Place    From 23/9/1891 

Croydon Road Recreation Ground

The land was purchased by the Beckenham Local Board to provide a public open space which had been lacking since the loss of the Fair Field for housing in the 1870s. The site was part of open farmland which stretched along Croydon Road, and it first came into use in the autumn of 1890, prior to its formal opening. It was the location for the first British public airmail flight in 1902, and houses a bandstand which is now named after David Bowie, following his appearance there at the Beckenham Arts Lab Growth Summer Festival in 1969.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Croydon Road Recreation Ground

Commemorated ati

First British public airmail flight

{Around an illustration of a hot air balloon:} Croydon Road Recreation Ground...

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Other Subjects

The Crown Estate

The Crown Estate

Some of these plaques have an 'R' representing Regent Street which was (2024 defunct) a Crown Estate website promoting Regent Street as a shopping destination.  Wikipedia had (2025: the map is no ...

Group, Gardens / Agriculture, Property

3 memorials
Abercrombie Plan

Abercrombie Plan

The Abercrombie Plan consists of the 1943 'County of London Plan' and the 1944 'Greater London Plan'. Devised by Sir Leslie Patrick Abercrombie and John Henry Forshaw in preparation for regeneratio...

Concept, Gardens / Agriculture, Politics & Administration, Social Welfare, Transport

1 memorial
Burnham Beeches

Burnham Beeches

A 1.44 square mile biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Buckinghamshire. The southern half is owned by the Corporation of London and is open to the public. Its area is slightly larger ...

Place, Gardens / Agriculture

1 memorial
Lawrence Chubb

Lawrence Chubb

Sir Lawrence Wensley Chubb was an Anglo-Australian professional Secretary whose work was on environmentalist causes. Born in Australia, he migrated to England and in 1891 was working as an auction...

Person, Gardens / Agriculture, Sport / Games, Australia

1 memorial
Coram's Fields

Coram's Fields

The memorial at the entrance to these fields tells how this playground came into existence. It is the only public space in London where adults are not allowed without children.

Place, Children, Gardens / Agriculture

3 memorials

Previously viewed

Ben Nicholson

Ben Nicholson

Artist. Born Denham, Buckinghamshire. Father was Sir William Nicholson, painter. Married to sculptor, Barbara Hepworth, 1938 -51. They were central to a number of groups of avant-garde artists bas...

Person, Art, Switzerland

1 memorial
Joseph Durham (sculptor)

Joseph Durham (sculptor)

Sculptor.  Born London.  Died London.

Person, Sculpture

15 memorials
Monck Brawne Associates

Monck Brawne Associates

We can find no reference to this group at all but they existed in 1995.

Group

1 memorial
Westminster Abbey C - Janani Luwum

Westminster Abbey C - Janani Luwum

SW1, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster Abbey - west porch

Fourteen niches on the West Front remained empty since the Abbey was built until 1998 when they were filled. The lower four are filled wi...

1 subject commemorated, 4 creators
Charles Coombs

Charles Coombs

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial