Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
The 30th of November marks seventy five years since the Crystal palace fire. I hear that there will be a ceremony to mark this special day. so I was wondering if anyone is planning on taking a trip to the parkon that day? It would be fantastic to meet and speak to fellow people who share the same interest with regards to the history of the palace.
Re: Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
I dont know if this connected with the anniversary but the Palace Museum is showing a film of the fire at the weekend: http://www.streathamguardian.co.uk/news ... lace_fire/
I don't understand why the story says that the film is being shown for the last time. Surely it can be restored or copied for later reference.
I don't understand why the story says that the film is being shown for the last time. Surely it can be restored or copied for later reference.
Re: Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
I think I might - it's a beautiful day, which would have been my Mum's 85th birthday. She used to tell me of seeing the flames from Dagenham where she grew up on her 10th birthday.
Re: Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
Can well recall my Grandparents , who lived in Venner Road , talking about it.
Do not believe they have ever clarified whether arson or accident . The Palace making a big loss in the 30's and really run down hence suggestion of arson. There have been couple of TV programes about this theory and others.
Others maintain would have been pulled down in 39 otherwise the Luftwafe would have positioned themselves for their targets from the glass shining against the moon.
This has also been debunked by other people.
Do not believe they have ever clarified whether arson or accident . The Palace making a big loss in the 30's and really run down hence suggestion of arson. There have been couple of TV programes about this theory and others.
Others maintain would have been pulled down in 39 otherwise the Luftwafe would have positioned themselves for their targets from the glass shining against the moon.
This has also been debunked by other people.
Re: Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
You must be younger than me then Eagle! haha, I can remember my mum talking about it,
she was always with the theory that it was too much of a landmark for the Germans.
she was always with the theory that it was too much of a landmark for the Germans.
Re: Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
Annie
In 1936 my mother lived in Dorset, but father and grandparents in SE26. I doubt if younger than you.
Your mother's theory could very well be correct. Probably the favourite but an accident due to cigarette has been proved as very possible.
Interesting as we will probably never know.
In 1936 my mother lived in Dorset, but father and grandparents in SE26. I doubt if younger than you.
Your mother's theory could very well be correct. Probably the favourite but an accident due to cigarette has been proved as very possible.
Interesting as we will probably never know.
Re: Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
i spoke to a mature resident of Sydenham Road ealier this year about the Palace fire. She still has vivid memories. When the Palace was operating, she livewd in a house in Sydenham Road with her parents. There was a bit of open land adjacent to their house, where they kept chickens, goats and other animals. Every weekend her father and her would go up to Crystal Palace to sell eggs to the gentry.
She recalls the fire very well. As the fire was starting to take hold, a man was running down Sydenham Road towards the fire station on Perry Vale to raise the alarm. At some point on Sydenham Road the man took possesion of a push-bike to speed his travel to the fire station (not too sure if he had the owner's permission).
The fire could be witnessed from places like Brighton.
I think all the evidence points to a build-up of litter and debris under the floorboards of the Palace. Smoking was quite a popular hobby in those days, so it would seem likely this was the cause.
However, it is also true to say that the Palace was in bad financial shape and also would have presented an excellent datum for the German bombers a few years later.
She recalls the fire very well. As the fire was starting to take hold, a man was running down Sydenham Road towards the fire station on Perry Vale to raise the alarm. At some point on Sydenham Road the man took possesion of a push-bike to speed his travel to the fire station (not too sure if he had the owner's permission).
The fire could be witnessed from places like Brighton.
I think all the evidence points to a build-up of litter and debris under the floorboards of the Palace. Smoking was quite a popular hobby in those days, so it would seem likely this was the cause.
However, it is also true to say that the Palace was in bad financial shape and also would have presented an excellent datum for the German bombers a few years later.
Re: Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
The time that I have submited this post would have been the start of the fire.
Re: Commemoration of 75 years since Palace fire
I was up there all day taking photographs and visiting the "Byzantine crypt". I'm a bit of a photo nut so it took most of the day to capture the shots that I wonted.Tim Lund wrote:I think I might - it's a beautiful day, which would have been my Mum's 85th birthday. She used to tell me of seeing the flames from Dagenham where she grew up on her 10th birthday.