Oh For Thing Past.

A Memory of St Paul's Cray.

I was born in 1941 in St Augustine's Rd at the top of Chalk Pit Ave. The memory I have are, the Bull Inn at the corner of Sandy Lane next to Nashes Paper Mills. Ridge ways ? the all one shop, {things past}. Doing paper rounds for Nicholson's to get a few bob to buy a bike. I went too to the tin hut school as well. The cold walk across the rec on a blowy winters day. Runny nose, cold feet, but a nice warm stove going in the class room. Then on to Hearns Rise school where it was proved I was thick as a brick!!!! All I wanted do, was go up to the Clump and climb trees, until I fell out and done my nose in. When I left school, I went to work in London. Got fed up with the Rat Race up there and went into the Army. Best thing I done. Thay gave me an eduction and turned a mouse into a man. Done 9 years and went all over the world. Came out in 1969 and went to work as a stores man for an industrial supply's co at 5 Ways, New Eltam.
After 1 year I got the job as stores manger at the Croydon branch. I then got the chance to move to Southampton as full branch manger. Very quickly moved a wedding date forward so I could move down with Pauline my new partner in life. Where we lived and had 2 girls. After 15 years of busting my backside off, a change of direction, we purchased a small shop in Torquay where we still live. Got to 65 hung my boots up, closed the shop. We now have time to travel all over England, Wales, Scotland and do the things we could not do when we had the shop. The last time I was up in the St Pauls Cray area was 20 odd years ago, and by the looks of it, what have thay done to it ??? So end the 1st bit.. To all old St Pauls Cray {WHAT DO WE CALL OURSELFS ??} good bye from me and good bye him...