Bexleyheath In My Youth 1944 1960

A Memory of Bexleyheath.

I was born in 1944 and lived at 12 Rowan Road. I lived and played in Bexleyheath until 1960 when I joined Port Line and sailed off into the world. I returned after each trip but around 1962 I "jumped ship" in Australia. Sadly I never returned and was absent for my mother and fathers passing. So if anyone can remember me, please write.

I attended Pelham Road and Graham Road schools up until 1960 when I joined the merchant navy.

If any of the "old boys" (they will be old now lol) remember me please, do get in touch. One of the boys David Scudder in fact contacted me in Feb 2016 and sent me a couple of class pictures from both schools where he was a classmate !!!!!! And another boy (I use that word loosely..LOL) who lived in Rowan Road, Keith Magnus also got in touch in early March 2016 as did Michelle Exton who lived in Woolwich Road. So IF you remember David, Keith, Michelle,or myself go to my website (as the others did) and "contact me/us".

I used to attend The Salvation Army and went to the weekly club there. I was also in The Sea Cadets which had a hall just off Broadway. I recall the Silver Lounge, what a great place when you were a kid with ice cream cones, Knickerbocker Glories, banana splits etc. Then there was the fish and chip shop on the other corner and we would get "Crackling', the bits of batter that got left in the fryer.
Conkers were a good pastime and the avenue of trees beside Christ Church was a good hunting ground for them. I recall three cinemas. The "Bug house" The Odeon and The Regal. We paid sixpence to go to the Saturday morning matinee.

I played lots in Danson Park and named our property in Tasmania "Danson Park", great times fishing for Sticklebacks and newts.

It is great to “walk my mind” around the streets where I grew up. Does anyone remember all the "Bombed building sites" where we used to play and the "United Dairies" I think was in West Street with a whole stable of horses. At the top of the street where it turned into Rowan Road was a large yard belonging to George Chaplain and was full of bricks, rubble and iron where we were allowed to play and build "houses".. No such thing as OH&S then.

I now live in Tasmania, Australia and have named our property "Danson Park", you can see what I am up to on my home website www.dansonpark.com.

Post me a comment here or on my website…Thanks Paul Beresford