Addiscombe, Shirley Road, The Parade c.1965

I was actually born in KCH in the 1960's , but my parents lived in Grange Road, Upper Norwood - and that is where I spent my childhood. Went to All Saints School, Westwood and Lady Edridge Schools. Lessons with the boys from Stanley Technical College in the 6th form! Remember some teachers at All Saints - Mr Woods, Mr Edwards, Miss May. Swam with Pollards Swimming Club and Woodside and Thornton Heath. Swam ...see more

There seemed to be a lot of eccentric characters around in those days. Old blokes with strange shaped polished bald heads (these were the days when it was the older generation that were bald, just the opposite to today). In the congregation at St James Church, and also upstairs in Lyons tea house (next door to Kennards?) where they would sit all day playing chess. I used to think that when I grew ...see more

Mother Danced in Crepe de Chine They sat me on an ostrich for the man to cut my hair At Kennard’s store in Croydon, I used to love it there. There were parrots doing fancy tricks And model gnomes and elves, Who lived inside the window land In front of half stocked shelves. They had a moving staircase that took us to the toys, Meccano sets and Minics, For dads and older little boys. I ...see more

Please someone do tell me the name of the energetic little lady who taught us all ballroom dancing in a first floor room in Purley. I am wirting my memoirs and her name is on the tip of my tongue but I cannot quite get it. I well remember a young boy who would regularly come up, stand in front of me, jerk his head to indicate he wanted to dance. I would stand up, our bodies would, to say the least ...see more