Woolwich, a town in flux, once an important military and industrial town, it is now a suburb of south east London resting on the Thames. Hidden among the various shops and developing spaces is a small shopping centre next to a venue called the Tramshed. Within the entrance are a wall of murals created by Greenwich Mural Workshop. No sign tells the viewer when it was painted so at the moment it's a bit of a mystery.
The mural goes around the interior wall. Each scene is enclose in an arch - in some ways like the murals seen at the Calthorpe Project. In the spandrels, workers paint the mural or work on the arches. Within these are scenes of people gathering food, working the land and communally eating - the people working together, a common theme in the Greenwich Mural Workshop murals.
This mural is in good condition and nicely protected from the elements apart from people who like tagging things! A good clean and a touch of restoration could bring this piece back to a very good condition. It's just a shame that such a nice piece of art work is so tucked away from the public's view.
We are currently researching the history of this mural. If you can help, please do get in touch.
UPDATE 2011: Sadly this mural suffered irreparable smoke damage in the riots that afflicted Woolwich and many other areas of London in August 2011. The London Mural Preservation Society has launched a campaign to replace this important work with a new mural. You can show your support or become involved on our facebook page or by emailing us.
We have had contact with the Greenwich Mural Workshop who are waiting to hear from the building owners whether the mural will be replaced.
This mural has been lost