Growing Up In Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions

A Memory of Fulham.

I was brought up in Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions where disabled soldiers were sent to live; there was a clinic there for their wounds to be dressed. We were the Maxwell family. There was a group of children we all had something in common - our Dads, who I have to say could be very strict and difficult at times. The one game we played constantly was 'One, two, three and a dot' which consisted on one child hiding their eyes and the other hiding and trying to reach the drain hole shouting 'One, Two, three and a dot' without being caught to win. The children I played with were among others; the Cranes, Bernard, Raymond, and I think two others that I can't remember their names. The Hodders, Wilfred, Maureen, Vivien and again I can't remember the others. Maureen died of leukaemia at 18 which was so sad. The Welshes (I think three brothers), The Pitmans; Arthur, John and Jean. My lovely mum lived in the flats up until 2005 when she had to go to a nursing home and passed away aged 96. We used to go to the Red Hall on Saturday mornings and come home and re-enact the film that we had seen. We were always told by our parents that if the Porter reported us to the office for misbehaving or making a noise three times, we would be thrown out of the flats. As you can imagine it put the fear of God in us! I remember our treat was to go to the Pie and Mash shop in Jerdan Place for 1 shilling for our dinner, I still like Pie and Mash.
November 5th, our Mum and Dad would take us over to the Eelbrook Common with our fireworks and my brother and I would put bangers under our Dad's wheelchair! We thought it funny at the time. My brother Harry and I went to Harwood Road School 1953-1958 where I was bullied mercilessly. I then went to Hurlingham School 1958-1963 which I enjoyed. I have not seen or heard from any of the Oswald Stoll children since we grew up. Sadly, I lost my brother Harry to cancer when he was 45, leaving three children. I have two children and two grandchildren who I am immensely proud of. I'm still living in Fulham and probably always will. It would be nice to hear from childhood friends and school friends including Linda Morrell, Maureen LeBeau, Pat Mayne and Lindsay Douglas from Hurlingham. I married John Carroll in 1967, most of his family lived in Slaidburne Street, Chelsea, the Longs and Stantons are his relatives. I have been trying to trace my bridesmaid Christine Harris, as she was then, but with no luck. All the children from the flats used to go to Arnolds the sweetshop in Fulham Road, he had a dog called Whiskey who used to come to our flat on his own and then had to be collected by Mr Arnold. Mr Arnold's son was called Colin. When I was 14 I got a Saturday job in the Sunlight laundry next to the Fulham Town Hall.
I also went to Holman Hunt youth club and to Zeeters, the night club in Putney, when I was a teenager. I think Fulham has changed but not for the better. I love looking at the old photos and walking down memory lane.