Petts Wood
Encyclopedia
History
The name appeared first in 1577 as "the wood of the Pett familyPett dynasty
The so-called Pett Dynasty was a family of shipwrights who prospered in England between the 15th and 17th centuries. It was once said of the family that they were "so knit together that the Devil himself could not discover them"...
", who were shipbuilders and leased the wood as a source of timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
s. William Willett
William Willett
William Willett , was an English builder and a tireless promoter of British Summer Time.-Biography:Willett was born in Farnham, Surrey, in the United Kingdom, and educated at the Philological School. After some commercial experience, he entered his father's building business, Willett Building...
, a campaigner for daylight saving time
Daylight saving time
Daylight saving time —also summer time in several countries including in British English and European official terminology —is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less...
, lived in nearby Chislehurst
Chislehurst
Chislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
for most of his life, and is commemorated by a memorial sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
in the wood. The Daylight Inn in the suburb of Petts Wood is named in his honour. Petts Wood has a second pub (The Sovereign of the Seas) and a railway station
Petts Wood railway station
Petts Wood railway station serves Petts Wood in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station was built on the main line to the north of Orpington and opened on 9 July 1928, and the community now surrounding it developed from that date: now the railway divides Petts Wood...
. It is situated between Orpington
Orpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
and Bickley
Bickley
Bickley is an affluent residential area and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is a suburban development situated 10.4 miles south east of Charing Cross...
. The Jubilee Country Park
Jubilee Country Park
Jubilee Country Park is a 62 acre public park in Petts Wood in the London Borough of Bromley. It is a Local Nature Reserve, a Site of Metropolitan Importance. It was purchased by Bromley Council to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977, and opened as a park in 1981.The Park is...
is located to the northwest of the main shopping area and is home to several rare species of animal life.
Most of Petts Wood was built in the early 20th Century by the developer Basil Scruby together with Master builder, Noel Rees, as a high quality estate in a rural setting only a short train journey from the city, with the east side being built first: it is often quoted in sociological textboooks as a classic piece of 1920s town planning, as the first building in place was the station, and the rest of the town developed from there.
The generally higher quality of large homes built to the east of the railway line, as compared to smaller and more dense to the west, gave rise to the local references of "Half Crown" or "Five Bob" sides.
Noel Rees's name is still used as a selling point by estate agents, his houses can be found in Great Thrift, The Covert, Prince's Avenue, Wood Ride, Kingsway, Chislehurst Road, The Chenies and many other roads in Petts Wood.
The area between Petts Wood and Bickley sustained heavy bombing during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
because of its proximity to an important railway junction. Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, leader of the Free French and future President of France, lived in Petts Wood, at 41 Birchwood Road, for part of the Second World War. Another prominent resident of Birchwood Road was the Welsh Baritone Sir Geraint Evans, and the toastmaster Ivor Spencer
Ivor Spencer
Ivor Spencer, MBE was the founder of the Ivor Spencer International School for Butlers and the Professional School for Toastmasters....
also lived nearby. One of the most renowned residents, Alex Mcculloch, played a prominent role in its establishment. Many residents of Petts Wood worked in Fleet Street, as it was the most affordable area with the latest last train for them to catch home after putting the morning's papers to bed. The Petts Wood Cricket Club was established in 1834, making it the third oldest club in the London Boroughs. In 2010, it added former Australian Croquet and Arm Wrestling Champion Adrian Perry as it's international signing.
The wood itself survives and is managed by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. Originally just 88 acres (36 hectares) were bought by public subscription and donated to the Trust in 1927. This asset expanded when the neighbouring Hawkwood Estate and Edlmann Wood, comprising a further 250 acres (100 hectares), were donated to the Trust by landowners Robert and Francesca Hall in 1957. The woodland features oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, rowan
Rowan
The rowans or mountain-ashes are shrubs or small trees in genus Sorbus of family Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the mountains of western China and the Himalaya, where numerous apomictic microspecies...
, alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, ash
Ash tree
Fraxinus is a genus flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45-65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. The tree's common English name, ash, goes back to the Old English æsc, while the generic name...
, hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
and sweet chestnut
Sweet Chestnut
Castanea sativa is a species of the flowering plant family Fagaceae, the tree and its edible seeds are referred to by several common names such Sweet Chestnut or Marron. Originally native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, it is now widely dispersed throughout Europe and parts of Asia, such as...
.
In 2009, the local Woolworths had the privilege of writing the last word in the history of that chain in the UK, when its manager, realising his was the last one to close, gathered the remains of the Pick-and-Mix sweet section and auctioned the bagful of sweets, which would normally have retailed for a couple of pounds, for £14,500 ($20,000).
Notable people
- Jack DeeJack DeeJames Andrew Innes "Jack" Dee is an English stand-up comedian, actor and writer known for his sardonic, curmudgeonly, and deadpan style.-Early life:...
, comedian and winner of Celebrity Big Brother 2001 - Ian MortimerIan Mortimer (historian)Ian Mortimer is a British historian. He was educated at Eastbourne College, the University of Exeter and University College London . Between 1993 and 2003 he worked for several major research institutions, including the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, and the universities of Exeter...
, historian - William WillettWilliam WillettWilliam Willett , was an English builder and a tireless promoter of British Summer Time.-Biography:Willett was born in Farnham, Surrey, in the United Kingdom, and educated at the Philological School. After some commercial experience, he entered his father's building business, Willett Building...
, promoter of Daylight Saving - Major Phil PackerPhil PackerPhil Packer, MBE is a former British Provost Officer who suffered severe spinal cord injuries whilst on active service in February 2008. Despite being told at the time that he would never walk again, he has since undertaken a number of physical challenges for charity, including walking the London...
, is a British soldier who was rendered paraplegic in 2008 by injuries sustained while serving in Iraq. He has since raised over a million pounds through charitable fundraising efforts which have garnered him several national awards. - David NobbsDavid NobbsDavid Gordon Nobbs is an English comedy writer.Following an education at Marlborough College and Cambridge University, Nobbs wrote for many of Britain's comedy performers over the years, including Kenneth Williams, Frankie Howerd, Les Dawson and The Two Ronnies...
, Comedy writer and the creator of the successful 1970s sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reginald PerrinThe Fall and Rise of Reginald PerrinThe Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is a series of novels which developed into a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role... - Cerrie BurnellCerrie BurnellCerrie Burnell is an English actress, singer, playwright, and television presenter for the BBC children's channel CBeebies. She was born with a right arm which ended below the elbow.-Personal life:...
, Actress, singer, playwright, and television presenter for the BBC children's channel CBeebiesCBeebiesCBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
. - Sir Geraint Evans, Welsh baritone or bass-baritone noted for operatic roles including Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and the title roles in Falstaff and Wozzeck.
- Charles De GaulleCharles de GaulleCharles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, French General and statesman who led the Free French ForcesFree French ForcesThe Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. - John LovedayJohn LovedayDr. John Stephen Loveday is an experimental physicist working in high pressure research. He was educated at Coopers School in Chislehurst and at the University of Bristol. He currently works at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland....
Physicist
Nearest railway stations
- Petts Wood railway stationPetts Wood railway stationPetts Wood railway station serves Petts Wood in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station was built on the main line to the north of Orpington and opened on 9 July 1928, and the community now surrounding it developed from that date: now the railway divides Petts Wood...
- St Mary Cray railway stationSt Mary Cray railway stationSt Mary Cray railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south-east London, in Travelcard Zone 6. The station is operated by Southeastern, as are all trains serving it.The station is 14.7 miles from London Victoria...
- Orpington railway stationOrpington railway stationOrpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Crofton Road, the station is a 500m west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....
Places of worship
- Petts Wood Methodist Church Queensway, Petts Wood
- Christ Lutheran Church Poverest Road
- Christ Church (United Reformed Church) Tudor Way Petts Wood
- St Francis (Church of England) Willett Way, Petts Wood
- Roman Catholic Church of St James the Great, Crescent Drive, Petts Wood
- Petts Wood Quaker meeting of the Society of Friends, 6 Ladywood Avenue
- House of Faith Christian Church, Petts Wood War Memorial Hall
- Petts Wood Pagan chanting society, Branston Crescent
- Christ Lutheran Church, 227 Poverest Road, Petts Wood
Schools
- Crofton Infants School, Towncourt Lane
- Crofton Junior School, Towncourt Lane
- St James RC Primary School