Shared Memories of London
London, Charing Cross Station 1964
(ref: L1305315)
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Year: 1959
The Hub of My Young Universe
London's main railway stations truly are wonderful and Charing Cross was the one that I frequented the most as I travelled every weekday from Woolwich Arsenal in SE London to Green Park Underground, near the great Victoria Station.
The sounds of the whistles, doors slamming, the hum of the electric trains...the overhead announcements reverberating in the cavernous domed roof... "last call for Waterloo, London Bridge, Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill, Westcombe Park, Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard , Woolwich Arsenal, Plumstead, Abbey Wood, Belvedere, Slade Green, Erith and Deptford"...and that recalled after 46 years !! (Says a lot for the theory of conditioning doesn't it !!)
And then the train pulls out across the old iron bridge high above the Thames, looking across to the Royal Festival Hall to the west.
And..in the mornings, after a journey crammed up against other commuters buried in their newspapers and jumping off the train as it still slowed to a stop into the station and hitting the platform running for the underground entrance.
I've lived in North America for over 42 years and if there is one thing that I am truly envious of it is the British and European rail systems. I would love to have such systems over here, especially as I recently dumped my car!!
Last edited: 21/05/2008 08:40 by Dylan Rivis
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London, Westminster Abbey c1920
(ref: L130232)
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Year: 1959
Prodigal Son Returned
I think it ought to be mandatory, for every person of English heritage, to pass through Westminster Abbey at least once!
Returning from Canada and, later, the USA , for only the second time in 35 years I took my late teenage son and daughter to tour Westminster Abbey. There we joined the throng as it somehow wound its way through the crowded abbey.
As much as I have become a North American, it surprised me that I was brought to tears as I touched and saw the incredible depth of history that this magnificent historic treasure holds within its walls. A very moving and self-establishing experience.
I should point out that I was well familiar with the abbey's exterior, having walked, on clear days, past it numerous times, over a 2 year period, from Charing Cross Station to nearby Vincent Square, just off Victoria Street, where I was a student at Westminster Technical College Hotel School.
It constantly amazes me how people, such as I did, overlook and don't seem to appreciate the wonders that they pass every day!
Last edited: 20/05/2008 16:34 by Dylan Rivis
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London, Chelsea, the Kings Road c1950
(ref: L1305038)
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Painful memories of Paulton Square.
As a frightened 7 year old, in 1950, I was plunged into an unfamiliar London life when my meddling and self righteous aunt unfortunately reminded my stepfather of fulfill his promise to my dying mother to 'take care of Jimmy'. He had since remarried and brought my sister and I together again after we had spent three years apart,my sister with his parents in Chester and I, happily in Kirkbymoorside, my mother's home in the North Yorkshire Moors with my wonderful, loving, foster family, and
We lived in Paulton's Square , just off the King's Road in an elegant , Georgian, three storey row house with wrought iron railings. In the centre of the square was a park area where I once disappeared to and was found playing quite happily, much to my stepfather's disgust.
This was the beginning for a little Yorkshire 'tyke's lifetime of abuse, emotional neglect from which I never have really recovered. I was thrust into the Lycée Français, all french school where noone hardly spoke english. Talk about disorientation !!
I have mostly painful memories of Paulton Square, of forced skipping exercises, bullying and repetitive readings to try to scour me clean of my 'uncultivated' Yorkshire accent.
It was from Paulton Square that we were 'posted' to Germany for three years.
Posted: 19/05/2008 23:46 by Dylan Rivis
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London, Piccadilly Circus c1960
(ref: l1305086)
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Year: 1951
London,Piccadilly Circus 1951-1955
I was a young Constable in the year 1951, and fresh from Peel House, Westminster was assigned tio the Savile Row station known as CD. I lived at the Section House on Broadwick Street, Soho named after Lord Trenchard. Many times I was assigned to Piccadilly Circus, on the early turn or at 5pm to 1am for a two week period. There was the box attached to and adjacent to the stairs to the Piccadilly Tube Station and at the corner of Swan and Edgar Store. When the blue light flashed I answered the call from the station to go on details in the vicinity. Most times for street photographers. I was stationed there the day Christie was arrested for the murders at 10 Rillington Place, and for sometime during the Coronation festivities, the lines-up were around the corner from my position and on to Regent Street. After serving on the Met., I emigrated to Canada and served for 34 years from 1955-1989. My memories of the 1952 'Killer Fog' are still vivid, and all told I enjoyed my short time of service in London with a fine bunch of lads.
Last edited: 17/04/2007 09:32 by Nelson Jones
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