It's me again! I have just found out from family papers that the Connor Family mentioned previously may have moved to a flat in Bronze Street Deptford which I understand is not far away from Church Street, any info please. By the way, do the Druids Head and Robin pubs still exist in Church Street? What about the arches along Mechanics Path are they still used for light industry?

Post reply -->London Deptford brian 3 Jun

Church Street has been totally redeveloped and is now just a bypass for deptford High Street. Both the Druids Head and the Robin Hood have long since gone, the only remaining pub on Church Street is the Birds Nest, formerly called the Oxford Arms.
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Post reply -->London Deptford Matt 7 Jun

Hello Matt, Nothing stays the same. I don't suppose I would regognise anywhere in Deptford now. The railway arch in Church Street just before Crossfield Street was just that, a single carriageway brick arch and if you turned into Crossfield Street the right hand side of the street was lined with small Victorian terraced houses which I think backed onto church grounds. By the way is the pie and eel shop still at the top of the High Street next door to a Pawnbroker and is the Deptford Empire still there? Is Copperas street still residential do you know?

Post reply -->London Deptford brian 7 Jun

Hello Brian
Deptford high street is probably one of the few places in London which still has two pie and eel shops, both virtually opposite each other. On one side you have Manzies and on the other Goddards. I always preferred goddards myself. the Empire has also long gone, there are no cinemas in Deptford or Lewisham for that matter now. I must admit that I didn't know Copperas street. I looked it up on the map and would be surprised if there are any houses there now as they recently pulled all the buildings along that part of Creek Road down. I may gone down that way tomorrow so i'll have a look.

Post reply -->London Deptford Matt 7 Jun

Hi Brian,
I went down to Deptford and found Copperas street. As I suspected, there are no houses or amything else left, Its a building site. Crossfield Street is now a short dead end for access to the businesses under the railway arches, no sign of any houses at all. If your interested I can send you some photo's. Contact me on the email address below and I'll forward them to you.
regards.
Matt.
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Post reply -->London Deptford Matt 11 Jun

Hello Matt, That was really kind of you to go to Copperas Street, my Mother was born there in No. 3 Copperas Square in 1914 and moved to Crossfield Street a couple of years later. I can remember when Crossfield Street went right through to the High Street and if you turned hard right just before the High Street you were in the grounds of the Church. I'm not having much joy seeing where my Parents were born, my Dad was born in Ormside Street in New Cross which apparently was destroyed by enemy action. I'll mail you with this posting so you can send me the photos if you don't mind. Thanks

Post reply -->London Deptford brian 12 Jun

Matt, thanks for that, the pictures of Deptford today were a real eye opener. It was really kind of you to go to so much trouble, it was really appreciated. Best wishes and kind regards.

Post reply -->London Deptford brian 13 Jun

Bates house has long since gone. I had relatives who lived there in the forties and fifties. Their name was Connor, Dad was Jimmy and Mum Alice, they had a largish family including Shirley, Nellie, Deidre and Diane. I have not seen them since about 1956 when I moved away from London to live in the West Country. Does anyone know of their whereabouts or what happen to them, Jimmy was my uncle. My e mail address is  Mail-me 

Post reply -->London Deptford brian Stimson 6 Mar

Hi there.
Another family history buff here, in need of your help please. Bit of a longshot but here goes!
I had a Step Grandma who lived in Speedwell House back in the 60s. I only recall meeting her the once. I don't remember her christian name but her surname was "Spooner." Is there anyone out there who knew of this lady?? Please email me at  Mail-me 
Any info would be much appreciated.
Thanks.

Post reply -->London Deptford Sindy 29 Feb

Thank you again Tasmin, I didn't think my last message got through. Spent an hour trying, because I wanted to thank you and couldn't. Felt bad about it. I forgot about Evelyn's diary. Thing is, I have a very old copy of it. Must pull it off from the dusty shelf for a peruse. Unlike the internet searches, this will take a while, but I don't want to get it wrong. I may have more questions in the coming weeks. Hope you are a regular. Grin. Thanks again and have a great New Year. Lorraine
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Post reply -->London Deptford Lorraine 14 Jan

Hello, I'm a Canadian doing a little research for a novel. The section I'm presently working on takes place in Deptford in 1723. I need an Inn from that time, a little seedy and dark. (grin). Why Deptford? Because, I'm using some historical figures and one of my characters lived and was buried there. My other quest and I'm not sure this can be answered. I have read the words "left Deptford and crossed the river to Billingsgate" in an exerpt on the Old Bailey site. I know they used "watermen", but this was 4 miles. There is no mention of how this person crossed the river. I can only assume, by boat, but how long the journey? These watermen rowed all their lives. They would have been strong and as fit as one could be, given the times, so I suppose it was done. Asking you, because you know the river and all it's nuances. I'd appreciate any assistance. Hope you can help. Thank you in advance. Lorraine  Mail-me 

Post reply -->London Deptford Lorraine 10 Jan

Don't forget the river is tidal. It may be four miles but I've been in a sailing boat out from the Ahoy Centre in Deptford and with the tide running we were swept upstream very quickly indeed - and it was quite an effort with the outboard motor to get back again against the tide. You would need to do some more research but it could be quite a fun factor to involve.

For a tavern, check out the details of Christopher Marlowe's death a century and a half earlier - he was killed in a tavern brawl in Deptford and that would give you a name of an existing tavern that you could try to trace in later guides. Also look at any biographies of Peter the Great who spent some time in Deptford about 25 years earlier than the time you are writing of.

Post reply -->London Deptford Tamsin 10 Jan

Thank you for the fast response Tamsin. Interesting about the flow of the river. I had considered that, but getting back could be a problem. I suppose I'll have to look at the tides. Sam Pepy's in the 1650's lived in London proper, yet spent a lot of time in Deptford. There must be some mention in his diaries. I know the Marlowe murder is said to have taken place at The Cock, but can find no reference to it my period, so I don't know if it was still in existance 125 years later. Today, there is a chain of Cock Inns, so difficult to narrow down, even googling "Cock Inn Deptford" I like to keep location details as accurate as possible and so the search continues. Thanks again for your very kind response. Lorraine  Mail-me 

Post reply -->London Deptford Lorraine 10 Jan

Tides would help you back again as well. There is about twelve hours twenty minutes between high tides at London Bridge and so you could journey up with the tide and a few hours hours later it would help you even quicker on the journey back, with the tide flowing out increasing the normal flow of the river.

Pepys is a really good idea and in a one volume excerpts from his diaries that I have there are numerous references in the index to Deptford because Pepys himself had a government job in naval adminstration and many of the Thames shipyards were there (and also various mistresses). Pepys friend Evelyn might be an even better source because he lived in Deptford - also a diarist and you could probably get hold of his writings.



Post reply -->London Deptford Tamsin 13 Jan

My dad was born at 7 Drake Buildings, Deptford. I have been told that these may have been Salvation Army Tenements on the corner of Blake St and New King St. I can't seem to find Blake St on any of the maps I've looked at. Does anyone have any idea where Blake St may have been. Does anyone know anything about the Drake Buildings.  Mail-me  please if you have any information. Thanks for any help you can give.

Post reply -->London Deptford Nancy Williams 13 Nov

Hello,
This is a 1971 London map of Deptford, an Blake street is on it, it's gone now, It used to connect New King Street to Watergate Street, which is where i was born in 1939. I can recall it being a cobbled road, and collecting horse manure all around there !
Peter Lapper.

Post reply -->London Deptford 19 Jun

Sorry i forgot to write my e-mail.
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Post reply -->London Deptford 19 Jun

I am experianced cleaner with references.I can clean your house,ironing.email me: Mail-me 

Post reply -->London Deptford tommute@yahoo.com 1 Oct

it is good news that as from Friday 31 August and Saturday 1 September 2007 night bus route N47 will run every 20 minutes (3 buses an hour) on Friday and Saturday nights. This is excellent news for bus users.

Post reply -->London Deptford Julian Russell 20 Aug

Yoga takes place at:-

999 Club
Lady Florence Hall
21 Deptford Broadway
Deptford
London
SE8

For details, tel: (020) 8694 2923

Post reply -->London Deptford 999 Club 13 Aug

I plan to visit London next year(fromOZ)to trace my ancestors.

My G.Grandfather lived at the above address around 1900, which I am unable to find on London maps. Is this because it has "disappeared", if so what is there now?

Marion
e-mail:  Mail-me 

Anyone ANY ideas?

Post reply -->London Deptford Marion 25 Aug

There is a Breakspeares Road in Brockley which is close enough to Deptford to be described as such in 1900 I would have thought. Within the Borough of Deptford in the London County Council - now merged into the London Borough of Lewisham.

Post reply -->London Deptford Tamsin 25 Aug

This road is still very much on the map but its in Brockley SE4 (which is next to Deptford). It would have been quite a wealthly road in 1900 but much more mixed now.What did your GGrandfather do?- Big victorian Houses many now devided into flats I dont know whats happened to No 63 but can check it out if you want (I live around the corner) Also see the Brockley wikopedia site for more info on the area.

Post reply -->London Deptford Jongse8@aol.com 29 Aug