of four horses stop at the outer Gate … the Chief of them … Rochester and in 1699 obtained permission to demolish said, ‘My Lord, Perhaps you do not know me. My name is the chapel and the gatehouse. Sprat obviously wished to Dyve; I am Clerk of the Council, and here as one of the remove the buildings, which obstructed the view from the King’s Messengers. I am sorry I am sent on the errand. But Palace. In addition the chapel was clearly inconvenient, I am come to arrest you upon suspicion of High Treason.” especially in the winter The Bishop was taken to London and interrogated. But months. The new as the document could not be found in the Palace he was chapel, in the main released. building, was to be “one pair of stairs Blackhead then returned and once more hid the forgery high.” Interestingly it in the flower pot. More precise instructions were given and was 39 feet long and the Bishop was subsequently rearrested. Fortunately for was divided by a Sprat he was able to prove his innocence, largely due to partition, one section the well-known criminality of his accusers. of which was for the In the following year Sprat wrote two pamphlets; one a servants. Wainscoting narrative of the events and the other a detailed account of from the old chapel the previous crimes, impersonations and forgeries of was to be reused in Thomas Young. the new. Seventy years later on 5 August 1752 Horace Walpole of Bishop Sprat become Strawberry Hill wrote from Battle to Richard Bentley: “While well known for being they were changing our horses at Bromley we went to see the centre of the so- the Bishop of Rochester’s palace; not for the sake of Flower Pot Plot: Bishop Thomas Sprat called Flower Pot Plot anything there was to be seen, but because there was a resided in Bromley 1684—1713 in 1692. chimney in which stood a flower pot in which was put the In this he was falsely counterfeit plot against Bishop Sprat. It is a paltry accused by Thomas Young, a forger and inmate of parsonage, with nothing of antiquity … in the garden there Newgate Prison, of being involved in an association with is a clear little pond teeming with gold fish. The Bishop’s is other prominent figures, of planning to overthrow the more prolific than I am.” Protestant King William, who with Mary had become King Demolition, rebuilding and selling and Queen in England following the abdication of James II In 1775 the then Bishop, John Thomas, decided that the in 1688. old Palace should be demolished. The new building was It is not surprising that Robert Young implicated Sprat, essentially the one described in the next survey of 29 June for the bishop had earlier published a eulogy on Oliver 1841 by Adam Murray, surveyor of George Murray, Bishop. Cromwell, “that renowned prince.” Later he had the good The survey was undertaken because of the fortune to ingratiate himself with the restored King Charles reorganisation of the diocese by the Ecclesiastical and his brother James. When it became clear that James’ Commissioners. It was proposed that there should be a Catholicism and tactlessness were alienating the monarchy he withdrew from an ecclesiastical commission new palace in Essex and the Bromley palace sold. in 1688, probably foreseeing the approaching crisis. It described the palace as: “… a square double-brick built house, slated in front and back and tiled in the middle roof Bishop Sprat had many enemies. Bishop Burnett wrote in A History of our Time: “His parts were very bright in his and it is two stories high with attics in the roof.” youth, and gave great hopes; but were blasted by a lazy Continued on Page 8

March 2006 Bromleag 7 Feature

The Bishop’s Palace in Bromley

Continued from Page 7 the furniture. It was insisted that the full sum should be paid to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners first. By There followed a detailed room-by-room description of December nothing had happened. Not only had the Bishop the house, outbuildings and grounds and a description of moved to Danbury in Essex, but also in November Nokes’ the town: “9½ miles from London and close to the Town workmen had started cutting down the hedges on the where coaches pass to and from London nearly every hour Bishop’s estate and the Police had to be called. of the day, it is within three miles of Croydon Railway and possesses every facility of getting to London and from it, Nokes continued to prevaricate and in May 1846 he was given “14 days to complete.” The deadline passed but on for the merchant or banker. the 8 June 1846 Nokes was allowed to purchase the Unfortunately, for the Bishop, Bromley being as yet reversion of the leases for £11,619. He was now in an without a railway protracted the sale. even stronger position. He was allowed to purchase the The 1840s saw the decline of the long distance coach furniture in the Palace, but in desperation was told that if trade passing through Bromley. Railway stations at he did not complete the purchase of the estate by 1 Greenwich and Sydenham provided other more suitable September he must remove the furniture. sites for house building and the completion of the railway Finally on 30 September 1846 the sale was completed to Dover in 1846 was the death knell for the long distance not to Nokes but to Coles Child. coach trade. The sale, for £20,525, was of the Palace and demesne But poor transport links were not the only problem. The lands together with the market tolls and quitrents of the estate had not been commercially developed and the land manor. The evidence is lacking to say for certain whether was in need of improvement. Moreover the leases were Nokes had been the agent from the start, or whether he complex, many being for three lives. simply did not have the necessary funds. It is highly likely Four years later in 1845 a second survey was he was the former and was working on the new owner’s undertaken, this time of the leasehold land. This showed behalf. that the leasehold land had been leased to John Nokes. It The era of Coles Child was recommended that the Palace and the freehold land should be sold, if possible, to Nokes. Coles Child was a Wharfinger from Greenwich. He was to However, by now a Croydon, Bromley, Orpington be partly instrumental in bringing the railway to Bromley in Atmospheric Railway had been proposed. According to the 1858 being a director of the Mid Kent Railway Company. survey: “This railway would injure the Palace as a Under him the Palace farm was now run on commercial residence for your Lordship, but as a favourable site for lines and the hops were often the first on the London building operations it would be benefited and the estate market. would increase in value.” Coles Child made various additions and improvements to Here was the classic dilemma for the landowner. The railway would increase the value of the estate but also bring social inconvenience. In this case the Bishops could take advantage of the former, without having to experience the latter. A protracted sale In normal circumstances a sale to Nokes would have been the preferred option, but he was known to be a very litigious person. The Bishop was advised to take great caution in dealing with him as he had spent a considerable portion of his time in a prison for debtors and was a very bad paymaster. Changing roles: : Buildings for Stockwell College of further education close in on the built by Nevertheless, in August 1845, Nokes Bishop Thomas in 1775 was offered the Palace and demesne land for £33,598, including £2000 for

8 Bromleag March 2006 Feature the Palace and grounds. A colonnade was added at the year certificate courses were ended and a new three-year rear and on the pediment was placed the Coles Child coat degree course introduced for all teachers in addition to of arms, matching the Thomas arms at the front. A porch new teaching degrees and postgraduate one-year teacher was added and a gatehouse at the entrance to the estate. training. The college came to work closely with the Bromley Internally, in 1870, new panelling was installed Teachers’ Centre in a purpose built unit on site and the overlaying the Georgian, which had become subject to college became one of the leading in-service centres in the worm. country. In the town Coles Child provided land for the Local Board All was to end in 1980 when the college was closed. offices and in 1863 erected a new town hall in the Market There had been long drawn out negotiations to combine Square. Development was undertaken on the fringes of his the college with Bromley College, on Bromley Common, estate; Tylney Road was developed in the 1850s and to and the Ravensbourne School of Art and Design. Progress the south, Brick Kiln Lane, close to the land, which he sold was made, a director appointed and an interim governing for the site of the new gasworks in March 1869. In the body formed. However, in the final round of college main his building was for low rent cheaper housing, well closures Stockwell appeared on the list for the first time. away from the house. Avery Hill, which was an ILEA college, was no longer on the final closure list and thus Stockwell College closed in the Education and a civic life summer of 1980. The Palace estate remained as a private residence until The Bishops have long since departed but the the First World War, after which it was bought by a Belgian lady, Mlle Rossigon, who used the Palace as a girl’s finishing school. She also began to sell off much of the surrounding land for building. In 1927 the Palace farm, including the oast houses, were demolished and inter-war semi-detached houses were built within the boundaries of Wanstead Road, the railway line, Widmore Road and Love Lane. This was called the Bromley Palace Estate. In 1935 the Palace and remaining grounds were sold to the British and Foreign Schools Society. The society sold its existing college in Stockwell Road in South London, retaining the name Stockwell College as a women’s teacher training college. Over time many new specialist buildings were erected in the grounds. The Palace came to house the administration with the upper floors being used for staff and student residential accommodation. Celebrating the past: when The Palace was used by Stockwell College wall hangings were created to honour two In the Second World War the college was evacuated to of Bromley’s famous bishops Watcombe Park in Devon. In Bromley the Palace was surrounded by high blast walls, an underground shelter surrounding roads remind us of their past tenure e.g. was built and some of the grounds let for allotments. The Murray Avenue, Bishop’s Avenue, Wendover Road and main building survived the bombing intact, but some of the Rochester Avenue. In addition the boundaries of the 19th outbuildings were destroyed. century estate are still recognizable by the age of the In 1960 the College was sold to Kent County Council buildings. Love Lane, which was the 19th century boundary and, with the creation of the Greater London Council in between the Palace and Bromley Lodge estates, has been 1965, a joint education committee of KCC and Bromley lost to Kentish Way. members was formed. However, the development bounded by Kentish Way, In the 1960s there was a huge expansion of teacher Widmore Road and Wanstead Road and the Palace reflect training and the college became home to nearly 1000 the sales of Mlle Rossigon, whilst the Victorian houses on students. As a result many further buildings were added to the opposite side of Widmore Road reflect the covenant in the college complex. A large teaching block was built the 1846 sale that no houses should be built within opposite the Palace and the wings, on either side of the roughly 453 feet of the Palace. original house, were lengthened to form a quadrangle. In The occupants of the Palace and grounds since 1980 addition a new library and media centre was built along are the London Borough of Bromley and the site now with a specialist music house, art block and two halls of houses the Civic Centre. Bromley has continued to residence. maintain the Palace and grounds to a high standard. The college was by this time now mixed and attracted not only school leavers but also many mature students. Two-

March 2006 Bromleag 9 Feature The ARP posts of Beckenham

y father, Alfred Ridler, was a former By Pat Manning quartermaster sergeant in the First Middlesex M Regiment and a regular soldier in the Boer War wardens’ wives who were so often left alone when their and WWI until injured on 15 May 1915 as one of the husbands were on duty all night long. Mrs Feeny was Kaiser’s ‘Contemptible Little Army.’ thanked for the loan of the billiard table and Mr Robins for Cllr William Sampson’s appeal for wardens in 1937 was the rest room. a call to arms for my dear father and he was back like a When WWII began, we could hardly be described as shot with his tin hat and armband, lighting fires for his ready. Since the children could not go to school until there crew to extinguish either with a bucket of sand or with a were shelters for them, the wardens set up posts in the bucket of water and a stirrup pump. I believe they finished schools, certainly in Woodbrook in Hayne Rd, St up setting a sort of barn alight in Worsley Bridge Rd so that Christopher’s in Bromley Rd, Marian Vian in Shirley the fire service had to come to their rescue. It was Crescent and above all in Hawes Down in West Wickham supposed to give the wardens practice in crawling through where they occupied most of the building. They were smoke-filled rooms. probably in most of the schools although they only seemed I must have been one of the first in Beckenham to be to use the school field up the road from the Girls County fitted with a gas mask but I wondered when my dog would School in Lennard Rd. ARP posts have also been reported get his. Was it on 30 September 1938 that we had a in the Croydon Rd Recreation ground, the Elgood playing ‘dummy run’ at Haseltine Rd School, where I sat on the fields off Manor Way and the Bethlem Royal Hospital hard hall floor, gas mask at the ready in its grounds by 26 Eden Way. cardboard box beside me, until we were sent Post 30 was in Westbury Rd home with ‘Peace in our time’ ringing in our ears? near the old maternity home — Eventually, my father had his specially built ARP where the wardens used the post in Worsley Bridge Rd next to the barrage nurses’ home. Post 28 was in balloon site in the corner of the Lloyds Bank Vaile’s garage at Elmers End Sports field. Was Victor Thornton’s friend and and post 39 was in the Town performer, Vernon Jones, a warden there because Hall in Church Ave. One of its he lived in Worsley Bridge Rd or was he a warden controllers was John Radford at post number 13 in Brackley Rd? Was my from Kelsey Park Rd. He was father’s post the same number 7 where George killed on the night of 5 January and Gladys White from 82 Copers Cope Rd were 1945, when a V1 fell by Christ wardens? Cllr George White was to be Mayor in Church in Fairfield Rd, as he 1952/53. left the Liberal Club and Post 13 was in the Abbey School and at their turned to walk up the hill with last meeting, Post Warden Jock W Mc Simmie his brother-in-law who lived in presided and many names were mentioned, Burnhill Rd. Two friends who among them Col Hooper, Mr Barlas, Mr Belcher, walked down to the High St Miss Stenning, Mr Watson and Mr Read. The Rev. were unhurt. Laycock from St Paul’s church in Brackley Rd A purpose-built post was 34, dropped in to the party to say a few words. Mr Pouelsen’s, which he Another Post nearby was Post 8 at Bridge Rd Vale’s garage: Post 28 was at the Elmers described in detail with its that had its final meeting at St Paul’s vicarage End & Manor House Garage in Croydon picks, shovels, emergency with Mr Baylis, Mr Rich and the late Mr Albert Rd, Elmers End, Beckenham, just about rations, rope, signs, oil lamps, Walker mentioned. where the Tesco roundabout and the debris baskets and chemical The wardens of the post in the hall of Holy Trinity postal sorting office are today. The draw- toilet without giving its ing is part of the Mayor Sampson collec- church in Lennard Rd were slightly injured when a tion held by his daughter-in-law, Eileen, location. parachute mine fell there on 29 December 1940. who lives in,Beckenham. Leonard George Harris was a Wardens Maistre, Hargraves and Nixon thought it warden at the post at St John’s was a parachutist and attempted to follow ‘him’ church, Eden Park Ave, and Sid Field, whose house was down, being blown into the hedge when it exploded. destroyed by the V1 that fell in August 1944 on Mrs But can anyone identify the whereabouts of Post 16? The Richard’s diner near Clockhouse, spent his time thereafter article in the local paper mentioned Post Warden W V at the post in Thayers Farm Rd. According to Joan Durling, Rowe, Mr Tunnadine who toiled through the blitz, the late there was a post in Aviemore Way where the pre-war Mr Feeny, the father of the post, Mr Osler and all the housing development ended.

10 Bromleag March 2006 Feature

The ‘Forty-niners’ of post 49, possibly in Station Rd and Leslie Hurst. Another warden managed to drag himself West Wickham, met regularly after the war for at least more or less unhurt from the debris. One of Beckenham’s five years and another first V1s fell on post 42 in Tootswood Rd, early in the West Wickham post morning of 16 June 1944, killing Florence and Reginald Commemoration: A was number 55. A Seath and George Ripley. small plaque on the great victory party was The names of these wardens were given to the housing pavement in Queen held at Hawes Down Anne Ave, beside the blocks of the Chulsa Estate and also appear on the school, on the site of School in August 1945 memorial next to that to the firemen in the Beckenham post 40 by the combined posts cemetery in Elmers End Rd. There is a small plaque on the 55 and 56. pavement in Queen Anne Ave on the site of post 40 beside Post 57 at 27 Croydon the school. Rd, West Wickham was The most recent report of a post came from my long time destroyed early in the neighbour, Shirley Hutchings. She remembers as a small girl blitz on Sunday 8 going with her father ‘Corrie’ Cooper to the ARP post on the September 1940 but 7 triangular green where Uplands meets Greenways, wardens escaped more Beckenham. During the doodlebug year 1943-44 her or less unhurt. grandfather John (Jack) Sumner Yates was Beckenham’s Two posts will always Deputy Mayor. be remembered So here I’ve mentioned about a third of the sixty ARP posts because of the tragic that served us in the old borough of Beckenham. I should loss of life. Post 40 in Queen Anne Avenue was struck by be very pleased to hear if anyone knows of any more. a HE bomb during the blitz, killing Gladys Blinkhorn Hay The Day that changed my life

ome thirty years ago now, I By Patricia Knowlden ago. It was quite easy to draw up woke up one morning and tentative (and clearly very incomplete) S said to myself : today I begin Mr.Robert Styles with his 11 and family trees, and hazard a guess at a new life. Without really meaning it Mr.Henry Penning with eight; a family connections. That accepted, I at the time, this was to prove no number of people had four including felt I was getting a little closer to my less than the truth. What epoch- Mr.Bunting the Parson; eight people predecessors here. Now, these two making activity was I about to had two hearths – kitchen and sources are available for almost every embark upon ? I was going to the parlour perhaps – and sixteen lived village…… PRO in Chancery Lane to look at the in premises with only one fire place. By now I was hooked: and here 1662 Hearth Tax Returns for my Fourteen of the occupants of these comes the health warning – local ‘home village’ – West Wickham. smaller cottages were listed but history research can be addictive. But After reading all I could find about entered as non-chargeable, it is absorbing and rewarding, as you West Wickham in print I had chosen assessed as being too poor to pay. find out about the people who lived the documents of the Hearth Tax to And the man who made up the list, here long before you. Over the years I start on because they seemed from the borsholder or constable of the found that West Wickham is most How-to-do-Local-History books to be village, named William Wicker, fortunate in the survival of manorial fairly self-contained. Now, of charged himself for four chimneys. documents, but that there are also course, many HT lists are So I already had an idea of the many, many other sources that can be themselves in print, or even ‘on the social set-up of Wickham in the consulted - most places have, so to web’. And I soon found that they 1660s. What about families? – speak, a selection of them. You learn needed to be used in conjunction wives and children, even in a few about these as you go along. Read a with other records. But that first day cases servants ? I had read that a good guide book, start in ‘first gear’ I was more than content to come multiplier of five would give an and move up at your own speed! home, after poring over the Stuart approximate population for the Later I met Joyce Walker and most hand writing for hours, with names parish, so doing this reached a total people will know the outcome of that. of 41 families who had lived here of 205 persons. More information Other things followed. Now, we are 300 years ago. It was very exciting. from this time would come from the only too pleased if somebody says There was the Lord of the Manor Parish Registers, and luckily ‘how do I find out about……..?’ with 14 chimneys to pay for, and someone had indexed these years

March 2006 Bromleag 11 News Thomas Watts of Orpington – religion, politics and education By Eric Green

Geoffrey Copus’s article on Thomas Watts and William Geoffrey Copus described Thomas Watts as “fiercely anti- Assheton in Bromleag (December 2005) prompted me to Roman Catholic.” Charity schools were said, in 1706, to look again at my notes from letter books at the Society for be, “a fortress and frontier garrison against Popery.” The Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) prepared when opposition to charity schools which Daniel Defoe criticised researching the history of education in Bromley. (See could also, however, be seen to be anti-Roman Catholic in references below) the spirit of Watts’ sermon about the Prince of Orange, sub I made a note of one letter to the Society from Dr titled The glorious Instrument of the Great Deliverance of Assheton. He wrote in November 1709 thanking for “a the kingdom from Popery. seasonable packet” and to say that he was endeavouring The judge in the Chislehurst case, Defoe said, was, “very to lay the foundation of a charity school. On the other hand much afraid the Three Pounds would be remitted to Spain I recorded six letters from Thomas Watts with regard to the to encourage an invasion in this kingdom or to support the establishment of a school at St. Mary Cray. Pretender abroad.” Bishop Atterbury, who had agreed to In 1716 Thomas Watts referred to endeavours at St. the charity school collection, was the leader of the High Mary Cray “at which place he buried an ancient Church party and was subsequently banished from the gentlewoman”, Mrs Withens, who had left her estate at country. Edenbridge to be sold for educating poor children. He Thomas Watts, frustrated in his endeavours for a charity wrote later about the difficulty in raising money and “the school, was criticising many who were themselves late violent opposition to charity schools and collections in concerned about a possible return of a king seen as their neighbourhood and the covetous discouragement of sympathetic to the Roman Catholics. Religion and politics the rich.” are never straightforward. I have taken this to be a reference to the opposition to charity schools demonstrated by the trouble at Chislehurst References in April 1718, surrounding the sermon and collection on A History of Education in the London Borough of Bromley, behalf of the charity school in Aldersgate, described in a September 1991 (in Bromley Local Studies Library) pamphlet by Daniel Defoe. When the time came for the Charity Schools in the London Borough of Bromley in The Local collection the justices present tried to stop it and the Historian August 1994 (in Bromley Local Studies Library) constable was called, “who came up to the Rails with a Daniel Defoe on Charity in Chislehurst. Bromleage September long staff … many crowded up to give before their time and 1998 others kept back by near force threw their money into the plate.”

Keston Mill online Elderslie and Beckenham conservation

Bromley’s only windmill, at I was interested in the Elderslie Conservation Officer) in the Keston, is included in a web site request Bromleag (December importance of the lodges of the dedicated to mills and millers, The 2005) because it is in two of my houses in South Eden Park Rd, to Mills Archive at books; The Road Names of at least have them on the Bromley www.millsarchive.com Beckenham Tell their Tales and list. The Archive is a centralised Monks Orchard and Eden Park archive and resource library that The history of the area is very allows users to store and retrieve where there is a map showing interesting and the lodge of the information and records about Elderslie with the other houses in Harvington house is owned by the traditional mills and milling. It was South Eden Park Rd in the 1880s, council, but is in a parlous state set up in response to an and an aerial map in 1946 when because of the roots of a cedar tree. expressed need to preserve and the house Elderslie has gone but It has Tudor type chimney where possible integrate the the other four houses are there. decorations like Hampton Court. It is various threatened sources of Further, it connects with the the same design as the gate lodge information on the windmills and extension of the Conservation of Eden Lodge, the mansion having watermills of the UK and the rest areas of Beckenham. I've tried to gone in 1960 but the lodge still of the world. interest Doug Black (Bromley privately occupied. Pat Manning 12 Bromleag March 2006 News

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16 Bromleag March 2006