Burtons Elephants
We'll get onto Cafe Sol that currently occupies this place another day with a proper review but for today I would like to take a peek at the building itself. It would be pretty easy to just walk past this fantastic art deco corner and not even notice its beautiful lines. It's a case of looking down - then looking up...
It doesn't take a genius to work out that this building was built by the mid-range gentleman's outfitters Burtons. There are two entrances, both of which still retain their fabulous mosaic 'doormats' - see above. The date I have is 1932 - though whether that is the date of the building or the decoration is unclear from the books I've been reading. I'm in the process of trying to find out...
The beautiful curved glass of the main window is still there - thank heavens. They just don't do curved glass any more (well - not within most people's budgets, anyway) - hence people with original 1930s curved windows in their houses being forced to replace them with a series of flat panes and spoiling the whole look. Tut. If you look carefully there is still a the top stained-glass leadwork running around above it.
But the best bit is definitely found by looking up. A crenellation of elephants (sounds like some kind of weird collective noun, doesn't it) carved in that distinctive deco style tops the lot. I have no idea why the architect chose elephants (I have images of that French cartoon character Babar - he wore a suit, didn't he?)but it's certainly spectacular.
I'm not sure when Burtons moved out, but apparently before this incarnation, it was the venue for a bar called Brandies. Cafe Sol occupies the ground floor - but can anyone enlighten me as to what goes on on the first floor? There looks as though there are chairs and a large TV. Any clues for a nosy Phantom?
Ham at www.LondonDailyPhoto.blogspot.com (who, when I finally get around to creating myself a links section will definitely top it - his is the best London Blog I know) has an occasional series on London Elephants. I can't find whether he has ever included the elephants at the top of Burtons but they are very splendid indeed. Ham - if you're out there - come and take a better photo than I can, eh!
Labels: Places of Interest, Weird Greenwich
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
08:54
6 Comments:
Well spotted Phantom- the Greenwich Elephants have puzzled and fascinated me for some considerable time. I look forward to finding out more about them from other contributors.
There use to be a snooker hall above Burtons in Greenwich,I believe. Don't know if it is still there though.
Miffee
Although not as elephanty, the building on Deptford Broadway that's now a big furniture shop (number 13) also used to be Burtons and is similarly Deco. If you look down, the vents into the cellar are little Burton's logo-shaped grates.
how lovely. I must check it out. IS it the furniture shop that used to have the outsized chair outside?
It's not been a Burtons for as long as I remember - I think it might have shut in the 1960s, but I'll try to remember to ask.
McDonald's in Eltham is another ex-Burtons (shut early 80s, and still has obligatory snooker hall on top).
I know this couldn't have anything less to do with Greenwich, but the Burton's in (funnily enough) Burton upon Trent (near where my parents come from, which is how I know) has, or at least had, a snooker hall above it. What +is+ the connection between Burton's and snooker?
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