Later Years

A Memory of Petts Wood.

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 ?. Later he was involved in Just a second, and Best Wishes. Sunday's was often taken up by dad and football - with Colin whose dad had the newagents on the Queensway Brown's, among other people.
Other names I remember on the Petts Wood Road side - Bob Gosage, sweet Shop on cornor of Petts Wood Road. love going into Bob's with my half p's trying to penny sweets! Yates the fruit shop, the Coopers who had the lighting shop, the Cut Above (wear mum took me to have all my long hair cut off!) The Deli run by Brian, Kerry the florist, the Indian run by Martin, the guy who had a daughter called Kay he was the caretaker of the Petts Wood Hall and gardens. Reeds the ironmongers with that lovely wooden floor and up near Llyods Bank was another newsagents and in the evenings/weekends they use to do Scottish dancing I remember the girls Susan and Amanda. The Vets also near by where they cared for our very well known dog of the area Roland who was the guard dog at Beavers - would never hurt a fly and by the end wore socks to work! Of course we did have another dog mainly Nous jack russell who bit everyone. Anyway back to shops and people there was the key cutting shop run by a guy who was a boxer. Back over to the Queensway side - school uniform shop, the travel agents who was a little scary, the toy shop who I am sure did not like children (unlike the toy shop on the other side, Peaches the fruit and veg shop, run by Jim Lumm (?) and I would love to find Natasha his daughter. And of course some shops still around the Sun Do and the queensway fish and chip shop, Pet Shop and Websters with the last two I remember them arriving on the Queensway and getting going.
Other people Barabra Jones, Susan Coombes forgotten her mum's name but she worked for my dad and had a pug dog!, Phil and Kim Godfrey - still in touch with Julian their son. My Brown Owl for the brownies at the Methodist church she was also dinner lady at Crofton. Frank and Ivy who lived in Peter Pott's old flat, Ewan Moody my dad's mate and they use to frequent the Daylight Inn!! Tino (Richard). Gosh so many memories but I really enjoyed growing up in Petts Wood and having lived on both sides - I think they are both great.