After Darryl was kind enough to send me a link to the full Pathe news report on Princess Margaret's visit to Woolwich, I found many more interesting things in the Pathe archive. So here are some of the highlights. There were quite a few more, lots of military stuff, so do have a search on the site if this whets your appetite.

Here's the newsreel about the Princess's 1961 visit, including rare footage of the Auto Stacker:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=42248
(I checked, and there's nothing about the Stacker's demolition a year later)
Extra footage, scenery shots mostly, taken but not used for the same reel:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=42336

Some rough footage of the foot tunnel in 1960:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=83605

When Mrs Thatcher "Milk Snatcher" earned the nickname, Woolwich Council wasn't going to let her get away with it. Here's a brilliant report on children getting their milk in Woolwich:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=72972
Were there really people that poor in 1970 they could afford any milk at all for their kids? And are any of the people in the video still living in Woolwich? Which school is that? etc.
I especially liked the "milk vs. indoor toilets" argument. When I attended Charlton Manor School in the early 1980s, there were still outside toilets and we were only allowed to use the indoor ones in extreme weather. There was also still milk every morning break, and it was the only school I ever got that at. I know why now.

36 Ton Boiler Falls off Lorry
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=20866

Prince of Wales visits Beresford Square, 1927
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=15250
Can't really see much except the crowds.

Woolwich Boy Canoe Makers, 1956
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=608
Who, what, where? I demand to know! Oh how times have changed!
"Such sights are a glowing tribute to the much maligned youth of today." Some things never change.

Here's some couples learning to cook-- together!-- in 1949.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=46782
"In future, husbands will only have themselves to blame if the pastry tastes like kippers."

This is BRILLIANT. One man's 1938 vision for replacing the Woolwich Ferry and dealing with river traffic.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=11077

Ferry Speed Up, 1966
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=44321
Sadly the previous dream didn't come true, here's what really happened to the Woolwich Ferry.

Woolwich weirdness, 1937
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=13947
This has got to be the most disturbing Woolwich related thing I've ever seen. And I've lived in the town centre for more than a decade.

Long before the flats Princess Margaret opened, in 1920, Woolwich Council was pioneering council housing.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=27875

In 1914, new army recruits were filmed walking through Woolwich:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=61536

The Woolwich Mothers and Babies' Hospital had its foundation stone laid in 1920 by Princess Christian.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=17543

more Woolwich hospital footage, this time Queen Mary in 1922:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=18463

... and finally, going down the road a bit....

Some 1969 shots of Thamesmead, including Tavy Bridge, which I mention because it's all being knocked down now:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=72982
It's good to be reminded how optimistic the designers were, and how clean and wonderful it all must have seemed at first. You know what? If that Tavy Bridge area had been loved as it deserved, I think it would still be considered wonderful.

The New York Times have their entire archive online, it seems, and much of it can be seen for free. It's brilliant. There's plenty on there about Woolwich. So, below I have gathered many of the articles by category. Very useful! You can see copies of the original articles in pdf format by following the links.

The covered market actually started it’s life as an Uncovered market.

By 1930 Beresford square market was becoming so big it was spreading out into Woolwich new road and Spray street, causing problems for traffic in the area.

The council acquired some land in Plumstead high street, close to Beresford square and in 1932 the open air market was opened with seventy purpose built stalls. Many of the traders complained that the move would ruin their business.
In 1936 it was decided to add a roof to the market, at a cost of £2,268. The work was to take three months to complete and during this time the stallholders were moved back to Spray St, once again complaining that the move would ruin their business!!

The Kentish independent of 18th september 1936 reports that the market in Plumstead road has re-opened today . The market covers an area of 11,270 square feet and is now covered by a steel framed roof that is only supported at the four sides, so there are no supporting pillars to cause obstruction.

The design of the roof is called "Lamella Patent construction" and was the first of its type to be built in the London county council area. Several local people have told me that the roof is a listed construction but I have contacted English Heritage today ( Jan 23rd '09 ) and they tell me that although they are aware of the building, it is not listed in any way..
"Lamella" roofing was invented in Germany and was assembled with a series of interlocking triangles.. They were popular for large span roofs, such as aircraft hangers.
The market inspector tells me that the covered market is on the councils "for disposal" list.
I looked around the market in January 2008 and the whole place is extremely shabby and run down with only a handful of units trading.
On 26/1/09 I gained access into the area below the market and took a few pictures of the passageways that served as air raid shelters during WW2. Nothing much to see apart from the remnants of a few wartime posters

Just a few lines about the health of Woolwich in the mid 19th Century


In the early 19th century most of London was an open sewer, Woolwich was no exception.
In 1849 there were no sewers and only poor quality running water.
The mains water supply of the Kent water company had been extended to Woolwich a few years earlier, but the supply was very expensive and not of good quality, so not many people made use of the it.
The parish commissioners could see that Woolwich was not a ‘healthy’ town and ordered a survey of public health in the parish.

The only type of drainage in 1849 were numerous cess pools. Where cess pools existed they were often emptied directly into the street.
Dysentery, Cholera, Malaria and diarrhoea were rife.

Dr Peter Bossey reported that in Hare Street the Butchers and Fishmongers both threw their slops into the street every morning and the blood and offal from a local slaughterhouse was allowed to run freely in the street.
The composition of the roads and pavement did not allow easy cleaning, it was mostly loose gravel and when gutters were blocked the workmen simply shovelled the mess back into the road .
The outcome of the survey was an utter condemnation of conditions in Woolwich and it was recommended that the town adopt the Public Health Act of 1848 without delay.

A local board of health was formed of 18 locally elected members and three government representatives.. Swift action followed and the first job was to start work on the main drainage of the town. At first the drains were discharged into the Thames at Hog lane. They would be held in containers till the high tide started to Ebb. In fact Woolwich had an extremely efficient system of drainage some years before the rest of London.
In 1861 Bazalgettes great drainage project passed through Woolwich on its way to Crossness and the Woolwich sewer joins his system at a junction somewhere under Powis street. At this point the tunnel is 11ft high.

Previously to 1863 there were almost no paving in the town, but in that year the Local board of health took out a loan of £7000 and paved the town throughout with 4ft wide York stone paving..

Many improvements in the town were impeded by the fact that much of the land was privately owned .. For most of the 19th century the bulk of Woolwich was owned by the Ogilby family. Mr James Ogilby actually lived in Ireland and did not enjoy good health, which is probably why he took little interest in his UK property. After his death in 1885 the ownership passed to Captain Robert Ogilby who encouraged his tenants in Woolwich to improve their properties by offering reversionary leaseholds..
( A lease that reverts to full ownership )