Thanks to everyone who submitted ideas for the names of buildings and roads in the new Lee Green development on the old Leegate site.
We have passed them on to London Square.
Your ideas broke down into three broad areas: names from the history of Lee, names of notable residents and names derived from the old Leegate shopping centre.
Among the ideas based on local history was Edmund Halley – who as well as giving his name to the old Wetherspoon’s pub was an 18th century Astronomer Royal who is buried in the old St Margaret’s churchyard. Halley was the first to use science to predict the appearances of comets in the sky.
Another suggestion based on local history is Cordell – to commemorate the daughter of Sir Brian Annesley, a 16th/17th century resident of Lee whose story some believe to be the inspiration for Shakespeare’s King Lear.
Among the names of celebrities who lived in Lee were: Max Wall, Manfred Mann, Jude Law, Kate Bush and the Olympian Daryll Neita.
Edith Nesbit, the well-known author of The Railway Children and Lee resident was suggested by several people.
Her name is already commemorated in the small park near the development was mentioned in several responses.
She lived in Lee and Blackheath for many years and it’s said she weas inspired to write The Railway Children by observing the railway lines near Grove Park and Blackheath.
Another author whose name was suggested is Phyllis Wilmott. She was a sociologist and lived in Lampmead Road, and wrote a number of books including ‘Growing up in a London Village’ which describes her childhood in Lee Green.
A handful of names from the world of politics were submitted, including Karl Marx who apparently stayed in Lee, briefly, though we don’t know exactly when, and Rosa Billinghurst, a campaigning suffragette.
A more contemporary resident, suggested by several people, is Jim Mallory – a former councillor and Chair of the Lee Green Consortium. Some people also felt the former Leegate shopping centre should be commemorated in a building or road name. Among the ideas was Woolworth Road!
Thanks for all your bright ideas. Keep them coming! You can either add them as comments under this article or email leemanorsociety@gmail.com
