Photo request!

The History of Sydenham from Cippenham to present day. Links to photos especially welcome!
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Falkor
Posts: 1371
Joined: 10 Feb 2006 17:45
Location: Surrey Quays

Photo request!

Post by Falkor »

Bit of a longshot this... Does anyone have a scan of a common* photo looking down Dartmouth Road, showing the Forest Hill library on the left, the old wall of Holy Trinity Primary School where I attended, and part of the Swimming Baths? Most intrigueingly, Thorpewood Avenue appears to be blocked off in this view, or wasn't yet laid out in 1895 (date the photo was taken). I'd be most grateful if somebody could please upload it... Whilst where on the topic, any old photos of Holy Trinity School? I checked the relevant box down at Lewisham Local Studies centre, but couldn't find any...

*I say it's common, but it never appeared in the John Coulter/Seaman books unfortunately. :(
Steve Grindlay
Posts: 606
Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
Location: Upper Sydenham

Post by Steve Grindlay »

Is *this* the PC you were referring to? As it shows FH Library it must be after 1900, when the library was opened.

So you were at Holy Trinity. My kids were there between 1982 and the early 1990s, in the days of Eddie Morgan.
Falkor
Posts: 1371
Joined: 10 Feb 2006 17:45
Location: Surrey Quays

Post by Falkor »

Spot on, Steve!! Many thanks indeed!!! That's really made my day... excellent photo that one... needed that one big time... like the opposite photo as well... definitely a lack of Dartmouth road photos in those Seaman/Coulter books--especially further up near Russell Street--but can't complain about the overall coverage; most read books in my modest collection.

I was in Holy Trinity from about 1986 to 1992. Mr. Morgan was a confirmed bloke... he taught me this really good rope trick... and his favourite chocolate was Dairy Milk! :D Friendly guy... just a shame I never believed those stories he read us from the bible... otherwise, he was a top geezer. Eddie Morgan... now I know his name, I can check if he's still alive... I remember he was from Wales originally... let me check the death index...
zozo
Posts: 24
Joined: 19 Dec 2005 12:51
Location: Kent Coast

Post by zozo »

Falkor

I don't post often (have a new baby and she doesn't let me :shock:) But I am one of those people who keeps a daily eye on the forum out of interest.

I too went to Holy Trinity. My nan also went there in the 1920s and my mum in the fifties. I have pics of my nan inside, in the assembly hall, performing in a school play in the mid twenties. I will try to get hold of the pic and scan it in but it's at my mum's house so it may take some time! No pics of the outside of the school as far as I know but I'll have a look, just in case.

I was at HT in the seventies-early eighties and I too remember Eddie Morgan, he was from Swansea and loved those bible stories!

What do you think of the 'new' HT school?, btw I lived away from Sydenham for ten years but when I returned the school had been 'improved' by the demolition of the annex and in its stead the erection of a monstrous red brick structure that now overshadows the bottom of Thorpewood Avenue completely. The steep playground, that many a Sydenham kid must have scuffed their knees on (anyone remember Mrs Coles the knee lady with her pot of germolene forever at the ready?) had been levelled, presumably in the interests of health and safety, but it now gives the impression that the playground is on a sort of 'floating platform' which I feel pretty much abstracts the school from its lower lying surroundings. The beautiful old school building itself is also now virtually invisible from the road, which I think totally degrades the character of that stretch of road - it used to be such a nice vista of school. library, Louise House, FH Pools.

Anyway, I've spoken to other ex HT pupils and they too were perplexed by the chnages. Presumably the new building made more (internal) space for more kids?? The playground was crowded enough before the changes - Lord knows what it's like now (I wonder if they still use the old bell to signal the end of playtime.)

Anyway, be interested to know if anyone else feels the same.
Falkor
Posts: 1371
Joined: 10 Feb 2006 17:45
Location: Surrey Quays

Post by Falkor »

Hi zozo,

Congratulations on your new baby!
My nan also went there in the 1920s and my mum in the fifties. I have pics of my nan inside, in the assembly hall, performing in a school play in the mid twenties. I will try to get hold of the pic and scan it in but it's at my mum's house so it may take some time!
I beg you; please do! That would be splendid!!!
What do you think of the 'new' HT school?, btw I lived away from Sydenham for ten years but when I returned the school had been 'improved' by the demolition of the annex and in its stead the erection of a monstrous red brick structure that now overshadows the bottom of Thorpewood Avenue completely.
Utterly depressing... I don't like the new wall at the front, either... What has pissed me off even more about this... I'm seeing green fences popping up everywhere, like we're living in a police state or something... For school dinners, we used to visit this white building near Sydenham School, but now there's this green fence going right the away around the entire area. I would like to re-visit this area again for nostalgic reasons, but am now restricted in doing so. The building in question can only be glimpsed from Dartmouth Road or Baxter's Field. Recently, a family who visited the Crystal Palace Museum told me all about it... Apparently, the green fences are not to stop people getting in, but rather, to stop school children from getting out at lunchtime! The white building--previously used for catering--has now become the drama hall for Sydenham school; that's that mystery solved!

Hey, check this out... Mr. Morgan is on the right.
Image
Photo taken in 1989 (Class left school in 1992)
Asoggypigeon
Posts: 1
Joined: 6 Oct 2013 15:47
Location: London

Re: Photo request!

Post by Asoggypigeon »

Hi all!

Falkor, you had just started when I left in 87. I was wondering if you found out anything about Mr Morgan? I remember going to his retirement do in the church hall, in maybe 89? I have just got in touch with a load of my old classmates, and they all wonder about Mr Morgan, so it would be nice to know one way or the other.
Falkor
Posts: 1371
Joined: 10 Feb 2006 17:45
Location: Surrey Quays

Re: Photo request!

Post by Falkor »

Unfortunately, I have no idea what happened to Mr. Morgan. He was a very nice guy and I sometimes wonder what became of him myself... Christianity, among other things, seemed to bring out the good in him and a lot of other staff working at that Church of England school. However, once you get into the real world of office politics then you discover how evil is really prevalent over good, which they do not teach you at primary or secondary school. Also, from the age of 5 I used to believe everyone was crazy for believing in the invisible man in the sky. Stories about this foreign Jesus character from the Middle East seemed totally bizarre to me. I even questioned the vicar a few times, but that's because I've always been a logical person from the moment I was born. And last year, believe it or not, Christianity was proven to have been invented by two Roman Emperors and their intellectual circle; It was created with bad intentions to control the ever increasing diaspora of Jews across the Roman Empire, yet it also did much good for those who believed in a false prophet having failed the intelligence test of the Bible (coupled with other literature of the times). Christianity was about paying your taxes, giving to Caesar what is Caesars', and turning the other cheek. I've certainly come a long way since those days at Primary School. And there's been a lot of lessons learned in life in general.
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