That's the dream of the Friends of St James's Churchyard. It will look a lot different from the much loved slide that graced the churchyard for nearly fifty years, but it will, we hope, bring a fresh injection to the childrenm who will use the new slide, close to the existing children's playground.
But first we need to raise the funds.
The first step in that direction will be the official launch of the project at a Community Fun Day in the Churchyard on Saturday 22nd July, for which we are grateful to the United St Saviours Charity for funding.
In the meantime, a local artist, funded with the grant from United St Saviour's, have produced this 'artist's impression of a new joy slide, complete with St James's Church in the background. Thanks Rosie.
The original slide was the brainchild of Arthur Carr of Peek Frean's biscuit factory. On his way to work he saw children sliding on the granite slope (as they still do) by the side of the steps leading up to the church portico, and the thought came to him of providing a full size slide for the children of the area. Now, if funds allow, a new joy slide for the twenty first century could be coming to St James's Churchyard, complete with an explanatory panel telling the story of the old joy slide.
 |
| The old joy slide |
Loved playing on this slide. It was so very special. Could it not be reconstructed. It was a real piece of history.
ReplyDeleteDear Gary, I have just made an online donation. As it was not possible to comment there I am doing so here. My mother was born in Bermondsey in 1917 and lived there until about 1934. I am sure she would have known the slide. Her mother died when she was 9 months old, her father returned from WWI to no wife and child he had never met. He remarried quickly and his new wife did not get on with mother so she was brought up by her godmother, his cousin, who lived in Beatrice Rd. I am enjoying researching her family tree, have visited Bermondsey a few times, joined an organised walk about Ada Salter last year and am currently reading Ada's biography. Good Luck with the fund raising
ReplyDelete