Why are East Dulwich and Dulwich Village so different?
College Road
Local historian and author Brian Green, of Dulwich Village, will be giving a fascinating insight into the transformations of East Dulwich and Dulwich Village in the Victorian period at an illustrated talk at Dulwich Picture Gallery – this Sunday, 22 November in aid of Dulwich Helpline.
And the story of how this talk came about is heart-warming – a reflection of local community support.
Brian Green writes
East Dulwich was transformed from a pleasant rural area of farmland and hedgerows, studded here and there by Georgian mansions each with attractive gardens and winding paths, into a maze of small streets made up of similar but not identical Victorian terraced villas – and it all happened within the space of 25 years.
In and around Dulwich Village, the pace of change was slower. A handful of farms still supplied milk to local houses into the 20th Century and the area retained much of its open land, transformed from hay fields into playing fields. A wealthy elite built grandly on its surrounding hills, looked after by an army of domestic servants.
Separating these two diverse communities was the commercial thoroughfare of Lordship Lane with its early chain stores and providing the transport links which daily transported many of the new population by tram, or train to their offices in London.
Brian Green, who has written and lectured extensively on Dulwich’s history for many years, will explain the causes and effects of this urbanisation.
Caroline Dunmall of Dulwich Helpline writes:-
This event came from an out of the blue phone call I received one day from a former Councillor, Michelle Pearce, who had recently become a Dulwich Helpline volunteer. She had attended an Auction of Promises at St Barnabas Church and had successfully bid for a “1 hour talk by Brian Green” with the intention of donating it to Dulwich Helpline for a fundraising event! We were, of course, delighted.
With regard to a venue, Dulwich Picture Gallery came up trumps as they generously agreed to ‘donate’ The Linbury Room to us for the event, which we greatly appreciate!
Dulwich Helpline is a small registered charity that provides volunteer befriending and practical help to isolated older people in the community. We also run over 20 varied and stimulating activity groups, including Art Appreciation, Poetry, Music, , Gentle Exercise………and more!
To find out more, to volunteer and to make a donation visit the Dulwich Helpline website.
The talk is in The Linbury Room, Dulwich Picture Gallery on Sunday 22nd November at 2.30 p.m. £7 for adults (concessions – £5) available from The Art Stationers, 31 Dulwich Village or from Dulwich Helpline, Dulwich Community Hospital, East Dulwich Grove, London SE22 8PT (cheques payable to ‘Dulwich Helpline’).
