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To celebrate the completion of our project we invited everyone who had been involved to come along for the grand “reveal” of the underpass installation and the launch of the heritage trail.

Photo of the barge plaques in the underpass — Underpass: Burgess Barges art Installation

We had stalls and activities aimed at children as well as the promenade walk along the heritage trail.

Photo of the sack race — Families at the launch day

We were delighted that children who had taken part in the schools story-telling project and the Art in the Park workshops came along as well as people who had helped to make the heritage trail.

photo of the band and children — The entertainment at the launch: heritage band and hoop games.

We estimate about 300 came along and took part in the launch activities: children’s races, flag making, brick making, popcorn and lemonade stall and heritage stall displaying more materials. Plus, there were more people who stopped to examine our pop-up map exhibition hanging in the trees.

Photo of the Friends of Burgess history enthusiasts with an old R Whites' ginger beer bottle. — Friends of Burgess Park heritage stalwarts: Jon, Andrew and Joyce.

Thank you so much to everyone who took part. We couldn’t have completed this project without your enthusiasm, energy and expertise. Well done to all.

7 June 2014

Trial run for Heritage Trail, 25 May 2014

Visiting the site of R White and Co. — Secret lemonade drinkers?

Following the Burgess Park heritage trail — Follow that Camberwell Beauty

Visiting the site of Glengall Basin — Where the barges turned to Peckham

Visiting the end of Burgess lake. — At the crossroads

Visiting the site of the Old Library and Bath House — For a book and a bath

Visiting the lime kiln. — Visiting the lime kiln

Visiting the almshouses at Chumleigh Gardens — Almshouses

From Bombs to BMX

6 March 2014Event, News updateadmin

The Bridge to Nowhere heritage project continued apace in February, with a packed gathering, organised by the Friends of Burgess Park of locals, enthusiasts, and experts, all celebrating the park’s rich history together.

With fascinating talks delivered by our three leading published local historians – Stephen Humphrey, John Beasley and Tim Charlesworth – and a healthy hubbub of shared memories and stories, there was much to enjoy – not to mention photos, maps and refreshments.

The Friends are currently developing a heritage trail to be launched later this year, and would love to hear from you if you’re interested in getting involved.

Please contact: friendsofburgesspark@gmail.com

Industries on the Grand Surrey Canal

12 November 2013Canal, HLF Projectart workshop, barge, bricks, bridge to nowhere, Burgess Park, Grand Surrey Canal, history, lime kiln, R Whites lemonadeadmin

Local children took part in researching the industrial history that took place in and around the Grand Surrey Canal which once ran through what is now part of Burgess Park. Their ideas and endeavours will result in an art installation in the underpass in the park with the help of local artists’ group ‘Art in the Park’.

Storytelling tour gallery

Photo of storyteller and children — Storyteller Vanessa Wolf tours the park

Photo of children holding hands and stretching under the bridge to nowhere to discover how wide the canal was. — How wide was the canal?

Telling the story of the park

10 November 2013Event, HLF Projectbridge to nowhere, Burgess Park, Camberwell Beauty, Gloucester Primary, Grand Surrey Canal, history, Michael Faraday School, storytellingadmin

Year 5 pupils from Michael Faraday School and Gloucester Primary explored Burgess Park to learn about its history with local storyteller Vanessa Wolf.

Tiled image of the Camberwell Beauty butterfly — Learning about the Camberwell Beauty tiled picture on the side of the Old Baths House on Wells Way

The storytelling walk helped the children discover what the park would have been like before and after the war. They had to imagine the park as it would have been – full of houses, shops, factories and a canal. The storytelling sessions involved lots of role play, singing, creative writing, tasting and smells!

See more pictures of the children touring the park.

St George's Church — Formerly St George’s Church, this building stood next to the Camberwell branch of the Surrey Canal

Jowett Street Park workshops gallery

Knitting workshop bracelets photo — Knitting Workshop bracelets

Painting workshop photo — Painting workshop

Photo of canal boat style paintings by children — Canal boat style paintings

Phot of chilfren learning to knit and sew — Knitting and Sewing Workshop

Photo of the Bridge to Nowhere banner — Bridge to Nowhere banner at the craft workshop

Photo of children and cutout 1810 gentleman — Cutout of gentleman of 1810 at the workshop

Photo of Knitting and Sewing Workshop — Knitting and Sewing Workshop

The traditional craft workshops run by Friends of Burgess Park as part of their history project Bridge to Nowhere were greeted with enthusiasm and a desire to learn craft skills – especially knitting. The word got about and well over 30 people took part on the last day, with 100 participants over the three days. Local people got the chance to try out traditional hand sewing, embroidery and knitting, and canal style art. Most of the people taking part were born long after the canal closed, but were interested to learn more about it. The local residents are definitely keen to develop their craft skills to show and sell their work in the future.

Find out more about the workshops.

Wow! Run an event in Jowett Street Park and you get a response to remember

18 October 2013HLF Project, News updatebridge to nowhere, Burgess Park, craft workshop, Grand Surrey Canal, history, Jowett Street Parkadmin

The traditional craft workshops run by Friends of Burgess Park as part of their history project Bridge to Nowhere were greeted with such enthusiasm and a desire to learn craft skills especially knitting. The word got about and well over 30 people took part on the last day and the big question was “When will the next workshop be?”

Over three days, participants got the chance to try out traditional hand sewing, embroidery and knitting , and on the last day, to have a go at canal style art. Most of the people taking part were born long after the canal closed, but were interested to learn more about it through the art work reference materials.

Jowett Street Park sits next to what was a spur of the Grand Surrey Canal which ran to Peckham from the Surrey Docks. It was a lovely friendly setting for the event. We were blessed with great weather and the support of Quadron staff who brought along the tables and gazebo each day. We were also very grateful to The Sojourner Truth Centre who allowed use of their facilities. A big thank you to them and to all the hard working volunteers.

Useful links

Fabric shop in Lewisham
https://rollsandrems.com/

For just about everything you need for crafts
https://www.homecrafts.co.uk/Sewing-and-Haberdashery/

Lovely site showing you all the embroidery stitches
https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/

Did you know?

12 September 2013HLF Projectbridge to nowhere, Burgess Park, historyadmin

… that a canal once ran through Burgess Park … that the park was once full of factories, one of which made lemonade? You did? … then we would like your memories of growing up/working/living here when Burgess Park was a place of factories, industries and a working canal! We would like to collect and keep your stories.

Please contact: friendsofburgesspark@gmail.com

Outdoor films

For the past few years, Friends of Burgess Park have organised open air film screenings in the park. In August 2013, our film choices reflected our focus on the past, with classic The Italian Job featuring local boy Michael Caine. Alongside the main film we also showed historical footage of the area. Our second film night (with additional funding) looked forward to the future, showing Inception together with a locally-made short about the development of the newly-opened BMX track in Burgess Park.

Check out details of the 2014 Film Screenings here