David Bowie’s formative years in south-east London are set to be preserved for fans and music historians alike, with the announcement that his childhood home at 4 Plaistow Grove, Bromley, will open to the public as an immersive cultural experience. The acquisition, made by the Heritage of London Trust, coincides with what would have been Bowie’s 79th birthday and the 10th anniversary of his passing, offering a rare insight into the early environment of one of the world’s most influential musicians.
The “two up, two down” railway worker’s cottage, where Bowie lived from 1955 until 1968, is being meticulously restored to reflect its appearance in the early 1960s.
Curator Geoffrey Marsh, who co-curated the V&A Museum’s acclaimed David Bowie Is exhibition in 2013, is overseeing the project, drawing on a previously unseen archive to recreate the interior exactly as it was during Bowie’s teenage years.
Central to the experience is Bowie’s tiny bedroom, measuring just nine by ten feet. In his own words, “I spent so much time in my bedroom. It really was my entire world. I had books up there, my music up there, my record player. Going from my world upstairs out on to the street, I had to pass through this no-man’s-land of the living room.” Visitors will soon be able to walk the same floorboards where Bowie cultivated the creativity and drive that would propel him from an ordinary schoolboy in Bromley to an international music icon.
The restoration will feature never-before-seen archival material, including copies of The Observer’s books on music and architecture, where Bowie recorded his exam results and identified himself as David Jones Jr, a nod to his early fascination with Americana. Artefacts such as a childhood photograph of Little Richard, which Bowie kept on his wall throughout his life, and Elvis Presley singles collected by his father, will also be on display, providing tangible links to the artist’s early influences.
Friends and collaborators from Bowie’s youth, including the musician George Underwood, whose schoolyard encounter left Bowie with his iconic mismatched eyes, and singer Dana Gillespie, have contributed personal recollections and memories of the house. These stories will complement the visual and material archives, creating a full picture of life at Plaistow Grove in the 1960s.
The Heritage of London Trust is also planning to make the home a living creative space. Inspired by Bowie’s involvement with the Beckenham Arts Lab, the house will host workshops and programs for young people, offering practical skills and mentorship in music, visual arts, and heritage projects. “The music business can be particularly baffling if you’re a teenager,” says Marsh. “Part of the project is to show young people the drivers that helped David succeed, and which can hopefully help them succeed today.”
Funding for the project has been anchored by a £500,000 grant from the Jones Day Foundation, alongside a public fundraising campaign that launches this month. Conservation architects Julian Harrap, known for their work on Sir John Soane’s Museum and Pitzhanger Manor, will remove later additions, including a 1970s extension and combined upstairs bedrooms, restoring the house to its original layout. Efforts will also be made to uncover original wallpaper, paint colours, and other historical details to ensure an authentic recreation.
Marsh emphasises the importance of community involvement in the restoration. Members of the public who possess items, photographs, or original materials from the house are encouraged to come forward to help accurately recreate the home. “It’s not just about preserving a building,” he says. “It’s about capturing the spirit of a young David Bowie, and using that to inspire future generations.”
The restoration is due for completion in late 2027. Once opened, fans and visitors will not only witness the early environment of a music legend, but also engage with a space designed to nurture creativity, offering a direct link between Bowie’s past and the artistic possibilities of the future.
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