Clayponds Estate

Although I grew up near the High Street I remember the Clayponds Estate very well as my grandparents lived in Chestnut Avenue in the 1940s and 50s and in the 50s my school friend Hazel and my first boyfriend, her brother Dave , lived in Crowther Avenue. We only had a backyard at home so I spent a lot of time at my grandparents' in their lovely long back garden after school (Ealing Road) and during the holidays. Although he was blind my granddad was a very skilled gardener and grew all sorts of vegetables all year round and soft fruits in summer. and my own love of gardening came from helping him. I also remember that at the bottom of the garden was what we called The Field, a triangle of overgrown waste ground backing onto Springvale Avenue, where as children we used to make dens and play cowboys or pretend to be jungle explorers. The last time I saw it , it had tarmac and garages all over it. In those days most people did take a pride in their gardens; even though most of them worked very hard all day they still took care of their homes and gardens in what spare time they had. I liked going to Carville Hall park too - the playground and the ducks on the lake. I remember the Queens Hall cinema and Goddard's very well too, and the pie and eel shops which I think were Wood's and Pink's. My Granddad was related to the Pink family. I don't go to Brentford often now, but I too find much of it unrecognisable. Thank you Jean - you've sparked a lot of memories !