Childhood In Buckhurst Hill

A Memory of Buckhurst Hill.

I lived at 4 Fairlands Avenue, Buckhurst Hill. My parents moved there just before the Second World War, and I was born in April 1939. I well remember W.C.French Ltd's yard next to Fairlands Avenue fronting the Eppping New Road. I went to Woodford Green Preparatory School, travelling by bus from the Bald Faced Stag (now a carvery!) on either the 10a or 38a bus route, paying a 1d fare! I remember being fascinated by the "Bundy Time Clock" where bus conductors had to punch their time card beside the bus stop. My mother took me to the Congregational Church in Palmerston Road, where the sunday school had a wonderful library run by Mr.Linder, who lived in a huge house in Roebuck Lane. Later I joined the Crusader class at the Centenary Hall, St.John's Church, started by Mr.W.Charles, always known as "The Commander" as that was his rank in the RNVR during the war. Later he was joined as leader by Mr. Charles Webb-sear, and Mr. Tim Lawson. Later I became a leader myself with Quentin Dawe, who I met when he came to live next door at No. 3 Fairlands Avenue and introduced me to Crusaders, and Ray Allison, who continued as the leader until the class sasly closed very recently. We too patronised "Silks" newsagents in Queens Road, as well as "Parks" the butchers and fishmongers opposite, and my father banked at the Midland in the angle between Queens Road and Princes Road. The Post Office was next door with an entrance to the sorting office yard in Princes Road. I did a couple of stints as "Christmas extra Postman" there, and got to know where all the letterboxes were! My brother went to Taunton House School, but he is 7 years younger than me. Eventually I met my wife at the Youth Fellowship at St. John's Church and we were married there and had our reception at the Bald Faced Stag!
I remember Hobleys the bakers on the corner of Church Road and Epping New Road, and Mr. Green the greengrocer who sold his produce from a shed at the side of his house, and went to Stratford Market to buy it every morning. There were two cafes fronting Epping New Road patronised by huge numbers of cyclists at weekends. Opposite was the Reindeer Pub, with a large car park in front, where when petrol was still rationed, large numbers of ponies and traps would wait patienly for their owners at weekends. The Epping New Road was very busy then, but not with motor cars. Sometimes steam lorries would come along which I found fascinating. There was a council yard halfway up Stag Lane, between Epping New Road and the High Road, where often a steam roller would be kept, and I would chat up the driver, much to my mother's displeasure!
There was a garage on the corner of Epping New Road and Brook Road, where we would go to get our bike tyres inflated! We spent a lot of time in the Forest, going down to the River Ching, and played a strange game called Podex with the Crusader boys on Daiglen School's playing field in the evenings, supervised by Commander Charles.
The Rector of St. John's church was Rev. Isaac Whitehouse, who would often describe the congregation as "my bretheren". The Youth Fellowship was very active when I was in my teens, and a great place to meet girls!
I was only at Woodford Green Preparatory School for a short time in 1944 when the roof was blown off as a result of TWO "doodlebugs" (flying bombs) landing on the Congregational church in Broomhill Road within 3 days of each other. An amazing feat of aiming by the Germans! As a result my mother took me to live with my uncle and aunt in Leeds, out of range! My father was on active service in India at the time. I suppose I returned to WGPS in 1945, and in 1950 I went on to Chigwell School, and eventually to the South West Essex Technical College and School of Art (a very catchy title) in Walthamstow.