Deer in Brockley (2019) and Catford (1928)

I was delighted by reports over the summer of a muntjac deer being spotted in the Telegraph Hill/Brockley area. Specifically in August there were apparent sightings in Dalrymple Road, Endwell Road and in a garden on Telegraph Hill close to New Cross railway cutting from where Jack Cornish posted an image on twitter. One hypothesis is that the railway line acts as a wildlife corridor along which deer could move into the city from the countryside.

Friend spotted this muntjac deer in her Telegraph Hill garden today - right near New Cross Gate Cutting wildlife reserve.
Anyone else spotted one in Lewisham before?#NationalParkCity #wild #Lewisham #TelegraphHill pic.twitter.com/BJLFsXRV3I

— Jack Cornish (@cornish_jack) August 11, 2019

It would be great if deer could run wild and free in this part of the world Any deer at loose in London today would probably find it quite a frightening experience. Nothing really new in that – we mentioned here before about a deer jumping through a front room window in Hither Green way back in 1915. Here's another sad tale this time from 1928:

'Deer hunt through streets: London flower seller’s capture (Irish times, 26 March 1928)

A young deer, torn and bleeding, suddenly appeared in the streets between Catford Bridge and Rushey Green, London, last Saturday. Chased by dogs, it jumped over walls and railings, and ran through gardens in front of houses. It was eventually captured by a flower seller named Haylor who, carrying it under his arm, got on a bus and took it to Lewisham police station.

Because of the deer’s severe injuries, thought to have been caused by jumping through barbed wire, it was handed over to a butcher to be slaughtered'.

A deer jumps through a window in Lewisham

A hundred years ago today, a deer jumped through a window in Hither Green Lane:

'Deer in a Lewisham House

A deer, which had apparently escaped from some park, on Friday jumped through the window of a house in Hither Green-Lane, Lewisham, occupied by Mrs. Perren and her daughter and did considerable damage. Chairs and tables were smashed, and a good deal of glass and china broken., The police were informed, and after barricading the window a sergeant and constable, with two other men, entered the room The animal appeared be mad with fright, and it  took the men some time to secure it with a rope'.

Gloucestershire Echo, Saturday 22 May 1915

Yes, this may have been the original Lewisham Stag