This bridge is typical of many railway bridges in London, or the rest of the country for that matter. However, this bridge has a special place in London history and to find out more we must travel back to 1944.
On Tuesday June 13, 1944, at around 04:30, the first V-1 flying bomb, also known as 'buzz bomb' or 'doodlebug', to hit London, detonated on this railway bridge, which carries the London North Eastern Railway from Liverpool Street.
The blast severely damaged the bridge and demolished twelve houses and over fifty others were damaged, with much of the damage occurring on Antill Road, Belhaven Street and Burnside Street.
Six people lost their lives, while another forty-two were injured.
The bridge, being a vital transport route, was repaired and operational by 19:45 on June 14. This repaired bridge would stay in place until the entire bridge was replaced in 1948.
In the 1700s the free school raised new funds, as the six ponds per year was now insufficient to keep the school maintained. With new capital the school expanded, giving it room for 65 boys and 50 girls, too.
In 1739 an amicable fund was set up to supply funding to for an additional 12 boys.
In 1742 it became known as the Charity School. The original building was on the northside of Saint Marychurch street, adjoining St Mary's church.
Wandering London's streets, as I often do, I am still surprised by the extraordinary things hidden in plain sight.
Take the railings, in the photo above. At first glance they appear to be your standard railings, which are quite often found south of the river, in places like Bermondsey, Brixton, Camberwell, Deptford, Southwark, etc.. There even some north of the River Thames, in Poplar.
However, these are no ordinary railings. They are almost 80 years old and once served a very different purpose.
During World War II many of the metal fences and railings, around various houses and buildings, were removed, so that the metal could be used for the war effort.
Abney Park Cemetery was the fourth of the eight private garden cemeteries, when it opened in 1840. It is situated in the grounds of Abney House which was once home to Isaac Watts.
For over 300,000 years people have gathered in this area, where Stone Age tools have been discovered along the banks of Hackney Brook.
It's modern roots go back to before the arrival of William the Conqueror, in 1066, when, as a small settlement, it was surrounded by land made up of fields.
In the 1600s wealthy families had large houses, with larger gardens, built here. These included Abney House and Fleetwood House. These houses were purchased by the Abney Park Cemetery Company, so that a garden cemetery could be built.
The cemetery was designed as an arboretum, botanical garden and park, as well as a place of remembrance. When it opened it had over 1,000 types of rose, from Hackney's Loddiges nursery, and 2,500 tree varieties.
By the 1960s the Cemetery Company, which had begun to lose income, leaving Abney Park to fall into neglect. Brambles, ivy and self-seeded trees allowed nature to take over.
Abney Park is now Grade II listed and is designated as a Local Nature Reserve.
The chapel was the first non-denominational cemetery chapel in Europe.
Abney Park Mortuary Chapel was designed by William Hosking and built by John Jay. The open part is where hearses brought the coffins, while inside a staircase led up to a gallery. The spire was the tallest, in the area, and could be seen from quite a distance.
It was designed in a style that was not related to any specific branch of Christianity, so that anyone could have their funeral held here. The chapel, like the cemetery, was never consecrated, making it a popular burial ground for Dissenters, especially after Bunhill Fields closed to burials.
By the 1960s the chapel was in a sorry state of disrepair, but it wouldn't be until 2017 when the roof could be repaired, following a grant from Historic England.
The National Lottery Heritage fund gave funding for the rest of the building to be restored, between 2021-23. The stained-glass window, installed in 2021, was designed by Piotr Frac, who worked with local schools and community groups. The window represents nature in the four seasons.
In 1865 William and Catherine Booth founded the Salvation Army, so that they take God's salvation to the world.
When Catherine died, in 1890, she was buried at Abney Park. Other early leaders of the Salvation Army, including George Scott Railton and Elijah Cadman, were also buried here.
When General William Booth died, in 1912, he was buried beside his wife in one of the largest funerals London had ever seen. William and Catherine are laid to rest surrounded by the graves of many of their children.
Today, there are over 130 Salvationists buried at Abney Park.
