Greyhound, Fox & Central Garage

I was born in my grandmother's house, Oakdene, Heathfield Road, Keston in 1947. My family was given temporary accommodation in the huts at Hayes Common Camp. The entrance to the Camp - which I believe may have been an anti-aircraft facility during the war, was opposite St Audrey's Church in Commonside.
My family was later moved into a requisitioned house, 16 Heathfield Road. This house did not have electricity; but I remember how much we used to enjoy listening to the radio in the evenings, however, we had to take the accumulator/battery to the Central Garage to be recharged. My parents were fond of listening to Radio Luxembourg which was fun because of the advertisements for products like Ovaltine, which had a catchy tune.
Morris dancers used to dance in front of the Greyhound pub on days such as Boxing Day.
The bus stop for the 146 bus to Bromley was in front of the Fox and opposite, where you see the monkey puzzle tree in the picture, was where the tea rooms were that catered for all the day visitors coming to the fish ponds.
I attended Keston C of E School. We had many activities in the Village Hall and I remember the children's party for the Coronation - my mother dressed me in socks with red and blue stripes. All the children received Coronation Gifts, which I still have.
As children we were free to roam around the village and my playground was the common. I would be pleased to hear from anyone else who has information about the Camp.

I remember the camp or we used to just call it the ‘ Gun site ‘ as I was born and spent my early years in one of Coopers Cottages on Croydon Road the other side of the site from where you lived, we had to walk through the site and past the huts each morning on the way to school , yes the same school I think I must have been a year in front of you but my two sisters a bit older, I was talking to one on the phone the other day and she said that she visited a girl in the camp on a regular basis her name is Pat
No our cottage didn’t have electricity or gas we used to play over in the gun site or on the common .
Yes I still have my coronation spoon and there were 3” anti aircraft guns stationed there
Hope some use
Doug. ( dougandcarol6@aol.com )