Things you didn't know about... Brockley

Don't badger us about the meaning of Brockley
Theories about the meaning of Brockley vary. One of the favourites is "the wood where badgers are seen", broc being Old English for badger.

Brockley—in the garden of England?
Surprisingly, given that it is only 8 km (5 mi) from the centre of London (held to be Charing Cross), Brockley marked the boundary between the parishes of Deptford and Lewisham in the county of Kent, at least until the London County Council was formed in 1889. These days, Brockley is part of the London Borough of Lewisham.

The surprise ingredient for Brockley rhubarb
In the 19th century Brockley was famed for its market gardens and especially for its enormous Victoria rhubarb. The secret to the growers' success was that the plants were fertilised by London's "night soil", as human waste was quaintly called. As well as gardens, Brockley was well known for its orchards, and many pear trees live on in local gardens.

Brockley has always put on a good show
Wickham Road, Brockley also happens to be where the famous Victorian actress (and mistress of Victoria's son Bertie, the future King Edward VII) Lillie Langtry lived. Other notable residents include the famous music hall star Marie Lloyd, actor and writer David Haig (husband no 2 in Four Weddings and a Funeral), poet and novelist Alan Brownjohn, authors David Lodge (Small World, Changing Places) and Edgar Wallace (King Kong). Comic Spike Milligan settled in Brockley when he arrived from India in the 1930s.

They breed strong women in Brockley!
Brockley resident and Suffragette Emily Davidson made history at the 1913 Derby when she was killed after throwing herself under the King's horse to publicise the cause of votes for women. Former Lib Dem Greenwich MP Rosie Barnes lives on Tressillian Road, as did singer Kate Bush. Chart-topper Gabrielle also lived in Brockley.

They're on song in Brockley
As well as Kate Bush and Gabrielle, Brockley has also nurtured Matt Hales of Aqualung, Tim Wanstall of Athlete (who used to rehearse at the Bear Café in nearby Deptford High St) and singer/songwriter Bobby Valentino who co-wrote and performed on The Bluebells' 1984 hit, Young at Heart. John Cale of the legendary Velvet Underground lived on Wickham Road when he was a student at nearby Goldsmiths College.

Life's a ball in Brockley
Famous Brockley landmark the Rivoli Ballroom started life as the Crofton Park Picture Palace in 1913. In 1957 it closed as a cinema and reopened as a ballroom. Opera singer Leslie Garrett has said her perfect night out would involve dancing at Brockley's Rivoli. The venue has been used for photo shoots with Kate Moss, Brad Pitt and Oasis. The White Stripes did a one-off gig there in June 2007.