Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
History
Deptford began life as a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne (near what is now Deptford Bridge station) along the route of the Celtic ancient trackway that developed into the medieval Watling Street; it was part of the pilgrimage route to Canterbury from London used by the pilgrims in Chaucer's ''Canterbury Tales'', and is mentioned in the Prologue to the "The Reeve's Prologue and Tale". Geoffrey Chaucer Line 3906 (Harvard University) accessed 19 September 2009 The ford developed into first a wooden then a stone bridge, and in 1497 saw the Battle of Deptford Bridge, in which rebels from Cornwall, led by Michael An Gof, marched on London protesting against punitive taxes, but were soundly beaten by the King's forces.
[[File:Deptford Strond.jpg|thumb|left|300px|A 1623 map of Deptford Strond with annotations by John Evelyn showing Sayes Court in the bottom left corner and Deptford Green as "The Common Greene" just above centre-left (click for larger version)]]
A second settlement developed as a modest fishing village on the Thames until Henry VIII of England used that site for a royal dock repairing, building and supplying ships, after which it grew in size and importance, shipbuilding remaining in operation until March 1869. Old and New London: Volume 6 (1878), pp. 143-164. accessed: 19 September 2009 Trinity House, the organisation concerned with the safety of navigation around the British Isles, was formed in Deptford in 1514, with its first Master being Thomas Spert, captain of the Mary Rose. It moved to Stepney in 1618. The name "Trinity House" derives from the church of Holy Trinity and St Clement, which adjoined the dockyard.
Originally separated by market gardens and fields, the two areas merged over the years, with the docks becoming an important part of the Elizabethan era#Science, technology, exploration. Queen Elizabeth I visited the royal dockyard on 4 April 1581 to knight the adventurer Francis Drake.Greenwich 2000 - As well as for exploration, Deptford was important for trade - the Honourable East India Company had a yard in Deptford from 1607 until late in the 17th century. It was also connected with the slave trade, John Hawkins using it as a base for his operations, and Olaudah Equiano, the slave who became an important part of the abolition of the slave trade, was sold from one ship's captain to another in Deptford around 1760.''The Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano Or Gustavus Vassa, The African, Written By Himself, Volume 1'', Olaudah Equiano, Kessinger Publishing, 2004, ISBN 1419167499
Diarist John Evelyn lived in Deptford at Sayes Court from 1652. Evelyn inherited the house when he married the daughter of Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet, of Deptford in 1652. On his return to England at the Restoration, Evelyn laid out meticulously planned gardens in the French style, of hedges and parterres. In its grounds was a cottage at one time rented by master woodcarver Grinling Gibbons. After Evelyn had moved to Surrey in 1694, Russian Tsar Peter I of Russia studied shipbuilding for three months in 1698. He and some of his fellow Russians stayed at Sayes Court, the manor house of Deptford. Evelyn was angered at the antics of the Tsar, who got drunk with his friends and, using a wheelbarrow with Peter in it, rammed their way through a fine holly hedge. Sayes Court was demolished in 1728-9 and a workhouse built on its site, The Environs of London: volume 4: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent (1796), pp. 359-85. Retrieved 19 September 2009. Part of the estates around Sayes Court were purchased in 1742 for the building of the Admiralty Victualling Yard, renamed the Royal Victoria Yard in 1858 after a visit by Queen Victoria. This massive facility included warehouses, a bakery, a cattleyard/abattoir and sugar stores, and closed in 1960. All that remains is the name of Sayes Court Park, accessed from Sayes Court Street off Evelyn Street, not far from Deptford High Street. The Pepys Estate, opened on 13 July 1966, is on the former grounds of the Royal Victoria Dockyard.
The Docks had been gradually declining from the 18th century; the larger ships being built found The Thames difficult to navigate, and Deptford was under competition from the new docks at Plymouth, Portsmouth and Chatham Dockyard. When the Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815 the need for a Docks to build and repair Ship of the line declined; the Docks shifted from shipbuilding to concentrate on victualling at the Royal Victoria Victualling Yard, and the Royal Dock closed in 1869. From 1871 until the First World War the shipyard site was the City of London Corporation's Foreign Cattle Market, in which girls and women Animal slaughter sheep and cattle until the early part of the 20th century.These "gutting sheds" were the subject of the play "The Gut Girls" by Sarah Daniels At its peak, around 1907, over 234,000 animals were imported annually through the market, but by 1912 these figures had declined to less than 40,000 a year.''Sale of Deptford Market. Government to Pay £387,000.'' The Times, 13 March 1926, p.12, col F The yard was taken over by the War Office in 1914,''Future of Deptford Market. War Office decision to buy.'' The Times, 6 February 1924, p12, col B and was an Army Supply Reserve Depot in the World War I and World War II.Greenwich Industrial History 6 January 2010 Works 43/614-6 The site lay unused until being purchased by Convoys (newsprint importers) in 1984, and eventually came into the ownership of News International. Deptford Dockyard, Richard Rogers Partnership, 2002 In the mid-1990s, although significant investment was made on the site, it became uneconomic to continue using it as a freight wharf. Mayor of London, January 2005, pp 60-63 In 2008 Hutchison Whampoa bought the 16Hectare site from News International with plans for a £700m 3,500-home development scheme. The Grade II listed Olympia Warehouse will be refurbished as part of the redevelopment of the site.
Deptford experienced economic decline in the 20th century with the closing of the docks, and the damage caused by The Blitz during the Second World War - a V-2 rocket destroyed a Woolworths Group store outside Deptford Town Hall, killing 160 people. High unemployment caused some of the population to move away as the riverside industries closed down in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The local council have developed plans with private companies to regenerate the riverside area, and the town centre. Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Governance
The Manor of Deptford or West Greenwich was bestowed by William the Conqueror upon Gilbert de Magminot or Maminot, Roman Catholic Diocese of Lisieux,''A History of Deptford'' Dews, N, (London, 1884) one of the eight barons associated with John de Fiennes for the defense of Dover Castle. Maminot held the head of his barony at DeptfordDedication to the Public of Deptford Park by Dr W.J. Collins, 1897 and according to John Lyon writing in 1814, he built himself a castle, or castellated mansion at Deptford, of which all traces had by then long since been buried in their ruins, but from the remains of some ancient foundations which had been discovered the site was probably on the brow of Broomfield, near the Mast Dock and adjacent to Sayes Court.
Originally under the governance of the ancient parishes of St Paul and St Nicholas, in 1900, a Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed out of the southern parish of St Paul, with St Nicholas and the area around the Royal Dockyard coming under the governance of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich. Under the London Government Act 1963, the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was absorbed in 1965 into the newly created London Borough of Lewisham, Museum of London with the area around the Royal Dockyard being transferred to Lewisham in a 1994 boundary adjustment of about . The electoral wards consist of Evelyn, London in the north and part of New Cross to the south. Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Geography
, Sayes Court, and over Deptford towards Lewisham]]
Deptford borders the areas of Brockley and Lewisham to the south, New Cross to the west and Rotherhithe to the north west; Deptford Creek divides it from Greenwich to the east, and the River Thames separates the area from the Isle of Dogs to the north east; it is contained within the London SE postcode area post code area. The area referred to as North Deptford is the only part of the London Borough of Lewisham to front the Thames and is sandwiched between Rotherhithe and Greenwich. Much of this riverside estate is populated by the former Naval Dockyards, now known as Convoys Wharf, the Pepys Estate and some eastern fringes of the old Surrey Commercial Docks.
The name Deptford — anciently written Depeford meaning "deep Ford (crossing)" — is derived from the place where the road from London to Dover, the ancient Watling Street (now the A2 road (Great Britain)#Borough to Shooter's Hill), crosses the River Ravensbourne at the site of what became Deptford Bridge at Deptford Broadway. The Ravensbourne crosses under the A2 at roughly the same spot as the Docklands Light Railway crosses over; and at the point where it becomes tidal, just after Lewisham College, it is known as Deptford Creek, and flows into the River Thames at Greenwich Reach.
Deptford was mostly located in the Blackheath, Kent (hundred) of the county of Kent, with the Hatcham part in Surrey, A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912) pp. 42-44. accessed: 19 September 2009 It was regarded as two parts and in 1730 was divided into the two parishes of St Nicholas in the north and St Paul in the south. The southern part by the ford was known as Deptford and the northern, riverside area was known as Deptford Strand. It was also referred to as West Greenwich, with the modern town of Greenwich being referred to as East Greenwich until this use declined in the 19th century. The whole of Deptford came within the Metropolitan Police District in 1830 and was included in the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1855. It was transferred to the County of London in 1889 and became part of Greater London in 1965.
The area was split in 1900: the southern part, the parish of St Paul Deptford, became the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford; while the northern part, the parish of St Nicholas Deptford, became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich. In 1965 the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was absorbed into the London Borough of Lewisham, then in 1994 the bulk of the northern part, including the former Royal Dockyard area, was transferred to Lewisham Borough from Greenwich Borough, leaving only the north eastern area, around St Nicholas's church, in Greenwich.OPSI - Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Demography
Deptford's population has been mainly associated with the docks since the establishment of the Royal Docks by Henry VIII, though there has also been some market gardening and potteries.''Demographic, social and economic indices for wards in Greater London'', Eric J. Thompson, Greater London Council (1972), ASIN B0006D80AS When the docks were thriving as the main administrative centre of the British Navy, so the area prospered, and fine houses were built for the administrative staff and the skilled shipbuilders, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected.
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There was a start of a demographic shift downwards when the Royal Navy pulled out of Deptford, and the docks moved into storage and freight.''Demographic review of Greater London 1983'', Greater London Council (1983), ISBN 0-7168-1348-3 The downward shift continued into the 20th century as the local population's dependency on the docks continued: as the docks themselves declined, so did the economic fortune of the inhabitants until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Emancipation of the Dispossessed
Deptford's northern section nearest the old docks contains areas of desolate council housing and deprivation typical of inner city poverty, though the area, along with neighbouring New Cross, has been touted as "the new Shoreditch" is a former working class area of East London that has a number of contemporary art galleries and is home to a number of creative and media companies and those who work in them. by some journalists and estate agents paying attention to a trendy arts and music scene that is popular with students and artists. To the south where Deptford rolls into the suburban spread of Brockley, the previously multi-occupancy Victorian houses are being gentrified by young city workers and urban professionals. Deptford has a growing Vietnamese community reflected in the number of restaurants in the area.
Deptford contains a number of student populations, including those of Goldsmiths College, the University of Greenwich, Bellerbys College and Laban Dance Centre. Goldsmiths College's hall of residence, Rachel McMillan, in Creek Road was sold in 2001 for £79 million, and was subsequently demolished and replaced with the McMillan Student Village which opened in 2003 and provides accommodation for approximately 970 students of the University of Greenwich, Trinity Laban and Bellerbys colleges. Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Economy
]]
Deptford's economic history has been strongly connected to the Dockyard - when the Dockyard was thriving, so Deptford thrived; with the docks now all closed, Deptford has declined economically. However, areas of Deptford are being gradually re-developed and gentrified - and the local council has plans to regenerate the riverside and the town centre. A large former industrial site by the Thames called Convoys Wharf is scheduled for redeveloping into mixed use buildings. This will involve the construction of around 3,500 new homes and an extension of the town centre northwards towards the river.
Much of the area along Creek Road, close to Greenwich, has also been redeveloped, with the demolition of the old Deptford Power Station and Rose Bruford College buildings. Aragon Tower on the Pepys Estate was sold by Lewisham Borough to fund regeneration plans for the estate; the award winning refurbishment into privately owned accommodation was featured in the BBC1 documentary, "The Tower".
Deptford Market, a street market in Deptford High Street sells a range of goods, and is considered one of London's liveliest street markets.
In February 2005, the High Street was described as "the capital's most diverse and vibrant high street" by Yellow Pages business directory, using a unique mathematical formula.Yell Group, 23 February 2005. Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Regeneration
The social regeneration of Deptford, along with neighbouring New Cross, was accelerated by the opening of Deptford Bridge DLR station in 1999. The ongoing gentrification of adjacent Rotherhithe has had a halo effect on the areas immediately east of the Surrey Docks and the roads leading off Lower Road/Evelyn Street.
A new 'village' (which will include hotels, apartments, sports facilities and the new Surrey Canal Road railway station on the East London Line) is planned in the Surrey Canal Triangle on the Deptford/New Cross/Bermondsey border. The regeneration of Deptford and New Cross has been likened to that of London Borough of Camden and Shoreditch to the north. Further developments around Deptford Park, Marine Wharf, the Pepys Estate and Convoys Wharf are yet to be completed.
Deptford High Street featured in a 2012 BBC documentary called ''The Secret History of Our Streets'' which focused on well-known streets in London and their often less-than-salubrious pasts. Time Out (magazine) magazine (London) named Deptford as its "D" entry in the January 2013 'A-Z of Cool'. Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Culture
[[File:Laban Centre Deptford.jpg|thumb|left|The Laban Dance Centre]]
The Albany Theatre, a community arts centre with a tradition of "radical community arts and music" including holding 15 "Rock Against Racism" concerts, has its roots in a charity established in 1894 to improve the social life of Deptford's deprived community. The original building, the Albany Institute, was opened in 1899 on Creek Road, changing its name in the 1960s to the Albany Empire. It was burnt down in 1978, but rebuilt on Douglas Way, with Prince Charles laying the foundation stone, and Diana, Princess of Wales opening it in 1982. Creekside, a regeneration area beside Deptford Creek, is used for educational and artistic purposes, such as the Laban Dance Centre, which was designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron and Herzog & de Meuron, and opened in February 2003; and the Art in Perpetuity Trust (APT) gallery and studio space. A record label, Deptford Fun City Records was set up by Miles Copeland III, brother of Stewart Copeland, in the late 1970s as an outlet for Deptford bands such as Alternative TV and Squeeze (band).Paul Marko
The area has several pubs, including the ''Dog & Bell'' which has a reputation for serving a range of cask ales; and ''The Bird's Nest'' which has live music, film and art performances from local bands and artists. The Town Hall of the former Metropolitan Borough of Deptford, built in 1905 with decorative sculpture by Henry Poole (sculptor), lies just outside Deptford, on the New Cross Road in New Cross. It was purchased by Goldsmiths College in 2000.
There are several green spaces in the area, the largest being Brookmill Park, Deptford Park, Ferranti Park, Pepys Park and Sayes Court. In 1884 William John Evelyn, a descendant of John Evelyn, sold ground then being used as Market gardening in Deptford, to the London County Council for less than its market value, as well as paying toward the cost of its purchase. It was officially opened to the public as Deptford Park on 7 June 1897.Lewisham.gov.uk's description of by William Job Collins, 7 June 1897, London County Council. In 1886 he dedicated an acre and a half of the Sayes Court recreation ground in perpetuity to the public and a permanent provision was made for the Evelyn estate to cover the expense of maintenance and caretaking, this was opened on 20 July 1886.''Sayes Court, Deptford'', The Times, 20 July 1886, p. 5, col FPublic Recreation Grounds, The Times, 21 July 1886, p. 9, col F Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Landmarks
Deptford railway station is one of the oldest suburban stations in the world, being built (c.1836-38) as part of the first suburban service (the London and Greenwich Railway), between London Bridge railway station and Greenwich station. Close to Deptford Creek is a Victorian era pumping station built in 1864, part of the massive London sewerage system designed by civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette. The former Deptford Power Station, in use from 1891 to 1983, originated as a pioneering plant designed by Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti, which when built was the largest station in the world. Supplement to HISTELEC NEWS No.25 December 2003
Lewisham Council recently granted permission for the last remnants of the Deptford Ragged school known as The Princess Louise Institute to be demolished and replaced by flats.Lewisham London Borough Council - Albury Street (previously Union Street) contains a fine row of early urban houses largely dating from 1705 to 1717 which were once popular with naval captains and shipwrights.
Tanners Hill in the St John's or New Deptford area to the south of A2 road (Great Britain)#Borough to Shooter's Hill, is part of an Area of Archaeological Priority due to the longevity of settlement and early industry, and contains a set of commercial buildings from numbers 21 to 31 which are survivors from a row of 31 which were built in the 1750s on the site of cottages dating from the 17th century. These timber-frame buildings have a Grade II listing from English Heritage Lewisham Planning Committee and are home to established businesses such as bicycle maker Witcomb Cycles. Of Deptford's two important houses, Sayes Court no longer exists, but the Stone House, Deptford in St Johns, London, built around 1772 by the architect George Gibson the Younger, and described by Nikolaus Pevsner as "the one individual house of interest in this area", still stands by A20 road (England).
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Deptford Dockyard
Deptford Dockyard was established in 1513 by Henry VIII of England as the first Royal Dockyard, building vessels for the Royal Navy, and was at one time known as the King's Yard. It was shut down from 1830 to 1844 before being closed as a dockyard in 1869, and is currently known as Convoys Wharf. From 1871 until the First World War it was the City of London Corporation's Foreign Cattle Market. In 1912 The Times reported that over 4 million head of live cattle, and sheep, had been landed.
From 1932 until 2008 the site was owned by News International, which used it to import newsprint and other paper products from Finland until early 2000. It is now owned by Hutchison Whampoa and is subject to a planning application to convert it into residential units, though it has safeguarded wharf status.
Other notable shipyards in Deptford were, Charles Lungley's Dockyard and the General Steam Navigation Company's yards at Deptford Green and Dudman's Dock, also sometimes referred to as ''Deadmans Dock'' at Deptford Wharf.
Churches
, one of the finest Baroque churches in the country]]
St Nicholas' Church, the original parish church, dates back to the 14th century but the current building is 17th century. The entrance to the churchyard features a set of skull-and-bones on top of the posts. A plaque on the north wall commemorates playwright Christopher Marlowe, who was murdered in a nearby house, and buried in an unmarked grave in the churchyard on 1 June 1593.''The Reckoning: The Murder of Christopher Marlowe'', Charles Nicholl, Vintage, ISBN 0-09-943747-3
There is also St. Luke's, another historic circular church, dating from 1870. It is the daughter church of the parish of St Nicholas'.
In the 18th century St. Paul's, Deptford (1712–1730) was built, acclaimed by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England as one of the finest Baroque churches in the country. John Betjeman is attributed as referring to the church as "a pearl at the heart of Deptford". It was designed by the architect Thomas Archer, who was a pupil of Sir Christopher Wren, as part of the Commission for Building Fifty New Churches with the intention of instilling pride in Britain, and encouraging people to stay in London rather than emigrate to the New World. The Commissions for building fifty new churches: The minute books, 1711-27, a calendar (1986), pp. XL. accessed: 19 September 2009
Adjacent to the church yard is Albury Street, which contains some fine 18th-century houses which were popular with sea captains and shipbuilders. Lewisham Borough Local history Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Murder of Christopher Marlowe
The Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe was killed during an alleged drunken brawl in Eleanor Bull's house in Deptford Strand in May 1593. Various versions of Marlowe's death were current at the time. Francis Meres says Marlowe was "stabbed to death by a bawdy serving-man, a rival of his in his lewd love" as punishment for his "epicurism and atheism".''Palladis Tamia''. London, 1598: 286v-287r. In 1917, in the ''Dictionary of National Biography'', Sir Sidney Lee wrote that Marlowe was killed in a drunken fight. Modern theories are that he was assassinated. It is commonly assumed that the fight took place in a Deptford tavern.
The scholar Leslie Hotson discovered in 1925 the coroner's report on Marlowe's death in the Public Record Office which gave fuller details. Marlowe had spent all day in a house owned by the widow Eleanor Bull, along with three men, Ingram Frizer, Nicholas Skeres and Robert Poley.E. de Kalb, Robert Poley’s Movements as a Messenger of the Court, 1588 to 1601 Review of English Studies, Vol. 9, No. 33 Witnesses testified that Frizer and Marlowe had earlier argued over the bill, exchanging "divers malicious words." Later, while Frizer was sitting at a table between the other two and Marlowe was lying behind him on a couch, Marlowe snatched Frizer's dagger and began attacking him. In the ensuing struggle, according to the coroner's report, Marlowe was accidentally stabbed above the right eye, killing him instantly. The jury concluded that Frizer acted in self-defence, and within a month he was pardoned. Marlowe was buried in an unmarked grave in the churchyard of St Nicholas, Deptford, on 1 June 1593. Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Transport
Deptford is served by National Rail and Docklands Light Railway services. The National Rail service is operated by Southeastern (train operating company) on the suburban Greenwich Line at Deptford railway station, the oldest passenger only railway station in London, acolnet.lewisham.gov.uk and St Johns railway station, as well as nearby New Cross railway station. The DLR stations are at Deptford Bridge DLR station and Elverson Road DLR station. Deptford station has recently been redeveloped and reopened in 2012. The works included the demolition of the existing, dilapidated, station building and its replacement by an impressive glass and steel structure and refreshed platforms. Since May 2010, New Cross station has also been served by London Overground services to Dalston Junction railway station, after the East London Line reopened as part of the National Rail network. Nearby New Cross Gate railway station is also served by London Overground trains northbound to Highbury & Islington station, and southbound to Crystal Palace railway station and West Croydon station.
Residents in North Deptford are within a short walk of both Surrey Quays station and Canada Water tube station, although they are just over the border in Southwark. Planning permission has been granted to open Surrey Canal Road station which will be on the East London Line phase 2 extension to Clapham Junction station. The new station is due to open in the next couple of years and will be an alternative transport hub for residents in the Surrey Canal Triangle areas as well as residents on the periphery of New Cross and South Bermondsey.
The two main road routes through Deptford are the A200 road which runs along Evelyn Street and Creek Road, and the A2 road (Great Britain)#Borough to Shooter's Hill which runs along New Cross Road. The A20 road (England) marks the southern boundary of the area, along Lewisham Way and Loampit Vale. Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Education
There are several primary schools scattered around the area, and one secondary school, Deptford Green School, which has capacity for 1,100 students; the school is regarded by Ofsted as "good overall", and academically is in the top 2% nationally. A branch of the further education college, LeSoCo, is located on Deptford Church Street; the college was regarded as outstanding in the 2006 Ofsted inspection. Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Notable people
Among people associated with Deptford are Christopher Marlowe, who was murdered at Deptford Strand; diarist John Evelyn (1620–1706) who lived at Sayes Court, and had Peter the Great (1672–1725) as a guest for about three months in 1698; and Sir Francis Drake who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind in Deptford Docks.
Other people who have lived in Deptford, range from the First Governor of the Honourable East India Company, and Ambassador to the court of Russia, Thomas Smythe (died 1625), whose magnificent house was destroyed by fire in 1618; to early members of the Chartist movement, John Gast (activist) and George Julian Harney; and the Cleveleys, John Cleveley the Elder and his sons John Cleveley the Younger and Robert Cleveley, a family of marine artists who also worked as tradesmen in the Dockyard. Other artists born in Deptford are Henry Courtney Selous, who is known for ''The Opening of The Great Exhibition'', painted in 1851, and the watercolourist Mariquita Jenny Moberly. Joseph Drew, newspaper editor, steamboat proprietor, author and lecturer, was born in Deptford in 1814; Joseph's father of the same name worked in the Royal Navy Dockyard Service.
Leading British jazz and session guitarist Denny Wright was born in Deptford in 1924. Members of rock groups Squeeze (band) and Dire Straits lived on the Crossfield Estate in Deptford in the late 1970s, along with Mark Perry (musician), founder of the punk fanzine ''Sniffin Glue'' and punk rock band Alternative TV. Influential Mod/Punk band The Chords also used The Birds Nest, on the Crossfield Estate, as their centre of operations in 1979/80. The DJ and music journalist Danny Baker also lived near the Crossfield Estate, where he was born and brought up.
Politician Bob Mellish was born at 63 Giffin Street (now demolished).
Star of the children's TV programme 'Horrible Histories', Ben Willbond, lives in Deptford. Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Nearby Places
* Surrey Quays
* Rotherhithe
* Greenwich
* Bermondsey
* New Cross
* Peckham
* Brockley
* Lewisham Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
References
Bibliography
*Nathan Dews, ''The History of Deptford'' (Deptford: J.D. Smith, 1883) ISBN 1-241-34064-1 or ISBN 0-85177-041-X
*Jess Steele, ''Turning the Tide: The History of Everyday Deptford'' (New Cross: Deptford Forum Publishing Ltd, 1993), ISBN 1-898536-00-7
*Ellen Chase, ''Tenant Friends in Old Deptford'' (London: Williams & Norgate, 1929)
*Dan Colman, ''I Never Saw My Father Nude'' (London: Arthur Barker, 1981), ISBN 0-213-16791-3
*George Glazebrook, ''Where No Flowers Grow. A child's eye-view of Deptford: 1921-1931'' (Rainham: Meresborough Books, 1989), ISBN 0-948193-37-9
*Jim Rice, ''Deptford Creek'' (Manchester: Cornerhouse Publications, 1993), ISBN 0-948797-77-0
Notes Deptford is a district of South London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a Ford (crossing) of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th to the late 19th century was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards. Deptford and the docks are associated with the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind,Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate, pp 218-19, H Kelsey, Yale University Press (1 September 2000), ISBN 0-300-08463-3 the legend of Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cape for Elizabeth,Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, pages 83 & 176, Marc Aronson, Clarion Books (17 April 2000), ISBN 0-395-84827-X Captain James Cook's third voyage aboard HMS Resolution (1771),Captain James Cook, pp 273-294, Richard Hough, W.W. Norton (17 August 1996), ISBN 0-393-31519-3 and the mysterious murder of Christopher Marlowe in a house along Deptford Strand. Though Deptford began as two small communities, one at the ford, the other a fishing village on The Thames, Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII of England. The two communities grew together and flourished while the docks were the main administrative centre of the Royal Navy, and a few grand houses like Sayes Court, home to diarist John Evelyn, and Stone House, Deptford on Lewisham Way were erected. The area declined as first the Royal Navy moved out and then the commercial docks declined until the last dock, Convoys Wharf, closed in 2000. The Metropolitan Borough of Deptford was formed in 1900; Lewisham Borough Historical resource in 1965, the area became part of the newly created London Borough of Lewisham.
Category:Deptford
Category:Districts of Lewisham
Category:Districts of Greenwich
Category:Shipbuilding in London
Category:Shipyards on the River Thames
Category:Districts of London on the River Thames
Category:Port of London
