Anyone Remember A Dance School And A Record Shop At The Pond End Of Brigstock Road?

A Memory of Thornton Heath.

I knew Thornton Heath very well, from the early 1950’s through to the end of the 1960’s. Shopping with my parents at Woolworths (opposite the clocktower) and then round the corner into the high street for the smaller shops. The children’s library next to the fire station in Brigstock Road and then across the road to Trumble Gardens. In my early teens I attended ballroom lessons at a dance school run by a Mr. Vyner Gomez at 157 Brigstock Road – did it have a name? This was in the early 1960’s when ‘The Twist’ was just becoming popular. At about the same time I remember a record shop at the bus garage end of Brigstock Road, near the Pond. It was run by a Mrs. Woodger – does anyone remember what the shop was called? I think it was still there in the 1970’s.

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Added 16 August 2017

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I wonder if you remember my dads bakers R A HICKS BAKERS AND CONFECTIONERS at the end of parchmore rd ? I used to work there from the age of 15 to get some pocket money, I do remember a dance school, was it for ballroom dancing.?

By valderie.simmons on Mon Aug 13th 2018, at 5:59 am

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I don't remember Hicks Bakers as my parents regularly used Coughlan's Bakers at the corner of Mayday Rd. and London Rd. I used to be sent to pick up a white split tin loaf, still warm in a paper bag, and nibble at the crust on the way home - delicious!
The dance school, run by Mr. Vyner Gomez on Brigstock Rd. was definitely for ballroom dancing, although we also had some free time for twisting (to a Chubby Checker 45rpm record, bought from the record shop at the corner of Brigstock Rd. and London Rd.). I managed to get as far as bronze medal standard (waltz and cha-cha-cha).

By d_harwood on Mon Aug 13th 2018, at 10:26 am

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