Following Ephraim's retirement in 1891, the brothers Richard and James Higgs, at the time aged 21 and 29 respectively, became the resident farmers on Coldharbour Farm.

It was created in a garden suburb style in order to house borough residents made homeless by The Blitz and young families.

The majority of initial residents, therefore, were rehoused from Woolwich or Eltham, and to a lesser extent Plumstead, Charlton and surrounding boroughs.

The area from the Mound to the Course and surrounding roads were open to residents the following year, with Southold Rise and Speke Hill complete by 1950.

When she finally arrived to "commemorate the completion of the Coldharbour Housing Estate" on 9 May 1957, the Kentish Independent''s headline the following day was "Five Year Wait For Royal Visit But It Was Well Worth It".

This road was originally named Hellensmead until renamed in honour of a former Eltham councillor and three times Mayor of Woolwich.

Many of the remaining roads retain the names of the ancient fields they were built on, including Littlemede, Southold Rise, Altash Way and Woodcroft.