Croydon, North End 1896

Photo ref: 38651

I grew up in Purley. Worked in a retail store in Croydon. Remember the roasting coffee smell ?. Went to caterham secondary, then to Purley County Grammar School. A girl I liked was Gillian Mary Leach. 58 Riddlesdown Road. Learnt to dance with her, and would go to the Orchid Ballroom in Purley. After 2 years Parachute regiment TA , joined Met. Police then emigrated to Rhodesia, then to South Africa. Peter Hunt

My first time visiting this site and a message from "Simon" prompted me to add a message. I too remember with fond memories the old Parish Church Infants School. I remember my first day to Facing the church was a pathway on the left leading to the school. I walked with my mum down the flagstone path (some were inscribed gravestones which I tried to skip over). The school gate had a brick archway to it leading into the ...see more

Around 1959 I appeared on the stage of the Davis as part of a group of Lifeboys a junior group of the Baptist church in Selsdon's organisation The Boys Brigade. It must have been a Christmas Revue as it was called Alladin Blue or perhaps billed as the title. For people unfamiliar with this organisation it was the first chidrens organisation that was formed before The Scouts. I started as an Anchor Boy equivalent to the ...see more

I spent spent six weeks there with Scarlet fever. Dinner always seemed to be greens, potatoes and mince , which I still love . The footsteps of the nurses along the wooden outside corridors meant those big injections were on the way. I was six years old at the time .. this would have been in 1957. I shared a ward with a girl from Kings Lynn, we were about the same age, her jokes and laughter as well as the amazing stories she used to regale me with kept me going.