Petts Wood

Petts Wood
Petts Wood Location withinGreater London
Population	13,651 (2011 Census. Petts Wood and Knoll Ward)
OS grid reference	TQ445675
London borough	Bromley
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ORPINGTON
Postcode district	BR5
Dialling code	01689
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Orpington
London Assembly	Bexley and Bromley

Petts Woodis a town insouth-eastLondon,England,previously located in thehistoric countyofKent.It lies south ofChislehurst,west ofSt Paul's CrayandPoverest,north ofOrpingtonandCrofton,and east ofSouthboroughandBromley Common.The area forms part of theLondon Borough of Bromleylocal authority districtin theceremonial countyofGreater London.

History

The name appeared first in 1577 as "the wood of thePett family",who wereshipbuildersand leased the wood as a source oftimber.(A pub, The Sovereign of the Seas, is named aftera shipbuilt atWoolwichto a design byPhineas Pett.)

The area remained rural right up until the late 19th century; in 1872 just one house ('Ladywood') stood here.Most of the modern suburb of Petts Wood was built in the late 1920s by theHarlow-based developer Basil Scruby together with architect Leonard Culliford who designed the layout of the roads.A number of individual builders developed individual plots, amongst others the master builder, Noel Rees, as well as Walter Reed and George Hoad.Scruby also paid theSouthern Railway Company£6,000 to buildPetts Wood railway stationto serve the new suburb.Shops and a cinema were also built adjacent to the railway.

The Daylight Innin 2011. The pub is listed at grade II.

The generally higher quality of large homes built to the east of the railway line, as compared to smaller and more densely packed development to the west, was due to the fact that Scruby's increasing financial difficulties meant he had little control over its developers, Morrell's and New Ideal Homesteads.

The area between Petts Wood and Bickley sustained heavy bombing during theSecond World Warbecause of its proximity to an important railway junction. Three bombs landed on the town centre itself.

TheJubilee Country Parkis to the northwest of the main shopping area. Before this park was created in 1977 the area was known as 'The Gun Sites', as it had been the location for anti-aircraft guns in the Second World War, and was the home of the 1st Petts Wood scout group.

According toKeith Waterhousein his bookStreets Ahead,Petts Wood was popular with Fleet Street newspaper staff in the 1950s: "… this Kent suburb, recommended in Fleet Street for the all-night train service it afforded sub-editors and reporters coming off late duty, thus giving them a round-the-clock, heaven-sent excuse for one more for the road."

In 2009, the localWoolworthsstore gained media attention when its manager, realising his was the last of the chain to close, gathered the remains of thepick and mixsection and auctioned the bag of sweets for £14,500.

The woods

The Petts Wood area of woodland

Open fields on the Hawkwood Estate

The eponymous wood itself survives and is managed by theNational Trust.Originally just 88 acres (36 hectares) were bought by public subscription and donated to the Trust in 1927, after it became clear that the area would be developed for housing.This asset expanded when the neighbouring Hawkwood Estate and Edlmann Wood, comprising a further 250 acres (100 hectares), were donated to the Trust by landowners Robert and Francesca Hall in 1957.The woodland featuresoak,birch,rowan,alder,ash,hornbeamandsweet chestnut.

Transport

Rail

Petts Wood stationprovides the area withNational Railservices toLondon VictoriaviaBromley SouthandHerne Hill,Kentish Townvia Bromley South andCatford,London Charing CrossviaGrove Park,London Cannon Streetvia Grove Park andLewisham,OrpingtonandSevenoaks.

Buses

Petts Wood is served byLondon Busesroutes208,273,N199,R3andR7.These connect it with areas includingBromley,Catford,Chislehurst,Grove Park,LewishamandOrpington.

Notable people

The sundial that memorialisesWilliam Willettin the woodland at Petts Wood

• Cerrie Burnell(b. 1979) – actress, singer, playwright, and television presenter, grew up in Petts Wood.
• Jack Dee(b. 1961) – comedian and winner ofCelebrity Big Brother 1,grew up in Petts Wood.
• Charles De Gaulle(1890–1970) – French general, statesman and futurePresident of Francewho led theFree French ForcesduringSecond World War.He rented a home at 41 Birchwood Road for four months before moving his family further inland toShropshirelater in 1940.
• Sir Geraint Evans(1922–1992) – Welsh baritone or bass-baritone noted for his operatic roles. Lived at 34 Birchwood Road where he is commemorated with a blue plaque.
• David Fletcher(b. 1942) – MBE, Military historian and author, born in Petts Wood.
• Pat Keysell(1926–2009) – TV presenter and sign language interpreter, grew up in Petts Wood.
• Pixie Lott(b. 1991) – singer and songwriter.
• John Loveday– physicist.
• Ian Mortimer(b. 1967) – medieval historian, grew up in Petts Wood.
• David Nobbs(1935–2015) – comedy writer and the creator of the sitcomThe Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin,grew up in Petts Wood.
• Major Phil Packer(b. 1972) – British soldier who was renderedparaplegicin 2008 by injuries sustained while serving in Iraq, grew up in Petts Wood. He has since raised over a million pounds through charitable fundraising efforts which have garnered him several national awards.
• Arthur Seldon(1916–2005) – economist.
• Ivor Spencer(1924–2009) – toastmaster and promoter of the butler arts.
• William Willett(1856–1915) – promoter ofDaylight Saving Time,an idea he is thought to have come up with whilst riding in Petts Wood.He is commemorated by a memorialsundialin the wood, and the pubThe Daylight Innis named in his honour.

In popular culture

Birchwood Road, Kingsway, and other surrounding roads, were used as a location for the 1978 feature film,Give Us Tomorrow,withSylvia Syms.

Sports and recreation facilities

• Petts Wood Football Club
• Petts Wood Recreation Ground
• Willett Recreation Ground
• Petts Wood Runners, running club
• Petts Wood Bowling Club.
• Petts Wood Snooker Club (above Morrisons)
• Orpington Ojays Swimming Club
• Oakley Fitness Above (Orpington & District Amateur Boxing Club)
• Orpington & District Amateur Boxing Club