May 2024 Newsletter
This edition of Heritage News contains details of our next meetings and an outline of our Autumn schedule including the dates to book. There is also some additional information about the “Crossing the River “ talk.
Upcoming Meetings
Friday May 31st 10:15 at Horn Park - The Thames Sailing Barge Trust
John Rayment will present an illustrated talk on the work of the Trust. The Trust aims to educate the public in the history of the Thames Sailing Barge and works with schools and other organisations in explaining the history of these iconic vessels as well as holding open days and attending other events
Friday June 29th 10:15 Lynne Dixon will talk about That Tiresome Lady Architect - the life and times of Annabell Dott
I came across Anabel Dott seven years ago at the start of a U3A Shared Learning project about the founding of Women’s Pioneer Housing. She was introduced to me as a woman architect who built a house and forgot to include the stairs. After all the research I have done including a visit to the house in question, I think the jury is still out on that one, but in the meantime I have learnt much about Annabel, about the Anglican church (her husband was a clergyman), about the provision for disabled soldiers during the First World War, about why there is a file of documents about her in Eton College and much, much more. I have made a friend in York with whom the research was shared and together we have published a book: That Tiresome Lady Architect'. Annabel for us was definitely tireless, not tiresome!’
Lynne Dixon Tour of Royal Arsenal Woolwich 22nd May 2024 2pm
This tour is now full, and we have a waiting list of 10 members so if you find you are no longer able to attend, please contact Roger asap to cancel your place and to free it up for somebody else. We anticipate setting up a fourth date for people who remain on the waiting list after the 22nd.
Roger Mead
Meeting Report Crossing the River Thames
I was pleased to see about 40 members attended this meeting and for the messages of thanks that I received subsequently.
I promised to let you have a list of relevant books that I used for the research:
- Greenwich and Woolwich in Old Photographs K.D. Clark. 1990
- Crossing London’s River John Putney 1972
- Woolwich Through Time Kristina Bedford 2014
- Ferries of the Lower Thames Joan Tucker 2010
- The Royal Arsenal Woolwich Roy Masters 2010
- Thames Crossings . Bridges Tunnels and Ferries Geoffrey Phillips 1981
- London and the Georgian Navy Philip Mac Dougall 2013
- Greenwich and Woolwich at Work Mary Mills 2002
- London a Life in Maps Peter Whitfield 2006
- The Ingenious Victorians John Wade
Previously to the meeting I challenged members to guess how many ways there are to cross the river in Greater London. Alicia Wojtkowiak was the closest being just a few too low. The actual number of ways of crossing are 59 or 60 if you include the Silvertown tunnel. Alicia won a prize of a model of Tower Bridge.
At the meeting I talked about the Tower Tunnel as being one that few people knew about. I have since come across this short video made by Vodaphone that show some footage inside the tunnel. https://youtu.be/aY11tctPOnw?si=Z-AAswQBXlDHhar3.
I also came across this picture and caption, overleaf, relating to passengers going to the Isle of Dogs to Greenwich by Ferry :
Bloopers Corner! A few bloopers during the Crossing the River talk
I called Edith Nesbit “Elizabeth “
- I misspelt Isambard Brunel on one of the slides
- The shot that I thought was of construction workers on Tower Bridge was taken of maintenance workers after the Bridge was opened,. As can be seen in the complete picture which shows horsedrawn traffic on the Bridge.
Our Autumn Programme
Our Autumn programme is just being finalised, so this is just a little advanced information. Confirmed dates are on the last Friday of the month.
Friday 27th September Friday 29th November
Friday 25th October No meeting in December
We will have talks on the following topics , at the moment I am not sure which dates they will be on.
- The Mary Evans Picture library which is based in Blackheath village
- Hannah Chaplin – the mother of Charles Chaplain
- Edith Nesbit the local author of some 40 books including the Railway Children
We will start meetings again at the end of January. If you have suggestions for speakers in the new year please get in touch with their names and contact details. After my talk on Crossing the River, I have started preparing a new one on the Isle of Dogs. Any information sources such as websites and details of books would be gratefully received.
Help Wanted
For our October talk we are looking to borrow a 35mm projector. Do you have one that you could lend us for the meeting? If so, please get in touch.
Thanks Roger
Our normal meeting place for talks is the Bowling Room at Horn Park.
Horn Park, Eltham Road, Lee, London SE12 8UE. The entrance is opposite Weigall Road, and the Bowls room is the building on the extreme right as you come up the drive. All of our meetings are open meetings and any SEL U3A member is welcome to join us at 10:15 for a 10:30 start. Lots of free parking available and suitable buses are 178, 122 and 321. Alight at the Weigall Road stop which is close to the entrance. It is a 15 min walk from Lee Green and the 202 and 261 bus stops.
Our webpage is :
London South East u3a: Heritage Group (u3asites.org.uk)
The U3A SEL website is currently being revamped so keep your eyes open for details in the Newsletter in the next few weeks.
Roger Mead
rogermead2021@gmail.com 07771 936 215