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Southall
Southall maps
Historic maps of Southall and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Southall maps
Southall area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Southall and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Southall
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memories of Southall.
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Growing up in Southall
I grew up in Southall in the 1940s and 50s. We lived in Gordon Road in a terraced house that backed onto The Tube. We had an outside toilet, no bathroom and, until I was about 6, no electricity. At the age of 5 I could change a gas mantle. My mother continued to live there until she passed on in 1989 Two doors away was Mrs Ridgewell's grocery shop and on the corner there was a greengrocer's. I recall being sent for a shilling's worth of King Edward potatoes. I went to Clifton Road Primary (Miss Camp) and Junior (Mr Constable) schools and went on to Drayton Manor School in Hanwell. I went to Sunday School and belonged to the Boy Scouts at the Salvation Army in Adelaide Road. I was their first and only Queen's Scout. Opposite on the corners of Clifton Road were Pearson's Drapers and a good fish and chip shop. Just around the corner in Norwood Road was a small parade of shops which included a newsagents... Read more
Southall 1928-1954
I was born in Woodlands Road, but moved shortly afterwards to Townsend Road.
We then moved to No74 North Road in 1933. I attended North Road School until 1940, then moved to Dormers Wells, then to Southall Tecg in 1942.
I remember the war years clearly. In 1944 a V1bomb fell in Southall Park, and brought the celing in on my bed! I was downstairs in the Morrison shelter.
At various tmes, I was in Villiers Scouts, a member of the Pioneer Club, and 1846 ATC squadron.
Growing up in Lea Road Southall
I lived in Lea Road, Southall. My father Alfred was a lorry driver for Sanders & Son, also known as The Tube, half way down Gordon Road. My mum Betty worked as a manager of Bill Taylors newsagents just off the High Street in Southall, my sister Margaret married Bill Taylor in 1968. I went to Clifton Road School, where Miss Camp was the infants' head. I attended Featherstone Road School from 1968 - 1972, the head was Mr Berg. My best friend was David May who lived in Gordon Road, but I have since lost touch with him, but I would be very interested to find out if anyone knows where he is now? I have great memories of the open air swimming pool in the rec., and also the mounds off Wentworth Road, where there was an old World War Two disarmed machine gun and air raid shelter, I used to play over there as a boy. Also Saturday morning pictures at the cinema down South Road,... Read more
SOUTHALL
I lived in Southall from April 1943 to May 1960, all my young life was spent there. Among the many good memories was the 1953 Coronation with all the excitement of sweets off ration and TV. We had our party in 2 canvas workman's tents from G. Wimpeys, Lancaster Road, Southall. The party was held in Lynwood Gardens off Lady Margaret Road after the Coronation was shown on TV. In the evening a large torchlight procession was held the length of Lady Margaret Road after dark.
A Very Happy Childhood.
I was born in Grange Road but soon after my parents moved to West End Road, my grandmother lived at number 35. I attended Beaconsfield Road Infants School and my best friend there was Ronnie Cornwall who also lived in West End Road. Further down the road from us was an old gentleman who would sell us sweets from his front door. In the mid thirties we moved to 18 Dane Road. When the blitz started, I and a friend Eddie Cloake, started a fire watch scheme for Dane Road. I was a messenger boy in the ARP and often hitched a ride on an AFS truck into London and knew what bombing was all about. The nearest we had in Southall, was a bomb in the High St at the top of Dane Road, and one in Lancaster Road. Schools were closed on the outbreak of war, and sadly I lost contact with most of my friends. My last teacher was Mr Emsden, who I liked very much. I... Read more
Early Years
SIRENS WAILING, Get up, wrap a blanket around yourself, stand on the bed and wait for Dad (Alfred Roger) or Eddith Mary (Mum) to come and go down 13 stairs and out to the shelter that was in the garden. Joyce my older sister would have already been there. Bang, clang, tin doors closing and down among the spiders. Yes I saw that doodlebug, I believe it took out half Hownslow Station. On clear nights when they were over London Dad had the door open and watched the search lights, and dog fights. Do you remember the train with its ack-ack gun going ? I read that they didn't hope to hit anything, but it was great for morale. Heston, Heathrow, Northolt aiports all very close and we did get smacked a few times. After the all-clear Dad was told Clifton Road School had been hit, I found out later he had borrowed the first bike he could find. The school was fine, but he found me in the rubble... Read more
Alvin
Hi, please accept my apologies, I've had problems with my email. I have lost your phone number so can you give me a ring? 07853393446. Cheers, Phil Jones
I Remember Southall
I moved to Southall when I was 5 with my family, went to live at Cornwall Avenue and then went to Lady Margaret School, left there when I was 11 went to Dormers Wells, at 12 we moved to Trinity Road, I still went to Dormers Wells but my brothers went to Featherstone Road then to Weston Road. I started dancing at the hall that was over Woolworth's in Southall High Street at 13 till I was 21, I was in pantomimes and other shows. I remember the Bristoll Cafe where all the kids met every Wednesday and Saturday, and the Palace pictures and also I used to take my brothers to Saturday morning pictures when I was 12 and 13 at the Odeon, I also went ballroom dancing at the Derminon. My first job at 14 was at John Quality grocery stores in the High Street then I went to Tickleys Jam in the office then to Nestle's in Hayes in the office. Married in 1954, had two children and emigrated... Read more
