ALT The site for the Archibald Corbett Library was formerly tennis courts, and was donated by Archibald Corbett. The £4,500 construction cost was donated by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. “… presumably would have made good use of the new Library which opened in Torridon Road in 1907. The local council had wanted to build one for several years, and Corbett was willing to donate land, but they were short of funds so it wasn’t until Andrew Carnegie – world famous philanthropist and serial builder of around 3,000 libraries – stepped in with a donation of £4,500 that it finally came into existence. Sadly for the estate’s tennis fans it was the recreation ground that Corbett offered up for the new building: maybe he figured the new Mountsfield Park over the other side of Brownhill Road was close enough to provide for healthy exercise.” Extract from the history of the Corbett Estate on the Corbett Society website - see: https://thecorbettsociety.org.uk/the-estates/catford-hither-green/

ALT Photo by Paul de Zylva, library volunteer, of a red Jaguar E-type on the road in front of the Corbett Community Library, known to many as Torridon Library on the junction of Torridon Road and Sandhurst Road in Catford, Lewisham, London, SE6.

ALT The commemorative plaque for the 30th November 1907 opening of the Archibald Corbett Library can be seen high on the right hand side wall as you enter the foyer of the library. The library was opened by Mrs ECB Philpott, who was the wife of the vicar of nearby St Andrews’s Church which opened in 1904.

ALT View of the library from the top deck of a London bus at the top of Sandhurst Road. It’s an odd thing that even from at that height, our magnificent dome is hard to see. Come in to see it from below.

ALT Page one of the leaflet of Corbett Community Christmas events 2025 lists the Christmas Tree Festival, the Corbett Christmas Fair, and Christmas at Abbotshall.

ALT Page two of the Corbett Community Christmas leaflets shows details for the: - the Christmas Tree Festival from 24th to 29th November from 10am to 5pm each day at St Andrew’s Church Hall SE6 1XD and - the Corbett Christmas Fair from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 29th November at two venues: the Corbett Community Library at 103 Torridon Road SE6 1RQ and St Andrew’s Church Hall SE6 1XD.

ALT The third page of the leaflet details Christmas at Abbotshall on Sunday 30 November from 10am to 4pm including Santa’s Grotto, and Christmas Tree Sales.

ALT The fourth and final page of the leaflet sets out how to order a Christmas Tree from Abbotshall Healthy Lifestyle Centre. Order online at Abbotshallhlc dot org forward slash Christmas hyphen trees abbotshallhlc.org.uk/christmas-trees