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New Eltham facts for kids

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New Eltham
Thaxted Road, New Eltham.jpg
Typical 1930s New Eltham housing in Thaxted Road
New Eltham is located in Greater London
New Eltham
New Eltham
OS grid reference TQ440730
London borough
Ceremonial county Greater London
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LONDON
Postcode district SE9
Dialling code 020
Police Metropolitan
Fire London
Ambulance London
EU Parliament London
UK Parliament
  • Eltham
London Assembly
  • Greenwich and Lewisham
  • Bexley and Bromley
List of places
UK
England
London
51°26′16″N 0°04′13″E / 51.43770°N 0.07037°E / 51.43770; 0.07037

New Eltham is an area of south east London, in the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley. It lies south east of Eltham and north west of Sidcup.

History

New Eltham grew up as a suburb of farmland to the south of Eltham in and around the small hamlet and crossroads of Pope's Street.

The railway station was opened in 1878 as "Pope Street", and acted as a catalyst for growth. Less than a decade later in 1886, the station officially became known as "New Eltham". The redevelopment of land into housing had spread southwards from Eltham, the Pope Street area being rechristened as a new extension. On the main building of Wyborne School (Footscray Road) there is a sign, clearly identifying it as "Pope Street" School, built in 1904.

As part of the Cold War Civil defence, a rectangular windowless blockhouse was built in 1954 behind New Eltham library. It served as the Woolwich Borough Control and when Woolwich merged with Greenwich in 1965 it took over the role as the Greenwich Borough Control. The control was part of the South East London Group reporting to the Regional Group War HQ at Chislehurst and later to Pear Tree House. Further information about the bunker can be found in the Subterranea Britannica, see the External Links section below.

Until the mid-1970s New Eltham had 3 butchers, 2 greengrocers, 3 grocers, 2 toy shops, a shoe repairer, 2 barbers, a radio and television repair shop, a clothing and material store, timber yard, cycle sales and repairs, 2 motor spares, hardware store, 2 dairys and a fishmongers. What is now The Co-operative supermarket was actually composed of smaller separate purpose shops (all CO-OP). From the station end, was a greengrocers, a chemist, butchers then the co-op grocery store. There was a fishmongers that later became a fish and chip shop (and still is as of 2008). Behind this, in what is now the car park was the CO-OP dairy, the other (Unigate) was in Green Lane near Fiveways in what is now a small business park.

In 1974 the bridge (crossing the railway line) at Avery Hill Road was widened to allow buses to cross it. This replaced a narrow iron bridge which only had a separate path on one side for pedestrians.

Sport and recreation

Championship side Charlton Athletic has a training ground in New Eltham, down Sparrows Lane. The area's other football teams include Newpark F.C., which played in the South London Football Alliance Division 3 and are currently holders of the Beckenham Hospital Cup, and one New Eltham team, playing in the London & Kent Borders League and based at the STC Ground on Ivor Grove

Footscray RUFC is located on Footscray Road. It has three men's team (the first team playing in the Shepherd Neame Kent 2 league), a ladies team and minis rugby.

RACS Cricket Club are based in the area.

New Eltham also has a running club, New Eltham Joggers. A section of the South East London Green Chain walk passes through New Eltham.

New Eltham Operatic Society is a member of the National Operatic and Dramatic Association. Dance classes are held above the Co-op store.

Amenities

Near the Railway station is the Library, the Co-operative Food Store, a cluster of small shops and the Post Office. Larger chain stores may be found in nearby Eltham and Sidcup High Streets, which are a short drive away. Dance classes are held above the Co-op store and a public house opposite was refurbished during 2009.

Nearby Places

Transport

New Eltham station serves the area, with services to Central London and Gravesend. New Eltham is served by several Transport for London bus services connecting it with Beckenham, Bexleyheath, Bromley, Catford, Chislehurst, Eltham, Lewisham, New Addington, New Cross, Sidcup and Swanley.

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