Nostalgic memories of Beckenham's local history
Share your own memories of Beckenham and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 22 in total
My father Sid Ford used to take the Muirhead swimming club. He did it for years during the 1950's. My father was the Assistant Suprintendent of Beckenham Swimming Baths and worked there for forty six years until he retired in the 1970's.
I'm pretty sure the name of the shop was "Importers" as a kid I was fascinated by the contraption in the window - all chain driven wheels whirling round and round and every so often someone placing or removing one of the canisters that held the beans - probably could have stood there all day had not my mother dragged me away to do shopping.
As far as I remember (and could well be utterly wrong here) you couldn't ...see more
I passed my scholarship exams and when I was nearly 11, I started at the Beckenham County Grammar School as it was then called, in Copers Cope road. However as there were too many of us the first years classes were held at the Cricket Pavilion in Cater park?
I lived just inside the 5 mile limit from The School at Eden Park, which prevented my parents getting help with travel costs - so I was given ...see more
from the time after 1945 regularly on Sunday afternoons the suggestion was for us to go to Kelsey park and feed the Ducks!
It was / is a large well planted park to walk around and get lost. Over the years visiting my parents, my children and my grandchildren have been taken there to feed the ducks
Pat ( nee FINN)
In the late 1940s as a child I used to play in the park along side the hospital and remember very young cutting my foot in the paddling pool. A child who was playing with me ( we had no adults with us ) insisted on taking me to the Casualty Dept were I recall they kept asking me if I had had my tetanus injection whilst they cleaned me up. Vandalism meant someone had thrown a ...see more
I used to go to school here. My family home was in Park Road which ran along one side of the school. I can remember this field and the bank in the middle of the photograph. We used to play cricket here.
when I was courting my future husband and I used to go to private dance classes at the ABC cinema, upstairs to learn the cha cha cha. Fond memories
I was born in Palace Road in 1940. I remember the bombing and in particular sitting on the steps watching a doodlebug fly over. The area was eventually evacuated and we, with others, were sent to Wimslow, near Manchester.
On returning to London we were housed in St. Hughs Road, Anerley. I stayed there until I was 19 and then set out to seek my fortune. After a 'round the world tour' paid for by you the, tax ...see more
I used to be a minor monitor at the ABC and when the films had finished they gave me the posters and I hung them in my bedroom. I remember one very well it was a 2001 Space Odyssey. I am now 55 years old and recently saw one sold on tv for an awful lot of money! Ahhh..if only?
I was married to my long standing girl friend Brenda at Elm Road, Baptist Chapel in September 1968. We had first met six years earlier at the Regal dance hall in Beckenham and after our marriage, lived in Anerley Park, Penge for eleven years before we moving to Sidcup. I retired in 2004 and we moved to Bournemouth. Besides these two events, I have several other fond memories of Beckenham. More recently ...see more