According to the Bartlett School of Architecture, the new home of the Survey, the two volumes are fully illustrated books, with around two hundred new drawings, a similar number of new photographs, and altogether more than 900 illustrations.
Volume 49, which contains a general historical introduction to Battersea, is arranged thematically to cover all building types (except housing), including public buildings, hospitals, churches, schools, buildings for entertainment, shopping, railways and industry - with a whole chapter on the power station - parks and open spaces, New Covent Garden Market, the heliport as well as a chapter on the current large-scale regeneration of Nine Elms.
Volume 50 follows more traditional Survey lines and is divided topographically into nineteen chapters, with a general introduction to housing history in Battersea.
Digitized versions of previous Survey of London publications are at http://www.british-history.ac.uk/place.aspx?gid=74®ion=1
I had noticed this on the BBC website, but hadn't gotten around to viewing it. I took advantage of your link, and while watching, it occurred to me that I could do a search on my great-great-grandfather Alexander Roger, using his name and "Battersea Park" as search terms on Google.co.uk. (I knew that he was the "curate" [superintendent] of Battersea Park in the 1880s.)
ReplyDeleteUp came an obituary printed in the 1888 Journal of Horticultural and Practical Gardening:
We regret to learn that ALEXANDER ROGER, who has been superintendent of Battersea Park for seventeen years, died on the 7th inst., at the age of sixty-two years, after a long illness. Mr. Roger passed a varied career as a gardener in early life, and was appointed to the charge of Battersea Park in 1871, succeeding Mr. Gibson, who had laid out the greater portion of the Park. Several additions have been made and improvements effected since then, notably on the eastern side, which was rendered very picturesque, much taste being displayed in the management of the ground. The Park also was well kept, the carpet and sub-tropical bedding being arranged with especial skill. Mr. Roger leaves a widow and family.
So I'm delighted that your link nudged me this way! This gives me much more detail on my great-great-grandfather's skills. Sadly, they have not been passed down to me….