Swanley History Group – June 2015 meeting
With his wealth of personal knowledge and pithy comments, Gary Vaughan brought old Greenhithe back to life when presenting a selection from his photographic and postcard collection at the June meeting of Swanley History Group.
Many of the scenes Gary shared, some recalled from his early years growing up in Greenhithe, have now passed into history – such as the aerial view of the Empire Paper Mill which, when it was built in 1907, was the biggest in the world. Everards Shipbuilders site was very prominent and a major employer. How busy and interesting the river must have been when used by myriad types of river traffic, including wooden sailing ships, barges, prison ships and even The Cutty Sark, which was moored off Greenhithe from 1938 to 1954.
Greenhithe Park looked inviting with local people dressed in their Sunday best clothes. In another photograph cows are happily grazing there. A scene of Greenhithe Pier taken in 1888 showed an eel trap. Gary told us that an episode of an early TV programme called Z-Cars was filmed in atmospheric Pump Alley.
Early views show the High Street with the imposing Pier Hotel; several pubs; every type of shop (including the abattoir behind the butchers) as well as the Catholic Church and convent; large and small houses and The Village Hall where Gary and his family once lived. In one photograph Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip are arriving in their Rolls Royce, surrounded by flag waving children, to present awards on the training ship in 1962. Ingress Abbey is shown looking almost derelict. There was an active campaign to save it. It is now a private home surrounded by the Ingress Park housing development.
Check out garyvaughanpostcards.co.uk for lots of local views
Christina Tyler, Programme Organiser
With his wealth of personal knowledge and pithy comments, Gary Vaughan brought old Greenhithe back to life when presenting a selection from his photographic and postcard collection at the June meeting of Swanley History Group.
Many of the scenes Gary shared, some recalled from his early years growing up in Greenhithe, have now passed into history – such as the aerial view of the Empire Paper Mill which, when it was built in 1907, was the biggest in the world. Everards Shipbuilders site was very prominent and a major employer. How busy and interesting the river must have been when used by myriad types of river traffic, including wooden sailing ships, barges, prison ships and even The Cutty Sark, which was moored off Greenhithe from 1938 to 1954.
Greenhithe Park looked inviting with local people dressed in their Sunday best clothes. In another photograph cows are happily grazing there. A scene of Greenhithe Pier taken in 1888 showed an eel trap. Gary told us that an episode of an early TV programme called Z-Cars was filmed in atmospheric Pump Alley.
Early views show the High Street with the imposing Pier Hotel; several pubs; every type of shop (including the abattoir behind the butchers) as well as the Catholic Church and convent; large and small houses and The Village Hall where Gary and his family once lived. In one photograph Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip are arriving in their Rolls Royce, surrounded by flag waving children, to present awards on the training ship in 1962. Ingress Abbey is shown looking almost derelict. There was an active campaign to save it. It is now a private home surrounded by the Ingress Park housing development.
Check out garyvaughanpostcards.co.uk for lots of local views
Christina Tyler, Programme Organiser