In this weekly series, the stories, memories, poems and writing from people who lived, worked or wrote about the area of Lewisham are read by others with Lewisham connections. Included are poets and authors Robert Browning, Chrissie Gittings, and Christopher Marlowe; reflections on growing up in Catford, Deptford and Downham; a Sherlock Holmes story and a virtual local history walk.
Enjoy Lewisham Voices
Enjoy Lewisham Voices
Robert Browning (1812-1889) was a popular poet of the 19th century; his poems often quoted include 'The Pied Piper of Hamelin' and 'Oh to be in England, now that April’s here'.
In 1841 he moved to New Cross with his parents and sister to Telegraph Cottage fronting onto Musgrove Road. In 1845 Browning eloped with Elizabeth Barrett, they married and went to live in Italy. Browning’s family remained at New Cross until 1852.
Local actor from Deptford, Nicole Young reads Robert Browning poems and two letters between him and Elizabeth Barrett Browning at the start of their relationship.
The poems Meeting at Night and Home Thoughts From Abroad were both written in 1845. Meeting at Night is about a romantic encounter.
Nicole reads Browning's first letter to Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Jan 1845) who was the love of his life. He met her through her poetry and this prompts his first letter to her. We also hear Elizabeth's reply.
Meeting at Night
The grey sea and the long black land;
And the yellow half-moon large and low;
And the startled little waves that leap
In fiery ringlets from their sleep,
As I gain the cove with pushing prow,
And quench its speed i' the slushy sand.
Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach;
Three fields to cross till a farm appears;
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt of a lighted match,
And a voice less loud, thro' its joys and fears,
Than the two hearts beating each to each!
Home Thoughts, From Abroad
Oh, to be in England
Now that April's there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England - now!!
And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops - at the bent spray's edge -
That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower
- Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!
Nicole Young has lived in New Cross since 1986, based her children’s theatre company here for 15 years and has been active within the community (running workshops, performances, 10 years as a LEAN trustee and as part of a local community choir) throughout this time. She has been recently trying to create and support a new process of bringing performance ideas/projects to fruition whilst simultaneously working as a Duty Manager at the Albany, Deptford...that is until the pandemic hit us. She hopes to continue to use her communication/performance-based skills with the wide range of people and community groups that work in the borough (and beyond) once the worst of this hiatus is over. In the meantime (during this pandemic) she’s working as volunteer 3 days a week with VSL.
[Anyone interested in getting in touch can do so via rachel.new@lewisham.gov.uk]
Images clockwise from top left:
Queenie and Dad in their garden in Downham http://lewishamvoices.wikidot.com/
Old Oak Tree Deptford British Library free images.
Deptford Dockyard British Library free images
Robert Browning British Library free images
Silver Jubilee tea party 1977 Lammas Green, Sydenham http://lewishamvoices.wikidot.com/
Rose’s wedding in their Peckham garden. http://lewishamvoices.wikidot.com/
Sonnet – Elizabeth Barrett Browning British Library free images
Vidya and Pushpa at Greenwich Park. http://lewishamvoices.wikidot.com/
Green at Catford Bridge British Library free images
Robert Browning
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Books
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Both Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning have entries in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography so lots more information about them and their lives can be found here.
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