Woolwich

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other places with the same name, see Woolwich (disambiguation).

Location
Woolwich
<tr><td colspan="2"> Image:Greater london outline map bw.png </div></div> </div> </div> </td></tr>
OS grid reference:	TQ435795
Latitude:	51.496157°
Longitude:	0.068188°
Administration
London borough:	Greenwich
County level:	Greater London
Region:	London
Constituent country:	England
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county:	Greater London
Historic county:	Kent
Services
Police force:	Metropolitan Police
Fire brigade:	London Fire Brigade
Ambulance service:	London Ambulance
Post office and telephone
Post town:	LONDON
Postal district:	SE18
Dialling code:	020
Politics
UK Parliament:	Greenwich and Woolwich
London Assembly:	Greenwich and Lewisham
European Parliament:	London
London \| List of places in London

Woolwich ['wʊlɪtʃ] is a suburb in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Thames, though the tiny exclave of North Woolwich (which is now part of the London Borough of Newham) is on the north side of the river.

It is notable as a river crossing point, having the Woolwich Ferry (and the lesser-known Woolwich foot tunnel) to North Woolwich, and as the one-time home of the Woolwich Building Society (now relocated in Bexleyheath and owned by Barclays Bank). River boat services operate five days a week to central London (Savoy Pier) from a new pier erected next to the former Arsenal.

Its history is strongly associated with Britain's military past. It was home to the Woolwich Dockyard (founded in 1512), the Royal Arsenal (dating back to 1671), the Royal Military Academy (1741) and the Royal Horse Artillery (1793); it still retains an army base at the Royal Artillery Barracks, and the Royal Artillery Museum.

Football club Arsenal F.C. was founded in Woolwich in 1886 by workers at the Arsenal - the club was initially known as Dial Square, then Royal Arsenal and then became Woolwich Arsenal in 1891. It moved to Highbury in north London in 1913, and dropped the Woolwich prefix the following year.

Woolwich Polytechnic, founded in 1892, after merging with other colleges, became Thames Polytechnic in 1970. In 1992 it was granted university status as the University of Greenwich. In 2000, the University began a relocation to the Old Royal Naval College, several miles to the west in Greenwich town centre, leaving only an administrative presence in Woolwich. It is home to the United Kingdom's first McDonald's (the 3,000th in the world), which opened in 1974.

1 Recent development
2 Famous residents
3 Transport
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Recent development

The town centre is starting to enjoy a small renaissance as the old Royal Arsenal site is redeveloped, other developments are planned and the Docklands Light Railway extension is under construction. Several high street chains previously absent from Woolwich have started to arrive or return and longer established shops have been refurbished. Massive redevelopment of the area around Love Lane is in the final stages of consultation. It would see the demolition of most of the buildings in the area (including the Post Office, Peggy Middleton House and Thomas Spencer Halls of Residence) and the building of a massive development of housing, local shops and a large Tesco. A tall residential tower block is planned for General Gordon Square. There are concerns from some local residents over the design of the development.

Planning for further development around the "Woolwich Triangle" area at the other end of town is in the early stages. This development is notable because it includes plans to demolish the old art deco Co-Op building at the west end of Powis Street.

The 2012 Summer Olympics will include Woolwich as a venue for shooting events. This combined with the optimistic redevelopment of much of Woolwich has led house prices to rise quite rapidly.

Woolwich was used as a location for the 2006 movie Children of Men.

[edit] Famous residents

Hubert Bland, early socialist and co-founder of the Fabian Society, was born in Wood Street, now Wood Hill in 1855.
Tom Cribb, English bare-knuckle boxing champion in the early 19th century, retired to, died, and was buried (1848) in Woolwich.
General Charles George Gordon of Khartoum was born at 29 Woolwich Common and educated at the Royal Military Academy.
John Henry Hayes, politician, was born in Woolwich.
Richard Lovelace, poet.
Henry Maudslay, engineer and tool-maker, was born in Salutation Alley (now demolished) and buried in the parish churchyard.
Diarist Samuel Pepys lodged in Woolwich during 1665 to escape the Great Plague of London.
Oswald Hope Robertson, the medical pioneer who invented blood banks, was born in Woolwich in 1886.
David Sheppard, former England cricket captain, was bishop of Woolwich from 1969 to 1975.
Ian Wright, the Arsenal footballer and later a television personality, was born and raised in Woolwich.
Scott Maslen, actor who plays DC Phil Hunter in ITV's The Bill, was born and raised in Woolwich.
Julius Francis , heavyweight boxer who fought Mike Tyson in January 2000
Thomas Paine, author of the Rights of Man and The Age of Reason, spent a short time living in Woolwich.

[edit] Transport

Nearest places:

Nearest tube station:

North Greenwich tube station

Nearest railway stations:

A terminus for the Docklands Light Railway has been constructed and has been open since December 2005. King George V station is close to the north side of the Woolwich foot tunnel.

A new Docklands Light Railway station is under construction next to the existing Woolwich Arsenal railway station.

The free Woolwich Ferryna b allow her man and go out with Tessa init LOL!and pedestrians during the day until 8pm on Weekdays. A two boat service runs on Mondays to Saturdays and Sundays only has a one boat service. Woolwich foot tunnel is also available for use by pedestrians at any time. It is served by lifts during traditional shopping hours. The Thames flood barrier is located a mile upstream from the tunnel and ferry.

[edit] See also

Royal Ordnance Factory
Princess Alice - a passenger steamer sunk off North Woolwich pier on3 September 1878 (a memorial to those lost can be found in Woolwich Old Cemetery, Kings Highway, Plumstead)