Goldsmiths Sayes Court Institute: for ‘bona fide artizans and working people’ only (1896)

In the late 19th century, the Goldsmiths Institute in New Cross had a satellite 'Sayes Court Institute' in Evelyn Street, Deptford. According to the 1896 Goldsmiths handbook (a copy of which is in the Special Collections archive in Goldsmiths library), the building (pictured)  included a gymnasium hall, reading room/games room and four classrooms.Membership was restricted ...

The Common Greene – Reading Deptford History through Peter Linebaugh (in New Cross on Monday)

Radical historian and theorist of the commons Peter Linebaugh is the author of The London Hanged, The Many-Headed Hydra (with Marcus Rediker), The Magna Carta Manifesto, and introductions to a Verso book of Thomas Paine’s writing and PM’s new edition of E.P. Thompson’s William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary. Linebaugh works at the University of Toledo, ...

Deptford Dockyard Closure Announcement

The announcement of the closure of Deptford Dockyard, as reported in Welsh newspaper County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser, 15 August 1868. It mentions that 'The yard employs 800 artisans, 250 of whom have been already discharged or otherwise drafted to other yards, leaving 650 to be similarly dealt with', and that three boats remained ...

Music Monday: Deptford Shanty Crew

London Mayor Boris Johnson is due to make a decision this month on whether to give planning permission to the controversial proposal for a redevelopment of Convoys Wharf, the riverside site in Deptford that was once home to the Royal Dockyard. As reported here previously, Johnson announced last October that he was taking the power ...

Political Graffiti – ‘Save our NHS’ and ‘Homes for the People’

Some recent political graffiti spotted round and about.'Homes for the people not profiteers'Next to the site entrance for the controversial proposed Convoys Wharf development on the Deptford riverfront (opposite the Dog & Bell on Prince Street, SE8):'Save Lewisham Hospital from SERCO - Scrap PFI, put People Before Profit'on hoardings around building site where once the Maypole ...

Convoys Wharf – critical meeting this week

Deptford is..., which is spearheading local opposition to current plans to develop Convoys Wharfon the Deptford riverfront, is reminding people that a crucial meeting is coming up this week. They say:'you are probably already aware that the planning application for redevelopment of the Royal Dockyard/Convoys Wharf site has been called in by the Mayor of ...

Mayor calls in Convoys Wharf

The Mayor of London has called-in the £1 billion plan to redevelop Convoys Wharf in Deptford after the developer Hutchison Whampoa lost patience with Lewisham Council over the protracted decision-making process. Building Design reports:Hutchison Whampoa lost patience with the local authority, accusing it of making “unreasonable and unwarranted” demands and of pushing the scheme’s viability ...

Johnson caves in to Convoys Wharf Developers

The plans by Hutchison Whampoa to redevelop the former Royal Dockyard site on the Deptford riverfront at Convoys Wharf have been widely criticised. Essentially they offer an identikit riverside tower block scheme with cursory social housing and little reference to the site's rich history, not to mention a huge impact on the local transport, health ...

Open Shipwrights House

It's London Open House this weekend, so lots of opportunities to visit interesting buildings many of which are usually closed to the public. In Deptford, the magnificent Master Shipwrights House on the river front will be open all weekend (entrance on Watergate Street)The garden of the Shipwrights House last night - the cannon was dug ...

History Corner: John Evelyn of Deptford

John Evelyn (1620-1706) has cropped up a few times for me in the last week. The seventeenth century diarist, writer, gardener and government official is remembered in the names of the local Evelyn Street and Lewisham's Evelyn Ward, among other places.Portrait of Evelyn by Robert WalkerLast Saturday I gave a history tour of the Deptford riverfront to ...