The Good Old Days Continued

I also recall the days when the old tramp used to go around the bins in the old market hall looking for food, and old Les the deaf mute who used to hang around the taxi rank on Market Hill, he used to go to Warwicks fish shop on Park Square for the taxi drivers and get fish and chips for them. The good old days when Billy Bingham, Ron Baynham, Gordon Turner and Wally Shanks used to play for the then 1st division Hatters (Luton Town) football team. The cattle market just off Park Square on Mondays. Bute Street with Booths china shop and the Bute Milk Bar where I used to go upstairs to be taught ballroom dancing. Cheapside was another place where the character of old Luton was but is no more with Home & Colonial, Blundells, the Reed Garden Chinese restaurant above the Chemists and the jewellers next door, Costins the stationers opposite. The Gaumont, Odeon, Ritz and Savoy picture theatres now all gone. Saturday morning pictures was a treat and at three or six pence to get in it was great value for a mornings entertainment. I remember going to the Grand Theatre to see a pantomime and the indoor swimming pool in Waller Street. What about Aubrey Lewis in Church Street, he used to sell fishing and hunting equipment and I remember well going there for my maggots when I used to fish and leave his shop with them in a brown paper bag and I had to catch a bus home carrying them. I remember Luton when the Fire Station was in Park Street with the bus garage at the back, it then moved to premises opposite St. Mary's church before moving to Dudley Road and I now believe that there are sub stations within Luton. Redrup & Starking bakers in Hightown Road and Stopsley village, later taken over by William Simmons and traded under the name of Snowwis bakeries (Simmons back to front and upside down). I used to go to the Hightown shop on the way to school and get three pennyworth of pieces (broken or damaged cakes). Both the schools I attended have been demolished, Hart Hill school now a housing area and Old Bedford Road built in 1889 also redeveloped I also remember walking with a pram from Hart Lane area to the gas works just off New Bedford Road by Crawley Road. I used to go there with my father to collect a bag of coke for the boiler at home. That was demolished and the West Side shopping centre was developed on the site. Another Luton icon long since gone was Dockerills pet supplies on Dunstable Road opposite the Odeon cinema and the other pet shop along Stuart Street that had a live monkey inside and parrots which we were allowed to feed. Stanley Thurstons fair in Wardown Park or Manor Road was another area of good memories with penny day usually on a Wednesday. Rides were reduced in price to a penny for a limited time. Vauxhall Christmas party where bus loads of children were picked up from all around Luton and conveyed to the Vauxhall canteen for an annual Christmas party and returned afterwards. Vauxhall fortnight, usually sometime in July was a time when the town almost became deserted and I remember when United Counties Bus Company used to hire coaches from anywhere they could to cope with the amount of passengers that travelled to the seaside for their annual holidays with vehicles being parked all around town. Courtline, Monarch and Brittania Airlines all busily catering for the needs of the holiday makers. No black cabs as such in those days, Allens taxis were the biggest licensed taxi company with Hillside, Rogers and Macaleers to name but a few independant operators. 3 star, Royal Blue and Circle cars coming on the scene later and only able to take pre-booked orders. Luton Corporation, United Counties, Seamarks, Hillside, Diadem, Royal Blue, Travelwell, London Transport and Jeysons all providing public transport within the area. Lupsons, Aeromodels, Wilds, Partridges and the Co-op toyshops, all in the town centre and a favourite with the children at Christmas with rides before actually getting to see Santa.