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Remembered Today:

Woolwich


WJBates

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Looking to see what Artillery histories, maps etc of Woolwich are available for research....jack

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I have a map of woolwich dated 1856 on the wall above my computer. with the Artillery Barracks, Remount Hospital etc. on it. I also have some old photos one of which I wiil attach.

Regards

John

post-2-1072725316.jpg

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Further to my last post trythe following:-

www.firepower.org.uk

www.royal-rsenal.com

and another image to wet your appetite

regards

John

post-2-1072725906.jpg

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I live just around the corner from the arsenal.

If you plan on visting the place, may I suggest you do it as quickly as possible. Most of the Woolwich Arsenal buildings have been sold off - and are fast being converted to luxury flats.

You can walk around most of the site, without anyone stopping you. To see inside some glorious buildings, you might like to follow my simple guide:

Buy 100 cigarettes (not cheap ones) and give them to the foreman who will give you a guided tour of derelict, cavernous Georgian historic buildings.

The Firepower museum is tucked in the top left hand corner of the site.

If you are feeling very brave/silly, give me a call and I'll show you where the artillery fired a large number of cannon balls into the Thames, nearby, in the 18th and 19th centuries. Wait until the tide goes out and you can still pick them out of the mud - but don't blame me if you get stuck in the mud and have to call the River Police (it happens all the time....).

There is a Woolwich Arsenal Historical Society webpage; very nice guys but haven't been of much assistance to me, unfortunately, with my research on memorial plaque production.....

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I didn't know about the WAHSoc - I'll look them up immediately. Yes, I'm round the corner-ish too, and involved in local groups aswell as MoL etc. There has been a considerable amount of architectural and archaeological investigation at the site(s) - some interesting stuff there. Depends exactly what you are looking for. You could start at the Greenwich (Borough) Local Hist Library - they have just relocated to the Arsenal site.

Racing - I fear you are out of date, development is fast and you don't need to bribe anyone, there are ways and means. Political correctness is the order of the day down there !!!

Julian

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I'm sending you an email in the hope that you will furnish me with a political-correctness pack. I already have a hard hat, though.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what/who is MoL (ministry of l....)?

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Woolwich enthusiasts: Thank you for the insight and the references etc, photo's are great. I have never been there but have a lot of turn of the century family ties to investigate, and would sure love to tour the site. I would probably like to gain some hard copy as well for now. Not sure yet what is available. Gildersome St (1st thought) still there ? regards jack Victoria, BC, Canada.....

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Jack

Please find attached image.

Regards

John

post-2-1072949883.jpg

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Guest Pete Wood

Jack, the Victorian street is long gone. What is left is a small cul-de-sac, about 100 yds long, on a particularly nasty housing estate.

Fortunately the natives are still a bit hung-over, from last night's celebrations, so I took the opportunity to get this shot of the flats that are now there.......

post-2-1072965867.jpg

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John: Thank you, loved the images and the map. Any chance of hard copy somehow ?

Racing Teapots: Thank you as well, the pics are hard evidence of today, # 6 Gildersome 1912 and #8 Frances 1905 are the two dates I have to refer to. I would love some pics if possible. How to ? regards jack

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Jack

Bring up the picture that you want to save right click and go to save picture give it a name then save, your picture will be save in My Docs, My picture with your file name. minimise the Great War Forum. Go to start, select Programs, select accessories, select Paint, Select open and open the files which you named and presto.

Regards

John

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Thanks very much John, now will print what you sent.

Racing Teacups: Digging into old papers here, can you tell me if 52 Lower Wood St, 28 Jackson St The Common, and 19 Artillery Place, still survive to your local knowledge ?......regards jack

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Guest Pete Wood

I don't know where Lower Wood Street is (or if it survives). Hopefully sonmeone else with a decent London A-Z will know better.

The other streets survive, but I don't know how 'Victorian' they still are. I will be driving past both in the next few days, so I'll put my camera in the car and see what I can get for you......

post-2-1073243275.jpg

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Guest Pete Wood

Jack

This is the first time I've had the chance to take your photos. Jackson Street is literally around the corner from Gildersome Street (and looks exactly the same, I'm sorry to say)

post-2-1073558581.jpg

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Guest Pete Wood

Your other address overlooks the Artillery Barracks, as you can see from the sign. All these houses were knocked down in the 1930s and replaced with flats (sigh...)

post-2-1073558708.jpg

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Thank you so much for the shots Racing teacups, having never been there, but hearing family references, I can now see the Victorian side, thank you as well John, and the current situation. My dad's family lived at the addresses you have seen, from 1899 to 1912, with a posting to India mixed in. My ggrandfther, also RA, lived in the area circa 1862 and later. What a proud Regimental institution Woolwich must have been in those days...Not likely the guns that produced the VC metal are still around somewhere. (read about that in a recent VC article).........regards jack

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Just heard from a friend of mine who is still serving with the Royal Artillery, the latest rumour is that Woolwich is to close this year due to defence cuts. has anyone else heard the same?

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John: Nice bit of information, will add to my reference. Is there a picture available of the cannon you mentioned ? I thought defence cuts were only realized in Canada !!....jack

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Jack

I will Email the Firepower site and try to find out for you.

Regards

John

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