Cremona Ltd, Camberwell

[rexw]

I'm doing some research on Camberwell in South London. I see on your history site that there used to be a piano company here called Cremona, based in Medlar St. You note it was burnt to the ground in 1929. The problem is, I'm actually looking to understand the background of a warehouse conversion called The Piano Factory on the other side of Camberwell (The Piano Factory, 36-38 Peckham Road, SE5 8GB - picture here http://www.ludlowthompson.com/347148). Is it possible that this was connected to Cremona? Or was it a different company altogether? Have you any way of finding out?

[Bill Kibby]

That's Barrie's research you are reading, perhaps he can answer, but although I have a number of piano firms on file around Peckham, that particular address was apparently owned by W.H. Barnes Ltd. in 1935. I have tried to get a good look at it on Google Earth, but it is surrounded by other buildings. The odd thing is that in the trade, it is often said that they were not real makers, and certainly, a great many "Barnes" pianos were made by other firms.