The Duke Of Kent Northhumberland Heath

A Memory of Northumberland Heath.

I was born and lived in Hengist Road opposite Collindale Ave near Brook Street and the Rec as we called it, I'm Tony Messum and I shared with my Brother Michael, and Sister Patricia and my buddies were Dennis Roker, Jimmy Luck, Leslie Cowan, Keith Keeble, David Shovella, John,Richard, and Derek Humphreys and who was the one with the glasses. All of my buddies lived in Horsa Road and our meeting place was Ethelbert Road by the pig bins or the back alley.
Mums Sister Annie lived in Horsa Road at the Erith Road end & she was Mrs Cole and Husband was Fred and their kids were of course my cousins. At the bottom of Horsa Road at Brook Street was the Duke of Kent Pub. To me growing up it was a land mark and still is. I must have walked past that pub a million times over the years and I can hear and smell the place as it did on a summers night with its public bar doors open. My Mum used to send me and my Sister to the off license to get a stout for my Gran and a pint bottle of beer for my Mum and Dad and my sister and brother and I shared a bottle of R whites lemonade and if they had crisps we got a bag each ( There was a shortage of everything for a long time after the war) Strangely I hardly ever used the pub as I got older but did have a few pints in there with Dennis and Jimmy on the odd occasion but used the Royal Oak on Bexley road more

I live in Canada now and have done since 65 except for quite a few return stints and a 5 year working contract in Bermuda. After many years I met up with Dennis Roker in 2015, I hadn't seen him since 1975. He lives in British Columbia Canada and I had the fortune of going west from Toronto Ontario with my wife to meet up with him and his wife Barbara on Bowan Island where they live. We had a great reunion and the view of Vancouver from his place is to die for. Most of the guys went to Brook Street School, I went to the Catholic School St Fidelis on West Street Erith and to St Stephens Welling.
I've been back a lot of times and I stay in Crayford and I take the time to visit all the old places without fail. Lots of changes and some are good and some are bad.and some are very bad. Kent is still the best County in England and the countryside is beautiful and I do miss it a lot. I meet up with a few buddies when ever I get back for a few beers and a good chat. One of them I have known since I was 5 years old and met up at the infant school St Fidelis many many years ago. Mick O'Grady
North Heath was the route to Bexleyheath ( The Sliver Lounge) and Welling ( The Embassy Ball Room) and Barnhurst Station where the train took you to Charing Cross and the West End and the Jazz Clubs. The Flamingo on Leicester Square was the one I frequented the most being just a few minutes from Charing Cross station. Jimmy Luck introduce me to Jazz at 15 years of age. Jimmy moved to Belmont Road with his Mum and Dad and Brother. His Dad was an Alderman for the Borough of Erith a Labour strong hold with Dobbs as MP although Thatcher gave Dobbs a good run when she first ran for MP. Margaret Roberts ( 24 years old ) was her name and she gave me a pat on the head at the Conservative HQ on Brook Street when I was about 11 and helping my Dad with the Election.
I still have a very good memory of being a kid and growing up in Northumberland Heath and I did have a great bunch of buddies who made it all happen really. Ive lost a few but then who hasn't but their still in my memories. Dennis Sent me a photo of 4 of the gang in Ethelbert Road and we were about 12 except for Derek who was really young. We were all wearing "Plimsoles" and it was not a fashion just the only choice for the summers.

Regards
Tony Messum