Old Malden, Plough Green c1955

LIVING IN TEDDINGTON

It's nice to see this old photo of Teddington where I lived, in Church Road, no 38.

Teddington-Hometown

Born in Teddington in 1945. Lived in Clarence Road until 1958, then moved to the "Con Club" in Stanley Road. My brother and I were both in St. Albans Choir along with another pair of brothers, Ian and Cliff Williams, who both now live in Australia. My brother and I live in the USA, Colin in Dallas, Texas and me in Indianapolis, Indiana. Remember Father Simmons and choir master, Norris Marshall. A grand building.

Mr E Sewell

The gentleman fishing in the foreground is the late Mr Eric Sewell. He was a very keen fisherman and lived with his sister in a mansion flat in Twickenham Road overlooking Lough's boatyard. He was a very nice quiet man who always when he was out of doors wore a trilby hat and a light fawn coat whatever he was doing. I knew him for a long time and in the later years of his life he lost most of his sight. As he could no longer fish I bought from him his little motor boat 'Rita' which I still have. He had a license from the Thames Conservancy to fish from land owned by them.

Oak Lane Twickenham

Re: the Regent Cinema razed to the ground for a garage.  Before it was a cinema, it was... a garage.  Really, it was a coachworks called Twickenham Motorworks which was a coachworks.  This belonged to my grandfather, Jotham Harrison and his brother Edwin. The business had about 12 people working at one time.  They had engines and wheels and chassis and put the bodies on afterwards for the cars and carpets in the interiors.  My grandparents had a fine time riding round in brand new cars!  My mother was taken there sometimes and Ms. Cattermole kept an eye on her.  The WW1 saw them off, as they had a large order for the barrows and unfortunately for them the government commandeered the railways so they had to use the roads.  It was more expensive, the order failed and so did the business.   Next door to them was a small cinema called "the Lyric" which showed cartoons such a "Felix the Cat".  Obviously, my mother must have been taken to see this.  It was also called "The Fleapit".  The Billiard Rooms were built on that site.  I believe they have now gone.  Mum's 94 yrs old.

A long Marriage

This is a photograph of the Regent cinema on the right opposite York House in Twickenham where I met my Wife who was an usherette. It has since been knocked down to make way for a garage. She sold me a very long lasting Choc Ice. We courted for 5 years, longer than they do now and married in 1960. I have been happily married ever since. My cousin was the projectionist for a number of years and I used to go with him to choose the interval records from week to week. The projector was of the carbon arc type and films were transported from one cinema to the next by whatever mode of transport each projectionist had. I have a copy of this photograph from Frith on my wall just to remind me of my marriage vows!