Above photo, 2004 by Steve Thoroughgood.

Above photo 2012 kindly taken and sent by Brian Brockie.

Above photo 2015, by kind permission Chris Mansfield. http://www.chrismansfieldphotos.com/

Above photo, showing the demolition, 26 June 2016 taken by Martin Barnes.

Above photo circa 2018.

Gravesend Reporter, North Kent and South Essex Advertiser, Saturday 16 July 1870.

Belvedere. Dreadful Suicide by Young Man.

On the 7th instant between Belvedere and Abbey Wood, a most shocking suicide was committed. It appeared that about 10:11 p.m. on the above date while a watchman, named Mark Wood, in the employ of the South Eastern Railway Company, was walking by the side of the line between Belvedere and Abbey Wood, he observed a man near the rails. The 10:15 train was now approaching and after it had passed, on going up to the man, found his head severed from his body. He was searched, and in his pocket was found the following words written upon a small piece of paper.

"I am B. Hart. Son of T. Hart, No. 2, Independent Chapel, Hounslow, Middlesex. Love to all at Kennington Park Road, York House, Good-bye. B. H."

The body was removed to the "Leather Bottle" public house, Belvedere, where an inquest was held on Saturday before C. J. Carttar, Esq., coroner for West Kent, when the jury returned a verdict of committed suicide whilst in the state of temporary insanity.

From a local paper July 1880.

Execution of the Erith Murderer.

On Tuesday morning, Thomas Berry, 37, a carpenter by trade, suffered the dread penalty of the law within the precincts of Maidstone gaol for the murder of Caroline Adams, at Erith, on the 15th June. The facts of the case proved beyond the slightest possibility of doubt that the man, angered because the deceased woman had refused to continue living with him, attacked her with a chisel at the "Leather Bottle" public house gardens at Erith, and caused her instantaneous death. He subsequently, when he heard she was dead, said with an oath, "and a good job too," and before the magistrates he admitted his guilt. The defence at his trial was that the prisoner at the time of the commission of the murder was so drunk as not to be responsible for his actions, and Judge Pollock, in sentencing him to death, warned him not to hope for a respite, as the crime was committed under circumstances of cruelty seldom equalled in this country. After his conviction the man dropped the air of bravado he had assumed up to the time of sentencing being passed, and listened attentively to the ministration of the Roman Catholic priest, father Duggan, who was in constant attendance. He was visited by his two children, of whom he took his farewell, on Monday, and by a cousin. On the morning of his execution he was outwardly calm and self-possessed, and a few minutes before nine was given over to Marwood, the executioner, who pinioned his arms in his cell. He was then conducted to the yard in which the scaffold was erected, and placed upon the drop, father Duggan meantime reading the service for the dying. In a clear voice the unhappy man repeated the prayer for pardon from God and man, and the executioner then quickly pulled the white cap over his face, adjusted the rope, and pulled the bolt. Death was instantaneous, and the man did not apparently struggle. The black flag was hoisted outside the gaol, where some 30 or 40 persons had collected, and after the space of one hour it was lowered, the body being cut down simultaneously. A formal inquest was held in the afternoon. The execution took place in the presence of the Under Sheriff (F. Scudamore, Esq.), the Governor, (Captain Green), the surgeon, and other prison officials, as well as three representatives of the Press.