Pitlake Bridge
I was born in Cuthbert Road, West Croydon, next to Pitlake Bridge, and have a vivid memory of when the manholes on the bridge exploded.
Wandle Park was our playground, and a fairground or circus had its winter storage next to the park. I was christened in St Edmund's Church which was also next to Wandle Park, but I think must have been demolished.
On the two corners of Westfield Road, where it met Cuthbert, were two shops - one a grocers and the other a 'fancy goods' store - they were run by two brothers (twins?).
The slaughter house was at the end of our road, and it was awful to hear the terrified animals squealing. They often escaped, and people used to leap into our gated sideway for safety, especially when it was a bull which had escaped! No wonder I'm a vegetarian!
Alison
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Comments
RE: RE: Pitlake Bridge
Hi l was born in Westfield Rd next to the shop as our house was owned by the twin sisters Connie and Vi. Wandle Park was our playground and we would paddle in the pond when the parkie was not looking. l went to Sunday School at St Edmond's and my brother was head choir boy at the parish church. Anyone that lived in Cuthbert Road or Westfield Rd l would love to hear from them.
Comment from Name withheld on Friday, 9th May 2008.
RE: RE: Pitlake Bridge
How lovely to hear from another Pitlake child! I attended Kingsley School from about 1956 to 1960, when we moved to Addiscombe. We used to take the trolley bus to school quite often, but if we walked, we had to go along Factory Lane. This was a great place, with the cooling towers and factory hooters. My Dad had an allotment there. My first teacher at Kingsley Infants was Miss Partridge, and the Headmistress was Miss Braby. Other teachers in the Junior school there at the time were Mr Cole ( whom all the girls had a crush on), Miss Wall, Miss Oram and headteacher, Mr Lindsell. Does anyone remember when the lake in Wandle Park (usually dry in my time) was flooded with water again? Also the rec in the park where we used to play quite safely till dark and we were thrown out by the keeper? Alison
Comment from Name withheld on Friday, 9th May 2008.
RE: RE: Pitlake Bridge
Hi Alison. l remember Factory Lane and the coal dumps, you was always told not to play in them but we would love sliding down the hills of coal on old trays and bits of board. We would take a bit of old cloth and wet it before we went and then we could have a spit and polish before we went home, ah ah. Trudie O'Hara.
Comment from Name withheld on Sunday, 11th May 2008.
RE: RE: Pitlake Bridge
Your letter and comments brought back a lot of memories. I was born at home on Westfield Road in the middle of an air raid during the war. I remember Connie and Vi and their husbands Chris and ..... When we had a street party for the Queen's Coronation, they provided us with an ice-cream cake which was a real treat. I remember fishing for tiddlers in Wandle Park, and skating on the frozen pond in winter. I don't recall the ponds ever being re-flooded.
I also went to Kingsley School - Miss Wall and Mr Harris were the teachers I remember; we played on the coal dust heaps and went home black as coal; I remember cattle being chased down the road when they got loose from the slaughter house; and had lots of fun at the circuses and fairs. St Edmund's is still standing but the last I can recall they were being used as book depositories. Does anyone remember seeing pictures of a bomb being extracted from the Black Boy Pub at the bottom of Pitlake Bridge?
Comment from Maureen Snell on Friday, 25th September 2009.
RE: RE: Pitlake Bridge
Maureen - thanks for adding to this board! I think the unexploded bomb was before my time, but can't imagine that the pub still has the same name now!
I'm still mystified about the explosion on the bridge though - the manholes erupted in 1959, going by a piece I wrote in my English book that year.
I have a memoir on-line, if anyone is interested in a walk down memory lane:
http://www.authonomy.com/ReadBook.aspx?bookid=2650
If you take a look, I'd love to have some feedback.
Comment from Name withheld on Saturday, 26th September 2009.
RE: RE: Pitlake Bridge
Your letter and comments brought back a lot of memories. I was born at home on Westfield Road in the middle of an air raid during the war. I remember Connie and Vi and their husbands Chris and ..... When we had a street party dor the Queen's Coronation, they provided us with an ice-cream cake which was a real treat. I remember fishing for tiddlers in Wandle Park, and skating on the frozen pond in winter. I don't recall the ponds ever being re-flooded.
I also went to Kingsley School - Miss Wall and Mr. Harris were the teachers I remember; played on the coal dust heaps and went home black as coal; remember cattle being chased down the road when they got loose from the slaughter house; and had lots of fun at the circus's and fairs. St. Edmund's is still standing but the last I can recall they were being used as book depositories. Does anyone remember seeing pictures of a bomb being extracted from the Black Boy Pub at the bottom of Pitlake Bridge?
Comment from Maureen Snell on Friday, 25th September 2009.