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Home , Downe, Downe Bank, Monks Orchard, Park Langley

Bromleag The newsletter of the Borough Local History Society

June 2004

Bromley on the world history map — ’s

Celebrating 150 A forgotten building – years — Crystal Sydenham’s mystery Palace hospital 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 June 2004 and learn more about Bromley’s history. History is continually being made and at the same time destroyed, buildings All copy for the are altered or demolished, memories fade and people pass away, records get September edition of destroyed or thrown in the bin. We aim, in co-operation with the local history Bromleag must reach the library, museums and other relevant organisations, to make sure at least some of this history is preserved for future generations. editor by the end of July. We hold regular meetings and produce a journal and occasional publications where members can publish their research. P3 Society news Chairman and Membership Secretary P4 News: Insurance Dr Anthony Allnut records project Woodside, Old Perry Street, , BR7 6PP 020 8467 3842 P5 News: [email protected] Secretary stables Mrs Patricia Knowlden The Studio 62 Harvest Bank Road, West Wickham, BR4 9DJ P6 News: Bromley 020 8462 5002 Museum and Local Bromleag Studies This newsletter is published four times a year. The editor welcomes articles of P7 News: Crystal Palace between 100 and 1,000 words, along with illustrations and photographs. 150th anniversary These can be on CD, disk, e-mailed or paper copy. P8/9 Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope if you wish material to be returned. Items remain the copyright of the authors and do not necessarily Society Meeting: reflect Society views. Each contributor is responsible for the content of their Darwin at Downe article. P11/12 Articles are not always used immediately as we try to maintain a balance Reminiscences: between research, reminiscences and articles about different subjects and parts of the borough. D-Day Editor P12 Feature: Olympian Christine Hellicar tales 150 Worlds End Lane, , BR6 6AS P13/15 01689 857214 Research queries E-mail chrisandpathellicar @talk21.com and answers: Chinese garage Sydenham’s mystery hospital P16 Book: Monks Subscription Rates Orchard and Eden Yearly subscription from 1 January Park 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 June 2004 News Financial help for local history projects

ver the past few years the society has been successful in obtaining Lottery Grants, from the Community Fund, to undertake major projects O initiated by the committee. Now we would like to offer the expertise gained in applying for grants to any of our members who have a project they would like to develop. In 1999 we obtained a grant to allow us to buy audio-visual equipment for the presentations that our speakers make at our monthly meetings - a screen, a projector stand, a 35 mm projector, an overhead projector and an endoscope for projecting post cards and pictures. We also bought a voice activated tape recorder and an audio system for our speakers. Roman Bath The grant was also sufficient to allow us to bring up-to-date and publish a new version of our book on the whole borough. House opens In 2001 we were awarded another grant to re-print books 1 and 2, which had Roman Bath House, St gone out of print, and also undertake a very new project of putting all of our Mary Cary will be open, free of books onto CD (computer disk) which has meant that members (and others) charge, for the weekend of 17 who are computer literate can do searches on the whole range of our and 18 July as part of National publications. Archaeology Day. and At a recent committee meeting we discussed the subject of further lottery District Archaeology Society funding. As a result we would like to know if there are any of our members who (ODAS) will be staging a display have projects or research that might be suitable for lottery funding and could we offer to help, financially or otherwise in their efforts? Scadbury Open If you want to find out more please contact Tony Allnutt, on 020 8467 3842, Weekend or Brian Reynolds, on 020 8462 9526. There is a chance to see the latest work being carried out by ODAS at the medieval moated AGM - treasurers report 2003 manor of Scadbury when they have the annual open weekend I am pleased to say that the surplus for the year was £38.00. Not as much as on 11 and 12 September from last year, but still the right side of the line. Again this has been achieved by the 2 pm—5 pm. careful housekeeping of all involved. I would like to thank especially all the members who have signed our ‘Gift Aid’ The nearest access into the forms which is almost all those who qualify to do so. They have made a major Scadbury Nature Reserve is via the footpath between 12—14 St contribution to our finances. Paul’s Wood Hill. Our publication sales have tailed off in this year but we hope with the launching of our Web Site they will pick up in the current year. Brian Reynolds, Treasurer

Future meetings June to October 2004

Tuesday 1 June Life of Charles Dickens — Alan Watts Tuesday 6 July Shops & Shopping in 19th Century — Peter Street Tuesday 5 October The Thames & Docks in Days Gone By — Jim Hewitt

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.

June 2004 Bromleag 3 News

Keston Roman A sunny future for tombs and 18th century windmill insurance The Council For Kentish Archaeology (CKA) are holding a London Archive Users' Forum Friends’ Open Day tour of the Roman tombs and the 18th Place in the Sun project century windmill from 2 pm on 19 The Guildhall Library manuscripts section holds hundreds of registers of June. insurance policies issued by the Sun Insurance Office from 1710-1863. The tour starts at Keston Village These record, in fascinating detail, who owned what, and whereabouts it was. Hall and will be led by CKA And not just the wealthy. All walks of life are there, from peers of the realm to chairman Brian Philps. Both sites the thousands of small traders who kept the Capital running, even the are within private grounds not washerwoman with £50 of her own and £50 of her clients’ laundry. The normally open to the public. property – both buildings and goods – of individuals, businesses and First discovered in the 19th century organisations is described and valued. the tombs were excavated between The weakness of this archive is that there is no comprehensive index to help 1967 and 1992. They form part of researchers steer their way through the masses of material. a larger extensive Roman cemetery In 2003, a group of volunteers from the London Archive Users Forum created relating to the nearby Roman villa. a computerised index of 30 registers – more than 50,000 policies – from the Keston windmill - the oldest early 19th century. This is not a detailed transcript, but identifies people, surviving windmill in Kent - is 450 addresses, and occupations and trades. This opens up the registers for feet above sea level and is a post researchers. Family historians can find their ancestors, local historians can look mill based on a brick built house at individual streets, or locate where particular trades were carried on. Once a with a timber roof. policy is identified as of interest, a researcher can go to the register and read the full details for themselves, or order a photocopy from Guildhall Library. The index is now searchable on the internet. You can search for people, history walk places, businesses and trades for the period 1816-24. For this period, the David Johnson is leading an historic registers deal mainly with London and its surrounding areas, but entries crop walk around Penge on 21 June. It up from all over the UK. will include St John’s Church, the The project is now focusing on the later 1820s, and will run at least until April Watermen and Lightermen and the 2005. William IV almshouses and a plaster business. Volunteers needed Last December David gave a talk to The project is looking for new volunteers to join the existing team to spend a the society about the almshouses couple of hours a week at Guildhall Library working with the registers. and wrote about them in Bromleag The work doesn’t require any specialized knowledge, and the material is (September 2003). fascinating. Experience of handling archives is a help but by no means The walk starts at 10am from the essential, as Susan Sneddon, the Project Manager, will give full training. Rangers Hut at the Penge entrance Times are flexible to suit individuals. If you feel that you might like to join our to . friendly team of volunteers, or just to know more about the project, please get in touch with the Susan at Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, Aldermanbury A wrong number for EC2P 2EJ, email [email protected], or call her on 07939 178246. Isobel Watson, Project co-ordinator Edward’s letterbox In Neil Lloyd’s article in Bromleag To use the Place in the Sun index, go to www.a2a. org.uk, Guidance on using (March 2004) about letterboxes the the index can be found at www.history.ac/uk/gh/sun.htm. last paragraph should have read “A The policy registers can be seen at, or copies of entries ordered from, Guildhall number of Eviii boxes, large and Library Manuscripts Section, address above, telephone 020 7332 1863. small, exist around the country,” not Evii boxes.

4 Bromleag June 2004 News West Wickham M&S keeps the stables

Spot listing by the Government has preserved the 19th information that showed its original appearance. century stables – for many years the Unigate Dairy - that The stables, which date from the 1890s, have an Arts fronted West Wickham High Street. and Crafts character but had been sadly neglected and The modern façade of an M&S food store now faces the altered in recent years. Many of the original features High Street. However, behind this a glazed infill within the have been reinstated and the unique milk bottle courtyard accommodates the new retail use and the bollards, a distinctive reminder from the building’s time historic stables have been restored using archive as a dairy, have been retained on site as a feature.

Patricia Knowlden takes a look at the holding to become a prosperous was moved somewhat to the west in history of the site. farmstead where, in 1760, Sir a Highway Diversion “for the Thomas Wilson “held his Shrievalty” convenience of passengers. of the county of Kent. His Georgian Naturally. Now renamed Kent Road, he history of the stable site can be mansion was greatly added to in the you can still see where the line of it traced back to 1485 when the late 19th century by Gustav Mellin, Lord of Wickham Manor had a diverges. T who made his fortune from rental drawn up. This was where Ridle Mellin’s Foods, to become Lane turned off the (High) Street, running northwards to The Ridle, which the opulent Wickham Hall. Wickham’s lords always kept in their In 1930 no one wanted own hands, and where they this pile so it was experimented in growing hops early in demolished to make way the 17th century. for a parade of shops. It was Mellin who also built In 1648 Ridle Lane was “impassable the stables: but they because of the mud and litter of replaced an earlier block of Richard Humfreys.” On the east was a 1805. The then tenant tenement named Carpenters which wanted more room to build later combined with the adjoining these so the old Ridle Lane Saved: Wickham Hall stables in 1903 The Studio gets an 11th hour reprieve years used the Victorian school. A Save the Studio Campaigners trying to stop Bromley Council turning The campaign, supported by BBLHS members, won an 11th Studio, the former County Secondary School, hour reprieve when The Prospects Group pledged its (The Technical Institute), into offices have won their fight support. Prospects propose to lease the building to both further the youth work that their Connexions Service provides to Bromley Council and to develop it as a community educational arts centre. The campaigners worked with Prospects staff and contributed to a business plan. Prospect’s senior director Tony Elliston, who lives in Beckenham and went to school in the building in the 1960s, heard about the campaign after a Save the Studio public meeting in February. Support has also came from Christopher Cator, the great grandson of Albemarle Cator who covenanted the The Studio, Beckenham Road land, to the then Beckenham Urban District Council in the late 1890's, for educational use. Bromley’s executive committee have approved the joint Cliff Watkins Prospects Group/Save the Studio Campaign proposal for it In September’s Bromleag Cliff writes about the school’s to become a Community, Arts & Media centre, rather than most famous pupil Titanic hero Harold Bride. use it for offices for the new MyTime Leisure Trust. Art, dance and theatrical groups have for the past 30

June 2004 Bromleag 5 News /Bromley Museum Living History — the Bromley Oral History Group New books

he Bromley Oral History Group is a group of volunteers and museum/ from Local library staff who are gathering, collating and archiving the oral history of T Bromley borough and its residents. The group is based at Bromley Studies Museum and is looking for more volunteers to help set up an archive of oral Bromley Local Studies library will history recordings and make new recordings. be publishing three new books The basis of the oral history archive is a collection of tape recordings this summer – their first since collected over many years and housed in the Bromley Local Studies Library. 1991. The Story of Green Street Volunteers are required to listen to the recordings, create content summaries Green by Marjorie Ford and and then go through the simple process of re-recording them on to CD for the Geoffrey Rickard, the new edition archive. of The Palace of the People by The group also wants to gather new recordings, particularly of people who Graham Reeve and an expanded lived in Bromley during World War II. This will be part of the People’s War edition of Wyn Parkinson’s Project, a BBC initiative that aims to create, on the web, a permanent record from Hamlet to of people’s memories of the last war (see www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2). Urban Village. Transcriptions of these recordings will be submitted to the BBC’s website and some will form the basis of a Museum exhibition next year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the war . If you wish to volunteer to participate in the project or have memories that you wish to contribute then please contact Adrian Green at the Museum ([email protected] or tel: 01689 873826). Link walk connects Adrian Green ,museum curator with Beckenham’s Lashings of Ginger Beer! history To celebrate the ninetieth birthday of Kelsey Park the Friends The Enid Blyton Story of Kelsey Park are creating a link walk that will ultimately connect he life of Enid Blyton is being celebrated in an exhibition at Bromley with the Green Chain Walk at Museum, Orpington Priory running from July until 3 October. This fun Beckenham Palace and the Outer T and colourful exhibition explores how this local Beckenham girl became London Loop Walk on the outskirts one of Britain’s best selling children’s authors of the 20th century. of West Wickham. Included in the exhibition is an overview of her life. This starts with her This first stage of the walk childhood, which was far from the sunny and cheerful world she created for follows the route of the old main the children of her books, followed by an examination of her early adult life road then along the High Street, which saw her essentially sever all ties with her family. This exhibition also past what was originally known as looks at the breakdown of her first marriage, her subsequent quick the Lord’s Waste to Thornton’s remarriage, accusations that she was a neglectful mother, and her eventual Corner which is the oldest battle with Alzheimer’s. surviving commercial building in Both her earlier works, as well as her more famous books will be explored, the High Street. ranging from the Sunny Stories magazine through to familiar series such as The route enters the park by the the Famous Five, Noddy and Malory Towers. The criticisms and controversies main entrance and ends, for the that surround her books will also be discussed, including the accusations that present, by the waters of Beoha’s her books were racist, snobbish, sexist and even homo-erotic. magic pool. Beoha was the The exhibition will also exhibit items and books linked to Enid Blyton, as well supposed founder of the Saxon as works of creative writing produced by children in local schools. settlement. Accompanying the exhibition will be six fun family events which are running throughout the summer holidays. Entry to the museum is free – for more details phone Lottie on 01689 873826 or email [email protected] Lottie Collins

6 Bromleag June 2004 News Crystal Palace celebrates a 150th anniversary

his year marks the 150th anniversary of Queen Victoria's colourful ceremonial opening of the South T London Crystal Palace. Reports of the time tell of the tremendous noise of horses pulling conveyances to rail termini in central London on 10 June 1854. “A sense of bustle from an early hour ... gaily-dressed ladies, who rushed in crowds to the doors of every carriage, reckless to damage or danger. So excellent were the arrangements, however, that nothing unpleasant The Crystal Palace Picture courtesy of Bromley Libraries occurred ... and the eager thousands were conveyed to the Palace in safety... at 11 o'clock the doors were thrown publication of Darwin's work. This seems to illustrate the open.” pioneering minds of this mid-nineteenth century The Queen opened the magnificent Crystal Palace at phenomenon. The Palace of the People in Penge existed 3pm with hundreds of dignitaries and an admiring from 10 June 1854 to 30 November 1936 when it burnt audience of 40,000 spectators. down. Queen Victoria was genuinely intrigued by the new With the building gone the grounds for decades after ground breaking entertainments and educational center, 1936 echoed the earlier outdoor activities. Post 1936 and made many visits. She was conveyed to the extinct activities included a motorcycle and car racing circuit, animal models by pony cart. The 'Monsters' still exist to the which brought much lively, if noisy, entertainment. Even in wonder of many adults and children to this day. These and recent years 'grand prix' prestigious athletic and swimming the geological constructions have been restored and are events have been held well worth a visit. The Crystal Palace was the first Disney Land. The David Johnson. ‘prehistoric’ constructions were created before the

Events and books to mark the celebrations Victorian weekend The Crystal Palace Foundation, Around Crystal Palace and Penge Palace of the People: The Crystal which exists to maintain interest in It will be no surprise that David Palace at Sydenham 1854 – 1936 the Crystal Palace, is celebrating the Johnson has contributed one of a Jan Piggott, now keeper of archives anniversary with a Victorian series of books showing how the and rare books at Dulwich College, Weekend on 5-6 June in the Crystal Palace linked to the communities in where he taught for over thirty Palace Park and BBLHS have asked its hinterland; Penge; Dulwich, years, has produced a new history of for a pitch in a marques. Sydenham, parts of Beckenham and the Crystal Palace. It describes the Norwood. design and building of the Palace History talk David’s book has 240 illustrations. and highlights the role of the This year of celebration includes on Many are from family collections architects and has extensive 10 June, The history of the Crystal that have never been published descriptions of the interior and the Palace with Ian Bevan at Westow before and some are by courtesy of adjoining gardens. Street Salvation Army Hall, cost £5 our members. David would like to and includes a buffet. thank the members who gave Palace of the People For this and other events, visit “much needed and generous help.” This is a new edition of the book www.crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk It will be on sale at the Victorian written by Graham Reeve and . Weekend, price £10. published by Bromley Council.

June 2004 Bromleag 7 Society meeting From world to local history Darwin’s Downe — n the annuals of science history the place that is inextricably linked with Charles Darwin’s place in local history Charles Darwin’s theories of was important in the researches I evolution is the Galapagos Isles. But carried out by Randal Keynes as he future generations may come to link gathered family memorabilia, letters Darwin’s discoveries as much with and researched national as well as Bromley as islands in the Pacific. Many local archives. of the detailed observations that are He said: “Our work has brought recorded in his books, including Origin home to me how Darwin is just one of the Species, were made in and figure in the household, the village, around his home in the village of the local community. To understand Downe. our heritage properly we must see the Now in an ambitious bid to put this famous people among the people part of the Kent countryside on the they lived with, we must see the whole world historical map an 11 square mile picture.” site around the village could become a Randal admitted that his interest in World Heritage Site. Downe had only been in passing until For 40 years Darwin lived and worked he became involved when English at Downe and at the April meeting of Heritage took over Downe House and BBLHS his great-great-grandson, they needed someone from the family Randal Keynes, who has been closely to work with them. involved with the restoration of Downe He found many things around the family that are now in the house House since it was taken over by including the microscope stool that Darwin’s second son and Randal’s English Heritage in the 1990s, told great-grandfather, George had written about. members some fascinating tales of his “However hard my father was at work, we certainly never restrained famous ancestor. ourselves in our games about the house, and I should certainly have Randal painted a picture for us of thought that the howls and screams must have been a great Darwin’slife in the community as well as annoyance: but we were never stopped … as an example of the ease of showing how important observations our footing with my father, I may mention that a game which Henrietta made in and around the local (his sister) and I enjoyed much was to sit together on his microscope neighbourhood had been to his chair and punt ourselves all about the drawing room with a walking research and theories. stick.” How he had developed his ideas by Randal told us about Darwin’s work as a magistrate. While the bench daily observations and experiments in sat at the Whyte Lion in Farnborough he would take oaths and affidavits his garden and the surrounding and give licenses at home. He was involved with the local community, meadows, woods and hedgerows. Many attending the Parish vestry, organizing the Friendly Society and running a of the plant, insect and animal species Coal and Clothing Club. that he observed are still there. His papers and other family correspondence also reveal details about The link between Darwin’s family and the local people he employed and about the importance of his friendship home life and work was illustrated by with anthropologist John Lubbock who lived at near-by High Elms. one particular poignant keepsake that It was Sir John who in 1870 asked the local Downe primary school – has survived down the years. Annie’s which he had founded – to teach botany and recommended Mr Hooker’s Box – the little writing case kept by his science primer. The primer was one that set out clearly the theory of daughter Annie until she died, aged 10, evolution. of TB. It also contains a note, kept by Local historical material is also important in presenting the historic Darwin, of the treatment he had given information on the world heritage site. Estate maps, tithe her and how she had been as he reapportionment which shows every field, its name, ownership, tenancy watched and cared for her. and use in 1840, the 25 inch Ordnance Survey of 1869 and nineteenth Annie was important in Darwin’s life century water-colours and photographs are all part of the material. and influenced his thinking and so Randal took this event as the pivot of his own book Annie’s Box – Charles Darwin, his daughter and human evolution. 8 Bromleag June 2004 Society meeting

plans for World Heritage Site

Annie was important in helping Origin of Species. knew.” Including the grounds of Darwin develop his theory, after Another site that makes an entry Holwood House, and returning from his voyage on the in the book is the School even a gravel pit at Green Street Beagle, because after she and his pond where a cupful of mud, from Green. first son William were born Darwin three sites in the pond, revealed Randal Keynes and Bromley was able to compare their behaviour, seeds from 537 varieties of plant. Council’s countryside management expressions and actions, such as Randall said: “The Origin of officer, Alister Hayes provided the looking in a mirror, with similar Species is one of the most nomination document for UNESCO observations he had made some time influential books in the history of the describing every historic feature, previously on an Orang Utan at world. Thirty-seven passages in it explaining their significance and London Zoo. are based on observations and setting out how they will be managed. But it was not just the observations experiments around Downe. The “It has been a journey of discovery as of humans that were important to same applies to the other books we followed in Darwin’s footsteps Darwin it was his environment around that he went on to write. It is around the neighbourhood, finding Downe that formed the bedrock of his extraordinary how well preserved what he saw where.” theories. Randall told us: “Working are all the places that Darwin with all the material (his papers preserved in the Darwin Archive at Cambridge University Library) we found that in the forty years Darwin was at Downe, while he was writing all of his important scientific books, he was observing and experimenting in the countryside, kitchen garden, orchard, flower garden and his study. Using all the plants, insects and animals in his immediate surroundings to explore the patterns and workings of natural life.” He told us about the gardeners, gloomy Mr Brooks and the very religious Henry Lettington who helped Darwin every day with his experiments. “The vicar of Downe Downe – drawing on local knowledge knew that Darwin’s ideas challenged Scripture but Lettington doesn’t seem A team of experts - led by Bromley that designates worldwide to have been concerned about what Council and embracing heritage sites) in time for the the experiments were leading to,” organisations such as English commemoration of Darwin’s said Randall. Heritage, English Nature and the bicentenary in 2009 (and 150 Then there was the seed merchant wildlife trusts - are consulting with years since the publication of John Cattle of Westerham whose seed local people to draw up the detailed The Origin of the Species.) catalogue has come down to us proposal for worldwide heritage The council are drawing marked by Darwin with notes on all status. together as much information the variants of vegetables he wants to The Government has given full as possible and if any members look at when he is examining artificial support and it is planned that of BBLHS have knowledge of selection by horticulturalists. Darwin at Downe will be the UK the area and it’s history that The fields, copses, lanes and woods nomination in the 2007 round. may be helpful they should he walked and wrote about are still There is also support from David contact Alister Hayes or Ewa there including – known Attenborough and Maurice Strong, Prokop at Bromley’s to Darwin as Orchis Bank – which he chairman of the UN Rio Earth Environmental Services on describes in one of the most eloquent Summit. 02028 313 4665 e-mail and famous passages in all scientific It will go to UNESCO ( the body [email protected] writing in the last paragraph of The

June 2004 Bromleag 9 Reminiscences D-Day an anniversary

Flying bomb destruction

remember it was a lovely, sunny day, with a bright blue sky. My mother brought a cup of tea into my bedroom and said, “I have just heard on the I wireless that we have invaded France, and our troops are now fighting for College a-buzz their lives, and ours.” My husband was in the RAF and also my brother and father. Dad was a with the news regular and served in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in 1917 and then in the RAF, so he had already given a good many years of his life to the country. I was twelve years old when war I also had three cousins in the RAF and one in the army. All my male friends broke out and well remember those first months of waiting – were also serving in some way – even women had been called up. with some dread – for I was not conscripted because I had two children. One was two and a baby of ‘something to happen’, and the five months, in 1944. Until I became a mother I had been in the Red Cross and hours spent in the trenches at worked in hospitals voluntarily as a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment). Bromley County School between Shortly after the invasion the Germans retaliated by bombing and the new siren Alert and All Clear. weapon of flying bombs (Doodle-bugs) had started. I spent many hours in our But it was with disbelief that we Morrison (a steel table) shelter lying over my two little girls to shelter them, but heard that our army was being as the bombing increased we could not get any sleep, so I was forced to taken off the beaches at evacuate again from Sydenham to stay with a relative in St Albans. Dunkirk. Then came four years We did not have television to watch – only papers to read and the wireless to of the Battle of Britain, the Blitz listen to, so we did not know the horrors that the men suffered. and sporadic air raids including On 22 July 1944 our house in Newlands Park was destroyed by a flying bomb Bromley’s own special on 16-17 so I could not return home. I left my children for a few days and came up to April 1941. Sydenham to help sort out some of my damaged belonging, and everything we By 1944 I was at the South East could save was taken into my brother’s house at 88 Newlands Park where it London Technical Institute on a remained while we were without a home. catering management course Later a house in Bishopsthorpe Road was requisitioned for me and I returned that I hoped would take me into with my children and stayed there for about a year with my mother and aunt, the WRNS. Then, I came into until I could move in 155 Venner Road in 1946. college one morning to find a As our men advanced, and forced the Germans back our lives became easier great flurry of excitement … ‘we’ve landed in France’ was here and I felt we had much to thank them for – life was more peaceful again. everyone’s greeting. Relief was The war ended, men came back and we tried to pick up the pieces. paramount, I think. Hope and Doris Pullen anxiety for all those young men. Justifiably so, as we followed, - as well as we were able - the battles of the next days and weeks and months. D-Day was Exhibition at Imperial War Museum wonderful but it was not the end only, as someone said, the The Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944 - Operation Overlord - was the end of the beginning biggest and most complex combined operation in history. Patricia Knowlden The five branches of the Imperial War Museum are all commemorating the event through the stories of the people involved, from generals and political leaders to soldiers and civilians, in a series of special exhibitions and events. In London at the Imperial War Museum the exhibition will include oral history recordings, together with film, objects and photographs from the Museum's collections and will run until May 2005. Further information on this and other events on www.iwm.org.uk or call 020 7416 5313/5444

10 Bromleag June 2004 Reminiscences remembered on the home front

In many families the 60th anniversary of D-Day will spark many memories. Three society members Patricia Knowlden, Doris Pullen and Ron Cox share theirs with us Ready and waiting

was a wireless operator/gunner in a Sherman tank in the 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, which was part Back at the barracks there was very little news, I of the 11th Armoured Division. We had been beyond that put out at frequent intervals on the trained to go ashore from tank landing craft and had wireless by the BBC. The airborne and seaborne assumed we would have to go over on D-Day. In the landings had been made and a bridgehead had been event we were held back until mid-June. established though, reading between the lines (and not unexpectedly), the British and Canadians had On the evening of Monday 5 June I walked over to done the job more successfully and efficiently than Farnborough (Hants) to see a fellow member of St the Americans farther west. Francis Youth Club. The sky was almost cloudless. Towards sunset and soon after I had set out on my way That night, the first spent by the seaborne forces on back (the 18.00 hours curfew must have been relaxed the mainland of Europe, I was on guard duty. It was by this time), I heard a low hum in the distance which quite a noisy night – not because of any military grew in intensity until it was a loud roar. There then action but because in an adjoining part of the passed overhead a quite unforgettable sight. It was a barracks, occupied by some other regiment, there great mass of slow-moving aircraft moving in a south- was a Sergeants’ Mess dance going on. All such easterly direction, each one towing a glider. The dances tended to be clamorous, alcoholic affairs invasion of Europe had begun; and, despite our lasting far into the night, but this one was especially waterproofing trials at Westward Ho! we were obviously so. not going to be part of the initial landing force. I particularly recollect a drunken conversation Indeed, the following day we were still only on several between two women in the ladies’ cloakroom, the hours’ standby and, having no duties, I took a bus to fanlight of which was just above the doorway, which the outskirts of Aldershot and went for a long, solitary was my “sentry box”. They were discussing, in words walk. It seems very strange, in retrospect, that whilst both slurred and profane, what they would do when the tank men of no greater age or experience or their men (though whether boy friends or husbands I training than myself were fighting their way ashore and know not) had gone off to France. One informed the dying on the beaches and in the coastal villages of other: “He’s been alright, but I hope the bugger never Normandy I was taking a casual bus ride and strolling comes back”. To this, the other replied: “Well, mine quiet country lanes a little more than a hundred miles won’t find me here if he does”. away. I felt their menfolk would not have got much I felt quite serene. I knew that there was no way out; comfort from such words, if they had overheard them. and I resolved to be a good crew member, to use my It’s a good sporting chance, of course, that they never skills to the best of my ability, both to kill Germans and returned anyway – especially as they were, I think, to protect my mates, and – if necessary – to die P(oor) B(loody) I(nfantry). bravely. Ron Cox

Battle talk Dr Ron Cox will be giving a talk on Monday 13 July. “It’s the Charge of the Light Brigade all over again”: Operation ‘Goodwood’, the biggest tank battle ever in Western Europe – 18 July 1944 The talk for the Natural History and Scientific Society at United Reformed Church, Addiscombe Grove, by starts at 7.45pm and is open to the general public.

June 2004 Bromleag 11 Feature Penge to Olympian Greece in 1906

Amid will-they-won’t-they be ready in time stories and security fears, thousands of sportsmen and women, spectators and the worlds’ media are descending on Athens for the Olympic games. But Athens held the first modern Olympics in 1896 and ten years later Eric Green’s great-aunt recorded – as part of a travel diary - a sport and celebrity event that marked the restoration of the stadium

There has been much festivity in Athens today – On the hill immediately above the stadium the people street decorations, flag carrying, mottoes, flowers. were clustered like bees and during the performance “A gala aspect generally. Fanny and I went early to the there was a slipping of people and earth. I could only see English church but could not get in. So we waited outside confusion amongst the people and clouds of dust. I amongst the orderly crowd until our King and Queen heard that there were no injured so far as was known. came and then strolled about until lunchtime. The Prince It was a great sight to see so many thousands gathered and Princess of Wales are also in Athens. The Greek together in the fine marble open air place – it seats crowd is certainly far more mannerly than a like crowd at 80,000 – there were bands and soldiers in picturesque home is. uniforms and flags and enthusiasm and Greek colours At 2pm the whole of us where on our way to the pale blue and white toned with everything. stadium for the Olympic Games – the first day of them. Then the entrance of the Kings and Queens – Greece Masses of people were on their way to the same point and – and other royalties. Our seats but there was no confusion or crowding as I expected were not far from the royal chairs and we saw and we passed to our seats quite comfortably. everything well. ” he occasion was the opening of The Sphinx was “solemn, silent the objects of much lively curiosity Games to celebrate the and majestic amongst the sand” … amongst the natives.” There were T restoration of the Stadium ten “the Bedouin Arabs were there in fourteen in the party but the years after the first modern Olympics good force and were indefatigable in camping arrangements required 56 in 1896. The ‘I’ is a great aunt who their attentions and in their desire horses and mules and 25 camp wrote a diary of a journey, which to sell scarabs”. The modern attendants. began by her catching the 9.30am traveller tends to be less After a stop in Damascus snow train from Penge station for Holborn circumspect. Later, “the Arabs were held up the next stage to Beirut. Viaduct on 30 January 1906. The at the landing stage in strong force. A boat took the party to journey took her to Egypt, Palestine, Every now and then the Arab police Constantinople for six nights before Syria, Constantinople (as it was then), modified the tumult with their they arrived in Athens. Athens and Italy. whips.” The party now turned towards Her modes of transport were varied There were incidents on the trip up home and after travelling through and occasionally hazardous. In the Nile. On a visit ashore “my Italy, Switzerland and France the Palestine, “Fanny’s horse ran away donkey was a large one but failed as diarist and her companion returned and for a few minutes we were in a steed … besides various small great suspense.” We talk today of stumbles and once being down on home to Sydenham. ease of travel and yet nearly a both knees, he fell right down and “We are deeply thankful that we hundred years ago the Edwardian partly rolled on me. I was quite have had this wonderfully ladies seemed perhaps more at ease unhurt but did not enjoy the interesting and enjoyable tour, that and visited countries to which we are episode” … “Excitement about 7am we have been well through it and at currently advised not to travel. over the boat, our own I think, which home safe and sound, with recollections enough to give us The party – an early Cook’s tour – was being swamped and much happy thoughts all the rest of our went by train to Marseilles and by bucket work and rope pulling and boat to Alexandria where “everything Arab chanting went on.” lives.” was novel and delightful to us, the After leaving England the party dress of the people, their ways, the reached Palestine where they streets, the sense of colour travelled on horseback and camped everywhere, we seemed in a new in tents. “We are to have soldiers to world”. guard us during the night. We were

12 Bromleag June 2004 Research queries and answers Chinese, Japanese, Burmese – that debatable garage Laurie Mack throws some fresh light on the inscrutable Beckenham landmark

Pat Manning’s in-depth research on the Chinese garage still leaves some problems. First and foremost is that not you can see them alongside the railway line near North only is it not Chinese, it is not Japanese either. Pevsner Sheen station. Bromley Rural District Council soon defined it as ‘the road to Mandalay’ – in other words, as followed, with a group in George Lane, Hayes. After that, Burmese. Council houses tended to look the same everywhere, until The estate itself was conceived as south Parker Morris (town clerk of the City of Westminster) east London’s equivalent of Hampstead Garden Suburb. revised the standards in the 1950s. The land had formed part of the Goodhart family’s Langley Meanwhile, architects and forward-looking private Park estate (not the same as Langley Court). Work started builders also followed the Unwin principles, but interpreted on it in 1908, and was suspended about 1915 – possibly the Letchworth/Hampstead styles rather differently. In the at about the date when the bus service between years up to 1939, they built thousands of semis, terraces Beckenham and the junction of Wickham Road and Hayes and detached houses, producing much of London’s Lane was suspended because of wartime conditions. Work suburbia as we now know it. After Parker Morris, private on house building resumed after the 1914-18 war. design evolved further, responding to fashion, town Unlike Hampstead Garden Suburb, which was developed planning rules, cost and profit parameters and political and run on the lines of a trust, Park Langley was a pressures. The last gasp of the garden suburb movement speculative development by builders H & S was probably Hayesford Park, Bromley, built by Ebenezer Taylor. Hampstead had Raymond Unwin and his Howard’s “descendant”, Howard’s of Mitcham (which then associates as its’ architects, and the early Park Langley went into receivership). houses resembled their Hampstead contemporaries; but Alongside all this were a host of local architects and the name of the architect – if there was one – who builders. Some of them were not sure where Edwardian designed the early Park Langley houses now seems to ended and the Jazz Age began (the term “art deco” came have been lost. much later); but they were happy to give clients an In its early layout and house designs, Park Langley amalgam of Hampstead and whimsy, with little lantern followed the principles laid down in Letchworth Garden City towers, turrets and other eccentricities of design. Hence by Ebenezer Howard and Raymond Unwin, and developed Park Langley garage, a bit like a Burmese temple. in Hampstead. Other garden estates – notably in Hayes, This state of affairs continued until the Town and Country where Henry Boot built about 900 houses – followed in Planning Act of 1932, which enabled Councils to be later years. As such it was the arts and crafts movement’s restrictive about design. If Park Langley garage had been view of what the English domestic scene should be. Hence designed a few years later, Beckenham would probably the street lamps had solid timber posts topped by lanterns have used the Town and Country Planning Act 1932 to say which would not have looked out of place outside an olde “no”, as it tried to do with the overwhelmingly Tudor Englishe inne. They would also have accorded with the “Pickhurst” pub in Pickhurst Lane (but lost the game on style of the shops in Wickham Road. The Taylors could get appeal). away with this design because the estate roads were Why Chinese Garage, then? Well, in the popular argot of private and unadopted, and Beckenham Council could not the time, anything not quite understood was “Chinese”. insist on its own distinctive cast iron lamp posts. Thus, in offices there were Chinese copies of documents Letterboxes set into the brickwork of garden walls and which no-one making them understood. As late as the gateposts were a standard GPO design and quite common 1950s, a design of luxury coach which had four steerable in residential areas. There are still quite a few about. wheels at the front, but the usual two-wheeled axle at the So why was Park Langley garage, which started life as a rear, was dubbed a “Chinese Six”. petrol filling station on land that had been part of Stone Pevsner and other useful books, and Council Minute Farm and was approved by Beckenham Council’s Town books with planning applications listed (but not with much Planning Committee in November 1926, given the detail) are in Bromley Library’s reference and local studies Burmese look? The answer may lie in what the sections. There are various websites dealing with architectural profession was doing at this time. Hampstead Garden Suburb, Letchworth Garden City, and Letchworth was started in 1903, and Hampstead in 1906. domestic architecture in Beckenham and Bromley: some In 1919, Unwin, commissioned by HM Government, are better than others. The easiest way to find those sites defined standards for small family dwellings of the future is to type your query into the Google website. (to the cry of “homes for heroes”). The first of these, built for Richmond () Borough Council, appeared in 1919;

June 2004 Bromleag 13 Research queries The hospital that nearly vanished Jill Hogben, who lives in Cornwall, usually researches church history particularly the Reformation but Jill, who grew up in Sydenham and whose from history mother still lives there, was intrigued when her mother bought her a local history book of Sydenham and Forest Hill, by John Coulter, archivist at Lewisham Library. A map caught her eye and her quest for Sydenham’s n the book is a map. I love missing hospital began… perusing maps and have quite a I collection of post 1900 maps. So presumed the hospital was in and called 'Hospital' so as to not I am used to researching cartography existence. alarm the locals. This would also have of the area, and was most amazed to The Kent/Lewisham border runs explained why there were no local find a hospital marked on a map right through Sydenham and the building regs documents, or any dated 1921 that I was not aware hospital is only just over the border, archive records of this hospital. existed. I thought this was possibly therefore I had to research Kent and It did not appear in the Sydenham because I had never bothered with Penge and Forest Hill Gazette the area after 1900, my interest being London. for 1914 and many VAD hospitals are on how the area grew from fields to The OS maps of 1912 and 1930 mentioned. I thought it might have suburbs. My Mother who is 83 had did not show anything in this area, been hastily constructed to take never heard of this hospital, neither but the building was obviously some patients who were evacuated from had anyone else locally. sort of First World War temporary hutted structure and no OS maps inner London. The area was a bit I wrote to John Coulter. It was with were produced during WW1 - people isolated in those days, though, so it embarrassment he said he hadn't could have been for wounded or noticed the hospital, and when infectious POWs. contacting his colleague Simon By now I had contacted the VAD site, Finch at Bromley Library, he didn't Red Cross, Imperial War Museum, know about it either. Kent Archives, LMA Archives, various So I set off trying to research the historical medical sites, the Wellcome reason for this very large 'S' site etc., and various other odd bods shaped hospital building with an in between, anything to do with the 'L' shaped addition to its north, First World War, and hospitals. which appeared on Bacon's series Then came the breakthrough. In the of London - dated roughly 1916 on past a member of the Sydenham the back in pencil. The original Society had been told by Albert White, map in the local history book was who was a leading light on the a Bartholomew's map dated 1921, allotments, that there were buildings it showed the hospital without the on the site once and that it was an 'L' shaped building. isolation hospital. Albert White has It definitely wasn't there in 1908 moved away (well he would, just to as I have a photo of the area. It is make things difficult) and the society all fields. is trying to locate him now. The site is in the 'V' shape I am now trawling through more created by the junction of Kent records but its is very difficult when House Road and Kent House Lane, obviously had more pressing things the hospital could have been under over the road from the Business on their minds. London control, yet it is obviously over Centre of today, which used to be the I then researched all the VAD the border into Kent. It may have Brickworks. The site today, is (Voluntary Aid Defence) Hospitals in been an annexe to Hither Green or allotments and houses, which were Beckenham and Sydenham, and Grove Park Hospitals, which were built 1930. found locations for them all. It was both isolation hospital. I asked Pat Manning about Cator not an asylum, I checked with But if anyone can shed further light Estate records – but nothing showed Bethlem Hospital archives. Hither on this hospital, which so nearly about this area, and the Cator Estate Green and Grove Park were isolation disappeared from history, I would love owned it - curiouser and curiouser. hospitals - or fever hospitals nearby. to hear from them at 'Trelease' 5 With Pat’s help I checked Kelly's Simon Finch suggested the Gloucester Road, Newlyn, Penzance, Street Directories, still showing hospital may have been prisoner of Cornwall, TR18 5DW or email nothing for the time - 1914 –1921 - I war accommodation, kept secret [email protected]

14 Bromleag June 2004 Research queries The Bromley Deer Mystery Chelsfield publishers hunt challenge Joyce Walker wonders Delving into booksellers lists Geoffrey Copus about a road sign on has come across a hitherto unknown early Keston Common 20th century — and by the sound of it very up- “I have driven over West market - publisher in Chelsfield. Wickham, Hayes and “I found several copies of The Sirens, an ode Keston commons many by Laurence Binyon, The Stanton Press, times recently and at times Chelsfield 1924 — one of 200 copies printed when the traffic is by hand by Richard and Elinor Lambert on stationary I have time to Kelmscott handmade paper and sold at their observe and note things Stanton Press at Dodona World's End Lane. that interest me. One such that made me smile was “This is the first I've ever heard of them or the warning sign for deer. the house or the press. I was tempted to buy “In the 14th century West one copy which has the bookplate of Alan Wickham had a deer park Lubbock.” but when was the last time deer roamed in the London Borough of Most of the Chelsfield end of Worlds End Bromley? Does the council know something we don’t?” Lane was not developed in 1924 but Geoffrey is trying to track down ‘Dodona’. Denise Rason has found Lambert, Richard Stanton, Dodona, World's End Road [sic] in the 1925 Kelly’s directory. But there is no indication of where the house was. He also wonders if the Lamberts were part of the arty Patricia joins the hippies circle around the Owens. I would like to say thank you to all the members who signed the Does anyone know any more about the delightful card, which I received following my hip operation – so I’ve house, the publishers or Richard Lambert? joined the hippies. I was very touched. Recovery seems to be progressing but rumours that I am secretly practising the can-can Naming of the are greatly exaggerated. Patricia Knowlden Campbell bride

In the March edition of Bromleag I ran an extract from the local paper on the death of motor speed ace Sir Malcolm Campbell and asked for more information on his first wife Health and his sister, the first woman car driver in traveller: the district. Patricia’s amusing take Elizabeth Silverthorne, archivist at Bromley on her hip Local Studies, has e-mailed the following: operation, “There is a report of his first marriage in the which, though August 1913 edition of the Bromley Record it started with (pages 155-6). The bride was Marjorie admittance Dagmar Knott, daughter of the late Mr HR at the new Knott and Mrs Knott, no title (In the obituary hospital in she was referred to as Lady Knott). The Farnborough, wedding took place on 13 July and Miss was actually Campbell, presumably the bridegroom's carried out in sister, was one of the bridesmaids.” Belgium

June 2004 Bromleag 15 Uncovering the little known history of Monks Orchard and Eden Park

Only 40 years ago Ian Muir was playing in the rivers and hayfields of Beckenham, and there are still large swaths of open land in the area of Monks Orchard and Eden Park. It was his concern for the future of the 254-acre Monks Orchard Estate that led Ian, with the help of local historian Pat Manning, to compile a selection of stories about the community that have been brought together in a new book, to be published later this year, The Book of Monks Orchard & Eden Park. – A little known History of our Town. Populated since the late Bronze Age, the area was favoured for its gentle wooded hills and numerous north-flowing rivers when, in the 1800s its proximity to London began to draw in rich landowners. The early 1900s saw the demise of the large houses; however, the 1920 Monks Orchard auction of the Lloyd lands meant that today’s housing estates spread quickly over the former park and farms lands. Today the area is a mixture of homes, parks, playing fields and local businesses. The book celebrates all of these covering every aspect of local life down through the years, from schooling and shopping, through entertainment and sport, to work and worship. The Book of Monks Orchard & Eden Park is part of the award-winning Community History Series from Halsgrove. It is 160-page hardback with 275 pictures and costs £19.95. Copies can be ordered from Halsgrove Direct, Halsgrove House, Lower Moor Way, Tiverton, Devon EX16 6SS. Phone 01884 243242 or www.halsgrove.co.uk. If you wish to subscribe before 1 September 2004 then a subscriber entry can be made in the book. For more information contact Halsgrove

16 Bromleag June 2004