Happy Days In Morden

A Memory of Morden.

I lived in Leamington Ave from 1936 - 1956 with my parents who selected the new house for its long south facing garden which backed onto Hillcross School field. During the war my mother and I were evacuated to Bucklebury in Berkshire where I started school. I then attended Hillcross School (headmaster Mr Barker) and Morden Farm Secondary School (headmaster Mr Roberts known as "Eggy"!!), leaving school in 1952. In 1951 we celebrated the Festival of Britain and I was in the hand bell ringing group from Morden Farm School who performed "Little Brown Jug"at The Odeon Cinema.

I remember the band playing in Morden Hall Park on Sunday evenings, walks on Cannon Hill Common to feed the ducks, the paddling pool and the pavilion which sold tea and ice creams. Many hours were spent playing on the swings at Joseph Hood Recreation ground.
I sold programmes at the Morden Hall Garden Party on 14 June 1952. I particularly remember Gina Lollobrigida pictured on her Vespa and I collected autographs from several film stars.

In 1957 my husband and I moved back to Leamington Avenue to raise our family and lived there till 1966 when we moved to Havant in Hampshire where we have lived ever since.

Elizabeth Barton nee Garratt