Bromleag Volume 2: Issue 39 September 2016
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Bromleag Volume 2: Issue 39 September 2016 The ‘missing’ railways of Bromley Artistic and musical Famous beginnings in residents Beckenham remembered and forgotten A summer of Chislehurst history Cover Picture: Royal Parade, Chislehurst in the 19th century, hand coloured postcard. Below: William Willet’s house on Camden Park Road. See Page 15 Contents — September 2016 News and Events 3, 5 — 8 Society news Commemorating Bromley’s famous 6 — 7 Bromley Record DVD 10 — 11 Letters 11 — 14 Society Meetings Chislehurst talk and visits 15 — 16 Street furniture 16 — 17 Crystal Palace High Level station 17 — 18 Features Alfred Deller 9 Sir Arthur Bliss and the Beckenham Salon 19 — 20 Early days of Bromley Railways 21 — 31 Registered Charity No 273963 2 Bromleag September 2016 Bromleag The journal of the Bromley Borough Local History Society Notes from the Chairman The British Association for Local History (BALH) held their Annual Event and AGM at St Andrew’s Church, Holborn, in June. The venue is the largest parish church built by Christopher Wren in the 17th century. Excavations have revealed Roman remains and its name appears in a charter of 951 AD. The day began with a presentation by the Business Archivist of the National Archives at Kew, where they have a “crisis management team” to locate and rescue archives, if they can be found. This year he was supported by the Senior Archivist from the London Metropolitan Archive, which holds the archives of many thousands of London-based businesses, including what is thought to be the oldest written business record anywhere in Britain — an account of fleeces sold by a wool merchant in the 14th century. Both archives hold records of nationwide businesses that are relevant to local historians. After a buffet lunch came the AGM, which I am pleased to say was conducted as speedily and efficiently as we manage at BBLHS. There followed the presentation of BALH Awards recognising the achievements of local historians across the country: personal achievement in a published work, personal contribution to disseminating local history and promoting local history through a Newsletter. The day closed with an entertaining and absorbing lecture given by Tom Williamson, Professor of Landscape History at the University of East Anglia. His subject was Launcelot Brown and the Capability Men, a group whose work influenced the landscape of the majority of English country estates, of which Bromley has a number — Langley Park, Kelsey Park, Sundridge Park and Holwood Park, among others. Next year’s Event and AGM will be on 3 June at Resources for London in North London. Details will be published later in the year. This is an opportunity to meet local historians from across the country while being introduced to current interpretations of history from leading professionals. For further information on St Andrew’s, visit www.standrewsholborn.org.uk Tudor Davies 3 Bromleag September 2016 Who’s Who on the BBLHS committee www.bblhs.org.uk Chairman Tudor Davies Springhall, Leafy Grove, Keston, BR2 6AH 01689 855744 [email protected] Treasurer Pam Robinson 68 Rolleston Ave, Petts Wood, BR5 1AL 020 8467 6385 [email protected] Secretary Elaine Baker 27 Commonside, Keston, BR2 6BP 01689 854408 [email protected] Membership Secretary Tony Allnutt Woodside, Old Perry Street, Chislehurst, BR7 6PP 020 8467 3842 [email protected] Programme co-ordinator Mike Marriott 2 The Drive, Orpington, BR6 9AP 01689 820794 or 07917 101520 [email protected] Publications John Barnes 38 Sandilands Crescent, Hayes, BR2 7DR 020 8462 2603 [email protected] Minutes Secretary VACANT Publicity and website Max Batten 5 South View, Bromley, BR13DR 020 8460 1284 [email protected] Bromleag Editor Christine Hellicar 150 Worlds End Lane, Chelsfield, BR6 6AS 01689 857214 [email protected] Bromleag is published four times a year. The editor welcomes articles along with illustrations and photographs. These can be emailed, on disc or a paper copy. Items remain the copyright of the authors and do not necessarily reflect Society views. Each contributor is responsible for the content of their article. Articles may be edited to meet the constraints of the journal. Articles are not always used immediately as we try to maintain a balance between research, reminiscences and news and features about different subjects and parts of the borough. A full INDEX of articles in Bromleag 1974—2015 can be found at www.bblhs.org.uk Next journal deadline — 15 October 2016 4 Bromleag September 2016 Meetings and events Meetings are held at 7.45pm on the first Tuesday of the month (unless otherwise stated), from September to July, at Trinity United Reformed Church, Freelands Road, Bromley. The hall has free on and off-street parking, good public transport links and facilities for the disabled. Non-members are welcome at meetings for a nominal charge of £1. Meetings 4 October The work of Coles Child in Greenwich — Mary Mills The story of a leading Bromley resident of the C19th Find out a bit more about Coles Child, the villain of the piece, in our railway article on Page 21 1 November A Beckenham family’s WWI archive — Aura Hargreaves 6 December A history of some famous London shops — Susan Jenkinson Visits 20 October 2.30pm Visit to Bromley Archives Meet in the archives on the second floor of Bromley Central Library 25 September 11am—4pm Keston Roman Tombs Open Day A rare opportunity to visit Keston Roman Tombs at Brambletye, Westerham Road, Keston. There will be graphic displays and finds on show and guided walks by the Council for Kent Archaeology. Pedestrian access only, parking at Keston Ponds and Heathfield Road car park. Entry is free but funds raised will go to Age UK Bromley. 5 Bromleag September 2016 Society news The famous, infamous and worthy of Bromley As one of its austerity measures, the London Borough of Bromley no longer commemorates people thought worthy of recognition by means of a blue plaque, but other organisations and individuals in the borough continue to record local people in this way. BBLHS is planning to place the Borough’s list of those already commemorated on our website and then update it as new individuals considered appropriate for inclusion are identified. In this way we can create and maintain a central database for the entire Borough by regularly updating it. When adding names to the database our plan is to provide a synopsis of the life and contribution made by the person selected for listing. As a starting point we will compile a list of 50 candidates for the website. The Society hopes all our members and the wider community of Bromley will participate by proposing the names of people suitable for inclusion. Currently we are discussing the criteria we should apply when considering who to select. If a name immediately springs to mind that you wish to propose for our list, do first visit the English Heritage website at www.english-heritage.org.uk where their criteria for selecting candidates are published. If you are convinced of the merits of your candidate why not compose a thumbnail summary recording the contribution they made to local and/or national life and thus enhance their chances of inclusion. Some possible candidates One man already commemorated is Thomas Dewey (see Page 8). Alfred Deller could be a possible new candidate — see Page 9. Who else is in the running? We have had a lot of interesting suggestions and some have featured in past issues of Bromleag. These include: William Cook (1886-1903)— an internet search for Orpington gives countless pictures of the Buff Orpington chicken, pictured on the back page. The world famous chicken was bred by William Cook but where is he commemorated in Orpington? Gustav Mellin — chemist, and inventor of powdered baby food who lived at Wickham Hall 1885-1902. He also sponsored the first English airship flight over London. Wickham Hall has long since disappeared but the stables, now a Marks & Spencer store, remain. (Bromleag June 2008) William Willis (1841-1923) — Bromley’s forgotten millionaire lived off Cromwell Avenue. He invented the Platinotype process to coat photographic paper. It was so successful that it became used around the world until the start of the 20th century. He assisted the Cottage Hospital and the Phillips Memorial Hospital to buy their first X-ray equipment. 6 Bromleag September 2016 Society news Sophie and Margaret Harris — sisters who lived at The White House, Hayes, from which they ran their famous theatrical design company Motley until they needed a larger space in London, in mid 1930s. (Bromleag September 2015) Eric Lubbock (later Lord Avebury) — Liberal MP for Orpington, 1962-70, whose election was a major national political event and seen as a revival of the Liberal Party. The family grave is in the woods at High Elms, Farnborough, but as a Buddist Eric did not want his grave marked and the landscape has already reverted to its natural state, so there is no lasting memorial. (Bromleag March 2012) Elsy Borders — led a mortgage strike in Coney Hall, West Wickham in the 1930s, because of building defects in her home. The strike spread nationwide and resulted in a change in the law giving protection to buyers from builders and building societies. Rev Thomas and Mrs Anna Maria Hussey — lived from 1831-1856 at Hayes Rectory, now the library. Thomas was an astronomer, the first to suggest the existence of the planet Neptune. Anna Hussey carried out important work on Mycology, the study of fungi. John Lascoe — the Lascoe family ran a saddlery in Bromley High Street from 1706 to 1852, and various members held posts in the town, including Constable, Church Warden and Workhouse Overseer.