THE NEWSLETTER OF THE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY FOR THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY Vol.2 No.3 FEBRUARY 1980 PRICE 10p Free to Members Committee to Review Local History The Standing Conference on Local History — a national indirectly to a reduction in vandalism in the area. body — set up a Committee under the Chairmanship of Attention is drawn to the fact that no university offers a Lord Blake, to consider and review various aspects of local first degree in local history and the University of Leicester history. In the evidence which this Society submitted, the has the only local history department in the country. It is difficulties of a voluntary society such as ours, in contended that emphasis should be placed on the oppor­ endeavouring to cover the vast amount of local history tunities which local history affords for the development of work which needs to be done in the area, was stated; skills in handling and evaluating source materials and in together with the need for original records to be made using research techniques. readily available for members to work on. The difficulties The lack of local history activities in schools is criticised, which arise because so many of the Bromley area records but it is pointed out that the inclusion of such activity in jind documents are at the Kent County Archives Office at the curriculum would demand teachers with the qualifi­ Maidstone, were also stressed. cations required to promote and guide it. They state that The Committee’s report has now been issued. They local history studies should be maintained at schools but define local history as the study of man’s past in relation to that it is difficult to imagine that any major development his locality; locality being determined by an individual’s can take place in the amount of useful work attempted, interests and experience. They point out that the growth in without the availability of more effective training. the study of local history has been remarkable, especially Training, the Committee state, is the key element in any since the end of the second world war, and state that the plan designed to meet the needs of those who teach local average membership of the 250 local history societies who history in school, higher education and in adult classes. submitted evidence, is 151. (The membership of this The Committee are of the opinion that it should be Society is over 200.) recognised as a subject for examinations. They urge that The Committee believe that local history performs a all courses on the subject should include training in a social and recreational role, and they submit that it has an knowledge and understanding of sources, a systematic environmental role too. It was reported to them that local method of investigation, the use of original documents, history lessons among school children in a London together with group and individual practical research Borough so stimulated a feeling of local pride that they led work. It is pointed out that the demand for access to study material threatens to outstrip the resources available. They criticise local record offices as being inaccessible. (There are only 70 local record offices but 5,000 public library service points). They state that copies of much used FUTURE documents in record offices should be distributed to public libraries in the area concerned. The difficulties of getting advice and information are MEETINGS referred to, as well as the shortage of finance for local Friday, 29th February Member's night. history publications. They state that there is a need for a national organisation to help local societies; to promote a Thursday, 13th March Annual General Meeting, which will wider interest in local history and to influence the be presided over by our President, the Mayor of Bromley, Councillor provision of the necessary service. J.F. David. It is predicted that the interest in local studies will continue to grow and there is a substantial case for the Saturday, 22nd March Conference on the history of West at 2.30 p.m. Wickham, at St. Francis Church development of certain services, facilities and a unifying hall, Ravenswood Avenue, West organisational framework. Wickham. Friday,28th March Churches and Local History. Copies of the full report of the Committee to Review Discussion. Local History are obtainable at £1.75p each (inclusive of postage) from 26 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3HU. □ Tuesday, 8th April Eltham. A talk by Miss Margaret Taylor of the Eltham Society. Friday, 25th April Vernacular Buildings. Discussion. FOREST HILL Wednesday, 14th May Open Spaces of Chislehurst. A talk Our member, Mrs. Doris Pullen, has produced another by Mr. Clifford Platt. book about a local area and the people who lived there — Friday, 30th May Visit to Downe. Meet at Downe an area which was once a forest on a hill and is now a church, at 7.30 p.m. crowded and busy suburb of London. It tells of the early history of Forest Hill; the recollections of the people who Wednesday, 18th June Orpington. A talk by Mr. John live there and contains a wealth of detailed information at The Priory Orpington Edwards. about the area and its people. There are many very The above meetings will, except where stated, start at 8 p.m. and interesting illustrations. Copies can be obtained from the be held at Stockwell College, Bromley. author, 155 Venner Road, Sydenham SE26. The cost £2.60 ---- ----- ----------------------------------------------------------- J plus 27p postage, and it contains 160 pages. □ buildings In West Wickham There are two methods by which buildings can be which it is thought, make a valuable contribution to the protected against alteration or demolition. They can either character of West Wickham. Although these buildings are be “listed” as being of special architectural or historic not statutorily protected, the local Council will endeavour interest or included in a Conservation Area which can be to ensure that they are, as far as possible left undisturbed:- designated by the local authority. 77, Addington Road. “Modern” style house, built 1934, The following buildings in West Wickham have been by Leslie Kemp & Tasker. “listed” by the Secretary of State for the Environment and 54 and 56, The Alders. Early 19th century cottages. cannot be altered or demolished without specific consent Marley Homecentre, Croydon Road, (1935), by Leslie from the local authority in liaison with the Greater London Kemp & Tasker. Council Historic Buildings Committee:- Lodge to Coney Hall School, Croydon Road. A Victorian 25, Corkscrew Hill. An early 19th century weatherboard red brick lodge with tile-hanging. cottage. St. Christopher’s Chapel, Assembly Rooms, Gates Green 42, Corkscrew Hill. An 18th century house, stuccoed with Road. Originally a 15th century granary, refaced in gables, formerly the Rectory. 17th/18th century. The Warren, Croydon Road. A mansion, built in red brick 62 to 74 (even), Gates Green Road. Modern style houses with gables, dating from 1882, designed by the Chisle- (1935) by Morrell’s. hurst architect, George Somers Leigh Clarke for the Ex-Fire Station, Glebe Way. About 1938, Beckenham banker, William De Zoete. Now used by the Metro­ Council Fire Station. politan Police as a sports and social club. Tudor Court, Hawes Lane. A Victorian red brick, tile- The Lodge and Gatepiers at the Warren. hung house. The Rectory, Gates Green Road. A 17th century red brick High Street. house, at one time, Coney Hall Farmhouse. (i) 1 to 11, Wickham House, rebuilt by R. Norman Shaw, l_ (V The Swan, High Street. About 1840 stuccoed, hipped slate 1868. roof. (ii) 47 and 49, Mid Victorian houses, converted into 18, High Street. An early 19th century, possibly earlier, banks. cottage. (iii) 92 to 100. 92 is a Victorian stable block to Wickham Church of St. John the Baptist, Layhams Road. Dating Hall. from the 15th century with Victorian restorations and (iv) 94 to 100 are later buildings in similar style. additions. (v) Wheatsheaf — basically a Georgian house with later The Lychgate at the church. additions. Wickham Court, Layhams Road. A 15th century red- Nash, Nash Lane, plus adjacent barn and cottages. The brown brick semi-fortified house. house is basically 17th century, greatly altered. Wickham Court Lodge. St. Nicholas School, 56 Springfield Gardens. An 1890 1 and 2, Burnt House Cottages, Layhams Road. 17th Victorian house, red brick with half-timbering. century red brick cottages. Wood Lodge, 1 Woodland Way. A Victorian lodge. Oak Lodge, South Eden Park Road. Mid 19th century. Two storeys, yellow brick. Taken from West Wickham Appraisal Area Report — a Wickham Court is one of only seven buildings in the Borough Plan Document for public consultation — issued borough of Bromley, which the Secretary of State by the London Borough of Bromley. □ considered to be worthy of a Grade I listing (i.e. of outstanding architectural and historic interest). In addition to these “listed” buildings, there are others I*Vickham Court: front entrance, c. 1900 id Marlowe Write Shakespeare's Floods and Fish in 1865 days at Chislehurst? The Bromley Record reported that a violent thunderstorm visited the neighbourhood of Bromley on Tuesday, 23 May, 1865, especially the Crays where the Christopher Marlowe, the dramatist, is believed to have roads were completely ploughed up by the torrents of rain been the son of a shoemaker at Canterbury, where he was which fell and in many instances flooded the ground floors born in 1563 or 1564. He went to King’s College, of the houses to a depth of several feet. The residents had Cambridge, where he took a degree. After leaving the to make rapid escapes to the upstairs rooms. Fish were University he became connected with the stage.