history

This is the Croydon Music Heritage Trail

20 September 2023

Last Saturday we joined a Croydon Music Heritage Trail tour around the centre of Croydon. We (along with a dozen or so other walkers) met our three friendly guides from the Museum of Croydon...
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Croydon is open

7 September 2023

September, the start of autumn and the last of those glorious warm evenings before the weather turns and the darker evenings set in… it’s one of my favourite months of the year, but not...
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In good company

3 August 2023

I continue to be surprised and impressed by the number of names linked to Croydon; famous actors, musicians, inventors, activists, writers… the list goes on. So this week dear readers, in my research I...
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Five facts about Peggy

12 April 2023

Whilst I was at the Fairfield Halls earlier this month enjoying the Oratorio of Hope in the Concert Hall, it got me thinking about their other main performance space, the Ashcroft Theatre, and its...
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The many faces of Lilian Braithwaite

2 March 2023

And we’re now in March, which in case you didn’t know is Women’s History Month. In the coming weeks we also of course celebrate International Women’s Day (next Wednesday 8 March) and Mother’s Day...
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What’s in Store?

17 November 2022

It is almost the festive countdown to Christmas stockings and dinner with all the trimmings! My dad, believe it or not, has already put up his Christmas decorations to make the most of the...
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Saffron, slides, meadows and monarchs

4 August 2022

If you frequent the centre of Croydon I doubt it will have escaped your notice that we have a new park! Ok, not a ‘new’ new park. However The Queens Gardens (now with a...
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The Green Line Part 5

9 June 2022

If you fancy a bit of history whilst you’re enjoying Croydon’s greenspaces, then this is the walk for you. Here guest writer Peter Hall takes us on his Green Line walk part 5, through...
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Celebrating Afro hair

3 March 2022

This week we headed to the Whitgift Centre to visit an exhibition and events space on the upper level. The space, which opened last summer, is run by local charity, the Windrush Generation Legacy...
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250 years of black innovation and success

25 November 2021

This week we chat to the author of Black Enterprize, D. A. Miller. I first came across Dwayne’s work when Black Enterprize, which tells the stories of successful black innovators through history, was turned...
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Poetry, prose and concrete

9 September 2021

As you probably already know, Open House London opened its doors (literally) last weekend. The Croydon architectural gems on offer included the medieval/Victorian Croydon Minster, the 1920s Airport House and South Norwood’s 1960s brutalist...
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Pioneering Purley

15 July 2021

I have recently been seeking out blue plaques and creating my own running trails connecting them together (see here and here). I’ve been doing this in various locations but at the request of some...
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Addiscombe blue green run

20 May 2021

Welcome to the second in our series of blue plaque runs. Ok this one isn’t 100% blue plaque as it features a green plaque too, but it’s an optional stop, so if you want...
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The magic of Croydon

15 April 2021

Both the Elizabethan and Victorian eras in England have always been promoted as eras of enlightenment, scientific advancement; and where religion played an important part in everyone’s lives. Especially with the witch trials from...
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Norwood’s blue plaque run

8 April 2021

Lockdown has sucked hasn’t it, but I have tried to look at the positives throughout, like not having to commute, getting chores done during the week rather than taking up my whole weekend, and...
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Croydon’s original mural artist

25 March 2021

Whilst I was reading about architect Jane Drew, who we featured last month, I happened upon a friend of hers and fellow Croydon-born creative, Barbara Mildred Jones. Despite being a rather influential post-war artist,...
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Croydon’s Chandigarh architect

18 February 2021

Whilst I was enjoying a trip down a Google rabbit warren (as I often do) when I was researching modernist architecture for my chat with Keith van Loen last week, I happened upon a...
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Rainy days and musical adventures

14 January 2021

Music has always been dear to my heart. I’m in a band, curate a festival and now also have a music podcast, but I’m also a huge fan of history. I was recently reading...
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The (mis)fortunes of the Croydon Carews

10 December 2020

As I’ve mentioned before, history isn’t my strong point, having sadly dropped the subject at school aged 14. I have a fascination with Croydon’s 20th Century history when our space-age skyline started to form,...
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From Spitfires to orchids

24 September 2020

I grew up on the southern edge of Croydon and my childhood home was just down the road from Kenley Common, so I’ve been visiting this beautiful greenspace ever since I can remember… I...
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