Back In The 70s

A Memory of Belvedere.

From 1975 we lived in one of the council maisonettes, Baden Powell House, which are still opposite the parade of shops in Lower Belvedere. I remember it was such a great place to grow up, knowing all the neighbours by name and being able to safely play out on our own on the estate until evening. A care taker lived in one of the flats next to the co-op and kept the estate clean and tidy and was always on hand to do odd jobs. There was an area by some washing lines on the estate opposite the co-op that we called the sand pit which was actually just a walled area of rough ground but it was perfect for made up games of rounders, cricket or, our favourite,' What's the time Mr Wolf' which most of the estate kids joined in with. The shops opposite offered everything we needed with a chemist, newsagent / sweet shop, a wonderful but small library, a butcher, the co-op and 'Pringles' greengrocers owned by Mr Pringle who used to ride through the estate on a car pulled sleigh dressed as Father Christmas every December collecting money for charity. Most of us bought or rented a TV from 'Davis's', the electrical shop that took up the far right corner of the parade of shops. We walked to St Augustine's junior school just along Lower Road and past the working men's club and watched Sunday football and the occasional celebrity match at the football ground where B & Q now stands. Next to the football ground was an area of grassy wasteland where there were often horses that we would go and feed. Happy times.

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