The Rug Factory Long Lane

Strange how a photo can trigger a memory, going through old post concerning the rug factory, Bedford, Steer, End and co. Wire workers jumped into my mind. Before it was rug factory it was part of artisans wire working history, they were in Lord Mayors show in 1894 showing their skills of wire work ( okay that bits not memory,more me looking it up!) sure the name was on or above tiles fairly recently. The I remembered the Japanners in Tabard street . They decorated tinware as I recall. Then athe paper factory in Tabard street..Thoms...going to have to think about other industry we have lost, we co-existed with it, not now all signs of trades are disappearing!

Jan the old one wrote:

.,.going to have to think about other industry we have lost, we co-existed with it, not now all signs of trades are disappearing!

It’s not as if industry itself is disappearing, it’s with different industries, no? I think there are more businesses than ever in SE1, but it’s office workers rather than artisans. I regret never to have seen the docks, bustling with ships. Can’t help feeling nostalgic about that, so much more interesting than marketing and advertising agencies, tech firms, estate agents and all the Prets, Starbucks etc that cater for them.

At New Cross Edward I remember looking down Clifton Rise as a child and seeing a beautiful sight, it was a foggy morning and you could see cranes and boats..in bed in Long Lane evening you could hear foghorns tooting. Laying in bed you would sometimes see the sweep of car headlights occasionally coming through our bedroom curtains. We lived number 1 Strood house..that was in 1953 and the excitement I felt when my friends parent had a telephone , the only one in the square!
The only graffiti artists was us kids who lived in the square chalking on the floor for hopscotch! Days of so little but none of us cockneys felt deprived, it was as it was...

I came across this group recently and support the idea that a 'good city has everything' https://www.vitalokr.com/

Remember this old post....Bedford steer end..then took over by rug factory....soon to be demolished and replaced by 'sympathetic housing' think I'd rather the old green tiles!

Jan have you read any of Harry Bowling's books? Most of them set in Bermondsey.