Osterley memories
Here are memories of Osterley and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Osterley or a Osterley photo.
Spring Grove Central School
I remember Spring Grove Central as a pretty good school. Assistant headmaster Chalklen taught me alot and I saw him as a mentor. Classmate Mike Hampshire got eleven O-levels. Not too shabby. Spring Grove Central a dump? I think not.
Ricki Tik And Hounslow Swimming Baths
Does anybody remember the two local dance and music venues, Ricki Tik Club above where Nando's now stands, and Hounslow Baths on a Friday night? I saw some great groups there, The Hollies, The Animals, Cliff Bennett, The Searchers. It was only 2 bob to get in. At the Ricki Tik we saw the Small Faces with Rod Stewart, and Gino Washington. Hounslow High Street was the focal point and weekday evenings we all gathered at Joachim's coffee bar at Lampton Corner. Sadly the infamous Hounslow gang murder put a stop to all this and dear old Hounslow was never the same again!
Isleworth & Osterley
I moved from Houslow to Isleworth in about 1961. We lived off the Thornbury Road in Eversley Cresent. I used to play in Osterley Park and walk my dog there as a child. It's a beautiful park. My elder sister Wendy and I both went to Spring Grove Central School, which with hindsight was a dreadful dump that did very little to educate us. We had a dwarfish, long haired, one-eyed, aging headmaster called Mr Lumley and the assistant head was the maths teacher, Mr Chalklen, who took great pleasure in caning the boys. My mum and stepfather used to use the Osterley Off Licence a lot and I too remember Peter O'Donahue, who liked a tipple or two. I've been in the shop a few times when he was tipsy. My mum June and her husband Jack Fearne used to spend most evenings in the Milford Arms public house on the London Road. I had some good friends in Isleworth, particularly Quentin Roberts and Billy Knott.... Read more
Osterley Park in 1944
In 1930 I was born at Northumberland Avenue, Isleworth: parallel to the Great West Road and behind St Francis Church. As Osterley Park was so near I used to play, with my chums, frequently in the grounds of the park. We had many happy hours in the park, cycling through the main dirt road which ran from Wyke Green to Norwood Green. From the road we would, of course, climb over the fence and into the more private grounds of Osterley House. There was a lake between the dirt road and the road which circled the park to the North. Bluebell Woods were between this road and the playing fields at Boston Manor. Now the entire area has been swallowed up by the M4. Also there was a lake, very good for fishing, on the other side of the dirt road, which would be to the south of the dirt road. There were wooden fishing piers onto this lake and the lake yielded some good perch and roach. These poor... Read more
Anything...
I moved to Osterley from Hounslow in 1969 aged 5.
Earliest memories include Mrs Thomas's sweet shop, the greengrocer shop and the fish van that I had to buy cheap fish from for our 2 cats. Riveting stuff eh?!
Spent many happy hours playing in Jersey (rock) Gardens and visited there earlier this year. Not a lot had changed although the tennis courts were in a terrible state(and we wonder why we can't produce a decent tennis player in this country!).
I worked evenings at Peter Donohue's Off-Licence when I was about 15 and lived and worked in Ostereley Park in my early twenties.
I could go on for ages with memories, but would rather hear from other people about their experiences of living in what I always thought of as a unique, quiet village amongst the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area.
Memories of Greater London
I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER THE PLACE WHERE I WAS BORN
Parish Church Heston where I was married in 1962. My son David was baptized there. I loved Heston. I remember where they had places to tie your horse and also a horse trough. My dad William Francis Ponsford worked on Heston aerodrome during WWII and yes I remember the bombs and the doodlebugs. Even today I do not like sudden loud noises. Spent a lot of time at Heston Swimming pool and the beautiful park where you could go and watch the bowling and cricket. The bowling took place in front of the beautiful house that was in the middle of the park. We used to go to the fairs there and also once when I was 15 I entered the competition to be Heston Queen or princess (can't remember which). I also remember a dog competition, we entered our beautiful black lab Darkie. I remember walking up Vicarage Farm Road with my dad to go Swimming at Heston Baths... Read more
Heston in my Youth 1954 Onwards...
My parents moved to Heston in 1954, I was one. My uncle owned Heston Garage, his name was Bill Biggs, he lived above the garage for a while before building and living in the Bungalow next door.
My sister and I went to Norwood Green Infants & Junior School. We went swimming at Heston Baths, played in Heston Park on the swings and putting green. I went to Heston Secondary Modern School, my sister went to Spring Grove Grammar. I went to 3rd Heston Cubs & Scouts. I went to Sunday School at Heston Church. We went to the White Fathers Fete, took part in the Heston Carnivals, went to the Fair Ground in New Heston Road opposite the Elm Tree pub.
When I was older I drank in the Rose & Crown, The George, the Hope & Anchor, the Elm Tree & Queens Head, they were great days, shared with great people.
There were all types of shops, Purkiss Ironmongers, Farrants Mens Hairdressers, the Wet Fish... Read more
An American Granddaughter Remembers...
My grandparents, Fred and Rose Organ, lived at 67 West Way. My mother, Betty Eileen, and I came from the United States to visit on holiday in 1955. I was 6 years old at the time. I went to Heston School for a short time. Pop worked for the London Transport as a bus driver. I would ride my bike to Hounslow to meet him at the bus garage. I had a friend across the street whose name was Janet. Her back garden was full of wonderful strawberries which we would eat until our cheeks bulged. My mother was a bus conductor on Pop's bus. Nan would take in foster children and there was a boy named Lawrence who lived with my grandparents while I was there. Pop had a shed, which he built, in the back garden, he called the 'Wendy house'. I would spend many memorable happy hours playing in that shed. Pop was very special to me and he would take me to the garden to water... Read more
My Birth Place
1940-1953 I was born on Great West Road...my first memories are of all the bombs dropping during the war & I can remember most of the shops there & on Vicarage Farm Rd. I went to Springwell School, after coming back from evacuation 1944-1946, I remember Empire Day marching around the playground & saluting the flag! I went on to Heston Junior & Secondary School but left in 1953 to move to North Wales. My Family also belonged to "The Hounslow Welsh Society" which has very happy memories for me...my Father used to produce plays for the society & I used to appear in them. I have not been back to the area for about 35 yrs. no doubt it has all changed a great deal. Can anyone tell me where the 4th photo on the Heston series was taken...I can't visualise it?
Heston Pre-War
I remember Betty Organ, mentioned by one of your contacts. She was in my class at Heston Junior School before the War.
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