Now, sometimes I think there is a cross over in stories I write about my own patch of south east London, and the places I have washed up in since I came north.
And this is one of those stories.
"The History of the Old Kent Road", 1965, is located on the former North Peckham Civic Centre. It is a Ceramic tiled mural by Adam Kossowski, and was installed long after I left Peckham for Eltham.
That said on a rare return visit I came across it, and was impressed. But in those days I didn’t own a camera, and have not been back since, so the mural depicting the story of the Old Kent Road was lost to me.
Until that is John King posted these three images a few years ago on a facebook site, and the rest as they say was an “instant snatch”.
I often use John’s extensive collection of pictures from where I was born and grew up, and he has always been most kind in granting me permission to use them.
And at times has sent over photographs which complement and add to the stories I post.
So back to the "The History of the Old Kent Road", which was produced by Adam Kossowski, who was a Polish ceramic artist, who came to Britain in 1943.
At which point I could lift and repeat the story of Mr. Kossowski which I found on Wikipedia, but that would not do.
Those who want to know more, should follow the link, and instead I will just reflect on the tradition of publicly commissioned artwork which used to adorn many of our civic buildings.*
I am sure it still happens, but I haven’t come across much of it recently, and that is a shame.
That is all there is to say, other than to thank John for sharing the mural with all of us who never get “home”, and equally for all those north, south west or east of Peckham.
And perhaps this will be the first of a new series where we share public “murials” paintings and statues we like.
Location; North Peckham
Pictures; "The History of the Old Kent Road", "The History of the Old Kent Road", 1965, Peckham 2020, from the collection of John King
*Adam Kossowski, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Kossowski
"The History of the Old Kent Road", 1965, is located on the former North Peckham Civic Centre. It is a Ceramic tiled mural by Adam Kossowski, and was installed long after I left Peckham for Eltham.
That said on a rare return visit I came across it, and was impressed. But in those days I didn’t own a camera, and have not been back since, so the mural depicting the story of the Old Kent Road was lost to me.
Until that is John King posted these three images a few years ago on a facebook site, and the rest as they say was an “instant snatch”.
And at times has sent over photographs which complement and add to the stories I post.
So back to the "The History of the Old Kent Road", which was produced by Adam Kossowski, who was a Polish ceramic artist, who came to Britain in 1943.
Those who want to know more, should follow the link, and instead I will just reflect on the tradition of publicly commissioned artwork which used to adorn many of our civic buildings.*
I am sure it still happens, but I haven’t come across much of it recently, and that is a shame.
And perhaps this will be the first of a new series where we share public “murials” paintings and statues we like.
Location; North Peckham
Pictures; "The History of the Old Kent Road", "The History of the Old Kent Road", 1965, Peckham 2020, from the collection of John King
*Adam Kossowski, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Kossowski
Think my old mate Roger Nickson ran The Heaton Arms, before The British Darts Association. Was that your manor?
ReplyDeleteNo we were on Lausanne Rd the Swis Tavern but we moved when l was 14 to Eltham
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