THE NEWSLETTER OF THE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY FOR THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY

Vol.2. No. 5 APRIL 1977 PRICE 10p Free to Members

ANNUALGENERAL MEETINGlie third annual general meeting was presided over by the *esident (the Mayor, Alderman Mrs. S.M. Stead) in a most larming and efficient manner. The Chairman (Mr. A.H. atkins) in welcoming the President, said what a privilege was to have the Mayor as the Society’s President and for :r to attend this meeting during her busy year of office.The Annual Report and the Balance Sheet and Accounts ere received and approved. The Hon. Treasurer gave a full poyt on the financial situation and said that of the 4,000 if ' of the first annual publication printed, over 3,500 tdueen sold or were still in the hands of booksellers and ationers, who it was understood, would have no difficulty

selling them. In view of this, although the financial >sition was satisfactory, he would submit a further report due course.The officers and members of the Committee were anked for their services, and the following were elected for e current year:-

Chairman A.H. Watkins, F.L.A.Vice Chairman Miss M. Hughes, B.A.Hon. Secretary F.J. Whyler,

163, Tubbenden Lane,Orpington.

Hon. Treasurer C.B. Elmes,34, Oaktree Gardens,Bromley

Dr. A.J. Allnutt; Marcus Arman; H. Rob Copeland; Miss F. Downs; J.L. Filmer, and J.M. Rawcliffe, were pointed to serve on the Committee, which will also :lurje the officers referred to above and the Local History bi f in, (Miss E.M. Plincke).It t^as agreed that the present arrangements of visits to ices of local historical interest during the Summer mths and regular formal and informal meetings from ptember to April, should continue. The constitution and les of the Society are to be amended in accordance with ; desires of the Charity Commission in order that the ciety may become an educational charity. The amend- ints are set out in the agenda for the annual meeting.\ t the conclusion of the official business Dr. AJ. Allnutt iwed slides of Bromley and conducted a most interesting 1 entertaining “quiz” .\ vote of thanks was passed to the President for her irming and efficient handling of the business, and in >ly she expressed her pleasure at being able to attend a eting of what she thought was one of the most interesting ;anisations in the borough. She also said how much she 1 enjoyed her evening with the Society. □

\NISHED VILLAGES OF LEWISHAMexhibition of photographs, prints and maps with this

s, showing Lewisham, Lee, Catford, Southend and lenham as they were, is at the Manor House Library, Old ad, Lee, until Saturday, 30th April. It is open during mal library hours. □

EXHIBITIONThe Society is organising a local history exhibition at the new library in Bromley High Street, when it is opened on 13th April. The exhibition will cover the whole of the area of the borough. It will be held in one of the halls and will be open to the public free of charge. This will be a great advertisement for the Society, but it will mean a considerable amount of work in arranging, stewarding and dismantling the exhibition. Some members have volunteered to help but more help is needed and would be appreciated. Volunteers please to the Hon. Secretary (Farnborough 58679). q

KENT ARCHIVES OFFICE PUBLICATIONSThe Kent County Archives Office, County Hall, Maidstone, has the following publications for sale:-

General Works edited by Felix Hull, B.A., Ph.D., County Archivist.Guide to the Kent County Archives Office, 1958, 75p Guide to the Kent County Archives Office, First Supple­ment, 1957-1968,1971, £1.30Handlist of Kent County Council Records, 1889-1945, 1972, 35p.Catalogue of Estate Maps, 1590-1840,1973, £2.50 Kentish Maps and Map-makers, 1590-1840, 50p.

Kentish Sources Series edited by Elizabeth Melling, B.A.

Some Roads and Bridges, 1959, 25p.Kent and the Civil War, 1960, 25p.Aspects of Agriculture and Industry, 1962, 30p.The Poor, 1964, 50p.Some Kentish Houses, 1965, £1.Crime and Punishment, 1969, £1.

History of the Kent County Council 1889-1974.Prepared for the County Council by Elizabeth Melling, B.A. Assistant County Archivist. £4.90.

N.B. The prices quoted are exclusive of postage.

SUBSCRIPTIONSThese are now due and it is hoped that all members will renew their subscriptions as quickly as possible. New members who joined the Society after 1st October, 1976, and paid the increased rate of subscription as agreed at the 1976 Annual General Meeting and which is set out below, are reminded that their subscription will cover the whole of 1977.

Subscriptions may be paid to any officer of the Society or sent to the Hon. Treasurer, Mr. C.B. Elmes, 34, Oaktree Gardens, Bromley. The rates are £2 for an individual member; £2.50 for a husband and wife; £1 for a pensioner;50p for a junior member, i.e. under 16 years of age; £1 for a full-time student over 16 years of age; £3 for a school and £5 for other corporate bodies, i.e. youth clubs etc.

Cheques should be made payable to the Local History Society for the London Borough of Bromley.

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Camden Flace, UoisleburstOn 18th December, 1870, a rather frustrated royal party arrived to reside at Chislehurst. The defeat o f the French army by the Prussians at Sedan, and the surrender o f the Emperor Napoleon III to the German Emperor, had resulted in the flight o f the Empress Eugenie, (a Spanish lady o f Irish stock and a remarkable beauty,) with her only son, the Prince Imperial, from Paris.

The choice of Chislehurst was the result of an invitation from Mr. Strode to share his home, Camden Place. He had known Louis Napoleon some years before and had kept up the connection during France’s second Empire. Camden Place had been bought by Mr. Strode in 1860, and was well suited to the French taste for he had added a fine dining room on the lines of a French hunting lodge’s hall. He had some lovely 18th century panelling installed and a finely worked ceiling in keeping with the panelling. In other rooms he had Gobelins tapestries and some fire-backs with the Bourbon arms on them. Another attraction to a Catholic family was the church of St. Mary which had been opened on 8th August, 1854.

The Empress and her son settled down quietly to enjoy the amenities of Camden Place and Chislehurst, though it was rumoured that she and Mr. Strode did not get on together. He soon left the house and did not return until after the Empress had left in 1880.

In March 1871, the Emperor Napoleon III (who was the nephew of the great Napoleon Bonaparte) joined his wife and son at Camden Place, but he died on 9th January, 1873. The funeral took place at St. Mary’s, and a procession of over a thousand mourners followed the coffin from Camden Place. It was headed by a body of French workmen and followed by a deputation from the city of Paris and many ecclesiastics. Behind the hearse walked the Prince Imperial and members of the Bonaparte and Murat families. Lord Sidney represented Queen Victoria and- Lord Suffield represented the Prince of Wales. There were also officers of the Imperial household and Generals of the French and Italian armies in full uniform. When the last rites had been performed the Prince Imperial held a levee at Camden House. The body of the Emperor was placed in an enormous granite sarcophagus presented by Queen Victoria, in the little chapel attached to the church. This Chapel had been built to the order of the Empress who bore the cost.

Eugenie lived now only for her son, cherishing the totally unfounded hope that he would eventually be king of France. They lived in strict retirement, and the rooms associated with the Emperor — his study and the room in which he

Imperial joined Lord Chelmsford’s staff in the Zulu war as a volunteer, and on 1st June, 1879, Whit Sunday, whilst out with other young officers on an evening foray from the main camp, he was killed in a skirmish with some Zulus. His body was brought back to Woolwich and from there conveyed by gun carriage to St. Mary’s Chislehurst. A new road being cut across the Common for this purpose. Queen Victoria remained at Camden Place with the Empress during the funeral service, which was attended by four sons of Victoria, the Duke of Cambridge who was Commander-in-Chief of the army, foreign princes, dukes and many others.

Soon after this Empress Eugenie left Chislehurst to reside at Farnborough, Hampshire, where a house had been built for her. The coffins of her husband and son were removed from St. Mary’s and interred in a chapel attached to the new house.

Thus ended Chislehurst’s imperial interlude. Eugenie died at the age of 94 on 12th July, 1920. The exiled Imperial family of France left their mark at Chislehurst for the common is a monument to the Prince Imperial; a granite cross 27 high feet high, erected in 1880 by the people of the area.

Camden Place owes its early fame as well as its name to the father of English antiquaries, William Camden, who bought the estate in 1609 and died here in 1623. Early in the 18th century the house was rebuilt and a later notable owner _ was Charles Pratt, who became Lord Chancellor., He was created Baron Camden in 1765 and a year later became Earl Camden. He enlarged the house considerably. Mr. and Mrs. Thomson Bonar were murdered at Camden Place by a servant during the night of 31st May, 1813, and it was said that the room in which they were murdered was that used by the Empress Eugenie as her bedroom. The Bonar family owned the mansion until 1860 when it was bought by the Mr. Strode referred to above, who added the dining room and improved the decorations. He returned to Camden Place after the Empress left, but in 1890 the estate was sold to Mr. Willett, the builder and developer, of daylight saving fame. He started house developments on parts of the estate.Since 1894 it has been the club house of the Camden Golf Club. It was damaged during the second world war but was subsequently restored. That briefly is the story of this royal residence.

Arrangements have been made for members to visit Camden Place at 7.45 p.m. on Thursday 19th May, and it is hoped that as many members as possible will take advantage of this opportunity to inspect this imperial

died, — were preserved as when he used them. After attend- historic residence.ing the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, the Prince Camden Place, Chislehurst. C 1871 at the time when the Emperor

Napoleon III lived there.

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Miss uvsfsy1771 was a year o f considerable national discontent, and there was a desire by some members o f the public to know what matters were being discussed in Parliament and the reasons why decisions were being reached. It must be remembered that this was a time when comparatively few people were allowed to vote; when it was considered right and proper that a handful o f people should run the country and that such a ffairs were not the concern o f the masses. The government o f the time saw no reason why reports o f Parliamentary debates should be published. In fact it was considered very desirable that they should not be published. The result was that there was little general knowledge about what went on in Parliament, but there was a great and increasing interest in the state o f the nation and a growing appreciation o f human rights, which was stirred by such people as John Wilkes.

In the years between the restoration of the Monarchy in 1649 and the death of George III in 1820, the number of offences punishable by death was increased by about 190 — more than one for every year. Not only petty theft but comparatively minor forms of industrial rebellion, such as pulling down fences where common land had been enclosed, setting fire to hayricks and destroying looms, were to be r jshed by death. The start of the industrial revolution ot&Ahe enclosure movement took place within the shadow of the gallows. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were notable for their riots and infamous mob rule — occasioned by bread prices, turnpikes and tolls, new labour saving machinery, enclosures, press gang activities and harsh laws. In 1771, the year in question, the law was hated and despised. John Wilkes was a rabble rouser and direct action on particular grievances was often accompanied by political risings of the mob, particularly in London.

Among those who were concerned was Alderman Brass Crosby. He was an Attorney and married successively three wealthy widows, one of whom, (probably the last) was Mary, the sole heir of James Maud, a wine merchant of London, from whom Mary inherited the manor of Chelsfield. She gave to St. Giles church, Farnborough, a silver alms dish and Brass Crosby’s signature appears in a margin of the church register.

The desire of the government to stop the publication of reports about Parliament resulted in a foolish contest with the City of London. A member moved that some printers who had issued reports of debates in the House of Commons, should be summoned to the bar of the House to answer for f jr conduct. Whilst some of them were reprimanded on Wijif knees, at the bar, one of them, a printer named Miller who was a Liveryman of the City of London, did not attend and a messenger was sent from Parliament to apprehend him and bring him before the House of Commons. The by a constable of the City of London and brought before Alderman Brass Crosby, who was then the Lord Mayor. With him sat Alderman Wilkes and Alderman Oliver. Wilkes was of course, delighted to defy the House of Commons who were making such fierce attacks upon him. The Lord Mayor was accordingly confirmed by the other two, in his view that the House of Commons had committed a flagrant violation of the City’s rights in endeavouring to apprehend one of its liverymen within its precincts, and the messenger was held pending bail.

The House of Commons was indignant at this contemptuous disregard of its dignity and passed a resolution ordering the Lord Mayor and the two aldermen to appear at their bar. Wilkes refused to attend except as an ordinary member of the House. Crosby pleaded a severe attack of gout, and Oliver appeared but refused to make any submission and defied them. The House of Commons in a state of blind anger committed Oliver to the Tower and Crosby to the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms. But Crosby declared that despite his illness he would not accept this indulgence but would share the incarceration of Alderman Oliver, and he was accordingly sent also to the Tower. The

Parliamentary action.After a while, at the end of the session, the doors of the

Tower were opened and the Lord Mayor and Alderman Oliver were freed. They were accompanied from the Tower to the Mansion House by the Corporation of the City, in their robes. A banquet celebrated their restoration to freedom and Alderman Brass Crosby was presented with a cup in recognition of his courage and self sacrifice in defending the rights and privileges of the City in defiance of the House of Commons. J

He was a member of the Tower Ward in the Court of the Common Council from 1758 to 1765 and was elected an Alderman of the Bread Street Ward on 1st February, 1765. He was a Sheriff of the City in 1764/5 and was Lord Mayor in 1770/1. He was also member of Parliament for Honiton from 1768 to 1774. He was a Whig and President of the Hon. Artillery Company from 1789 to 1793. He was a member of the Musicians Company and transferred to the Goldsmiths Company on 13th May, 1766, and was Prime Warden of that Company in 1767. His concern about the loss of human rights is indicated by the fact that he voted against the expulsion from Parliament of that champion of human rights, John Wilkes.

In the Baxter’s newscuttings in the Bromley Room, there is a reference to “certificated people” . In the 17th and 18th centuries it was necessary when persons removed from one parish to another, that they should be certificated. Especially was this important if they were likely to become chargeable to the parish and need relief. One of these certificates which Baxter says he had, recorded that in 1777 Jacob Whatsoname and Henrietta, his wife, were acknowledged as inhabitants legally settle in the parish of Orpington by William Verrell and John Sweetapple, churchwarden, and by Thomas Mosyer and James Mansfield, overseers, whose seals were annexed. This was certified also by two justices, James Cator and Brass Crosby, on the strength of two witnesses on oath, viz. John Liffe and William Tibbs.

Brass Crosby died on 14th February, 1793, and is buried at Chelsfield. 1-1

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a FUTURE EMEETINGS

Frid ay 29th April 8 p .m .

Inform al m eetin g at S to ck w e ll C o lleg e to co n s id e r its d o cu m e n ts , e tc .

T h u rsd a y 19th M ay 7 .4 5 p .m .

V is it to C a m d e n P la ce , C h isle - h u rst. M eet th ere .

Frid ay 27th M ay 8 p .m .

Inform al m eetin g at S to ck w e ll C o lleg e .

W e d n e sd a y 15th J u n e 7 .3 0 p .m .

V is it to th e Hill fo rt e tc . in th e g ro u n d s o f H o lw o o d H o u se . M eet at K e sto n P o n d s at 7 .30pm

Frid ay 24th Ju n e 8 p .m .

In form al m eeting at S to ck w e ll C o lleg e

S a tu rd a y 2 nd J u ly 11 a .m .

V is it to th e S I R A Institu te Ltd . S o u th H ill, C h is le h u rs t. T h is is a v e ry in terestin g h u n d red y e a r old m a n sio n , w ith attractive g ro u n d s a n d th e S o c ie ty is priv ileged to be a llo w ed to m a ke th is v isit.

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Chairman of the SocietyIt has been suggested to me that folk would be interested in a brief account of my life; I can scarcely credit this, but here goes. I was born in Lincolnshire in 1907 almost on the banks of the Trent at a ferry village named East Stockwith, but I have no memory of living there as the family moved a few miles up river to Gainsborough when I was twelve months old. I haunted the river during my boyhood and countless times watched the Aegir, the Trent’s bore, come sweeping up from the Humber. I got to know the keels, tugs and coasters and particularly the shipyard; very little went on there without my knowing it. From this grew an ambition to go to sea, scotched by my mother but fulfilled much later by four years with the Royal Navy.

My parents, though not natives, were very interested in the old town of Gainsborough and my father was able to collect most of the histories. He borrowed a transcription of the parish registers from the Library; I can remember that the cause of death of a poor man in the eighteenth century was given as “ Soddenly drownd in Trent” . We scoured the district on foot on Sundays and, though this prevented me from ever attending Sunday school, we always visited the village churches and graveyards; from an early age I knew what a lot of local history was to be discovered there. Years later, when my ship was based at Trincomalee in Sri Lanka, I discovered a British cemetery. One day in the Chart House, the Navigating Officer was wondering how long the English survived when they first went to live in Ceylon and I was able to give some fairly detailed information about early deaths. How did I know this? From the headstones in the British cemetery! So the yarn went round the ship that old Watty spent his runs ashore in the cemetery.

The 1914 war brought soldiers of Kitchener’s army into the town for training and my Council School was commandeered for their use so for a long time we shared with another school and went half-time. This was fine, for we boys could train and march with the soldiers, but fortunately things returned to normal in time for me to qualify for a scholarship to the Grammar School, an old building and, for me, cold, being aphabetically at the back of the class and furthest from the fire. Immediately after the war, the heavy engineering industry, upon which the town depended, declined and hundreds of men were out of work for fifteen years and more. We were fortunate in that my father generally worked three or four days a week. I stayed at school long enough to gain the School Certificate, but there could be no thought of going to university.

Career opportunities were sadly lacking. Teaching did not attract me and to get into a bank you required the backing of an influential client of the bank. The Library in Gainsborough was in an attractive and fairly new Carnegie building; it was very well used, certainly by the Watkins family. A vacancy on the staff occurred a month before I

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women in charge of libraries in 1924; she had come from the Manchester Public Libraries and was quite exceptional, as I was to find out after 1 had left, in the encouragement and help she gave to the members of her staff to enable them to qualify. Very soon after I joined the staff she said, “You mustn’t get any ideas about settling down here. You must get on with your qualifications and then move to another library to widen your experience.” I was the first of four young men thus encouraged who later became chief librarians. Hours were long — until 8 p.m. five times a week — and study by correspondence tuition had to be fitted in after working hours.

In 1928, I came to London to work in the Teddington Library and in 1930, 1 came to Bromley as Deputy Librarian. This was a bad period for the Library as funds were mw; only after the war was an adequate book fund provided. I became Borough Librarian of the old Borough in 1959 and of the London Borough in 1964. Work in the Bromley Library was always deeply interesting, because of the great variety and, so frequently, the advanced standard of the readers’ demands. I always tried to maintain a good supply of books for those with minority interests. It is one of my more satisfying memories to recall the man who said, “You know, it’s quite exciting to come into your Library; 1 so often come across such unusual books.” I suppose two high points of my career were the founding and development of the H.G. Wells Collection and the planning with the Borough Architect of the new Central Library. I was President of the Association of London Chief Librarians in 1970-71.

My wife and I married in 1932 and we have a son and a daughter; we now also have four grandsons and two grand­daughters.

A.H. WATKINS

Recollections ScRecordsA l elderly resident has kindly submitted interesting recollections of byegone Bromley and Biggin Hill. Older members and even those not so old, may like to commit their memories to paper, and these can be either published in future issues of Bromleage, or retained in the local history records for future local historians to read. What is wanted is the sort of thing most people can produce — what Bromley and its surroundings were like 50 or more years ago. Provided it is about life, people and places within the borough, such contributions will be most welcome, and will be of great value to future local historians. You will be surprised how much you remember and how interesting it will be to place your memories on record. The details of your childhood and what the people were like — how they behaved and what clothing they wore — what sort of schooling you had — information about local shops and what they sold — all this is local history. And its preservation is a matter of great importance.

This opportunity is taken of reminding members that if they possess any articles, papers, maps, photographs or documents which are of local historical interest, it would be much appreciated if they would ensure that such property will eventually be made available for study by those who will follow us, and will be interested in local history. It is surprising how quite important information can be lost because its value is not appreciated. Family records, including diaries, old maps, old photographs, documents — all these “heirlooms" can be lost because the owners take no action to see that they are preserved.

Two things then for members. First, record your memories of the past and let the Society have them; and second, if you have any local history records, ensure that they will be preserved.

The Society will be pleased to help — please contact the Hon. Secretary at 163, Tubbenden Lane, Orpington. (Farnborough 58679)

20Designed and produced by Raven Studios Ltd., 5 Rectory Road. Beckenham, Kent on behalf o f The Local History Society for the London Borough

of Bromley. Editorial contributions or enquiries to: Mr. F.J. Whyler. 163 Tubbenden Lane. Orpington.