Film

Made with funding from the National Lottery, this hour-long documentary tells the story of Archibald Corbett and his London housing estates.

Archibald Cameron Corbett: The Man And The Houses

Presented by author and journalist Lucy Mangan, and featuring Catford’s very own Father Lindsay McKenna as Archibald Corbett, the film provides an insightful and comprehensive account of the man whose vision created huge housing estates in east and south east London around the end of the 19th century. It was written and directed by ACS member Ben Honeybone.

It begins with Archibald’s formative years in Glasgow and a teenage tour of the continent in the 1870s, and follows his journey to Parliament where he campaigned on some of the biggest social issues of the day. The houses, of course, play a huge part, with Corbett’s ‘healthy living’ philosophy informing the construction of nearly 10,000 of them across seven estates.

Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, introduces the film

The film had its inaugural screening in Catford on Saturday 20th January 2018, and has had a number of screenings in Eltham, Ilford and beyond – all to glowing reviews.

Left to right: Ben Honeybone, director; Lucy Mangan, presenter; Jason Corbett, Archibald Corbett’s great-great grandson at the premiere in Catford.