Chingford Mount Road c1955, South Chingford
Chingford Mount Road c1955, South Chingford Ref: S640007
Memories of Chingford Mount Road c1955, South Chingford
Chingford After The Second World War
I remember when Rossis ice-cream opened and free vouchers were worth more than gold. Rossis shop was right by the last bus stop before the trolley bus turned around and headed back to London. On the corner, a few shops along, was I think Freeman Hardy & Willis the shoe shop, and around the corner was Barkers of Chingford, the bicycle shop where my mum bought my first bike. Around the parade other shops were: Evans the greengrocers, Dysons the butchers and grocers shop, then a real estate agent. Across Chingford Mount Road was Lists the baker, hot fresh bread every day. There was Woolworths, Chain Library and a tobacco shop then The Prince Albert pub. Around the corner from Evans the greengrocer was Maynards the sweet shop, handy for the Odeon cinema where we went to the Saturday morning flicks. I still have a cirtificate presented by Mr Poole to me for a painting competition I won. Across from the Odeon was a restaurant called The Chingford Inn where... Read more
Buses
We moved to Leonard Road Chingford in 1951. I particularly remember the trolley buses and how the poles on the top used to come off and the conductor would get a long bamboo cane from under the bus to rehook the pole onto the electric cable
I also remember Larkswood lido, the Odeon cinema at Chingford Mount. After attending Chase Lane Primary School I went to Wellington Avenue Secondary Modern School near Ridgeway Park. I wonder if it is still there. I used to go conkering in the cemetry on Chingford mount - lots of chestnut trees.
The Mount in The Early 1970s
I went to see 'The Jungle Book' in the Odeon and remember the restaurant opposite - dead posh. I worked in the tiny TESCO supermarket which was opposite Rossis. In the 1970s Rossis was a mecca for teenagers as it sold records and you could stand in a tiny booth and preview the record before you bought it. The queues for soft icecreams were incredible on Sunday. The Sainsbury shop was where the Obelisk pub is now, there was a House of Holland on top of the Albert Pub (now Iceland and Superdrug). Pollards was where Percy Ingles bakery is now. There was a garage near Hampton Road and a nursery opposite Goddards and Allens. The Lavender House was opposite St Edmunds and is now the solictor Cartwright Cunningham. You queued and ladies in house coats served you individually all the money was sent on wires to the one till. You could buy buttons, fabric, everything - not now!
South Chingford War Years
I was born in 1939 in the Chingford Mount Hospital. My late father Sam Shapiro (later Shepherd) owned the business Chingford Mount Radio near the corner of Chingford Mount and Larkswood road next door to one of the wartime British Restaurants established in a community or church hall at the corner of Larkswood Road. He used to drive around in a small cream coloured van with the ad "Your Murphy Dealer" on the side. My father used to talk about the day he retreated to a bomb shelter in the back yard of the shop and there was a huge explosion when a German bomb made a direct hit on the shop. He emerged to find a lot of rubble and bits of radios, valves, cords, plugs etc scattered all over the road. Our family migrated to Australia in 1948. I have been back several times since but it a lonely experience unless you can find people to talk to who can remember.
Post War Chingford Mount
Other shops I remember. Trant and Grundy, Star Radio, Jackson and Allen, Leytonia, Malcom Powney, Smiths Books, Welsteads, Lavender House. Owen Aves, Richard Miles, Timms Shoe repairs, Shales, Pollards, Choclate Box. Mount Sports,Wallis Fishshop, National Provincal Bank, Sainsbury's, Silk's Coal Merchant,
Hampton Garage. Coles, The Monument Mason by the cemetary. Pettingals, Norman Trevor. Bartons Bread.Hammets Butchers.Eastern Electric, North Thames Gas, Timber Mart.
Having moved to Chingford from Yorkshire in 1946 I have many memories having grown up and lived here ever since.
South Chingford & local memories
Read and share memories of South Chingford and Greater London inspired by Frith photos.
Albert Crescent, South Chingford
My memories of Albert Crescent are going to Freeman Hardy Willis, the shoe shop on the corner of Hall Lane, with my mother and sister. Also of going to the greengrocer shop on Albert Crescent, I think it was called Cherrys. I remember the lovely rows of fruit in the middle and the veg on the right. There were cash registers at the back and the men would take the money. I also remember the bus stop outside the public lavatories with the women attendents and the Izal loo paper! I remember the Police Box as well it reminded me of Dr Who's Tardis, which I saw at the Odeon with my friend Eddy and his mum, I believe it was the very first one. Also I recall Rossi's icecream shop on Chingford Mount Road, which sold the most delightful ice cream an those marvelous Rocket Lollys. Pass the lights going towards Chingford Mount Hill was Sainsbury on the left with its old fashioned counters and the Post Office just... Read more
Summers at Larkswood
I lived in Grove Road as a child, and spent a lot of time at Larkswood Pool - my friend and I used to practically live there in the summer holidays. We would get season tickets, so we could go as often as we liked, and go 3 times a day, only coming home for meals. I remember teaching myself to swim there when I was about 8 or 9, in the shallow end. By the end of that season we were jumping from the diving boards, and going down the water slide in every position we could think of. It could certainly be cold at the start of the season, but breaking the ice is a new one to me! Coldest I ever went in was 55F.
I remember teaching myself to dive, as well - eventually even off the top board, which turns me cold now even to think of it, a wonder I didn't break my neck! They were happy days.
Chase Land And Larkswood
My memory is the same as Alan Mowbray. We lived at Leadale Avenue, Chingford and I remember standing at the edge of the pool freezing cold and the teacher tellling us to jump in. I also remember the grotty changing rooms.
New Road School
A message from anyone who might have attended New Road School. My aunt, who was better known as a teacher at New Road School, was called Miss Jones and then Mrs Thornicroft. She is still living in Buckhurst Hill and will be 100 years old in September. If anyone remembers her, she has a wonderful memory and I'd love to send on any messages.
Larkswood Pool
We moved from Forest Road Walthamstow to 34 Leonard Road Chingford in 1953.
I attended Chase Lane primary school and then Wellington Avenue Secondary Modern at Chingford Mount.
We often went to Larkswood Pool and would spend all day there taking our lunch with us.
The school used to take us to Larkswood Pool for swimming once a week during the summer term. We used to travel on a really old bus that had trouble getting up Chingford Mount and sometimes would not make it and we had to disembark and walk back to the school.
I always remember the pristine gardens a the entrance to the pool, which were always neat tidy and never any rubbish.
When did it close ?
Crystal Radio in Chingford.
Back in the early 1950s my girlfriend lived in South Chingford. I'd stay with her and her parents for a weekend every 8 weeks when I got a pass home from the Hydro Electric Construction job in Scotland. Often we'd go from Church Street where she lived to the shops in South Chingford for Saturday shopping. One shop in particular, a wireless repair shop, had a small sign on the front door, I remember it as if it was yesterday. It read: "Don't tear your hair out over your radio, Bring it in here and let me tear mine"! Denman Lalonde
Larkswood Swimming Pool
I remember using the Larkswood swimming pool in all weathers, even having to break the ice. I also remember the horrible changing rooms and sitting for hours on the hills - sometimes never bothering to swim. You could leave all of your stuff and go off to buy crisps and stuff and no one bothered you or took your things. Does anyone remember the small hall at the entrance to the pool where shows were held for the pigeon, canary and budgie fanciers?
South Chingford Parks And Lakes.
I was born in March 1939 and lived in South Chingford 1939-66. Frances Road 1940-47 and Underwood Road (Ropers Farm Estate) 1947-66.
I loved Chingford and still do. I regularly visit Chingford and was there only yesterday 15.07.08. I still have a cousin in Chingford and I am sadly selling my late cousin Peggy's house in Grove Road.
I firstly went to New Road School (briefly) then onto Selwyn Avenue - and then onto Wellington Avenue (Wellington Boot) (Maths master was a nightmare).
I loved the parks and lakes - not much homework got done as a result.
I remember the war years - hearing the sirens and having to (a few times) dive into the Mount shelter on the way home from New Road School.
We mainly used to play in Larkswood at the top of our road, the Memorial Park, Highams Park lake and the Larkswood playing fields-formerly had wartime shelters etc there.
We used to go to the Saturday morning pictures at the Odeon up the Mount,... Read more
Life as A Child And Teenager in S. Chingford (1939-1960)
I lived in Chingford from 1939, when I was born, to 1960 when I left to get married, and moved to Rayleigh, Essex. I remember the war years, and going down the shelter at Chingford Mt. when the siren went off. I used to go to Normanhurst School in N. Chingford, and we had to get under the desks when the siren went. I loved Saturday morning pictures at the Odeon, and going to Woolworths with my mother. She is buried in Chingford Cemetary and also my father. Later I went to Walthamstow High School for Girls, and used to go on the trolley buses. I have lived in Canada since 1967, and miss the old days, and hope to get back one of these days in the future.
War Days in Chingford 1939-46
up to the age of seven from 1939- 46 i lived in middleton close i to remeber the war years , walking across sopers farm to feed the pigs on acorns , catching newts in the little pond , which is now unfortunatly rugby field and golf range, one of my aunts use to be a conductress on the trolly buses during the war, we use to have some wonderful christmas's when all the uncles came home from there different services train sets would come out and sing songs on the piano, do you remeber the three penny rush on a saturday morning rush to see hoppalong cassidy at the odeon, i think it was the A.B.C.minors club. all gone now but memories will always stay.trips on the rowing boats at connaught waters , maynards sweet shop next to the odeon 2 ounces of sweets a week with the ration book.moved away for a few years then married... Read more
Blue Lamp, Buses And A Broken Arm
Used to wait for a trolley bus here which took the family to see Granny and Grandpa at Winchmore Hill. Always great excitement. Remember waiting here for my father to return from a builders' trip to Rotterdam - wonderful to see his face
in the bus window - probably from Liverpool Street station on the 38 bus.
Remember standing in the queue at the cinema. It was my treat for having taken the scholarship. I so wanted to see the Blue Lamp, but the queue was too long and we couldn't get in. And, in case you're interested (not a lot, I hear you say!) I fell down outside the Albert pub and broke my arm. This caused great merriment among the family because I was only 10 years old at a time and couldn't have
been "boozing"!
The photo looking down Old Church Road shows the fence of the cemetery on the left where the Kray brothers and... Read more
Chingford
As I attended school at St. Egberts College on Ridgeway in North Chingford, we did on occasion get to go swimming at Larkswood Pool. Swimming in any pool was a treat for most of us as the only 'swimming' we usually did was at the sea-side on summer holidays. It wasn't till later in 1947 after we moved to Elm Park Essex, that I had the opportunity to go to Kennylands School, a summer school at Sonning Common near Reading. Here I met and fell for a young lady named Thelma. When I got a free pass home every eight weeks, I took the train from Ibnvreness to London then the Underground and a bus to Chingford. Thelms's parent made me very welcome and I stayed there most pass weekends. They wewre fine people/ Mr's. Loader worked on the sweet counter in Woolworths and we often went to see her on Saturdays.
We dated and finally got engaged. However after promising she would follow me to Canada, she changed her... Read more
