Memories of Riddlesdown

Riddlesdown Secondary School

I was a founder pupil at the then called Riddledown Secondary School. I lived in Sanderstead and we used to walk from there up over the downs to school which was situated at the top. We always felt safe, even when we were a little late from school after staying back for sports practice etc (or probably in my case detention). My mother was born in Kenley and my grandmother was a bar maid in the Rose and Crown way back in the 1900s, her name was Violet Ada Standing (maiden name West), an Irish lady who by all acounts made quite a name for herself. If anyone has any history on this family I would love to hear from them. Or any memories of school pupils from Riddlesdown or Selsdon School.
Rosemary Debbage (Edwards maiden name)

riddlesdown shops

It was so good to see the photos, the memories came flooding back.  When I was a child I too used to go for walks on the downs and into Kenley.  I lived in Derwent Drive near what was then called Riddlesdown Secondary Modern School.  The shops we used to go to at Riddlesdown.  My mother would send us there every Saturday to buy 2 loaves of bread.  Then when I was older I worked in the hairdressers called "Hazels".  Thankyou Liz for your memories, I wonder if we know each other?        Yvonne Slater.

Riddlesdown in the 1950's

We lived in Dale Road, right near the bottom of Downscourt Road and we spent a lot of time on Riddlesdown because it was near to where we lived.  When we got a bit older, we used to walk along the downs towards Kenley or maybe even further along where there was a railway crossing.  We used to get pennies and put them on the rails and wait for a train to come along and squash them.  That was in the days were children could go anywhere they liked. We used to go up to the downs by ourselves and so long as we were back for tea or supper, it didn't matter what we did.