The River Effra: a South London Vanishing Act

Descending from high points along the ridge of hills at Crystal Palace, Norwood and Sydenham, it comes together as a single stream at Thurlow Park, idles eastward through Dulwich and Herne Hill, heads north through Brixton, circumnavigates Kennington Oval and drops into the Thames at Vauxhall, covering a huge amount of territory in what is little more than an eight-mile course.

This illustrated talk will map its course, consider its earlier history above ground, look in particular at some of the local Dulwich connections, explain its disappearance within the context of Bazalgette's main drainage works of the 1860s and, despite all that has been done to it, try and account for its curious and enduring presence today.