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The Rotary Club of Deptford was chartered in 1924, and
was among the first London suburban Clubs, after the Rotary Club of London
ceded territory in that year. Our territory covered a similar area to the old
Metropolitan Borough of Deptford, embracing Brockley (SE4) and New Cross (SE14)
as well as the historic town of Deptford (SE8). All that area is now part of
the London Borough of Lewisham, but the name Deptford (a “deep ford”
across the Ravensbourne River, where Deptford Bridge now stands) goes back to a
date soon after the Norman Conquest. Before 1066 it was called Mereton (the
“town in the marsh”).
The 1st shield on our banner is taken from the
unofficial “arms” of the former Metropolitan Borough. The 1St quarter
shows three black choughs from the official arms of Surrey, and the 4th quarter
has the white horse of Kent, as the old Borough used to be part of both
Counties. The 2nd quarter has a ship on the stocks, representing the Royal
Dockyard, founded at Deptford by Henry VIII in 1513, and the 3rd quarter shows
Peter the Great, seated and using an adze, as he worked as a carpenter at the
Dockyard in 1698, while living at the nearby Sayes Court (Sir John
Evelyn’s former home).
The 2nd shield shows the Golden Hind (formerly called
the Pelican), in which Sir Francis Drake sailed round the world between 1577
and 1580. Soon after he returned, Queen Elizabeth I dined on board and knighted
Drake at Deptford. Legend has it that on the same occasion Walter Raleigh laid
his cloak on the ground so that the Queen would not have to step into a puddle.
A special dock was constructed for the ship at her command, but sadly she (the
ship, not the Queen) soon decayed.
www.rotarydeptford.org.uk
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