Northolt Road c1965, South Harrow
Northolt Road c1965, South Harrow Ref: S642019
Memories of Northolt Road c1965, South Harrow
Stanley Road, South Harrow
I lived with my foster family in Stanley Road South Harrow, during the war. Our house backed on to the gas works and I always wanted to climb the gasometer which I did eventually with a friend from across the road.
At the top of Stanley Road were all the usual local shops. Peacheys the grocer where we collected our rations and where I would take back empty jam jars and collect a farthing for a small one and a ha'penny for a big one. The fish and chip shop near by would sell a haporth of chips and give away batter bits to any hungry child that asked for them. I would get my hair cut in the barbers at the back of Hatherly's paper shop where I would also pick up a comic each week. At first it was Micky mouse and then either the Dandy or the Beano until I started to get the Hotspur. We children would carry comics to our friends and ask if... Read more
Born Here in 1947
I was born around the corner from the photo, at 15 Eastcote Lane, just off the Northolt Road, in 1947 (born at home, too, not in a hospital!) Remember going to school on Northolt Road, maybe a quarter mile west of the intersection of Eastcote Lane. A school still appears to be there, when I look at the images on Google Earth. Still remember buying a Beano comic book at the corner of Northolt and Eastcote. I also dimly remember seeing the last of the killer smogs in 1954. My family emigrated to Canada in 1954, when I was seven, and I have only been back to South Harrow once since then.
455 Northolt Road South Harrow
I was born at 455 Northolt Road during the 2nd World War where I lived with mum, grandad, granma and young uncle. My father was killed in Normandy Landings on June 6 1944 and was called Arthur Blerkom. My mum was Lil Blerkom and worked in munitions factory and later as usherette at the Odeon in South Harrow. After the war we had to move to Hayes as the house was only rented to us for the duration of the war, having been moved there during the Blitz from the East End. If there is anybody out there who remember my family of Arthur and Florence Hubbard, Les Hubbard and Arthur and Lillian Blerkom I should love to hear from you.
Doreen Walton nee blerkom doreen.w@tiscali.co.uk
Northolt Road
I lived at 99 Northolt Road from my birth in 1954 until approx. 1961. My grandfather, Walter Taylor had a cafe there although it was closed when I lived there with my parents & grandparents. My grandmother was Florence taylor and she ran the cafe in the market for many years. I remember well some of the other stall holders, Henry at the fish stall, Brummy at the handbags etc. Grandad used to go to The Three Horseshoes which was opposite the house and I remember going to the rec to watch the steam trains. I and my Mum before me went to Miss Parnell's school in Corbins Lane. Only 2 classes - upstairs & downstairs . Sadly, when I last visited in 1996, little of the area around 99 was left and the school was gone.
Stanley Road
I lived at number 90 Stanley Road from 1964 until 1985. My dad worked at the Gas Board at the top of the road where the gas holder always seemed to dominate the skyline. Although it was an ugly building it was part of South Harrow and I think a few people were sad to see it taken down. Not many people knew that it was a nesting site for a pair of kestrels and they nested there since I was a kid until they pulled it down.
I can remember when they built Brember Road and knocked three houses down to make the new road and built industrial units round the back. The market was always an exciting place to go as kids and most of the market traders knew us and our parents. At the top of the road was an old antique shop called the Brass Monkey and I think Grahams the sweet shop was opposite. Just further down under the railway bridge was Toy Craft Seventy... Read more
Rocking in The 60s
On the left of the photo is Woolworths, above which were flats - including one where the rock star/ wannabe MP Screaming Lord Sutch lived for a while. Another Rocker lived in South Harrow - Johnny Kidd (and the Pirates). I used to live just off Corbins Lane. St Pauls Church built a church hall in a lane that went off Park Lane. This was a venue for local bands (called "The Void"), including a group of young men who played quite loud and called themselves "The High Numbers", people would say "The Who?" and so they changed their name. As they became more famous they moved to a more regular venue a few miles up the Road, The Station pub at Harrow and Wealdstone station. Back in South Harrow a pub nearby, the "Tithe Farm" also hosted live bands and I remember going to hear Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band there.
In Harrow on the Hill the Arts school ("Harrow Art" ) had dances with bands like... Read more
Cafe on Northolt Road And Robert Shipley
Hello my name is Lee Shipley. I'm looking for any info on my grandad Robert Shipley who worked in a cafe on Northolt Road in South Harrow in the 1950s. If you have any info on him please could you email me at: leeshipley@ymail.com Thankyou.
South Harrow & local memories
Read and share memories of South Harrow and Middlesex inspired by Frith photos.
The Birds Nest, South Harrow
I moved to Harrow in 1969, and started DJ'ing in October 1969. I had a residency at The Shaftesbury every Thursday, Friday, Sunday lunchtime and then later in the evening (pubs closed at 3pm in those days). It was very busy there, so the brewery came along and said they'd build a Birds Nest Disco - and within months it was up! They asked me to run the DJ's but offered me silly money, so I refused, but took on the Monday night (as I worked most other nights). I played a variety of stuff, but it became that I started playing more Funk & Reggae, and within a short time you couldn't get in! I made some great friends there, who I still see today! One day, the manager took me to one side and said he wanted me to change my music, as too many black guys were coming in. I refused and quit. I went on to start the disco at The Spiders Web and am still... Read more
1975 - Lever House, 503 Northolt Road
In 1975, when I set up my own business, I'm a commercial property surveyor, I rented an office building at 503 Northolt Road. (I think my landlord may've been a director of Harrow Building Society if I remember correctly. On the front of the building, I put up a wooden sign to call it "Lever House" - I think the building is occupied by solicitors nowadays, but it may still be called Lever House.
It was an unusual building, probably still is!. Of triangular shape, I remember it was often colder on the inside than outside, even with the heating on. In my day, I parked my car on the forecourt but I don't think that's allowed any more. Last time I passed by, I noticed some bollards had been put up.
Roxeth Green Avenue
I remember many happy time in the area. Did you live in the house on the corner of Abercorn Crescent? Your name sounds familiar and I used to play in that garden sometimes. I lived at 111 RGA (the house just before the railway bridge)until late 1967, and used to hang around with some lads who lived between our two houses, Paul Todd, Ian Kimmis, and David Smith, playing in the old orchards at the disused farm (Grange Farm?). Ah! The memories of beating down stingers and starting fires....oops! I can just about remember the farm buildings there, mucking about in them, but keeping a watchful eye out for bobbies who would occasionally be about! Do you remember the accident outside your house involving a lorry and a Rover 3-litre in which a poor bloke died? Although it was so many years ago I have many vivid memories.
Roxeth Green Avenue
I was born in 1960 at home at 151 Roxeth Green Avenue. Growing up in South Harrow was great, the 'local shops' were down at Shaftesbury Circle where there was a really old-fashioned sweet shop, all dark wood and high counters and the most miserable owners. There was also a C&Q (Cut and Quality) mini market, a proper butchers and greengrocers complete with artificial grass covering the counters. Contim Motors were also on the roundabout, my father in law bought a brand new Beetle there in 1962 and had it right up until 1987 when he gave it to us, it's gone now unfortunately. My teenage years were spent in The Birds Nest Disco (later Circles), also on the roundabout, I was a soul boy back in the 1070s and fortunately they ran a really good soul night there. That was when I wasn't tearing up the neighbourhood on my moped. We used to go up to the old farm at the top of Dudley Road to play (I think it... Read more
I Played Piano at ''The Swan''
I was directed to this site by a friend who was convinced one of the contributors must have been my brother, because it mentioned that his father ran a fish stall in South Harrow Market (our father did) and how green South Harrow was after coming from Bermondsey in London. (That's where we grew up.) However, reading on, that contributor had three children (Geoff only had two) and had married Barbara (rather than Brenda.) So, what a coincidence that two people came from Bermondsey and had fathers who ran a fish stall in South Harrow Market. We originally came from Bermondsey to South Harrow when we were bombed out during a 1940's air raid. I went to Welldone Park School (as mentioned by other contributors) and later to Eastcote Lane. I eventually got married in South Harrow, the ceremony being held in St Paul's Church. Since the age of 5 I'd always played piano, so when The Swan Pub (in Northolt) was looking for a pianist, I applied and got the job. The Swan... Read more
Recollections of A Fishmonger
My first sight of South Harrow was when my dad ran a fish stall in the railway market in South Harrow, he worked there for about 10 to 12 years after which he bought a shop of his own in Alexandra Avenue. Coming from Bermondsey in London, South Harrow was a very green and pleasent area with its tree-lined roads and tidy front gardens. As kids we had gangs who went to St Paul's church and played on the 'rec', by then we had moved to 58 Exerter Road where I lived till I married Barbara Loveday. About eighteen months later I bought my dad's house and increased the Harrow population by two boys and a girl. During this time I worked for my old man and when he called it a day I took over the shop. Over the years I have had many experinces, most have been great fun, far too many for this memory window. I still work most days in the shop where we sell fresh and smoked fish, along with... Read more
South Harrow in The 1950s & 60s
I was born in 1950 and lived at 27 Eastcote Lane, with a superb view of the gas holder from my bedroom window. I remember Macdonalds the fishing equipment shop which was almost opposite my house and apparently highly regarded across a wide area. Other shops included Hodges the newsagent in Northolt Road from where I did my paper round in the early 60s, Ketts the electrical store, Lists the bakers and Kilbey's (?) where they used to slice our ham, not to mention Ansley's the greengrocers with the wooden floor and where they always had a sweet for the kids. I remember them splashing water from a bottle over the floor to keep the dust down. The Ansleys were always welcoming.
There was a sweetshop near to Lists called, I think, Maynards. My favourite sweetshop was in the Odeon building, by the zebra crossing at Northholt Road and Wyvenhoe Road. I can remember going in there to buy a one penny Jubilee Bag (of mixed sweets) on... Read more
Earlsmead School
I wonder if anyone else can remember Earlsmead School, which was housed in the reception rooms of Mrs Bates's home at 13 Corfe Avenue. I lived across the road at No 14, where I was born in 1942, and I was allowed to begin my education there at the age of three. Every morning the thirty or so pupils, aged from three to fourteen, had assembly at which we said prayers and sang hymns and the school song:
Scientia potestas est,
'Tis Earlsmead that calls for the best,
Our best in work,
our best in play,
With joyful hearts we start each day.
How different it must have been for me when we moved to Hayes in 1948 and I transferred to Pinkwell School, with 40 children in a class!
In 1996 I went back to Corfe Avenue and met the current owner of our house, who was very welcoming. I had some photographs with me and she was as interested to see how the area had changed as... Read more
South Harrow as A Child
Growing up in South Harrow was much different than today; I do go back from time to time. Welldon Park was on the Wyenhoe site, although there was always talk of the infant school being built on the allotments.
I actually lived in that road, which then was devoid of cars until Sainsburys was built next to the library. Until then going to Sainsburys was a wonderful experience. They still patted the butter in front of you and the aroma of the different cheeses were mouth watering - delis in supermarkets today are not a patch on that. On the corner of Eastcote Lane was 'Co-op' corner. This comprised of the laundry, mini supermarket and butchers the funiture shop was further down Northolt Road near the library. I always remember giving the share number for my mum to get her 'divi'. South Harrow market was unique in itself as do not know of another one in the area built under the tube viaduct shopping was always accompanied... Read more
Those Were The Days!
We lived above a shop in Northolt Road, South Harrow close to the station for two years. We had no hot water, no bathroom, and very limited space. It was our first married home. Traffic outside was constant. Despite all this it was a new experience and a lot of happy days. On one of our visits there from North America we travelled down Northolt Road (about 1990) and were surprised to see that the building was still standing, all boarded up. The general area looked much the same. As for us, well....... Great memories. Peter G. Lay
