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'Lewisham' is a district in south-east London, England and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Lewisham.

Contents

History

Education

Transport

Notable former inhabitants

Nearest places

External links

History

It is most likely to have been founded by a pagan Jute, Leof, who settled (by burning his boat) near St Mary's Church (Ladywell) where the ground was drier, in the 6th Century. 'Leofshema' was an important settlement at the confluence of the rivers Quaggy (from Farnborough) and Ravensbourne (Caesar's Well, Keston), so the village expanded north into the wetter area as drainage techniques improved. In the mid-seventeenth century the then vicar of Lewisham, Abraham Colfe, built a grammar school, primary school and six almshouses for the inhabitants.
The village of Lewisham was originally centred further south around the parish church of St Mary, towards the present site of University Hospital, Lewisham. The centre migrated north with the coming of the North Kent railway line to Dartford in 1849, encouraging commuter housing. Lewisham was part of Kent until 1889 and formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Lewisham in the County of London until 1965.
Lewisham's High Street is particularly long and wide for a London suburb. The town centre was bombed in 1944, commemorated by a plaque outside the Lewisham shopping centre (opened in 1977). This area at the north end of the High Street was pedestrianised in 1994. It is home to a daily street market and a local landmark, the Clock Tower, completed in 1900 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Maggie's Restaurant is a popular cafe where many go near to the railway station. It was once voted the best cafe in the world by local paper, ''The News Shopper''.[1]
The police station, which was opened in 2004 to replace the station in Ladywell, and is officially the largest in Europe. There is also another large police station in nearby Catford. There is planned regeneration of Lewisham town centre.^[1]
Almost all of the SE13 Lewisham postcode falls within the London Borough of Lewisham, except for the Coldbath Estate and part of the Orchard Estate along Lewisham Road, which are covered by the London Borough of Greenwich.
Lewisham Cricket Club was one of the most prestigious London sides during the Victorian era. They played at Lewisham Cricket Ground from 1864, which lay north of Ladywell Road until its closure in the latter part of the 19th Century. Lewisham Swimming Club was also very successful with several of their members representing England in water-polo and other gymkhana events. The club still meet at Ladywell Swimming Baths, one of the public swimming pools in Lewisham which include Downham Health and Leisure Centre, the Bridge in Sydenham, Forest Hill Pools (closed for refurbishment) and Wavelengths in Deptford.
In 1977, the Battle of Lewisham[2][3] (actually in New Cross) saw the biggest street battle against fascists since the Battle of Cable Street in 1936. Over 10,000 people turned out to oppose a National Front march which was organised on the back of increasing electoral success at that time.

Education

Lewisham boasts two sixth form colleges called Christ The King College, and Crossways Academy, which serve the London Borough of Lewisham.[4] Also, Lewisham College itself has locations across the borough. Lewisham is also home to Goldsmith's, University of London and the Laban Dance Centre (part of Trinity School of music).

Transport

Lewisham is a major transport hub, lying on the A20 road towards Dover and at the start of A21 to Hastings, with its own bus station, railway station and the southern terminus of the Docklands Light Railway. Tube lines run into the north of the borough at New Cross and are due to be expanded south as part of the East London Line extension.

Notable former inhabitants

★ Ginger Baker — drummer, musician

★ Daniel Bedingfield — singer

★ Natasha Bedingfield — singer

★ Rosa May Billinghurst — Suffragette

★ Kate Bush — singer

★ Sheree Murphy; actress

★ Walter de la Mare — novelist

★ Jazz Dhiman — actor

★ James Elroy Flecker — poet

★ Julian Gray — footballer

★ Malcolm Hardee — Comedian and Compere

★ Keeley Hazell — Model

★ Billy Jenkins — jazz and blues guitarist and composer

★ Frederick Lanchester — car manufacturer

★ Jude Law — actor and Hollywood Film Star.

★ Marie Lloyd — Music Hall performer (lived at 196 Wickham Terrace, Lewisham Way in the early 1890s)

★ Ray Mears — Author and TV Presenter on the subject of Bushcraft

★ Albert Meltzer — Anarchist

★ Louise Redknapp - singer born in Lewisham

★ Edith Nesbit — writer and Fabian

★ Mica Paris — singer

★ Doris Stokes — medium

★ David Sylvian — singer

★ Ian Wright — Former England football player

★ Max Clarke - R&B singer.

★ Cherylin Reinholtz - Painter & Singer Songwriter.

★ Denis Thatcher - Denis Thatcher Born in lewisham - Husband to Margaret Thatcher

Nearest places

★ Brockley

★ Greenwich

★ Hither Green

★ New Cross

★ Blackheath

★ Lee

External links

★ Lewisham Local History Society

★ The Battle of Lewisham - an article on london based website libcom.org

★ Lewisham News

★ Lewisham Law Centre

★ Lewisham at Surbubia

★ Lewisham Photographs

★ Lewisham Voices

★ (http://www.lewisham.gov.uk Lewisham Council)