Born in Prairie Road, Addlestone
I was born at 53 Prairie Road in 1964, my earliest memory is going to school in Chapel Park Infants School, Chapel Avenue, then we up to infants school in School Lane and then over the road to the juniors which I think used to be the boys school, I think at the time the new middle school was being built, and eventually ended up at St Paul's middle school and on to the secondary school. I remember my mum taking me to get new school uniform to the Co-op and I was fascinated by the little tubes that they would put the money in and send it up the pipes and it would come back with your change and Co-op stamps. As a teenager I would spend many a happy hour "up the town" and buying make-up in Woolworths or buying a single record in what I think was Spittles, I remember they used to cost about 50p. My mum worked in the launderette by the station next to a little cafe called Jane's Cafe, or was it called The Little Cafe (my memory not as good as used to be). Then in the late 1970s there was a shop open called Mr Flaks and it was real trendy to get your jeans with huge flares from there. I also remember a sweet shop called "Bon Bon", they sold the most amazing ice-creams in every different flavour. They were also up by the station. If I shut my eyes I can remember nearly every shop in Station Road and the High Street. It's sad to see how much it has changed and not really for the best.
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RE: RE: Born in Prairie Road, Addlestone
O yes the Bon bon and once a year the Co-op summer kids' do, St Paul's school and more, I was there. There was the Woodhouse family, the Jones family, Tweels (I think that is spelt wrong), Eves, O God so many more, I can't remember their names but I do remember their faces, Bourneside Road, my world.
Comment from Roy Spearman on Monday, 18th April 2011.
RE: RE: Born in Prairie Road, Addlestone
I got to this page by just looking up about the Crouch Oak tree. I was born in 1964 in Prarie Road No. 92. Although we moved to Chertsey when I was 1. My dad worked in the hairdressers inside the original Co-op on Station Road and he worked with a lady called Sharon whose husband went on to own a coach company called Sharon Coaches. I also remember the tubes that went up the pipes that Helen mentioned. Your change would come back with cardboard coins which were a 'spend and save' type of thing. I remember trying on the flares. I used to help my mum lick the green shield stamps, my tongue used to taste horrible. Then we would go in some shop and exchange the books of stamps for stuff. My dad still has his own hairdressing salon in Addlestone and he has been there for over 35 years. I also remember Billy Jones the butcher. Does anyone remember the toy shop in Chertsey called Jack Isles about 1967? They had a train set in the window and if you put a big penny coin in the brass slot in the window frame the train would start and a giraffe would pop his head out every other time it went round. I also remember a woman giving birth at Chertsey Woolworths by the biscuits when I was 10.
Comment from Paul Martin on Tuesday, 30th August 2011.
RE: RE: Born in Prairie Road, Addlestone
I remember Jack Isles when he closed in the late 1970's - I bought the train in the window and giraffe cars off him for £5. I still have them today and I am thinking of giving them to Chertsey Museum. It was a great shop and me and my friends used to go night fishing for eels and Jack would give an airfix model - the size depending on how many we caught. A great get spent many happy times in there.
Comment from Philip Passey on Sunday, 11th March 2012.