HISTORIC ELTHAM
SEnine
02
04
06
Sutcliffe Park
08
This once ugly ducking has matured
10
into a park that has won the Green
12
Flag Award, writes John Kennett...
14
fifteen shillings for ‘looping’. After a
flight passengers could make use
scheme which included 71 acres of the regular refreshment stall
16
The
granting of a pres-
tigious Green Flag of Harrow Meadow. Where possi- at the corner of Kidbrooke Park
Award to Sutcliffe Park is recogni- ble land was privately let for crick- Road.
18
tion of the work being under- et, tennis, hockey and netball of The council decided to open
taken to transform the park into which 7 acres was leased to Colfe’s up more of Harrow Meadow for
20
a thriving nature reserve. This Grammar School from 1924-1931. public enjoyment and allocated
transformation has taken the During the winter months of 35 acres for a public park. Suffi-
22 River Quaggy out of its covered 1924-1926 work was carried out cient work had been completed
concrete tunnel and into a mean- to alleviate flooding using men in May 1937 for the official open-
24
dering open stream similar to its and funds from schemes to create ing to be performed by the May-
original alignment of the 1920s. work for the unemployed. Much or of Woolwich, Councillor Ma-
26
The river enters the park under of the work was undertaken with bel Crout. The park was named
Eltham Road at the Eltham Green the aid of hand-propelled tip carts ‘Sutcliffe Park’ in memory of the
Bridge and over one hundred running on a railway-type track as late Borough Engineer Mr J Sut-
28
years ago the river might over- the ground was too swampy for cliffe who was responsible for
flow the original road to a depth horses and mechanical vehicles. reclamation of the land. After the
30
of four feet when ice and snow The work included redirecting the opening speeches, when Council-
melted. This was a desolate spot River Quaggy into a straight open lor William Barefoot remarked that
32
as a traveller in a horse-drawn car- concrete channel which ran north the park was needed where ‘you
riage to Eltham recorded in the from Eltham Road then turned left can come every day of the week
34 1870s, ‘I took the precaution of in a right angle bend to meet the and enjoy the fresh air of Eltham’,
telling the driver to drive quickly original river alignment
36
and not to stop for anyone at any at a bridge under Kid-
lonely point on the road.’ brooke Park Road.
38
By the present John Roan In 1928 and 1929
sports ground, on Eltham Road, the council allowed
40
stood three labourer’s cottages the Cornwall Aviation
which had originally been the Co. to fly aeroplanes for
Harrow public house and the ‘Pleasure Flights’ from
42
land nearby was named as Har- Harrow Meadow and in
Three aeroplanes await
row Meadow. The pub became a April 1928 the Mayor of
passengers, Harrow
44
notorious meeting place for con- Woolwich, Councillor G
Meadow, 1928
traband spirit smugglers so the Langham and the Town
46
licence was withdrawn. Clerk, Sir Arthur Bryceson, took a the mayor planted a tulip tree to
In 1919 Woolwich Borough twelve minute flight to survey part commemorate the Coronation of
48 Council bought land from of the borough. Passengers could King George VI.
the Page Estate for a housing get a bird’s eye view of the locality During the World War Two the
for a five shil- park was closed to the public and
ling fee and a number of temporary buildings
the more erected near the junction with
adventurous Kidbrooke Park Road and Eltham
could pay Road where the Royal Electrical &
Levelling work in the 1920s
Your Community, Your Voice…
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48