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Plumstead and District photos
Brickfields
Brickfields
Cottages (Victorian era), note the Rockcliffe Gardens sign!
Photo: Alan Gibbs The Mill
The Old Mill, Plumstead Common, as it looked in the early 1800's
Winn's Common
“The Lakes” Winn's Common swimming lake 1880's. Later bomb damage in WWII and converted to play area and paddling pool.
Streets
& Roads
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including
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 Cook
Family, C.1935Edith Cook (Bunty), Catherine Cook (Bill), Aida Cook, Hilda Cook. (Click on photo for a larger view) |
 Walter Cook (Click on photo for larger view) |
 Aida Cook with daughter Bunty (Click on Photo for larger view) |
 Cooks Farm with Wickham Lane in the background. Mary Cook, a daughter of Walter and Aida, worked at the Blue Cross Kennels on Shooters Hill. (Click on photo for a larger view) |
 Postcard of Cooks Orchard Bostall Wood Plumstead (Click on photo for a larger view) |
Fire Station, Corner Lakedale Road and Plumstead High Street
c.1910. Photo: Greenwich
Heritage Centre
(Click on picture for larger view)
Wickham Lane (View from Bostall Woods in 1911). Photo: Alan
Gibbs
Click on photo for larger view)
Shops
Cha-a'-banc outing, Prince Albert Pub, Ragland Street, 1920's.
Photo: Clare Crawford.
(Click on photo for a larger view)
Shop in
61 Bannockburn Road, 1950: Photo: Terry Byatt
(Click on photo for a much larger view)
'My parents (Philip & Anne Byatt) and grandparents (Percy & Grace Hope) kept this shop, situated at 61 Bannockburn Road, from the late 1940’s until about 1955. I was two years old when they bought the shop, so many of my early childhood memories are around Plumstead. The shop was run during those hard times of post war rationing, as you can see from the photo, the shelves were not well stocked! - Terry Byatt
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.
Godwin's Bakers shop. Photo: Les Parkins
Les says “At sometime around 1920 my grandfather, William
Godwin, ran a bakery. It was situated on the corner of Riverdale
and Speranza roads Plumstead.
I am not sure how long he ran it for but think he ran it into
the 1930's.
The picture shows a shop window loaded with all kinds and types of bread and cakes.
The man in the picture is, I believe, George Taylor, the manager, and his family.”
King's Highway
Cottages
in King's Highway, c.1923. Photo: Greenwich
Heritage Centre
(Click on photo for larger view)
A Mackintosh's ginger beer bottle. I've had this a few years now after I accepted as part payment for some work I did. (It's a long story!). Another of my 'treasured possessions' - Alan Read.
The War years
The
plane, a yellow nosed Messerschmitt Bf 109E, crashed in the
front garden of a cottage on the verge of a roadway in Wickham
Street on Sunday 20th October 1940. Photo:
Ken Costin.
(click on photo for a larger view)
See story Messerschmitt
Bf 109E crash, Plumstead by Ken Costin
(Photo: via Ken Costin)
This aerial view of Genesta Road/Wrottesley Road looking south shows the extent of destruction in Plumstead caused by four V.1s in close proximity at Wrottesley Road, Adamston Road, Barnfield Road and Eglinton Hill/Herbert Road.
After this picture was taken, V.2 rockets in the vicinity added further destruction. Some other V.1 incidents in Plumstead, Woolwich and Abbey Wood were at Duncroft, 23 June; Swingate Lane, 1 July; Plumstead High Street/ Woodhurst Road, 30 July (fourteen people lost their lives); Hylton Street, 7 August (seven killed); Smithies Road, 18 June (six killed); Southern Outfall Works (four killed); Woodlands Farm, Shooters Hill Road, 24 August (no people hurt but sixty pigs killed).
Photo: Joe Duncan (Click on photo for a much larger view)
These are the remains of two German incendiary bombs that were dropped on Plumstead during WWII air raids in 1941. One landed in Timbercroft Lane and the other in Swingate Lane and these were picked up by a family member of Joe Duncan.'
Colin's dad, Frank Weightman, (Back row, left) on duty as a
fireman with the crew of the Auxiliary Fire Service and their
Tender at junction of Winn's Common, on Lakedale and King's
Highway Roads sometime during the second world war.
Maps
Map of the Prefabs on Plumstead and Winn's Commons c.1943
(click on picture for a larger view)
This old map is from an old Ordnance Survey Map dated somewhere
around 1860.
This map is from a London Guide Book dated 1994
St. Margaret's Church
St Margaret's Church, Plumstead was built in the 1850's to accommodate
the then expanding working-class population of the district.
For more information click HERE
Photos: Alan Read
Photo: Clare Crawford.
Photo: Clare Crawford.
School children snow ball fun outside St Margaret's Church, Plumstead Common, in the very early 1900's. Photo: Kind permission of the 'Plumstead Common Environment Group'
St. Margaret's Church, 1951 now long demolished.
(Click on photo to visit originating site)
Photo: http://www.stevebulman.f9.co.uk/churches
Photo: Alan
Read.
(Click on Photo for a larger view)
'The building
with the name Vicarage Park on the side of the building
was the Manse, or Vicarage, for St. Margaret's, which is in
the background.
Alas, this grand old church was pulled down, as it was felt
it was unsafe, and too costly to rebuild.
The same thing happened to St. Mark's, however, they built a
new smaller Church on the St. Mark's property, and the parish
is now known as St. Mark's & St. Margaret's on Plumstead
Common. —Bert Hooper
Harvey's Ladies Basketball Team 1947. Photo: Alan Bristow
The game was played in the area of the Common Old Mill Road
and Warwick Terrace.
Harvey's were at one stage losing 7-2, I think at half time,
but eventually won 17-14.
I cannot recall the full names but as follows:
From left to right, back row:
Madge ? (sister of Vera), my mother Florence Bristow, Vera Sweet.
Front row: ?, Louse,with cup, Vera ?
Doreen ? the Captain was not in picture.
My mother was 33 at the time was the oldest team member.
I used to go with my mother to support Harvey's. I was ten at
the time of the cup final.
PS. Harvey's and Stones were situated in Woolwich Road, Charlton.
Early Bus in Plumstead High Street (c. 1950's.) (Click on photo
for a larger view)
Chapman Bakers, on the corner of Griffin Road and Plumstead
High Street, tel: WOO 0388
Orchard Street is the next street on the right, just past the
'New Cross Empire' poster and in front of the Rose and Crown
public house, which is the last of the darker buildings, with
a large lamp in front. Photo: Helen Jones via John
Boons web site.
(Click on photo for larger view)
(Photo; Roger Jewiss and shop info. from Harry Lane.)
V.A.Vizzard,
secondhand furniture shop on Plumstead High street, 1950's.
It was situated near to the Police station and set back a touch
from the pavement and was next to the old houses, and opposite
the first house on the other side of the road, next to the wall
of Bannockburn school, where there is now a bus stop. The right
hand potion of a Petrol Station now stands on the site and was
built in the early 60s. On the Police station side of the shop
was the old Central Hall which was also demolished to make way
for the Petrol Station. So the shop was between the Central
Hall and the old houses. The Plaza, which was about 350 yards
from the shop, is now Woolworth's. There were however a number
of other shops in between.
One of the old trams mentioned in many a story.
Photo: Alan Gibbs.
... and the very last, special issue, tram tickets, July 1952.
Kindly donated by Alan Gibbs see story: Alan
Gibbs Remembers
The "Idlers"
Postcard of Plumstead Common's famous “Five Idlers”.
Photo: Dierdre Terrant
(click on picture for a large view)
See poem The
Five Idlers of Plumstead Common
Another postcard of “The Five Idlers of Plumstead Common”.
Photo:Chris Kitchenham.
(Click on photo for VERY large view)
St. Nicholas Church
Miriam and Peter Bastable's wedding at St. Margaret's
Church, Plumstead Common, 1952.
My sister Sylvia Crooks is standing extreme left and my other
sister Dorothy Crooks is the bridesmaid standing next to me.
My brother Victor is the middle of the children in the front
row.
St Margaret's Church was pulled down when I went back to England in 1970; it wasn't there.
At St. Nicholas' Church in Plumstead is, where Auntie Ciss's son Ronnie married. Auntie Ciss (surname Strong) is to the left of Ronnie and Uncle Charlie to the left of her. My brother and myself are on the end of the front row - I think I'm about 13 years old by then. My sister is directly behind my brother and my Mum is behind her to the left.
Photo: Valerie Cunningham
12th Woolwich Cub pack outside the East Plumstead Baptist Church,
corner of Griffin & Brewery Roads, in preparation for their
annual St. Georges Day Parade march into Woolwich, c.1954. Photo:
Alan West.
Alan West is Standard Bearer.
See story Memories
of Childhood and My
Memories
St. Nicholas
Hospital, now long demolished and a housing estate built. Photo:
Joe Duncan. (Click on photo for a larger view)
A glimpse of St. Mark's (tower tops only are visible) looking
across Plumstead Common and the ravine. Photo: Colin Weightman
See stories Clean
Lake, Dirty Lake, Our Lake Districts and Baked
Spuds and Tea Leaves
Photo: Clare Crawford.
Photo: Clare Crawford.
My sister (Margaret) and I (John) sitting on my father's motorbike
(a Bartlett I think) on the path of 48 Chestnut Rise. My father
never could and never did ride the motorbike.
Also in the photo is Bobby Fram who lived at 44. He is playing
cricket across the road using the wall pillar as a wicket. You
could not do this now. Visited Chestnut last year...awful. The
road is of course choked with cars and my house converted into
flats.
Bob's father owned either a large Matchless or AJS which he
kept in the front garden. His father also bred budgerigars and
a room on the rear grand level of the house was given up to
house them!
Photo: John Ball
(Click on photo for a larger view)
This photo was taken in the back garden of neighbours...the
Chambers. I am centre at the back and my sister Margaret is
first left and my brother Graham next to her. They lived at
50 Chestnut and moved to a road off of Princess Road in Dartford.
Their new house was a semi detached and had a side entrance
and also had French Doors. I thought they were rich! I also
thought they lived in the Country for although you could get
the LT Trolleybus 696 most other transport was Greenline etc.
Photo: John Ball
The Links
“The Links”, Plumstead 1900's. Photo: Dr John Redman.
Plumstead
Common Road showing 'The Links', c.1905.
Photo:
Greenwich
Heritage Centre
(Click on photo for larger view)
A closer
view of The Links - RACS Co-op from the 1960's. Photo: Joe Duncan.
(Click on photo for a closer view)
The Links
- RACS, Plumstead Common 1970's (from postcard)
Photo: Joe Duncan. (Click on photo for a larger view)
The People's Hall
Kitchen in the People's Hall, 1884s. Photo: Dr John Redman
(Click on photo for a larger view)
1902 Gallery and new front added to The People's Hall. See further
down for a close-up taken in 1929. Photo: Dr. John Redman
(Click on photo for a larger view)
People's Hall, 1929. Photo: Dr John Redman
(Click on photo for a larger view)
1985- The last Brigade Parade passing the old “Peoples’
Hall” and the Woodman Pub as it turns into Ravine Groove.
Photo: Dr John Redman (Click on photo for a larger view)
Outside the Slade Evangelical Church (2005) which was formerly the “People’s Hall”. Photo: Dr John Redman
St Patrick's School, where the boys played in the playground
up on the roof (near corner of Griffin and Conway Roads about
c.1998). Photo: Bert Hooper
(Click on photo for a larger view)
Wickham Lane School (in the distance). Photo: Bert Hooper
(Click on photo for a larger view)
Sometimes
when we'd go over to Fanny On The Hill, we'd come back either
through Rockcliffe Gardens, or along the road at its side called
Southlands.
We'd often stop at the top of that hill and look out at Bostall
Woods, over
the Quarry and the subsiding houses on Alliance Road.
Those old houses have long since been replaced by more solid
modern stuff,
and the site of the old Bus Garage is now a Super Store.
Wickham Lane School still stands as a landmark in the middle
of the Plum
River Valley, (Bostall Woods at the back) although we know that
most of that stream is in a pipe
that starts at the Glenmore Arms, and runs under Fanny On The
Hill.
Bert Hooper.
St. Margaret's School 2005. Photo: Joe Duncan
The old Plaza Cinema and former church, Plumstead High Street
(2005). Photo: Alan Gibbs (Click on photo for a larger view)
Plumstead Common ravine pond (2005). Photo: Alan Gibbs.
Plumstead Common (2005) steps going up from the ravine pond by the end of Roydene Road. Photo: Alan Gibbs.
Plumstead Common, steps down to ravine pond from Lakedale Road. Three quarters of the way down on the right, there are some lovely old dwellings. Photo: Alan Gibbs.
'The walk to Wickham Lane School in the middle of winter' as
it would have been remembered by Colin and others who trudged
across here in those earlier times on their way to and from
school, and of also passing the prefab village, once a little
community of folk, which was situated on the right of the photo,
on Wynn's Common. (This is where the Arsenal Football Club first
began playing soccer and was established.)
Photo taken by Bert Hooper in 1997
The stillness of Bowman's Hollow c.1997.
Photo: Bert Hooper
Plumstead Common ravine with Sladedale Road houses in the middle distance. Photo: Alan Gibbs.