Old Wells Park

[Juwlz]

Steve

Thanks so much for the very old Wells park pic, the 1914 map and 28 Longton Avenue. It is fascinating to see which houses were there and which remain. I had been wondering if anyone had pictures of 24- 28 and at last I have seen one. I would say judging from the outlines of the other two houses they would probably have been very similar or identical? I wonder why there was a gap between nos 26 and 28?

[Pat Trembath]

There's another anomaly in house numbers in Longton Avenue, Julwz. How many houses do you think you could squeeze in between no: 43 and 59?

[Juwlz]

Now I feel certain that 24-28 would've been identical in design to the remaining number 22 (Steve's photo shows 28 which looks identical).
Pat - you have me intrigued with your comment about nos 43-59! I always felt there was something weird about the street numbers without exactly looking closer. I will be checking it out tomorrow! Do you happen to already know the reason for this anomaly?

[Steve Grindlay]

Do any of you know why Kelvin Grove is called Kelvin Grove? I've searched online but can only find stuff about the primary school.

One source (Joan Read's Lewisham Street Names, 1990) suggests it was named after Lord Kelvin in about 1850. This cannot be so, as William Thomson was not created Baron Kelvin until 1892 and the street was certainly known as Kelvin Grove by 1858. Lord Kelvin took his title from Kelvin Grove (or Kelvingrove) in Glasgow. It is, I suppose, possible that the developer of Kelvin Grove in the 1850s simply named the street after his home town, but that will be difficult to prove. Still, at over 150 years old, it is amongst the oldest surviving street names in Upper Sydenham.

[Steve Grindlay]

There's another anomaly in house numbers in Longton Avenue, Julwz. How many houses do you think you could squeeze in between no: 43 and 59?

How curious. The numbering always seems to have been like that; as far back as the 1937 street directory 43 immediately preceded 59.

Longton Avenue has has several distinguished residents, but one who particularly intrigues me is "Lady Wilde" who was living at 24 Longton Avenue in 1894. The only Lady Wilde I have been able to find at that time was the widow of Sir William Wilde and mother of Oscar. She moved from Ireland to London in the 1870s and lived mostly in Chelsea, where she died in 1896 (largely, it is said, as a result of the distress caused by the trials and villification of her son). I can see no reason why she should come to Sydenham but if it was not Oscar's mother, who else could it be?

[Juwlz]

How intruiging! Oscar Wilde's mum! (perhaps). As for the street numbers I've just had a look and it really is very strange that it jumps like that. What's also quite odd is that the house next to 43 is 43a rather than having its own number - you'd have thought there were plenty to spare!

[Terry]

Do any of you know why Kelvin Grove is called Kelvin Grove? I've searched online but can only find stuff about the primary school.

One source (Joan Read's Lewisham Street Names, 1990) suggests it was named after Lord Kelvin in about 1850. This cannot be so, as William Thomson was not created Baron Kelvin until 1892 and the street was certainly known as Kelvin Grove by 1858. Lord Kelvin took his title from Kelvin Grove (or Kelvingrove) in Glasgow. It is, I suppose, possible that the developer of Kelvin Grove in the 1850s simply named the street after his home town, but that will be difficult to prove. Still, at over 150 years old, it is amongst the oldest surviving street names in Upper Sydenham.

[LewisSale]

Somebody here asked why Kelvin Grove is so called. While I suppose no one can be absolutely certain, how about this.
Sir Joseph Paxton had laid out the West End Park in the Kelvin Grove district of Glasgow in 1852 and it could be that he suggested the name for the road which was an entrance to the building erected in the 1850's which he had had some input in designing.

Lewis

[Brannan]

Here's a postcard that I haven't found in Steve Grindlay's album!
It was posted in 1908.

[Brannan]

Here's the postcard