One hundred years of one house in Well Hall part 20 ........... completing the picture

This is the continuing story of one house in Well Hall Road and of the people who lived there including our family.*

Now we lived in 294 Well Hall Road for thirty years, and I now know who lived in it back to 1915 when it was built and for most of the years since we sold it.

The story of our house In Well Hall began some years ago and followed on from similar projects on the one that I live in now and one in Peckham.

But Well Hall is special to me and my sisters and I guess for all those who have looked after it for the last century and a bit.

All I need now is to complete the missing years from 1994 to 1999.

I could be accused of just hoovering up names, but not so, because each of the residents will have a story and that story in part will be about the house.

So that is it.

Over the next few weeks I will be going back to the list of those that occupied 294 and exploring their lives.

As ever it will never be intrusive but just add to our knowledge of one house in Well Hall and how it reflects the story of the estate, and the area.

A few years ago the son of the people who sold the house to us made contact from Canada, where they migrated and only yesterday I was talking to the new owners.

It will prove fun to complete the story and on the way I may make new friends and learn more about our house.

Location; Well Hall

Pictures; the front and back garden of our house on Well Hall Road, circa 1970, from the Simpson collection

*One hundred years of one house on Well Hall Road, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/One%20hundred%20years%20of%20one%20house%20in%20Well%20Hall

All you wanted to know about the Progress Estate and heaps more

Now I am re-reading my copy of the new book on the Progress Estate, which is only as it should be.

We moved into our house on Well Hall Road in 1964 and dad was still there a full three decades later.

Back in the 1960s and pretty much until recently I only gave the history of the estate a nod.  I told everyone why it had been built and was proud of the open spaces, and unique buildings, but that was about it.

And when I did start looking into the history of the estate and in particular our house it was done the hard way, piecing together a shed load of research.

So how much better would it have been had I had Mr Billinghurst’s book which has just been published.

The cover price of £13.95 includes free delivery by second-class mail to addresses in the UK. However, each household on the Estate may buy one copy for £10 and people living elsewhere in SE9 may do so for £12.

To order, either write to theprogressestate@gmail.com
stating your name, address and phone number or call or text 07962 877389 to provide the same information.

And that is pretty much that.  As I said I spoke to Keith this morning and put in the order, so hurry while stocks last.

Location; Well Hall, Eltham

Picture; cover The Origins and Evolution of the Progress Estate

*The Origins and Evolution of the Progress Estate, Keith Billinghurst, 2017

**Progress Estate Residents' Association, http://progressestate.blogspot.co.uk/

That new book on the history of the Progress Estate ......... a must to have

Well my copy arrived today and it looks to be all that I expected it to be.

There are chapters on the origin of the estate along with an explanation of the idea behind the Garden Suburb and the story of how the Progress developed over the last century and a bit.

There are plenty of illustrations including two familiar ones of Manchester cellar dwellings in the 1840s, which have a special resonance given this is my adopted city.

And there is plenty more from some very interesting set of tables on everything from the development of London’s suburbs to the numbers of residents on the estate.

I especially like the inclusion of diagrams and plans showing houses on the Progress and comparing them with similar garden suburbs.

But one of the real attractions has to be the descriptions of the roads around the estate and the origins of their names.

What’s more there is a comprehensive bibliography and index making it perfect for anyone wanting to follow up on the subject.

That said I do think Mr Billinghurst’s book has got the lot.

The cover price of £13.95 includes free delivery by second-class mail to addresses in the UK.

However, each household on the Estate may buy one copy for £10 and people living elsewhere in SE9 may do so for £12.

To order, either write to theprogressestate@gmail.com stating your name, address and phone number or call or text 07962 877389 to provide the same information.

Location; Well Hall, Eltham

Picture; cover The Origins and Evolution of the Progress Estate

*The Origins and Evolution of the Progress Estate, Keith Billinghurst, 2017

**Progress Estate Residents' Association, http://progressestate.blogspot.co.uk/

One hundred years of one house on Well Hall Road part 11 ............... happy birthday

Fun in the sun on Love Lace Green on July 25

This is the continuing story of one house in Well Hall Road and of the people who lived there including our family.*

Now I wonder what Mr Basil Nunn would make of the birthday celebrations for his house, or for that matter all of the residents of 294 over the century since it was built.

We were there from 1964 for thirty years, and I think mum and dad would have popped down to Lovelace Green to join in the party.

After all it isn’t every year that you get to celebrate one hundred years of an estate which will have fond memories for so many.

I am still looking for all the people that called 294 home and so far know that Mr Nunn lived there until 1919 and was followed by Alfred W Rendle until 1928.

But have got side tracked by other projects and the fact that I now live over 180 miles away which means I won’t get to the Summer Fair on Saturday  July 25 .

It has been organised by The Progress Estate, starts at 11 and rolls on till 4.

And what I like about the the day is that  it's one of those traditional events with everything from "Jambs owls, plants, vintage bric-a-brac, face painting, beauty products, test your strength" and of course a Treasure Hunt

A Progress Estate related prize will be awarded to the winner of the hunt and entry forms are available from David Evans Estate Agents on Well Hall Road (0208 859 5331) but I am told that there is a limit on would be treasure hunters so  get your entry form early.

Fun in the sun in 1833

For those who just want to sit in the sun there are “Live Acoustic Performances from local acts living on the Estate including Ptychwood and the GMTQ (Greenwich Mean Time Quartet)."

So a pretty good way to say happy birthday and with luck fall across old friends and neighbours.

And reminds me of that other great event which was the Eltham Jubilee of 1833, which is tomorrow’s story

So for now a thank you to James Garner who posted the invitation earlier in the month and the Progress Estate for organising it.





Pictures; poster for July 25 2015 and Jubilee poster, 1833, from The story of Royal Eltham, R.R.C. Gregory, 1909 and published on The story of Royal Eltham, by Roy Ayers, http://www.gregory.elthamhistory.org.uk/bookpages/i001.htm



*One hundred years of one house in Well Hall, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/One%20100%20years%20of%20one%20house%20in%20Well%20Hall