Seaford Rd In The 50s And 60s

A Memory of Tottenham.

I was born in 15 Seaford rd. in 1954. Tottenham then was like a village where everyone knew everyone else.
I can clearly remember rag and bone men with their horse and carts, ringing their bells yelling "old rags and lumber".
Every town had a 'mad frank' and we were no different. He used to walk up Seaford Road Twitching and talking to himself. Poor soul. Casualty of WW2 no doubt.
I first went to Seven Sisters School, I suppose in '59. As it was only less than a minutes walk from home there was no problem going alone. Different times!
After Seven Sisters School, I went onto Downhills Comp. On the odd occasion we used to walk to the annexe at Tottenham Green. Although I did not do very well academically, I did like Downhills. We had 2 motorbikes in one of the school sheds and we used to try to get them going. We did succeed in starting them and rode around the playground. Could you imagine doing that now! I can recall one was a BSA Bantam, the other an Arial. Anyone else remember these?
I had a good friend, Peter, who lived in Ida Road flats. Also Bob who lived in the same building. These flats are long gone now. There were garages adjacent to the flats where we used to hang around, getting up to mischief and climbing over the fence onto the railway line to play chicken with the trains. We also used to see who could put their head closest to the railway line when a train was passing! Nuts, Eh?
Downhills Park and the rec were just the greatest outdoor spaces for kids to lark around in. We would play football all day, climb the trees to upset the parky.
Walking along West Green Road, I would be saying hello to most people, as I have said, Tottenham was a village so our family knew most other families.
Bobby Keetch, a professional footballer, lived across the road to us and drove a Lotus which my brother Alan and I would wash on the odd occasion for a dollar each.
Living there was all sunshine and roses though. I can clearly recall many disabled men, casualties of war, clanking around on metal legs, or using three wheel bikes powered by their arms. There were also many little blue three wheeler cars for the disabled buzzing around. Good for mobility but very flimsy. I saw one get clouted by a tipper lorry near Wards Corner. Not a pretty sight for a youngster.
All in all though, a good place to be brought up in. Wouldn't want to live there now though.
Now living in a village in Kent. Still support Spurs!!
If this tale seems a bit disjointed, Its that random memories were coming to me while writing.
Does anyone remember Susan Francis of St Ann's Road? I was smitten and used to walk with her on the way home often.

John Martin