Fun at the Crystal Palace c1900. 

The Electric Canoe pictures here illustrates the element of fun which attracted millions to the Palace.

Written by long-time Crystal Palace resident David Johnson, Around Crystal Palace and Penge is the latest in the Britain In Old Pictures series.

Crystal Palace owed its name to an area where five London boroughs meet - Croydon, Bromley, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark and it is this primarily Victorian district that David Johnson explores in his latest book.

Featuring a fascinating sequence of more than 200 photographs and other illustrations, including maps and drawings, it catalogues the history of Crystal Palace and Penge.

Many of the images are previously unpublished and have been discovered in family photograph collections and provide an evocative insight into the world of our ancestors, their daily lives and working conditions, work and play, changing fashions and famous landmarks.

Chapters include prehistory and history, transport, a whole chapter dedicated to the magnificent Crystal Palace structure, war and peace, people and pleasure.

Early Transport

The through tram service from Croydon opened on 10th February 1906.

Water Babies

A pool was added to the facilities at North Surrey District School by 1900.