Old Kent Road, then and now

[The Dulwich Raider]

Hi all,

I wrote a piece about the Old Kent Road and its landmarks for Deserter:

http://deserter.co.uk/2015/05/streetlife-old-kent-road/

There is a lot of swearing.

And a map.

TDR

[The Dulwich Raider]

The World Turned Upside Down

[Otta]

Oh Christ I remember some scary nights in thjere when I was barely old enough to drink legally.

[Louisa]

Proper boozer. I remember the world turned upside down. Some great nights with some good people. It's a bloody pizza shop now? Says it all really.

Louisa.

[Jeremy]

Yes, it appears to have become something called "Domino's Pizza". Presumably a poncified posho cheese-on-toast emporium catering to the blow-in middle classes and their pampered offspring.

[Louisa]

Jeremy even I know the poncey middle class haven't reached OKR yet.

LOL.

Louisa.

[Jeremy]

Even the middle classes need to go to B&Q sometimes.

[Louisa]

You reckon they would risk their dignity by going to OKR branch? Theres a bigger one near the O2 over Charlton way.

Louisa.

[david_carnell]

Where else would one pick up some cheap eastern-European labour for cash-in-hand work?

[Loz]

Not quite OKR, there was a really interesting show last night on Beeb 4 - The Secret History of our Streets - which covered Reverdy Road, Bermondsey. It showed its beginnings as a developed market garden area and tracked residents who had lived there over the years. It's on iPlayer and well worth a watch.

[The Dulwich Raider]

Loz Wrote:

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> Not quite OKR, there was a really interesting show

> last night on Beeb 4 - The Secret History of our

> Streets -

I caught this too, Loz. Very interesting programme. Also recommend it.

[Louisa]

Bermondsey has always had a very close knit community feel. Families going back generations with a history in the docks that would have been just up the road. It's one of the last bastions of any sort of cockney heritage within the inner boroughs of London. I think its independence, even after merging with southwark council has remained strong through the years. Only very recently has gentrification gradually started to change some of the area. But not all by any means. Great documentary called "we was all one" on YouTube, explains the tribal history of the area concentrating on the markets and docks.

Louisa.

[indiepanda]

The Dulwich Raider Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Loz Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Not quite OKR, there was a really interesting

> show

> > last night on Beeb 4 - The Secret History of

> our

> > Streets -

>

> I caught this too, Loz. Very interesting

> programme. Also recommend it.

This is a repeat (and agree very worth watching), and in the same series there was a really interesting one on Camberwell Grove too.

Amused to hear I don't count as a middle class blow-in after all, having been to the B&Q on the OKR multiple times.

[KidKruger]

Louisa a mate of mine made a film predominantly about the history of Bermondsey Sq. 3-4 yrs ago, he premiered it at the Shortwave cinema in the square. It focussed on the previous layout and use of the square and also on the history of the silver market there for so many years. If I can get details I'll share with you as it sounds right up your street.

[Loz]

Louisa Wrote:

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> Bermondsey has always had a very close knit community feel. Families going back generations

> with a history in the docks that would have been just up the road. It's one of the last bastions of

> any sort of cockney heritage within the inner boroughs of London. I think its independence, even

> after merging with southwark council has remained strong through the years. Only very recently has

> gentrification gradually started to change some of the area. But not all by any means. Great

> documentary called "we was all one" on YouTube, explains the tribal history of the area

> concentrating on the markets and docks.

The touched on this in the Beeb programme - Bermondsey council (as it was then) would only give council houses to those with ties in the area. It meant that it remained a white working class area - it wasn't a racist policy as such, though it did have an effect in excluding any recent immigrants.

That changed when it was merged with Southwark.

[Otta]

Having just read parts one and two of that piece I feel a bit sad for the passing of many a legendary place that I'd visited in the past. Had no idea everywhere had closed down.

[Louisa]

KK that would be fantastic if you could share that. I love social history.

Loz absolutely correct. I think Bermondsey Council's independent nature was rooted in trying to retain the social fabric of the area after a lot of the slum clearances just within touching distance in places like Walworth, the Elephant and Peckham. They also managed to prevent whole streets being made waste for tower blocks and large developments. There has been elements of racism in the area of Bermondsey I don't think anyone can deny that, but equally it's always been one of those places that has a mistrust of anyone, even people from a mile down the road. Those links with the docks and market trading are of course slowly fading into the past and the area has become gradually more diverse over recent years, but as I say still a strong community sense and for its proximity to the city, pretty much untouched by gentrification for the most part.

Louisa.

[david_carnell]

If you're interested in the people and local history of that area then The Likes of Us: A History of the White Working Class is a very good read:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Likes-Us-Biography-Working/dp/1862076006

[????]

My nan married an italian from Bermondsey and she was from Mile End..I think the wedding booze up was probably 'lively'. Sadly for her (but thankfully for me) he died of TB a couple of years later.

[The Dulwich Raider]

david_carnell Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If you're interested in the people and local

> history of that area then The Likes of Us: A

> History of the White Working Class is a very good

> read:

>

Thanks for that, David, and the link.

Just bought it for a penny (plus 2.80 p&p).

TDR

[david_carnell]

Ach I could have saved you the cash and lent you a copy. Sorry.

Hope you enjoy it. My Dad's family are all from Catford/Lewisham orginally so was interesting to read as I suspect it was pretty similar to Bermondsey.