Erith’s historic past
I think it is a tragic waste that Erith does not make more of it’s history. The wonderful people who have kept Erith Museum going know only too well that there is much to interest us if only it was all brought together. With this in mind I accepted an invitation from the British Library to a viewing of their exhibition “Henry VIII – Man and Monarch” which was fascinating.
As local historians will know Erith played a part during the reign of Henry VIII (1509 – 47) . Henry is believed to have spent a night here on his way to France . Part of his naval dockyard was founded at Erith, and his famous warship, Henri Grace à Dieu or ‘Great Harry’, was fitted out here in 1515.
Erith has a rich and varied history that is rarely discussed or celebrated. There is a fascinating history of smuggling in the 17th and 18th century, as well as the more recently uncovered role in the East India Companies trading and I am sure that many people moving to the area do not realise that the reason there are roads around the “pom pom ” area called Friday and Crusoe is because the real life mariner Alexander Selkirk ( upon whom Robinson Crusoe was based ) came back to UK after his shipwreck arriving at Erith on 14 October 1711.
I think Erith deserves a permanent building to house a visitors and education centre to celebrate the history or Erith and the river and I will be campaigning to make that happen.
It seems really sad that we don’t make the most of our history. When i walk along the pier I am always surprised how few people seem to be there; The river has been so important but that heritage seems sadly neglected.If you get elected I hope you can do something to stimulate interst in our past.
I stumbled across this note. Although I really not sure about ‘celebrating’ the history of Erith [too many things seem to be ‘celebrated’ today] I am sure that there is much that is forgotten about Erith viz. I understand that The Royal London Yacht Club was based in Erith during the mid/late 1800’s.
dear teresa
i am trying to evoke interest in erith’s history, of which there is much, i am trying to research as much as possible on the computer, or from literature i have. what is going to happen to the artifacts in the erith museum, exiting history is everywhere, you don’t have to go far, I must take a walk by the river, i have not been down there for a long time, but not while it’s slippery
there are air raid shelters and caves galore ginny
i am still trying to uncover more historical events in erith, so we revive interest for the people of erith who perhaps do not expect or know of the important facts of the town they live in, which is important for the young people of erith, to inspire them, make them feel that they live in a place where important events took place, that will be remembered for all time, there is much more that I have not uncovered yet, but I will, the amazing singer Kate Bush lived in erith, does anyone know the road she lived in? I love history, as I am sure many other people do, it is part of everybodys life as much as the future is, history shapes the future, I read that someone in Crusoe Road is appearing on Britains Got Talent and a young man in Erith is appearing on Lets Dance, isn’t this something to be proud of Virginia