Here’s local historian Carole on a previous visit. You’ll remember how enthusiastically we responded to her wonderfully researched and presented talks on the Davis Theatre and the Grand Theatre. Carole gave us a fascinating Part 1 of her Croydon High Street story last October. She has spent long hours in the Croydon archives digging up little-known facts, and her research certainly paid off with a series of “Ooh, I didn’t know that” moments.

We found out that, long before a disgruntled elephant trashed the place (you had to be there), the High Street may have been a Roman road and was certainly a bridleway by the Midde Ages. We discovered the origin of “North End” and “South End” – which certainly caused confusion in the 19th century and still does for some. We viewed the first(?) map of Croydon, from 1785 – in French, by a Frenchman. We tracked the rise and fall of the many watering holes, some of which continue to grace the area – the Ship has been there since 1835.

Now Carole’s back with Part 2, starting where Part 1 left off in 1901.

A must see event for our Club!