Pictures from an Eltham bus ........ nu 15 ....... looking up

The top deck of a London bus has to be a pretty neat way of seeing the world below.

And when it is the same bus at about the same time every day then you have got yourself a project.

All you need is a camera and the patience each week to record the same spot.

It helps if there is a major new development underway like the one in the High Street and the rest as they say is Larissa Hamment’s “Pictures from an Eltham bus.”*

And today Larissa sent me this one.

Now what I particularly like about Larissa's project is the way it captures month by month the changes to our High Street.

"This is the Grove Market development opposite, they've got hoarding up so can't get a better one, (unless I'm quick when the bus comes..!) where Fads & the Midland Bank used to be."

So the beauty of the series is that you can look back and capture that past.

Location, Eltham High Street, Eltham, London

Pictures;  2017, from the collection of Larissa Hamment

*Pictures from an Eltham bus, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Pictures%20from%20an%20Eltham%20Bus

Pictures from an Eltham bus ........ nu 14 ....... Grove Market almost open for business

The top deck of a London bus has to be a pretty neat way of seeing the world below.

Grove Market, 2017

And when it is the same bus at about the same time every day then you have got yourself a project.

All you need is a camera and the patience each week to record the same spot.

It helps if there is a major new development underway like the one in the High Street and the rest as they say is Larissa Hamment’s “Pictures from an Eltham bus.”*

Grove Market, 2013

And yesterday Larissa sent me this one with the comment, "This is the Grove Market development from Court Road, opposite the old Crown pub"

Now if like me you are longer in Eltham it’s good to get Larissa's updates.  I will always have a fond spot for the old Grove Market.

It wasn’t anything special, and pales into insignificance when set against modern shopping developments but for me back in the mid 1960s it stood for all that was modern, cool and stylish.

I opened my first bank account in the Midland Bank, ate burgers in the cafe round the corner, and later still picked up the odd pot of paint and roll of wall paper for Dad.

Court Road, circa 1900

So with that in mind I thought I would look back into the collection for earlier pictures of Grove Market.

Alas I don’t have any of it heyday and so have fallen back on one from Chrissie when the end had come and one from before there was even a market.

Location,  Eltham, London

Pictures;  The Grove Market Development,2017, from the collection of Larissa Hammen, Grove Market, December 5th, 2013 courtesy of Chrissie Rose and in the early 20th century from Eltham Through Time, courtesy of Kristina Bedford, 2013,

*Pictures from an Eltham bus, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Pictures%20from%20an%20Eltham%20Bus

Pictures from an Eltham bus ........ nu 7....... "They're coming along now.!"

The top deck of a London bus has to be a pretty neat way of seeing the world below.

And when it is the same bus at about the same time every day then you have got yourself a project.

All you need is a camera and the patience each week to record the same spot.

It helps if there is a major new development underway like the one in the High Street and the rest as they say is Larissa Hamment’s “Pictures from an Eltham bus.”*
"
And as Larissa says, "They're coming along now..!"

And I have to say given the rain on the window, the inside of that bus seems a good place to be.

Location, Eltham High Street, Eltham, London






Picture; November 2016 from the work at the old Co-op/Pound Shop, from the collection of Larissa Hamment

*Pictures from an Eltham bus, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Pictures%20from%20an%20Eltham%20Bus

Pictures from an Eltham bus ........ nu 5

The top deck of a London bus has to be a pretty neat way of seeing the world below.

And when it is the same bus at about the same time every day then you have got yourself a project.

All you need is a camera and the patience each week to record the same spot.

It helps if there is a major new development underway like the one at Grove Market and the rest as they say is Larissa Hamment’s “Pictures from an Eltham bus.”*

Although we have cheated slightly because as Larissa says "different angle for you...taken in Macdonslds... a rare treat for us.!

Location, Eltham High Street, Eltham, London

Picture; September 2016 from the work at Grove Market, from the collection of Larissa Hamment

*Pictures from an Eltham bus, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Pictures%20from%20an%20Eltham%20Bus

Pictures from an Eltham bus ........ on a misty morning in May

The top deck of a London bus has to be a pretty neat way of seeing the world below.

And when it is the same bus at about the same time every day then you have got yourself a project.

All you need is a camera and the patience each week to record the same spot.

It helps if there is a major new development underway like the one at Grove Market and the rest as they say is Larissa Hamment’s “Pictures from an Eltham bus.”*

And here is the latest taken today on a misty morning with the tall crane and rising development looming out of that mist.

Location, Eltham High Street, Eltham, London

Picture; a moment in May 2016 from the work at Grove Market, 2015/2016, from the collection of Larissa Hamment

*Pictures from an Eltham bus, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Pictures%20from%20an%20Eltha

Pictures from an Eltham bus ........two month on

January 2016

The top deck of a London bus has to be a pretty neat way of seeing the world below.

And when it is the same bus at about the same time every day then you have got yourself a project.

All you need is a camera and the patience each week to record the same spot.

It helps if there is a major new development underway like the one at Grove Market and the rest as they say is Larissa Hamment’s “Pictures from an Eltham bus.”

November, 2015

It promises to be an interesting collection of images which when the development is finished will prove to be a unique record of a bit of changing Eltham.

Location, Eltham High Street, Eltham, London




Picture; the work at Grove Market, 2015/2016, from the collection of Larissa Hamment

Pictures from an Eltham bus

The top deck of a London bus has to be a pretty neat way of seeing the world below.

And when it is the same bus at about the same time every day then you have got yourself a project.

All you need is a camera and the patience each week to record the same spot.

It helps if there is a major new development underway like the one at Grove Market and the rest as they say is Larissa Hamment’s “Pictures from an Eltham bus.”

It promises to be an interesting collection of images which when the development is finished will prove to be a unique record of a bit of changing Eltham.

Picture; the work at Grove Market, 2015, from the collection of Larissa Hamment

A little bit of Eltham over 38 years and a thank you to Larissa

Now over the last few weeks I have been featuring a series of photographs by my friend Larissa who has begun recording the changes to the old Grove Market site and has now added the future cinema to the project.

It is a fascinating study and is one that is not often undertake.

All too often we clock the demolition of a building, note its successor but pretty much ignore the bit in between so Larissa’s project is an important.

And with that in mind here are three which were taken at different at times of the High Street side of the Grove development which will feed into Larissa’s study.

The earliest was taken in 1977 by Jean Gammons who went back 36 years later and recorded the pub boarded up and waiting for something to happen.
And that something was of course Derek the Demolition man.

For a brief few years the Kings Arms had been my local, by looking back I can’t remember why.

And when we were last at home it had closed and now it has gone.

Pictures;  the Kings’ Arms in 1977 and 2013 courtesy of Jean Gammons, and 2015 from the collection of Elizabeth and Colin Fitzpatrick

On passing Grove Market yesterday

Now if like me you no longer live in Eltham it is always nice to receive pictures and stories of the place.

And as I have been following the memories of those who sat in the Wimpy Bar in  the Grove Market and have fond memories of when I opened my first Midland Bank account I am pleased that Larissa has sent me these.

She took them on the way to work and as they say the new development is a work in progress.

I have followed the tortuous tale of the planning applications and both the Council’s concerns along with people who live nearby.

And while I doubt any one is bothered about my comments I have to say I am not convinced that it is an asset to Eltham.

But I left Well Hall in 1969, don’t pay the council tax and live 180 miles north of Grove Market all of which might well mean my opinion “don’t count for hill of beans”.

That said it is not a development that sits well with its surroundings.

Of course there are going to be a few who argue that change has to be embraced but I only think  if it fits and blends in with the surrounding landscape.

Well we shall see.

In the meantime I will go back and look again at the stories of Court Yard and Grove Market which have appeared over the years.

At present I just want to thank Larissa for the images of the development and those she also took of the Orangery.

Pictures, Grove Market development, July 2015, © Larissa Hemment