London Remembers Website Transcribes War Memorials For Remembrance Day

"One of our favourite historical websites has embarked on a mission to record and transcribe the capital’s war memorials. London Remembers is publishing a war memorial every day until the Friday before Remembrance Day, when the entire list of 36,000 war dead from the Tower Hill monuments will be added.  The site already includes 2,787 memorials around town — from blue plaques to statue labels to bench memorials — commemorating over 11,000 subjects...."

Lewisham's war memorials are recorded on our wiki - Lewisham war memorials - which has details of every war memorial we know about in the borough. if you know of one we haven't listed - please let us know at local.studies@lewisham.gov.uk

London Remembers Website Transcribes War Memorials For Remembrance Day
Posted from The Londonist

Mural of the Month! The Pink Palace

Interesting illustrated piece about the 'Pink Palace' mural in Deptford by the London Mural Preservation Society

"Autumns’s here…shorts away and warm coats on. Now is the moment when you can swish through large piles of multi-coloured leaves and make excuses for drinking lots of  hot chocolate in comfortable cafes.  It’s also a great time to go for a walk or a wander and take in some sights. A mural perhaps?   Yes, I’m encouraging the visiting again while the weather is still fair enough for you to want to leave the house. This time we are off to sunny Deptford to see the Pink Palace Mural. It’s a funny piece  - a fake facade on a 1930s housing estate for the Tenants’ association building!

If you take a step closer and have a look at the detail, the piece is littered with cupids or ‘putti’ – so it references a classical type of trompe l’oeil....."

Mural of the Month! The Pink Palace
Posted from the London Mural Preservation Society

On this Day - Croydon Canal cut through Forest Hill 1809

The Croydon Canal was opened on 22nd October 1809. It ran through the borough from a junction with the Grand Surrey Canal near New Cross Gate to a basin in Croydon - now the site of West Croydon station.  It had 28 locks grouped into two flights, and numerous swing bridges. A financial failure it was closed on 22nd August 1836 and became the route for the new railway.

The picture on the right shows the canal bridge and tow path at Sydenham. You can see more images form Lewisham Archives at https://picasaweb.google.com/lewishamheritage/

Commander Archibald Buckle's grave in Brockley & Ladywell Cemeteries restored

"The grave of World War 1 hero Commander Buckle in Brockley Cemetery has been refurbished by members of the British Army Association.  Sir Winston Churchill has referred to Buckle as one of the “salamanders born in the furnace,” who survived “to lead, to command, and to preserve the sacred continuity”.  His history has been featured on blog here and the grave has been a regular "point of interest" on the FOBLC guided walks...."

Commander Archibald Buckle's grave in Brockley & Ladywell Cemeteries restored

Posted from Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries

Deptford - Australia

Review from Caroline's Miscellany of the Black History Month walking tour led by S.I Martin,  that took place in Deptford.

"October is Black History Month, and among Lewisham Libraries' programme of events was a walking tour of Deptford with historian and novelist S I Martin. He took us through the area's Black history from the the sixteenth century to the present; among the figures he introduced were two extraordinary men who - involuntarily - left Deptford for Australia where they became notable among its early convict settlers...."

Deptford - Australia

Posted from Caroline's Miscellany

Explore 1930s Britain with new online resource

"You can now find out more about what life was like in 1930s Britain by exploring a fascinating new resource on our Education website. Thirties Britain: The depressed decade? is a collection of 45 pivotal documents relating to the decade, with an introduction by historian, broadcaster and author, Juliet Gardiner..."

Explore 1930s Britain with new online resource
Posted from The National Archives

HLF announces extra £6million lottery money to help mark First World War centenary

"Today, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) is announcing an additional £6 million to enable young people working in their communities to explore, conserve and share local heritage of the First World War."

HLF announces extra £6million lottery money to help mark First World War centenary
Posted from Heritage Lottery Fund

On this day - Emily Davison born in Blackheath

On 11th October 1872 Emily Wilding Davison was born in Blackheath. She studied at Royal Holloway College and at Oxford University, and in 1906, she joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded by Emmeline Pankhurst. Three years later she began to work full-time for the suffragette movement. As a committed suffragette she took part in civil disobedience and was frequently arrested for acts ranging from causing a public disturbance to burning post boxes. On 4 June 1913, she stepped in front of King George V's horse running in the Epsom Derby, sustaining injuries that resulted in her death four days later.

There are many sources for information on her life and death including wikipedia and Spartacus schoolnet while the actual Derby event can be seen on YouTube

The National Archives launch ‘live chat’ service

"Do you have a question related to the records at the National Archives? Are you stuck with your research and need quick and easy advice on the next steps to finding the information you need? Are you just starting out and need help on how to begin using The National Archives records?"

For these answers and more you can now chat online to their research advisers between 13:00 and 15:00 Tuesday to Friday. Live chat is an instant messaging service where each ‘chat’ is one to one with a research adviser. Please note that they cannot carry out any research for you during the session, but can offer advice and guidance.

Click on the ‘live chat’ button on their 'contact us' page during this time to begin your session. For more information and you use the service visit the National Archives website.

Dedication of Gunner Howard memorial

"The dedication to Gunner Howard was attended by Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve Bullock, as well as the organiser Cpl. Tim Needham and Prince Shange, the direct descendent  of the leader of the Zulu forces at Rorke's Drift."

Dedication of Gunner Howard memorial

Posted from The Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries