Sidcup

infobox UK place
country = England
map_type = Greater London
region= London
population=
official_name= Sidcup
latitude= 51.4263
longitude= 0.1024
os_grid_reference= TQ461718
london_borough= Bexley
post_town= SIDCUP
postcode_area= DA
postcode_district= DA14, DA15
dial_code= 020
constituency_westminster= Old Bexley & Sidcup

Sidcup is a suburban development in the London Borough of Bexley, South East London. Located convert|11.3|mi|km|1 south east of Charing Cross.

Much of Sidcup is typical 1930s suburbia but it retains many parks and open spaces hinting at the great estates and large homes which once stood in the area.

The town contains a major hospital and two colleges. The town centre has a mix of high street stores, independent shops, a modern library, an internet café and several pubs. Sidcup is contiguous with Blackfen, Eltham, Foots Cray, Longlands, and Lamorbey.

History

The name is thought to be derived from "Cetecopp" meaning 'seat shaped or flat topped hill'; it has its earliest recorded use in 1254. [Mills, A., "Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names", (2000)] Sidcup originated as a tiny hamlet on the road from London to Maidstone.

A number of manor houses (converted to others uses) remain. They include Frognal House (now converted for use as sheltered accommodation), Lamorbey House (now used by the Rose Bruford College), Sidcup Place (now a Brewers Fayre bar and restaurant) and "The Hollies" (now converted for residential use).

Sidcup parish formed the Sidcup Urban District of Kent from 1908. It was initially known as Foots Cray; however, in 1921 the urban district, [ [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10054977 Vision of Britain] - Foots Cray Urban District] and in 1925 the parish, [ [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10193382 Vision of Britain] - Foots Cray / Sidcup parish] was renamed Sidcup. The parish and district were abolished in 1934 and combined with Chislehurst to form the Chislehurst and Sidcup civil parish and urban district. In 1965 the parish and urban district were abolished. Sidcup went on to form part of the London Borough of Bexley in Greater London and Chislehurst formed part of the London Borough of Bromley.

Sidcup is mentioned in Noel Coward's comedic play 'Relative Values, Harold Pinter's "The Caretaker" and was the location of the 2004 Dasani scandal.

It is also reputed that it was on the platform of Sidcup railway station that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first agreed to form a band, which later became the Rolling Stones. Other showbiz connections in Sidcup include the Rose Bruford College of drama and the Bird College of Dance & Theatre Performance, both of which have many well known and famous alumni; regular large-scale concerts are given by Sidcup Symphony Orchestra [ [http://www.sidcupsymphony.org.uk Sidcup Symphony Orchestra] ] , which also serves the wider London Borough of Bexley.

For many years, Sidcup had as its constituency (Old Bexley and Sidcup) Member of Parliament, the Rt Hon. Sir Edward Heath, Prime Minister 1970-1974.

Associated notable people

* Michele Austin - Actress. Schooled in Sidcup.
* Steve Backley - Olympic sportsman. Born in Sidcup.
* Doreen Bird - Dance teacher. Lived in Sidcup and established college.
* Quentin Blake - Illustrator/Artist. Born in Sidcup.
* Ben Chorley - Footballer. Born in Sidcup.
* Ian Davenport - Artist. Born in Sidcup.
* Martin Evans - Musician, former drummer of American Indie Pop band Milton and the Devils Party. Born and raised in Sidcup.
* Steve Hillier- Musician. Schooled in Sidcup.
* John Paul Jones - Bass guitarist Led Zeppelin. Born in Sidcup.
* Rob Knox - Actor, murdered in Sidcup.
* Ivan Magill - Innovative anaesthetist. Worked in Sidcup.
* Clive Mendonca - Footballer for Charlton Athletic. Lived in Sidcup
* Lee Murray - Former kickboxer and mixed martial arts champion, wanted for Securitas depot robbery. Born in Sidcup.
* Emma Noble - Glamour model. Born in Sidcup.
* Mike Rann - Australian politician, South Australian State Premier. Born in Sidcup.
* John Regis - Olympic athlete. Lived in Sidcup.
* Wayne Routledge - Footballer. Born in Sidcup.
* Ethel Smyth - Composer and Suffragette. Born in Sidcup.
*Jim Staples - International Rugby Union captain, educated in Sidcup.
* Viscount Sydney - Frognal House, Sidcup was the birthplace and home of Thomas Townshend, first Viscount Sydney, after whom Sydney, Australia was named.
* Dick Taylor - Founder Member of The Pretty Things and early bass guitarist in the Rolling Stones. Schooled in Sidcup.
* Gordon Watson - Former Sheffield Wednesday footballer was born in Sidcup.
* Elizabeth Wiskemann - Journalist. Born in Sidcup.
* Doug Wright - Cricketer. Born in Sidcup.
* Sarah Louise Young - former pornographic actress, born in Sidcup.

Education

:"For education in Sidcup see the main London Borough of Bexley article"

Local Primary Schools

*Benedict House Primary School (Private)
* [http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/schools/primary/birkbeck.html Birkbeck Primary School]
* [http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/schools/primary/burntoak.html Burnt Oak Junior School]
* [http://www.dayslane.bexley.sch.uk Days Lane Primary School]
* [http://www.hurst.bexley.sch.uk Hurst Primary School]
* [http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/schools/primary/longlands.html Longlands Primary School]
* [http://www.mertoncourt.kent.sch.uk Merton Court Preparatory School (Private)]
* [http://www.westlodge.org.uk/ West Lodge Primary School (Private)]

Local Secondary Schools

*Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School
* [http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/schools/secondary/cleevepark.html Cleve Park School]
* [http://www.bexley.gov.uk/service/schools/secondary/hurstmeresports.html Hurstmere School]

Local Further & Higher Education Institutes

*Bird College of Dance & Theatre Performance
*Rose Bruford College

Places of Worship

* [http://www.allsaintsandstjames.org.uk All Saints Church, Rectory Lane]
* [http://www.christchurchsidcup.org.uk Christ Church, Main Road]
* [http://www.chislehurstmethodistcircuit.co.uk Emmanuel Church, Hadlow Road]
* [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jerry.diccox/footscray/foots_home.htm Footscray Baptist Church, Sidcup Hill]
* [http://www.holytrinitylamorbey.org Holy Trinity Church, Hurst Road]
* [http://www.newcommunitychurch.org.uk New Community Church, Station Road]
* [http://www.newgen.org.uk New Generation Church, Acorn Centre, Birkbeck Road]
* [http://www.stjohnchurch.co.uk St John's Church, Church Road]
* [http://www.rc.net/uk/southwark/stlawrence St Lawrence's Church, Hamilton Road]
* [http://www.sidcupbaptistchurch.org.uk Sidcup Baptist Church, Main Road]

Transport and locale

Nearby places

Nearby places often considered as part of Sidcup and having Sidcup as the "post town".
*Blackfen
*Lamorbey
*Longlands
*Foots Cray

Other nearby places
*Chislehurst
*Old Bexley
*New Eltham
*St Paul's Cray
*Orpington
*Ruxley

Nearby railway stations and buses

At Sidcup station, there are two Southeastern commuter rail lines that connect with London. One of them links Charing Cross with Gravesend, and the other one is a ring line, terminating at Cannon Street

References