Happy Days

A Memory of Forest Hill.

I lived in Perysteeete, Perry Vale from 1950 until I was 20 years old. Our Primary school(, Christ Church . C of E) was opposite our flats, and it only took seconds to get into school...just before the whistle went!
Memories of the celebrations of the Coronation includes a party held in the Foresters Arms,where our dad sometimes played the piano, and all the residents paraded around the block...,including a father, dressed in a large "nappy" , sucking a dummy and being pushed in a pram.
Bonfire nights were always fun with all the dads tending the fire and letting off fireworks..and the guy, having done its duty in collecting pennies , sitting in a pushchair under the subway,was ceremoniously thrown on the fire.
Taking my younger brother to the Capital cinema on Saturday mornings was always a treat ...although we could only go in the 6d. Seats...
When I was married in 1971, I went to the hairdressers next to the cinema..not sure how long it was there.
The British Restaurant was a favourite place to look into..,never went in!... , but Smiths was a place I was in every week, as I did a paper round from there on Sundays.
I also remember a toy shop at the top of London Road, where I bought small accessories for my brother's train set. I'm sure this was next door to a shop selling ground coffee..,they had the machine inthe window as I recall.
Walking to my secondary school, Sydenham Comprehensive, I passed many great shops...none better than the bakers were we could get a penny stale bun for break time, and passed the library were I had been a "junior librarian" for a time, Also passing the swimming baths where the indomitable Mrs Smith taught my brother and me how to swim, and where I fell into the pool..,fully clothed whilst trying to get across the plank at the end of the pool to hurry my brother up as we were late getting out of the pool, I ran home, soaked to the skin and my gaberdine Mac weighing a ton!
I could go on, but won't. Happy memories. Must go back someday

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