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Shirley
Shirley maps
Historic maps of Shirley and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Shirley maps
Shirley area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Shirley and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Shirley
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Shirley.
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John Ruskin School
I think this must be the Windmill by John Ruskin School on Upper Shirley Road. If I remember right there was a pub (The Sunrise?) nearby. Many an hour was spent on my old track bike in Shirley Hills and the tea shop.
Shirley in 1947.
Hi.
I remember living at the 'Shirley Homes' for children in Shirley in 1947, I believe it was run by the old LCC (London County Council) It was a wondeful place to live, the staff looked after us as if we were their own, I lived at the 'Willow Cottage' but although the 'Home had their own school I attended an outside one, We were taken on a fortnight's holiday to Walton-on-the-naze in Essex,a Camping holiday, it was wonderful time, When my Father used to come down to visit us he would often take us to the 'Shirley Hill's to play, and after spending several months at the Homes, we were reunited with our Mother, she had been in Hospital for many months, but we were very sad to leave Shirley, and the 'Homes.I had made some good friends whilst there,I believe today the 'homes are still there, but have all been 'refurbished and sold privately, the people living in these 'Cottages today will experience a wonderful calmness associated with... Read more
Shirley Public Library
I was born in Shirley in 1935. My parents had married a year earlier and moved to a new semi detached house (cost seven hundred and twenty-five pounds) in the new housing estate. They came from crowded row houses in London's East End so living in a new house in the suburbs with three bedrooms and a bathroom for the two of them and one baby must have seemed like heaven. Although my parents had bought a new home they didn't have much money left over after paying the mortgage and for a long time the rooms were not fully furnished.
My Dad was in the Army in WW II and overseas for four years. He must have been quite despondent to hear that his 'castle' had been damaged by a doodlebug in June 1944. Fortunately it was repairable, several other homes nearby were destroyed completely. The picture of Hartland Way brought back memories.
The building... Read more
Badgers Hole
My father (who died recently) used to play in Shirley Hills, and Badgers Hole, which was close to his home in Shirley Way, Croydon when he was a small boy. He had 4 other brothers and a sister. He often told us of the fun they had there, with their catapults, knocking tin cans off of a tree stump, and how he got chased by a whole nest of hornets because his football disturbed them... He had a phobia about wasps all his life.
Greater London memories
Baring Road
I was born at Mayday Hospital. My parents still live in Baring Road and my mother has lived there from the age of 13, as my grandmother had the house before they did. I vividly remember playing 'up and down the road.' It is so sad children cannot do that safely any more. I also walked to school from a young age, as did my friends. It was a different world. My Dad had the first car in the street. Brownies was at St Mildred's church and my sister volunteered my mum to be the Tawny Owl while my dad somehow got roped into helping the scouts. It always seemed a close knit community. My parents originally lived with my grandmother, there were several families where parent or parents still lived in Baring Road while their children also had a house there. I always felt everyone knew what everyone else was doing! My friend Linda and I used to have picnics in Bingham Road Park and buy Parma... Read more
Shirley Road Shops
I lived at Ashburton and spent my junior school years from 1953 at the primary and junior schools after which I walked everyday to South Norwood where I attended Stanley Tech. The interesting part was the intermediate school that I and many others went to was known as the club house. This was the old golf club situated by the fire station on the corner of Long Lane by Ashburton Park. We all had great fun here. I guess I was about eight years old and remember in the winter the roaring open fires and sliding down the bannister. It was eventually demolished and now has several blocks of flats occupying the site. However, the picture titled The Parade is surely the small row of shops by Shirley Park roundabout opposite the entrance to what was Shirley Park Golf Club - now long gone and at the beginning of Upper Addiscombe Road. Other than living within walking distance of this area Stanley Tech used the football grounds a few hundred... Read more
Ashburton Club House School
Yes, I remember the Club House - I seem to recall we went there after the Primary school and before the Junior School but I could be wrong! I remember the playground there and going home from school across the old golf course which still had the hillocks and sandy bits! I lived in Chaucer Green so not far to walk! I went back to the Junior/Primary school on summer fete day 4 years ago and it looked exactly the same. It still had the area round the back where we used to do high jump, and the same doors and windows. I hated the outside toilets but they have gone now! I went to Ashburton Secondary school after that. I always think of Addiscombe as my home even though I live in Banstead now. I am very nostalgic about it. I wish I could find a photo of the Club House too!
