Nostalgic memories of Coulsdon's local history
Share your own memories of Coulsdon and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 18 in total
Born in Purley Hospital in 1947, we lived in Bramley Avenue for the first 2 years of my life, but of course I have no memories of that. We then moved to 30 Grove Wood Hill, which is off Woodcote Grove Road. I had a couple of good friends in the road, One called Julius Caesar believe it or not, and another whose name I can't recall but he collected birds eggs, now illegal. Beside our house there ...see more
I spent many a happy year here before enlisting in the RAF (National Service) then in 1953 off to Canada and have been there ever since! Now a proud Canadian!
Michael Edwards.
I worked at KLM and left there 1970 as I immigrated to Canada.l remember dick Lyles he was manager, Fred hurry was shop foreman. I also remember Larry Wooley,Mick Wragg.peter beeson.sgeve pengelly was my apprentice,Mick Wragg and myself also share 24hr AA RAC breakdown and accident calls.we lived in houses on Brighton Rd adjacent to the garage. I really enjoyed working there, a good bunch of guys
In September 1940 I lived in Meadway and witnessed a Hurricane fighter crash in the Purley Boys Grammar School playing field. The pilot, an Ace pilot of the Battle of Britain was known as Caesar and he died that day and I went up to view the site. At the time I was attending the Purley Girls Grammar School. We moved to Coulsdon in 1938 and I was a patrol leader in the Coulsdon ...see more
I lived in Coulsdon from 1955 first in Woodcote Grove Road opposite Smitham school which I attended from 1958-1963. I remember the shops vividly from the United Dairies to Sainbury's with the wall tiles and the cheese cutter and butter pats. I went to school with Barbara Busby, Gillian Honey and Jane Salter and the favourite playground activity was swapping scraps - does anyone remember them!
I left Smitham ...see more
I lived over the Laundrette 1958 to 1968 where my mother was the manageress. I worked at KLM Motors from 1960 to 1966 and worked with Mike Doble while he was repairing car bodywork until he started his own business. Happy days.
In 2011 Croydon Council stopped maintain the bowling green. Since then volunteer local residents , The Friends of Marlpit Lane Bowling Green (see our website), have restored, maintained and managed the green for public use. It is not a club - anyone can come and play. More volunteers are needed to help in this community work to keep the bowling and putting greens available for local ...see more
My friend Catherine Payne (Chapple) & myself Jennie Brooker (Jennifer Booth) are the 2 figures in front of the Seeboard shop in this picture. We think we are going to school but not sure but I can remember many times crossing the road here and my teenage evenings were spent in the town at the Wimpy or buying chips at the chipshop or at Marlpit Lane Rec. We often used to gather outside Woolies!
I live in ...see more
I passed the eleven plus when I was 10 in 1947. I had to go for an interview with Miss Simpson who put terror into my heart.
I started in Three upper x there was Three Upper Alpha and Three Upper A as well.
I remember Miss Croft, our form mistress in the second year, with plaits wrapped round her ears and of course Mrs Harris, geography teacher who told us all about her engagement ring that she chose in ...see more
As others have said, the open fields, Farthing Downs. I lived in Bradmore Way, Old Coulsdon in the 50s, there was so much open unbuilt ground on the lower part of the road and behind our house in Meadway which was full of wild life. Every summer day was an adventure. I would go out after breakfast and not return until tea time. I was part or the 17th Purley Cub and Scout group, the wide games that we had in these open ...see more