Croydon

Childhood Dreams

I came across this website by accident, what a treat. I was raised in Croydon, actually Addington. My nana and granddad lived at 195 Purley Way in Wadden. I spent many happy hours there as a child. I would spend several weeks with my grandparents just before Christmas every year while my mom worked at the post office in Croydon for extra Christmas money, my dad was a postman there for many years. One thing in particular that stands out is lying in my nana's bed and listening to motor cars and bikes on wet pavement going over the bridge in front of the house. When we visited them, every Sunday for dinner we ...read more here
Contributed by Christina Jackson

The Pictures

I was born on Clyde Road in 1950, and in 1954 moved to Caterbury Road in West Croydon, where I attended school Elmwood, and then Lambfrank (spelling?).  Mr Reeves was a teacher at Elmwood, and always answered anything he didn't like with a WHACK on the bottom from one of many different shoes that he kept for punishment (depending on how much punishment he wanted to inflict that day). But the good thing about him was that, all we had to do was to ask a question and the war and he would talk for the next hour non stop about the jerry's.

I like other writers here also remember Kennards and what a joy it was to be there. ...read more here
Contributed by First Name Last Name

Kennards + Waddon

Hi

On finding your memories pages I simply had to add my own contribution as my memories of Croydon and area are so dear to me.

My grandparents lived in Waddon, just off the Purley Way, and I visited regularly on holiday, when my Grandad (Grampy) a city commutor took me everywhere.

I remember Kennards so clearly and with great pleasure, the arcade running down the hill outside the store, with its baby rabbits, puppies and kittens and then finally going in to find the carosel of four ponies going round and round to the tune of the Teddy Bears Picnic.  I believe this was done away with in later years and three ponies were walked, carrying ...read more here
Contributed by Liz Griffin

Further to Cinemas in Croydon

I grew up in Galpins Road, Thornton Heath and as a youngster joined the ABC Minors at the Rex Cinema, Norbury sadly now demolished and replaced by an office block. I saw many of the MGM Musicals at the Rex, including Singing in the Rain. I also used to go to The State Cinema, Thornton Heath later to become The Granada. Here I saw many an Abbott and Costello film. I joined the forces in 1954, and was stationed abroad in Singapore. Here in my spare time I worked as a projectionist at The Astra RAF Cinema in Tengah. On leaving the forces in 1957, I applied for a projectionists job with Granada, and for about a year worked in the ...read more here
Contributed by John Wimpenny

Sisleys sweet shop

My Mum, sister and I used to go to the Savoy at least once a week, and used to walk from the Sample Shoe shop down the High Street to the Savoy, passing on the way Croydon General Hospital. Along the left hand side of this High Street was a sweet shop that sold their own sweets "home made" and they were delicious!
Coconut Squares were my favourite. The shop used to smell gorgeous. I wonder if any one remembers this shop.
I also remember the Odeon , the Scala , Hippodrome (down Surrey Street)Pallidium, Eros, Classic Davis etc Cinemas. I think there used to be one in the High Street roughly where Allders arcade is now.
      ...read more here
Contributed by Jak Stephens

CINEMAS IN CROYDON

I lived in Croydon until 1969 ( the year I got married and moved away ) My Dad - Len Marsh - was a Cinema Manager with the ABC chain, and we lived very near the Rex Cinema, Norbury, closed in 1962. Dad was based there for a time, but acted as Relief Manager all over the South London area : cinemas he managed at various times included the Regal, Purley, Mayfair, Tooting, Ritz, Balham, Majestic, Mitcham and the Regal, Streatham. Also others whose names escape me at Forest Hill, Brixton, Elephant and Castle and Camberwell. His last job before leaving cinema management was at the ABC ( formerly the Savoy) at Broad Green, West Croydon. Most of the cinemas ...read more here
Contributed by COLIN MARSH

Growing up in Croydon

Through WW2 we lived in Stanley Road, number 73, at that time an off-licence which my mother ran whilst my father was serving in the RAF. I went to Boston Road  school and remember we had small boxes of emergency rations in case we were trapped in the school by an air raid. We were bombed out in 1944 by a V1 that hit further up the road and severely damaged no 73, for a time we lived with relatives in the Birmingham area and then moved back when the house and shop were repaired. When my father was demobbed we moved to Midhurst Avenue and he worked as a lorry driver.

I remember the winter of 1945 as we ...read more here
Contributed by Ned Cordery

Pitlake Bridge

I was born in Cuthbert Road, West Croydon, next to Pitlake Bridge, and have a vivid memory of when the manholes on the bridge exploded.
Wandle Park was our playground, and a fairground or circus had its winter storage next to the park. I was christened in St Edmund's Church which was also next to Wandle Park, but I think must have been demolished.
On the two corners of Westfield Road, where it met Cuthbert, were two shops - one a grocers and the other a 'fancy goods' store - they were run by two brothers (twins?).
The slaughter house was at the end of our road, and it was awful to hear the terrified animals squealing. They often escaped, and ...read more here

Waddon ponds and Kennards

I remember beautiful Waddon ponds with its ducks, and coots and swans, and cycling around the park. I also remember the trolley buses that went up to Croydon, and going to Kennards, and the ponies and the arcade, I still dream of it even now, and the Walls ice cream factory in Purley Way with the ice cream machine outside, and the sound of the factory hooters and the sound of the aeroplanes. I think they built a big Sainsbury's on top of Purley Way but Sainsbury's used to be in Church Street with the Co-op and lots of other shops. I also remember going up to Crown Hill where there was a big coloured lighting sign in the evenings, I ...read more here
Contributed by clara greed

lost

, Sonja, I have lost your phone number, this is Margaret Matheson-Redpath. I live on canturbury road Please send your email again, Marg
Contributed by Margaret Matheson

Memories

I was born in Croydon in 1962 and lived in Milton Road.  I can remember visiting my nan and my dad's two brothers Reg and Ken.  They were really happy times and I can remember knowing I was near nan's when on the train I saw the playground in Addiscombe!!  My uncle Reg used to work at the Fairfield Halls and my Uncle ken & great uncle Stan on the buses.  My dad Ray and mum Rita lived in Croydon until about 1965, when I was three when we moved to Lincolnshire.  Lovely to read things on this site, I just wish dad was still here to have a look.
Kaye
Contributed by Kaye Baberf

Lanfranc School for girls

Yes me too! Having just stumbled across this website and having read your stories.
My dad was born in Bute Road just off the Mitcham Road and then moved to Albion Street number 7! He is now 99 and lives in Ewell. I was brought up in Aurelia Road my best friend Joyce Lucas, Michael Cocklin Robert Cocklin and his little sister Mary Cocklin, Beryl Mitchell Linda Tanner Christine Doors Eileen Morris and Tommy whose surname I have forgotten but his sister died of diabetes aged just 16. Anne Condon whose father had the off license in Thornton Road. How us kids used to play cricket, rounders hop scotch until it was too dark to see, jacks, ...read more here
Contributed by Glennis Spencer

Fish and chips

l was born at Westfield Rd. My dad's brother and his wife owned the fish and chip shop on Pitlake Bridge (which is now renamed Jubilee Bridge). There was also a paper shop called Weanholes, it belonged to an old woman, she was about 80, no teeth, always looked as if she was chewing her gums ah ah. l went to Croydon Parish Church School. And Sunday School at St Edmond's which was at the bottom of our road next to the park. We would all gather there to play hop scotch untill the street lights came on or we heard our mums calling us in. l remember the slaughterhouse and yes you did have to run inside your house if ...read more here
Contributed by First name Last name

the pictures and being young & stupid

Hi Keith, I had actually written to you two months ago, but they (the site) must have sensored my message because I had written my e-mail address. I had mentioned that when I told Ken (my brother and your fellow mate) that you had responded Ken wanted to contact you. Ken is fine and living in San Fransisco, Marg is fine and living in a suburb of San Fransisco, and I recently moved to Tucson (out in the hot desert). Unfortunately, Ralph died of a viral infection of the heart about 15 years ago, my dad died in 1970, and mum past away 5 years ago.

Tell Sue that I had a crush (thought ...read more here
Contributed by First Name Last Name

Rex cinema Norbury

I was so excited when I discovered this site I just had to join!
I lived in Melfort Road from 1942 'til 1956 and went to Winterbourne and the Manor.
The story about the Rex echoed mine. My wife worked in the office block for CITB in about 1960/2. As kids we alternated between the Rex and the Granada and bunked into the Rex to see Blackboard Jungle, so much like the Manor! My first job was at Loverings opposite the Granada.
I have been on Friends ReUnited for years but not had much luck. I was a street kid (my dad died when I was 9) so TH and Norbury was my stamping ground.
I look forward to seeing; and ...read more here
Contributed by Bert Barnes

Kennards

Kennards had the little zoo where a monkey in a tiny cage reached out and pulled my sister's hair. This was about the year of Queen Elizabeth's coronation. We went down to Woolworth’s and were given free Union Jack flags.
Upstairs in Kennards there was another area with penny slot machines. Inside each glass case there was a scene that was activated when you put the penny in. One scene was a haunted graveyard with a drunk drinking from a bottle with his back to a gravestone. When the scene started to move the drunk would take a swig from his bottle and a ghost would arise from behind the gravestone.

Contributed by Julian Hamer

Wonderful memories

What an unexpected pleasure it was stumbling quite by accident upon this website this evening! I was born in Croydon in 1948 and lived in West Croydon till 1955.
I have very vivid memories of the high street, even of being 'bumped' down the Surrey Street steps in a push chair! My very first memory in fact..
Siselys sweet shop was at the top of Oakfield Road, where I lived ... and a visit there after a shopping trip was a treat indeed ... watching the soft molten sweet being poured onto the huge (to me) copper slab to be cut and cooled into sweets was magical.
There was a pawn shop on the corner of Oakfield Road, the brass ...read more here
Contributed by yvonne kolessides

Foundation Scholar.

I was a pupil at the school from 1943 to 1948 from the age of 10. I used to travel there from Norbury on the tram, having won a Scholarship from Norbury Manor School. I came from a typically working class background and to be fortunate enough to attend this school was a considerable advantage. Mr. Clayton was Headmaster, with the imposing Dr. Shutt his deputy. It was wartime of course, and many morning assemblies in Big School were marked with the latest news of deaths of old boys. I particularly remember Mr. Taylor our Art master announcing the landings in Normandy in 1944, and the bombing of Allders. My time there is remembered with gratitude, but it was difficult ...read more here
Contributed by Alan Scott

Fair and Lake - Wandle Park, Croydon

A travelling fair each summer here was both a delight and a way to earn a few shillings when the fair ended. I would help dismantle the rides and stalls, working hard from morning to evening for about five shillings (25p) some of which would then be spent next day on hiring a rowing boat on the lake! The families who owned the rides were generous and very hardworking. I loved those times and it seems such a shame that the boating lake is no more.

There were little arched footbridges here and there and I shall never forget the way the water was reflected on the underside of the bridge as the boat glided under each ...read more here
Contributed by Philip Harfleet

underpass

I remember going under on my scooter en route to Beddington only to find the wind turned me completely round so I was facing where I had come from!
Contributed by Barry Puttock

Watching the Steam Trains From this Bridge

This railway footbridge was one of my favourite places as an eleven and twelve year old lad, back in 1946 and 1947.
I would stand for ages in the centre of this bridge just waiting for the next steam train to rumble and thunder beneath me. Clouds of steam and smoke would billow up, strongly smelling and smutty stuff but highly exciting too! I would try to count the trucks or carriages as they passed below. Some of the freight trains seemed endlessly long, truck after truck after truck - with tons of coal uniformly filled and neatly mounded.

I was not "train spotting", or collecting engine numbers or anything like that. It was just the sheer joy of seeing ...read more here
Contributed by Philip Harfleet