Rebuild Crystal Palace

I am Canadian and live in Canada, but Crystal Palace is also special to me. This is because I attended Girl Guides when I was young. Girl Guides was started because Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, held a rally for Scouts at the Crystal Palace - and a small group of girls showed up. They also wanted to join Scouting. Lord Baden-Powell called these girls "Guides" and turned them over to his sister, who helped to found the Girl Guides.

I wish that I had seen it. It sounded absolutely wonderful.

My father was there too in 1936 watching it burn.
He was born in Sydenham and we lived there until I was 11.
There are still parts of the original building still there but i don't think it will ever be built again.
We used to go to Crystal Palace park a lot when I was a child and I still support Crystal Palace football team.

nanna8

My Dad, a Londoner, watched as it burned in 1936 and never forgot the Crystal Palace. He spoke of how wonderful it used to be. Could they rebuild it and use it as a place for exhibitions and trade fairs again ? Have the builders these days the capability of building something like that ? I think it would be fabulous if they did. Preferably not with government money,either. I was looking at The Times today and admiring the pictures of it. The Victorians left a lot of wonderful buildings, didn’t they ?

Maybe lottery money?

If I could go back in time I would want to go to the Great Exhibition. It’s always enthralled me.

It's a wonder that it didn't burn down sooner than it did and also a miracle that nobody died in the fire.

I agree it must have been an amazing building.

My great grandma who had emigrated to NZ in 1866, told her DGC all about it and other marvels she had left behind.
She went under the Thames through the first tunnel, she saw the tightrope walker Blondin cross the Thames wheeling a barrow. She saw Ladies in crinoline dresses.

Who would fund it?
Hammersmith Bridge has been closed for ages for lack of funds - many would argue that that’s considerably more important.

Witzend

Who would fund it?
Hammersmith Bridge has been closed for ages for lack of funds - many would argue that that’s considerably more important.

I was born and lived near Hammersmith Bridge, it holds many memories for me. I often go back and walk along the river to Chiswick Eyot.
It must be dreadful living in Castlenau Road and having to drive to another crossing.

My mum was living in Greenwich ( that’s 7 miles away) she saw the flames and smoke from there.
I see the site every month as one of the girls lives in Palace as it’s referred to locally.
The logistics would be very difficult now. It’s a very built up area. It would cause chaos with the traffic.

I grew up near Crystal Palace and know it well. Rebuilding it has often been discussed but it seems unlikely.
If they had upgraded the Crystal Palace Sports Centre for the 2012 Olympics, they might have done something then but it was decided not to use it.

My Dad lived at Brockley in those days. They had a jeweller’s shop then. All gone now,though. I used to go to the gardens at Crystal Palace as a little child - I seem to remember dinosaur statues- are they still there ?

My father remembered the Crystal Palace burning as a far away orange image in the sky .

nanna8

My Dad lived at Brockley in those days. They had a jeweller’s shop then. All gone now,though. I used to go to the gardens at Crystal Palace as a little child - I seem to remember dinosaur statues- are they still there ?

Remember them too, Nanna8! We lived in Brixton and often went.

Nanna8 The dinosaurs are still there - they are being refurbished at the moment.