Welcome to the Cray 150 Publications website!
Cray 150 Publications aims to organise or support local arts and heritage events. Please see below our monthly calendar of events - and please come and join us for friendship and fun.
Photo: St Mary Cray High Street in 1900 where the Croft Tea Room stands today. Our monthly Book Club and Poetry Club meetings are hosted at the Croft Tea Room and our book publications are on sale there.
February & March 2020
Thursday 20th February at St Paul's Cray Library (10.30am - 11.30am). Come and hear a selection of comic poems presented by members of the Croft Poetry Club. Admission free (small donation for refreshments).
Sunday 1st March - New Book! Crayons in my Scrapbook is the latest in our series of Cray Wanderers FC history books featuring football in Kent & London. This time it's 1950s nostalgia. Please see panel below for more details.
Thursday 5th March at the Croft Tea Room, St Mary Cray (10am - 11am). Croft Poetry Club meeting. Theme: Food & Drink.
Wednesday 11th March at Mottingham branch library (10.30am - 11.30am). Jerry Dowlen's illustrated Talk 'The Art, Literature and Romance of Dorset.' Admission free (small donation for refreshments).
Thursday 12th March at Burnt Ash branch library (10.30am - 11.30am). Jerry Dowlen's illustrated Talk 'The Art, Literature and Romance of Dorset.' Admission free (small donation for refreshments).
Wednesday 18th March at the Croft Tea Room (7pm - 8.30pm). Croft Book Club meeting. Theme: Charles Dickens.
Thursday 19th March at St Mary's Church Centre, High Street St Mary Cray (10.30am - 11.30am). Croft Poetry Club meeting. Theme: Sylvia Plath.
Please note that the current issue of Life in Orpington magazine contains an article by Richard Bowdery on the history of Cray Wanderers FC. [Issue No. 12 - February 2020 - Page 36]. Thank you and well done Richard.
Please watch this page for announcements of lots more to come during the early part of 2020 and on into the spring and summer.
Our Illustrated Talks - we invite bookings in 2020
As part of its outreach programme engaging with the local community, Cray 150 has staged a number of illustrated Talks on local history, art, literature, poetry, sport, travel and a range of other topics. We have staged these Talks at a number of local venues by kind invitation from churches, libraries, social clubs and many types of local organisations.
Our recent Talks (2018 and 2019) have included these topics: Blue Plaques - Britain's Poet Laureates - Bromley's Literary Heritage - The City of London - Lloyd's of London Insurance History Highlights - Stately Homes in Popular Fiction - The Life & Works of Mary Wilson - Wandering Through the Crays.
Many of our Talks are drawn from the local interest books that we have published, details of which can be found on our website.
If you would like to enquire about the illustrated Talks that we can offer to your club, organisation or venue do please get in touch with us. We will be very pleased to try and help you.
As part of its outreach programme engaging with the local community, Cray 150 has staged a number of illustrated Talks on local history, art, literature, poetry, sport, travel and a range of other topics. We have staged these Talks at a number of local venues by kind invitation from churches, libraries, social clubs and many types of local organisations.
Our recent Talks (2018 and 2019) have included these topics: Blue Plaques - Britain's Poet Laureates - Bromley's Literary Heritage - The City of London - Lloyd's of London Insurance History Highlights - Stately Homes in Popular Fiction - The Life & Works of Mary Wilson - Wandering Through the Crays.
Many of our Talks are drawn from the local interest books that we have published, details of which can be found on our website.
If you would like to enquire about the illustrated Talks that we can offer to your club, organisation or venue do please get in touch with us. We will be very pleased to try and help you.
Our next new book: to be published 1st March 2020
Crayons in my Scrapbook
Crayons in my Scrapbook sees author Jerry Dowlen revisit the 1950s to find multiple memories of favourite local footballers and teams. There is plenty of mention of Cray Wanderers – of course! – and special focus on London and Kent football clubs. It was an era when famous footballers like Tom Finney, Stanley Matthews and Billy Wright were schoolboy idols. About to burst on to the scene were the likes of Bobby Charlton and Jimmy Greaves. Rock n' roll and skiffle music was all the rage with the younger generation. A second television channel ITV was born. Floodlight football became another new addition to popular entertainment. Read and enjoy!
The book can be purchased from 1st March 2020 (Price £4.95) at Cray Wanderers home matches or at the Croft Tea Room, 263 St Mary Cray High Street.
'Community Publishing'
Cray 150 has steadily established itself as a respected and popular community publisher in the Crays and Orpington area of the London Borough of Bromley. More than fifty of our locally very talented artists, authors and photographers have seen their work in print - most deservedly so - under the Cray 150 stamp. Long may the list of names continue, and grow.
As summarised below on this Home page of our website, our publications have covered a number of local interest topics with special focus on Local History, Poetry and Sport (especially Cray Wanderers football club). We love to produce books with multiple authors - books that showcase local people's art, memoirs, poetry, stories and other forms of publishable work.
Photo: Jacky Cook and the Reverend Jane Winter with our Cray Compendium book (published in 2014) featuring contributions by thirty local residents.
Do please approach us if you have something that you would like us to consider for publication especially if it has a local interest element.
Cray 150 has steadily established itself as a respected and popular community publisher in the Crays and Orpington area of the London Borough of Bromley. More than fifty of our locally very talented artists, authors and photographers have seen their work in print - most deservedly so - under the Cray 150 stamp. Long may the list of names continue, and grow.
As summarised below on this Home page of our website, our publications have covered a number of local interest topics with special focus on Local History, Poetry and Sport (especially Cray Wanderers football club). We love to produce books with multiple authors - books that showcase local people's art, memoirs, poetry, stories and other forms of publishable work.
Photo: Jacky Cook and the Reverend Jane Winter with our Cray Compendium book (published in 2014) featuring contributions by thirty local residents.
Do please approach us if you have something that you would like us to consider for publication especially if it has a local interest element.
Cray Wanderers FC and the Crays
Cray 150 started in 2010 with the publication of Forever Amber the history of Cray Wanderers football club (1860 - 2010). The book marked the 150th anniversary of Cray Wanderers who are the oldest football club in London.
Since then a number of our published books have covered the history of Cray Wanderers FC and/or the social history of St Mary Cray and the Crays. These books include Wandering Through the Crays (social history), Where Have All the Stars Gone? (1970s local football) and Let Us See the Goals Go In (1960s local football). A full list can be found on our Buying Locally page - and the books can be purchased at Cray Wanderers home matches or at the Croft Tea Room, 263 High Street, St Mary Cray.
Cray 150 started in 2010 with the publication of Forever Amber the history of Cray Wanderers football club (1860 - 2010). The book marked the 150th anniversary of Cray Wanderers who are the oldest football club in London.
Since then a number of our published books have covered the history of Cray Wanderers FC and/or the social history of St Mary Cray and the Crays. These books include Wandering Through the Crays (social history), Where Have All the Stars Gone? (1970s local football) and Let Us See the Goals Go In (1960s local football). A full list can be found on our Buying Locally page - and the books can be purchased at Cray Wanderers home matches or at the Croft Tea Room, 263 High Street, St Mary Cray.
Art and Poetry
We have been pleased to publish four delightful anthologies of art and poetry featuring the work of members and friends of the Croft Poetry Club. The books are: Raising the Roof (2015), From my Window (2016), Marvellous Dreams (2017) and Beautiful Colours (2018). We hope to publish more collections in the future: all we need is more splendid works of art and poems, please!
Image: Artwork by Paula Piggott featured on the front cover of one of our books.
We have been pleased to publish four delightful anthologies of art and poetry featuring the work of members and friends of the Croft Poetry Club. The books are: Raising the Roof (2015), From my Window (2016), Marvellous Dreams (2017) and Beautiful Colours (2018). We hope to publish more collections in the future: all we need is more splendid works of art and poems, please!
Image: Artwork by Paula Piggott featured on the front cover of one of our books.
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.
Local History: Bromley and The City of London
Spreading our wings further than the Crays we have Local History books about the London Borough of Bromley and the City of London (the financial district a.k.a. 'Square Mile').
Details of these books can be found on the Sign Here! Best of Bromley and on the City of London pages of our website.
Spreading our wings further than the Crays we have Local History books about the London Borough of Bromley and the City of London (the financial district a.k.a. 'Square Mile').
Details of these books can be found on the Sign Here! Best of Bromley and on the City of London pages of our website.
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.
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.
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.
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 268 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!
