Crofton Park

Before the area was built in the late 19th century, the principal buildings were Brockley Farm, Brockley Hall, and the Brockley Jack public house. It was the naming of the station as Crofton Park which gave the area its modern and invented name. Despite this being the historic heart of Brockley, that name had already been used for two earlier railway stations further north – Brockley Station and Brockley Lane Station. The rapid pace of expansion of the area continued pre-First World War, with the building of more shops and facilities to support the growing population. The London Encyclopaedia describes this development as: "a mixture of terrace houses for 'clerkly classes' and local…

In common with many areas of London, Crofton Park was damaged during the Second World War, particularly by V1 flying bombs and V2 rockets, with the area north of Crofton Park Station on Brockley Road suffering many strikes. A V1 'doodlebug' hit on the evening of 18 June 1944 destroyed Brockley Road School and killed five members of the Crofton Park Home Guard. The men are commemorated by a plaque in St Hilda's Church.