The Happy Times

A Memory of Southall.

My name is Peter Russell was born at 61 Woodlands Road 1937 and enjoyed all my young life in Southall until I moved to Waterlooville near Portsmouth in 1961, I went to Beaconsfield Rd I/J school and then onto Featherstone Rd Senior left school at 15.

My early childhood was in the War days which was hard for our Mothers but my brother and sisters still enjoyed playing together and with our friends.

When I was older about 11 all my friends lived in Trinity Road about 10 of us we could play games in the road with no fear of being knocked down by cars but there was always the odd Gas work lorry returning after their days work, we were never told off for playing in the road by the parents as they would be out there playing with us.

My best memory of my life at this time of my life was my Dad knocking on my Nan and Grandads door at Christmas 1945 army bush hat on army great coat boots and gaters all the rest of the kit of a soldier just back from war out in Burmer 14th army

When we got a little older we would spend the summer swimming in the canal, hold on to the ropes that the barge men would throw over the side so we could be pulled along by them, we would climb on the Barges tied up at the timber yard waiting to be unload and use them as diving boards, climbing up the gas pipe and walking across to the other side of the canal.

I started work on the Railway at Southall Rail sheds as a Engine cleaner to become a Fireman/driver I later transferred to Old Oak Common shed this was when Railways were interesting with steam.

Some of the names I remember, Bill Body,?North, Brian/John Pumfrey,Jack Jenkins, Buster, Alan Davy, J/E Pollard, Roy Williams, Derek Finish,John Cavanagh and Bob Snellings he lived down White St in between the Gas works we started on the railway together sorry forgot the others names does anyone know what happened to any of these lads? rusky1937@aol.com

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