Green Street Green

Green Street Green
Green Street Green Location within Greater London
London borough	Bromley
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ORPINGTON
Postcode district	BR6
Dialling code	01689
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Orpington
London Assembly	Bexley and Bromley

Green Street Green is an area in south-east London, located in the London Borough of Bromley and, prior to 1965, in the historic county of Kent. It is located south of Orpington, west of Chelsfield, north-west of Pratt's Bottom, north of Hazelwood, and south east of Farnborough.

Etymology

The name originates from La Grenestrete c.1290, meaning the green or grassy hamlet. It is recorded as Greenstreet Green in 1819, the addition of the suffix Green, referring to a village green. The village did not historically form a parish of its own, instead forming part of the parishes of Farnborough and Chelsfield.

History

Historical information plaque by the village sign

Green Street Green was historically a hamlet, forming part of the coaching routes from London to Sussex. Development only really started with the opening of Oak Brewery by Fox & Sons in 1836, the growth of which led to a modest expansion of the area. Village life centred round the brewery until 1909 when it closed down, causing much unemployment. The area managed to recover, with a row of shops being built along the High Street in 1912. From the 1920s till the 1960s Green Street Green was such a popular meeting point for cyclists that several tea rooms opened in the village, attracting trade from the hordes of weekend cyclists who rode into the Kent countryside from London's suburbs. The former Mrs Valentine Moon's teashop is still a landmark on the east side of Sevenoaks Road, standing opposite The Green.

The first modern housing development was at Chelsfield Park in the 1920s. There were plans to extensively remodel the area as a 'model village' in the 1940s; however, due to post-war financial constraints, this never happened. In 1947, the Town and Country Planning Act set the London Green Belt boundary at the edge of Green Street Green by the A20 and A21 roads. Intensive building, council and private, took place in the 1950s between the village High Street and new Chelsfield. It was during this period that the attractive old people's dwellings were built at Brittenden Close, around three sides of a square lawn with rose gardens and terrace. The old brewery became the Telcon Plastics factory site before the Second World War, and made way for a new housing estate in 1992.

Parks

Recreation grounds are at Cudham Lane North and at Glentrammon Road.

A Coal Post at Brittenden Close.

Buildings

The Anglican parish church is St Mary's Green Street Green. It falls under the parish of Green Street Green and Pratt's Bottom in the diocese of Rochester. It was built in the early 20th century and in the first decade of the 21st century underwent some work on both inside and out to make it more accessible. The church plays an important role in the village, with many of the local schools' governors regularly attending it. The church's creative art group recently created a willow structure, placed on the top of the church, in the shape of a man reaching to the heavens, which has been a large attraction to the church. The vicar is Reverend Karl Carpani.

Green Street Green's Baptist church, know to members as "The Green" is a pivotal part of the local community. It holds youth events such as the popular worship event "Encounter" and does work within the community with the young people from St Mary's Church in an initiative called "Liberation".

Pubs, restaurants and coffee houses

Green Street Green has a number of pubs, restaurants and coffee houses. The Bombay (Curry House) is an Indian restaurant. Belmondo, situated in the premises formerly occupied by Spoons, is a coffee house offering coffee and sandwiches.

The Famous Orpington & District Amateur Boxing Club

Orpington & District Amateur boxing club located in Orpington , Kent, England. The club was originally established as Orpington Lads Club in 1912 by the St. Mary Cray Scout Troop, a scout group in St. Mary's Cray. Its purpose was to support underprivileged young men in the Orpington area. The Clubs Motto Progredior is translated Progression.

Between the years 1962 to 1990, Orpington & District ABC has produced numerous notable amateur champions and has had several distinguished former members. Some of these include Jimmy Cable , Albert Hillman, and Mark Baker.

Orpington & District ABC produced the most national champions of any boxing club with the Borough and held the record for most kent, Southern Counties and London Champions

Orpington & District ABC won a record school boy titles of any club in Kent during the period from 1962 to 1980 and also held the Kent and Southern counties school boy championships at the RoseCroft Club. Due to the clubs position on Kent borders the club also went on to box in the South East Divisional's winning multiple London titles.

The club later affiliated to Surrey ABA Southern counties, when located in Westerham in 1986.

The club holds the distinction of being one of the oldest boxing clubs in Kent and is currently situated in Pettswood. It name was changed to Orpington & District Amateur Boxing Club in 1936 from Orpington lads Club under the guidance of former professional boxer Harry Taylor, who introduced the prestigious Taylor's Cup.

In 1937 under the guidance of Harry Taylor his stable of boxers put on various tournaments to raise funds for Cray Wanders Football Club to prevent it from closing.

During World War II, the club temporarily closed down. It wasn't until 1962, under the leadership of Alf Reilly at St. Joseph's Boys School in Orpington and Eric Lubbock MP as the president , that the club reopened. It later moved to St. Mary's Cray Sea Cadet Hall and then the Rose Croft Social Club in the late 1960s and 1970s, With Jack Stewart the then president of the Rosecroft ensuring the club had a home until he resigned in 1980.

Orpington & District ABC has a rich history of producing champions, including Eric Lubbock MP,Mick Spencer, Gary Cable, Alan Cable, Johnny Hillman, Albert Hillman, Mark Baker, Robert Mullholland, Robert Stacey, Terry Pearson, P Martin and Ray Mason.

In 1966, the club successfully raised funds to build the Magpie Hall Lane Youth Centre in Southborough. It briefly operated from the Youth Centre at Magpie Hall Lane Pettswood before relocating to the Rosecroft social club in St.Mary’s cray coached by ex England international and national champion and previous boxer for the club Mick Spencer.

The club then relocated behind the Queenshead public house in Green St. Green in 1980 with Mick Spencer moving to the Fitzroy lodge. Ex pro Arthur Davis was now the head coach.In 1986, the club moved again, due lack of funding and unsuitable venue, this time to Westerham, where it merged with the Sir Winston Churchill Boxing Club,and the Spitfire Boxing club Bigginhill with Jimmy Cable serving as president and John Hart as coach. During this period, the club continued to produce national champions such as Robert Stacey and Mark Baker and good regional boxers such as Neville Smith,Dean Philp, Justin Worrel,Ian Tebbit and Mark Dalton.

Unfortunately, the club faced challenges in the 1990s, when the Royal Standard pub in Westerham closed this was the closure of all 3 clubs the Spitfire, Sir Winston Churchill and Orpington ABC leading to temporary closures due to a lack of venues and funding. However, in 2007 the Cray valley boxing club in Poverest claimed the Orpington & District ABC name and briefly re-opened and again produced regional champions under coach Olly Rutherford. The club sadly closed in 2013 due to lack of funding yet again.

Orpington & District ABC reopened its doors in again Pettswood April 2024 with an 15 year lease, ensuring the continuation of its legacy in the boxing community.

The club is the only official boxing club affiliated to the National Governing Body England Boxing & Sport England based in Pettswood and was the Original boxing club in Pettswood being located there in 1966. Amateur tournaments were held at the Daylight Inn with Great Elms Boxing club which was located in Great Elms road in Bromley.

The club also has a professional affiliation to the British Boxing Board of Control.

The club is now run by ex boxers & family members of the original Orpington & District ABC.

Sports teams

Green Street Green Football Club

Green Street Green Football Club is an Amateur Football Club that plays its home games at Norman Park, Bromley. The club was formed in 2009 by Manager and player Darren Butland, after he decided to start a competitive 11 a side football team with friends. Green Street Green Football Club competes in the Metropolitan Sunday Football League Division Two. The team's original football kit colours were yellow and black (yellow shirts, black shorts and yellow socks) whilst its away kit was Red and White (white shirts, red shorts and red socks), however the team later changed their home colours to all green. On the 11 October 2020, Green Street Green defeated Bromley South FC 2-1 at Beckenham Town Football Club to win the Ted Holder Trophy for the 2019-20 season.

Green Street Green Rovers F.C.

GSGR F.C. is an amateur adult football team, formed in 2017, that plays in the Sevenoaks and District League on Saturdays.

Transport

Rail

The nearest National Rail stations to Green Street Green are Chelsfield, located 1.3 miles away, and Orpington, located 1.6 miles away.

Buses

Green Street Green is served by London Buses routes 358, R1, R5, R8, R10 & R11 and Go Coach route 3. These connect it with areas including Beckenham, Bromley, Biggin Hill, Orpington, Penge, Sevenoaks & Sidcup.

Notable residents

• Thomas Frank Durrant (1918–1942) - Victoria Cross recipient, born in Green Street Green.
• Eleanor Marx (1855–1898) - daughter of Karl Marx, lived in Green Street Green for a period.
• New Vaudeville Band - 1960s pop band, released a song in 1967 called "Green Street Green".

Gallery

• 
  Village sign at the north end of the High Street
• 
  St Mary's Church, Worlds End Lane, built 1937
• 
  The Queen's Head pub
• 
  Green Street Green Baptist Church, built 1907
• 
  Shops along the High Street
• 
  A replica Kentish oast house, now the Royal Oak pub, The Oast House was added to the original pub.

See also

• There is also a hamlet called Green Street Green on the boundary of Darenth and Bean parishes near Dartford.

External links

• Orpington Ojays Swimming Club
• Public Houses in Green Street Green