Comments on: Jessie Burgess and the Abercrombie Plan

By: Ian Burgess

Ian Burgess — Fri, 30 May 2025 19:16:06 +0000

As a Burgess myself I was interested to know the background to the park and the naming of it. I was born in Dartford and spent much time in the London Bridge area during my youth and then later when commuting into central London. Some friends of mine have recently bought a house just up the road from the park. Thanks for the info which is most welcome.

By: David Child

David Child — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 20:18:28 +0000

My Mum, Pamela Phillips, as she was at the time, was Jessie’s Mayoress for two sessions, when she was still at Mary Datchelor School. This is because Jessie’s husband, the cartoonist, wasn’t interested. He may have also been a councillor, and his cartoons may have been in the local press. Radically, she chose a well educated teenage school girl (our Mum) from Mary Datchelor School to be her representative for the young. Jessie was very savvy. And – they were elected twice!
Later on, my dad would pick her up for Christmas lunch in Dulwich. I remember her saying “change for change’s sake is no change“! That’s why she was loved in Camberwell – very down to earth. My Dad and I went to the opening of the first small patch of park – before they started joining the bits together. We enjoyed Kenny Ball and his Jazz Band.
When my Godmother’s flat in the Peabody Buildings at Camberwell Green caught fire, we rescued the mayoral chain from under the sink! She bequeathed her mayor’s chain to me as, all she had left to give me. We are still trying to find out where it went.
I suspect that my brother Trevor and I may have odd photos and memorabilia of my Godmother and copies of the newspaper reports of some of the social occasions that Mum and Jessie went to. Mum was stunning – but just a teenager!
Dave

By: myra

myra — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 19:27:04 +0000

Thanks for the reply, Yes I met Aunt Chris, I remember a lovely kind gentle lady. My Grandmother was Mary Jordon – Butler, older sister to Aunt Nan. Im still trying to find out whereabouts Aunt Nan & Fred lived?

By: E Harvey

E Harvey — Sun, 26 Jan 2020 01:28:00 +0000

In reply to myra hammond. Nan was my great aunt too! My grandmother was Christian Hope Jordan, Nan's youngest sister.

By: myra hammond

myra hammond — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 15:25:56 +0000

Can anyone tell me where abouts Jessie lived on Wells Lane please? I would love to stand in the ‘foot print’ of my ‘Aunt Nan’s’ home, when im next in London.

By: Harry Edwards

Harry Edwards — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 09:55:09 +0000

In reply to Trevor child. My Dad was a member of Camberwell Borough Council, and friends with Jessie Burgess. Amongst my treasures is a letter she wrote to him asking his permission to nominate him for Mayor. This was some time after my Mother died in 1949. I have several other old Camberwell Labour party bits, if you like to see them.

By: Andrew Pearson

Andrew Pearson — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 18:19:11 +0000

In reply to Trevor child.

This is fascinating, Trevor, thanks for sharing this information. Another trip to Southwark archives is called for I think. Do you have any photographs we could add, please? What a lovely story, revealing a a deep personal side to Jessie – ‘Nan’!

By: Trevor child

Trevor child — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 11:03:51 +0000

I was very interested to read some of the history of Jessie Burgess, who we knew as Nan.
Our link to is that my mother was her Mayoress for two terms just after the war. Nan chose Pamela Phillips to be a representative of the young people of London who had suffered so much during the war years. As a 17 year old school girl this was a great honour and hit the headlines of the day.
It would be good to hear from anyone who remembers her time as Mayoress of Camberwell.

By: Andrew Pearson

Andrew Pearson — Sun, 31 May 2015 17:58:17 +0000

In reply to Graham Evans.

Hi Graham
Good to see you again last week. Hope you enjoyed the event. The images on this page came from the Local Studies Library at the Borough. Dr Patricia Dark is very helpful, and she should be able to help you with this. I don’t have the reference for it at home, but it’ll be easy to find in the ‘Portraits’ section at the library. The label on the image says the photographer is ‘Barr. Copyright’, which I presume means it’s not their copyright, unfortunately. If it was, it’s easier to get permission to use it. That said, they gave us permission, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.

By: Graham Evans

Graham Evans — Thu, 28 May 2015 15:39:46 +0000

Hi – My name is Graham Evans and I have been to 2 of your events and I found them very useful and interesting. I have spoken to some of you already. I wish to know who owns the copyright of the painted portrait and photo of Jessie Burgess on your website.
I hope you can tell me.
Graham