Memories of Battersea
I was born in Battersea in 1939. We lived at various addesses. There were five of us. I was the youngest and my eldest brother Charles was born in 1930 in Victoria Dwellings. I went to William Blake Secondary Modern School. Our last address before I got married and moved out of London was 89 Surrey Lane. I remember my mother saying as a girl her mother used to walk passed the house that had a grid down to a cellar. I checked the census and found in Victorian times our house along the house next door were mens lodging houses. Outisde our backdoor there were steps that led down to a very large cellar, there was a big step up to get inside which had a large cooking range. I remember there were rings in the wall of the cellar. When it was high tide and rained the cellar got flooded and the fire brigade had to be called out to pump it out. As a child I used to play with my friends by the river Thames around near St Marys Church. There used to be an old pub called the Swan that I understood got burnt down. I now live in Sheffield, South Yorkshire
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RE: RE: Memories of Battersea
I went to William Blake School (which I understand is now a business centre) in Battersea. My best friend was Dearcie Shackels who lived around the corner from me in Surrey Lane. I have memories of when I was a teenager and I went down the crypt in St Mary's Church and my dad said I was not normal as any normal girl would not have gone down the crypt.
Comment from Joyce Justice on Sunday, 12th February 2012.
RE: RE: Memories of Battersea
I went to Surry Lane School, known as William Blake, from 1952 until 1955 when I moved to Sussex to finish my education. The headmaster was Dr Rudd, a huge man who wore a professors gown, and taught us musical theatre. I appeared in the play 'Wigs and Patches' - an experience that has led me to acting and singing all my life. My form teacher was Mr Froman (a young man) and it must have been his first teaching post. Mr Dalby comes to mind, Mr Drazic, (a Pole who we all said unkindly, was really a Nazi). Mr Mellor, an Indian gentleman who made the great mistake of dying his hair from ash grey overnight, and never lived it down. Boxing was the main sport, I was a keen boxer, Brian Wood was the top boxer at our school at the time. My two freinds I, met there and are still freinds to this day, God bless you all - Paul Richardson aged 73, and Mick Clarke, aged 75. Another freind, Norman Snowde, who sadly did not make the course, he died aged 40 some time ago. My first girlfriend Carole Mason, lived in Inworth Street.God bless
Comment from David Burchell on Sunday, 29th April 2012.