Superior Drive

Image: © Ian Capper Taken: 13 Feb 2009

Not a sign of snobbery, but part of a small development built in the 1990s with Canadian street names. The development as a whole is known as "The Oaks", named after the Oak Brewery on whose site it was built. The brewery dominated the area for many years, having originally been founded in 1836. Fox's Ales were produced here, named after the owners of the brewery, the Fox family. However, it was forced to close in 1909, due to indebtedness, forcing over 100 people out of work, a considerable number for what was at the time a small village. The buildings remained for a number of years, serving a variety of uses from time to time, before demolition in 1937. The site was then cleared and was developed in 1940 by the company Telegraph, Construction and Manufacture, later called Telcon, who moved here from Greenwich, manufacturing cables. Subsequently the site was occupied by Medway Packaging, before closure in 1992. After various proposals, including a superstore, development of the site for housing was agreed, with this estate being built by Woolwich Homes.

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