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Keston
Keston maps
Historic maps of Keston and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Keston maps
Keston area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Keston and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Keston
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Keston.
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Greyhound, Fox & Central Garage
This photo has the 3 places that were a big part of my early working life. I worked in the garage from 63 through 69, the owner was Charles Holland who lived next door, we used the fox pub most evenings & weekends and were friends with the landlord John Leahy who drove a black & white Zodiac convertable. The Greyhound supplied our rolls for the mid-morning tea break in the garage and was run by the Mr & Mrs Redmond. Be great to hear from anyone with similar memories. daha.ing@gmail.com
I Never Caught A Fish!
I remember as a young lad, cycling to Keston Ponds from my home in Nunhead, my brother's fishing rod tied to the cross-bar.
I was disappointed not to catch a fish.
Ken Cook
The Lakes
My grandparents lived in Heathfield Road all during and after the Second World War, my granddad was responsible for looking after the boat house and I think a punt for pulling out drowned swimmers, now all gone, he also looked after the swans. My mum and dad and I would visit most weekends and after lunch we all would walk through the woods and sit and watch the fishing going on, then I would play on the stepped waterfall with any other kids that were about. Those were wonderful days. I remember the aircrew who were billeted in some of the big houses, now many of those have also gone, the lakes and common were a playground for me all during the war, happy days. Sunday evening and mum, dad and I would catch the No146 bus at the Fox back to Bromley on our way to New Cross with the thought that we would be back in Keston the next weekend.
Kent memories
Hayes - Gateway to London
What a great picture of Hayes High Street - brings back so many memories. I lived in nearby Coney Hall from 1953 to 1976. As a child it was 3d to get to Hayes Station on the 138 bus. I recall Woolworths (bottom right) had one of those big red weighing machines outside that dispensed a picture card ( a series on steam engines I think) with your weight printed on it.
My mum bought me the first yoghurts I ever sampled from the Express Diary shop on the left going down the street - these came in a jar and were unsweetened so I used to mix in sugar. I can still taste them.
Hayes Station was also the place to get the train to London (Charing Cross) and I can still pretty well list all the stations on the route - West Wickham, Eden Park, Elmers End, Clock House ..OK I won't bore you with the lot.
Great cars in the picture as well... Read more
Living in Hayes in The 1950s & 1960s
I lived in one of the council houses in Mounthurst Road from 1954 to 1970. I have a very good memory of growing up there. The prefabs in Mead Way, there must have been hundreds on both sides and we used to play on this site around 1963 to 1965 when they were being demolished. Hayesford Park was being built and I remember this massive earth pile that we used to roll down. Barnfield School at top of Mead Way, I can still picture the building and when it was about to be demolished we walked around inside, there was a massive staircase. Hayes Estate where I lived was always busy with young families and the shops in Chilham Way were always busy. I went back there last year and how times have changed. Most shops are shut down, the whole estate is very quite and I now see that the Beacon pub has been flattened. Anyway I loved growing up in Hayes and maybe one day I would like... Read more
Growing up in Farnborough
The picture of Farnborough High Street facing the A21 at Farnborough Green evokes memories of the sweet shop, Hills the newsagents, a small "supermarket", the butcher's shop and a small shoe repair shop.
To the left of where the picture was taken was the old Scout hut where once a week us younger boys congregated in the Cubs. Straight ahead in the picture is the old Farnborough Primary School that I attended until 1956.
The old houses are still there in 2008 as is the A21, a little busier than it was in 1955!! The newsagents disappeared to be replaced by a house only recently. The sweet shop became a supermarket and the old "supermarket" is now an Estate Agents. That's progress for you.
Change of Venue
The George and Dragon in Farnborough was the end of the 47 and 51 bus routes for many years. Drivers and conductors then adjourned to the Orange cafe or the little tea room nearby for a quick cuppa and a cigarette before their return journeys.
The view from the George and Dragon at this time was hardly interrupted by houses at all. You could see the A21 across the open land on which stood a solitary house owned, I believe, by the Quigley family. Now it is a housing estate with properties selling for £365,000 on a good day.
By the mid 60's the George and Dragon became my meeting place on a Saturday when I turned out for Farnborough Old Boys Guild at football. Sadly by the early 70's the Pub had been sold off and became a rather nice restaurant called simply "The George". Many a good meal have I had in The George and many a good night as part of Locksbottom Cricket Club... Read more
