Honor Oak
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Honor Oak | |
  |
|
| Location | |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference: | TQ355745 |
| Latitude: | 51.453195° |
| Longitude: | -0.048916° |
| Administration | |
| London borough: | Lewisham/Southwark |
| County level: | Greater London |
| Region: | London |
| Constituent country: | England |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Ceremonial county: | Greater London |
| Historic county: | Kent/Surrey |
| Services | |
| Police force: | Metropolitan Police |
| Fire brigade: | London Fire Brigade |
| Ambulance service: | London Ambulance |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | LONDON |
| Postal district: | |
| Dialling code: | 020 |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | |
| London Assembly: | Greenwich and Lewisham/Lambeth and Southwark |
| European Parliament: | London |
| London | List of places in London | |
Honor Oak is a suburban area of the London Boroughs of Lewisham and Southwark that still retains some of its old village layout. The name originates from Oak of Honor Hill, or One Tree Hill. On 1 May 1602, Elizabeth I picnicked with Richard Bulkeley of Beaumaris in the Lewisham area by an oak tree at the summit of a hill. The tree came to be known as the Oak of Honor.
In 1896 the open space was due to become part of a golf club, but there were riots and demonstrations by local people. This fell through, and later it was bought by Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell and made into a public open space by 1905.
Beneath one part of the open space that did become a golf club lies a cavernous underground reservoir constructed in Victorian times.
The original oak has been replaced by another in around 1905. Other landmarks on the hill are a World War I gun emplacement and a beacon commemorating the fourth centenary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada.
Between 1809 and 1836, there ran a canal through Honor Oak which ran from New Cross to Croydon, also via Forest Hill and Sydenham. The canal was replaced by the railway after 1836, and forms part of the current line between London Bridge and Croydon. Honor Oak Park railway station opened in 1886.
[edit] Famous Residents
Political activist Jim Connell (1852-1929), author of 'The Red Flag', lived in Stondon Park Road (which is on the border of Crofton Park and Honor Oak). He wrote the anthem en route to his home in December 1889.
The comedian Spike Milligan (1918-2002), lived at 22 Gabriel Street, Honor Oak, and 50 Riseldine Road (which is on the cusp of Crofton Park and Honor Oak) after coming to England from India in the 1930s.
Other famous residents include actor Timothy Spall and singer Gabrielle.
