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Barnes
Barnes maps
Historic maps of Barnes and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Barnes maps
Barnes area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Barnes and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Barnes
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memories of Barnes.
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Growing up in Barnes - 1950s
We moved to Glebe Road in 1952 (Cousland) and it was a wonderful place for children. We had a back gate opening on to the common and made full use of it. The grass was cut every year and baled for hay and we used to rush out and build houses from the bales. Every Friday we were allowed to buy 2ozs of sweets from Mr Brown's sweet shop (just out of shot here) then help carry the shopping home from the new "supermarket" Express Dairies. There was also a greengrocer, another sweetshop (The Crescent) and a dry cleaners. The milkman delivered in a new battery van, and there was a rag and bone man who came round with his pony and cart. At the other end of Church Road there was a very smart ladies dress shop and a shoe shop. All we needed was in Barnes. We could fish in the pond for sticklebacks and scoop up tadpoles in the spring. The swings at Vine Road were heavenly,... Read more
The Howard Family of Barnes And Hammersmith
My Great-Great-Grandad, Henry Howard, lived in the early 1800’s - a time of great rural depression - and so he left his Devon home to look for work in London with the result that several generations of my family lived in the Hammersmith area. The story is that he walked all the way. No doubt the stage coach fare was beyond the means of an unemployed labourer.
He found work constructing railways which at this time were spreading rapidly all over the country. He may have found lodgings in North London, perhaps in Camden with either his brother or his cousin George Howard. Later he moved to the Hammersmith area and he married in his early twenties. He had (at least) six children, the eldest of whom, Elizabeth, was born about 1840. His son - William Henry (my Great-Grandad) was born in 1846 and the family story is that the youngest son was Jack who later emigrated. Two of the Howard family daughters, Louie and Mary Jane, did... Read more
Greater London memories
The Fire Station
My Mother was born in the flat above Mortlake Fire Station in 1899. Her Father W.O.Knight was the Officer in charge. I lived there until approx 4 years of age and can remember the two fire engines and many details. The building is still there but has been converted into offices.
Mum And Dad Grew up in Fulham
Mum remembers going across Parsons Green durig the war and the air raid had gone off, then she heard a doodlebug above her, she ran into the gents toilets and heard it land somewhere near, she never been that frightened since. Mum and Dad both lived next door to each other in Broughton Road, Fulham, they were big houses, one family lived on top floor, another downstairs. I remember having to go through downstairs living room to get to outside loo, they let me when it was raining. My dad died 2 years ago, he remembered having to go to school with no shoes on, they were so poor, and his mum died young and they were looked after by an old aunt, if they asked for more food they were given a worm cake to eat. I remember waiting outside Fulham baths for my nan, who would visit on the bus and train, but sometimes she wasn't there so I was sent to wait ouside for her. We were... Read more
Childhood Memories
My Nan lived in Church Path (renamed Lillie Walk), they were all mainly Irish families living there, Nan's family all stayed in Fulham around North End Road. In the 1950s me and my sister were taken there to buy new shoes and stop to see Nan's sister, Aunt Annie, who had a fruit barrow by Barbers store, we always got an apple. We also used to go to see her brother Uncle Tom who lived in Shorrolds Road, and we got to go to the pub in Farm Lane for a drink. My sister and me lived in Burlington Road (near Putney Bridge) so going on the 14 bus to North End Road was a great treat. We all now live in Surrey but still talk about our childhood in Fulham.
Our Local Church - St Johns
WE LIVED IN FARM LANE FULHAM SW6, IN A LOVELY O'L PREFAB. OUR LOCAL CHURCH WAS ST JOHN'S.
Playing Out
Two balls. Tennis balls in stockings. Playing on Bill Blackman's coal lorry and getting filthy. Runouts. Playing in the flats on the corner of Holyport Roard with my mates. The corner shop made the best ice lollies ever. Walking by the river behind the house. Staying out late on summer evenings. The Isley Brothers' 'Summer Breeze' stays in my mind always. My mum did the best egg and chips ever, my mates said she was the egg and chip queen of Fulham. Nan did the best stew and dumplings and scrambled eggs on toast... she died recently and was the best, the last one from Holyport to go. I miss her. My mum is no longer here also but I have wonderful memories of her. I remember the church at the top of Crabtree Lane and my mum used to take me to Sunday School. Big gravel drive and pathway, I held her hand all the way to the door. Wonderful memories. Don't forget Sunday roast, best roast potatoes. Dad... Read more
