V1 & V2 Bombs dropped on Lordship Lane.

[KidKruger]

healey - the row of 6-7 townhouse opposite suffered upper-floor bomb damage from a bomb, not sure which bomb though (my understanding it's the one that landed where the DMC / community centre is now).

If you look at the parapet at the top of the block, it only runs part of the way along the block, about half way I think.

The houses where the parapet is missing had their upper floor repaired but the parapet was never reinstated.

It's possible I suppose that the bomb at fault was actually what levelled the houses where that closed-down shop currently is.

Possibly ComputedShorty will know (hi CS !), I've never seen evidence of a bomb hitting where that shop is tho.

[BrandNewGuy]

The excellent blog A London Inheritance today features pages from a postwar booklet called ?Hitler Passed This Way?, showing before-and-after photos of some of the damage caused by the bombing of London.

http://alondoninheritance.com/thebombedcity/hitler_passed_this_way/

It includes this page showing the devastating effect of the V1 rocket which landed on the Co-op on the corner of Lordship Lane and Northcross Road on August 5th 1944, killing 23 people. A grim but fascinating pair of images.

http://alondoninheritance.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Hitler-Passed-This-Way-25.jpg

 

[nxjen]

Explains the three houses built in the 60s and 70s at the bottom of Nutfield Road

[rendelharris]

Thanks for that BNG, fascinating indeed. Anyone one know what the tall object on the horizon is, just right of centre? A factory chimney?

[KidKruger]

Possible from one of the factories facing goose green - didn't Hartleys or some jam company have a building there ?

[Louisa]

Probably the old R Whites lemonade factory which closed sometime in the 60's, potentially could also be bateys ginger beer factory in the 40's.

Louisa.

[edhistory]

Angle suggests "Drons" at Peckham. But the chimney seems too tall.

Can't be White's, or anything else near Goose Green, the angle is wrong.

[nxjen]

The existing DRON'S chimney is a shortened version of the original which was the chimney for the HEDRON'S department store. But this chimney is four sided whereas, as far as I can make out, the one in the picture is round. Looking at the angle, I'm wondering if it's more in the Nunhead direction.

[kford]

Watkin's Bible Factory? http://www.bridgetonowhere.friendsofburgesspark.org.uk/the-story-of-burgess-park-heritage-trail/heritage-trail-m-w/watkins-bookbinding-factory/

[rendelharris]

Thanks for the interesting suggestions, photos are difficult but I get the impression it's more northeast than due north, as it would be for Burgess Park/Camberwell buildings. I've tried drawing a rough line of the photographer's eyeline on the attached, working on the basis that s/he seems to be about fifteen yards south of the Shawbury/Lordship junction, so taking a line through the street corner it would seem the chimney is somewhere in the Rye/Nunhead direction. Could of course be totally out!

ETA But if not, have noticed the line goes almost exactly through No.70 Nunhead Grove, which was apparently the site of the Besfoldas pram factory, though unfortunately I can't find a picture to see if had a chimney or not.

[Selma]

That is try. A double spy called Edward Chapman was mostly responsible

[Penguin68]

To be clear, British Intelligence had managed to take control of all German agents in the UK (either by turning them or by planting their own agents onto the Germans) and were getting them to report substantial overshoots of V weapons (i.e. to the North and West of London) to get their range shortened such that they actually fell into Kentish fields. Inevitably that drew weapons down onto SE London, but the relative population densities between here and Central London were such that this was a least worst option.

[mikeb]

Was there a tall mast at Telegraph Hill? E.g. http://www.new-cross.net/history-of-telegraph-hill/

[rendelharris]

Don't think so - never heard of one - but it's certainly on the right line.

[holloway]

slightly deviating off topic, but due to the damage associated with V1 & V2 bombs and post war re-building, has anyone noticed something very interesting about many of the railings that surround the estates of dulwich? in particular the one opposite st. francis' park (can't remember the name).

specifically what did they used to be prior to becoming railings? this was on the bbc lunch time news a while ago and i found it really interesting!

[holloway]

obviously i'm in a minority in finding this interesting then. the railings used to be stretchers and date from world war 2.

[Y'man]

Hi All,

I?m glad someone brought this forum back to life. These are great photos of Lordship Lane. I was born & brought up in East Dulwich. My Mother was a Post Office Clerk at the branch in Lordship Lane, where it still is now as far as I know. She had finished her shift the afternoon of 5th of August 1944 and waited for the tram outside the Co-Op to get home to Sydenham where she was living with her Mum during the war, my Father was away in North Africa. She got on the tram and had made it as far as halfway between St Peter?s Church and the bridge by the old Lordship Lane Station (about where Underhill comes out), when that V1 landed. I?ve often wondered whether that tram was early, late or on time!

A strange thing, my Paternal Grandmother lived in Crawthew Grove. She had a large oak Welsh dresser in her parlour, set against a wall. That blast moved the dresser around 190 degrees, depositing it in the middle of the room. No windows were broken! The power of pressure. I used to play on this bomb site when I was a kid.

As for the chimney, and bear with me here, as most of you know, Lorship Lane takes a left bend just past the Lord Palmerston. That said, I wonder if, and by looking at the distant trees, an old camera lens may have had some foreshortening and the chimney is actually that of the coal fired boilers from the public baths and swimming pool, right opposite St John?s church but on East Dulwich Road. I believe the boiler house was in Crystal Palace Road, where they built the 2nd class pool later on. I might be way off but it?s food for thought and I don?t know of any factories in that area.

Where the railings on St Francis Park are concerned, I understood them to be stretcher arms when I was a lad but you snapped back before I could get my new ?puter online. Ho hum but yes, very interesting.

[rendelharris]

That's an interesting idea Y'man, that's not too far off the line I'd plotted the chimney on. Could well be. Great stories about your mum and grandma too, cheers.

[Y'man]

Thing is, Rendelharris, Lordship Lane takes that curve but Crystal Palace Road doesn't. That chimney, to me anyway, looks to be in a direct line from camera through the top of Worlingham Rd.

[rendelharris]

Were the old baths where Dulwich Leisure Centre is now on CP Road? If so I'd say you've nailed it!

[Y'man]

Haven't actually lived in Dulwich for a number of years so memories are all I've got really. I don't know Dulwich Leisure Centre at all. Dulwich baths were directly opposite the church, across the green. The fire exit from the second class baths came out on CP road, that's where I think the chimney was. Must have a physical trip down memory lane sometime, see how it's all changed.

[rendelharris]

Sounds like the building which is now Evans Cycles at the front with DLC at the back (facing onto CP road) must stand right where the baths were, sure somebody can confirm?

I'd love to know the distinction between the first class and second class baths!

ETA just looked it up, of course, same building, still there - the one next to Evans, must snake round the back to CP road. Despite cycling past there at least three times a week have never looked up to see the inscription! A lesson to slow down and look around a bit...

[Y'man]

I'm afraid I don't know Evans Cycles either.

The main difference between first & second class to me was the size. First class was bigger and had higher diving boards. It was also 2d to get in first and 1d to get into second class. Might have been 4d & 2d. First class had a balcony around it with seating for watching galas etc and they would often close the pool and lay parquet flooring to support christmas fetes, jumble sales and the like.

[rendelharris]

And board it over for bowls, apparently!

Evans is in a new build next building along towards the Rye, probably since your time. Very interesting to hear your memories, cheers.

[bingobongo]

Just coming back to me, as shadows through mist! First and second class baths!! I can see the changing cubicles as clearly as if I'm about to go in...I think it must have been second class!? But Not sure.. The last couple of changing cubicles were very small, the wall sloped to cut those two, almost to thin triangles, there was just enough room to change. There was a spring board and diving boards, and as I remember it..Queues of skinny naughty boys, in raggy bathing trunks, bombing into the deep end..sceeching and making zoo animal noises.who were free to torture scared girls, like me..as they liked. I was impressed I wanted to do all the daring things they did, so our school pool,for all girls only,was a practice pitch. There were hot water, bath tub baths, as well. It didnt cost much for a big bathfull of very hot water.. Thinking about the chimney...I remember seeing a big chimney somewhere along that swimming pool road, could have been the pool, or maybe, the hat factory? There were sometimes huge heaps of pith helmets? They looked like pith helmets to me.. Stacked outside, waiting for collection/delivery? The person whose mum worked in the post office!! I expect she might have known my mum! In 44 my mum pushed me around in a sec hand wheelchair, we were too hard up to own a real "pram" ..We lived a bit less than 100 yards from the big bomb on lordship lane.but my mother my sister and I had gone to Staffordshire to get away from the bombing, for little while then.I walked over the bomb site, sometimes on the way home from school..St John's...When older..From 47..