I am building a student housing development on Sydenham Street in Philadelphia, PA and am looking for a name for the building.
Can you provide me with some suggestions?
Chris
A good name for Sydenham?
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annabel mclaren
- Posts: 115
- Joined: 1 Oct 2004 19:55
- Location: thorpes
a good name for sydenham
Sounds like one for our history man!
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Steve Grindlay
- Posts: 606
- Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
- Location: Upper Sydenham
Thanks, Annabel.
Chris contacted me through the Syd Soc website, and here is the substance of my reply:
"Historically, Sydenham was a small village in the
parish of Lewisham, some seven miles from central
London. Today it is an inner city suburb in the London
Borough of Lewisham. The most important building in
the area was the Crystal Palace, which was erected on
Sydenham Hill in 1854 and burnt down in 1936.
Sydenham's most famous son was probably Sir Ernest
Shackleton. There is much on the web about both of
these.
Here is a link to a brief history of Sydenham:
http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/LocalHistory ... denham.asp"
I explained this was only a very cursory answer, and he was welcome to come back to me for more information. Of course, if anybody else would like to add their own thoughts to this thread, I am sure he would be interested.
Steve
Chris contacted me through the Syd Soc website, and here is the substance of my reply:
"Historically, Sydenham was a small village in the
parish of Lewisham, some seven miles from central
London. Today it is an inner city suburb in the London
Borough of Lewisham. The most important building in
the area was the Crystal Palace, which was erected on
Sydenham Hill in 1854 and burnt down in 1936.
Sydenham's most famous son was probably Sir Ernest
Shackleton. There is much on the web about both of
these.
Here is a link to a brief history of Sydenham:
http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/LocalHistory ... denham.asp"
I explained this was only a very cursory answer, and he was welcome to come back to me for more information. Of course, if anybody else would like to add their own thoughts to this thread, I am sure he would be interested.
Steve
Here are my suggestions:
1. John Logie Baird House. As you might expect the inventor of TV is a hero of mine. But not only did he do a major part of the development of TV in Sydenham but it is the foundation of a major US industry & pastime. He also personifies how the diligent inventor and developer becomes the victim of business & politics. Many of his 170 patents are still the basis for TV receivers, Videorecorders and film to video transfers. Yet he is not well remembered in the US.
2. Thomas Paxton House. Another late resident who became world famous because of the building of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham - the exploitation of glass and metal in architecture that is reflected in almost every modern office block atrium that you see today. His stuff was on a global scale He also personifies the american dream of a poor guy making good through hard work with a vision that changed the world.
3. Ernest Shackleton House. I agree with you Steve - the issue is the relevance of Ernest in the US. For he personified the very particulary British Edwardian hero although the Irish also claim him as he was born Anglo Irish and spent his first (and only decade) in Ireland. That he is remembered for failing gloriously is also something perculiary English - though the adventure of sailing in a longboat across the Antartic seas to save his men is one of the great achievements of mankind.
4. George Grove House. Not a name well known outside music circles - but if the University has a music or business department then George Grove personifies how to turn art into business. His work (in the Grove Musical Dictionaries) is still the global reference point for classical music - and his promotion of concerts and musicians at the Crystal Palace touched many of the great composers and performers of the late 19th century.
5. Camille Pissarro House. A French painter that helped to make Sydenham famous in the art world. Perhaps the University or Philadelphia Gallery has some of his paintings. The House would commemorate how Sydenham and South London was a home and place of safety for Camille and other refugees from Paris during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/2.
One name I won't suggest is WG Grace. I think his achievements will always be a mystery to most Americans
1. John Logie Baird House. As you might expect the inventor of TV is a hero of mine. But not only did he do a major part of the development of TV in Sydenham but it is the foundation of a major US industry & pastime. He also personifies how the diligent inventor and developer becomes the victim of business & politics. Many of his 170 patents are still the basis for TV receivers, Videorecorders and film to video transfers. Yet he is not well remembered in the US.
2. Thomas Paxton House. Another late resident who became world famous because of the building of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham - the exploitation of glass and metal in architecture that is reflected in almost every modern office block atrium that you see today. His stuff was on a global scale He also personifies the american dream of a poor guy making good through hard work with a vision that changed the world.
3. Ernest Shackleton House. I agree with you Steve - the issue is the relevance of Ernest in the US. For he personified the very particulary British Edwardian hero although the Irish also claim him as he was born Anglo Irish and spent his first (and only decade) in Ireland. That he is remembered for failing gloriously is also something perculiary English - though the adventure of sailing in a longboat across the Antartic seas to save his men is one of the great achievements of mankind.
4. George Grove House. Not a name well known outside music circles - but if the University has a music or business department then George Grove personifies how to turn art into business. His work (in the Grove Musical Dictionaries) is still the global reference point for classical music - and his promotion of concerts and musicians at the Crystal Palace touched many of the great composers and performers of the late 19th century.
5. Camille Pissarro House. A French painter that helped to make Sydenham famous in the art world. Perhaps the University or Philadelphia Gallery has some of his paintings. The House would commemorate how Sydenham and South London was a home and place of safety for Camille and other refugees from Paris during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/2.
One name I won't suggest is WG Grace. I think his achievements will always be a mystery to most Americans
Last edited by stuart on 7 Dec 2004 10:28, edited 1 time in total.