Deptford is an area of south-east London named after the ford of the River Ravensbourne. It is known for its naval history, from the knighting of Sir Francis Drake aboard the Golden Hind to the infamous King’s Yard. From the mid-16th century to the late 19th, it was home to Deptford Dockyard, where many famous names in history spent their time, including Peter the Great, ruler of the Russian Empire from 1682, who studied shipbuilding. From 1871 until the First World War the shipyard site was the City of London Corporation’s Foreign Cattle Market.
In the last three decades, Deptford has been transformed and became a highly gentrified area with food and coffee chains, bars, and restaurants. Here below are some stunning photos that show what Deptford looked like in the 1980s. These photographs were captured by Peter Marshall.
