Greenford Sixties And Seventies

A Memory of Greenford.

I was born in 1958 in the Perivale Maternity hospital off the Western Avenue. I lived for my first few years in Goring Way and then Queens Avenue until leaving the area in 1973.

Memories etched on my mind: Northolt aerodrome, my father was an avid plane enthusiast. The 92 bus running between Southall and Wembley in the days of the old RT doubledeckers. Bennetts model shop in Ruislip Road - where I bought all my Airfix kits. The parade of shops in Greenford Park, in those days people seemed to know each other more; I remember Mr Tantrum in the Post Office, Mr Bent in the sweet shop and Mr Lane in the hardware shop. The old covered Greenford market. Playing by the River Brent and in the Bunny Park. Being allowed to travel alone on the 105 to see granddad in East Acton. Travelling on the tube to other family in the East End. The push and pull to Ealing Broadway and mainline trains passing through the old GWR station and the tunnel from the tube station. Seeing bus chassis from AEC in the Greenford Road on their way to Park Royal vehicles. The rag and bone man with his horse and cart, dust men emptying bins direct into the trucks and the arrival of the first 'crusher' trucks. Going to meet dad at work in the Garner's bakery in Oldfield Lane, no H & S problems then! The Greenford Park Residents association hall and helping mum at the Townswomens Guild jumble sales. On a sadder note we lived under the Heathrow flight path and remember seeing BOAC 707 Whiskey Echo on fire returning to Heathrow.
I went to school at Stanhope primary and junior. I can't remember many of the teacher's names but Miss Avery and Mr Bishop stick out. I eventually ended up at Acton County before moving away. This involved travelling on the 92 and then the tube from Sudbury Hill to Acton Town. Play was simple, we seemed to spend most of our time aggravating the parky in the rec. between Oldfield Lane and Greenford Road or getting chased out of Greenford Cemetery, sad really as they were only doing their job.

Our house in Queens Avenue was one of those typical three bedroom 1930s houses with a reasonable garden. Our neighbours were the Murphy's from Ireland and the Kapinski's from Poland. Everyone was very friendly and it was a happy life.