Some Of My Boyhood Memories Of Three Bridges

A Memory of Crawley.

I lived in New Street, and my boyhood friends were Richard Freakes, John Denman, Michael and Graham Goring, Jeff and Billy Kowatch and Alfie Manzoli. Amongst many others, we used to play in the woods opposite Alfie's house and up on the hawth and where there was a huge bomb crater we used to ride our bikes. I was a paper boy for Dacks newsagent then later for Stones when the Daks retired. We used to buy fireworks from Barkers and penny lollies from Ushers. I can remember Three Bridges football club playing by the side of the river Mole. I remember Wilkinsons hardware shop which sold everything, and I always coveted the Indian canoe hanging at the back of the shop. Halls fish and chips were delicious, they always used hard fat in the fryer. Banks shop with the two steps up to the door. Kennards, where my mum used to shop next to Walders the fruit and veg shop. One of my golfing colleagues, Bob Hazelwood's dad, had Hazelwoods radio and television shop. Many many memories of a very small community at that time