Growing Up In Tottenham

A Memory of Tottenham.

My name is Arthur and i was born in North Middlesex Hospital in july 1949 and i lived at 80 Sirdar Road.My mum and dad Arhur and Doris Brown my two sisters Sylvia and Jeanette and myself lived with my grandparents David Edward Brown and Elizabeth Lisa Brown Who had 14 children 7 boys and 7 girls so i had plenty of aunts and uncles as my mum was one of seven children 6 girls and 1boy and came from Hackney.I went to Belmont school and later the new school in Rusper Road.My sisters and i used to play on the rec and we used to have great family days out with aunts uncles and cousins at Lordship Lane Park where we paddled in the pools went out on boats on the lake and rode bikes around the minature road way great fun.My sisters and i used to spend our pocket money at Ilenes sweet shop on the corner of Westbury Avenue and Mannock Road where she would produce a box of goodies from under the counter from which we would pick our favourite sweets while she stood by patiently.Things were very different then our kitchen was very small with a cast iron cooker and a butler sink with a wooden draining board and a cold water tap, hot water came from the ascot heater above the sink no fitted kitchens back then we also had a cooper boiler in the corner for hot water for baths and washing.Outside the back door stood the mangle that you put your washing through to squeeze out the water before hanging it on the line to dry.The toilet was outside and we used to have an oil lamp to see your way in the dark and it was freezing in the winter.The tin bath hung on the wall outside and on bath nights was brought in and placed in front of the fire in the living room and was filled from the cooper boiler and my sisters and i were all bathed in the same water and dried off in front of the fire.Our Milk was delivered by Horice the milkman on a hand cart from the dairy in Westbury Avenue and our bread was delivered on a horse and cart by the bakery and the ice cream man came round on a three wheeled bike with a large box on the front.We also had great days out at Tottenham LIdo and my sisters and i used to go to saturday morning pictures at The Ritz cinema at Turnpike Lane where we were ABC minors.My mum Doris used to sing with her brother Ron in pubs in the area and by all accounts were very good and very popular.My dad was a coalman and worked for the Maskell brothers and later Lebons in Edmonton and sometimes took me with him on his deliverys which i loved and i was facinated to watch him shoot coal through holes in the pathways into peoples cellars i loved the smell of the coal and the coal sacks and still do.On a Sunday my dad used to take me to Petticote Lane to the market and i loved the atmosphere with the stall holders calling out, the smell of roasted chestnuts and Prince Monolulu shouting I Gotta Horse and the great smells coming from the jewish bakers, we would always pick up a few bargains and then head home for a lovely roast dinner.We latter moved to a new flat in Broad Lane on the main road not far from Gestetners and i then went to earlsmead School. Just down the road there was a great shop where my mum used to go once a week for our treat of pease pudding faggots and savaloy fantastic.Sometimes on a saturday we'd go with my parents to Walthamstow market and wander up and down and after a days shopping we would all head for the pie and mash shop for a real treat,i still love it to this day great stuff.We then moved to a new house on the Tottenham estate in Potters Bar but continued to go to Wood Green to shop as it had great shops and to Sirdar Road to visit relatives.Tottenham was a great place to grow up in and i have many happy memories of my childhood there and it will always have a special place in my heart. Arthur Brown