Wonderful Memories

A Memory of Croydon.

What an unexpected pleasure it was stumbling quite by accident upon this website this evening! I was born in Croydon in 1948 and lived in West Croydon till 1955.
I have very vivid memories of the high street, even of being 'bumped' down the Surrey Street steps in a push chair! My very first memory in fact..
Siselys sweet shop was at the top of Oakfield Road, where I lived ... and a visit there after a shopping trip was a treat indeed ... watching the soft molten sweet being poured onto the huge (to me) copper slab to be cut and cooled into sweets was magical.
There was a pawn shop on the corner of Oakfield Road, the brass balls hanging above ... and I also remember a dress agency next door to that, where high quality second hand ladies clothes were sold. I still have a handbag of my late mother's from there.
Kennards arcade was the best place to be sure, ponies, exotic perfumes sold in the Indian shop and, in later years, the place I had my ears pierced... the wonderful smell of coffee as you passed Wilsons ... the cake shop around the corner, which I can't remember the name of, but their rhum babas were amazing.
The luncheonette in Kennards where all us 13 year olds hung out on a Saturday afternoon circa 1961.. the sample shoe shop where they had a pair of winklepickers in the window that must have been well, a sample ... they were sooo extended!
Martin Fords where they sold the perfect stockings, over blouses, tight skirts to drive teachers crazy ... Surrey Street where I went shopping to Caters supermarket on Friday evenings with my father ...
I am now living in Cyprus, but this web site has brought back such a rush of memories, emotions and happiness along with a few tears ... many many thanks!

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