St Georges Rd(Way) along Grand Surrey Canal

[Kerbent]

I am researching a family that lived at 245 St Georges Road (1870 to 1876) to 257 St Georges Road (1876 to 1887)in Camberwell which I believe backed onto the properties/businesses that lined the Grand Surrey Canal.

I am trying to understand how living so close to the canal would have if at all, affected their lifestyle. Can anyone recommend where I would find any descriptions of this area regarding residences during this time? I am interested in smells, noise level, the sort of traffic that would have travelled along the canal or if residences would have had access to the canal itself, any details that might help embellish their stories?

I live in Australia so my research is confined to online resources or books available for purchase.
I look forward to hearing from when someone has time available.

Regards
Sandra

[Pam Downes]

To possibly help anyone else reply to Sandra's query, the present day St Georges Way is the old St Georges Road.
Looking at the Old-maps.co.uk site (using postcode SE15 6QR) it would seem that a side-shoot of the main canal existed between St Georges Road and Neate Street, possibly ending west at the present day Wells Way or slightly further west where the present day Burgess Park West Entrance is, just off Camberwell Road.
The main canal, coming from the London docks, had been travelling on a line east to west but when it got to the 'junction' of St Georges Road did a sharp left turn, heading south.

Sandra -

According to the Wikipedia entry for the Grand Surrey Canal it was built (as every canal would have been in those days), for the transport of cargo, and in this case mainly for carrying timber to the Surrey Commercial Docks.

Something in my mind was saying 'local studies' so I duly googled 'Camberwell local studies'.
The first two results both provided useful information, especially the one about maps.
I suggest you have a look yourself.

Pam

[helachau]

London Maps https://mapco.net/london.htm

Example - Tab down to year "New Map 1872" and click on. In bottom right hand qtr. hover over second grid in on top line - should display "Walworth, South Eastern Railway etc ..." and click on.

You can check various maps to see how the area developed.

[helachau]

General Booths Poverty map of London (1898)

Slightly out of your timeframe but
https://booth.lse.ac.uk/map/17/-0.079...098,178427.212

Scroll south east to display canal/St George's road.
Click on "Legend"

[helachau]

Are you registered with the National Library of Australia - which provides e.resource access to British Newspapers. Searching under the key "Grand Surrey Canal" delivers a wide range of items..

I've been googling under a variety of search keys eg. "old photos grand surrey canal", "old photos camberwell canal", "old photos st george's road camberwell" etc.etc (or replace with "history of ..."). Ploughing through the mountain of stuff returned, much of which is duplicated or doesn't apply, and clicking on "Visit page" on the most promising, delivers a flavour of the canal traffic (coal, limestone, timber - there were lime kilns where the present Burgess Park stands).

[sulee]

Three generations of my family lived in St Georges Way from before the 1911 census until the 60's. They lived opposite the foot bridge that crossed the canal. The houses were the usual 2 up 2 down, 2 family homes. I can vaguely remember a huge factory on the NE side of the bridge that I think was a print works, A friend of mine remembers her grandmothers house on the Neate st side of the canal as having access to the canal. Hope this helps..