Memories Of Southall 1941 1966

A Memory of Southall.

I was born at 12 Lyndhurst Ave Southall on January 1941. My parents moved into this property in the late 30s. I remember a bit of the war when I was about three or four as we had a shelter in the back garden as we run into it when the siren was heard. Also I did not see it being carried out, but the iron railings around the Avenues islands was removed and also around Southall Park to be melted down for Military use. Just to add, Lyndhurst Ave was one of the entrance to the A.E.C ( Building of London Buses ) many workers used it daly. I also remember that with a friend we made an effigie of Guy Fawkes for the 5th Nov and asked for a penny for the guy in the A.E.C. Grounds near the railway bridge a bit cheeky. I also remember a rag and bone man with his horse and cart came down the avenue and gave me a baby chick for old clothes. It grew up and to become a house pet for a while but thought it best to move it to next door that had a few chickens.

My first school was North Road Infant and Junior and later to Dormers Wells Second Modern. I don't remember much of the years at North Road School other than being in the school choir as a record was made, I think it was pretty poor. It was about this time transport was by the trolley bus, before having a bike. I used to get on the bus or walk to the Odeon and join the queue for the saturday morning pictures. The times at Dormers Wells School was generally good times I did like some of the subjects such as wood work, technical drawing, metal work ( forge ), allotment, and played cricket for the school. I didn't have school dinners, the canteen was at the end of the grounds and I remember the smell of the cooking it was near the cricket nets. On one winter a large ice slide was made by the boys in the play ground, good fun with no Health and Safety Regulation then. During those years I played with friends around the Midlesex golf coures, under the viaduct Hanwell, near the River Brent, Southall Park near the disused paddling pool ( full of rainwater, a bit green ), putting green, and spent a lot of time when the funfair was in town, The Three Bridges Windmill Road, Southall outdour swimming pool, Heston swimming pool and Ruislip lido. Playing out with no contact with your parents, but not a thing to worry about, what a change to present times. At my last year at Dormers, I went with the school on holiday to Switzerland (Interlaken) by coach and train. After leaving school I kept in touch by going to the youth club. It was managed by a man, his name I cannot rember but he did work at the A.E.C. and we have a chat at times as he walked by my home to work.

My first job (1958) was with Southall Borough Council, Civil Engineering Department. Over a period of time I travelled to work first by bike, then by scooter, and soon change to a motor bike ( my two other friends had the same type of motor bike as my Ambassador 250cc Villiers Twin-Engined ) and finally by car. It was 1959 the mini was launched and was shown in a car showroom in South Road. I was not impressed with the sliding windows by hand, the wire to open the door and the long gear shift. It vastly improved as time past. One of my working colleague had a BMW Issetta it was fun to be in. During my time with S.B.C. and being able to get around the borough it was noteable of the volume of imigrants living at various roads south of the broadway, more than one family lived in one house, some working at day and others at night for the Wolfe Rubber Company, it is believed that the firm bought many properties. I left S.B.C. at 1960 to work for a Consulting Engineers at Vicroria London.

Just to add a few things we did in the late fifties and early sixties. We would meet at the The Dump ( coffee shop ) in the High Street almost opposite Avenue Road, it was quite small and there was iron spiral steps to the first floor . It was an art to carry coffee up it without spilling it so bottle or can drinks was the norm, the room was also a bit dark. Across the road there was a music shop where we used the listening booths before bying a viny record. We played snooker above Burtons Uxbridge, darts at various pubs, we had our hair cut at a new shop at Hayes and had made to measure suites to go with winklepikers shoes. I played cricket for Southall for a while. I bought my cricket bat,my snooker cue, and a set darts at a small shop opposite the Odeon. With a number freinds went on Saturdays night to The Boat House, Kew, the main live rock band was Cliff Bennett and the rebel rousers.

My girlfriend and future wife lived at 5, Park View Road opposite to the Holy Trinity Church where we were both christened there and then married there 1963. Before we were married we look at properties to let but not successful. We were very lucky that we were able to live at number 5, with our own kitchen/dinner/lounge and a bedroom. With my father in law we at times had a drink at the Red Lion just over the road. We saved up for a deposit on a house for about three years and left Southall at 1966. It was sad to leave Southall as I have had 25 good years there, it was once a great place. It was just after a few years that both our parents decided to move. The properties in Park View one was built during the Gorgian period and the other Victorian, both great buildings all demolished for flats.


Eric Wedderburn.