Happy Childhood In Selsdon.

A Memory of Selsdon.

My family moved to Selsdon in 1951. I was 4 years old. We lived in Selsdon Vale on our pig farm called Woodley. I went to Selsdon School. It was the happiest time of my life.
I so well remember the village as we called it and the Bird Sanctuary where I enjoyed walking the dogs and tobogganing in the snow. The rec was a bit far, but I did go there a few times - on my bike. I spent endless hours sitting under a tree in our orchard whilst reading Enid Blyton and climbing up the bales of straw in the barn where I could have been anywhere within my vast imagination.
I was also married in the Baptist Church in 1966.
My father sold the farm to a building company who purchased the whole of Selsdon Vale and erected the housing estate which now stands there.
I hold Woodley, Selsdon Vale as a very precious memory deep in my heart. I can still look at an aerial photo which I have, taken in the early sixties. I think this is my most precious possession :)

Pat Zettler (nee Willers)



Added 29 March 2019

#675272

Comments & Feedback

Hello Pat
I have only just read your post and I was fascinated because I can remember Selsdon vale before it became the Forestdale estate, from memory I think it was built by Wates, my mother and sister live there and I try to visit as regularly as possible.

I have many memories of Selsdon, mine too was a happy childhood.

Martin
Seldon Vale and Forestdale were two totally separate estates.
too grew up in Selsdon, we lived in Dulverton Road and my Nana lived at 195 Addington Road, I went to Selsdon school until I left at 15 years old and entered the Civil Service to train as a telephonist with a weekly wage of £3.00 ! I remember the bird sanctuary and Littleheath woods and the tiny little shop on Addington Road called 'Kings ' I think where we could buy sweets (coupons ? )
Just to add to my previous comment I was Jennifer Champion in those days
Pat, I don't remember you, but I do remember that pig farm. Those of us who lived at the other end of Selsdon Vale used to walk past it quite often.
Here's an old map, do you see where you lived?
https://maps.nls.uk/view/101436961#zoom=4&lat=4709&lon=3575&layers=BT

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