A short urban wander from Greenwich to New Cross, taking in some lost pubs and ghostsigns on the way

 I've become slightly obsessed with this part of South London of late, first and foremost because of the excellent record shop, Upsidedown Records, on Deptford High Street, but also because it's not an area I have explored that much before. After filling my boots with lots of vinyl goodness, initially at Music and Video Exchange in Greenwich, I left Greenwich and headed towards Deptford. Rather than taking the main road as I'd done previously, I walked through a narrow path next to St Alfege Church called St Alfege Passage, which brings you out on the corner of Roan Street and Churchfields.

The first point of interest I spotted was Number 16. It looks like it was a boutique hotel but I'm not sure it still is given the fact that the online reviews are all several years old. Interesting signage nevertheless with the old Nectar Tea sign on the wall.

Number 16, St Alfege Passage and Roan Street, Greenwich, South London

Directly opposite Number 16 is a former pub, The Earl Grey, at 1 Churchfields. This old pub is now used as a private residence but still has the old pub sign, dated 1913, and the green tiling adorning the façade of the building. The buildings either side of the former pub look relatively new but I'm not sure whether the pub would have stood on its own, or whether the adjacent buildings have long since been demolished. 

Former pub, The Earl Grey, 1 Churchfields, Greenwich, South London SE10

Continuing on my journey to Deptford, I came across what is possibly still a school, with separate entrances for boys and girls, on Randall Place, complete with the original signage above the doorways.

Boys and Girls entrances for a school on Randall Place, Greenwich, South London SE10

One of the buildings which dominates this part of Greenwich, and has done so since 1897, is the Mumford's Greenwich Flour Mills. The building, which sits on Deptford Creek, is now in residential use but the original signage still remains.

Mumford's Greenwich Flour Mills, Deptford Creek and Greenwich High Road, South London SE22

Keeping on the old signage theme, although nowhere near as old as the mills sign, is what I assumed used to be some sort of internet café back in the days before everyone has internet connections at home. The building is in quite a sorry state of repair, with boarded up windows and a shuttered threshold.

Old sign for Internet Access, Greenwich High Road, South London

From here I headed up the Deptford High Street to get my vinyl fix at Upsidedown records. I didn't take any pictures on that part of the walk as I've already covered that in my post An Urban Wander from Deptford to Greenwich, when I walked in the other direction.

After leaving Deptford I headed towards New Cross with the intention of hopping on the London Overground to take me north for some more exploring. En route I came across these two simply wonderful ghostsigns on opposite side of the New Cross Road. I'd seen the first one before but somehow completely managed to miss the second one previously, Anyway, here they are in all their glory. The first one is a massive ghostsign, for Brymay Safety Matches, taking up almost the entire side of a building.

Ghostsign for Brymay Safety Matches, New Cross Road and Alpha Road, South London

I'm not sure how I managed to miss this one on previous visits as it's almost opposite the Brymay ghostsign, but anyway here it is, another wonderful example of a huge ghostsign, this time for Lipton's Tea, The Finest The World Produces, which is on the corner of Mornington Road and New Cross Road. I wonder what could have happened to the 'L'. The brickwork behind looks the same so that doesn't suggest any structural alterations. Maybe it was simply cleaned off?

Ghostsign for Lipton's Tea, Mornington Road and New Cross Road, South London

And finally for this blogpost, not a ghostsign, but certainly an old sign, for The New Cross House, still operating under the same name as a pub.

Old sign for The New Cross House, New Cross Road, South London

As usual, many thanks for taking the time to read the post, I hope you've enjoyed it. Until next time ...

An Urban Wander from King's Cross to Hackney and Back Again

 Up in London recently for an evening event, I decided to travel up early to make the most of the day. I didn't have any real plans, other than to pay a visit to Atlantis Records in Hackney to fee my vinyl addiction, and to return to the Parcel Yard in King's Cross for my evening event. So, I decided to walk to Hackney from King's Cross and back again, in a loop of some description. The weather was a bit grey to start with but fortunately it brightened up along the wander. Below you can see a few pictures I took along the way.

First up it's one of my favourite subjects, ghostsigns. This ghostsign can be found over what is now a Nando's, on York Way, just to the north of King's Cross station. Pleasing that the old signage has been left intact. I wonder what sort of REFRESHMENTS it would have provided, perhaps Italian given that it was the Celestino Bertolini refreshment Rooms, which operated from 1916 to the 1960's.

Ghostsign for Celestino Bertolini's Refreshment Rooms, York Way, King's Cross, London

Next up, on the Caledonian Road, we have an old shop sign for SIMMONS DINING ROOMS, with some wonderful, green ceramic tiling either side of the shop front. Still going by the same name, but judging by the signage that can be seen just below the Simmons banner, which reads COCKTAILS DISCO OPEN TIL 3 FRIDAY& SATURDAY, I imagine this is no longer a dining room but more of a trendy cocktail bar.

Old sign for Simmonds Dining Rooms, Caledonian Road, King's Cross, London

As I made my way towards Hackney, I came across another old sign, or ghostsign, for the engineering company, C. LINDLEY & CO., LTD on Englefield Road. According to an old advertisement I found they provided bolts, screws, studs, nuts and pins for the aircraft, motor, shipbuilding and general engineering trades.

Old sign for C. Lindley & Co Ltd., Englefield Road, London N1

Just a bit further along the Englefield Road, on the corner with De Beauvoir Road, is another ghost sign for COLLINS & HAYES, which as far as I can tell was a factory for the production of sofas. If it's the same company then it would appear that they still exist but are now in Nottinghamshire.

Ghostsign for Collins & Hayes, De Beauvoir Road, London N1

There's no doubt as to what purpose the next sign would have served. This is the premises of the former pub THE DE BEAUVIOR ARMS on Stamford Road. Closed for business in 2004 it is now used for residential purposes.

Old sign for the former pub, The De Beauvoir Arms, Stamford Road, London N1

My wander now took me to Dalston, not an area I have really spent much time in previously, but come up with this delight. This is the former building of REEVES & SONS LTD, ARTISTS' COLOUR MANUFACTURER. in Ashwin Street, London E8

Old sign for the former Reeves & Sons Ltd building, Dalston, London E8

Old sign for the former Reeves & Sons Ltd building, Dalston, London E8

Old sign for the former Reeves & Sons Ltd building, Dalston, London E8

After a quick look around Atlantis records, and picking up a handful of records, I started to make my way back. Ideally I would have liked to spend more time in Hackney but time was not on my side so I probably on scratched the surface. I was pleased however to have spotted this wonderful ghostsign before I left. I can't quite make out the top line, possibly A.HANWELL, but despite searching through my usual sources of London ghostsigns I cannot find any mention of this one. The rest of the sign though is quite clear.

HOUSE FURNISHER

ESTABLISHED OVER 50 YEARS

LOWEST CASH PRICES

EASY TERMS CAN BE ARRANGED

Ghostsign, Mare Street, Hackney, London

When I came across this next building, I assumed that given the tiling and windows that it was a former pub. However after a bit of research it seems to have been the premises of the City of Dublin Bottling Co Ltd.

Former premises of the City of Dublin Bottling Co Ltd., Croston Street, Hackney, London E8

As my walking time, and my legs, were both now running out, I now headed to the Regents Canal for a more direct route back to King's Cross. I'd walked past the former Hackney /Bethnal Green gasworks plenty of times previously but they never cease to impress me. I'm not sure how much longer they will still be in their current state as there seems to be a new, large development on the horizon. It seems like the external structure may be retained in some form, like the ones at King's Cross (see further down this page). It's a bit of a shame but better I guess than losing them completely. For anyone with a thirst to know more about London's lost power stations and gasworks, check out this excellent book by Ben Pedroche.

The Hackney / Bethnal Green gasholders

Heading further along the canal is part of the 2020 controversial art installation by the architect Jaimie Shorten. Controversial because of apparent lack of planning permission. Originally there were 5 sharks in the installation and they were located in a different place in the canal. It seems this is the only one still on display.

Part of the Shark art installation on the Regent's Canal, by architect Jaimie Shorten

And so, as the light was fading and my feet were aching, I finally made it back to King's Cross. As mentioned above, here is one of the preserved / redeveloped gasholders at King's Cross. Again it's a shame they cannot be seen through, but again this is better than them being demolished.

Repurposed gasholder, King's Cross London

Finally, the last picture, at the very end of my wander, a ghostsign in Coaldrop Yard for the COAL OFFICE. This whole area has been massively redeveloped over the past few years, from once was a huge industrial area consisting mainly of disused and unoccupied buildings, to a thriving cultural, eating and shopping district. The majority of the old buildings have been kept in some form or other, which again is pleasing to see. More about the history and dramatic transformation of the King's Cross area in The King's Cross Story, 200 Years of History in the Railway Lands.

Ghostsign for COAL OFFICE in Coaldrop Yard, King's Cross, London

Once again, many thanks for taking time to read my rambling wanders, always In Search of Space.

An Urban Wander from Deptford to Greenwich

 Until recently I'd never really spent any time in Deptford in South London. However, of late, thanks mainly to the wonderful Upsidedown record shop on Deptford High Street, I've made a couple of visits. This blog post features some pictures and commentary from a recent urban wander I did, starting in Deptford, walking along the Thames path to Greenwich.

First up we have Manze's meat pie shop on Deptford High Street. I was immediately drawn to this shop by its wonderful signage. Many shops that have similar signage have long since been re-purposed but it was good to see that Manze's is still an active pie shop, and has been since 1902 apparently.

Manze's Meat Pie Shop, Deptford High Street, South London

Also on, or rather just off, Deptford High Street, are a couple of old signs, pointing people in the direction of the nearest air raid shelters in which to take cover during World War II. The first one looks as though it could still be the original one, although a shame about the 'alteration'. The second has clearly been restored at some stage.

Former air raid shelter sign, Deptford, South London

Former air raid shelter sign, Deptford, South London

As I headed north out of Deptford to the river I came across this wonderful piece of graffiti, 

STEVE NOLLER WEARS FLARES

which is perhaps the ultimate insult, or not.

Graffiti, Deptford, South London

Beyond the graffiti, the road narrowed and turned into a narrow, cobbled street, aptly named Watergate Street, leading to the River Thames.

Watergate Street leading out from Deptford to the River Thames

Although most of November and December 2023 were just grey and wet, I was fortunate enough to be walking on one of  the rare, cold and clear days. As Watergate Street reached its end, it opened out on to the river, affording some impressive views. I always find Canary Wharf quite soulless when I'm there, but seen from a distance it is quite impressive, particularly against the beautiful blue sky.

Canary Wharf as seen across the River Thames from Deptford

Just along the Thames is the former Paynes Paper Wharf building, which is now some sort of design studio. It's hard to make out in this picture but the lettering of its former purpose can just be seen above the arched windows, which incidentally are the only remaining feature of the original building. There are some pictures showing it in various stages of renovation here. 

 The former Paynes Paper Wharf building

As the walk continued along the Thames I came across the southern entrance to the Greenwich foot tunnel, engineered by Alexander Binnie and opened in 1902, which takes pedestrians and bike beneath the river to Island Gardens on the north side.

Southern entrance to the Greenwich foot tunnel

Having been to Greenwich itself many times before, I didn't really stop there but as I reached its eastern edge, I came across the Trafalgar Tavern, looking resplendent with all the flags blowing gently against the backdrop of Canary Wharf in the winter breeze.

The Trafalgar Tavern, Greenwich, South London

Beyond the more commercial part of Greenwich is the former Greenwich power station and its former coal jetty. London's lost power stations have such a rich history, much of which is lost but some still remains for the curious explorer. Inspired by this, and my visit to similar sites such as the Lots Road power station, I bought a book on London's Lost Power Stations and Gasworks, by Ben Pedroche, which I can highly recommend for anyone with a thirst for industrial history.

Former coal jetty at Greenwich power station

Further along the river, beyond Greenwich is the former Harbour Master's Office. 

Former Harbour Master's Office, Greenwich

And finally in this post, a view across the River Thames, taken as the sun was beginning to set.

View across the River Thames from Greenwich

Many thanks for reading this post. Hopefully I will continue to post new material on a more frequent basis than recently.

A short wander around the former factories of Bermondsey

Being fairly new to wandering around Bermondsey in South London, some of the finds on my wanders which inspired me most were the former factories. Although the area was bombed heavily during the second world war, there are a number of factories still standing, although no longer used for their original purpose but instead converted to mostly high-end, residential dwellings.

First up we have the former Hartley's Jam Factory in Green Walk, London SE1. This was built in 1890 and at the height of its use employed over 2,000 workers. Sugar would be delivered to Hartley's own wharf on the Thames from the sugar factory in Silvertown, and fruit was brought in by train from Kent.

The buildings and chimney are still intact, and much of the original signage exists, although I suspect it may have been treated to a fresh coat of paint.

Former Hartley's Jam Factory, Bermondsey, South London SE1

Former Hartley's Jam Factory, Bermondsey, South London SE1

Former Hartley's Jam Factory, Bermondsey, South London SE1

Former Hartley's Jam Factory, Bermondsey, South London SE1

Being unsure whether I should try and negotiate entry with the security staff, I decided to restrict my picture taking to the outside of the complex, which meant unfortunately I could not get any decent pictures of the chimney. The nearest I managed to get were these two, where the chimney is just about visible through the railings, and the vertical lettering can just about be seen.

Former Hartley's Jam Factory, Bermondsey, South London SE1

Former Hartley's Jam Factory, Bermondsey, South London SE1

Next up we have the Pickle Factory, on the site of the former Crosse and Blackwell's factory in Crimscott Street, Bermondsey, SE1, where in its pickling heyday some 2,000 onions were peeled by hand, contributing to both Branston Pickle and Worcestershire Sauce. The factory eventually closed in 1969.

Former Pickle Factory, Crimscott Street, Bermondsey, South London SE1

Former Pickle Factory, Crimscott Street, Bermondsey, South London SE1

And finally in this short post, we have what is probably my favourite of the three, not for the trade it used to deal in, but for the art deco architecture and lettering. The Alaska Factory, on Grange Road, was a fur processing factory that took sealskin deliveries from Canada and Alaska. In world ward two, the factory used sheepskin to make RAF flying suits and linings for flying jackets. The factory was eventually closed in 1960 and converted into apartments.

The white art deco tower below was built in the 1930's and was not part of the original 1869 factory.

Former Alaska Factory, Grange Road, Bermondsey, South London

The original arch with the more recent art deco tower in the background.

Former Alaska Factory, Grange Road, Bermondsey, South London

A slightly more close-up picture of the original 1869 arch, where you can just about make out the seal above the year.

Former Alaska Factory, Grange Road, Bermondsey, South London

Unfortunately I ran out of time to explore the roads around this wonderful piece of architecture as I'm sure they would have revealed even more ... maybe that will have to wait until next time.

A wander around Kennington, South London SE11

 Days, weeks, months, and even years pass by and I realise that I've not found time (or more accurately not made time) to write blog posts. I have plenty of material to share, ranging from psychogeographic drifts through London and other villages, towns and cities, to my rediscovered love of vinyl. So, where to (re)start? Perhaps it's best to start with a post work wander through a part of London that, until recently, I wasn't familiar with at all: Kennington.

I guess my work locations, record shopping trips, and previous train spotting haunts as a kid, never took me to Kennington. The closest I would have ventured would have been the Imperial War Museum, I guess, and that would most likely have been by tube, or the short walk from Waterloo.

So, when I started a new contract in early 2023 near the Tate Modern, I couldn't wait to use my lunch breaks and evenings to wander the nearby streets to see what was around.

First up is the rather wonderful clock attached to the London Grand Division of the Sons of Temperance Friendly Society building, at 176 Blackfriars Road. It seems the clock has stooped at ten to six. I didn't realise this at the time, as it must have been around that time of day when I was wandering past, but all the other pictures I've found of it on the internet have the same time. Still, at least it's correct twice a day.

Sons of Temperance Friendly Society, 176 Blackfriars Road

As I continued my drift southwards, I soon entered a bit of a lost world of former shops and pubs, all of which now seem to have been converted into residential premises.

Former pub, The Two Eagles, Austral Street, Kennington, London

Unfortunately there don't seem to be any clues as to what this building used to be. It looks like a former shop, but all I could find online was an estate agent advertisement for it.

Former shop, Walcot Square, Kennington, South London

At least this former shop next door bears a name telling everyone of its previous purpose. Quite an impressive size if all of it was a sweet shop.

Former sweet shop, Walcot Square, Kennington, South London

Now back to a few more unidentified buildings, which once again I am assuming were at one time, shops of some sort.

Former shop, Walcot Square, Kennington, South London

Former shop, Walcot Square, Kennington, South London

Not sure about this one however. It has more of a look of a mews building, with perhaps stables where the garages now are.

Again, there's a dearth of information as to what the building below once was. It has the looks of some sort of factory requiring plenty of light, judging by the windows, and reminds me of former print works I have seen in other parts of London. 

Former factory(?), Walcot Square, Kennington, South London

Fortunately both the signage and the internet gives plenty of indication what this used to be. This is the former Walcot Stores, again in Walcot Square. The blank space beneath the wording WALCOT STORES on the sign once read

for Quality

GROCERIES

PROVISIONS

COOKD MEATS

The shop was used as the location for one of the fairly gruesome scenes in the 1990 film, The Krays.

The former Walcot Stores, Walcot Square, Kennington, South London

I'm not sure about this next one. It could have been a former pub, but I cannot find any documented at this location on the Lost Pubs Project site, so am assuming that perhaps it was a former shop.

Former pub or shop(?), Monkton Street, Kennington, South London SE11

On the side of the building which cannot be seen in this shot, the wall still bears signage of The Lambeth Tavern

Former pub, The Lambeth Tavern, on the corner of Walnut Tree Walk and Lambeth Walk, South London

Quite the collection of former shops along Lambeth Walk

Former shops in Lambeth Walk, South London

Well, that's all for today folks. Hopefully it won't be quite so long until I post again as I've actually quite enjoyed doing this one. I must admit though it has helped by raining today so that I didn't feel guilty sitting at my laptop instead of being outside.