Kelvin Grove
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brian stimson
- Posts: 50
- Joined: 28 Jun 2008 14:14
- Location: forest of dean
kelvin grove
I just could'nt resist it, I had to say I went to St. Barts school from 1945-1951 and I used to walk home alone to wiverton road it was very safe or ignorance was bliss I don't know. We would always go to the bombed out St. Barts vicarage after school and try and finish what hitler started! We would try and get there before Kelvin Grove kids and get the high ground as it were and stop them getting in the ruins, oh what bliss.
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Steve Grindlay
- Posts: 606
- Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
- Location: Upper Sydenham
Genealogist, Smith & Garland were photographers at various addresses in Lower Sydenham who specialised in postcards such as yours. Ernest Garland, who took most of the pictures, seems to have gone from door-to-door, offering to photograph people's houses. Thus his pictures were almost all of a single house, usually including members of the family.
He must have taken hundreds of such pictures in this part of SE London during the early C20th. Annoyingly, very few can now be identified and it is pleasing when, as with yours, one turns up with an address on it.
The Bungalow was in Kelvin Grove, and was so-called from at least 1891. It was on the southern side of the road and it should therefore be possible to identify it on the 1894 map near the beginning of this thread, but I can't. The house beneath the "G" of "Grove" was no.16 and is the most likely candidate but it doesn't seem to show the same details as the photograph. This house, at one time, was occupied by the school caretaker.
Bensonby, Ernest Garland had several addresses in Lower Sydenham including Fairlawn Park, Fambridge Road and Champion Crescent. He was living at 1 Church Villas, Larkbeare Road between 1902-1907. Today that works out as something like 63 Larkbeare Road, the opposite end and opposite side from Hilliers.
He must have taken hundreds of such pictures in this part of SE London during the early C20th. Annoyingly, very few can now be identified and it is pleasing when, as with yours, one turns up with an address on it.
The Bungalow was in Kelvin Grove, and was so-called from at least 1891. It was on the southern side of the road and it should therefore be possible to identify it on the 1894 map near the beginning of this thread, but I can't. The house beneath the "G" of "Grove" was no.16 and is the most likely candidate but it doesn't seem to show the same details as the photograph. This house, at one time, was occupied by the school caretaker.
Bensonby, Ernest Garland had several addresses in Lower Sydenham including Fairlawn Park, Fambridge Road and Champion Crescent. He was living at 1 Church Villas, Larkbeare Road between 1902-1907. Today that works out as something like 63 Larkbeare Road, the opposite end and opposite side from Hilliers.
Steve Grindlay wrote:Bensonby, Ernest Garland had several addresses in Lower Sydenham including Fairlawn Park, Fambridge Road and Champion Crescent. He was living at 1 Church Villas, Larkbeare Road between 1902-1907. Today that works out as something like 63 Larkbeare Road, the opposite end and opposite side from Hilliers.
I know the road very well. It was obviously just a residential rather than a primarily commercial address.... Thanks.
I suppose some of the houses on that street must be 1930s.
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catscratch
- Posts: 83
- Joined: 13 Jul 2008 12:44
- Location: se20
My mum was born in the family home at no. 1 Kelvin Grove in December 1916. The family moved from there to Bigginhill when she was possibly a teenager. In recent years mum, now 92, has moved to be near us in Scotland. I would love to find a picture of her first home before she finds her heavenly home. However, the map of Kelvin grove posted on this thread would indicate that the house was demolished by the 1970's, as it is not there. Does any one know where I might get a picture?
My mums maiden name was Hill, but as my grandfather was an orphan it is unlikely that he would have relatives in the locality. However, mum has spoke of 3 elderly ladies possibly living next door. They went by the surname of Jones. Would this info help in the search?Jon Magee wrote:My mum was born in the family home at no. 1 Kelvin Grove in December 1916. The family moved from there to Bigginhill when she was possibly a teenager. In recent years mum, now 92, has moved to be near us in Scotland. I would love to find a picture of her first home before she finds her heavenly home. However, the map of Kelvin grove posted on this thread would indicate that the house was demolished by the 1970's, as it is not there. Does any one know where I might get a picture?
She also recalls kennels possibly across the road from where she lived.
Re: Kelvin Grove
Looking at the photos above there is one showing the rear of two cars. One is a Rover with the registration COH 777. The owner of this car and the garage it is parked in was Bill Paige (or Page) I well remember his car and his garage. My father worked in the garage when he could to earn extra money shortly after the war. Bill and his wife were very good to me. They had the house which fronted Kirkdale on the corner of Kelvin Grove and Mrs page always gave me what I think were homemade biscuits! It was Bill who taught me that 60 mph equated to 88 feet per second on the ground and it stuck with me. He once drove down to Uckfield in Sussex around mid-night on Sunday to tow my father's car back home after a half-shaft broke in his Hillman Minx driving over the level crossing. My mother and I were transferred to the Rover and my father steered the Minx.
Seeing that photo has brought back floods of memories for me. We lived in Panmure Road at the time - at No 9 which was renumbered No 23 after the council houses were built on the old bomb site between Panmure Road and Kelvin Grove. I was born in 1944 and attended firstly the infants school and then the junior school in Kelvin Grove.
There are photos of maps of the area above. Looking at Panmure Road where it bends at right angles there can be seen an area marked "tennis courts". This area bacame allotments during the war. After the war the land was owned by a Harry Everett who had a daughter about my age called Norma. Many of the kids living in Panmure Road attended Kelvin Grove and most of us played on the old allotment site and scrumped apples from the tree in an adjacent garden belonging to a family called Gammon - a rather well to do family who discouged their daughter Gwyneth from playing with our mob!
Sorry to go on but as I said - that photo of the car has brought back so many memories.
Seeing that photo has brought back floods of memories for me. We lived in Panmure Road at the time - at No 9 which was renumbered No 23 after the council houses were built on the old bomb site between Panmure Road and Kelvin Grove. I was born in 1944 and attended firstly the infants school and then the junior school in Kelvin Grove.
There are photos of maps of the area above. Looking at Panmure Road where it bends at right angles there can be seen an area marked "tennis courts". This area bacame allotments during the war. After the war the land was owned by a Harry Everett who had a daughter about my age called Norma. Many of the kids living in Panmure Road attended Kelvin Grove and most of us played on the old allotment site and scrumped apples from the tree in an adjacent garden belonging to a family called Gammon - a rather well to do family who discouged their daughter Gwyneth from playing with our mob!
Sorry to go on but as I said - that photo of the car has brought back so many memories.
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Michael Viner
- Posts: 78
- Joined: 2 Jul 2007 18:37
- Location: Sydenham
Re: Kelvin Grove
Kelvin Arms by Michael VinerRe.' The Kelvin Arms ' beerhouse/off license on the corner of Kelvin Grove-here is a scan from a nice (& rare) postcard I found showing it close-up;the same Barclays beer advert seen in the Steve's photo/postcard can be seen on the left. The postcard was sent to Parkeston,Essex in 1909 by 'L.Y' (L.Young,obviously) and says"..this is the shop we had at Sydenham-the chicks(children) are at the door" Hope you like it..
Re: Kelvin Grove
Nice pic, Michael - thanks for sharing!
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expatJames
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 14 Mar 2017 02:19
- Location: Wisconsin USA
Re: Kelvin Grove
These photos are really great!
As a teenager I used to live at number 9 Kelvin Grove. I think from '63 to '67.
I also went to Kelvin Grove junior school but not while living in Kelvin Grove - strange eh?
At the time I went to the school, we lived the other side of Sydenham Hill, opposite Horniman's Museum. A long walk and steep climb for a youngster.
As a teenager I used to live at number 9 Kelvin Grove. I think from '63 to '67.
I also went to Kelvin Grove junior school but not while living in Kelvin Grove - strange eh?
At the time I went to the school, we lived the other side of Sydenham Hill, opposite Horniman's Museum. A long walk and steep climb for a youngster.
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friendlyfriend
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 19 Oct 2020 16:47
Re: Kelvin Grove
Photos No 6 & 8 are of the same house, taken from different angles - note the roof details. You will also notice, in Photo No 6, a roof with skylights and tall window, extending up into the roof... and beyond that the roof of the main school building.
The skylight roof can also be seen in photo No 10. There is also a, brick, ridge end (above, to the right of car COH 777. Maybe an Alvis). The ridge end can also be seen in photo No 6. The last photo, 11, shows the same ridge end, note the tree and the detail on the brick.
In 1956/7 I can remember, idly looking out of a window, of one of the prefab/huts, nearest the main building - onto that view in photo 6. The building, with the strange arrangement of skylights and tall window, used to house the kitchens. So, the photos that I mentioned, were on the left, going up Kelvin Grove, towards the main school buildings. I can remember watching a big conker, slowly, growing on a young tree, just over the fence of the ruins. Needless to say that I had little interest in school work !! lol
The skylight roof can also be seen in photo No 10. There is also a, brick, ridge end (above, to the right of car COH 777. Maybe an Alvis). The ridge end can also be seen in photo No 6. The last photo, 11, shows the same ridge end, note the tree and the detail on the brick.
In 1956/7 I can remember, idly looking out of a window, of one of the prefab/huts, nearest the main building - onto that view in photo 6. The building, with the strange arrangement of skylights and tall window, used to house the kitchens. So, the photos that I mentioned, were on the left, going up Kelvin Grove, towards the main school buildings. I can remember watching a big conker, slowly, growing on a young tree, just over the fence of the ruins. Needless to say that I had little interest in school work !! lol
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friendlyfriend
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 19 Oct 2020 16:47
Re: Kelvin Grove
My apologies , GeoffC... I missed your previous message, of course, it's a 1940's Rover.
Re: Kelvin Grove
Hi, I hope some of you are still out there. I have been trying to confirm the location of a photo which I believe to be 15 Kelvin Grove. Way back in March 2008 Falkor posted some photos which are no longer visible, Steve Grindlay replied saying the first photo was number 15.
My photo was taken Circa 1870 by a photographer who had a studio or ran a photographic business from Kelvin Grove Sydenham, (which I believe to be from this building), a walk up the street with google street view shows this house to have been rendered (along with most of the other remaining houses) and the walls on either side of the steps have been modified / rebuilt, Steve Grindlay's 1895 OS map shows number 15 to be the only property with steps at the entrance. It would be nice to see Falkors photo of 15 as I am hoping it was taken prior to the modifications on the property and it should hopefully confirm my beliefs. I will try to scan and add my photo.
My photo was taken Circa 1870 by a photographer who had a studio or ran a photographic business from Kelvin Grove Sydenham, (which I believe to be from this building), a walk up the street with google street view shows this house to have been rendered (along with most of the other remaining houses) and the walls on either side of the steps have been modified / rebuilt, Steve Grindlay's 1895 OS map shows number 15 to be the only property with steps at the entrance. It would be nice to see Falkors photo of 15 as I am hoping it was taken prior to the modifications on the property and it should hopefully confirm my beliefs. I will try to scan and add my photo.