More About Hazlemere Cross Roads

The Cross Roads c1960
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

I lived in Rushmoor Avenue until I was 8 (1957-65 )and then in Eastern Dene (1965-1974).  When I was small, I used to accompany my mother on her shopping trips to Hazlemere crossroads (usually on foot). The chemists was called Seymour's.  I think there was an off-license next to Seymour's and then the furniture shop which also sold records.  Later on there was a chinese restaurant - near the Newsagents.  I also remember the "Singing Kettle" café next to the garage (although I never went in).  I went to primary school in Tyler's Green and used to come home on the bus.  We had the same bus conductress for many years - her name was Nora.  When I was 13 or 14, I had a Saturday job in Maggie Mae's which was run by a very nice old lady called "Auntie".  In the afternoon, I used to take her dog for a walk and pick up a fresh cream Victoria sponge cake from Fords for our tea. There was a pub called the Three Horseshoes.  My parents used to go there occasionally for a drink. The landlord was called Ben West.  There were several shops along the Penn Road including a shop called Peddles that sold hardware and electrical goods.  In front of the shop there was a sign that said "Don't meddle call Peddle".  Next door to Peddle's was the hairdresser's shop.  There was another building near the sweet shop (Dugan's) - I think was the British Legion Hall.  In the early seventies, we used to go to a disco there (on Friday evenings, I think). Much further down the Penn Road, just beyond Rushmoor Avenue, there was a general store called Rushmoor Stores.