Selsdon Parade Residential Flat
A Memory of Selsdon.
My family and my father's before that (surname Kent) lived in Selsdon (84 and 32 Foxearth Road, 170 Littleheath Road, and 24 Benhurst Gardens) spanning c. 1930 - 1989. But at one point (after my father's death), my mother, my eldest sister and her 2 children, and myself all found ourselves 'between permanent homes', and therefore were renting the flat above the shop that was 'Car Sounds' around 1982. The upper window on the far left of this photo was our lounge. During my childhood, I remember Tudor Library newsagents (on the right, further down) - above which the 'Moonies' once occupied a room, where they entrapped a junior school classmate for a few hours - and Buckinghams (a lovely old, dark wood Post Office and haberdashers, with rows of coloured wools and cotton reels - my Mum was a great knitter and seamstress - ribbons and stockings). Also, Nash's the greengrocers - they provided crates and crates of strawberries for my parents' June Silver Wedding anniversary celebrations. I think I can recall a small, old-fashioned Sainsbury grocery store where you were still served from behind a counter, before the bright modern David Greig store came to town. My parents were married at St John's The Divine, Upper Selsdon Road in 1943 and held their frugal wartime reception at the tearooms (to the right of the bridle path running down from Foxearth Road to the Addington Road shops) because they backed on to my grandparents' very long garden.
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It was just my Mum, Mrs Kent (and myself for a year) who lived at No. 24 from approx. 1982 - 1989. My siblings Denise and Russell were part of the original transition group to Riddlesdown school, as mentioned by another 'poster', Graham Harrison.
T. Kent
Being a little wary about divulging my full ID on this public platform - if you had an account we could have a more private conversation. I'm 54, so probably a year behind you. My form teachers were Mrs Carr (reception), Miss Grout, Mr Ivort and I was in Mr Worth's class for the final year and attribute my success in the 11+ exams to him, as he gave us books of logic problems to practise beforehand (which I loved doing - more like a game). Got to Archbishop Tenison's thanks to this lovely (if a little strange) man. Also remember the stern Mrs Uzzell who was scary and tore me off a strip when I broke a light in the upstairs corridor by throwing a netball indoors. And vaguely, Mr Younghusband.
'Paul Benson' sounds the most familiar name of your family - probably a year below me.
To T Kent, I know Mrs Uzzell was scary,( she was really nasty about my youngest brother), but she told a teacher off, who sent me to Miss Bjork for writing on the desk
I used be in the same class as Clare's sister Yvonne at Selsdon Primary (left 1968) and remember Mr Worth very well - great teacher who I recall used call you a "cabbage" if you made a silly mistake.
I had Mrs Ursell as teacher in the first year there which they used to call infants. She was a bit stern but ok, then we had Miss Dickson who was young and probably straight out of training college - she was a cow and upset almost all the kids - don't think she lasted long. Mrs Carr was nice. I can remember getting first kiss from a girl while standing outside Miss Bjorks office! I also remember the old metal canteen which subsequently burned down I think and collecting caterpillars from the nettles In the field. I live in Sussex now but still drive through Selsdon from time to time. I remember the old style Sainsburys with food displayed on marble counters. There used to be Hacketts sweet shop where you could buy penny chews, Sandy's fish and chip shop which used to sell bottles of Corona fizzy pop, and Monty's the real bakers next to Tudor Library.
I was told, many years later, the identity of the school canteen arsonist but am sworn to secrecy, of course! I too live in Sussex now but still pass through Selsdon occasionally. Inevitably, sadly, the shops have lost their village-y, friendly feel now. I remember Hacketts - I used to have sixpence to spend on sweeties each Saturday and it was always a dilemma as to whether or not to blow thrupence on a jamboree bag because you never knew whether the toy inside would be worth it. Did you have younger siblings I might have known? Surname?