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An Illustrated Timeline History of Deptford    
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Deptford was originally a village in Kent. The original meaning of the name Deptford is probably from 'deep ford' where the London road crossed over the Creek .


Tudor Deptford

1497 Lord Audley and Cornish rebels defeated at Deptford.

1513
Royal Dock built at Deptford, became known as King's Yard.

1544
Dock had become most important in England.

1581
Francis Drake knighted by Elizabeth I at Deptford.

1593
Christopher Marlowe killed in a Deptford tavern.


Stuart Deptford

C17 East India Company established in Deptford.

1623
A map referred to 'Common Greene' (Deptford Green).

1660s
Samuel Pepys visited Deptford on naval work.

1697
Docks employed 697 men.

1698
Peter the Great worked at Royal Dock as carpenter to learn ship design. Stayed with the diarist John Evelyn at Sayes Court.

1708
Master Shipwright House built on riverside by Joseph Allin, who was the master shipwright for the royal dockyard next door.

1711
Docks employed 1100 men.


Georgian Deptford

1730
St Paul by Thomas Archer completed

St Paul's church was one of 50 new churches proposed for London in 1710 as part of the regeneration programme after the Great Fire of 1666.



1759 Sayes Court used as a workhouse (until 1848).

1780s
Victualling Yard extended by James Arrow.

1788
Victualling Yard gateway built (still standing).

1790
St Nicholas’ Church



1797 Painting of Deptford Riverfront


Late C18/early C19

View of Deptford Dockyard (Late C18/early C19)



1800  View of Deptford (2)



1801 Population of Deptford was 18,000.

1804
Footbridge built across Deptford Creek.


Regency Deptford


1809 Larger bridge built across Deptford Creek.

1815
View of Deptford & Greenwich



C19 Royal Dock became Royal Marine Arsenal.

1822
Greenwich Steam Company established in Deptford. One of first steam boat co.

1830
Dockyard closed until 1844.

1836
London - Greenwich Railway opened, carried on a 878 arch brick viaduct. Started from Spa Road, Bermondsey to Deptford.


Early Victorian Deptford

1840
Deptford Broadway



1844
Dockyard reopened for steam ships.

1848
Cook's HMS Discovery used as a convict bulk at Deptford.

1858
Royal Victoria Victualling Yard renamed from Red House.



Mid Victorian Deptford

1869
Royal Dockyard closed. Became Foreign Cattle Market (until 1913) and later Convo's Wharf.


Late Victorian Deptford

1894
Deptford Fund began to improve the plight of Deptford's community

1898
Foundation stone of the Albany Institute was laid



Edwardian Deptford

1901 Deptford became a London borough.

1903 Carrington House built as a lodging house for men (corner Brookmill Road).

1903
Deptford Library Theatre

c 1905 postcard of Deptford Broadway



1907 Deptford Town Hall opened.



1914 Deptford Library opened.


Inter-War Deptford                                   

1938
Deptford Odeon Cinema (by George Coles) opened on the corner of the Broadway & Church Street.



World War II & Deptford

1940 Deptford hit by German bombers during Blitz 

1941
Deptford suffered several flying bomb attacks

Post War Deptford

1954 New lifting bridge built across Deptford Creek.

1961
Royal Victoria Victualling Yard closed. Became Pepys Estate, some
1790 buildings remain (officers houses and warehouses).

1965
Borough of Deptford incorporated into Borough of Lewisham.

1970
Deptford Odeon closed 

1988
Deptford Odeon demolished

1999
Light Railway station opened at Deptford Broadway connecting to Docklands and Lewisham.


Book list:

History of Deptford - N. Dews (1884)
Turning The Tide-History of Everyday Deptford - Jesse Steele (Deptford Forum 1993)

 


 

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