ps if you are really sad like me (and possibly @Off_it ?) these are great pre blitz photographs that you can then compare with current images on Google Earth.
I've got too much time on my hands, and trains don't do it for me.
last one - promise. Cherry Orchard @cherryorchard being built in the foreground, the Greyhound Track in the distance. This website is my favourite of all time (sign up to get the best access). Some great (and very clear) images and the ability to zoom in to quite remarkable detail. The only issue is why the aerial photographer never took a decent picture of the Valley - he was right above it!
last one - promise. Cherry Orchard @cherryorchard being built in the foreground, the Greyhound Track in the distance. This website is my favourite of all time (sign up to get the best access). Some great (and very clear) images and the ability to zoom in to quite remarkable detail. The only issue is why the aerial photographer never took a decent picture of the Valley - he was right above it!
Cheers, it wasn't long after (69) it was all off with a razor parting. Charlton skins came about and everything got a bit more edgy than the boisterousness of the walk to QPR.
Also love the Britain From Above site and have been searching it to try and find a picture of The Mount. No luck yet so was wondering if anyone else has found one? I've only seen a couple of pictures of the ground, one from outside and the other from the pitch, so would really like to find an aerial shot.
I know there was a photo doing the rounds that was found at a local library with 'The Mount' written on the back, but I'm pretty sure it's the original Crystal Palace ground because of the angled grandstands.
Here's a map of The Mount from Paul Smith's excellent Ultimate Guide to English and Scottish grounds:
I seem to remember there was some later question about which way the actual ground was orientated - I'll try and find it.
. Charlton played so many Friday night games Tuesday night games was that you could catch the last race of the evening at the dog track. Think Rodney Stone had something to do with that. You could see the big (Tote score board) at the track well with all the bright lights from Charlton Station.
Had family that worked at Johnson and Phillips during the war and up untill 1974. Spent my childhood with visits to grandparents in Victoria Way just afew houses up from Troughton Road. So the reason for the prefab buildings at bottom of Victoria Way was bombed out houses. The prefabs was in use by J AND P CERTAIN ABOUT THAT.
When I was a kid growing up (in the 80s) we used to play around The Mount all the time and I remember crumbling bits of concrete in the bushes there. Never knew at the time that Charlton used to play there or wouldve taken some pictures.
. Charlton played so many Friday night games Tuesday night games was that you could catch the last race of the evening at the dog track. Think Rodney Stone had something to do with that. You could see the big (Tote score board) at the track well with all the bright lights from Charlton Station.
Had family that worked at Johnson and Phillips during the war and up untill 1974. Spent my childhood with visits to grandparents in Victoria Way just afew houses up from Troughton Road. So the reason for the prefab buildings at bottom of Victoria Way was bombed out houses. The prefabs was in use by J AND P CERTAIN ABOUT THAT.
Yes, the prefabs were sited where Phipps House and Hartwell House are now. I think they lasted until the late 1950s/early 1960s.
@Lewis Coaches… who were the grandparents in Victoria Way? I remember the Warners and the Mitchells who lived in that stretch between Troughton and Rathmore Road.
I found three more interesting bits about the area from the Edith's Streets website:
a) Johnson and Phillips. Victoria Works
In 1875, Walter Johnson and Samuel Phillips set up business in a small building called Victoria Works on the west side of the road and north of the railway line. They also took on a City office as ‘Telegraph and Electric Engineers’. They began making telegraph cable but expanded into other related products. In 1877 they opened a large workshop to make electric wire and cable. Sixty years the works later had expanded into a large public concern employing hundreds of workers. In 1906 land was bought from the railway to expand the works. At the end of the Great War houses in Fossdene and Inverine Roads were bought and demolished to expand the factory. By 1930 both partners had died but the firm continued to expand. Much of the works was demolished following a V2 rocket attack in 1945 however a lot of work had been done for PLUTO. After the war they made new breakthroughs in electric cable manufacture and sheathing. A tall circular tower built in 1966 could be seen throughout the area and housed extruded aluminium alloy tubing in a continual coil demolished. They were taken over by Delta & Enfield Ltd. in 1964. Most signs of Johnson & Phillips now gone but much of the equipment they manufactured is still extant in electrical installations here and abroad. Most of the site was cleared in the late 1960s and much of it subsequently developed with warehousing.
b) Troughton Road
Called after Edward Troughton of Troughton & Simms whose works backed on to this road. It was previously Bettisfield Street.
Hartwell House. Built on the site of war damaged properties Nos. 1-27. Initially in 1947 there were prefabs on the site, replaced in 1949 (*Not true … some were still there in the late 1950s/early 1960s).
Nos. 51-69 London Borough of Greenwich Housing built in 1977 on the site of Johnson and Phillips workshops themselves partly on the site of the Troughton and Simms Works.
c) Woolwich Road
Playhouse Cinema. This opened as The Charlton Picture Palace in 1915. By 1937 it had been re-named Playhouse Cinema. It was always independently operated. Still listed in 1940, it had been sold in 1938 to the dog track and demolished in 1950 to extend the Greyhound Stadium.
Charlton Greyhound Stadium. This lay east of Gallions Road and was opened in 1928 by Thomas Murphy an amusement contractor. The stadium opened in 1930 and introduced the first electric hare. They later introduced the first mechanical tote. ‘The Charlton Stadium Company Ltd’ was wound up in 1936 and taken over by the ‘The Charlton Stadium (1936) Ltd’. Their programmes including boxing and in 1934 all in wrestling. In 1937 the stadium was completely rebuilt designed by Captain Meston and included an electric Union totalisator. By the end of the Second World War business was booming and totalisator turnover was over £1 million a year. In 1946 it was taken over by London Stadiums Ltd., and in the 1960s bought by the Greyhound Racing Association. The stadium was redesigned again with a new track and stand. The last race at Charlton was in 1971.
Troughton & Simms. They were based west of Church Lane on a site covering both Troughton and Woolwich Road both now 1970s local authority housing. The firm moved here from Fleet Street in 1864 but the company originated in 1688. Troughton bought the business which made scientific and surveying instruments in 1782. Edward Troughton made several important contributions to astronomical instruments before 1831 when he retired. William Simms also made instruments notably for the East India Company and the companies merged. In Charlton they made instruments for observatories worldwide including the Altazimuth and the British National Standard was their idea. In 1920 the company was taken over and moved to York although the works in Charlton continued until 1924. The buildings were taken over by Johnson and Phillips and demolished in 1970. The complex included a Mission Hall set up by William Simms which later became offices.
The tower had the VCV (Vertical Continuous Vulcaniser) machine at the top on it. This machine was used to make large diameter cables without gravity causing problems over a distance. Think of a trying to pulling a washing line completely straight.
. Charlton played so many Friday night games Tuesday night games was that you could catch the last race of the evening at the dog track. Think Rodney Stone had something to do with that. You could see the big (Tote score board) at the track well with all the bright lights from Charlton Station.
Had family that worked at Johnson and Phillips during the war and up untill 1974. Spent my childhood with visits to grandparents in Victoria Way just afew houses up from Troughton Road. So the reason for the prefab buildings at bottom of Victoria Way was bombed out houses. The prefabs was in use by J AND P CERTAIN ABOUT THAT.
last one - promise. Cherry Orchard @cherryorchard being built in the foreground, the Greyhound Track in the distance. This website is my favourite of all time (sign up to get the best access). Some great (and very clear) images and the ability to zoom in to quite remarkable detail. The only issue is why the aerial photographer never took a decent picture of the Valley - he was right above it!
Lived there for 14 years or so, great to see a pic pre-flats.
last one - promise. Cherry Orchard @cherryorchard being built in the foreground, the Greyhound Track in the distance. This website is my favourite of all time (sign up to get the best access). Some great (and very clear) images and the ability to zoom in to quite remarkable detail. The only issue is why the aerial photographer never took a decent picture of the Valley - he was right above it!
Please do not stop, I was brought up in this area and it is good to see it again. Do not forget Blackheath and Bluecoats school (I believe Rio Ferdinand went to school there) on the left of the football/rugby, (used by Greenwich Borough where Ian Wright played), and cricket ground. I used to watch Kent CC play after school or weekends
Mike Floate is a legend. Produced a great book about football dug outs, and when I knew him he was an enthusiastic mover and shaker at Crockenhill F.C. I believe he was a D&T teacher. I hope he is still going strong.
@SporadicAddick the photographer I believe was commissioned by businesses. Therefore unless the Club commissioned him, the only way the Valley would be photographed would be as background to the subject matter.
Comments
I've got too much time on my hands, and trains don't do it for me.
A link to similar view today - cant work out how to past the image...
I know there was a photo doing the rounds that was found at a local library with 'The Mount' written on the back, but I'm pretty sure it's the original Crystal Palace ground because of the angled grandstands.
Here's a map of The Mount from Paul Smith's excellent Ultimate Guide to English and Scottish grounds:
I seem to remember there was some later question about which way the actual ground was orientated - I'll try and find it.
Had family that worked at Johnson and Phillips during the war and up untill 1974. Spent my childhood with visits to grandparents in Victoria Way just afew houses up from Troughton Road. So the reason for the prefab buildings at bottom of Victoria Way was bombed out houses. The prefabs was in use by J AND P CERTAIN ABOUT THAT.
Yes, the prefabs were sited where Phipps House and Hartwell House are now. I think they lasted until the late 1950s/early 1960s.
@Lewis Coaches … who were the grandparents in Victoria Way? I remember the Warners and the Mitchells who lived in that stretch between Troughton and Rathmore Road.
I found three more interesting bits about the area from the Edith's Streets website:
a) Johnson and Phillips. Victoria Works
In 1875, Walter Johnson and Samuel Phillips set up business in a small building called Victoria Works on the west side of the road and north of the railway line. They also took on a City office as ‘Telegraph and Electric Engineers’. They began making telegraph cable but expanded into other related products. In 1877 they opened a large workshop to make electric wire and cable. Sixty years the works later had expanded into a large public concern employing hundreds of workers. In 1906 land was bought from the railway to expand the works. At the end of the Great War houses in Fossdene and Inverine Roads were bought and demolished to expand the factory. By 1930 both partners had died but the firm continued to expand. Much of the works was demolished following a V2 rocket attack in 1945 however a lot of work had been done for PLUTO. After the war they made new breakthroughs in electric cable manufacture and sheathing. A tall circular tower built in 1966 could be seen throughout the area and housed extruded aluminium alloy tubing in a continual coil demolished. They were taken over by Delta & Enfield Ltd. in 1964. Most signs of Johnson & Phillips now gone but much of the equipment they manufactured is still extant in electrical installations here and abroad. Most of the site was cleared in the late 1960s and much of it subsequently developed with warehousing.
b) Troughton Road
Called after Edward Troughton of Troughton & Simms whose works backed on to this road. It was previously Bettisfield Street.
Hartwell House. Built on the site of war damaged properties Nos. 1-27. Initially in 1947 there were prefabs on the site, replaced in 1949 (*Not true … some were still there in the late 1950s/early 1960s).
Nos. 51-69 London Borough of Greenwich Housing built in 1977 on the site of Johnson and Phillips workshops themselves partly on the site of the Troughton and Simms Works.
c) Woolwich Road
Playhouse Cinema. This opened as The Charlton Picture Palace in 1915. By 1937 it had been re-named Playhouse Cinema. It was always independently operated. Still listed in 1940, it had been sold in 1938 to the dog track and demolished in 1950 to extend the Greyhound Stadium.
Charlton Greyhound Stadium. This lay east of Gallions Road and was opened in 1928 by Thomas Murphy an amusement contractor. The stadium opened in 1930 and introduced the first electric hare. They later introduced the first mechanical tote. ‘The Charlton Stadium Company Ltd’ was wound up in 1936 and taken over by the ‘The Charlton Stadium (1936) Ltd’. Their programmes including boxing and in 1934 all in wrestling. In 1937 the stadium was completely rebuilt designed by Captain Meston and included an electric Union totalisator. By the end of the Second World War business was booming and totalisator turnover was over £1 million a year. In 1946 it was taken over by London Stadiums Ltd., and in the 1960s bought by the Greyhound Racing Association. The stadium was redesigned again with a new track and stand. The last race at Charlton was in 1971.
Troughton & Simms. They were based west of Church Lane on a site covering both Troughton and Woolwich Road both now 1970s local authority housing. The firm moved here from Fleet Street in 1864 but the company originated in 1688. Troughton bought the business which made scientific and surveying instruments in 1782. Edward Troughton made several important contributions to astronomical instruments before 1831 when he retired. William Simms also made instruments notably for the East India Company and the companies merged. In Charlton they made instruments for observatories worldwide including the Altazimuth and the British National Standard was their idea. In 1920 the company was taken over and moved to York although the works in Charlton continued until 1924. The buildings were taken over by Johnson and Phillips and demolished in 1970. The complex included a Mission Hall set up by William Simms which later became offices.
Bloody hell, that was two months before the first Battle of Mons.
Produced a great book about football dug outs, and when I knew him he was an enthusiastic mover and shaker at Crockenhill F.C.
I believe he was a D&T teacher.
I hope he is still going strong.
@seth plum Mike Floate is alive and on Twitter
So what were those big open spaces between The Valley and the river?
Presumably someone owned the land, so why hadn't it been developed or used for anything by then?
Off It, assume at least a fair amount of the empty space will be bomb clearance?