Sidcup is an area of south-east

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England, primarily in the

London Borough of Bexley The London Borough of Bexley () is a London boroughs, London borough in south-east London, forming part of Outer London. It has a population of 248,287. The main settlements are Sidcup, Erith, Bexleyheath, Belvedere, London, Belvedere, Crayford ...

. It is south-east of

Charing Cross Charing Cross ( ) is a junction in Westminster, London, England, where six routes meet. Since the early 19th century, Charing Cross has been the notional "centre of London" and became the point from which distances from London are measured. ...

, bordering the London Boroughs of

Bromley Bromley is a large town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is southeast of Charing Cross, and had an estimated population of 88,000 as of 2023. Originally part of Kent, Bromley became a market town, charte ...

and

Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...

. It was part of

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

prior to the creation of

Greater London Greater London is an administrative area in England, coterminous with the London region, containing most of the continuous urban area of London. It contains 33 local government districts: the 32 London boroughs, which form a Ceremonial count ...

in 1965. The name is thought to be derived from meaning "seat-shaped or flat-topped hill"; it had its earliest recorded use in 1254. According to the ONS, as of 2021, the population of Sidcup is 15,400 (rounded to the nearest 100).

History

Origins

Sidcup originated as a tiny hamlet on the road from

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, l ...

to London. According to

Edward Hasted Edward Hasted (20 December 1732 OS (31 December 1732 NS) – 14 January 1812) was an English antiquarian and pioneering historian of his ancestral home county of Kent. As such, he was the author of a major county history, ''The History and ...

, "Thomas de Sedcopp was owner of this estate in the 35th year of king Henry VI. .e. in the 1450sas appears by his deed." Hasted described Sidcup in the latter part of the 18th century as "a small street of houses, among which is an inn of much resort", referring to the former Black Horse pub on the high street. Sidcup parish formed the Sidcup Urban District of Kent from 1908. It was initially known as Foots Cray; however, in 1921 the urban district, and in 1925 the parish, were renamed Sidcup. The parish and district were abolished in 1934 and combined with

Chislehurst Chislehurst () is a suburban district of south-east London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies east of Bromley, south-west of Sidcup and north-west of Orpington, south-east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater ...

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 The London Borough of Bromley () is a London Borough, borough in London, England. It is the largest and southeasternmost borough in London, and borders the county of Kent, of which it formed part until 1965. The borough's population in the 2021 ...

Recent

A number of manor houses, converted to other uses, remain. They include Frognal House, the birthplace and residence of

Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney (24 February 1733 – 30 June 1800) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1754 to 1783 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Sydney. He held several important Cabinet posts in ...

, converted for use as residential and nursing accommodation; Lamorbey House, now used by Rose Bruford College; Sidcup Place, a bar and restaurant; and The Hollies, converted for residential use.

Area

Sidcup borders

Blackfen Blackfen is an area of South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bexley. It is located north of Sidcup and south of Welling. Prior to the creation of Greater London in 1965 it was in the historic county of Kent. "Blackfen" me ...

to the north, Albany Park to the northeast and east, Foots Cray to the south-east,

to the south and south-west,

New Eltham New Eltham is a suburban area of South East Greater London, London, England, primarily in the Royal Borough of Greenwich with some parts in the London Borough of Bexley. It is located south east of Eltham and north west of Sidcup. History New E ...

to the west and Avery Hill to the north-west. Sidcup has a mixture of large Victorian and Edwardian properties alongside typical 1930s suburbia. It retains many parks and open spaces hinting at the great estates and large homes which once stood in the area. The town contains Queen Mary's Hospital, a large Leisure Centre, four colleges and three secondary schools. Sidcup High Street is the main retail and commercial street, and there are some other shops and local businesses on the adjacent Station Road. In 2014, Sidcup High Street was the subject of a £1.8 million regeneration scheme In Store For Sidcup paid for by London Borough of Bexley. Most of the district is within the London Borough of Bexley, however, several parts in the North are under the governance of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, including Southspring, Greenhithe Close, Halfway Street (offsite Avery Hill), Radfield Way, Croyde Close and Overmead.

Geography

Sidcup lies south-west of Bexleyheath; north-east of

; north of

Orpington Orpington is a town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is 13.4 miles (21.6 km) south east of Charing Cross. On the south-eastern edge of the Greater London Built-up Area, it is south of St Mary Cray, sou ...

; north-west of

Swanley Swanley is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England, southeast of central London, adjacent to the Greater London boundary and within the M25 motorway periphery. The population at the 2021 ce ...

Demographics

Northwest view of the Sidcup War Memorial

In 2021, the estimated population was given as 15,400. 18.5% of residents are aged 65+, slightly above the statistics for the whole of the London Borough of Bexley. At the census of 2021, the non-white population of Sidcup was recorded at 18.1%; the largest minority group were Asian or Asian British (7.0% of the total population). The percentage of those who are separated or divorced (including dissolved civil partnerships) was 11.0%, just above that of the entire borough at 10.6%. 48.5% reported Christianity as their religious belief which was lower than the borough average, with 'No religion' being the second largest category at 38.8%, higher than the borough average of 33.6%.

Education

Primary schools in Sidcup include: Birkbeck, Burnt Oak Junior School, Chatsworth, Days Lane, Holy Trinity Lamorbey, Longlands, Orchard School, Our Lady of the Rosary, Royal Park, Sherwood Park, and St Peter Chanel. Secondary schools in Sidcup include Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School,

, Cleeve Park, Hurstmere and Kemnal Technology College. Bird College, Christ the King: St Mary's (RC) Sixth Form College, and Rose Bruford College all have sites in Sidcup.

Healthcare

Sidcup Cottage Hospital was opened in 1882 in Birkbeck Road, Sidcup. The building soon became too small and new premises were opened on the corner of Birkbeck and Granville Road in 1890. The premises became financially unviable and closed in 1974. The building was demolished and Sidcup Health Centre, now known as the Barnard Medical Practice was erected in the site. Notable staff included: * Alice Fortune Hodgson (1881-1942), Matron from 1913 until at least September 1939.Rogers, Sarah (2022). 'A Maker of Matrons'? A study of Eva Lückes's influence on a generation of nurse leaders:1880–1919' (Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Huddersfield, April 2022) Hodgson trained at The London Hospital under Matron Eva Luckes between 1903-1905. She remained there as a private nurse, undertook her

midwifery Midwifery is the health science and health profession that deals with pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period (including care of the newborn), in addition to the sexual and reproductive health of women throughout their lives. In many cou ...

training, and worked as a staff nurse before she left in 1908. As Matron Hodgson and the nursing staff were present when a long term in patient was confirmed into the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

by the

Bishop of Rochester The Bishop of Rochester is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury. The town of Rochester, Kent, Rochester has the bishop's seat, at the Rochester Cathedral, Cathedral Chur ...

in 1931. Queen Mary's Hospital was opened in 1917 with 300 beds in a number of wooden huts. Until 1925 it was the central military hospital for the reconstructive surgery of war veterans, led by Sir Harold Gillies The original hospital closed in 1929, being reopened as a general hospital in 1930 by Queen Mary, after whom it was named. A new building was opened in 1965. Since 2013 it has been managed by the

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is a National Health Service trust named after the ancient Oxleas Woods between Bexley and Greenwich. Current status Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is an NHS Foundation Trust providing community health, mental health an ...

Sport and leisure

Sidcup has a

Non-League football Non-League football describes association football, football leagues played outside the top leagues of a country. Usually, it describes leagues which are not fully professional. The term is primarily used for football in England, where it is ...

club Sporting Club Thamesmead F.C. who play at the Sporting Club Thamesmead. On Sydney Road, there is a Sidcup Sports Club, housing the local rugby and cricket clubs. Sidcup also has a

Leisure Centre A leisure centre, sports centre, or recreation centre is a purpose-built building or site, usually owned and provided by the local government authority, where people can engage in a variety of sports and exercise, and keep fit. Typical facilit ...

on Hurst Road with 2 pools and a gym. The Sidcup and District Motor Cycle Club was formed at the Station Hotel, Sidcup in 1928. The club owns the Canada Heights motorcycle sport venue in Button Street,

Culture, identity and community

Sidcup is home to the Rose Bruford College of drama and Bird College, both of which have several famous alumni, and the Sidcup Symphony Orchestra, which also serves the wider South East London area. In an interview with Lake Bell (who studied at Rose Bruford College) in 2015, comedian James Corden described Sidcup as "the armpit of England" on his late night American chat show '' The Late Late Show with James Corden''. The murder of teenager Rob Knox at the Metro Bar on Station Road in 2008 was national headline news. Knox was an aspiring actor who had, just before his death, filmed a small part in ''

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series, and takes place during Harry Potter's sixth year at the wizard scho ...

''. He was killed protecting his brother from a group of youths. His murderer, Karl Bishop, also from Sidcup, was later found guilty of murder and sentenced. Following Knox's death, his family have campaigned to end knife crime among young people. The Rob Knox Foundation has organised a Rob Knox Film Festival in Sidcup and the neighbouring town of Bexleyheath, and a bench was dedicated to Knox at St John's Church in Sidcup in 2015.

Transport

National Rail

Sidcup railway station opened in October 1866, a month after the opening of the Dartford Loop Line on 1 September 1866. It is 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Sidcup town centre. The station provides the area with Southeastern services to

London Charing Cross Charing Cross railway station (also known as London Charing Cross) is a London station group, central London railway terminus between the Strand, London, Strand and Hungerford Bridge in the City of Westminster. It is the terminus of the South ...

and to

Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Roche ...

Roads

Sidcup High Street is on the A211, following in length the old London – Maidstone – Hythe road. The A211 starts just at the eastern end of Eltham High Street, running through New Eltham, then alongside the A20 Sidcup By-pass before ending at Foots Cray, where the B2173 continues towards Swanley along the former A20 road. The A211 connects the two main roads in this district; Station Road and Main Road. East Rochester Way on the A2 road runs partly through the district, adjoining Blackfen Road. This road provides links to the Blackwall Tunnel and

Buses

Sidcup is served by a number of

Transport for London Transport for London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London, United Kingdom. TfL is the successor organization of the London Passenger Transport Board, which was established in 1933, and His ...

bus routes, namely the 51, 160, 229, 233, 269, 286, 321, 492, 625, 669, B14, R11 and SL3. These connect Sidcup with areas including Bexleyheath,

Catford Catford is a district in south east London, England, and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Lewisham. It is southwest of Lewisham itself, mostly in the Rushey Green (ward), Rushey Green and Catford South Ward (electoral subdivi ...

Crayford Crayford is a town and Wards of the United Kingdom, electoral ward in South London, South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bexley. It lies east of Bexleyheath and north west of Dartford. Crayford was in the Historic countie ...

Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames Estuary, is Thurrock in ...

Eltham Eltham ( ) is a district of South London, southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is east-southeast of Charing Cross, and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. The three ...

Erith Erith () is an area in south-east London, England, east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the historical county of Kent. Since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Bexley. It lies north ...

Lewisham Lewisham ( ) is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the Historic counties of England, historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in ...

New Cross New Cross is an area in south-east London, England, south-east of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Lewisham and the London_postal_district#List_of_London_postal_districts, SE14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, London, St Jo ...

Thamesmead Thamesmead () is an area of south-east London, England, straddling the border between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley. It is located east of Charing Cross, north-east of Woolwich and west of Erith. It mainly c ...

, Welling & Woolwich.

Notable residents

* F. Matthias Alexander (1869–1955), Australian actor and inventor of the

Alexander technique The Alexander technique, named after its developer Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869–1955), is an alternative therapy based on the idea that poor posture causes a range of health problems. The American National Center for Complementary a ...

, lived in Penhill House, Sidcup, for 30 years *

Harry Arter Harry Nicholas Arter (born 28 December 1989) is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as a central midfielder, central or defensive midfielder for Precision Football, Precision in the UAE Second Division League. He began hi ...

(1989–) footballer ( Bournemouth F.C. and

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...

), born in Sidcup * Steve Backley (1969–), Olympic

javelin A javelin is a light spear designed primarily to be thrown, historically as a ranged weapon. Today, the javelin is predominantly used for sporting purposes such as the javelin throw. The javelin is nearly always thrown by hand, unlike the sling ...

silver medallist, born in Sidcup *

Gareth Bacon Gareth Andrew Bacon (born 7 April 1972) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Orpington (UK Parliament constituency), Orpington since 2019 United Kingdom general electi ...

(1972–), politician and leader of the Conservative Party in the Greater London Assembly *

Sam Bailey Samantha Florence Bailey (born 29 June 1977) is an English Pop music, pop singer who won the The X Factor (British series 10), tenth series of ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor'' in 2013. Following her win, her debut single, a c ...

(1977–), winning contestant, ''

The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...

'', grew up in Sidcup * Angela Barnes (1976–) actress, stand-up comedian, born in Sidcup * Christopher Battarbee (1975–), cricketer (

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

), born in Sidcup * Lake Bell (1979–), American actress, lived in Sidcup while studying at Rose Bruford College in the 1990s. * Doreen Bird (1928–2004), dance teacher, lived in Sidcup and established Bird College *

Quentin Blake Sir Quentin Saxby Blake (born 16 December 1932) is an English cartoonist, caricaturist, illustrator and children's writer. He has illustrated over 300 books, including 18 written by Roald Dahl, which are among his most popular works. For his l ...

(1932–), illustrator, artist, born in Sidcup * Denis Bond (1946–), children's author, actor and scriptwriter, lives in Sidcup * Tom Burns (1944–), Catholic bishop, lived and ministered in Sidcup and taught at St Mary's School in the 1970s * Garry Bushell (1955–), journalist, lives in Sidcup * George Albert Cairns (1913–44), recipient of the last

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, lived and worked in Sidcup * Sheila Callender (1914–2004), haematologist, born in Sidcup * Ben Chorley (1982–), footballer, born in Sidcup * Charlie Clements (1987–), actor (''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...

''), born in Sidcup * Jason Crowe (1978–), footballer, born in Sidcup * Jay Darlington (1968–), musician (former keyboardist for the band Kula Shaker and currently a member of the band Magic Bus), born in Sidcup * Ian Davenport (1966–), abstract painter and former

Turner Prize The Turner Prize, named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist. Between 1991 and 2016, only artists under the age of 50 were eligible (this restriction was removed for the 2017 award). ...

nominee, born in Sidcup * Douglas Harries (1893–1972),

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

air vice-marshal and first-class cricketer * Joe Healy (1986–), footballer who previously played in the

Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...

for Millwall, born in Sidcup * Deren Ibrahim (1991–),

Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...

ian footballer, born in Sidcup * Alfred Garth Jones (1872–1955), illustrator, spent the last years of his life in Sidcup *

John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-born naval officer who served in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. Often referred to as the "Father of the American Navy", Jones is regard ...

(1946–), bass guitarist (

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...

), born in Sidcup * Rob Knox (1989–2008), actor, murdered in Sidcup * Douglas Macmillan (1884–1969), founder of Macmillan Cancer Support, lived in Knoll Road from 1924 until 1966, and also ran his charity from that address. Bexley Civic Society placed a blue plaque on the house in 2010 * Ivan Magill (1888–1986), innovative anaesthetist, worked in Sidcup * Lee Murray (1977–), former kickboxer and mixed martial arts champion, convicted of the Securitas depot robbery, lived in Sidcup * Emma Noble (1971–), model and actress, born in Sidcup *

Mike Rann Michael David Rann (born 5 January 1953) is an Australian former politician who was the 44th premier of South Australia from 2002 to 2011. He was later Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2013 to 2014, and List of Australi ...

(1953–), Premier of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, politician, born in Sidcup, lived in

prior to emigrating to New Zealand with his parents * John Regis (1966–), Olympic sprinter, lived in Sidcup * Mark Ricketts (1984–), footballer, born in Sidcup * Wayne Routledge (1985–), footballer, born in Sidcup * Gerard Shelley (1891–1980), author, translator and Catholic bishop, born in Sidcup * Nevil Shute (1899–1960), novelist and aeronautical engineer, lived in Hatherley Road from 1924 to 1930 while working at

Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...

* Ethel Smyth (1858–1944), composer and

suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...

, born in St. John's Road, Sidcup *

(1733–1800), politician and Cabinet minister, lived in Frognal House, Foots Cray * Gordon Watson (1971–), former

Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an off ...

footballer, born in Sidcup * Elizabeth Wiskemann (1899–1971), historian and journalist, born in Sidcup * Doug Wright (1914–98), cricketer (

and

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

), born in Sidcup

Fictional residents

* In the

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A List of Nobel laureates in Literature, Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramat ...

play '' The Caretaker'', Davies repeatedly says that "all his papers" are in Sidcup, and he will return there, but is "waiting for the weather to break". * Roderick Spode — fictional politician and fashion designer, was the 7th Earl of Sidcup in the

Jeeves Jeeves (born Reginald Jeeves, nicknamed Reggie) is a fictional character in a series of comedic short stories and novels by English author P. G. Wodehouse. Jeeves is the highly competent valet of a wealthy and idle young Londoner named Bertie W ...

stories by P. G. Wodehouse.

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

*
Bexley London Borough Council website
{{Authority control Districts of the London Borough of Bexley Areas of London District centres of London