60s A Time Of Change

A Memory of Southall.

I lived in Southall ( west ave ) until the company my father worked for ( Cramic Eng ) moved to Oxfordshire.
I and my two brothers went to Tudor road primary where in my year we were joined by Surinda Pal one of the first Sikh children to arrive.
Lucky enough to pass the 11 plus I first went to the Grammer Tech school based at the Tech and " over the other side " at Dalton Road School. In the third year we merged with the Grammer quite a culture shock for a couple of hundred boys who until then had been denied female company at school. PremSingh Mageera was the first Sikh to arrive and was in our class, he was always one of the smartest students.
When old enough in the school hoidays I worked at Kealy and Tonge on their huge site , the health and safety people of today would have a fit if they had to deal with how things were done then.
I was a fishing fanatic being a member of the " Old George club " in Heston and spent almost every weekend fishing either on the canal where the Marina is now, Osterely park or when I had money on the lakes at West Drayton or the Thames at Windsor.
The 60,s were a period of huge change, the end of steam trains, how many of us stood on the bridge waiting for one of the big express trains to go through so that we could breath in the steam.
There was the constant noise overhead of planes flying into an expanding Heathrow.
Plus of course changing ethnic mix of the area,
The Odeon closing and becoming a bowling alley, the Dominion the headquarters and the social centre for the Indian Workers association.The first Sikh temple opening a place of great mystery for my brothers and I as we stood outside, too afraid to accept the invitation to go in or taste the many sweets and different foods that were offered.
For some of the older generation the changes were difficult for them to adjust to but for us it was a time of new experiences and knowledge.
I have fond memories of the Plough at Norwood Green where the landlord would allow our small group of underage drinkers to use a back room provided we did not make any noise and behaved ourselves.
With grandparents and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins all living within walking distance of each other we felt safe and secure It was a good time.

Terry Ross ( Portugal )

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