including
Woolwich & Districts
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We need your help!
... with the places & buildings below
If you have
anything that can help please email
me.
Two houses in Roydene Road
Jane
Funnell asks:
I am doing
some research on a building (now two houses) in Roydene Road,
Plumstead and I wondered if any of your contributors remember
the building. It is about half way down Roydene on the right-hand
side coming from Sladedale. It is set back from the road between
the terrace of nos. 46 and 50. I believe it was most recently
a car repair shop but formerly a haulage depot and before that
stables.

I have
had limited luck with my research and would appreciate anything
anyone could contribute.
Royal Arsenal Cooperative Society
Lorna Chudasama
asks if anyone has more information on the Royal Arsenal Co-operative
Society:
.jpg)
(Click on photo for larger view)
This lovely
old photo is on a used postcard dated Dec 28 1906. The wording
high on the Building is Royal Arsenal Co-operative Soc. Ltd
and above shop fronts is the wording Butchers Department, Grocery
& Provisions, Drapery & Hosiery. I haven't been able
to establish precisely when it opened or its exact location
in Woolwich or whether indeed the building still stands. I would
suspect however, that it was the Co-operative Store where my
grandmother shopped (with the disapproval of my grandfather
for whatever reason I don't know but probably political) and
valued the dividends.
I have
learned that in 1760 co-operative corn mills were built in Woolwich
by dock workers. The dock workers objected to the high prices
charged by mill owners who often supplied adulterated flour.
Quoting from publishers Adam Matthews:
“Woolwich features significantly in the history of co-operative
action. The first Co-operative cornmill was founded there in
1760 (well before the births of Robert Owen (1771-1858) and
George Holyoake (1817-1906), the founding fathers of the British
Co-operative movement) and traded successfully for over 80 years.
Less successful ventures included a Co-operative butcher's shop
(1805-1811); the Woolwich Bakery Society (1842); a Co-operative
Coal Society (1845); the Woolwich Co-operative Provident Society
(1851); and the Woolwich and Plumstead Co-operative Society
(1860). But these all showed that the idea of co-operative action
was alive in Woolwich and paved the way for the establishment
of the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society [henceforth RACS]
(founded in 1868 as the Royal Arsenal Supply Association, renamed
as the RACS in 1872)”.
One of the links for more information surrounding the co-operative
societies background is as follows:
www.adam-matthew-publications.co.uk/digital_guides/l.aspx
My mother
was looking at the postcard yesterday (24/4/2007) but didn’t
recognise it. She told me that quite often when they were living
in the Army flats, she and her sister Winnie were sent to the
Co-op to do the shopping. One day, on their way back with heavy
bags, three young boys followed them and calmly helped themselves
to the contents of the shopping bags. My mother and her sister
were too frightened to do anything. They weren't scolded for
losing the groceries but they were never sent again. Presumably
the Co-op where my grandmother shopped was within walking distance
from Artillery Place.
Plumstead High Street - Austin's Sweet shop
I'm looking
for old photo's of Plumstead High Street, c 1900, as my Great
Grand Parents had a shop along there, but no one has any photo's
of the area in our family. It was a sweet shop and their surname
was Austin' - Helen Jones
If you can
help in any way please email Colin
The Four Aces
Pete Fisk
wants to know if anyone can help him with this question;
“It
is said that my grandfather, Joseph Charles Howard, had a cafe
just outside the Woolwich Arsenal in the early 1930s (possibly
earlier) called 'The Four Aces ' (or similar).
Apparently
it was along the Arsenal wall somewhere. It could have been
a permanent business with a proper address or, maybe, some sort
of a mobile establishment, such as a caravan cafe.
I'm not
familiar with the area, so if my description is sketchy it is
because it is only passed-down information from my mother and
I am, sadly, no longer able to update this information.”
If you can
possibly help in any way please email Colin
Old Woolwich
House
Margaret
Maclean writes:
Having logged
on to the Plumstead stories site and seeing the old Woolwich
House I thought you may like to share my memories of 'The House'.
My Aunt
lived there until the early 1950's. I do not know the date of
when she moved there, but it was before the outbreak of WW2.
The House
was named Cambridge House, No: 23, Plumstead Road, S.E.18. The
house was owned by Dr.Wise and his daughter who was Dr. Eileen
Wise. No: 23 was their Practice. Both doctors were highly respected
and well liked.
My Aunt
was the Housekeeper and responsible for keeping the Consulting
Room, the Waiting room and the Dispensary in good order. The
rest of the house was my Aunt and Uncle's residence, and very
nice too!
The garden
was as impressive as the house. My Father used to take my brother
and me on Saturday mornings to do the gardening work for my
Aunt.
The doubled
fronted house had a very large hall and the staircase had quality
covering. Each tread had a brass edging which was highly polished.
The floor had Victorian tiles. The rooms seemed very large.
Around the
1950's to the 1970's the house was an Estate Agent's then a
Dental Technician's. I
am not sure if the Estate Agent's Clarke and Esplin were before
or after the Dental Technician's.
I feel sad
that the house has been so neglected. I doubt whether it could
be restored.
I am pleased
to share my happy memories of 'No: 23' as it was affectionately
known to our family.
Does any
one have any idea of what the attached building is/was? And
any story behind it? Its on Beresford St. (I think) and is in
Woolwich area.
Paul Talling (www.derelictlondon.com)
If you can
possibly help in any way please email Colin
Clisby's
General Store

Photo: Janet
Gardner (nee Clisby)
My Dad Cyril Clisby and his brother Tom, taken outside the shop
their parents owned in Plumstead in the 1920's,
I am not sure of the name of the road it was in, but Villiers
Place comes to mind. All I can remember is if you went down
Vicarage Park, you seem to be continually walking down hill
until you came to a parade of shops.'
If anyone
recognizes the shop and can remember where it was situated could
they please let Colin
know.
Janet Gardner
(nee Clisby) asks;
Barnfield
Gardens
Our family,
(Cyril Clisby was my Dad) moved into Cowan House, Barnfield
Gardens, when it had just been completed in 1947, our family
then moved to Slough in 1958.
I would be really interested to see if anybody remembers living
there at Cowan House over the period we lived there.
My two brothers and my two sisters, between us we can remember
a lot of the families that lived in Cowan House over that span
of years between 1947 and 1958.
If anyone
has any recollections please contact Colin.
Oliver
Pell Control Factory?
My family
were mainly East Wickham (notably Graves coal merchants) but
my mother worked at a factory which I am told made among other
things motors for hair dryers in Plumstead in the 1960s and
I think it was called Oliver Pell Control. I cannot however
find any trace of it but wondered if you knew of it?'
Gyll King
Deptford, London.
P.S.
Harry Lane says, OLIVER PELL CONTROL were situated at both Cambridge
Row and Frederick Place in S.E.18.
It is also
mentioned as being in Burrage Road in a story on my web site,
called. 'Alfred James Boon, 1910-1998 - His early life in Plumstead.'
Please
contact Colin
if know of any information in regards to this inquiry.
Genesta Road/Wrottesly Road
Paul Cavender
asks:
.jpg)
Regarding
the aerial view of Genesta Road / Wrottesly Road showing the
destruction caused by four V.1s. Does anyone know what the tall
monument type building in the middle of the road is. It appears
to have windows in. See attached photo. (Click on photo for
a much larger view)
Any information
please contact Colin.
Gallions Mount School class photos 1958-65 wanted
Sue Thynne
asks:
I am true
Plumstead born and bread. I was born in 1953 and went to school
at Gallions Mount Primary School, in Purrett Road.
My partner
was also at this school as well, we had a very good 50th reunion,
with 12 of our class friends.
We all
recognised each other, even after so many years.
We had
a few pictures of each other, but we are trying to find
a class picture from the time we were there, from 1958 to 1965,
but with no avail.
We also
have spoken to one of the teachers who came on the school journey
with us to Broadstaires in Kent. He took a video of us all,
but this was lent to a parent and never returned. We are desperate
for some
help to locate these pictures and the video.
If anyone
can help in locating any photo(s) and or the video, please contact
Colin.
Messent & Sons - Funeral Directors
Jill Freeman
asks if anyone has any information in regards to two inquiries
about her great uncle Matthew
Freeman.
I'm researching
my family tree. When a great great uncle of
mine was buried, the undertakers used was a firm called Messent
and Sons.
I am wanting any information in regards to this firm.
If anyone can help in locating any information, please contact
Colin.
Montague
House
Sandra Hempel (Author of 'The Medical Detective: John Snow,
Cholera and the Mystery of the Broad Street Pump (Granta) paperback
now out, £7.99)
Sandra asks:
I am currently researching a new book ("The Inheritor's
Powder" to be published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson next
year) based around the murder of George Bodle
in Plumstead in 1833. I've done a lot of research already into
the village as it was then and the people involved but wondered
if any one might have or know of any useful contacts who had/have
any specialist knowledge of Plumstead at that time? I am particularly
interested in a farmhouse which later became known as Montague
House. I think it might have been called Poles Farm in the 18th
century.
Please contact Colin.
Greenwich,
Bloomfield, & Lewisham Rugby Club
I would like information about Greenwich Rugby club, located
on Plumstead Common and was formed in 1986 from an amalgamation
of two previous clubs - Bloomfield and Lewisham rugby clubs.
I would like to hear from former members of all these clubs,
also any pictures of the teams and any pictures of the common
outside the club or of the club pavilion from any year.
We know that before Bloomfield rugby club took on the building
in the seventies. It was used for cricket. We are after any
pictures of the field before we were there; of any sporting
activities and if any one has pictures of the rugby club or
players from the last 40 years or before, or of the buildings
history.
Please contact Nick,
Greenwich RFC. tel London: 078960 609796 or please contact Colin.
School Badges and Mottoes
WANTED SCHOOL BADGES & MOTTOES:
I am wanting pictures/descriptions of the school badges and
mottoes of all the schools in and around the Woolwich/Plumstead
and districts, both past and present schools.
Any photo of, and or drawing of, and any description of, would
be most welcome, along with any school motto.
Please contact Colin.
Spitfire
crash in WWII
Geoff Nutkins
Curator
Geoff Nutkins, curator at Shoreham
Aircraft Museum wants any information about a Spitfire that
crashed during WWII in the Plumstead area.
'As I understand it, the Spitfire crashed by the side of the
road further towards Bostall Hill on the opposite side to the
Maybloom Club. I think it was maybe 1942 or 43? Details are
very sketchy to say the least! so any help would be lovely.'
Please contact
Colin if you
can help.
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