Did you know that...
Henry Cooper, the only boxer who was made into a knight, lived on Farmstead Road in Bellingham SE6 as a child. He was a heavyweight champion and twice winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. The house where he lived for 18 years is marked by a plaque. The Fellowship Inn’s ballroom was temporarily reconverted into a training facility. This is where Cooper trained in 1963 for this match against box legend Muhammad Ali. The Fellowship Inn is a Grade II listed building and a landmark of the area. It is now an entertainment center that features a cafe, a bar, a cinema, and an event hall.
Bellingham SE6 name is derived from the proper name Bera. It was originally called Beringaham. The first mention of the name comes from a 10th-century document. In the 12th century, under Norman orthography influence, the spelling changed to Belingeham. Many streets in this South East London area borrow the name of Alfred the Great and his family. Alfred remains in history as one of two kings of England that received “the Great” nickname. Alfred was a rational individual who promoted education and cared about how his subjects lived. King Alfred Avenue, Arnulf Street, and Elfrida Crescent are some of the streets named after him and members of his family.
The heart of Bellingham SE6 is the Randlesdown Road. Several pubs, services such as dry cleaners, shops, supermarkets, and a gym can be found along the street. One of the first entertainment facilities in this SE6 area was the bowling club opened in 1912. Forster estate development soon followed. St Dunstan’s Church was built in 1925. Allerford and Waterbank Roads are built on the site of the old Bellingham Farm. The now-demolished farmhouse dated from the 17th century. Bellingham railway station was built in 1892. It measures eight miles from the central railway point London Victoria.