IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Station Road, ORPINGTON, BR6 0SA

Recently refurbished Edwardian house on Station Road at its junction with Hillview Road.

Vets' surgery on Station Road by its junction with Hillview Road.

Formerly the Maxwell Arms, after the family who owned the original Tubbenden, where Dalton Close now stands (see Image). The bridge in the background carries the London to Tonbridge railway over Station Road, south of Orpington Station.

Foundation stone in Anbu's Convenience Store in Station Road - see Image When I first saw this stone, I was intrigued - why would a small shop like this warrant a foundation stone, usually reserved for non-conformist chapels? What was even more intriguing was that my initial research came up with a reference to someone called Lawson Walton Austin as a Corporal in the Royal Engineers killed in action on 17 July 1917, and buried in a Baghdad War Cemetery. The records show that he was born in 1896 in Woking, the son of a Francis W and Margaret F Austin of Notting Hill, London. If this was the Lawson Walton Austin recorded on this stone, he would have only been 3 years of age when he supposedly laid this stone. Further research came up with the explanation. Francis W Austin was a surveyor who was responsible for the early development of the Knoll/Hill View area of Orpington at the start of the 20th century. This building was his sales office, situated conveniently close to Orpington Station. Whilst his young son clearly didn't literally lay the foundation stone, Francis presumably decided to let him take part in the ceremony and commemorate him accordingly. A touching story.