Growing Up In Northwood Hills

A Memory of Northwood Hills.

I was born in a small maisonette off Alandale Drive and my mum still lived there until she passed away aged 95 in 2014. The border between Hillingdon/Harrow runs across the back garden. I attended Pinner Wood Primary, although it was/is in Harrow, but went to Northwood Secondary Modern as it was then. Northwood Hills through my school time was a flourishing shopping centre, with a Sainsbury's (mum worked there just after the war), a cinema (The Rex), Fish & Chip Shop (Whites?), WH Smiths, bakery, sweet shops and my favourite shop, Prangleys, a bike/fishing shop. As I got into coarse fishing, this was my mecca for stocking up on hooks, 6d worth of maggots and also for bike maintenance. I can remember shopping in Sainsburys when ration books were required to buy meat and butter etc. The butter was patted into shape with wooden paddles and wrapped up by hand and the bacon was sliced to your order. I remember the sweet shop outside the station (The Bluebird I think) and I worked as a paperboy delivering around Tolcarne Drive, for many years at WH Smiths, earning enough to buy myself a flash 10-speed bike (Raleigh Blue Streak if I remember). I left home in 1961 to join the Police Cadets but Northwood Hills was my place to come home to, to relax. I was married in 1966 and lived and worked in Central London until we bought our own house and moved back into the area (North Harrow) in 1968 and transferred from Kensington to Harrow Police Station, but paid many visits to Mum & Dad in the maisonette. I emigrated with family to New Zealand in 1975 and it wasn't until 1996 that my wife and I returned to UK for a trip (all the kids grown up!) and noticed the change in Joel Street. Most of the businesses were gone, to be replaced by restaurants, mini-cab offices etc. The Rex was a Tescos. The Northwood Hills Hotel was still there, made famous by Reg Dwight (Elton John) who used to play there for beer money in the early stages of his career. I was also pleased that the 'Case Is Altered' was still standing further down Joel St where I met up with several old school mates who still lived in the area. I have been back 3 times since 1996 and each time the Northwood Hills that I knew has faded into what it is today.