Where I Was Born

A Memory of Penge.

I was born in a third floor flat overlooking the Waterman's Almshouses in 1935. I spent the whole of  World War 2 in Penge with my family.  I remember the pub the Crooked Billet near to the Almshouses and next door a cycle shop, where I bought my first new sports cycle.  I particularly remember the Empire Theatre in the High Street, where I used to go to see the plays every week, and then stand outside the stage door for autographs.  My first job was as a junior clerk for A Olby & Son, which was then in the High Street near to the police station.  I can also remember queueing up outside the Odeon Theatre with all the other children every Saturday morning to go in to the Odeon Club to see the Saturday morning pictures.