Welcome to the Cray 150 Publications website! A Happy New Year to all our authors, our friends and our readers.
Cray 150 Publications aims to organise or support arts & heritage local interest activities in Orpington and the Crays.
From the old year 2018 we happily can report another splendid calendar of enjoyable and varied local events. Let's hope there are many more to come. Please see below our programme for early 2019 with promise of continuing good friendship and fun.
Photo: The author Richmal Crompton died fifty years ago, in January 1969, at Farnborough Hospital. She is famed for the Just William series of children's stories. A native of Bury, Lancashire she came south and taught at Bromley High School in the 1920s. She lived at Bromley Common and afterwards in Chislehurst. Richmal Crompton is featured in our Sign Here! local history book and she will also feature in our forthcoming Bromley Literary Heritage illustrated talks to be staged at three of our local library branches in the spring.
Forthcoming Events January & February 2019
Wednesday 23rd January at the Croft Tea Room (7pm - 8.30pm) - Croft Book Club monthly meeting. Theme: Open: please come and discuss any book or books that you enjoyed reading in the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Thursday 7th February at the Croft Tea Room (10am - 11am) - Croft Poetry Club meeting. Theme: The Stately Homes of England.
Thursday 7th February at St Paul's Cray branch library (11.30am - 12.45pm) - Join Chris for another of her London armchair walks. This month's illustrated walk is in Regents Park: 'Danes, Doctors & Diorama'. Admission free (small donation for refreshments).
Tuesday 12th February at Chislehurst branch library (10.30am - 11.30am) - The Life and Works of Mary Wilson, Poet and Prime Minister's wife. An illustrated talk by Jerry Dowlen and Monica King of the Croft Poetry Club. Admission free, small donation for refreshments.
Monday 18th February - running for two weeks at St Paul's Cray branch library: An exhibition of poems by members of the Croft Poetry Club. Admission free. The library is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9.30am - 5.30pm (closed 1pm - 2pm).
Wednesday 20th February at the Croft Tea Room (7pm - 8.30pm) - Croft Book Club monthly meeting. Theme: To be announced.
Thursday 21st February at St Paul's Cray branch library (10.30am - 11.30am) - Croft Poetry Club meeting and recital of members' poems from the new book Beautiful Colours. Admission free (small donation for refreshments).
Monday 25th February at Shortlands branch library (2.15pm - 3.15pm) - The Life and Works of Mary Wilson, Poet and Prime Minister's wife. An illustrated talk by Jerry Dowlen and Monica King of the Croft Poetry Club. Admission free, small donation for refreshments.
Cray 150 Publications aims to organise or support arts & heritage local interest activities in Orpington and the Crays.
From the old year 2018 we happily can report another splendid calendar of enjoyable and varied local events. Let's hope there are many more to come. Please see below our programme for early 2019 with promise of continuing good friendship and fun.
Photo: The author Richmal Crompton died fifty years ago, in January 1969, at Farnborough Hospital. She is famed for the Just William series of children's stories. A native of Bury, Lancashire she came south and taught at Bromley High School in the 1920s. She lived at Bromley Common and afterwards in Chislehurst. Richmal Crompton is featured in our Sign Here! local history book and she will also feature in our forthcoming Bromley Literary Heritage illustrated talks to be staged at three of our local library branches in the spring.
Forthcoming Events January & February 2019
Wednesday 23rd January at the Croft Tea Room (7pm - 8.30pm) - Croft Book Club monthly meeting. Theme: Open: please come and discuss any book or books that you enjoyed reading in the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Thursday 7th February at the Croft Tea Room (10am - 11am) - Croft Poetry Club meeting. Theme: The Stately Homes of England.
Thursday 7th February at St Paul's Cray branch library (11.30am - 12.45pm) - Join Chris for another of her London armchair walks. This month's illustrated walk is in Regents Park: 'Danes, Doctors & Diorama'. Admission free (small donation for refreshments).
Tuesday 12th February at Chislehurst branch library (10.30am - 11.30am) - The Life and Works of Mary Wilson, Poet and Prime Minister's wife. An illustrated talk by Jerry Dowlen and Monica King of the Croft Poetry Club. Admission free, small donation for refreshments.
Monday 18th February - running for two weeks at St Paul's Cray branch library: An exhibition of poems by members of the Croft Poetry Club. Admission free. The library is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9.30am - 5.30pm (closed 1pm - 2pm).
Wednesday 20th February at the Croft Tea Room (7pm - 8.30pm) - Croft Book Club monthly meeting. Theme: To be announced.
Thursday 21st February at St Paul's Cray branch library (10.30am - 11.30am) - Croft Poetry Club meeting and recital of members' poems from the new book Beautiful Colours. Admission free (small donation for refreshments).
Monday 25th February at Shortlands branch library (2.15pm - 3.15pm) - The Life and Works of Mary Wilson, Poet and Prime Minister's wife. An illustrated talk by Jerry Dowlen and Monica King of the Croft Poetry Club. Admission free, small donation for refreshments.
New Book! - coming on 9th February 2019
Our forthcoming new book Where Have All the Stars Gone? is the next in our series of local football nostalgia books featuring memories of Bromley, Cray Wanderers and many neighbouring football clubs located in London and Kent. This time the focus is on the 1970s. Who were the local favourite footballers way back then? - This book will remind you of many of their faces and names. The book will be on sale at the Cray Wanderers home match versus Guernsey on Saturday 9th February (Price £4.95). More details will be announced nearer the time.
Our forthcoming new book Where Have All the Stars Gone? is the next in our series of local football nostalgia books featuring memories of Bromley, Cray Wanderers and many neighbouring football clubs located in London and Kent. This time the focus is on the 1970s. Who were the local favourite footballers way back then? - This book will remind you of many of their faces and names. The book will be on sale at the Cray Wanderers home match versus Guernsey on Saturday 9th February (Price £4.95). More details will be announced nearer the time.
Beautiful Colours
[NEARLY SOLD OUT!] Beautiful Colours is a lovely attractive little book of original art and poetry showcasing the creative talent of more than thirty members of the local community. Published on 17th November this new book (price £2.50) can be purchased at the Croft Tea Room, 263 St Mary Cray High Street.
[NEARLY SOLD OUT!] Beautiful Colours is a lovely attractive little book of original art and poetry showcasing the creative talent of more than thirty members of the local community. Published on 17th November this new book (price £2.50) can be purchased at the Croft Tea Room, 263 St Mary Cray High Street.
Sign Here!
Sign Here! is our new local history book taking a light-hearted look at city, town and village signs that commemorate famous former residents of our London Borough of Bromley and of neighbouring areas of London and Kent. For more details about the book (Price £4.95) please click on the tab above.
Sign Here! is our new local history book taking a light-hearted look at city, town and village signs that commemorate famous former residents of our London Borough of Bromley and of neighbouring areas of London and Kent. For more details about the book (Price £4.95) please click on the tab above.
There's More to Say about Cray
Following on from Forever Amber (2011) and Wandering Through the Crays (2015) we have published in April 2018 another book that mixes social history and sporting history of St Mary Cray into an informative and entertaining read. Most of the social history flows from the fascinating 158-year saga of the Cray Wanderers football club, but even if you're not a football fan we are confident that this book will appeal to anyone who enjoys reading about the historic and unique part of Kent and London that is the Crays. (Price £4.95).
Following on from Forever Amber (2011) and Wandering Through the Crays (2015) we have published in April 2018 another book that mixes social history and sporting history of St Mary Cray into an informative and entertaining read. Most of the social history flows from the fascinating 158-year saga of the Cray Wanderers football club, but even if you're not a football fan we are confident that this book will appeal to anyone who enjoys reading about the historic and unique part of Kent and London that is the Crays. (Price £4.95).
Local History Talks 2018: St Mary Cray & The Crays:
An Industrial and Sporting Legacy.
Cray 150 Publications started the new year 2018 with a highly praised and well attended local history exhibition and illustrated talk kindly staged by St Paul's Cray branch library during the month of January. The topic was Cray Wanderers FC: the oldest football club in London. Visitors to the exhibition and to the talk were informed of the club's origins near Star Lane in 1860 and of its many associations with the social history of the Crays district during 158 years of playing football in the Crays and more recently in Bromley. The club is currently seeking planning consent from Bromley Council to build a new stadium and community sports centre at Flamingo Park on the A20 Sidcup by-pass. Bromley Council has voted in favour of the plan. A ruling is expected from the Mayor of London on 26th November.
During the autumn of 2018 Jerry and Richard gave further Talks about St Mary Cray and the Crays at local library venues Biggin Hill, Chislehurst and Orpington.
Photo above (http://northkentnonleague.co.uk): Richard Bowdery and Jerry Dowlen tell the 158-year story of London's oldest association football club.
An Industrial and Sporting Legacy.
Cray 150 Publications started the new year 2018 with a highly praised and well attended local history exhibition and illustrated talk kindly staged by St Paul's Cray branch library during the month of January. The topic was Cray Wanderers FC: the oldest football club in London. Visitors to the exhibition and to the talk were informed of the club's origins near Star Lane in 1860 and of its many associations with the social history of the Crays district during 158 years of playing football in the Crays and more recently in Bromley. The club is currently seeking planning consent from Bromley Council to build a new stadium and community sports centre at Flamingo Park on the A20 Sidcup by-pass. Bromley Council has voted in favour of the plan. A ruling is expected from the Mayor of London on 26th November.
During the autumn of 2018 Jerry and Richard gave further Talks about St Mary Cray and the Crays at local library venues Biggin Hill, Chislehurst and Orpington.
Photo above (http://northkentnonleague.co.uk): Richard Bowdery and Jerry Dowlen tell the 158-year story of London's oldest association football club.
Marvellous Dreams
Original art and poetry by members and friends of the Croft Poetry Club
This attractive little book published in November 2017 is filled with glossy colour art and lovely poetry. It is on sale (price £2.50 per copy) at the Croft Tea Room, 263 High Street, St Mary Cray or at St Mary's Church, St Mary Cray.
The contributors to our book are: Richard Allen, Sheila Barnes, Richard DJJ Bowdery, Holly Campbell, Jackie Cook, Jim Cook, Steve Cotterell, Jerry Dowlen, Doubra Fufeyin, Beverley Gillard, Paul Green, Douglas Hall, Dawn Harber, Maureen Hillier, Debbie Ingram, Rosemary Lathey, Jennie Milnes, Trevor Mulligan, Linda R. Needham, Joyce Oszvald, Paula Piggott, Christine Pope, Jenny Saville, Brenda Smith, Joan Smith, Donald Ward and Jane Winter.
Front cover illustration: Joan Smith.
Original art and poetry by members and friends of the Croft Poetry Club
This attractive little book published in November 2017 is filled with glossy colour art and lovely poetry. It is on sale (price £2.50 per copy) at the Croft Tea Room, 263 High Street, St Mary Cray or at St Mary's Church, St Mary Cray.
The contributors to our book are: Richard Allen, Sheila Barnes, Richard DJJ Bowdery, Holly Campbell, Jackie Cook, Jim Cook, Steve Cotterell, Jerry Dowlen, Doubra Fufeyin, Beverley Gillard, Paul Green, Douglas Hall, Dawn Harber, Maureen Hillier, Debbie Ingram, Rosemary Lathey, Jennie Milnes, Trevor Mulligan, Linda R. Needham, Joyce Oszvald, Paula Piggott, Christine Pope, Jenny Saville, Brenda Smith, Joan Smith, Donald Ward and Jane Winter.
Front cover illustration: Joan Smith.
The Best of Cray Chatter Volume Two
Published in August 2017 this is a sequel to our very popular edition The Best of Cray Chatter Volume One published last year. Once again on the subject of Cray Wanderers football club we have selected for you to read and enjoy again some of the most interesting, entertaining and amusing articles that were published between 1980 and 2002 in the Cray Chatter local interest magazine.
You can buy this book (£4.95) at Cray Wanderers home matches at Hayes Lane or at the Croft Tea Room in St Mary Cray.
Published in August 2017 this is a sequel to our very popular edition The Best of Cray Chatter Volume One published last year. Once again on the subject of Cray Wanderers football club we have selected for you to read and enjoy again some of the most interesting, entertaining and amusing articles that were published between 1980 and 2002 in the Cray Chatter local interest magazine.
You can buy this book (£4.95) at Cray Wanderers home matches at Hayes Lane or at the Croft Tea Room in St Mary Cray.
The City of London
March 2017: Jerry Dowlen has written a second book about the City of London. His new book So Long, C.U. is a sequel to his earlier book The City of London: Wandering and Wondering (2013).
Jerry's illustrated Talks about London are proving popular in our locality. Photo (left): Jerry and Laura at the Short Bites monthly lunchtime event at Orpington Library on 7th March when there was a full capacity attendance for the topic of Writers and Their Love of London.
For details of Jerry's two books about the City of London please click on the tab above.
March 2017: Jerry Dowlen has written a second book about the City of London. His new book So Long, C.U. is a sequel to his earlier book The City of London: Wandering and Wondering (2013).
Jerry's illustrated Talks about London are proving popular in our locality. Photo (left): Jerry and Laura at the Short Bites monthly lunchtime event at Orpington Library on 7th March when there was a full capacity attendance for the topic of Writers and Their Love of London.
For details of Jerry's two books about the City of London please click on the tab above.
From My Window
Sold Out - Sorry! Our 2016 anthology of original art & poetry by members and friends of the Croft Poetry Club. . The delightful photograph on the front cover is the work of Vanessa Allen.
The Croft Tea Room 2007 - 2015
Author: Carole Wells Published: November 2016
The author Carole Wells is the now-retired original founder and owner of St Mary Cray's most popular tea room and community hub. In this beautifully illustrated book Carole describes the Tearoom's fascinating journey from derelict building to heart and soul of its community. Price £3.95. All sale proceeds go to the Tea Room.
Author: Carole Wells Published: November 2016
The author Carole Wells is the now-retired original founder and owner of St Mary Cray's most popular tea room and community hub. In this beautifully illustrated book Carole describes the Tearoom's fascinating journey from derelict building to heart and soul of its community. Price £3.95. All sale proceeds go to the Tea Room.
The Best of Cray Chatter, Volume One
Sold Out - Sorry! Cray Chatter was a local interest magazine for supporters and friends of the Cray Wanderers football club. It ran to more than seventy issues between the years 1980 to 2002. There were many different contributors from the local community. Our new book recalls some of the most interesting, entertaining and humorous articles that appeared in the magazine.
Sold Out - Sorry! Cray Chatter was a local interest magazine for supporters and friends of the Cray Wanderers football club. It ran to more than seventy issues between the years 1980 to 2002. There were many different contributors from the local community. Our new book recalls some of the most interesting, entertaining and humorous articles that appeared in the magazine.
Raising the Roof
Sold Out - Sorry! Our 2015 anthology of original art and poetry from the Croft Poetry Club and friends.
Here is a kind review of the book from a reader who is formerly a botanical illustrator: "It is beautifully produced and I think the poems and illustrations are all interesting. What a lovely idea to capture people's creativity and put it to such a worthwhile purpose."
Following the success of this book we have published further anthologies each year.
Sold Out - Sorry! Our 2015 anthology of original art and poetry from the Croft Poetry Club and friends.
Here is a kind review of the book from a reader who is formerly a botanical illustrator: "It is beautifully produced and I think the poems and illustrations are all interesting. What a lovely idea to capture people's creativity and put it to such a worthwhile purpose."
Following the success of this book we have published further anthologies each year.
Win in Eleven Moves
The game of chess is played on a board with 64 squares. In the 64 pages of this book you'll find lots of amusing, surprising and interesting information about the history of the game, its past and present most famous players, and its enduring popularity in clubs and schools.
When was the only time that a world chess champion came to Bromley? When was a game of chess played for the first time in outer space? What is 'Alice' chess? - ''Blitz' chess? - and 'Blindfold' chess? Which famous British war hero pioneered the first chess-playing computer? You'll know the answers to these questions after you've read Jerry's very enjoyable book.
The game of chess is played on a board with 64 squares. In the 64 pages of this book you'll find lots of amusing, surprising and interesting information about the history of the game, its past and present most famous players, and its enduring popularity in clubs and schools.
When was the only time that a world chess champion came to Bromley? When was a game of chess played for the first time in outer space? What is 'Alice' chess? - ''Blitz' chess? - and 'Blindfold' chess? Which famous British war hero pioneered the first chess-playing computer? You'll know the answers to these questions after you've read Jerry's very enjoyable book.
Meandering Through the Millstream
Our little booklet takes a brief, nostalgic tour of Millstream, the former church magazine, during the period 1950 to 2015. There are reminders of the different front cover illustrations that have been produced during the years, including the superb drawings by John Blundell. And we have made a small selection of especially interesting and sometimes curious items that were printed inside the magazine by way of news stories or feature articles.
This booklet can be obtained from St Mary's Church, St Mary Cray.
Our little booklet takes a brief, nostalgic tour of Millstream, the former church magazine, during the period 1950 to 2015. There are reminders of the different front cover illustrations that have been produced during the years, including the superb drawings by John Blundell. And we have made a small selection of especially interesting and sometimes curious items that were printed inside the magazine by way of news stories or feature articles.
This booklet can be obtained from St Mary's Church, St Mary Cray.
. Wandering Through the Crays
A social history of St Mary Cray, Kent and its famous football club the Cray Wanderers.
Published on 18 April 2015 price £9.95. Copies may be purchased at the Croft Tea Room, St Mary Cray or at Cray Wanderers FC home matches.
Copies may be purchased from the Croft Tea Room or Bromley Libraries.
A social history of St Mary Cray, Kent and its famous football club the Cray Wanderers.
Published on 18 April 2015 price £9.95. Copies may be purchased at the Croft Tea Room, St Mary Cray or at Cray Wanderers FC home matches.
Copies may be purchased from the Croft Tea Room or Bromley Libraries.
A Cray Compendium
[Sorry! Fully sold out - October 2015] A collection of original art and writing from St Mary Cray and Orpington, Kent.
Published on 11 October 2014 .
[Sorry! Fully sold out - October 2015] A collection of original art and writing from St Mary Cray and Orpington, Kent.
Published on 11 October 2014 .
Forever Amber: Cray Wanderers FC 1860 - 2010.
Published in 2011. [ Hurry! Only a few unsold copies remaining.] The 150-year old history of our famous local football club Cray Wanderers - the oldest football club in London. The narrative story is illustrated with a superb array of old archive photographs and memorabilia, with emphasis on key periods in the club's development, leading players and personalities, trophies, and the search for a permanent home ground within the Crays district that will end the club's long exile since 1973.
Copies may be purchased at the Croft Tea Room, St Mary Cray, at Bromley Libraries or at Cray Wanderers FC home matches.
Copies may be purchased at the Croft Tea Room, St Mary Cray, at Bromley Libraries or at Cray Wanderers FC home matches.
Cray Wanderers Football Club - A Complete Statistical Record of 125 Years of Competitive Football.
[ Sorry! Fully sold out!] Peter Goringe provides the results of every league and cup match played by the Wands since the first competitive season of fixtures in 1889. Peter gives too the league tables from every season, plus match-by-match listings and goalscorers for all seasons from 1955-56 and player appearance records from the 1980s to 2014.
The City of London: Wandering and Wondering
Jerry Dowlen worked in the City of London from the days of the Swinging ‘Sixties till the New Millennium and the 2012 Olympics. In his book, 'Wandering and Wondering' Jerry celebrates his own personal favourites of the City’s historical, literary and architectural gems.
After Football, Nothing Much Happens.
Donald ‘Ted’ Ward was Orpington’s most famous poet of the modern era. He moved into the area after the Second World War. Ted published several volumes of poetry from 1971 until his death in February 2003 when he was aged 93. In this short tribute book to Ted, we celebrate his poetic associations with our local town of Orpington and the surrounding countryside. We also recall fond memories of Ted as a football fan and friend for many years on the terraces of Cray Wanderers FC.
Ken Collishaw - Cray Wanderers FC Goalscoring Legend.
This book recalls the playing career of Ken Collishaw who was an outstanding local footballer in the 1950s and 1960s. Ken played centre-forward for Cray Wanderers and scored 274 goals for the Club. He also played for Bromley and Tonbridge. With the help of photographs and other archive material, and interviews with many Orpington and Cray locals who greatly admired Ken’s exciting football skills, this book offers a nostalgic journey into a bygone era of goals, goals, goals!
