My Dad was an engineering draughtsman and worked in buildings in Mottingham when I was a child. I don’t know for certain what government department he worked for.
I have some photos of staff that may have been from there and also a photo of a pantomime/musical the staff put on and we went to see. He was Alec Woollard.
The only government buildings I know of in that area were the post war temporary office buildings that were in Chapel Farm Road. My auntie Marjorie Kirk used to work there in the early sixties and we went to a Christmas Party there in 1965(?). I have attached a photo from that party with me at the head of the table - of course and my younger sister on the right.
I don't know what department my aunt worked in but at one point she was in the Foreign or Home office, I don't know which. I lived in New Eltham until the eighties and often walked past those offices on the way to see friends or visit the Yorkshire Grey. I think they were still there when I moved away but can't be certain but they are now a housing estate.
Assuming I am talking about the same office buildings it would be great to see some photos of them as so much has changed since I left and I knew the Mottingham, New Eltham, and Chislehurst area very well. If I recall Mottingham had a toy shop (place of wonder) with a train set that ran in the window if you put a penny in the slot., was it called Gayes?
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
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It's one of those occasions when you wished you had asked relatives what they did. However, my excuse it I was only 9 or 10 at the time. Luckily my older cousins can't remember so I don't feel that bad. Still it is something to investigate. My aunt, who worked there, retired in the late sixties and would have been 109 this December if she was still alive. Makes me feel old, especially as my dad was the youngest in that family and he is 100 next year!
Maggie, I hope you didn't mean Nottingham
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
Birmingham Daily Post - Wednesday 23 May 1956
Someone fined for disclosing waste at Mottingham which is described as being Ministry of Supply.
A police patrol was shot at by IRA
Lots of references to the site but just as "the Mottingham establishment".
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Monday 13 July 1953
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DRAUGHTSMEN required by
MINISTRY OF SUPPLY
Mottingham, London, S.E.9. and in Establishments at: — Aldermaston. Birtley. Bishopton. Blackburn. Bridgwater. Chorley. Farnborough Harwell, Leeds. Maitby. Nottingham, Pembrey. Green. Risley. Sevenoaks. Swynnerton and Woolwich, and ELECTRICAL DRAUGHTSMEN at Aldermaston. Chesslngton (Surrey) and Risley.
A 1952 to 1957 map at 1250 scale viewed on Old Maps website shows the outline of buildings labelled 'Offices' located at the end of what is now Ministry Way and seen on the GE 1945 view as empty land. The latter unsurprising given wartime censorship. Unfortunately the map coverage is partial and only the northern part of the site is shown.
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