Petts Wood

The name appeared first in 1577 as "the wood of the Pett family", who were shipbuilders and leased the wood as a source of timber (a pub, The Sovereign of the Seas, is named after a ship built at Woolwich to a design by Phineas Pett).

William Willett, a campaigner for daylight saving time, lived in nearby Chislehurst for most of his life, and is commemorated by a memorial sundial in the wood; another pub, The Daylight Inn, is named in his honour.

Most of Petts Wood was built in the early 20th century by the developer Basil Scruby together with architect Leonard Culliford who designed the layout of the roads. A number of individual builders developed individual plots, amongst others the master builder, Noel Rees. The intention was to create a high quality estate in a rural setting only a short train journey from the city, with the east side being built first: the first building in place was the railway station (situated between Orpington and Bickley), and the rest of the town developed from there. Noel Rees's name is still used as a selling point by estate agents; his houses can be found in Great Thrift, The Covert, Prince's Avenue, Wood Ride, Kingsway, Chislehurst Road, The Chenies and many other roads in Petts Wood.

The Daylight Inn, 2011

The generally higher quality of large homes built to the east of the railway line, as compared to smaller and more dense to the west, gave rise to the local references of "Half Crown" or "Five Bob" sides.

The area between Petts Wood and Bickley sustained heavy bombing during Second World War because of its proximity to an important railway junction.[2]

The Jubilee Country Park is to the northwest of the main shopping area. Before this park was created, the area was known as 'The Gun Sites', as it had been the location for anti-aircraft guns in Second World War, and was the home of the 1st Petts Wood scout group.

According to Keith Waterhouse in his book "Streets Ahead" Petts Wood was popular with Fleet Street newspaper staff in the 1950s: "… this Kent suburb, recommended in Fleet Street for the all-night train service it afforded sub-editors and reporters coming off late duty, thus giving them a round-the-clock, heaven-sent excuse for one more for the road."[3]

In 2009, the local Woolworths store had the privilege of writing the last word in the history of that chain in the UK, when its manager, realising his was the last one to close, gathered the remains of the Pick 'n' Mix sweet section and auctioned the bagful of sweets, which would normally have retailed for a couple of pounds, for £14,500 ($20,000).[4]

The wood itself survives and is managed by the National Trust. Originally just 88 acres (36 hectares) were bought by public subscription and donated to the Trust in 1927. This asset expanded when the neighbouring Hawkwood Estate and Edlmann Wood, comprising a further 250 acres (100 hectares), were donated to the Trust by landowners Robert and Francesca Hall in 1957. The woodland features oak, birch, rowan, alder, ash, hornbeam and sweet chestnut.

The William Willett memorial sundial

• Cerrie Burnell, actress, singer, playwright, and television presenter
• Colin Cowdrey, Kent and England cricket captain.
• Jack Dee, comedian and winner of Celebrity Big Brother 1
• Charles De Gaulle, French general, statesman and future President of France who led the Free French Forces during Second World War.[5] He rented a home at 41 Birchwood Road for four months before moving his family further inland to Shropshire later in 1940.[6]
• Sir Geraint Evans, Welsh baritone or bass-baritone noted for operatic roles. Lived in Birchwood Road.
• Pat Keysell, TV presenter and sign language interpreter grew up in Petts Wood.
• Pixie Lott, singer and songwriter (born 1991)
• John Loveday, physicist
• Ian Mortimer, historian
• David Nobbs, comedy writer and the creator of the sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
• Major Phil Packer, is a British soldier who was rendered paraplegic in 2008 by injuries sustained while serving in Iraq. He has since raised over a million pounds through charitable fundraising efforts which have garnered him several national awards.[7][8][9][10]
• Arthur Seldon, economist.
• Dame Antoinette Sibley DBE, British Prima Ballerina
• Ivor Spencer, toastmaster
• William Willett, promoter of Daylight Saving

Petts Wood borders Chislehurst to the north, St Paul's Cray to the north east, St Mary Cray to the east, Orpington to the south east, Locksbottom to the south, Bromley Common to the south west, Southborough to the west and Bickley to the north west.

• Petts Wood Recreation Ground
• Willett Recreation Ground
• Petts Wood Runners, inclusive running club that meets in Willett Recreation Ground every Tuesday at 8.00pm. Kent Fitness League champions 2018–19.
• Petts Wood Bowling Club. Petts Wood Bowling Club is an inclusive, friendly and successful club that provides sporting and social activities for a cross-section of people from their teens to their 90s. The club provides support and friendship and actively encourages both people new to the sport as well as experienced bowlers.
• Petts Wood Snooker Club (above Morrisons)
• Orpington Ojays Swimming Club
• Oakley Fitness (Above Oakley Coffee)

• Sir Geraint Evans (1922–1992) 34 Birchwood Road