AtoZChallenge Bermondsey in the Borough
The Shepherds, my maternal grandmother’s family, at one stage lived in a neighborhood south of the Thames called Bermondsey. Bermondsey is an area in the London Borough of Southwark that is often referred to as “The Borough”. It’s shortened to Borough or even Boro. It is famous for the Borough Market.
The population peaked at the 1891 census at 136,660 for a small area of 1,504 acres or 6.1 sq.Km. By the 1901 census it had started to decline and was now 130,760 persons. My Nana was born in 1896 during this crowded time. As a comparison, by 1961, the population fell to 51,860. ¹
For a quick summary of the boundary changes, history and politics, check out Wikipedia where I found the census population facts. The link is below.
The Shard was being built when the following picture was taken from Bermondsey Square in 2011. The arched windows on the right hand side are part of the church where Fanny MONGER and William EDMONDS married on 25 December 1854.
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Research Tip:
The following two images are of the St. Mary Magdalen Churchyard on the corners of Bermondsey Road, Abbey Street and Tower Bridge Road. First from August 2011 and next showing the churchyard being remodeling in December the same year. I added these images as it reminds us when researching that images from a different time might give us some ideas of the scene when our ancestor were alive. However these are just guesses.
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Source: 1. Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey
I love the architecture in those photos! The paths cutting through the park are also lovely.
Yes the different old buildings and contrasting with the new towers make for an interesting view. Mostly I like that I found out my ancestors had been to the church so I probably walked in their footsteps in the surrounding streets.
I can sit and compare then and now photos for quite a long time. It is like working a puzzle finding what remains from years past.
I like that they repainted the fence around the monument?? in the bottom red, again.