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tastes have been established at Charlton House, Kidbrooke House,
Shrewsbury House, and West Greenwich House under the auspices
of the Greenwich Community Council in conjunction with the
I.L.E.A. and, in this connection, it can be stated that there are
upwards of 178 clubs and societies affiliated to this Community
Council.
Besides Associations for rowing and barge sailing, the local
sports clubs include the famous Blackheath Football Club (the
oldest of all rugby football clubs) and the newer professional
Charlton Athletic Football Club. It is hard to believe that the
area supports 2 golf clubs, one of which is the Royal Blackheath,
the oldest golf club in the world. With royal sanction it was formed
nearly 360 years ago as the "Society of Blackheath Goffers" at a
time when James I was wont to play with his friends while holding
court at Greenwich. It is reputed that the army title of "Field
Marshal" which dates from 1736 was copied from the appellation
used by the Blackheath Club a century earlier.
Greenwich can boast of modern public baths. There are four
such establishments within the borough, each of which has two
swimming pools. Moreover, at Eltham, the Council has provided
a hydrotherapy pool and, on the Abbey Estate, has introduced a
laundrette. Warm baths for men and women are to be had at
Greenwich, Plumstead and Woolwich and, at the former two
premises, in addition to Turkish and Vapour Baths, public laundries
still operate. In winter, the large pools at Eltham, Greenwich and
Woolwich are covered and utilised for a wide range of recreational
pursuits such as roller skating, badminton, table tennis, etc., and
facilities are made available for indoor bowling, golf and the use of
indoor cricket practice nets.
In recent years, the Council's recreational services have aided
the development of the pre-school child with "play-centres" and
the pattern has been repeated with similar centres for children of
school age. It also sponsors sports events such as cycle racing and
provides facilities for "five-a-side" football, "keep-fit" and netball
and "rhythm and movement" classes.
The Council has control of the five cemeteries located within
the Borough and, on behalf of the Woolwich, Greenwich and North
West Kent Crematorium Board, is responsible for the modern
crematorium at Eltham.
The unique position held by Greenwich in Britain's history
has its counterpart in the nation's industrial story. From earliest
years its residents have been closely linked with the sea and ships
and Britain's ascendency in respect of them for over 1,000 years.
This association, manifest since before the advent of the ancient
"wooden walls" until after the birth of the "ironclad" has, to a