Woolwich memories
Here are memories of Woolwich and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Woolwich or a Woolwich photo.
Pre-War Woolwich And Shooter's Hill
As a very young lad I lived on Ankerdine Crescent on Shooter's Hill, but Mum frequently took me down to Woolwich for shopping on the market. I can clearly remember a butcher's stall close to Powis Street where the cry related to 'Lamb's tickers' (lamb's hearts), something I sorely miss these days, living here in Sweden. What the Swedes do with the lamb's tickers I'll never know. We also took trips across the river on the old paddle-wheel steam ferries. Our next-door neighbour but one was one of the engineers on the ferry, and we often looked in at the control room where he stood at the controls of one of the paddle wheels. It was fascinating seeing the shiny piston rods at work, and all the polished brasswork. You got into trouble if you simply went to and fro on the ferry, so we used to go ashore on the north side, wait for that ferry boat to return, and then came back to our south shore again. And yes... Read more
Woolwich Ferry
There has been a ferry at Woolwich for many centuries but the people of Woolwich complained in the 1880s that West London had free access across the River Thames by bridges so why couldn't they have free travel? The river was too busy to put a bridge over and there was not room to put in a tunnel so the newly formed London County Council decided to provide a free ferry service with boats large enough to accomodate vehicles. It was opened on 23rd March 1889 and there were three ferries Gordon, Duncun and Hutton. The second generation of paddle steamers were Squires and Gordon (again!) built in 1922 and Will Crooks and John Benn built in 1930. By the 1960s the ferry traffic was clogging up Woolwich where the traffic waiting to board the ferry often streached back into the main shopping streets. So three new bigger boats were built in 1963, John Burns, James Newman and (pictured here) Ernist Bevin. They were 'Roll on, Roll off' type boats... Read more
A Day Out to Woolwich
During the early years after the Second World War my mother would take me to Woolwich as a special treat. I was about 8 year old then. We would catch the 696 trolleybus from Dartford market and arrive at the Woolwich Arsenal around lunch time. Our first stop was Manzie's Pie and Eel shop - absolutely delicious after the wartime food. From there we would walk past Woolwich Empire on our way to the ferry. On the way we would watch the trams changing their electric shoes and then proceed to the ferry pier. When we boarded I immediately went down to see the steam engines at work. They had polished brass bearing and well-oiled pistions. The smell of steam, coal, and oil still remains with me. Arriving at the other side we would simply walk to the Royal Victoria Gardens (still there) and, after an hour or so return to Woolwich. It doesn't seem much now but after the blitz it was really a great day out.
Over The Water !
The Woolwich Ferry was the only way I can remember in the 1950s and 60s that we could go 'over the water ' from South to North London. I can remember trips with my Nannie as a child , catching a bus from Eltham to Woolwich and then on the Ferry when she went to visit a Methodist Church on the other side of the Thames. The Thames at that time was so smelly she used to give me a hankie with lavender water to hold to my nose! I loved going on the ferry and can remember the noise and smell of the engine room and the excitement of landing on the other side. To me it was a journey to another land !
Never Seen Aunt Fanny by Gaslight !!
Woolwich Market ..what a hoot ! I can hear the stallkeeper at the far left there now back in 1959...
'ere y'are luv..step right up...step right up..see these 'ere brand new silk bloomers ...never seen dayloit, never seen moonloit and never seen Aunt Fanny by gasloit 'aven't these 'ere bloomers...wot'lyer give me then...three pairs a shilling then...come on nah....
I lived on Mill Lane up by the barracks...used to love wandering around the market on a Saturday, I did.
Woolwich Town Centre
I remember very fondly Woolwich market & town centre in the 60's & 70's. Cuffs department store always seemed so imposing with polished wooden floors, we had to go there to get my school uniform for Notre Dame Convent in Eglington Road. Christmas time always meant a visit to the store to see Santa's grotto, and a ride up in the lift which was always manned. My favourite department was the downstairs jewellery dept, (still love a bit of bling now) it had a wood and glass case which revolved round and you pressed a button to stop it at your favourite item. Mum used to treat herself and have her hair done there too. Garretts Store was mainly furniture and there was a lovely toy shop, Branstons, at the top of Powis Street.
My Saturdays consisted of going swimming to Woolwich Baths, drying our hair outside the building round the back from the warm air outlet pipes, getting a bag of chips and pickled onion and eating... Read more
Woolwich, Powis Street
I remember Woolwich town centre in the 1960's when I was a kid. In this picture I believe you can just see Garrets department store on the left which was a big rival to Cuffs department store a bit further back (out of shot). It was Cuffs store that provided my school uniform for Eglinton school. I also remember going to the restaurant upstairs in the RACS, not often as it was a silver service restaurant, a bit posh for us, as we lived in a prefab in Cleanthus Road, Shooters Hill. Is there any one who has similar memories, in particular anyone living in the prefabs Cleanthus Road between 1962 and 1967.
I Really Hope Someone Can Help me .
My mum apparently worked in a cafe in Woolwich during 1955/56, it may have been near the market. I really need to know about all the cafes that were there at that time, who owned them? And does anyone remember the following names from then: Sid (cafe owner. Jeff, who sold things on the market. A man that had one leg, a tall handsome man called John (he may have been of mixed race such as half Cypriot?). Any information, no matter how small, will be very helpful. Thankyou,from Linda
Transportation
Used to take a trip across to the other side as a teenager, just for the thrill of seeing the steam engines working. Went on it again a couple of years back to find no foot passengers now.
Progress ?
From 1958-61 our family was the only one living on Mill Lane, just off the parade grounds near here. My stepfather was 'stationed' with the RAEC at Eltham Palace and I attended Shooter's Hill GS and Westminster Hotel School, subsequently. Our army officer's quarters housing was a quite 'luxurious' rambling one storey structure surrounded by about 4 acres of gardens, a greenhouse and woods where I would first try my hand at gardening, use my air rifle and be subjected to painful, enforced soccer practice !
Now, I can see from 'bird's eye' aerial photographs that the house and adjoining military buildings no longer exist and have been replaced by about 20+ condo type houses. Progress, I suppose !!
Grab A Bargain!
In the 1950s to the 1970s I can remember Woolwich Market well. It sold fruit, veg and clothes. There were also the market traders who held auctions with everything from tea sets to toys for sale. Were they a bargain? Who knows, but we had great fun listening to the Cockney patter and taking home our prizes!
Woolwich, Shooters Hill
From Chris Johnson,
This photograph is of Woolwich Common near General Gordon's House looking towards the Royal Military Accademy on the road towards Eltham. These houses are not there anymore and the 1960's Woolwich Common Estate now stands there and the blue plaque that was on General Gordon's house is now in the Heritage Centre in the old Arsenal.
Shopping at 'Woolies'
I never got down Powys Street that often but loved to spend ages in 'Woolies' or the F.W. Woolworth Co. shop where they had row upon row of bunks full of all this marvelous stuff !!
There And Back
I remember staying at my Nan and Grandpa's house in Woolwich, we could actually look out of our bedroom window and see the ferries going back and forth. Most times we stayed we were allowed to ride the ferries back and forth sometimes up to 4 or 5 times. It was an experience I will always remember. No-one woried about you then, there was virtually no violence and cases of children going missing and the like were unheard of.
Seeing these pictures again brought back wonderful memories of days gone by that we will never have again, what a shame!
The Old Co-Op in Woolwich
Me and My Mum used to go in to the old Co-Op in Woolwich and My brought a mat in there before it closes and there was a post office in there aswell
Ferry
I used to love the ferry, it was like going on holiday. My mum had a brother in hospital somewhere near Woolwich. It was always Sunday and it always seemed to be sunny. I used to love going down and seeing all the working parts on the old ferries, always polished and shinning. It seems daft but I can still smell the Thames, I think it's cleaner now. Sometimes we would walk the tunnel but that scared me, I always thought the water was going to come in. I hear it's not changed much, the tunnel.
Did You Work at The Co-Op or Woolwich Market?
Hi all, I'm doing an oral history project about local industries. I would really like to get in touch with people who worked in Woolwich Market or the Co-op stores. Any ideas much appreciated. The project is called Working Lives of the Thames Gateway: http://www.hidden-histories.org.uk/projects/working-lives-thames-gateway-introduction All the best, Laura
Working in Woolwich
After leaving school my first job was in Cuffs department store on the counter selling scarves and gloves. I was a very shy girl but a lovely lady named Tessa took me under her wing and we became friends. She was older than me and had a really good sense of humour - I often wonder what became of her. My next position was opposite Cuffs working as a window dresser (this is what I had always wanted to do)for Richard Shops, a well known chain of stores selling ladies fashion. There were quite a few of us girls working there and the two I remember most were June Mckay and Jean Loveday. The railway ran behind the premises and in the summer we would sit outside, eat our lunch and wave to passengers - our lunch more often than not would be chips from 'the hole in the wall' - a tiny shop set back in the brickwork of the railway. We used to have such a laugh there,... Read more
Memories of Greater London
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.
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!
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.
Transport
Used to have trolley buses. Further along was the Embassy Dance place.
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