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Petts Wood
Petts Wood maps
Historic maps of Petts Wood and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Petts Wood maps
Petts Wood area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Petts Wood and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Petts Wood
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Petts Wood.
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Town Court Crescent
I had a friend, Eddie Barnes, who lived in Town Court Crescent. I lost touch in the mid-Fifties and have been unable to trace him. Can anyone help?
Crescent Way 1963 to 1968
My family lived at 3 Downsway just off Southlands Avenue. I had two older brothers when we arrived and by 1966 I had two more and a sister. My older brothers and I attended Warren Road Primary and I remember many of my old teachers and classmates. My mother used to shop in Crecent Way Stores with Mr Cowell and Mr Ford, Barnes Greengrocers, where Chuff used to give me greens for my Guineapigs. Hayletts and Lipscombes were our sweet and toy shops. There was Storks the childrens clothing shop where mum used to get my Ladybird clothes, Maltby the fishmongers, the bakery on the corner. There was a barbers near the grocers and Beales the Ironmongers were round the corner. They are just a few of my memories. My old school friends were Paul Duffett, Geoffery Whelan, Ceri Morgan, Jane Harkness, Caroline Lawrence, Karen Bacon, Lesley Attrill, Kate Ashbee, Deborah Room, Anita Saunders. Where are you all now?
I am living on the Isle of Wight and have... Read more
A Schoolboy in Petts Wood
My parents Arthur and Hilary Cork bought their house in Towncourt Crescent in 1927 from Mr Coleman for £1000. Twice a day I would walk to the station to go to school at St Dunstan's in Catford. In those days there was the Daylight Inn and only two shops, Willet's cafe and Nelson's newsagent on this side of the station. The walk along Towncourt Crescent was always difficult in winter because of the huge pot holes in the road and on the footpath. My feet were always wet before I got to school. I left Petts Wood to come to Australia in 1949, but it is nice to see that over the years my beloved wood where I played as a child has changed very little. Tony Cork
Later Years
I have great memories of Petts Wood - although later years than those already recorded. however I think my parents where characters within the area with both being involved in local business - Dad (John Webb) with Peter Potts had Impact Drug Store on the Queensway, which was next to Mr Newman the shoe repairer. He also ran a garden furniture "outlet" on the ground that has now become (well quite sometime ago!) an office block behind Chatsworth Parade, you would always walk past if you crossed over the bridge from the top of Petts Wood Road when wanting to go to the Queensway. Mum Karen managed Beavers, Petts Wood Road for Mr John Beaver. I remember going into the music shop next door with my best friend Emma Andrews and asking Maurice to play showaddywaddy - sometimes in the booth and sometimes within the shop. Dad also had a children's clothes shop in Petts Wood road near Kevin Karpets and Band box the dry cleaners run by Peter ?.... Read more
A Very Happy Childhood.
I was born and brought up 8a Transmere Road. I attended Croften Infants School and then Croften Junior School. I had previously attened a nursery school in Croften Lane, I think near the infants school. I can remember my first day at infants school, having to wear a buff coloured luggage lable on a piece of hairy string around my neck. The Head Teacher was Miss Bowes. I can remember some of my teachers, there was a Mrs Peadon I think, but the other names escape me. Croften Junior School across the road was the Big School with Mr Fisher as the head, Mrs Stribley and Mrs Court as teachers, also Mr Reeves. I joined the 1st Petts Wood Cubs with my friend Graham Beauchamp and Stephen Green and then went on into Scouts. Mr A. J. Packham (Wham) was the Group Scout Master. A real gentleman who was lovely. He gave up so much of his own time for the boys. I worked after school at "Beamans" the Chemist almost... Read more
The Night The Roof Fell In!
I lived in Eastbury Road from 1935 with my parents & brothers until 1960 when I married & moved to Berkshire. In March 1944 our house along with the one next door were totally destroyed by enemy action bringing the roof down to ground level. Luckily my mother, who was pregnant at the time, my brother & myself were under a cast iron/steel Morrison indoor shelter & my father just made it under the shelter as the bombs exploded. My brother suffered a cut finger. My mother was taken to hospital for a check up & my second brother was born in June 1944 & all was well.
If anyone has a photo of 16/18 Eastbury Road as demolished in 1944 I would be pleased to hear from them.
1940 to 1945
My name is Orin, Belgian born, and I lived at 68 Hazelmire Road, we lived right behind Petts Wood woods, there was a tree which we called the Crocodile, I still have a piece of this fallen tree...so many beautiful memories, although it was during a terrible moment in our lives, we still found time to be happy. We lived right under the Battle of Britain, and as kids we would follow the V-1's (doodle bugs) and see where they would crash, the last one crashed on a church in Bickely. I went to the school, St Dunstan. I miss those days and especially the town called Petts Wood, my little girlfriend Binky lived right next door to me. Love you all x x x
