Welling memories
Here are memories of Welling and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Welling or a Welling photo.
Unexploded V1 Bomb
My wife was living in Northhumberland Avenue when a V1 doodlebug passed by very low, to land unexploded at the top end of the avenue. She lived at number 208. The house number it landed at was about 220 to 230. It was on a Sunday afternoon. The man living there was in the kitchen having his lunch, and walked along the V1 to turn off his gas and water! My wife remembers quite clearly the V1 coming up the street, getting lower and lower with no noise. She and her friend Hazel ran indoors to get under the table shelters, there was a crashing sound but no big bang, so they were very lucky. The whole of the top end of the road was evacuated for 3 nights. They were told that it was the first V1 that had not exploded.
Bicycle Shops Welling?
Does anyone have any memories, information or better still any photos of the cycle shops in 1950's Welling? Two of them were Holmes of Welling on Wickham Lane/Welling Corner and A.F.Mills in the High St. There was another, I believe, in Station Rd called Harlows. Do any of these names prompt memories?
Wrotham Road
Yes, I used to go to Wrotham Road for rock & roll, they were the early days from 1960 to 1963 and it was the meeting place for the lads. I remember taking a break from dancing and going into the Lord Kitchener pub Friday night when the news broke that Kennedy had been shot. The Embassy ballroom... My mate Andy And I were listening to the band when we decided to go across the road to the greengrocer on the Saturday afternoon and buy a couple of lemons. We went back into the dance hall and ate them in front of the trumpet player, he spluttered when he saw us and it mucked up his playing, great fun!!
Ice Cream Parlour.
I remember the Ice Cream Parlour opening near the corner, Tony's I think it was called. Being only 13-14 at the time, we could never afford to buy one but it was fun to watch, all chrome and glass, just like an American movie.
My Youth
The inferno was the old British Legion hall in Station Approach by the labour exchange. Yes, the Court school of dancing was upstairs next to the Granada, many a happy saturday night was spent there, also day times at Danson lido.
Great Times at The Emabssy Welling
You mention the Embassy Ballroom in Welling. I first started going there in 1953 (when I was 14 but looked older as you needed to be 16 to get in!) and carried on going until I went into the Army (National Service) in 1958. My abiding memory of the Emabssy was seeing both the Johnny (not John in those days) Dankworth Seven and the Ted Heath Band on the same bill. Later it was Ronnie Scott and his group alongside Ted Heath.
Besides the music entertainment the on floor entertainment wasn't too bad either i.e. the 'chicks' (remember that term?). And I was only 14-17 at the time! What a great way to grow up. Those were the days indeed.
Welling, Danson Lane
I was born in 1948 at number 3 Williams Cottages, Danson Lane. These were near the junction of the High Street,. My first memmories are of John Newton Court being built, has anyone any photos of Williams Cottages?
Inferno
Yes, I remember it very well ... we saw Grant Tracy and the Sunsets there, Erky Grant, and many more. Jack Eastwood on the door, all run by Paul Meyer ... and I remember the night it burnt down, a Saturday. I used to help Bob serve the hubbly bubbly. I enjoyed it so much that in later years I opened my own nightclub.
How I Remember The Good Times
I also remember Wrotham Road Centre and used to go dancing there, also the Embassy at Welling, my heart throb attended Townley Road for Girls (Sally Tollhurst), all this was around 1959 to 1962. Does anyone remember the Inferno hut in the early rock & roll days, near Welling railway station? My grandfather owned the (Heads) Fruit & Veg shop on the same side as Barclays Bank. Was the Court School for Dancing next to the Granada, upstairs? Gee Wiz the good old days, don't know about you but I miss them.
Danson Park & Bellegrove Road
Growing up in the 1950s I remember spending a lot of time going to Danson Park; it was always an all day thing as I had to catch two buses to get there. I lived in Upper Belvedere (off Parsonage Manorway) and caught the 401 or 486 to Bexleyheath and then I think a 99 from Bexleyheath clocktower to Danson Road/Park. I would have been about 10 when I first went there alone, mainly to go swimming in the open air swimming pool - I remember that fountain - or to visit the fair. I also remember the boats on the lake and was thrilled when I first went on the big boats instead of the kiddies' ones that were in a roped-off section of the lake. On Saturday afternoons my dad always went shopping in Welling, he did it for years, and sometimes I would go with him. It would be about 1962/3 when I bought my first LP, 'Honey Hit Parade' from a shop in the middle of Welling,... Read more
First Record Player
Grey's Electrical Shop - That's where I bought my first Dansette Record Player in about 1959.
Transport
Used to have trolley buses. Further along was the Embassy Dance place.
Transportation
Trolleybus route. During the war my dad and I were physically blasted across this street by a landmine falling on a house in Yorkland Avenue. We were about to cross the street to a shelter.
Woolworths
I also remember Welling corner and those trolley buses. I lived in Welling from 1956 to 1965 and used to travel on the buses to Bexleyheath clocktower to go to Bexley Tech for girls in Townley Road. I also knew Woolworths quite well as I worked there on the sweet counter on Saturdays. I worked with two Maureens so if they see this please get in touch. I also remember Danson Park which is not far away and the Court School of Dancing. Does anyone else remember a youthclub called Wrotham Top Ten I think which was held in community centre in wrotham Road. Any other club members out there. Happy times.
Broken Biscuits !
I was brought up in Welling in the 1950s and 60s and Welling Corner played an important part in my life! I can see Woolworths on the right of this postcard. This was where everyone went to buy ... well anything! It was the broken biscuits which were my favourite. They used to sell them really cheaply by the half pound. You never knew what you would get . Maybe you would get a few Bourbons or a Custard Cream, occasionally a Figgy Biscuit, but sometimes there were just some old boring tea biscuits! We used to take them into school for breaktime.
I don't think anyone mentioned healthy eating to us ..!!
Trolley Buses !
I can see the Trolley Bus lines overhead in this postcard. It must have been quite soon afterwards that these disappeared. The Trolley Buses used to sway their way to Woolwich and to the department stores.
I lived in Welling and remember them well when I was a very young child.
Why did we get rid of them? With all the talk of ecology they should certainly think about bringing them back to Welling!
A World so Far From 2012 it Hurts to Think About It!
I grew up in Welling form 1948 to 1963. Leaving it was the saddest moment of my life - one I have never really recovered from. So vivid were the memories, I wrote a book of my life's experiences - "Cool Among The Flames." You can find it at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Anyone who remembers that time and place will shed a tear reading it. I still do! If a more wonderful childhood was ever to be had - I'd like to hear about it. Ferrara's ice-cream - was ever there a better taste? The Orange Library - who remembers that?
Memories of Kent
Rowing on The Lake
Unfortunately vague memories of my sister and I rowing on the lake at Danson park, that's really all I can recall at this stage.
My Childhood
I moved to Pickford Close (the turning halfway up in this photo) in January 1953 as a 5 yr old. I remember the sweet shop and gracious me the bus stop is still in the same place. It is strange to see just one small car compared to nowadays when it is a nightmare trying to park at all. I had a paper round with Mac's which was a papershop on the opposite corder to Lewis's.
The Good Old Days
In the mid 1950's I used to work as a young school boy on a Saturday morning for the butcher ( I think his surname was Finch) just out of shot on the extreme left of the picture. I used to ride a delivery bicycle, small wheel at the front with a large wicker basket. The photographer had his back to the Co-op and once/twice a year you went to the room above the shop to exchange your tin "divi" coins. Also a school chum lived in Pickford Close by the surname of Rawlings and I remember making a miniture seesaw for his pet mouse. He still owes me for it! I also remember cycling from Brampton Road (the cul-de-sac opposite the goods yard which I believe is no longer there) to the Co-op on my brand new bicycle on an errand for my mother then walked back home only to relise where I had left my bicycle. It was still there, no lock or chain. I now live in... Read more
Danson Park
I purchased this picture for my mum for Mother's Day. She and her sister (who now has sadly died) used to play at Danson Park when they were young - my mum has a good memory of her sister swimming the lake.
Schooldays in Bexleyheath
I went to school in Bexleyheath between 1950 and 1954. I believe the school was in Pelham Road but I can't be sure. Maybe there was a separate infants school in North Street? I remember the excitement of the Coronation in 1953 when we spent a lot of time making flags. I was given a Coronation cup and saucer at school.
Sometimes I would come up to the High Street as I joined the cub pack in 1953 which met at the Congregational Church. Looking back on those years now I am in my sixties it seems quite amazing how much freedom we had at such a very young age. I would travel to school unaccompanied on the 401 or the 486 bus (fare one penny!).
I can remember shopping with my mother and seeing the trolleybuses by the Clock Tower shown in this view. Happy memories!
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