The Library on the High Street

© Chrissie Rose

Now the Library is a special place for me.

It was where I spent many happy hours in the reference room and later where our Stella worked.

And it is also a pretty impressive building.

It was built “with funds from the Carnegie Trust to a design by Maurice Adams.  The classical frontispiece is recessed and on either side are oriel windows and tile hung gables flanked by urns.”*

Next door at nos 183-5 “is the old electricity showroom which was built in the early 1930s by the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich; upstairs at that time was the office of the Council’s Registrar [and] behind it was a building used from the early 1900s as the electricity works, Woolwich being the electricity supply authority at the time.”*

Now the electricity offices may have gone but the Library remains and looks no different from the building I can see in pictures from 1910 and 1971.

So some things remain the same although since I left they have sneaked in the new swimming baths just behind the place but that is for another story.

Picture, the library in 2014 courtesy of Chrissie Rose

*Discover Eltham and its Environs, Darrell Spurgeon, 2000

The Greyhound in 2014

© Chrissie Rose

The first of an occasional series which feature contemporary photographs of places with a history.

This is the Greyhound, beloved and frequented by many and now a restaurant.

The picture was taken by Chrissie in January of 2014 who I hope will be out and about taking more for the blog.

And so if any of you have a picture please share it.

Picture; the Greyhound, Chrissie Rose, January 2014

My house on Well Hall Road and two more, thank you Chrissie

Another in the series which feature contemporary photographs of places with a history.

This was where we lived from 1964 till 1991.

Back then the front door was painted blue and there was a front porch which was only built after dad had submitted plans to the Progress Estate.

The walls were yet to be painted white and the bins were kept at the back.

My bedroom was the one at the from above the door.

There was still a brick wall separating the wide expanse of green from the street to our front door and the very tall and impressive tree still dominated the spot

And Mrs Gold lived next to us in the end house to your left.

All of which is perhaps a tad too personnel so instead I shall include two more pictures of the Well Hall estate for no other reason than I lived there and they were taken by new friend Chrissie and I like them.

Looking at them again they bring back fond memories.

Of course that odd well worn thought "that you don't miss the place till you've gone" is pretty much how I feel when I see these scenes of Well Hall.

But there will be lots of new people who will be enjoying the place and its history so that is consolation enough.


Pictures; of the Progress Estate, Chrissie Rose, February 2014