Catford Landmarks and Local History: Broadway Theatre, the Cat and the Archive

Catford is better known for its buildings and public art than for museums. This guide draws on the council's and venues' own accounts and keeps to what they state.

The Broadway Theatre

The theatre's history page says it was built in 1932 by Bradshaw Gass & Hope as an extension to the original gothic town hall, which has since been demolished. The result blends art deco, Tudor and gothic revival elements. It says the Duke of York, the future King George VI, opened it in 1932, that its auditorium floor was strengthened as an air raid shelter at the start of the Second World War, that the Black Theatre initiative began in 1991, and that it received Grade II listed status in 1993. A further £7 million refurbishment took place in 2022. The council's art in Catford article invites visitors to look for the owls, gargoyles and fish on the building.

Public art and the Catford Cat

The same council article describes the Catford Cat, made by Owen Luder and Rodney Gordon in 1974 as part of the Catford Centre's development; the pair also designed Milford Towers and Eros House. It also lists:

• Catford Dogs, a painting of yellow greyhounds on the bridge to Catford Bridge station, which recalls Catford Greyhound Stadium. The council says the stadium opened in 1932 and closed in 2003.
• Pensive Girl (1992) by Gerda Rubinstein, a bronze outside the Old Town Hall.
• Waterline (2006) by Oliver Barratt beside Eros House. The council says Rushey Green was once a river.
• The Riverview Walk, a river walk between Catford and Bell Green with sculptures and murals.

The street market

The council's markets page says Catford's street market began in the 1880s in Rushey Green and moved to Catford Broadway in 1929. It records about 50 stalls in the 1930s, a lapse during the war, when Catford suffered serious bomb damage, and a revival in 1976 with licensing for 35 pitches. Opening times are in the town centre guide.

The archive: Lewisham Heritage

Lewisham Heritage holds historical maps, photographs, local history books, electoral registers and microfiche, with free online access to FindMyPast, Ancestry UK and the British Newspaper Archive, according to the council. Its reading room is at Catford Library. You need an Archives Card and an appointment. The council lists appointments on Tuesdays, Thursdays and the first Saturday of the month, and gives a phone number and email on its page. It also describes a maroon plaque scheme, including plaques for Margaret and Rachel McMillan and the Battle of Lewisham, which is being refreshed.

Buildings being restored

The council's timeline says restoration of the former Catford Constitutional Club began in 2023 and that it is set to open as The Catford House, run by GCDA. The current projects page calls it one of the oldest buildings in the town centre.

Beckenham Place Park

At the southern end of the area, Beckenham Place Park is the borough's largest green space at 98 hectares, according to the council's park page. The park's own history page says John Cator, a timber merchant, bought the estate and built the mansion in 1762, that Lewisham Council has managed it since 1972, and that it relaunched in July 2019 after restoration work. For events and play areas see the parks and kids guide.