High Street 1904, Walthamstow
High Street 1904, Walthamstow Ref: 51421
Memories of High Street 1904, Walthamstow
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Walthamstow & local memories
Read and share memories of Walthamstow and Greater London inspired by Frith photos.
Walthamstow in The 1940s
I was born in Thorpe Coombe Hospital in 1943, and lived in Corbett Road until I was seven - until I was 4, at number 37, with my mum, nan and grandpa, two aunts and one cousin; then at number 45, just me and my mum. My father was killed in the war, before I was born, and the neighbours down our street gave me a bible and prayer book, in sympathy. My earliest memories are of being put in the laundry basket under the table, when the bombers flew over (our air-raid shelter, just outside the back door, was always flooded). Somebody writes here about 'the Wood Street landmine'. Is that what caused the bomb site on the corner by Wood Street school? When the war ended, there was a party in our street, with a fancy-dress competition. I went, as a little Dutch girl, complete with clogs brought back from Belgium by an uncle, and won joint first prize. ... Read more
A Fondly Remembered Childhood
I was born in 1942 and and spent my childhood in Walthamstow, which up to the time I left in 1967 was predominantly a white working class area in north-east London; I went to Chapel End Infants and Junior Schools and then to William Morris Technical School. My wife Sandra was similarly born and brought up in Walthamstow and we married at St John's Church in October 1965. My earliest memories and experiences were of post-war austerity and general thriftyness. It was, during the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s, a truly wonderful place to grow up in. We kids were spoilt for choice in the availability of adventure locations and had the real freedom that allowed us to enjoy them to the full without our parents worrying about paedaphiles and the like. Opposite our house in Kitchener Road was the London Transport Sports Ground. Although 'out of bounds' to us local kids, we used to sneak in anyway. London Transport buses, mostly RT's but sometimes... Read more
Market Stall in The High Street
In answer to your question. "Do you know who owned the veg stall outside of Manzies pie & mash shop": I was a barrow boy that worked on the stall in the late 1960s. The stall was owned by Anita Blaunchflower who was the sister of the footballer Danny. She would get me and my mate tickets to go to Tottenham. But, only if she thought it might be a slack day. As she wanted us to work the stall as opposed to bugger off. We used to call her, "Anita, the apple eater".
Grandparents Home
From a very young age I have cherished memories of visits and sleepovers at the big old Victorian-era home belonging to my grandparents in Ringwood Road, E17. The cosiness of it is hard to replace these days. We would sleep in my grandparents' big old bed in the main large bedroom. The home never had a bathroom installed so we would wash in the kitchen, in a portable tub, and we had to use the outside 'lav' which was a few feet from the back door. It always smelt of lavender pot pourri (Nan's favourite). My grandfather was a French polisher, and he had a big room where he kept all his vinyls and polishing 'stuff'. We were never allowed in that room, but I can smell the exact smell that would waft around the doorway, to this day. My grandmother had a very old rocking chair, that I always loved to sit in. In the hallway by front door was a big old conch shell, and I liked to hold it... Read more
Fruit And Veg Stall Outside Pie And Mash Shop
My partner comes from Walthamstow and she would like to hear if anyone remembers her grandad who owned the fruit and veg stall outside the pie and mash shop in Walthamstow High Street? This would have ben around the early 1970s. His name was John Pettifer.
