Waterside, Crayford, c. 1918

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Waterside, Crayford showing the entrance to the Barnes Cray Estate and the re-built Princesses Theatre.

The policeman is standing outside the Bear and Staff, c.1918.

The Princesses Theatre was built by Vickers to provide entertainment for its workers. The theatre was opened on 26th July 1916 by Princess Christian but within a few months was destroyed by fire on 4th December 1916. It re-opened on 24th July 1919.

Its future was mainly as a cinema and the named was changed to the Ritz in 1950. By then the day of the small cinema was over and it was demolished in 1957.

 

See historic maps of Crayford