Deptford Notebook

Interesting article by Philip Dodd about a research visit to Deptford


"It’s September and, although the nights are drawing in, the mornings are still bright. I’m walking down the road at 6.15am, a time of the day I seldom see. The sun isn’t up over the North Downs yet but there’s enough light leaking into the thin cloud to illuminate the familiar shape of the valley. I’m heading to Otford train station, and from there onto Deptford in south-east London. It’s what I suppose you could call a writing research trip. But it feels much more like a pilgrimage. My fictional character Danny is based loosely on the lives of Irishmen who came to live at Carrington House, a large lodging house in Deptford, from the 1960s through to the end of the 1980s. Deptford has to be as much a character as Danny is, so it feels important that I go walk in his shoes. In particular, it felt important that I get a feel of the place early in the morning, as it wakes up....."

Sculpture outside the Deptford Project. Photo by Philip Dodd.

Deptford Notebook writes...


"Anyone who has stories to tell about Carrington or who may have useful contacts for Philip, you can contact him by emailing domesticatedbohemian@gmail.com. This is an edited version of an article which is available in full on Philip’s blog."

Deptford Notebook
Posted from Deptford High Street