Good King Wenceslas looked out… Written by Pam Preedy. “Good King Wenceslas looked out” starts the traditional Christmas carol which tells the story of Saint Wenceslaus 1, the Duke of Bohemia (907-953). The Holy Emperor Otto (962-973) posthumously conferred on him the royal title, King. Later a preacher from the 12th century wrote that Wenceslaus “rose from his noble bed with bare feet and only one chamberlain (and) went around to God’s churches giving generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty, so much so that…
Tag: Bromley
To Be Or Not To Be: A History of Bromley’s Theatres
To Be or Not To Be: A History to Bromley’s Theatres Written by Pam Preedy. I remember my parents were keen theatre-goers. There was a special deal in the 1950s at Bromley’s New Theatre: two seats for the price of one, on Mondays. Who doesn’t like a bargain? At the time we had no knowledge of the vicissitudes of the theatre’s life or the various names it had been given: the Grand Hall (from 1889), the Lyric (from 1905), the New Theatre (from 1948 and the Churchill (opened on 19th…
Bertram Edgar Spark
Bertram Edgar Spark Bertram Edgar Spark served as a rifleman with the 1st Battalion of the Queen’s Westminster regiment. He was the only son of Edgar and Ella Mary Spark, of 13 Warner Road, Bromley in Kent. Prior to war he had taken up an appointment at Lloyd’s Royal Exchange, London E.C. which would have remained open for him, had he survived the war. His obituary noted that he was very fond of sports, especially football, cycling, and swimming. He attested as a volunteer at 18 years of age and…
Gunner F. Bateman
Gunner F. Bateman Gunner F. Bateman, of Weston Rove in Bromley, served with the 126th Battery of the Royal Field Artillery during World War 1. A letter published in the Bromley & District Time in April 1915 describes their march to Mons and the action that he took part in and later the action on the Marne. By August 1915 he was serving on the Front Line. Sources: Bromley & District Times, 2nd April 1915 (page 3) Bromley & District Times, 13th August 1915 (page 7)
E.A. Bateman
Private E. A. Bateman Private E.A. Bateman enlisted on the 1st of August 1914 and served with the 9th Battalion, Queens’ own Royal West Kent Regiment during World War 1. He was the son of Mr and Mrs Batement of Weston Grove, Bromley. If you have any details that we can add about this soldier, then please get in touch. Source: Bromley & District Times, 13th August 1915 (page 7)
South Hill Woods, Bromley
South Hill Woods (Bromley) Written by PAM PREEDY, historian & author. A wealth of flora and fauna At the end of Westmoreland Road is a wooded park frequented by bowlers, tennis players, dog walkers and those just out for fresh air, South Hill Woods. Today it has regenerated into a wild woodland habitat, with a wealth of flora and fauna, including woodpeckers, nuthatches, two species of bat, and a variety of insects, bees, centipedes, and battles inhabiting the rich variety of trees, such as oak, ash, hazel and beech. The…
The Birth of Women’s Football
The birth of women’s football Written by Pam Preedy. Girls Versus Boys Football had always been a male preserve, but in December 1915, a match was played between Bromley Boys (National Team) and Vickers Girls: The Bromley & Kentish Times reported on the match (7th July 1914). “A game that finished up in a comical football match was played on the Queen’s Mead ground last Saturday … The game ended with a large amount of scoring, the Old Boys scoring 17 goals to the Ladies’ 1 … At the start…
Leading-Stoker Charles William Venters
Leading-Stoker Charles WIlliam Venters Lost at Sea Charles William Venters was the son of William G.T. and Rose Venters of Wharton Road, Bromley (Kent). Charles attended Wharton Road Council School and later joined up to the Royal Navy where he served for 7 years, for most part onboard HMS Queen Mary. HMS Queen Mary was the last battlecruiser built by the Royal Navy before the First World War. Completed in 1913, she participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight as part of the Grand Fleet in 1914. A battle also served by Leading Stoker Venters. On…
Sergeant C. Allington
Sergeant C. Allington Sergeant C. Allington, of North Road, Bromley (Kent), joined Regular Army in 1914 and went out with the first contingent of the Bromley Volunteers at the time of the South African War in 2nd Volunteer Battalion of Royal West Kent Regiment. He had previously served first with Royal West Kent Regiment, then with the Army Service Corps in France (attached to the Royal Engineers), and had previously been with the Suffolk Regiment in India. He died on 23rd July, 1920 after a long illness caused by being…
Leading-stoker Ernest Bourne
Leading-Stoker Ernest Bourne Ernest Bourne of Canon Road, Bromley (Kent) spent 8 and a half years with navy on HMS Hecla, and a further 2 years on foreign service including China & Japan. On leaving the service he became a fireman of the London Fire Brigade Bourne served at Cannon Street, Sydenham & Clapham, before moving to Poplar workhouse where he worked for about 3 years before being called up for World War 1. During WW1 he served with the Royal Naval Reserve onboard HMS Aboukir. Sadly Bourne did not…