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  1. Home
  2. Tulse Hill
  3. Memories
  4. Early Years

Early Years

A Memory of Tulse Hill.

We moved to Heywood House in 1947 and lived there for about 8 years before moving to a larger flat in Purser House.
All children went to Brockwell Primary/Junior School where Miss Brown ruled the little ones and the wonderful Mr Sibley was head of the junior school.
I can remember the open trucks coming on the first day of the summer holidays to collect whole families to go Hop picking in Kent. I always wanted to go because it looked exciting loading everything but the kitchen sink in the back but we never did. Around the corner from Heywood House there was a huge Mulberry Tree - funny what pops up when you start remembering. I remember being stuck in the lift in Purser House and still have a fear of them 50 years later.
Many of the residents had been moved there after bombings or after wartime redevelopment etc;, and there was a definite friends/ family atmosphere - borrowing a cup of sugar or milk was common place.
As kids we played Knock down Ginger, Canon, Tag and literally ran wild until a parent would call out names of their children and we would gradually go indoors. We had full run of the area because there were no or very few car owners, but there were bicycle sheds that got climbed on at every opportunity. Very few had television until after 1953 and even then it as rare. There was a daily delivery of milk and bread - the baker carrying the loaves in a huge rectangular basket. We played in the 'square' or our parents took us to Brockwell Park - the Walled Garden, the Bowling Green , the big pond(we were told a bomb had dropped in this and it was bottomless ! !) My first 'Saturday job' was clearing tables and washing up in the café in the big house. This all came to an end in 1960 when Grandma died and we moved out of London to her house.

Added 22 May 2014

#308636

Comments & Feedback

Also went to Brockwell Infant and Primary. Lived in Greenleaf Close and also played in our square, all the same games. My favourite was cannon and tin can copper. When Brockwell Primary was officially opened, I was chosen to present a bouquet of flowers to a well known person's wife. The lady couldn't make it, so it had to be a buttonhole to the gentleman (wish I could recall his name). I remember being very nervous and my teacher Miss Packer (later to become Mrs White) sat with me and gave me the nudge when to go on to the stage. Yes, Mr Sibley was a wonderful head teacher - remember the red book, green book and golden book on a Friday morning.
By laureenminors on Fri Jun 3rd 2016, at 12:23 am
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I moved to Purser House 1959 when I was 3 no41 only lived there for 10 years but had great times football in the playground bulldog on the green behind the flats playing dare to jump off the sheds and swings bonfire night standing on the fire mans hoses so they could not put out the bonfire tormenting the old caretaker
By mickj1 on Sun Aug 13th 2017, at 11:22 am
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I went to Brockwell Primary School when it first opened. I lived in Elm Park and used to walk down Leander Road, through the Purser House estate in order to get to school. I can not remember the names of any of the teachers or head in the infants classes. I do remember Mr Sibley, the head master, of the junior school. Such a nice, understanding man. He often brought his wife and children in to introduce them to the children in every class. He was very interested in astronomy and I can remember him coming in to my class once a week to tell us which constellation to look out for in the night sky on certain days. I used to find this subject fascinating and would religiously go out into the back yard and look up into the night sky to find the constellations. My favourite teacher was Mr Cooper. He too was a very understanding person and an excellent teacher. He was often on playground duty and would always join in with the children playing cricket and football in the playground. When it snowed he would be there with us making a long slide and if anyone attempted to get on 'his' slide with wellingtons on then he would shout at them to get off and not ruin his slide. He always used to take the boys to Brockwell Park for their football and cricket practice. I remember when someone did well with their work he always praised them up and at the same time used to give your cheek a little gentle pinch and shake. Brockwell Primary was the best school I ever and my happiest memories were at this school. Such a sad day when I had to leave at the age of eleven and go to Dick Sheppard Comprehensive, an all girls school next door to Brockwell Park.
By Jacqueline Hall on Sat Jul 21st 2018, at 8:12 pm
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I too attended Brockwell Park, we lived on Leander Road and had to walk through the Purser House estate. My teacher was Mr Pippard, by far the best teacher I ever had. And Mr Sibley was the headmaster. We moved to Mill Hill in 1956 and I lost contact with all my friends at Brockwell
By lesley.singer on Mon Mar 25th 2019, at 4:35 pm
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I remember Mr Pippard. He was ex RAF I believe and a cricketer who knew the Bedser twins(England cricketers). I also remember Mrs Ballard, a Miss Sampson and Mr Cooper
By Mo Henderson on Mon Mar 25th 2019, at 7:54 pm
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I attended Brockwell park primary from 1957-1963. Have such fond memories. Mr first teacher was miss brown with mrs brown being the head of infants. Mr Sibley was head of junior school. Remember miss Sampson . Was only looking at pictures of the school play yesterday. Seem to remember big stage with drawing curtains and you could walk through behind the scenes must have been quite modern for its time. Would love to hear from any other pupils from this time I can recall quite a few names!
By grusso197 on Sat May 30th 2020, at 2:43 pm
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I went to a Brockwell Primary School when it first opened. Mr Sibley was our head teacher. The best head you could ask for. He had a great team of teachers too. Mr Taylor, Mr Cooper, Mrs Ballard, Miss Sampson, Mr Miles and Mr Pippard , who had one leg shorter than the other, due to a bad motorbike accident he had. I remember him telling us a story about calling a cripple names when he was young, then he ended up being a cripple. His lesson was, don’t make fun of anyone less fortunate than yourself as you don’t know what will happen in your life. My teachers were Mr Cooper and Mr Taylor who helped me a lot as I had a problem with reading. The only teacher nobody liked was Mr Miles, who would hit you across your fingers, with the side of a ruler, as a punishment. Everyone was scared of him. I loved that school and I was very happy there, the happiest time of my school life. thanks to Mr Sibley and his dedicated staff.
My best friend was Pamela Edwards, who lived in Apache road at the back of the school.
I also remember that big Mulberry tree, I used to climb it and play in that square as I had friends in the flats there. I lived in Elm Park opposite the bakers and used to walk down Leander road and through the flats to school and the park. I used to visit the park a lot through my childhood. Spent my summers in the Lido, played in the cricket nets. Watched the bowling on the bowling green, played in the swing park. Many a happy hour spent in a Rockwell park.
By Patricia Darby on Thu Mar 18th 2021, at 8:09 pm
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I went to Brockwell Primary School 1960 Mr Sibley was a great headmaster. Miss Sampson was not so nice she gave me the ruler for copying. I sat with a girl called Barbara Randell and Miss Sampson asked us to write our name, I felt very happy as Barbara had the same name as me, however not her surname, Mis Sampson called me out to the front of the class told me to hold my hand out, I thought she was going to give me a sweet, how naive was I !! six of the best for copying, I was only 5. I also went into Mr Miles class but found him very nice. I wonder what happened to my childhood friends Maria Mc namara and Blossom Robinson Happy days.
By Barbara Brissenden on Mon Mar 7th 2022, at 6:44 pm
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I went to Brockwell Junior school from 1969 to 1973 I used to live in Lansdell House. I had Mr Miles & Mr Charlton as teachers both of who used to cane me on a regular basis along with Miss Sampson who used to hit me across the knuckles with the ruler.

Mr Sibley was the headmaster and he was the nicest person you could wish to meet he used to call me the footballer & Karen Penfold who used to sit next to me he used to call her smiler .

My friends at the school were Michael Wallace, Karen Penfold, Stephen Brady, Alton Brown, Brian Boucher.

I remember we had a five a side football team which I was in and I remember us winning a tournament.

I left in 1973 and went to Kennington school which I didn’t like at all.
By Anthony Yates on Fri Feb 21st 2025, at 5:25 pm
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