Roundel history
Blitz
Our Blitz roundel refers to the bomb damage which occurred in Sydenham Road during World War II. The roundel shows an iconic blitz scene, with a V1 ‘Doodlebug’ and a Spitfire about to give chase.
Community
This roundel shows the recent return of cricket to Mayow Park. The past is echoed by the Victorian fountain and the presence of W. G. Grace (who lived at 7 Lawrie Park Road) among the spectators; other players and spectators show the diversity of today’s local people brought together by a sport. Continuing the theme of the present day, recent iconic buildings in London—The Shard, The Gherkin—are in the background: this reflects the view of London enjoyed from the top of Sydenham Hill.
Couldery Kitten in Jar
Horatio Henry Couldrey (1832-1918) was a resident of Addington Grove from 1874-1918. His nickname was ‘Kitten Couldrey’, for his many paintings of kittens. John Ruskin described his work as “Unsurpassable in its depiction of kitten meditation”. The Kitten in the Jug is from one of his paintings. We hope it will delight our young residents.
Croydon Canal
Before the railway there was: the Croydon Canal. The mosaic is seen here looking towards Sydenham Bridge. The barge, The African Queen, alludes to the novel of the same name by C. S. Forester, who lived in Longton Avenue from 1933 until 1939. As a cinema once stood on the site of the Sydenham Centre, Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, who starred in the film of the novel, can be seen under the tarpaulin.
J.L Baird Logo
This depicts an early logo of John Logie Baird’s Television Company. Baird moved to Sydenham in 1933 and made public television broadcasts from Brunel’s Southern Tower of Crystal Palace.
Logos
This shows many aspects of Sydenham’s past and present. The Queen’s Hall Electric Theatre was on the site of the present building. We have included: the logos of the International Music Festival and the Arts Festival; Boris Karloff in his role of The Mummy acts as commissionaire. Leslie Howard, from Gone With the Wind, and Norman Long, an early popular radio entertainer are also mentioned.
Paxton's Crystal Palace
This is the largest roundel on the mosaic. It was the coming of Crystal Palace to Upper Sydenham from Hyde Park in 1854 which led to the expansion of the Sydenham area.
Pissarro
The painter Camille Pissarro (1830-1903), who painted many local scenes during 1871, is
depicted as a copy of his self-portrait, which now hangs in the Tate Gallery. Here he works on his painting of St. Bartholomew’s Church, which is in the National Gallery, and is titled, The Avenue, Sydenham. Tom Keating, born in Herschell Road, a notorious ‘faker’ of famous paintings, has sneaked in and signed the painting!
depicted as a copy of his self-portrait, which now hangs in the Tate Gallery. Here he works on his painting of St. Bartholomew’s Church, which is in the National Gallery, and is titled, The Avenue, Sydenham. Tom Keating, born in Herschell Road, a notorious ‘faker’ of famous paintings, has sneaked in and signed the painting!
Shackleton
Sir Ernest Shackleton of the Antarctic (1874-1922) had his early boyhood home in Aberdeen House, since renamed St. David’s on Westwood Hill, next to St. Bartholomew’s Church. He was a pupil of Dulwich College. He did not reach the South Pole; but first, under Scott, and then leading his own expeditions, paved the way for others, achieving legendary status for the rescue of his crew after their ship Endurance was crushed and sank in the Antarctic winter.
St. Christopher's Logo
This roundel is the logo of St. Christopher’s Hospice in Lawrie Park Avenue. It marks the
founding of St. Christopher’s by Dame Cecily Saunders, the pioneer in palliative care.
founding of St. Christopher’s by Dame Cecily Saunders, the pioneer in palliative care.
The Musicians
This roundel commemorates the musical group who brought music to the area:
Sir George Grove (1820-1900)
Sir August Manns (1825-1907)
Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900)
Sir George Grove, the musicologist who lived in Sydenham, became secretary of the Crystal Palace Company. It was his enthusiasm and social skills that attracted an influential audience to the musical activities there. He appointed Manns, who lived in Kirkdale, as principal conductor, and Sullivan was a regular visitor. A memorial concert for Sullivan in 1900 was a symbolic farewell to the great days of ‘The Saturday Concerts’.
Sir George Grove (1820-1900)
Sir August Manns (1825-1907)
Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900)
Sir George Grove, the musicologist who lived in Sydenham, became secretary of the Crystal Palace Company. It was his enthusiasm and social skills that attracted an influential audience to the musical activities there. He appointed Manns, who lived in Kirkdale, as principal conductor, and Sullivan was a regular visitor. A memorial concert for Sullivan in 1900 was a symbolic farewell to the great days of ‘The Saturday Concerts’.