This film is part of Free
Lewisham's Film Review
Journey into a lost London with this exquisitely detailed tour of the shops and street life of 1920s Lewisham.
Overview
This exquisitely detailed tour of the south-east London borough of Lewisham traverses town centre tramways and the Rivers Ravensbourne and Quaggy, gliding past ornate-signed outfitters and grander edifices like the Chiesman Brothers department store. We visit Deptford High Street and Catford, glimpse women workers leaving a Watney's bottling plant - and schoolboys practising their country dancing.
While you might spot the odd familiar name (Sainsbury's, Boots), most of the streets in the film have changed a great deal since the 1920s, thanks to extensive building work in the 30s and post-war redevelopment. Several high-explosive bombs fell during the London Blitz of 1940-41, but the worst damage occurred in 1944 when a V-1 flying bomb devastated Lewisham town centre, killing over 300 people.
Related
StoryTrails: The People's Map Newport StoryTrails: The People's Map Newport
Documentary 2022 12 mins Location: Newport/Casnewydd
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Newport.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Wolverhampton StoryTrails: The People's Map Wolverhampton
Documentary 2022 14 mins Location: Wolverhampton
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Wolverhampton.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Omagh StoryTrails: The People's Map Omagh
Documentary 2022 15 mins Location: Omagh
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Omagh.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Slough StoryTrails: The People's Map Slough
Documentary 2022 15 mins Location: Slough
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Slough.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Dundee StoryTrails: The People's Map Dundee
Documentary 2022 14 mins Location: Dundee
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Dundee.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Swansea StoryTrails: The People's Map Swansea
Documentary 2022 15 mins Location: Swansea/Abertawe
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Swansea.
Trams and Trolleybuses in London Trams and Trolleybuses in London
Amateur film 1952 10 mins Silent Location: Lewisham
Stopping at numerous locations across London, an amateur filmmaker records the last days of trams in 1952 and trolleybuses in 1962.
RT Buses in SE London RT Buses in SE London
Industry sponsored film 1978 4 mins Silent Location: Crystal Palace
Take a trip down memory lane to a time when a fleet of the popular RT buses serves the capital and congestion is still a thing of the future.
David Is Homosexual David Is Homosexual
Amateur film 1978 38 mins Location: Lewisham
A lonely gay man discovers friends, love and activism in this rediscovered educational film made by the Campaign for Homosexual Equality
Street Scenes V: Changes, changes Street Scenes V: Changes, changes
School programme and Educational film 1975 17 mins Location: Lewisham
Changing streets and school playgrounds – plus children’s paintings – all feature in this final episode of a 1970s children series.
Opening of Tower House Opening of Tower House
Amateur film 1933 6 mins Silent Location: Lewisham
Precious pre-war film of Lewisham town centre, shot on the opening day of Tower House, the huge Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society store, in 1933.
Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 73 mins
Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.
Jon M. Chu: The Wizard of Wicked Jon M. Chu: The Wizard of Wicked
Inside Film 2025 49 mins
Director Jon M. Chu discusses his ground-breaking vision of Oz.
Yorgos Lanthimos Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Yorgos Lanthimos Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 66 mins
Yorgos Lanthimos sits down with Succession creator Jesse Armstrong to reveal the secret ingredients that underpin his uniquely weird brand of satire.
Islands - Extended Q&A Islands - Extended Q&A
Inside Film 2025 31 mins
Director Jan Ole Gerster and actor Sam Riley talk about Islands, a thriller with noirish undertones and echoes of Hitchcock and Highsmith.
Lynne Ramsay Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Lynne Ramsay Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 67 mins
Lynne Ramsay discusses her singular career populated by visually intoxicating, ground-breaking and provocative films.
Tessa Thompson Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Tessa Thompson Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 68 mins
The actor discusses her career, including her titular performance in BFI London Film Festival selection, Hedda.