EPW021373 ENGLAND (1928). Crystal Palace, Penge, 1928

Crystal Palace, 29/11/2006

Crystal Palace, 29/11/2006

Crystal Palace, 29/11/2006

Crystal Palace, 29/11/2006

Crystal Palace, 29/11/2006

The two towers were felled before the war, maybe even during the 'Chrisis' of 1938. I was 10 years old at the time and was playing in Brockwell Park when we heard the explosion for the demolition' I recall the picture in the paper the following day showing how a Tower landed withing a couple of feet of the intended place. The towers certainly would have been a 'Landmark' for German aircraft, I recall a pilot saying that if he 'lined them up'he knew that Croydon Airport was directly ahead.



I also remember the fire. I was on my way home from Cubs in Norwood Road and saw the large red glow in the sky. My sister was at Guides at All Saints Church, Lovelace Road, where the Palace could be clearly seen. She was in tears saying that there was a Cat Show on at the palace. I was in bed but was allowed to get up and with a coat over my pyjamas we all went to a high point in Thurlow Park Road and watched the palace burn. We returned home when we saw the center Dome collapse

This aerial view was taken about eight years before the palace was destroyed by fire. The two large water towers - each 280 feet high - at each end of the building were designed by I. K. Brunel to power the fountains in the park. The system was shut down in 1911 as an economy measure which meant that water in suficient quantity was unavailable to fight the fire in 1936

Demolished Circa 1960 (Now housing)