Childhood Dreams

A Memory of Croydon.

I came across this website by accident, what a treat. I was raised in Croydon, actually Addington. My nana and granddad lived at 195 Purley Way in Wadden. I spent many happy hours there as a child. I would spend several weeks with my grandparents just before Christmas every year while my mom worked at the post office in Croydon for extra Christmas money, my dad was a postman there for many years. One thing in particular that stands out is lying in my nana's bed and listening to motor cars and bikes on wet pavement going over the bridge in front of the house. When we visited them, every Sunday for dinner we used to walk up Purley Way past the gasworks where my grandad Stagg used to work. My mom would toss small stones up at the windows and my grandad would look out. Anyone remember Walls Ice Cream in the machine? We would always stop for a sixpenny chock ice on the way to catch the bus back to Addington.

I also remember Surrey's Ice Cream, the rag and bone man (I always got a goldfish), the greengrocer's bus, the coalman, going to Broomfield's for bread and like many others I too remember Kennard's, especially the pony rides both the roundabout and outside, does anyone else remember the horsey smell and the tinkling of the reins? As I got older I would go to town with my friend Susan and buy those little Hovis loaves. I also vividly remember Surrey Street and the barrow boys, my big thrill was a little pet shop where we would go to see puppies, I also seem to recall chickens. I got my first ring from a jewelers on Surrey Street.

We moved to Canada in 1956 but returned to Croydon in 1960 at which time I went to Lanfranc School for Girls for a year, I am sure many of you remember the horrific plane crash with the kids from Lanfranc Boys School, I believe that was in 1961? Anyway we came back to Canada at the end of 1961 when I was thirteen. I still get homesick to this day, 46 years later, and this website has brought back a lot. Like the old song says "Thanks for The Memories"

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