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Today’s memories and photographs will become the history of tomorrow. Photographs give us the opportunity to glimpse and wonder at our town’s past, evoking cherished memories but they also encourage us to take a fresh look at the history we are creating ourselves day by day.
This site is by no means the definitive history of Beckenham, there are many books that can be found in our libraries and on sale in local bookshops that will aid you should you require further detailed information. Why not visit Bromley Library and view the many thousand historical photos that are available to the public?
Beckenham’s link with the past has been recorded by Robert Borrowman, H. Rob Copeland, T W Thornton, Geoffrey Tookey, Paul Fabian, J.A Bennett, Muriel Searle, Eric Inman, Nancy Tonkin, John Wagstaff, Doris Pullen, David Johnson, Cliff Watkins, Simon Finch, Nicholas Reed, F. J Clark, Patricia Allderidge, A. Godfrey, Patricia Knowlden, Joyce Walker, Miss A. Hayes, H.P Hollman, Pat Manning and Ian Muir. All have played their part in dedicating time and energy in the research and writing of historical books and for that we thank them all. Sincere apologies to the many that are missing from this list.
A special thanks to Simon Finch of Bromley Library for the use photographs from the archives. The site includes images from the Marie Edwards and The Durling Collections. Thanks also to Tony Johns for permission to use the works of H. Rob Copeland. Last but not least thanks to Bill Tonkin for the use of some of the postcards in the Nancy Tonkin collection. Many of the images on this site have never been published before.
Photo Below: Beckenham Junction
Photo Gallery
Photo Below, Beckenham High Street 1920.
All the images are to be found in The Photo Gallery. Please read the instructions how to navigate each Gallery.
The Photo Gallery includes 3000 historical images of Beckenham, Penge, Crystal Palace, Coney Hall, Birkbeck, Shortlands, West Wickham, Anerley, Sydenham and Crystal Palace. Also included are various sports teams and local school group photos.
Please note that no part of the website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means, electronic or manual, without prior permission from the website author.
More images will be added on a regular basis; new additions will appear at the end of each album.
Stay awhile and enjoy these pictures that reflect some of our past.
It is planned to include some Penge history on this site in the future.
Make sure you read the instructions on how to use the gallery as there are up 20 albums in each of the 6 galleries.
Click here to visit the photo gallery page.
17 responses
Hi,
Does anyone know where Cage Place would have been situated?
The 1841 census indicates that my ancestors lived there.
Many thanks,
Tony.
The “cage” was a small cell situated at the bottom of Church Hill where the junction of Beckenham High St and Kelsey Park Road are today. A theory is that Cage Place was not far because at that time there were not many houses in that area.
Hi Ian
Some time ago, you kindly gave me permission to use some pictures showing buses on my website Red-RF.com, on the page for the history of route 227. I am a committee member of the London Historical Research Group of the Omnibus Society and we are planning to publish a history of the 227 in our journal (which is print plus available only to members of the OS on the website). I wondered whether it would be possible to use some of the images in your gallery (subject to the agreement of the original source, presumably), please? I am thinking of a selection from images 102, 110, 127, 144. If the answer is yes, might higher resolution versions be available?
Thanks
Peter
Yes, no problem.
My late Mother attended Raymont School, and I was delighted to see some photographs of the school, but could you please tell me where abouts it was if the building is still in existence?
Many thanks.
Raymont School was in Shortlands Grove.
You can now post comments on individual images in the photo gallery.
Should you wish to contact the site do so on the form below.
I would like to use one of the images in some research i am doing on the Dence family of Kingsbury, shortlands, as it shows the house in the picture. Can I use the image provided I acknowledge the source?
Yes no problem.
Hello,
When viewing the names on the Memorial I noticed that there was no information entered for W. Brand and it showed 16 possibilities. I can confirm that he was 2177 Private Walter Brand of the 6th Seaforth Highlanders who was killed in action on the 15th June 1915, Festubert, France.. He was the second son of William and Laura Brand of 14 Burnhill Road, Beckenham.
Mick Trainor.
Thank you very much for the information.
my grandmother, who lived in Elmers End died at 131 Albermarle road beckenham..in 1962. I was wondering if it was a hospital/ nursing home
Hi Sue,
131 Albermarle Road was and still is The Sloane Hospital (Private) https://wellcomelibrary.org/moh/report/b19785070/20#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=20&z=-2.0945%2C-0.0264%2C4.865%2C1.8991
The Historian.
You can now post comments on individual images in the photo gallery.
Should you wish to contact the site do so on the form below.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Do you have a copy of the Plan of the Parish of Beckenham, 1884 that covers Lawn Road and Park Road? I can see extracts from Beckenham (central) and other surrounding areas but sadly not for Lawn Road and Park Road.
Do you happen to know where an original copy of the map is held?
With thanks,
Yours faithfully,
Sam
Sam, try Bromley Library https://www.bromley.gov.uk/libraries-historic-collections
You can now post comments on individual images in the photo gallery.
Should you wish to contact the site do so on the form below.