St Thomas A Becket Catholic Church c1955, Wandsworth
St Thomas A Becket Catholic Church c1955, Wandsworth Ref: W21001
Memories of St Thomas A Becket Catholic Church c1955, Wandsworth
Wandsworth Church
The church in this photograph is the Catholic Church of St Thomas รก Becket on West Hill.
Wandsworth & local memories
Read and share memories of Wandsworth and Greater London inspired by Frith photos.
Leinster House, Spencer Park
My great-grandfather's house, Leinster House, No. 1 Spencer Park was built in about 1880 and stood on a large corner plot at the top of St. John's Hill. It was demolished in 1964 and a block of flats were built soon after. When my grandfather and his brothers were boys they built a tunnel under their garden wall into the communal gardens in the middle. My grandfather almost lost his life when it caved in! My great-grandfather was the head of an old family business of timber merchants, that supplied the rosewood for the interior of King Edward VII's Daimler.
Shops Closing Half Days
or around there-ish. Always got sent to Wandsworth on Wednesday afternoon if anyone needed anything from the shops - Wandsworth High Street shops closed on Thursday afternoons - Battersea shops on Wednesday afternoons. Guaranteed my sister would run out of cotton, or something similar and I would get sent to get it. Didn't mind - 170 and 44 went to Wandsworth.
Spencer Park
I lived in Spencer Park during the 1960s and early 1970s. Our family lived in one of the 3 blocks of maisonettes built along Windmill Road. I lived in the block opposite the common, the second block we called the Blue Flats and the third block we called the Yellow Flats. This was because the front doors were painted that colour. Our gang also went to the secret garden many times during the summer holidays. Not only was there a gate just off Spencer Park but also an entrance opposite the Blue Flats between the gardens. However we preffered the obstacle of the wall in the Yellow Flats car park. We too were always chased out, usually by a dog. There is also a tennis court in there and a gardener's shed which we painted pychadelic without the consent of the owners. We sometimes had bonfires in the frying pan on firework night. There used to be a park keeper who collected the leaves and once the pile was big... Read more
Secret Garden in Spencer Park
I lived in a prefab in Spencer Park. There is a secret garden in the middle of Spencer Park, the iron gate entrance is just off Windmill Road. We used climb into this garden to go scrumping soft fruit. We were often chased out by the wealthy residents. We used to play football in the 'frying pan', this was a dis-used water lake built by the railway that the windmill pumped water in for the locals.
Wandsworth Town Hall
My great-grandfather was the Wandsworth Town Hall Keeper at the old Town Hall until about 1929, and my mother was born in the building. Later they moved to the Municipal Buildings where my grandfather took over the role from his father and continued the family tradition of Town Hall Keeper. They lived in an apartment at the top of the Municipal Buildings with a large balcony area we used to play out on. I remember the wonderful smell of wood and polish through the corridors (which were all angled like the sides of a threepenny bit) as we had to go through the building to get to the flat. Great-grandfather was Walter Henry Clarke and grandfather was Walden Clarke (better known as Bill). Great-grandfather retired to Somerset in 1929 and Bill died in 1958. My grandmother, Peggy Clarke, moved across the road to the flats on Fairfield Drive opposite the Municipal Buildings. I have wonderful memories of the old swimming pool and the brewery and the smell of hops in... Read more
Thames at Wandsworth
This is a view of the riverside walk in Wandsworth Park on Putney Bridge Road, looking towards the 'Iron Bridge', the railway bridge across the river just downstream of Putney Bridge.
East Hill
Born at 158 East Hill, I remember Claytons with the clock, Wavy Line across the road where I worked when I was 11, Ted and Ellen ran that, Fontaines sweetshop where I bought Jubblies with my sixpence. Went to St. Annes school. Would love some old photos of the houses there but can't seem to find any. Mum and dad moved in after they had widened the road a bit and taken away the steps up to the front door. Originally they rented the top part of the house but as others moved out and mum had more bubbas the GLC let her rent all of it. They bought it in the seventies for 16k. Neighbours were Wouters - Aunti Tiny ruled! We all used to hang out the window in the evening and chat to all the neighbours - can you imagine people actually talking to each other these days! I remember the frying pan on the common, swimming pool in Garratt Lane, freezing! Played in the flats... Read more
17 Spencer Park
Does anyone remember the gate at the back of 17 Spencer Park leading to the garden? Does anyone recall when the gate was bricked up and whether people used it to access the garden beforehand?
If so, please post a reply to this message.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Flavell Road
I lived In Flavell Road, Wandsworth SW18, from around the age of 5 years (1959) to 1965 approx. Flavell Road was demolished To make the dual carriageway we have today. My grand parents lived in Bramford Road and my aunt in Huntsmore Road. I attended St Faith's School and, when I reached 11 years, Mayfield School. I used to use Wandsworth Common a lot, the Fryingpan was a great place to play, as was the hill right by the railway track (opposite the Fryingpan ). I had lots of friends in the area (I've tried to find on Face Book), but it's hard as us girls change our name when we get married, and faces change. I used to go to the Battersea Park Fun Fair a lot too. If anyone remembers me please get in touch. I don't have any photos of the area (we didn't have cameras so much in those days) but if anyone has got photos they would be gratefully recieved. My e mail... Read more
Off License, Fairfield Street
I lived in the off-license in Fairfield Street from around 5 years to 19, 1959 - 1973. I went to St. Faith's church school then the Elliott at Putney Heath. I remember some of the memories already mentioned, playing football on the common, riding bikes around the frying pan, scrumping in the secret garden, fishing on Bolling Brook Common, Battersea funfair, swimming at King George's open air pool, playing on the Thames river bank. The smells of the gas works, Youngs brewery and the gin factory always seemed to be in the air. Happy days.
Wonderful Times And Great Friends
I remember living in Galesbury Road in the 1950s and going to Swaffield Road School, moving into Domelton House, Wendlesworth estate in the late 1950ss was luxury, central heating, a real bath and inside loo, for a ten year old exciting times were not far away. What is now Bembridge House was a bombed out building but for us kids it was a playground with no sense of danger. Other memories of Remos cafe and ice cream parlour, Barry Briggs record shop, King George's swimming pool where I worked in later years, Mrs Wallis grocer shop in Iron Mill Place (all on the slate till payday), the first pub I ever had a drink in, the Iron Mill, and the boys and girls involved with Wandsworth Rovers FC who became my friends. Sadly work took me away from Wandsworth. I now live in Littlehampton in West Sussex where I've lived for the last 27 years but how my thoughts always return to those youthful days.
East Hill Estate
We lived on the old East Hill Estate-Falmouth House, things I remember are my mother shopping on East Hill, there was a greengrocer there which I can't remember the name of, there was Whelans the butchers, the Junction was not far where my mother went to bingo. I attended Eltringham school like alot of the kids on the estate then onto Spencer Park. Arding and Hobbs, the Arndale, the 77 bus my cousin was a conducter on etc. Times were hard then, none of the luxeries of today. It's all changed now, wine bars, yuppies, restaurants, expensive flats - none of that in the 1970s.
Memories of Barmouth Road SW18
Hi, I grew up in Barmouth Road, Wandsworth SW18 I was born in 1961 (so nearly 50!!). We lived in a lovley big house on the corner of Barmouth Road/Cader Road, the road has changed so much, it used to have lots of shops, Sunlight laundry, sweetshop, haberdashery shop, laundry, Co op, shoe menders, green grocer, butcher, chemist, all now sadly gone. I used to play on Wandsworth Common, the frying pan, no longer there! King George's swimming pool, gone but not forgotton! The area has changed considerably, I used to go to St Anne's Primary School and attended St Anne's Church and youth club, brownies and guides. How times change eh! I still live locally (Balham). If anyone has old photos of any of the above please let me know! it was nice to reminisce ... Karen Williams (nee EDDISON)
East Hill
I was born in East Hill in 1949. I remember going to Sunday School in the hall just down the road while the main church was being rebuilt. My brother and I went to Saturday morning pictures and about that time there was a yo-yo craze and they would have children up on the stage in the cinema in a yo-yo competition. I remember going to see a pre-fab with my parents thinking we might live there. I went to Merton Road School and don't remember much about it apart from the outside loos and the school dinners which I didn't want to eat! I used to spend my 6d pocket money in the local toy shop or sweet shop every Saturday. We moved away in 1956 and I have only been back a couple of times. My grandfather had a shoe shop in East Hill in the 1930s (No.17) but I think it was damaged in the war. I would love to have a photo of... Read more
Wandsworth Market
I remember that little market where the Arndale Centre now stands. Also the swimming baths. The bakers on the bridge was a family firm and there was a fish and chip shop in the market. Plus a small pet shop which I later used when married for pet food for my animals. Nothing tasted so good coming home from swimming than a piece of bread pudding. The fish shop sold large pickled onions for 1d and the ones at the bottom always seemed larger. Sadly I have no pictures of this place though. Sorry.
Wandsworth has changed so much since I went to secondary school there.
Joan Battershill/nee Norman
Hearnville Road Primary School
I remember Miss Cox's retirement (I have a teacher group photo of that), and the outside toilets at Hearnville Road that used to freeze in the winter. I was there from 1950 - 1956. I lived in Endlesham Road, with my father.
Bellevue Road
My memory here relates to 1937 [the year I was born] on to about 1959. My mother ran the Wool Shop at number 29 Bellevue Road, next door to Westminster Bank. I attended Hearnville Road Primary School [is anyone else reading this who was there at the same time? - I recall Mrs de Martino and Mr Bridgman and that delightful Headmistress, Miss Cox] and then Battersea Grammar School. I recall the prefabs on the common opposite the shop - Fred Smith's removal company and furniture shop on the corner of Wiseton Road - Randall's Tool shop in Wiseton Road - Mr Spreadbury, our dentist - the paper and sweet shop owned by the Vernon's at the bottom of Bellevue Road [whatever happened to their daughter, Pat?] and the 'community rooms' or whatever you'd call them in Wiseton Road where I attended 'Crusaders' on Sundays run by 'Tommy' Thomson and Gordon Buchanan. I also belonged to the Young Conservatives Dramatic Society which performed there and I remember a performance of... Read more
The Old Market Wandsworth
I remember the old market place, where the Arndale centre now stands and the bakers near the old swimming baths - 6pence to go in !!..
Bread pudding 1p a peice after the swimming...lovely memories and no photos of this lovely part of Wandsworth ?? Does anyone have any??
Coronation
A party was held on Riverhall street to celebrate the Queens Coronation. It poured down with rain and the girls went somewhere under cover, I think the boys stayed in the rain. Played many games and took part in races. My sister was a sick child and was allowed to run in races with kids younger then her, I didn't think it was fair then and I still don't. My mum was working, so missed the party. We went to a house to watch the service on TV. The trouble is I can no longer remember peoples names. We moved to Vauxhall Grove when my mum married, and from there moved to Harlow in Essex. Always hated that place and left as soon as I could. My mum was called Connie, I have a brother called John, I'm Shelagh and my sister is Jean. (Neale/Kinsella). My best friend was Marion Clarke. (Bonnington Square). Where are you now? My mum married a James Taylor (didn't like him either). Much love to... Read more
