ED road names and history

[fonson]

Does anyone know the history of the local road names in ED? In particular, Matham Grove, Elsie Road and Derwent Road.

I got chatting with a charming elderly man (95 years) on Tintagel crescent who talked about the WWII bomb and the local dairy stables on Dog Kennel Hill.

[Muttley]

You'll find the history of all the roads and just about everything else East Dulwich in John Beasley's book, which has been serialised in past issues of SE22 magazine (a copy of which possibly came through your door last week). You should be able to get the book at Chener Books on Lordship Lane.

[Fizzy]

Matham Road is apparently named after two Dutch engravers, Jacobus and Theodore Matham. Elsie Road is presumed to have been named after a member of the family of the landowner, E.J. Bailey. E.J. Bailey came from Derbyshire and named a lot of the East Dulwich streets after his native county. Derwent Grove is one of what was known as 'The Derbyshire Colony' and named after the River Derwent. Muttley's right in recommending the John Beasley book, it's a good source of information re the area.

[beatnic]

Eynella Road - backslang for Alleyne apparently.

[jim_the_chin]

Landells Road was named after one of the founders of Punch magazine, Ebenezer Landells, an engraver. No idea why the road was named after him though.