Friel on Friday

Series Four - Latest Series

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S4 E1: Lubbock Road

What do Bank Holidays and the customs of savages have in common? Find out in this first of a new series of Friel on Friday, focusing on the history of our Chislehurst road names.

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S4 E2: Bonar Place

Do you live here? Your road is named after the victims of a heinous double murder – sorry!

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S4 E3: Avalon

This almost secret mansion has a past associated with eagles, Cheddar cheese and padded cells! Intrigued? Find out more with this Friel on Friday episode filmed high up above Summer Hill.

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S4 E4: Heatherbank

An estate of several family homes today but in 1900 just one family lived here, find out about the road rage incident involving Sir Leonard Powell and what happened to the grand house after the Great War.

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S4 E5: Norlands Crescent

Does this name remind you of the well known nursery nursing training establishment? Silver Cross prams at the ready, see where the nannies picked slivers of glass out of the lawns in 1942.

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S4 E6: Cricket Ground Road

Is this the only cricket ground in the country to be protected by Act of Parliament? Find out about this club on the Common in this week’s episode. WG Grace played here and Napoleon III wanted a spectacular catch replayed! 

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S4 E7: Watertower

How many people remember the Chislehurst Water Tower? Missed by residents but not by bus drivers, it never released a drop of water!

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S4 E8: Camden Park Road

Why are so many Chislehurst roads named after a north London town? Find out the real connection between south and north London and how this famous name started in Chislehurst.

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S4 E9: Marlowe Close

Learn about the conspiracy theory that created the Marlowe Society and saved the reputation of Stratford as the home of Shakespeare’s writing. Chislehurst Upon Kyd was nearly created as the home of the Bard!

Series Three

Produced by Clare Herriot and Joanna Friel for Visit Chislehurst.

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S3 E1: Scadbury Park

Discover more about the ancient manor of Scadbury Reserve, its Royal connection and why it’s now at risk. All bets are off..learn about the link between ‘Bettenson’ and an old gambling debt!

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S3 E2: Old Perry Street

Visit a charming backwater of Chislehurst; learn about its fruity name and a pub that’s changed it’s name. From schools to singers, with banana in between, there’s a little bit of everything down Old Perry Street!

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S3 E3: Western Motor Works

Learn about the first ever purpose built car service station in the country, right here in Chislehurst and see the ‘Old Lady’ Panhard car out in the vintage rally. Vintage Friel, this one, epic fail on the name of Ferdinand Marsham-Townshend!

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S3 E4: Chislehurst School for Girls

Discover more about a school that has had many reincarnations but survived wartime bombing to retain its place as an educator of young women – kept firmly apart from the boys over in Sidcup!

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S3 E5: Chislehurst Cemetery

Visit the final resting place of an artist friend of Dickens and a recipient of the VC in The Great War. The chapel, designed by the same architect who planned The Dorchester Hotel is a tranquil place – unlike the background noise of the A20.

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S3 E6: Lord Ted Willis

In Shepherd’s Green there is a connection between Black Beauty and Yardbirds…. Learn about this seeming connection with nature with a story of a blue plaque and a blue lamp!

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S3 E7: Alan Watts

Learn about the little cottage in Holbrook Lane that was birthplace of a significant philosophical teacher; a leader of the Californian flower power movement born here in Chislehurst. 

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S3 E8: Antokol

Discover a poignant local history story of the First World War; the special caring role played by what is now a care home for the Polish community.

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S3 E9: Chislehurst Station

See this busy station as it was in the nineteenth century; royal visitors came and went, as well as the wounded from the Western Front. Find out what role Queen Victoria’s skirts are said to have played and how much life for the London commuter has changed, or has it?

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S3 E10: Bonfire Night

Chislehurst had its fair share of gunpowder and plot with three rival bonfires aiming to be the best in the village. ‘Guys’ may have been treasonable but see how the Edwardian children celebrated 5th November as we enjoy the Rotary Club fireworks. Stay safe!
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S3 E11: Sir Malcolm Campbell MBE

A speedy tour around Chislehurst about the local life of a fast fellow – Sir Malcolm Campbell MBE holder of land and water speed records. Find out why the blue plaque on his house is wrong, and hear how the blue bird is poignantly remembered by two local residents today.

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S3 E12: Coopers Mansion House

See this busy station as it was in the nineteenth century; royal visitors came and went, as well as the wounded from the Western Front. Find out what role Queen Victoria’s skirts are said to have played and how much life for the London commuter has changed, or has it?

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S3 E13: School Road

School Road, with its primary school, a pub and a Victorian workhouse, I know which one I’d rather be in! See the pit where the children play and learn about one tragic pupil who became a victim of the Titanic disaster.
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S3 E14: Bullers Wood

Come and discover this fabulous Grade 2 Listed Building. Once a family home decorated by William Morris, scene of family tradegy but now a peaceful place for vistors to enjoy. Who called this place ‘ghastly’? Not us!

Series Two

Produced by Clare Herriot and Joanna Friel for Visit Chislehurst.

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S2 E1: Coffee Tavern in 1882

We all love a warm cuppa, find out who ran the coffee tavern on the High Street in 1882 and see if you can read the words on the plaque high up in the eaves of this locally listed building.

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S2 E2: The Bull’s Head

The Bull’s Head – the second of our episodes on the history of our village public houses; find out where the name comes from and discover the Victorian link with Albany Road.

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S2 E3: The Village Sign

The Village Sign – our iconic village emblem, created by local craftsman, John Easden, marks our Tudor links with Scadbury. It celebrates the first Elizabeth and was erected for the second.

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S2 E4: Royal Parade

Royal Parade – learn about the alternative name for this regal street and about its ‘French Connection’.

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S2 E5: Prickend Pond

In this first of our second series find out where the name Prickend Pond comes from and why it’s not actually a pond at all. Even Michael Jackson gets a mention, listen carefully!

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S2 E6: Belmont Parade

Do the side streets have right royal names and find out about Adolphus Slade and the road named after him in this ‘beautiful mountain’ suitable for roller skating!

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S2 E7: Mead Road

Find out which Chislehurst School has a link with Claridges and see how much you think it has changed over the years.

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S2 E8: William Willett

When is #FrielonFriday not on a Friday? When it’s clock changing weekend! Find out about the untimely death of Chislehurst resident, William Willett and how he never saw the changes he so tirelessly campaigned for.

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S2 E9: Camden Place

Learn about the Grade 2 Listed jewel in Chislehurst’s crown; why should Camden Town residents be pleased with their link to our village and who were the French Posh and Becks of the 1870’s!

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S2 E10: Farringtons School

Get locked into the history of Farringtons School, learn about its links with Chubb Lock and Safe Company. The chapel doors are securely in place even though they’ve come all the way from Australia! Queen Mary visited in 1925, see the pictures here.

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S2 E11: Babington House School

Babington House School​, learn about the links with Elmstead Woods Station gardens and about the Zeppelin raids seen from the large windows in 1915.

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S2 E12: Imperial Arms

Did you know there was once a windmill in Chislehurst? Find out about the spies who occupied it and how the pub came to change its name.

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S2 E13: Prince Imperial Monument

Hear the sad story of the Prince Imperial and learn about the monuments resurrected by the ‘dwellers of Chislehurst’ in his memory.

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S2 E14: The Cockpit

A red white and blue look at our village green today. Find out about Chislehurst’s unique feature, The Cockpit and how the former scene of a barbaric sport is now one of community gathering.

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S2 E15: Chislehurst Caves

When is a cave not a cave? When it’s a mine! Learn about the high explosives stored beneath our feet and how these famous caves protected so many from the explosions of the blitz.

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S2 E16: St Mary’s Catholic Church

Find out about the little Catholic Church in the epicentre of Chislehurst’s Imperial legacy, with an empty Napoleonic tomb and the final resting place of the founder of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

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S2 E17: St Nicholas Church

Discover how the patron saint of travellers guards so many famous names – the man of whom Syndey Australia is named, the original ‘Speed King’ and a time traveller of sorts! There’s infamy too in the form of not one, but two double murders!

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S2 E18: Chislehurst Recreation Ground

What is the connection between Chislehurst Recreation Ground and a suburb of Edinburgh and even London Zoo? Find out more about this wonderful site, on land donated by generous local residents and how the FOCRG Friends-group rock these days.

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S2 E19: Prince Imperial Monument (Spoof!)

APRIL FOOLS!
Learn about the curious day that the Imperial Measurement Society came to Chislehurst to seek the patronage of a young French Prince. Real story behind the monument here.

Series One

Produced by Clare Herriot and Joanna Friel for Visit Chislehurst.

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S1 E1: Red Hill

Joanna Friel – Heritage Rep for the Chislehurst Society launches the first of many ‘Friel on Friday’ series on the hidden histories of Chislehurst.

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S1 E2: St Patricks RC Church

Joanna Friel tells us about the old cinema – AKA the ‘bug hutch’!

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S1 E3: Pond at Chislehurst library!

Joanna Friel tells us what is hidden deep inside the library!

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S1 E4: Hong Kong Garden

Joanna Friel tells us why Siouxsie and the Banshees wrote the well known track ‘Hong Kong Garden’.

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S1 E5: Burlington Parade

Joanna Friel tells us why Burlington Parade was named after a gold mine!

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S1 E6: Chislehurst AlmsHouses

Joanna Friel tells us about the peaceful AlmsHouses built in 1881.

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S1 E7: Church of the Annunciation

Joanna Friel, Heritage Rep for the Chislehurst Society tells us why the Church of the Annunciation is rather unusual, who is buried in its church yard and what the tower was used for in 1940.

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S1 E8: Well Field Place

These cottages date back to 1867 and if Hitler hadn’t ‘redesigned’ them, there would have been several more houses to see today.

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S1 E9: Western Motor Works

Learn about the first ever purpose built car service station in the country, right here in Chislehurst and see the ‘Old Lady’ Panhard car out in the vintage rally. Vintage Friel, this one, epic fail on the name of Ferdinand Marsham-Townshend!

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S1 E10: Stockman’s Row

Sweet Sundae, Annabels II and Champion Wines all form what was known as Stockman’s Row. A beautiful locally listed window forms the centrepiece of this late nineteenth century building named after the original builder. Find out here about his outstanding debt as well as what Hitler did next door!

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S1 E11: Old Water Factory

Park Road is the site of Chislehurst Mineral Waters Factory which produced pure aerated water. The glass bottles marked with the initials of the proprietor, Harry Lines, sometimes get unearthed in local gardens today and quite frequently ‘pop’ up on eBay

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S1 E12: Old Post Office

The old Post Office – where Cafe Rouge is today, postmen and telegram boys came and went from 1911 as the post office was opened coinciding with the coronation of King George V.

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S1 E13: Barclays

Longfellow wrote about Village Blacksmith Underneath the Spreading Chestnut Tree. Did he take his inspiration from Blackney’s and Lash’s forge at the top of Chislehurst High Street? Can you find the bench dedicated to William Lash, cycle and coach body manufacturer here until the 1960’s?

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S1 E14: Milllennium Rock

Millennium Rock – opposite Hornbrook House Car Park, where formerly thousands of wounded soldiers were treated during The Great War, stands this granite Boulder representing the year 2000

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S1 E15: Willow Grove Horses

The site of Santander on the busy Willow Grove Junction used to be a very different business, find out why horses not cars queued up here 100 years ago.

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S1 E16: Old Police Station

Look at our high street in the 1960’s. Find out the injection between police and pizza and how many officers used to patrol our village.

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S1 E17: Paper Lane

When is a stationery business not stationary? When it’s a market garden business – find out more about the blooming of the Coolings family business in Chislehurst.

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S1 E18: Oldest Place in the Village

Joanna Friel, Vice Chair of the Chislehurst Society finds out which of the high street buildings is the oldest; serving customers since Stuart Times, even if it did have a different name.

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S1 E19: Festive Friel on Friday

It’s Christmas Day, Festive #Friel on #Friday; find out about Sir Malcolm Campbell’s less than speedy role in panto, the Edwardian use for goose fat and the pleasure our ponds provided.

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S1 E20: Fill up on coffee not petrol!

See how our high street changed over the years; a potential cinema meant a potential fire risk and we had service stations instead of estate agents!

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S1 E21: Old Chapel, New Beginnings

New Year, new beginnings. A new home for The Chislehurst Society in the renovated Old Chapel building ‘up Queens Passage’!

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S1 E22: White & Bushell Ironmongers

Discover the family business that was White and Bushell ironmongers and a whole lot more, on this corner site 100 years from 1874.