Growing Up In Muswell Hill

A Memory of Hornsey.

I was born in Muswell Hill in 1960 and lived in Hampden Road. I went to Nursery and Primary School at Hollickwood School in Sydney Road. Spent many happy hours as I grew up sampling all the different ice cream flavours in Maude's Ice Cream parlour nearby! As kids, we would also dare each other to run through the Bus Garage without being seen and to try and sneak on a bus whilst it was being washed! I used to go to the library in Colney Hatch Lane, the Wimpy and Golden Egg in Muswell Hill Broadway - as a young adult the Minstrel Boy and Green Man pubs, also the Alexandra Arms in Cromwell Road. Often spent time in school holidays in Friary Park, Highgate Woods and Alexandra Palace. One of my first jobs was working at Ever Ready Batteries in Whetstone, I had to catch the 134 bus to get there. Also loved going to the Ritz cinema (where my Dad sometimes worked as a projectionist) and Saturday morning pictures at the Odeon (with compulsory FAB ice lolly!). All looks very different now!