Tuesday 16 February 2010

Bleak House

Reading Bleak House, I came across the following reference to Deptford - complete with horticultural pun! It's a nice reminder of how rural the surrounding area used to be:
'Where have you sprung from?' inquires Mr Guppy.

'From the market gardens down by Deptford. I can't stand it any longer. I must enlist. I say! I wish you'd lend me half a crown. Upon my soul I'm hungry.'

Jobling looks hungry, and also has the appearance of having run to seed in the market-gardens down by Deptford.

2 comments:

Marmoset said...

I did notice the other day that the area we now know as Brockley used to be Deptford Common. Does this give us the right to call Brockleyites Deptford Commoners?

http://archivemaps.com/mapco/kent1801/kent05_02.htm

CarolineLD said...

I like it - but Brockleyites might not!