Growing Up In Colindale

A Memory of Colindale.

I spent my formative years in Colindale my family having moved there in 1956, I attended ColindalePrimary School in Woodfield Aveuntil 1963. We lived opposite Rushgrove Park and spent many happy hours over the years playing football or messing around near the Silkstream or the shelter that used to stand near the former paddling pool. When the pool opened in 1961 people used to come there for the day with picnics and sail model boats on it. The other area we used to frequent was the "Backs" a stretch of open land partly wooded betwenn Colindeep Lane and Sheaveshill Ave, the White Bridge with its small waterfall was just inside the Colindeep entrance and often there was rope swing across the stream tied into a high tree there. In those days the Metroploitan Police college was mostly open playing fields and we occassionally played there as well, and the hendon Aerodrome was still open although for the gliding school only. Today I still visit the area from time to time and it has changed significantly with only 1 shop I remember , a solicitors still in Varley Parade