Reverdy Road: BBC Documentary searching for past residents

Century Films are making a documentary for BBC2 charting the history of Reverdy Road in Bermondsey, as part of a series which looks at the last 120 years of 6 London streets.

We are looking for any information that is specific to the road that you may have, but specifically we would like the help of Bermondsey Boy readers in tracking down some past residents.

On the 8th of March, 1941, a bomb dropped on Reverdy Road and Alma Grove, destroying the even numbered houses 4-18. Today there is just a space left there, used as allotments, but in 1939 the Electoral Roll shows thirteen sets of residents.

As far as we know, they were not at home when the bombs dropped, but afterwards would never have been able to return. What happened to all of those people? We hope to tell their story as part of our film.

Below is a list of these residents from the electoral roll. If anyone here knows of any descendants who might know of this tragedy please get in touch. I can be emailed at [email protected] or called on 0207 378 6106.

Many thanks,

Simon Smith, Century Films.


The names are ...

04 John Patrick Arundel and Mary Arundel
04 Thomas Alfred Firth and Alice Firth
06 Florence Harris and William Henry Harris
08 Elizabeth Osborne
10 Julia Charlotte Salkeld and Richard Salkeld
12 Jessie Elizabeth Collins and Sidney Leonard Collins
12 Arthur WIlliam Edmonds and Harriet Annie Edmonds
14 Clara Maud Hall and Doris Maud Hall
14 Elizabeth Adelaide Peasley and William Henry Peasley
16 Annie McLaren and George McLaren
16 Alice May Weller and Thomas Henry Weller
18 James Charles Smith and Florence Smith
18 Arthur Taylor and Lydia Taylor

I wondered why there were no houses there - should have guessed 'bomb damage' - can't be many bomb sites left undeveloped now.

Century are looking for any old (or not so old) photos & documents about Reverdy Road for their programme. Please get in touch if you have anything at all.

Perhaps you could put a notice in the local paper the Southwark News.It may help.

I noticed that this programme starts 6 June - THE SECRET HISTORY OF OUR STREETS. The Reverdy Road episode seems to be episode 5 of 6.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2012/23/the-secret-history-of-our-streets.html

Reverdy Road will be the subject of episode 5 of The Secret History of Our Streets
Should be interesting.

The episode tonight on Deptford High Street and the "slum clearance" was very interesting. Probably very similar to what happened around Southwark too?

Perhaps episode 5 will give us the definitive pronounciation during the film.

Having lived in Bermondsey for almost all of my life, I had only ever heard it called "Revverdy" Road, however when a number 1 gets to Monnow Road it advises us that the next stop is "Re-Verdi" Road......

Througly enjoying the whole series. I have been living in Bermondsey for 10 years and getting to know more about the history of the streets we walk in everyday makes you feel sad at how quickly that original old London is disappearing. My daughter is looking forward to next Wednesday Reverdy Rd episode ans I am too!!!

Me too - it's fabulous - thanks Century Films. I'm really hoping that, after this series, another will be put together on another set of streets.

I'm also really enjoying the series about the London markets and another on old London but I can't remember which channel it's on or it's title. Anyone got any idea I usually end up having to catch up on iplayer,4OD etc?