A Batch of quite nice if a bit expensive old postcards of Sydenham and area has turned up on eBAY, in the postcards section.
good scans on show, sale ends in a day or so
[no its not me selling them!]
old postcards of sydenham on ebay
Not really... Most of those views were very familiar and have probably been published in one of the Forest Hill/Sydenham/Lewisham In Old Photos series of books. Steve Grindlay has a massive postcard collection probably containing atleast 90% of every known view that has been published. Something of more interest and value would be somebody's own private photos that have never been published; you see what I mean? An early stereocard from the 19th century would probably go for a decent sum, but to my knowledge the only known ones ever taken of Sydenham/Forest Hill, outside of the commerical/touristy Crystal Palace area, is Tudor Hall and Surrey Mount, I think... Nobody bothered to take a photo of the old Fox & Hounds before rebuilding or the old Peak Hill terrace, Abbey's Farm--those would go for serious money! Steve Grindlay has generously shared a lot of rare views with us on this forum over the past few months, for FREE, and I would just like to say that I'm extremely grateful for his contributions! Remember, the card itself isn't worth anything, but the images/information is worth a lot more... we should be paying Steve!! I bet he's got all those original postcards already scanned in on computer @ 300 dpi, if not already on his FlickR space; visiting there the other day, I noticed he's added some rare photo scans of the High Level line, which he probably bought off Ebay himself. If anyone is looking for anything in particular, it doesn't hurt to ask, especially if it's a known view relating to the local history of Sydenham. I've still got a load of LMA shots I've not posted yet because I'm waiting to finish my evolution of Wells Park Road etc. I've started checking Ebay for rare views of Crystal Palace and Sydenham. If I see anything rare in the future then I think I'll email Steve and offer to chip in if he doesn't already own it; originals are best kept with the Sydenham Society. Some private collectors will keep things locked away until their death bed, and never share with anyone, but I won't get into that debate...
Sorry mate... I only read your first and third post, failing to read between the lines; I thought you were asking about interest in the auctions themselves! 
Perhaps you could upload the pics you saved or try embedding them in a new post or something; that should get everyone's attention and encourage people to respond if interested. Pics from Ebay are known to be quite small, not like a true scan--below the minimum dpi settings of a scanner--less than fullscreen size; therefore, if you post the pics, I can always check if there's an upgrade available as well. Hey, check this one out... (click for bigger image)
I believe the garden of my 2nd house in Sydenham was laid on the site of the left house seen in the above postcard view!
BTW, Kenny, I'm still interested in looking for that old well you mentioned around the allotments area; I bet it's on the line of the old stream. I'm still trying to find out the connection between streams and springs; I reckon the first wells/medicinal springs on Sydenham Common must have popped up by the streams (again, I'm not sure of the connection), but later on they must have been dug up in any old place and filled with water, probably from the streams again.
Perhaps you could upload the pics you saved or try embedding them in a new post or something; that should get everyone's attention and encourage people to respond if interested. Pics from Ebay are known to be quite small, not like a true scan--below the minimum dpi settings of a scanner--less than fullscreen size; therefore, if you post the pics, I can always check if there's an upgrade available as well. Hey, check this one out... (click for bigger image)
I believe the garden of my 2nd house in Sydenham was laid on the site of the left house seen in the above postcard view!
BTW, Kenny, I'm still interested in looking for that old well you mentioned around the allotments area; I bet it's on the line of the old stream. I'm still trying to find out the connection between streams and springs; I reckon the first wells/medicinal springs on Sydenham Common must have popped up by the streams (again, I'm not sure of the connection), but later on they must have been dug up in any old place and filled with water, probably from the streams again.
Here's another one before I head off to bed...
This view isn't the clearest one to show it, but in the Kirkdale houses at the end can be seen some kind of antennas sticking out from behind the top of the buildings; Steve explained to me what they were once, but I've forgotten.
More interesting to me is the Longton Grove/Jews Walk corner house on the left; it looked more grander than the other houses along here, and probably had something to do with the unseen tennis court from around this area.
This view isn't the clearest one to show it, but in the Kirkdale houses at the end can be seen some kind of antennas sticking out from behind the top of the buildings; Steve explained to me what they were once, but I've forgotten.
More interesting to me is the Longton Grove/Jews Walk corner house on the left; it looked more grander than the other houses along here, and probably had something to do with the unseen tennis court from around this area.
I saved these particular pics because the seller had obligingly listed them with some better than usual ebay pics, open almost full screen with windows viewer and they are a nice range from Cobbs corner to the top of Kirkdale.
As for posting them....
That spring in the allotments, I reckon I can almost pick out its location on some satelite pics.
A little point, excuse if I`m teaching grandad etc, re springs and wells.
A stream will start at a spring, a stream doesnt fed a spring, but it will a well which is dug down to an underground stream to tap it, a bit like cutting in to an electrical circuit to draw off.
and springs are always at the meeting of two different strata, chalk to clay f'instance.
you may of course already know this, I am obcessed with it as all my water is spring fed wells.......
have you tried dowsing?
Incidently i am now KB2 because after a computer hiccup I could not get back into the site, couldnt retrieve password at all till I used another email etc
ps, nearest I can put you to that well is on microsoft virtual earth, home in ,on hybridmap and churchly rd points to a clump of trees, I`m sure it was in there, near a brick wall sort of zig zag, under a flagstone, well it was 50 years ago I last saw it
As for posting them....
That spring in the allotments, I reckon I can almost pick out its location on some satelite pics.
A little point, excuse if I`m teaching grandad etc, re springs and wells.
A stream will start at a spring, a stream doesnt fed a spring, but it will a well which is dug down to an underground stream to tap it, a bit like cutting in to an electrical circuit to draw off.
and springs are always at the meeting of two different strata, chalk to clay f'instance.
you may of course already know this, I am obcessed with it as all my water is spring fed wells.......
have you tried dowsing?
Incidently i am now KB2 because after a computer hiccup I could not get back into the site, couldnt retrieve password at all till I used another email etc
ps, nearest I can put you to that well is on microsoft virtual earth, home in ,on hybridmap and churchly rd points to a clump of trees, I`m sure it was in there, near a brick wall sort of zig zag, under a flagstone, well it was 50 years ago I last saw it
I was reading in a 1989 Croydon Canal book that there's supposedly a remnant of the canal feeder at the bottom of Churchley Road! I think I need to go there and investigate ASAP... I know there's an old house there, and there used to be a nursery, alas no photos.
It seems the streams around the Well Park/Taylors Lane area were entirely above ground as seen on maps, but not specifically mentioned in any accounts from visitors to the wells. I believe atleast the lower stream is partly diverted under Longton Avenue and incorporated into Wells Park stream and ponds, but the top one is probably defunct.
I found out that there was a culvert discovered during 1970s redevelopment of Silverdale, indicating the stream still runs underground at this point alongside Sydenham High Street down to Bell Green--originally, anyway, but who knows how far it travels now...
There's meant to be another underground stream between Sydenham High Street and Penge High Street (another culvert was found along the railway line) that originated from an area now in Crystal Palace Park.
It seems the streams around the Well Park/Taylors Lane area were entirely above ground as seen on maps, but not specifically mentioned in any accounts from visitors to the wells. I believe atleast the lower stream is partly diverted under Longton Avenue and incorporated into Wells Park stream and ponds, but the top one is probably defunct.
I found out that there was a culvert discovered during 1970s redevelopment of Silverdale, indicating the stream still runs underground at this point alongside Sydenham High Street down to Bell Green--originally, anyway, but who knows how far it travels now...
There's meant to be another underground stream between Sydenham High Street and Penge High Street (another culvert was found along the railway line) that originated from an area now in Crystal Palace Park.
that could be possible, Falkor; I used to live in Hardings lane Penge many moons ago and was told there was an underground stream under the junction with Lennard road.
Also was told one of the Sydenham wells springs was under the font in the church top of Taylors lane..
It would run down hill to the Poole or Quaggy rivers
BUT.....
Reading this site, which is a treasure trove of serious research, its apparent how much of what used to be regarded as gospel truth about Sydenham , from 'informed' people, has turned out to be so much folklore.
Access to archives has improved beyond measure, when I was younger it was all guarded jealously, only for the priviledged academic to see.
Used to be loads of small nurseries in the area, I remember one in Newlands park near the station, now a block of flats, another large one by New Beckenham station, several others my memory cant locate
Also was told one of the Sydenham wells springs was under the font in the church top of Taylors lane..
It would run down hill to the Poole or Quaggy rivers
BUT.....
Reading this site, which is a treasure trove of serious research, its apparent how much of what used to be regarded as gospel truth about Sydenham , from 'informed' people, has turned out to be so much folklore.
Access to archives has improved beyond measure, when I was younger it was all guarded jealously, only for the priviledged academic to see.
Used to be loads of small nurseries in the area, I remember one in Newlands park near the station, now a block of flats, another large one by New Beckenham station, several others my memory cant locate