Good Old Days

A Memory of Welling.

I grew up in Welling from 1942 until I left to join the RAF in 1962. I remember Danson Park and the pool with its fountain. I also loved the lake and the boats. I remember too, riding on the miniature train up along the side of the lake and back. There was also a speedboat that did trips on the lake. Remember the boat house before it burnt down? I had bought a racing bike from Holmes in Welling and had it stolen after leaving it against the boat house whilst we chatted to some girls. I used to go to the Embassy or "Bassy" as we called it. I think across the road was a cafe called the Rainbow Cafe. The trolley buses were brilliant and were then replaced by "ordinary" buses. I used to get one to Welling Station to travel to Newcross to school. My primary school was Fosters. Anyone go there? I lived for a long time in Park View just along from the main entrance to Danson Park. There was another entrance at the top of Danson Road. I can remember delivering papers up that road. Such long driveways and they all seemed to read the Times or similar heavy newspapers. My Father was a landscape gardener and used to prune trees in many gardens around there. Any one recall Bert Willis? Ah, such lovely memories. I live in North Devon now and have been back a couple of times but it never seems the same.