Haywards Heath

Perrymount Cinema

As a child I went to the ABC minors every Saturday morning, it cost six old pence to get in. I think the last film that was shown at the cinema was in 1971, it was called Shaft and starred Richard Roundtree. I was one of the few there.

Charles Clarke clock

My Dad put up the clock that used to hang outside his office of Charles Clarke printers in Boltro Road. Does anybody know what happened to it ?

People in the picture

My family friend Mrs Pat Davey thinks that the people on the right, walking along the pathway are her & her late husband William (Bill) Davey.

Sergison Arms

I worked at The Serg in 1970-72, had a lot of great times there - The landlord was Len Henshaw who could enjoy a large gin for breakfast. Many really colourful regulars at that time

The Landlords daughter

I courted Bob Turner's daughter Pauline, and have very happy memories of times spent at The Serg. Where is Pauline now???? Dennis Nichols

Shops and businesses

By this time Seeboard have taken over the Uptons building but Caffyns still have their garage premises which finally became a furniture salesroom in about 1982. the one way system has still not been created (see H252069), the restaurant is still 'Haywards' and the bank is the National Provincial.

Standard 8 Tourer

This neat little Standard 8 Tourer (DNJ 785 - an East Sussex registration from 1947) could then get down nearly to the pavilion.

The Star

This is taken from outside the Star and shows (as does H252583) the system that pevailed before the Star became not jsut a pub but a roundabout eg things could turn right down the Broadway and Muster green north was still a through road. The 36 bus is going to East Grinstead (although the 30 only went to Chelwood Common to connect with another bus).

Shops and businesses

This is the Broadway as I knew it. Both the Middlesex registered Driving School Morris 1000 and the East Sussex registered Morris 1000 truck MPN556 date this to after 1958. On the right beyond Eastman's the cleaners were WF measor (haberdashers), JD Neal (who took over the business of F Butcher, jewellers), James Langridge (the Sussex Cricketer) who ran a toy shop, and beyond that was Ballards the grocers. On the left was mcMillans butchers but this shop was before that run by WE Kenneth Licoln farmer and pork butcher of Wivelsfield and a local magistrate from about 1937. His mother ran a butchers shop in Sussex Square. The building at right angles half way up on the right was Dixons the chemists. Some of their stained glass adverts can still be seen on the windows of the clothes shop there today. The blinds beyond are over the shop of Hydes, later Rixons, fishmongers. This was all before the 'Star Roundabout' became a one way system.

Bus station

It could be an AEC double decker that is running into the bus station in this picture. I think it could be a little later than 1950 because of the 'embryo' roundabout, bnut not much because of the single decker leyland on the station forecourt. 'The Burrell Arms' (centre left), revamped in the 1930s, was once run by the father of cricketer Maurice Tate.

Buses

I cannot recall this single-decker Leyland bus on the 29 Route from Lewes. It is worth noting that up to the 1950s most of the local bus routes were serviced by single and double decker laylands (with even a few pre-war 'Gilfords') but the Haywards Heath circular route (no 84) was always serviced by 'utility' GUY double deckers.

Shop names

'The Hayward' sign was outside 'Haywards Cafe & Restaurant' which flourished until the 1960s when it successively became 'Delmontes', 'Pieros', 'La Ferola' and now 'The Blue India'. Going down the right hand side of the Broadway facing north, one had immediatelyThe National Provincial Bank (with flats over;Mr Bill Lowings was the last manager to live 'over the shop' in the 1950s), then Evans (electrical) and Miss Warnett's wool shop. On the other side of the road looking north as depicted were Broadley Brothers (tailors), a dairy later a bakers, Mulhollands (shoe shop) and Ballards (grocers).

Dinnages Toy Shop

Before George Hilton and Sons took over the buildings on the right as a furniture store (now Robert Dyas) it was Dinnages Toy Shop (a subsidiary of the garage company) where I bought my "Dinky" toys in the 1940's. The shop on this side was J Norton - bespoke outfitters.

Spectators

It is possible that amongst the spectators of cricket on the lower tier maybe boys from "Sharrow School" in Heath Road, which I attended from 1945-50 because we played cricket there (see also H252587). If so, it is also possible that the lady standing in the foreground could be Miss Irwin (later Mrs Singer) a mistress at the school.

More Building Use

As can be seen (also in 252002 & 252006), the 1930's "Psuedo Tudor" block on the corner then contained "Dewhursts" the multiple butchers, 2 (later 3) frontages for "Edward Hodges" an independent tailor and outfitter, then "Sussex Stationers" (manager Bruce Gillett?), The "Copper Kettle Cafe" (owned and run by Mr and Mrs Hyslop) and "Scilla" (hairdresser). The offices of "Vincent Penfold" estate agent, fronted Perrymount Circna and the tile hung building beyond was Commercial House offices of "Bradley and Vaughan", estate agents (see also H252586). I still work in the successor to "Comercial House", the sons of the original Mr Vaughan being my Landlords and the grandson still being an estate agent on the other side of Perrymount Road. By 1960 the former Beeny's Emporium had ceased to be Forrest Stores (grocers) and was divided into several uses.

Shops

I suspect this is a little earlier than 1960 (but after 1956) the first building on the right was the offices of "Waugh Brummell and Barron" later Waugh & Co Solicitors and still going strong. The original Waughs were prominent in the C19 not only as solicitors but clerks to the Local Board, Magistrates and the newly formed Council. Further down on the right, up to the 1960's were "Jacksons Ironmongers", "Hoadley and Wickham" (provision merchants), Clarkes Book Shop and the offices of the Mid Sussex Times, Wrights (tobacconists), Cheals (hairdressers), a green grocers and Lloyds Bank.

"The Serg"

I was a fairly regular customer at "The Serg" from about 1955 to 1967. Mr Turner was the first landlord I knew and he was succeeded by Stan and Betty Allen who came from "The Charter" at Epsom.

The Park

The "Park" - known to us as "The Rec". I walked across this daily to and from my prep school 1945-50 and our scout troup did it's wodcraft here!