Lovely Happy Memories Of Barnehurst By Catherine Eradhun Nee Goodhind

A Memory of Barnehurst.

We moved from Bexley Village to Barnehurst in 1971 when I was four years old. I grew up with my sister and two brothers on Eastleigh Road where all the children used to come out and play - we'd be out from dawn until dusk in the summer, building dens and camps over Barnehurst Golf Course and climbing trees over at Martens Grove Park, not to mention the long hot summer days we'd spend at the outdoor swimming pool. I remember being given 10p pocket money a week when I was quite young and being allowed to walk up Midfield Avenue with a friend, to spend all my pocket money on what we would call 'little sweets' from Hoskins Newsagents. My best friend and me used to spend time when we were a bit older walking round what we called 'the blocks' which were the loops round Eastleigh Road, Westfield Road and Hillingdon Road up Midfield Avenue and down Manor Way. At Christmas all the shops up Midfield Parade used to put Christmas trees and coloured lights above their doors - it looked lovely and felt really special. I remember the shops on that parade: There was the off license, which was called Arthur Cooper at one time, then the TV repair shop (Mr Preece), Hoskins newsagents, MACE Mini Market (as my mum used to call it), Davidsons Chemist and Cloud 9 Hairdressers, which became the Cuttings. Across the road there was Hurleys Greengrocers, with the baby Boutique next door. Then there was Hair Care Hairdressers and the Launderette next door to that then was Brookline Hardware (which became Cliffords). Across the main road (Mayplace Road East) was the Library with the Butchers next door and next to that was another hardware shop who had a wood cutting yard out the back and a tortoise. next to that was The Ladybird Childrenswear Shop, the Delicattesen, Wilfredos Hairdressing, an accountants and the bike shop on the corner of Steven Road (which became an Indian Restaurant). Im not so sure about the little row of shops across from the off license. I known there was the post office and the fish and chip shop - I think there was a wine making shop and a cobblers.

In the summer holidays the Library had the BookWorm Club which some of us children from Eastleigh Road used to attend. One year there was a competition to make a model of a Dinosaur. My friend and me made a Cloposaurus (completely made up of course with a piece of Pampas Grass growing out of its head) and we won the first prize.

Does anyone remember any of the shops I mentioned? Or the Bookworm Club? Or how about the Diploma Ice Cream Man who had a pink and white van which played the Match of the Day tune? Or how about the Walls Ice Cream Man who came round in the afternoons. He had long hair and wore a dark blue overall.

Another memory I would like to mention is this. My grandma lived on inglewood Road and opposite her house was a beech tree which I thought was the shape of Dougal from the Magic Roundabout. Oh also, does anyone remember the Lollypop Lady who used to stand on the corner of Oakwood Drive?

Just a load of memories from the 1970's. I'd love it if anyone could say they know what I'm talking about.