People

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On 18 January 1981, 13 teenagers were killed when fire broke out at a birthday party in New Cross. The incident, suspected to be a racist attack, shocked the local community and led to protests at the poor response by police and government. The 14th death came more than two years later with the suicide of a survivor of the fire. They are: Patrick Cummings, Andrew Gooding, Peter Campbell, Gerry Paul Francis, Steve Collins, Patricia Johnson, Rosaline Henry, Lloyd Hall, Humphrey Geoffrey Brown, Owen Thompson, Yvonne Ruddock, Glenton Powell, Paul Ruddock, and Anthony Berbeck.34 

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Kath Duncan was a suffragette, activist, Communist and firebrand campaigner for the rights of the more disadvantaged in society. Born in Scotland, she moved to London where she became a teacher, Communist Party parliamentary candidate and key force in the National Unemployed Workers Movement. In Deptford specifically, she organised anti-armament protests, one of which led to the Battle of Deptford Broadway clash with the police. When she died in Scotland in 1954, thousands lined the streets in South London to remember the woman whose catchphrase was, “I will fight to the last ditch!”35 

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Rhythm and blues maestro Jools Holland grew up in Deptford and has not strayed too far from his roots.36 One of the albums released by his band, Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, is a nod to the local folk tradition of Jack In The Green, where every May Day a tall man covered in greenery and wearing a crown of flowers walks the streets of Deptford accompanied by music, song and dance. The illustration on the tile is a detail from the cover of the album, Jack O The Green. 

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Sir Keith Ajegbo, a graduate of Cambridge University, served as Head of Deptford Green School for 20 years and led the school to academic success. He received an OBE for services to education in 1996, and in 2007 he was knighted.37 According to his Alma Mater, he is now Chair of the Stephen Lawrence Trust, a trustee of the Charitable Foundation of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, and a trustee of an education charity working in Rwanda.38 Wondering about the caption’s ‘griffin’ mention? Sir Ajegbo was at Cambridge’s Downing College, whose arms bears the image of a… griffin. 

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Even if you don’t know much about space, you have probably heard of Halley’s comet. This is because it was the first time that astronomers could prove that comets do not pass by Earth just once. The comet’s return was predicted by astronomer Sir Edmond Halley in 1705, using Isaac Newton’s theories of gravity and planet movements.39 Halley went on to become Astronomer Royal at Royal Observatory Greenwich.40 Even though he wasn’t there to witness its return, the comet was named in his honour. The next time Halley’s comet is due is 2061. Get your diary out. 

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Elizabethan poet and playwright Christopher Marlow is probably best known for being a great inspiration to his contemporary William Shakespeare – and for dying a mysterious death in Deptford. Accounts of his demise vary from a brawl in a tavern to an argument with three friends over a bill, during which Marlowe was fatally stabbed with his own dagger (the latter being more commonly accepted as what occurred). Marlowe’s works include The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, which is referenced in the caption to this tile. 

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This tile is inspired by the cover of ‘Sylva’ by John Evelyn, 17th century Deptford resident, writer and famous diarist. While he is best known for charting the events occurring around him, Evelyn was also a keen gardener and wrote extensively about the need to plant trees. He established his garden at Sayes Court in 1653, bringing plants and inspiration from around the world. While the mansion has gone, part of the garden lives on in Deptford as part of Sayes Court Park. 

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If you lived in Deptford in 1966 you might remember a big event – not England winning the World Cup but the opening of Soul City record shop by Dave Godin, David Nathan and Robert Blackmore. The store brought in hot new releases from over the pond and Godin launched an accompanying record label to promote new talent too. He is also credited with coming up with the name ‘Northern Soul’. The tile’s safety pin also recognises Lewisham as the birthplace of Simon John Ritchie, better known as Sex Pistols’ frontman Sid Vicious. 

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Stephen Lawrence had dreams of being an architect, but on 22 April 1993, the 18-year-old student was murdered in an unprovoked, racist attack near his home in Eltham. Through the tenacity of his family, particularly his mother Doreen Lawrence, his death has forced through important changes in policing, particularly tackling racism within the force. In Deptford, the Stephen Lawrence Centre provides a space for young creatives and local entrepreneurs – with the whole building designed around Stephen’s architectural dream and his favourite colour, orange. 

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Deptford and its surrounds has produced its fair share of football stars, including the Wallace brothers (Danny, Rod and Ray); Ian Wright, who started off playing at Hilly Fields in Ladywell; and David Rocastle from nearby Brockley.41 Not to mention Rio Ferdinand over in Peckham, where Ademola Lookman was also raised. No wonder a Guardian article from 2022 was titled, ‘How south London became a talent factory for Black British footballers’. This tile references sewing too, as a reminder of the humble origins of the football and the way communities can join together to support one another’s talents. 

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The peace symbol has long been used by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in their protests and actions against nuclear power. One local stalwart of the frontline is Joan Ruddock, who was Chair of the CND in the 1980s and went on to be elected MP for Lewisham Deptford an impressive six times. During that time, she also served as Labour’s Minister for Women, Minister For Environment, and Minister for Energy and Climate Change. The campaign against nuclear energy and weapons continues through the world of Lewisham and Greenwich CND. 

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has a strong history of soundsystem culture, from one-off records (or dubplates) to toasters spitting lyrics on the mic. Dub, roots reggae, rocksteady and ska basslines have grounded the borough since the 1970s and 80s, giving rise to artists and innovators such as Mad Professor, Lez “Lezlee Lyrix” Henry, Maxi Priest, to name just a few. The Deptford Dub Club continues to host live talent: the image on this tile is inspired by an event poster for one of their nights. It also recognises Lewisham’s wider music culture, stretching from punk pioneers Alternative TV to New Cross grime MC P Money. 

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The Pepys Estate in Deptford is named after Samuel Pepys, represented here by an ‘S’ from his crest. He is best known for his diaries, which give a fascinating perspective on key 17th century events, including the King Charles II’s coronation, the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. Given his job as a naval administrator, it is no surprise that he often recorded visiting Deptford’s docks, though many entries also relate to local pubs, visits to fellow diarist John Evelyn, or (in the tile caption) his ‘Valentine’ aka Mrs Bagwell whom even the plague couldn’t keep him from.42 

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Angry at the increased taxes levied by English King Henry VII, Cornish blacksmith Michael Joseph An Gof (An Gof means ‘the smith’) led a march on Parliament in 1497. The protestors gathered supporters on the way and walked all the way to Blackheath, where they set up camp – only to be met by soldiers of the king’s army. In the resulting Battle of Deptford Bridge, at least 200 of the poorly armed rebels were killed. An Gof (along with Bodmin lawyer Thomas Flamank) was hung, drawn and quartered.43 

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Deptford’s Creekside is a popular spot to go mudlarking – walking along the banks of the creek in search of forgotten treasures. Creekside Discovery Centre also runs Low Tide Walks, where you can join an expert on a stroll along the riverbed (waders and mud sticks are provided). One of the most common finds are clay pipes, which can date back hundreds of years. Some credit (or blame) Sir Walter Raleigh for the introduction of tobacco into England in 1586, and making it popular in the royal court due to its supposed health benefits, which have been thoroughly discredited since. 

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Born in 1875, Rosa May Billinghurst was a social campaigner for the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), who were fighting for women’s suffrage (the right to vote). Easily recognised by her wheelchair decorated in WSPU colours and flowers, Billinghurst had worked in a Greenwich workhouse and founded the Greenwich branch of the WSPU. In November 1910, she was thrown from her wheelchair by police in the ‘Black Friday’ demonstration and in subsequent years was arrested, imprisoned and sentenced to hard labour for taking part in various protests, including an attack on letterboxes in Deptford.44 

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Sisters Rachel and Margaret McMillan were born in the US and raised in Scotland but it was in Deptford that they really made their mark. In 1910 they set up a children’s clinic at 3 Deptford Road, and another in 1911 at 353 Evelyn Road. With so many children living in poverty in the area, they added ‘camps’ where boys and girls could bathe, eat, learn, and grow vegetables. They went on to set up an open-air nursery, built around a garden, and a training college for nursery nurses and teachers: Rachel McMillan College on Creek Road.45 

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Edmond Halley is best known for the comet that was named after him, but this 18th century astronomer and physicist also made important contributions to science through his lunar studies and navigation work. When he was appointed Astronomer Royal at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, he made an ambitious goal: to observe the moon’s cycles over 18 years and 11 days, from which he aimed to determine the length of an eclipse cycle.46 

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‘She’s in the flowers,’ is a line from a song by Mercury-award winning, Lewisham singer-songwriter ESKA, but here it celebrates the life and work of Sue Godfrey. An environmental campaigner and well-known resident of Deptford’s Crossfield Estate, she was sadly killed in a road accident. In 1994, Bronze Street Nature Park was renamed Sue Godfrey National Park in recognition of her role in protecting the park for local residents.47 

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The brilliantly named Thankfull Sturdee was an acclaimed Deptford photographer and local historian. Born in 1852, he joined the staff of the Daily Mirror in 1911 as one of the first press photographers. Alongside his newspaper work, he took photos of Deptford and captured local traditions such as Fowlers Troop’s Jack In The Green May Day celebrations. In 1895 he published Reminiscences of Old Deptford.48 He’s remembered by a plaque outside his former residence at 16 Bolden Street and a collection of his work, One Man's Deptford: a selection from the photographs of Thankfull Sturdee. 

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The image of a plant and stones on this tile draws on the cover of a book by Victorian designer, author, champion of craft, and campaigner William Morris, titled A Dream of John Ball. John Ball was a radical preacher and one of the leaders of the 1381 Peasants Revolt, along with the more famous Wat Tyler. Ball is said to have whipped up the crowds who had gathered at Blackheath in protest at the 1380 poll tax, with a rousing sermon and the egalitarian interrogation: ‘When Adam delved and Eve span, Who then was the gentleman?’49 

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If you’ve visited Trafalgar Square you will have seen Nelson’s column soaring into the sky, but you may not have looked closely at the base of the statue. Here you’ll find an image carved into the stone that captures the scene of Nelson’s death on HMS Victory. One of the individuals pictured is a Black man, aiming a musket towards the direction of Nelson’s shooter. He is thought to be 23-year-old George Ryan, who was ‘pressed’ into service in Deptford, but is originally from Africa or Montserrat.50 

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Seaman and socialist Chris Braithwaite came to England from Barbados and ended up making waves on shore as well at sea with his anti-racist, pan-African activism. In 1930 he joined the Seamen’s Minority Movement, and five years later co-founded the Colonial Seaman’s Association to advocate for better treatment of ethnic-minority seamen.51 Challenging the National Union of Seamen and ship owners was risky, so he went by the name Chris Jones so he wouldn’t be victimised. Described as ‘a very fine comrade’ by Trinidadian socialist, writer and historian CLR James, Braithwaite passed away in 1944. 

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Trix Worrell is famous for creating the much-loved 80s/90s sitcom Desmond’s, filmed just down the road from Deptford in Peckham. The comedy series, which is set in a barber shop, was a rare portrait of an ordinary Black family living in London, and the community around them. Born in St Lucia, Worrell started off doing youth theatre at The Albany Empire in Deptford, and later became a trainee at the theatre after being selected for an Arts Council theatre directors course.52 In 1998 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Royal Television Society. 

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Grinling Gibbons started off his career working as a decorative carver in York, before trying his luck at the Royal Dockyard in Deptford. There, he would have produced wood carvings for ships built at the famous shipyard, but he also worked on his own artistic pieces on the side. It’s said that one day, London diarist and Deptford resident John Evelyn saw Gibbons working on a carving of Tintoretto's painting, The Crucifixion, and promptly introduced him to King Charles II.53 Gibbons went on to become the King’s Master Carver and work in palaces, churches and beyond. His name is remembered locally in the Grinling Gibbons Primary School. 

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The movement for Irish home rule wasn’t limited to Ireland – there was even a branch of the Irish National League (INL) right here in Deptford. Blog Transpontine records that in the 1880s, the INL would meet at Sayes Court in Deptford. There was also an INL club registered at 35 Albury Street in 1911. One meeting in 1876 was stormed by anti-Home Rule opponents, but according to the memoirs of T.D. Sullivan, ‘the flag was bravely defended, and after some fierce fighting, the attacking party were ejected from the building.’ 

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Lignum Vitae is the national flower of Jamaica. Another flower produced by this Caribbean island is Barbara Raymond, who with Ray Woolford co-founded the We Care food bank in Deptford. Raymond started the service back in 1976, making it potentially the first food bank in the UK. Initially operating from her own home, Raymond would share food to those in need. A mural featuring Raymond alongside fellow activist Kath Duncan was unveiled on Albyn Street in 2022.54

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Born in what is now Nigeria, Olaudah Equiano was enslaved and transported to Barbados and then Virginia. At one point he is said to have lived in Deptford, where he learned to read and write. While enslaved to a merchant, he was able to trade independently and earn enough money to buy his freedom. His memoir The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African became a key text in the abolition movement, and Equiano was a vocal campaigner for the cause.55 A number of memorials to Equiano exist in Deptford, as listed on Londonist.com.56 

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The Deptford Action Group for the Elderly (DAGE) was relaunched in 2000 to support elder members of the community. Best known for its ‘pop in’ service offering free refreshments, group outings and high-street charity shop, DAGE’s efforts were recognised in 2008 when it received The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, equivalent to an MBE.57 

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White South African activists Errol and Dorothy Shanley lived in exile in Deptford after joining the fight against apartheid. Errol was a member of the Communist Party in South Africa and the Trades and Labour Council. He later played a key role in the forming of the Congress of Democrats. In December 1955, South African History Online records that Errol, his wife Dorothy and 154 others – including Nelson Mandela – were arrested and charged with high treason, although later the charge was dropped.58 The couple came to the UK in 1972 where Errol volunteered for the African National Congress's London office.