Mishaps In South Croydon

A Memory of Croydon.

The pub in the middle distance on the right is The Red Deer. On the triangle, which is formed by the junction of Brighton Road & Sanderstead Road, where incidentally I later lived & two of my children were born, stood a horse trough. This trough had not been cleaned or serviced in any way for a number of years. Two friends & myself came out of The Star Pub at Broad Green, which is the other end of Croydon (which on a Friday night had a jazz club). We, having had far too much to drink and having missed the last bus decided to run - yes run home to Coulsdon! One of my friends at that time was a very fast mile runner; we set off and at The Red Deer John (the miler) leapt over the trough my other friend (also a John, now sadly deceased) and I jumped but failed to reach the other side, we both fell in and got a good mouthful of water each, as well as a good soaking. I was supposed to meet my girlfriend, much later my wife, on the day after but could not as I was rather ill.
I went to a funeral in Selsdon in 2011 & went down to The Red Deer. The trough has gone but I told the kids the story that I have just told you… they all had a good laugh on me.