THE NEWSLETTER OF THE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY FOR THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY

Vol. 6 No. 1 January 1982 PRICE 10p Free to Members Windmills The first reference to windmills in Kent is in the early 13th century. Previous to that mills were driven by water power. The Domesday report of 1086 showed that Kent had over 300 water mills. There is no definite evidence when windmills came into use, but some were in existence about the year 1200. With the advent of the windmill the number of mills increased and after the 16th century there were about 400 windmills in Kent. The oldest surviving one being that at Keston. Bromley. Edmund Style of Langley, refers in his will dated 1614, to the mill which he had built in “the parish of Broinleighe” . Its position is marked on Rocques Map of 1763 and it would seem to have been just off Bromley Hill, somewhere near the Bromley Court Hotel. About 1768 the mill was moved about 400 yards, and it continued in use until about 1835 when it was reported to have been demol­ ished. Yet one of the Cawston children, who lived at Bromley Hill Court at the end of the 19th century, wrote about walking past the old corn mill which she said had stood for centuries. Some burials of people from the wind­ mill are recorded in the Bromley church registers — on 3rd December 1669, a man child that the windmiller nursed; on 23rd April, 1676, Matthew Janwood; in 1704, William Lets and in 1726, Sarah, daughter of William Bar. Cudhain. The Pimlico mill stood at Biggin Hill, near the Black Horse Inn and Aperfield Court. It was owned by Mr. Christy who according to the 1851 census, lived at Aperfield Farm, was the Lord of the Manor, farmed 530 acres and employed 34 labourers and a bailiff. His two sons Arthur Treherne and Frederick Collier.are described in the census as “gentlemen” . Later the mill was used by Alfred Nicholls, who owned the mill at Downe. It was demolished about 1885. Chelsfield. A large scale map of 1769 shows a mill at FUTURE Well Hill, but nothing more seems to be known about it. Chisieliurst. In 1796 a special Vestry meeting gave per­ mission for the erection of a mill, upon condition that on MEETINGS two days a week, the poor should have their corn ground cheaply. The mill stood on the south side of the cricket field; and a house called Mill field gets its name from the Friday. Listed Buildings in Bromley. windmill, which stood nearby. A row of cottages called 29th January. C.J. Davis. Bromley's Chief Architect/Planner. Mill Place occupy the mill site and in front of One of the 8 p.m. at the Bromley Central Library. cottages was a stone with a drawing of a windmill carved on it. (It would be interesting to know if the stone is still Friday. The Politics of the Bromley there). Alfred Nicholls of Downe, also used this mill about 12th February. Local Board. J.M. Rawcliffe. 8 p.m. at the Bromley Central Library. 1855. It was demolished some time after 1870. Downe. There is a Mill Lane and a Windmill Close in Friday, High Elms and the first Lord Avebury. Downe. One record states that a mill stood at Gorringe’s 26th February. F.J. Whyler. 8 p.m. at the St. Giles Centre, Farnborough. farm. In 1841 and 1851, Henry Bannister was the miller. In June 1885, a fire gutted the interior of the mill, which was Friday, Annual General Meeting. then being worked by Alfred Nicholls. It was later 12th March. 8 p.m. at the Bromley Central Library. enlarged but was finally destroyed by another fire in 1902. Saturday, Orpington Local History. Public meeting. From reports it was a very large mill. 20th March. 2.30 p.m. at Methodist Church, Keston. The remains of this mill still stand. It was built Sevenoaks Road, Orpington. or rebuilt in 1716. There is an excellent article about the Keston mills, by M.C. Walts, in Bromley Local History No. 4. □ In 1838, the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of Queen Adelaide agreed to be patroness ol the alms­ the River Thames, set up a committee to erect almshouses houses and donated £100. The first stone was laid by the for the “poor, aged, decayed and maimed’’ freemen of the Lord Mayor of London on Saturday, 16th May, 1840. The Company, and their widows. An advertisement for an acre ceremony was followed by a dinner at the Bridge House of land to be used for charitable purposes was placed in the Hotel, which cost 8/- a head, with 5/- for a bottle of wine. Times, and Mr. J. Dudin Brown, who lived at Sydenham The almshouses were probably the first substantial and made considerable donations to charity, offered 1 'A buildings in the area, and were reported to be an acres (later increased to two acres) at Penge. His offer was “ ornament with the beautiful neighbourhood on which accepted. they are placed and will be found replete with every com­ fort to those for whose benefit they are intended” . Each house consisted of three rooms, i.e. a living room, small kitchen and a bedroom. There was an outside toilet witli cesspit drainage. Water was supplied from wells. The houses were built on three sides of a square, with lawns, gardens and gravel paths. Whilst each home was private, the residents were part of a community. The first resident moved in on 4th November, 1841, and the Clerk of Works had been asked to ensure that the houses were clean and that the fires had been lit three days before. The residents had to be of good character and gen­ erally, they had to be able to look after themselves. One applicant was rejected because he was of “indifferent character” and another because he was “totally blind and addicted to drink” . A Master, Matron, and Gatekeeper were appointed. It is known that in 1890 the Master was paid £6 a year and the Matron £5. When the residents became incapable of looking after themselves, relatives were asked to remove them from the almshouses. But there is one case on record of an inmate being allowed to have a 12 year old niece come to look after her. The curate of Beckenham church attended every Wednesday to conduct a service, and John Scott, who was a surgeon at London Hospital, and lived at Penge, gave free medical attention. When he died a doctor was paid £20 a year to care for the health of the residents. The almshouses were used until 1973, when the Com­ pany of Watermen and Lightermen. built fifty semi­ detached bungalows at Hastings and the residents were removed from Penge to Hastings. The buildings at Penge were modernised and became “superior Council houses” . HISTORY ON FILM BLUE PLAQUES I was recently privileged, thanks to the kindness of The blue plaques of London are a visible reminder of the Harry Walden, Derek Hines and the members of Spring town’s rich heritage as a national and international centre Park Cin6 Society, to see several films of local, historic for the arts and sciences. The “ Blue Plaque Guide to interest. Outstanding among them were Harry’s own films, London’’ by Caroline Dakers, is a guide to the 600 or so shot in 1949, of West Wickham’s annual fair and flitch houses in the Greater London area which are marked with and Hawes Down Junior School sports. Ralph Bain’s 1943 a blue plaque. It describes the lives of the people who lived film of Croydon, showing street scenes and A.R.P. activi­ there and their association with the house, and is illu­ ties, gave a fine impression of wartime life, while Clive strated with over 50 line drawings by the author. Hastie’s 1965 newsreel showed rehearsals for the local The book is published by the Macmillan Press Reference pantomime, the Remembrance Day service and a charity Books Division, 4 Little Essex Street, London WC2R 3LF, pram race from West Wickham to Beckenham. What and costs £7.95. impressed me most was the fine quality of all these films, and their value for historical research. Local buildings, events and personalities had been captured as they actually were. SUBSCRIPTIONS Encouraged by these films 1 realised how little is known All subscriptions (except for new members who joined about films of this area. Apart from those mentioned, and after 1st October) become due on 1st January. The rates some of uncertain content and quality held by Bromley are £3 for an individual member, £4 for a husband and Libraries, more must still exist. Some have already been wife, £2 for a pensioner and £3 for a husband and wife lost, like that made of the Coney Hall estate in the 1930’s. I who are both pensioners. Please renew your membership believe an opportunity exists here for a co-operative effort as soon as possible, by sending the appropriate amount to between the two local cind societies, our local history the Hon. Treasurer, Mr. J. Nelson, Ensilmont, 69 Aper- society and the library service, to locate and list films Of field Road, Biggin Hill, Westerham, Kent TN16 3LX. ’ ” al interest, arrange a public showing of the best of Arrangements have been made for subscriptions to be an, and to consider the preservation of historically paid by bankers standing order. This is a very convenient i'”nortant film for research, both now and in the future. method of paying and the necessary form can be obtained C. W.J. Harris. from the Hon. Treasurer. □

WHERE IS THE BROMLEY INFORMATION WANTED WHEREIN I WAS BORN A member writes:- “ When 1 was a child the piece of O where is the Bromley wherein I was born, Wharton Road (Bromley) between Palace Road and the The Bromley I knew as a child. school was always called “The Landway” . Men of my Alas! multiple shops, buses and cars father’s generation called the area round Nichol Lane/ Have our lovely High Street defiled. Foxbury Road “ Hollowbottom” . Can you throw any light on the origins of these names? Information please to the And O what a lovely High Street it was, Secretary, 163 Tubbenden Lane, Orpington. □ Its large houses with gardens so trim, And in the evening quite peaceful and quiet, Gas lamps casting their shadows dim. AERIAL BATTLES — O just to sec those quaint little shops That were dotted around the square Sunday 15th September 1940. And to hear once again on a Saturday night During this day in The Battle of Britain, British fighters Our prize silver band playing there. intercepted an attacking force of German bombers over Our market day too was held in the square this area, causing some to jettison their bombs in the Beck­ And what fun we had Thursday night enham and Penge districts. On behalf of the author of a th jokes from the vendors, as we toured the stalls new book relating to this day I am anxious to obtain any Lit by naptha torches so bright. information. Please contact:- Mr. L.G. Smith, 79 Gravel Road, Bromley Common, Kent. □ __i as darkness fell to Marlins Hill we’d all go Mtci flower beds so bright and gay, And O how exciting as we watched for an hour RARE BOOKS The Crystal Palace firework display. The Library Association, Rare Books Group, is asking Gone is the old pump and the gentlemen’s loo for help with the following scheme. This country is extra­ That was under the old Market Square, ordinarily rich in collections of rare books but all too often Where opposite stood a two-horse brake their existence is unknown to people who could profitably Patiently waiting to pick up a fare. make use of them. The Rare Books Group is therefore And no longer have we our charter Day sports anxious to publish in the interests ol scholarship a national Which on August Monday took place directory of rare book collections giving the names of In the grounds of Sundridge Park mansion various collections, their nature and extent, held in the Where often I’ve run a good race. British Isles. It will be under the general editorship of O how I recall that lovely sight Stanley Roberts, Deputy Director of the John Rylands Of a beautiful carriage and pair University Library of Manchester. Coming out of Church House iron gates If the directory is to inspire confidence in research When Mr. Paul Henwood lived there. workers so that no relevant collection in this country is unknown to them, it must be as complete and informative And where have our noted Bromley gents gone? as possible. With this object in view members of the Rare Col. Cawston, Sir Coles Child, our laird, Book Group are visiting libraries with a view to examining And Sir Edward Scott, Sir Howard Moore, collections which may be considered suitable for inclusion. To say nothing of Lord Kinnaird. These would include books printed before 1851, manu­ O my childhod Bromley has faded, scripts, letters, maps, music, etc. If anyone knows of any Lost in the progress of time collection which may answer this description they are And I don’t like it one little bit asked to contact:- M.F. Bywater, P.O. Box 433, Chartered For Bromley now I don’t give a dime. Accountants’ Hall, Moorgate Place, EC2P 213J. (01-628 K. Payne. 7060). D SOUTHBOROUGH LODGE BEXLEY PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORIES Ail interesting letter lias recently been received from a Photographic Memories meets the frequently expressed descendant of John Wells of Bickley. He had read the wish for a collection of photographs of the “good old article on the Wells family in the No. 1 issue of Bromley days” . It contains pictures of Bexley, Sidcup, Foots Cray Local History. He raised various queries which the writer and North Cray as they were 50 to 100 years ago, and was mostly able to answer. One which is only partially recaptures the spirit of those times which older people try answered concerns Southborough Lodge, which was situ­ to describe to us and which younger ones find so hard to ated in Southborough Road near the southern end. Miss understand. Plincke produced the Tithe map, which showed its The photographs are clearly reproduced and the book’s location, and plan of the house and grounds, and also an design and lay-out make it an attractive item to keep or to early Ordnance Survey map of a date about twenty years give as a present. later whicli she felt indicated that bay windows had been It can be bought at any Bexley library at cost of £1.50. □ added. The estate was sold when Mr. John Wells died in 1894, and Southborough Lodge was pulled down when local roads were laid, and houses erected. Could anyone add to this, or would anyone have a photograph of the Lodge from which a copy might be made? ON “BRUMLEY” — The Answers Mr. Wells in his letter expressed doubts about the My note in the June issue on the pronunciation of suggestion in the article that the name “ Bickley” may have Bromley elicited four letters and a telephone call (for been transported from “ Bickleigh” in Devonshire where a which many thanks) with ideas and information which branch of the family lived. It is a coincidence that the should be passed on. I learned that the ‘u’ pronunciation writer has recently been studying the Bromley Poor Rate was usual a hundred years ago and, in fact, persists in books of the early eighteenth century. One of the two names and everyday words, ‘love’, 'glove’, ‘son’ (how Overseers of the Poor in 1714, was Samuel Adams of Bick- many can you think of?) and a name which every day is on Icy. Although there is a gap in the Rate Books of about our lips or in our mind’s eye and we never question its pro­ twenty years from when Adams’ widow occupied the nunciation — London. Toperty in 1736 to the time that Thomas Jukes Gent The villian of the piece was the Education Act of 1870, ccupicd property in the area in 1757, as shown in the Rate for from that date an ever-increasing proportion of the Book of that year, there is little doubt that it was the same community learned to read for themselves. Were they not property, later owned by the Wells. taught that ‘o’ stands for ocean, for oblong and oxen, and John Filmer that the name of their town was spelt Bromley? And so the battle of ‘o’ against ‘u’ was joined and went on, year after year, with ‘u’ slowly giving ground until in 1914, as a lady AN OLD WEST WICKHAM CUSTOM whose family came to Bromley in that year was told, the ‘u’ pronunciation was one of the things which marked off A West Wickham tradition which is recorded by Hasted the “carriage folk” from the rest. A bus conductor on the was, in Rogation Week for a number of youths to meet 227 route from Chislehurst twenty-five years ago had together and run into the orchards with hideous noises, assessed the situation and was wont to announce, encircle the trees and say as follows: “ Brumley Market for Bickley ladies. Stand fast root, bear well top, No prize for those who spotted the non-deliberate error God send you a youling sop! in the limerick, but for those who didn’t, please substitute Ev’ry twig, apple big; , ‘the’ for ‘with’ in the second line. Ev’ry bow, apple enow! A.H. Watkins If a gratuity was not forthcoming the trees and their owner were anathemetized. Hasted suggested that “ youling” was derived from Eolus, god of the winds, and the procession intended to represent a favourable blast. This seems most unlikely. It is ORPINGTON HISTORY Saturday, 20th March much more probable that the “youling sop” was soaking The special public meeting which the Society holds each ■■Tin, or a heavy soak, to swell the fruit. The word sop is year in different parts of the borough, will this year deal j|il in use (“sopping wet” ). So the jingle becomes a beni- with the history of Orpington. It will be held on Saturday, son for fruitfulness when begging for money, with “a big 20th March, at the Methodist Church Hall, Sevenoaks apple on every twig and apples enough on every bough” . Road, Orpington, and will start at 2.30 p.m. This hall is Harry Walden near the Orpington Wall Memorial round-about; a hundred yards or so along the road to Sevenoaks. Interesting speakers are being arranged nd there will be an DISCOVERING BROMLEY exhibition of photographs etc. of old Orpington. Environment Bromley has produced a free leaflet* “ Dis­ The idea of these meetings is to create an awareness of, covering Bromley’s Countryside by Bus” . Copies will be and interest in the history of the area concerned. The available at Orpington, Biggin Hill and Bromley Central meetings are advertised locally as widely as possible, and Libraries (or SAE to Philip Daniel, 300 Baring Road, tickets will be on sale at the Orpington Public Library and London SE12). People without cars can use the bus, which at the Local History Department of the Bromley Central runs between Orpington tmd Biggin Hill, to get to High Library. Elms, Down House, the Battle of Britain Chapel. Help is needed from members with the stewarding, In their package of eleven Listed Buildings walk leaflets collecting tickets and providing the refreshments. The hall EnBro will be including a revise of the St. Mary Cray holds about 120 people and it would be nice to see it full. A South leaflet, taking account of recent developments there. charge of 75p is made to cover the cost of hiring the hall The package is available at Bromley Central Library and and providing the refreshments. Tickets will also be the Town Hall (or 62p by post from Philip Daniell). Our available from the Secretary (Farnborough 58679). Please Buildings are part of our history. The package helps you come along either to listen or help (or both) and sell as discover some of them. many tickets as you can.

Designed and produced by Raven Studios Ltd., 5 Rectory Road, Beckenham, Kent on behalf of The Local History Society for the London Borough o f Bromley. Editorial contributions or enquiries to: Mr. F.J. Whyler, 163 Tubbenden Lane, Orpington.