Orpington High Street

A Memory of Orpington.

My grandparents ran The Orpington Cafe in the 50's and I have many memories of being there. At the rear and to one side was a sort of wasteland area, great fun to explore. At the time, my parents lived in Derry Downs, St Mary Cray and helped with the family business.

My sister and I attended Chislehurst Road primary school and I recall there being some sort of partial eclipse of the sun and we took photograph negatives to look through - we were all taken into the playground to watch it.

Just down the high street from the cafe there was a community hall [can't remember it's name] and there were caged bird shows from time to time - colorful budgies and canaries and other small birds. I don't recall larger, exotic birds.

Burton & Deakins garage had a canteen for their staff and the cafe did the catering. I remember the
Christmas parties the firm threw for the children of employees always lots of games and a Father Christmas giving out presents. Happy days!

My parents moved to Sevenoaks in about 1955 and on some Sunday mornings my sister and I were put on the train at Sevenoaks, got off at Orpington and took a bus down the high street to the cafe where the grandparents had left the door unlocked. We made them tea and toast and took them breakfast in bed!! We loved doing this and felt very grownup aged 12 & 13 - just imagine the restrictions now days; we were lucky to be born in the 40's and allowed the freedom in our childhood that children don't get now.