I was having a look at the British Pathe site and found the following three historic clips which were filmed somewhere in Forest Hill. Does anyone know where in Forest Hill the filming might have taken place?

Two of the clips show work in studios, but the only studios I’m aware of are in Havelock Walk - were there studios there in the 1950’s? And we’re told that the outdoor pool is at the tennis and swimming club – but where might that have been? It’s not a pool that I recognise.

I guess the people featured in the clips could still be alive and might even be residing in the Forest Hill area.

The first is from 1952 and shows an Architectural modeller at work in his studio in Forest Hill.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=47396

The next is from 1954 and shows a swimming teacher “water sailing” in an outdoor pool in Forest Hill.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=47880

The third is from 1960 and shows an Industrial designer at work in his studio in Forest Hill.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=1034

Havelock Walk used to be industrial units, so it's possible that an artist might have rented one but it's probably more likely the studios were elsewhere in FH. The third clip features William Mitchell and he has a website (http://www.william-mitchell.com) so you could try asking him where his studio was.

I've seen discussion somewhere about the tennis club and swimming pool. Was housing or flats later built on it - Taymount Rise perhaps?

The Tennis/Swimming/Social club was about half way down Perry Vale if I remember rightly but can't now remember the exact location.

Great video links. :-)

Am particularly intrigued about the William Mitchell work. I have long wondered about the concrete abstract cladding on the road bridge over the railway at Honor Oak Park. It is looking unloved now but have often thought how good it would look if painted or just cleaned. Could it be one of his?

Your right about the swimming pool off perry vale, it was roughly behind the Prince of wales pub were Pearfeild Rd and Shaw Cottages meet, Think its long gone now.

Interesting all of this! Wasn't the swimming pool where the Paxton Road development now is?

Thanks for all your replies and suggestions - Yes, very interesting!

It still surprises and pleases me to find material like this and it makes me wonder what else might be tucked away just waiting to be discovered. I just typed Forest Hill in the search box and it all popped up!

I also tried typing in some other nearby localities - so if you're interested you should try because there's some more good clips to see - but they don't come under SE23 Topics, so not for this section!

I believe the swimming pool still exists. It's been revamped and is part of the Paxton Road development. For use by the residents.

The swimming pool was indeed off Perry Rise where Paxton Road is now. I learned to swim there. There were also tennis courts.

I have no idea if the pool still exists.

I have contacted William Mitchell and he has confirmed that the sculpture on Honor Oak Park station bridge was one of his first commissions. He said he "had a large workshop in what was formerly Blaxhill Bros building yard - a colosal amount of work was executed in this studio for London and the rest of the UK. For example, the doors for Liverpool Cathedral were produced there - and of course the work for Honor Oak Bridge."

I have emailed Lewisham Council's Art Service to see whether they will clean or paint it.

Well done lacb. Blaxhill Bros are still on Stanstead Road. I wonder if their former building yard was there or elsewhere in Forest Hill?[/align]

There is an indoor pool built as part of the Paxton Road development for the use of residents.

Yes - well done indeed lacb. Mystery solved!

I used the link kindly provided by blushingsnail to take a look at William Mitchell's work, but hadn't got around to contacting him. I was quite taken aback by the scope and scale of his works - and how nice to know that one of his originals resides in SE23.

It would be great if LBL could give his sculpture a bit of spit and polish - and how timely it would be given the recent station upgrade!

Once again, my thanks to all for pursuing this.

No worries. Kudos goes to blushingsnail for spotting the artist in the first place or I would not have made the link. I was also taken aback at the scope of his work.

Lewisham's "Creative Industries Officer" (I kid you not they do have one), returns to the office next week and will see the correspondence then. Will report back when I hear anything.

I've found some more historic film - It's about London schools & children and includes Fairlawn Primary School in 1960. (Hence the SE23 Topics connection) It is of particular interest to me because I was at Fairlawn in 1960 in the infants.

The film is called "To Live and Learn (1960) Part 1" and essentially it follows the schooling of children from Infants through to secondary school. There is also a Part 2, which I have omitted since it appears that the schools shown in this part are outside of SE23. However, it's still worth having a look at to complete the story.

Both of these films give an excellent insight into the methods of teaching during the period and for people lke myself, it's a blast from the past!

The link is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3HVzk_SO7I