DHVS - Deptford

Deptford is a historic old town set on the south bank of the river Thames 5 km (3 miles) below Tower Bridge and part of Lewisham, one of London’s many metropolitan boroughs. Over 30% of its cosmopolitan population of 50,000+ consists of ethnic minorities including African-Carribeans, West Africans, Asian Indians, Northern Chinese, Vietnamese, Somalis, Central Americans, Bosnians, Kosovars and Albanians.

Previously known to the Romans as Meretun (town on the marsh), Deptford was recorded in William the Conqueror’s Domesday book (1085), and briefly mentioned in Chaucer’s (1343 – 1400) Cantabury tales. British adventurers such as Drake (1543 – 96) and Raleigh (1554 – 1618) and Frobisher (1535 – 94) started many journeys from Deptford. Notable historical figures such as Peter the Great of Russia (stayed 1698), playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564 – 93), diarists John Evelyn (1620 - 1706) and Samuel Pepys (1633 – 1703) all had associations with the area.

The height of Deptford’s economic prosperity as a historic port town – it also had many mills - occurred under the Tudors monarchs of Henry VIII and Elizabeth 1 when in the 16^th Century it became the location for the country’s main naval dockyard, a role later reduced to provisioning naval ships. By the 19^th century Deptford was in decline and while briefly revived by arrival of the railways (1836)*, the 23 acre cattle market (1880s), then power stations (1889) continued to remain one of London’s poorest areas until the 1990s; when various urban regeneration schemes (including small projects such as the DHVS)** began to bring both increased social support and new prosperity to the area.

Deptford is now mainly known for its market, colourful community and growing numbers of artists. It will also soon have a new passenger ship terminal. Without to those interested Deptford offers a fascinating microcosm of English social and economic history.

N.B. * Deptford station remains London’s (and reputedly the world’s) oldest surviving urban passenger rail station.

** For a more detailed study of the history of the DHVS and social demography of its urban setting please refer to the DHVS archive in the member’s section.

References

Ackroyd, P, (2000) London: the biography pub., Vintage

Steele, J (1993) Turning the Tide: the history of everyday Deptford, pub., DFP

Cannon. J. (eds.,) (2002) The Oxford Companion to British History, pub., OUP

www.lewisham.gov.uk

London’s first railway was also built through Deptford. Historical figures associated with Deptford include the playwright Marlowe (Shakespeare’s senior contemporary) also buried there.

Deptford has a great market…where you can obtain many goods at reasonable prices and also fresh fish located in its high street. The market takes place on Wednesdays, Saturdays…