Bust

Wall of the Ancestors - leftmost

Erection date: /9/1997

According to the plaque these are, clockwise from top left: Pete Pope, Tony O'Leary, Grinling Gibbons, Shirley Stewart.

Transpontine confirms that these heads are correctly identified, but gives Shirley's surname as Steward.

Site: Wall of the Ancestors (3 memorials)

SE8, George Beard Road, Aragon Tower, north-east (riverside) wall of

This tower was erected in the 1960s/70s as part of the Pepys Estate.

From the platform one could get some good pictures of these 16 heads, but the platform is inaccessible; you can go up the steps at the left but no further, hence our rather unsatisfactory photographs.

A small plaque at the left reads:
"Wall of the Ancestors" Pete Pope, Tony O'Leary, Dave O'Hara, Tommy Marin; Shirley Stewart, Grinling Gibbons, Metrina, Sir Francis Drake. www.Martin-Bond.Supanet.com

A small plaque at the right reads:
"Wall of the Ancestors" Debra Lee, Phineas Pett, Tsar Peter the Great, Dr Burnhart Gloss; Queen Elizabeth 1st, Olaudah Equiano, Michael Hamilton, Catherine of Aragon. Thanks to Berkeley Homes, Deptford Discovery Team, Sustrans.

We believe each plaque is attempting to identify the 8 characters nearest to it, left to right, top row first, then bottom row, but that there has been some confusion. Taking the plaques at face value (ha, ha): Phineas Pett, a 17th century shipwright is wearing a crown; the Tsar is looking rather humdrum and 20th century; Metrine (a girl's name currently popular in the black community) seems to be wearing a  medieval headdress, as does Debra Lee.

The faces were probably correctly identified when first erected but the building and this artwork have been "renewed" and in the process we think the heads suffered a random shuffle.

The block was erected in 1964 as social housing. The Wall of the Ancestors was added in 1997. In 2002-6 the Tower was renovated, reclad, extended upwards and sold as private flats. As part of this work the heads were reconfigured and new plaques provided. We've also read that the heads were recast at this time. See the original arrangement here. The heads are made of cream cast stone and each is about a metre high.

More information at Walking the Wall of Ancestors and Wall of the Ancestors, Deptford Strand.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Wall of the Ancestors - leftmost

Subjects commemorated i

Grinling Gibbons

Born Rotterdam. Wood carver and sculptor. Other works in London: a marble fon...

Read More

Tony O'Leary

Resident of the Pepys Estate, active in the community.

Read More

Pete Pope

The Picture source and Transpontine explain that Pope was a local activist an...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Wall of the Ancestors - leftmost

Created by i

Michael Bond (sculptor)

We can't identify this sculptor.  

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Wall of the Ancestors - leftmost

Also at this site i

Wall of the Ancestors - middling

Wall of the Ancestors - middling

According to the plaque these are, clockwise from top left: Dave O'Hara, Tomm...

Read More

Wall of the Ancestors - rightmost

Wall of the Ancestors - rightmost

According to the plaque these are, clockwise from top left: Debra Lee, Phinea...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Prince Albert - Regent's Park

Prince Albert - Regent's Park

NW1, Regent's Park, Broad Walk

The four pediments of this edifice contain: north - a clock face west - Prince Albert relief bust south - Jehangir relief bust east -...

1 subject commemorated
Colonial Office - B01 - Henry II

Colonial Office - B01 - Henry II

SW1, Whitehall, Foreign Office

Statues Hither and Thither has been invaluable in identifying some of the busts and most of the statues. The statues are not labelled and...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Greenwich roundels - Howe

Greenwich roundels - Howe

SE10, King William Walk, Discover Greenwich (Royal Naval College, Pepys Building)

The roundels on the north, river-facing, frontage are occupied by, left to right: Anson, Drake, Cook, Howard, Blake, Benbow, Sandwich, Ro...

1 subject commemorated
Somerset House - 2, unknown lady

Somerset House - 2, unknown lady

WC2, Strand, Somerset House - Strand Block

The three central first floor windows of the Strand Block of Somerset House are each topped, below their pediment, with a relief portrait...

RIPWC - Turner

RIPWC - Turner

W1, Piccadilly, 192-196

The building by E. R. Robson was erected for the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour, founded in 1831 (the crest in the centre of...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

Volunteers 12th and 13th Irregulars

Volunteers 12th and 13th Irregulars

Part of the force commanded by Havelock. Cavalry.

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Philip Noel-Baker

Philip Noel-Baker

SW1, South Eaton Place, 16

Philip Noel-Baker, 1889 - 1982, Olympic sportsman, campaigner for peace and disarmament, lived here. English Heritage 

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Stanley Baldwin

Stanley Baldwin

SW1, Eaton Square, 93

Baldwin and his wife Lucy lived here 1913 - 1937. They must have liked the square because on his retirement they moved to number 69.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Roman numerals at Christies

Roman numerals at Christies

SW1, King Street, 5

Having been walked on for many decades the plaque is very worn but with David Hopkins' help we believe we now have it transcribed correct...

1 subject commemorated
Richard Todd

Richard Todd

WD6, Shenley Road, In front of no.88

Todd attended the unveiling.

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator