Greenwich since 2000
Joseph asks:
I am in Year three at St Josephs primary school, Greenwich and i have been asked to do a project on how Greenwich has changed.I went on the tourist office walk with my mum today.We'll also be going to the Heritage centre next week, but I wondered if you could help me. I was born in 2000, and would like to know about any changes since then to the present day. I have a brilliant picture of lovell wharf coming down.
The Phantom replies:
You know Joseph, in the years just before 2000 and from then onwards, Greenwich has probably seen as much sudden change as it would have done around the 18th Century (when Greenwich Hospital was built) the 1830s, (when the centre of Greenwich was redeveloped) the turn of the 20th century (massive amounts of Victorian expansion) and World War II (lots of bombings...)
Much of this latest change has to do with the coming of new forms of transport to Greenwich. Although we had the railway since 1836 and river travel has been with us since - well, forever, really, Greenwich was always comparatively cut-off from the rest of London until we got the Docklands Light Railway and The Jubilee Line, connecting us to the underground network.
This has brought a huge amount of new people into the area, because they can commute to The City - and, of course, to the newly-built Canary Wharf - once the docks of London, now a mainly service-sector area. There's a vibrancy -not least because of the numer of young people here - from the University and Trinity Music College, which came when the Navy moved out of the Old Royal Navla College and it was opened up to the public as a museum.
Greenwich's industrial life has diminished as the 'cleaning-up' has spread. The peninsula, where once a gigantic gas works filled the area, is now 'cleaned up' and awaiting more development, industry being confined to the west side by the river (if you want to see some of Greenwich's industrial world, take a walk along The Thames Path) and driven further out - to Charlton, Woolwich and beyond.
2000, of course, was the 'big' year for Greenwich - the ill-fated Millennium Dome was opened - and shut again - it's only recently been reopened, and is, at last, a success.
In the town centre, Greenwich is changing too. As more people come, so do companies with cash. Where there used to be a lot of independent retailers, chain stores are taking over. Not everyone sees this as a bad thing - it is, at least, proof that Greenwich is getting richer. But I mourn for the quirky, individual shops and services that are being forced to close through higher rents.
So what else is good? Well - the Picturehouse, reopened, is a joy, and the spruced-up museums and town centre are nice. But it's up to us to make sure that Greenwich gets better rather than worse. We cannot leave it to other people - or worse still, big businesses - to decide on our fate...
I'm not sure that's what you asked. Sorry - I got a bit carried away there...
I am in Year three at St Josephs primary school, Greenwich and i have been asked to do a project on how Greenwich has changed.I went on the tourist office walk with my mum today.We'll also be going to the Heritage centre next week, but I wondered if you could help me. I was born in 2000, and would like to know about any changes since then to the present day. I have a brilliant picture of lovell wharf coming down.
The Phantom replies:
You know Joseph, in the years just before 2000 and from then onwards, Greenwich has probably seen as much sudden change as it would have done around the 18th Century (when Greenwich Hospital was built) the 1830s, (when the centre of Greenwich was redeveloped) the turn of the 20th century (massive amounts of Victorian expansion) and World War II (lots of bombings...)
Much of this latest change has to do with the coming of new forms of transport to Greenwich. Although we had the railway since 1836 and river travel has been with us since - well, forever, really, Greenwich was always comparatively cut-off from the rest of London until we got the Docklands Light Railway and The Jubilee Line, connecting us to the underground network.
This has brought a huge amount of new people into the area, because they can commute to The City - and, of course, to the newly-built Canary Wharf - once the docks of London, now a mainly service-sector area. There's a vibrancy -not least because of the numer of young people here - from the University and Trinity Music College, which came when the Navy moved out of the Old Royal Navla College and it was opened up to the public as a museum.
Greenwich's industrial life has diminished as the 'cleaning-up' has spread. The peninsula, where once a gigantic gas works filled the area, is now 'cleaned up' and awaiting more development, industry being confined to the west side by the river (if you want to see some of Greenwich's industrial world, take a walk along The Thames Path) and driven further out - to Charlton, Woolwich and beyond.
2000, of course, was the 'big' year for Greenwich - the ill-fated Millennium Dome was opened - and shut again - it's only recently been reopened, and is, at last, a success.
In the town centre, Greenwich is changing too. As more people come, so do companies with cash. Where there used to be a lot of independent retailers, chain stores are taking over. Not everyone sees this as a bad thing - it is, at least, proof that Greenwich is getting richer. But I mourn for the quirky, individual shops and services that are being forced to close through higher rents.
So what else is good? Well - the Picturehouse, reopened, is a joy, and the spruced-up museums and town centre are nice. But it's up to us to make sure that Greenwich gets better rather than worse. We cannot leave it to other people - or worse still, big businesses - to decide on our fate...
I'm not sure that's what you asked. Sorry - I got a bit carried away there...
Labels: Ask The Phantom
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
10:03
10 Comments:
Joseph,
I'm in East Greenwich and have a few pics of the area over the last few years. I have quite a few pics of the area over the last few years, especially the Hospital coming down. I think I have video of the chimney being blown up too somewhere. If you would like to have copies, just get your Mum or Dad to contact me through the Phantom and I will see what I can do to help.
By the way, is you project just a written work or is it going to be pics and vids too?
PS have you tried 'Googling' Greenwich in the Images tab? I got some old Canary Wharf pics from there.
What a clever lad - good luck with your project Joseph!
Well, Joseph, much of the recent change you see came about when these islands where privatised as 'Britain Inc.' and came under the control of a new management company, Thatcher & Sons. We're told everything has been absolutely wonderful since then but that may be a matter of some considerable dispute ... Good luck!
Blackheathen
Or B much local change came with the invention of the container ship.
Joseph, great project! I really like how you are just looking at it since you were born! I've only been living in Greenwich a couple of years, but have already noticed changes. The building work that is taking place near/behind the station by Bellway makes a massive change to the landscape in that area, and will bring an even bigger influx of people to the area. Perhaps Bellway could provide you with some information and photos of the area before they started building and some artist impressions of how it will look when it's finished?
How about looking at the tree in the park that Queen Elizabeth used to sit on? While it's now fenced off and has a new tree next to it, I believe that is only a recent change? In fact my boyfriend remembers being able to sit inside the tree when it was still standing!
Good luck with the project!
To be a bit more serious Joseph, as the Phantom suggests, change has been a consistent part of Greenwich life for yonks but the recent speed of it has been quite shocking at times. Let's take a quick trip up to the observation point at the Observatory in Greenwich Park.
Now as you look North across to the Isle of Dogs, at the time you were born there was just the one tall building there and that's only been there since the late 80s.
Looking over to the right now you'll see the 02 Arena or the Millennium Dome. Well, that went up in '99 and previous to that it was the site of large British Gas refinery.
Beyond that on the North side of the river you'll see the UK office of the Reuters news agency and a variety of appartment buildings most of which have just gone up in the last six years or so.
Meanwhile immediately before and behind you I'm pleased to say that you are looking at protected land such as the park, the Maritime Museum and Royal Naval College (now the University of Greenwich and Trinity College of Music). Something's I'm please to say are not allowed to change.
If you'd like to get a sense of the Greenwich of 100 or 200 years ago, just walk amongst the maze of streets to the West of the Park and you'll find lovely period terraces in the likes of Crooms Hill, Gloucester Circus, Hyde Vale and Royal Hill. Imagine these streets without a single car in them. No traffic signs or residents bay markings. No overhead cables or satellite dishses and listen also - for where you now hear the 24 hour hum of cars, planes and trains, you would have heard only the rumble f a passing cart or carriage, a horses hooves on the cobbles perhaps, and closer to the park the sound of the birdsong and not even a of an asthmatic sparrow!
Would that we could go there now!
Blackheathen.
Greenwich 100 years ago - if you really want to know what it was like read Booth - the really bad lads lived round the back of Park Vista! A lot of people were very very poor and lived very uncertain lives. But the big big change in the past 30 years really is the way that life on the river has died - once you could hear the noise of the boats and riverside work all the time. (I miss it so much, particularly at New Year).
"the way that life on the river has died">
Couldn't agree more. There is simply no notion before us now that this waterway was once the most significant channel on the planet and that from it flowed not just trade and commerce but the politics and philosophies that have gone on to make democracies in each far flung corner.
They're always crowing about how the river has never been cleaner, and while I'm no advocate of pollution, that is only because there is nothing happening on the shores of this ancient waterway other than being home to an unending, bland chain of faceless appartment blocks.
Just think of all the millions that have been splashed out on such affairs by sad fools who can only look across the silent gully and drink in the view of ... another appartment building just like theirs on the other side of the river.
Frankly, I've known estates in Swindon with more appeal!
Thank you Greenwich phantom and to everyone who left a message about changes in Greenwich. I used a lot of the information, but I mainly went around Greenwich with a digital camera which was great fun. I got joint first prize for my project which is on display outside our classroom. Thanks again.
from Joseph
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home