East Dulwich in literature?

[Moos]

Does anyone know whether ED has ever been immortalised in song, or indeed prose? I know one poem which mentions Dulwich which I heard on the radio (sorry, don't know who wrote it)

A man lives in our village: his name is Mr Babbage.

He plays a little cribbage and grows a little cabbage

He eats a little porridge and empties out his garbage

He sits outside his cottage and wonders how he'll manage.

He used to work in Dulwich as Porter to the college.

He swept the halls and passage, and dealt with all the luggage.

But now he's done with knowledge and time has done its damage.

He sits outside his cottage and wonders how he'll manage.

Also, I think P.G. Wodehouse set some of his short stories in Dulwich. But East Dulwich? I don't know of any literary associations - can anyone enlighten me?

[????]

East Dulwich does indeed feature in a Jeeves....Peckham Rye has far more literary thoroughbredness (to mangulate english)

[franglaisia]

I think it gets a pitying mention in The Young Visiters.

There's also an Edgar Wallace story where the police in search of a murderer are ordered to go out and "round up all the Armenians in Nunhead".

Charles Dickens is supposed to have died of heart failure while visiting a young female person in Nunhead.

Once heard song on pirate radio station, lyrics went: "Waiting for the P3, never get to Nunhead, better get myself a moped". Never heard a truer word in popular song. (Note for younger readers: P3 is now 343).

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Maurice Baring (one of me fave's) wrote a novel called something like "The Lady of Dulwich".

Andy McNab who grew up in ED and naturally mentions it in his autobiography, often slips the location into his novels and his band-waggoning comrade Chris Ryan sets his teenage hero in Camberwell. [edit: I was confused m'lud. "Boy Soldier" by McNab has the hero in Camberwell. It's a ripping yarn in the Buchan mould.]

I presume ???? is referring to the sainted Muriel Spark. Peckham is also mentioned in "Last Orders".

[macroban]

I'm reasonably sure that Sax Rohmer had Nayland Smith visiting East Dulwich, but it must be a good 40 years since I read that Fu Manchu novel.

[????]

Muriel Spark and, of course, William Blake

[franglaisia]

???? Wrote:

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> Muriel Spark and, of course, William Blake

But, I think in The Ballad of Peckham Rye he both lives and works on the Nunhead side of the Rye? (was it supposed to be Roberts Capsule Stopper Co, which has just been knocked down to make way for yet more flats) and William Blake's tree is supposed to be on the SE15 side too...that's to say someone claimed to me they knew wherabouts it was, though they didn't say how, exactly.

East Dulwich not doing very well here.

[????]

Yes Frang, as I said in my original post....

"East Dulwich does indeed feature in a Jeeves....Peckham Rye has far more literary thoroughbredness (to mangulate english)"

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Perhaps your friend has visions too Franglasia, or has been at the meths again?

[chichirara]

Re Ballard of Peckham Rye. I always thought the house he lived in was East Dulwich side only because he rented from a Miss Friern. There is also a mention of some one walking to dulwich from the Rye which I presumed to be Barry road.

[jumpinjackflash]

steering topic away slighlty but, I THINK Marmora or Mundania Road was featured in a Ronan Keating/Boyzone video. Or was it Westlife? Can't remember the song so don't know.

[franglaisia]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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> Perhaps your friend has visions too Franglasia, or

> has been at the meths again?

There used to be a lovely toxic breeze that blew over the Rye from a leather tanning factory, don't know if that could account for it.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

As it happens, the tanning factory in Walworth was slipped into a book, but for the life of me I can't remember which one.

[Jah Lush]

At The Dog In Dulwich by Colin Murphy which was about the poetry evenings above the Crown & Greyhound pub in the Village. Ok not East Dulwich but there you go. I thought it may be worth a mention.