Good Young Memories

A Memory of New Haw.

At nine years old unfortunately I had to leave the area of my birth to which I had so many good memories. My name is Patrick Alexander, born 1947 and first lived as a baby in Kings Rd opposite my grandparents' house which was No 45, their name was Lapwood.

My mother Edith Lapwood married Bert Alexander, another resident of Kings Rd. We then moved to 5 Park Close where I enjoyed tremendously my younger days. The Rec as I knew it was my playground along with the canal where I would often fish, my favorite spot being the wooden bridge where I was told a big pike used to be. I never did catch it though, but I could always wait awhile and watch the Golden Arrow pass by on the railway lines then make my way home crossing the canal lock gates at the rear of the Rec.
I went to New Haw Primary and used to walk to school along the canal path via the woods, I must have climbed every tree en route, remembering fondly the Silver Birch.

Names I remember in my immediate area were: Williams, Sparks,Church, Pike, Smith and Redmonds, all having children my own age. I remember too a friend living in Grange Rd, Peter Lewis, whose father was a Scout Master, on Sundays we used to walk our trolley up Spinny Hill just so we could ride it down Hare Hill, viewing the tops of the houses in Row Town as we sped past. I remember too singing my heart out for the Kendalls that kept the hardware shop at a place called Wideawake in Heathervale where films were shown. Most of my family lived locally so I found myself scampering around visiting them, always making a point of passing the Calton to view the toys in the front window and collect badges to swop at school from the service station opposite the Black Prince.

Saturday mornings were often spent at my Uncle Len's allotment over in West Byfleet where I would be rewarded with a sixpence for helping out.

It seemed an idyllic community to be brought up in as I used to roam around without a care, always meeting people along the way that I knew and who knew my family, names such as Mrs Mustard, Mrs Percy, Mrs Boucher and a fellow called Ernie Hills, all living in Kings Rd. Wonderful times.
I now live in Ipswich and am in my early 60s but will never forget that part of my early life in New Haw.