Brockley

For other uses, see Brockley (disambiguation).

Template:Infobox London place Brockley is an area of the London Borough of Lewisham in England. It is covered by London postal district SE4, and lies on the old boundary between the Lewisham and Deptford parishes. The name 'Brockley' is derived from either 'Broca's woodland clearing', or a wood where badgers are seen (broc is the Old English for badger).

The area remained agricultural until the nineteenth century, the most notable building of the time being the 'Brockley Jack', a hostelry reputed to be a favourite amongst highwaymen. The market gardens were famous for the enormous Victoria rhubarb which were fertilised by night soil from London. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the Wickham and Drake families developed the north of Brockley with large villas, terraces and semi-detached houses. This part became the Brockley conservation area in 1974, when also the Brockley Society was formed.

A local open space, Hilly Fields, was saved from development by the Commons Preservation Society and local groups in the 1880s and 1890s (including Octavia Hill, one of the founders of the National Trust). In 1894, after being bought with the proceeds of private donations and funding from the London County Council, the fields were transformed from old brickpits and ditches into a park. The park became a regular meeting place for the Suffragette movement between 1907 and 1914. The old West Kent Grammar School (then later renamed Brockley County Grammar School), now Prendergast School, a Grade II listed building, is situated at the top of the hill (with a listed prerapahaelite mural in its hall), and close by, a stone circle was erected in 2000 as a millennium project by a group of local artists, which won a civic trust award in 2004.

Eating & Drinking

Brockley has only a few notable places to eat and drink. Because of its proximity to Goldsmiths' College there are many young residents, and Moonbow Jake's (Brockley Road) is a favourite among them and many other people in the area. It also plays host to artwork by local residents and local students, most of which is available to purchase.

The other bars/pubs in Brockley of note are Jam Circus, The Brockley Barge (which is a J.D. Wetherspoon public house) and the quite excellent Mr Lawrence's Wine Bar (all of which are along the Brockley Road).

Recommended places to eat is the Italian restaurant La Lanterna on the Brockley Road, and also the superbly named Vietnamese restuarant Love U Long Time Cafe. Also breakfast is not to be missed at the Toad's Mouth Too Cafe, which is close to the Vietnamese restaurant, right next to Brockley Train Station.

Famous Residents

• Kate Bush the singer, lived on Wickham Road and performed at the Rose of Lee.
• Darren Johnson Green Party politician
• David Jones, poet and artist, was born in Brockley and lived in Howson Road for much of his earlier life.
• David Lodge (author), grew up in Brockley.
• Edgar Wallace (author and original screenwriter of King Kong) lived at 6 Tresillian Crescent, Brockley, between 1900 and 1932.
• Tony Malone (designer), Local resident.
• Henry Williamson writer and author of Tarka the Otter, lived at 21 Eastern Road, Brockley, during his childhood in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
• David Haig the Actor, Lives on Harefield Road.

Nearest places

• Crofton Park
• Catford
• Deptford
• Honor Oak
• Ladywell
• Lewisham
• New Cross
• Nunhead
• Peckham

Nearest railway stations

• Brockley railway station
• Crofton Park railway station
• St Johns railway station

References in popular culture

Linton Kwesi Johnson mentions Brockley in his poem "Inglan Is A Bitch". He spells it "Brackly" as this is roughly how it sounds in a Jamaican accent:

dem a have a lickle facktri up inna Brackly

inna disya facktri all dem dhu is pack crackry

fi di laas fifteen years dem get mi laybah

now awftah fifteen years mi fall out a fayvah

External links

• [http://www.* [http://www.stmarymagdalen'scatholic.org.uk Catholic School
• [http://www.brockleycc.org/ Brockley Community Church
• Brockley Jack Theatre
• Brockley Max Festival
• The Brockley Society
• Edgar Wallace's Home in Brockley
• The Edgar Wallace Collection
• South London Guide to Brockley
• Brockley Open Studios
• Brockley Cross Action Group
• Brockley Stone Circle
• Lewisham Website Page on Brockley