Deptford's Lower Watergate - industry, leisure, Falstaff and now Ahoy!

 

In my last article I said that I would look at public infrastructure and as far as I could see the earliest features which could be described as that were the Waterman stairs along the Riverside.  Last week I wrote about Upper Watergate which is on the Borough boundary with Lewisham.  I had written about those before but I had lots to add.

Many books and articles say there were some stairs at Middle Watergate and at Lower Watergate but   I can’t actually find any references to Middle Watergate Stairs at all. There have been various works and a wharf there - for many years a corn mill and there is some indication of a medieval tide mill - but no stairs. Old newspapers sometimes carry advertisements for property sales there; many of them for old pubs. For example the old buildings of the Royal Ann pub are advertised and it pub is listed as closed before 1834.-

Lower Watergate is still there -- the stairs have gone but there is a draw dock and granite setts in the pavement at the entrance.  However there is no access to the wharf which is used by the Ahoy Centre.  This organisation dates from 2002 and promotes sailing and power boating courses for people who would otherwise unable to take part in water sports due to physical disability or social disadvantage. https://ahoy.org.uk/

Lower Watergate however gets many mentions in old newspapers – far more than I could possibly cover here. Looking quickly at just a few gives a picture of a busy riverside area. For example, in September 1831 ,we hear about ...’the Deptford Regatta, usually raced by six final year apprentice watermen’ who had to row ‘from the ‘Upper and Lower Water-gates - ... from the Creek’s mouth to the King’s Yard’’.

 Naturally pubs get a mention. In 1826, for example we learn about ‘A very Improvable Property, consisting of a leasehold Public House, well situated for business .....  a messuage, formerly the Queen Elizabeth, Lower Watergate, Deptford. May be viewed.

And in November 1859 the contents of the Sir John Falstaff were for sale “in consequence of the house being about to be pulled down. ......bedsteads, bedding, chests of drawers, carpeting, ... bar fittings, metal-top counter, 6-lever beer-engine, spirit piping, tips, casks ....... mahogany tables, chairs, sofa, chimney glasses ...... summer-house, fitted to roof of premises; painted drinking-boxes and tables, gas fittings, blinds, bells, stoves”

On the riverside things could go missing - as in 1810 ‘lost a small! BOAT.  On the stern of the vessel Two Sisters, in Northfleet Hope. Has the name of Samuel Smith” on the boat. ONE GUINEA Reward to be paid by SAMUEL SMITH, Lower Water-Gate, Deptford.

There was also, and naturally, a lot of crime.

In 1906 ‘John Harmer, 20, of 38, Hughes Fields. Deptford was in unlawful possession of eleven fire-bars at Lower Watergate. and was committed to prison for a month with hard labour. ...

 In 1907 headlines ‘Detectives plunge into the river ‘ ... apparently ‘for a man unlawfully in possession at Lower Watergate of many feet of 7in. Manilla rope’.

Also In 1907 .....’PC Logs, Thames Police, who was accompanied by PC Ernest Burton, said that at 5.45 p.m. on the 19th inst., he saw the two prisoners in a boat at the Lower Watergate. Sisson had 21cwt of wrought steel and iron

 Lower Watergate was even the site for attempted murder (or desperate action by a desperate mother). In 1911 - Susan Nelson, 27, of Deptford, was committed for trial on a charge of attempting to murder her illegitimate child Alfred, aged three years.  Nathaniel Nelson, the prisoner's brother-in law, said she had three children and on July 20th following a dispute, she threw the child into the river at Lower Watergate. The lad was pulled out of the water, and the prisoner walked away. Charles Hutchings, who pulled the child out of the river, said he was bleeding badly when rescued, but Dr. Burney stated that, excepting for the shock, the lad was none the worse for his immersion.

The wharf was sometimes used by shipping to wait before a voyage so; various bits of business could be transacted:

In 1812.....the Ship -has only Room for a few Tons of Goods, and will sail in a few Days. Strongly armed, and with Licence to Sail without Convoy, Direct for Malta and Smyrna. Lying opposite the Lower Watergate, Deptford.  .... Carriage guns For Freight or Passage, apply the Mediterranean Coffee-house, Cornhill.

And in 1829  “for Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, and Marseilles.—the public are respectfully informed that the Superb steam -packet will leave her moorings off the Lower Watergate, Deptford, on Tuesday Morning, the 20th of October, at ten o'clock, instead of Thursday, the 15th, as stated in former advertisements. The packet will call at Portsmouth and Plymouth; but places must be taken by letter, at the General Steam Navigation Company's office, 24, Crutched-Friars, on or before Saturday next.

It was also where ships for sale could be berthed. .... ’.Good Ship ALBION, River built, by Missis. Barnard and Co. the year 1798. New coppered with 32 ounce copper last voyage; is amazing strong built ship, suitable for any trade, having sufficient height.... for any of the islands the West Indies-..... sails remarkably fast ..... Now lying at the Lower Watergate, Deptford.

 Or - the Good Ship LADY BARLOW, square stern, quarter galleries, woman head, built of teak and just arrived from her first voyage....  coppered, pierced for 20 guns, 6 feet between decks, and 12 feet hold. Sails remarkably fast, is well adopted the East India, or any other trade in which she can employed. May be sent to sea at trifling expense; lying off the Lower Watergate, Deptford

On the land there could be disasters 

FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE. About four o'clock this morning an alarming fire broke out at the lower part of the shop of Mr. Watts, tobacconist Lower Watergate, Deptford, which threatened destruction to the whole neighbourhood.’ ...Engines speedily arrived from every one of the London insurance offices... the house fell with a tremendous crash ... the corpse of a female, nearly burnt to a cinder, was found among the burning pile of ruins  ... that of a lodger in the house aged 80 years, a very infirm lady’.

And, of course, in 1923 the drunks: ..”A bathe in the river at 11.30 on Saturday night  ......an inquest held on George New, age 28... His widow said that on Saturday they went to a party..... and went down to Lower Watergate.... Her husband saw two men ,swimming in the river and said to a  friend "swim you to Tower Bridge." 10 minutes later those on the shore heard the deceased  call for help.  Both were found on the foreshore on Sunday morning. The Coroner recorded a verdict of "Accidental death "

In the 19th  and early 20th centuries  Lower Watergate seems to have been a busy public space on the riverside.  It is far from clear if there were actually stairs there, but the Drawdock is frequently mentioned.  It is a pity that this Drawdock , and in fact the whole area,– is inaccessible to the public although of course in good use  by the Ahoy Centre.

This corner of the borough remains relatively isolated despite being surround y new flats. Historically  it was a central area of the riverside village portion of Deptford. It was an area which had seen important houses and properties in use by aristocracy connected with the Navy and the Dockyard. It had later been the site of a number of river related industries –marine engineers like Penn’s and Humphreys, Tennant and Dykes, and shipbuilders like Barnard, Longley and Gordon=nabs...  In the earlier  20th  century it was dominated by the power station – the site of which is now of course ore housing.  It is an area which needs a proper history  - to tell the real story of maritime Deptford.  One of the institutions to come out this area was Trinity House – and I must get round to talking about that and soon.