Come For A Stroll Back In Time Through South Hackney

A Memory of South Hackney.

Hi Guys , I recently wrote on this site about the childhood memories I have of South Hackney, apparently it triggered quite a lot of interest on Facebook by people who connected with my memories, a friend of mine posted a copy of my article on Facebook and bingo it took off. I would like people of my era from South Hackney to join this site and submit their own memories it may just end up going world wide , For my second article I would like to take you all on a trip starting at Well Street market and follow my memories of this guided tour , I walk from Bramshaw Rd into Kenton Road along Valentine and turn right at the end into the market , there was the cats meat shop facing me and the Palmerston Arms pub on the corner next door to the pub was my hairdressers where I would visit once a month for a short back and sides for about one and sixpence old money in those days , I remember Taylor's chinaware shop along there Pearks grocery where you would get 2d for your old jam jars and the other shop that comes to mind was Smith & Reid butchers where when Mr Reid marked my Nans ration book , his bottom lip would be covered in blue graphite where he licked the pencil, along a bit further was The Ashfords fruit and veg stalls , where the poorer old people could be seen picking up discarded cabbage leaves or old bits of veg and fruit to put to some use and save a few pennies , almost at the end of the market was a lovely flower shop called Eldridge's where everyone went for Weddings or Funerals bouquets , those were the days when curtains were drawn for a funeral and neighbours would stand and bow their heads as the funeral left the house. Anyway back to my walkabout , I now walk up Morning Lane , past Bergers Paint factory and the facing blocks of flats and turn right up Ponsford Street and turn left into Homerton high St up past the Metal Box Co and keep going until I see the Kings Hall swimming baths ,to the right there was a lovely art shop called Jason's and to the left of the Baths was a music shop that sold sheet music , guitars and brass instruments , there was also the joke,and magic trick shop that sold things like false fingers , magic hoops , wands ,and boxes of magic tricks, I stood and studied that shop for ages, now at the top of the narrow way was that iconic shop Spokes where you could stand in the doorway and watch the money canisters whizz backward and forwards across the store , now that was modern technology in its time.further down the Narrow Way was Lilley & Skinner shoes, John Colliers Tailors, Dolcis shoes , facing was Fish Bros Pawnbrokers , and Burtons , M&S across Amhurst Rd and there was Stones Electrical and Woolies , before long you would be outside the pride of Hackney ! The Empire , I remember being taken there to see Old Mother Riley when I was about six , she frightened the life out of me, I was terrified of old ladies in long black dresses for about the next ten years, now we are strolling along Mare St , past the Town Hall , with that beautiful library facing , there was also a massive post office in Paragon Rd , any way back along Mare St was a great bicycle shop,called Mc Calls , where I would stand and wish I had one of those lovely bikes with Dropped handlebars and 5 gear Sturmey Archer chain systems , we have now reached The Empress cinema, on the left hand side , if I remember , in those days at the Empress they changed the film twice a week , but they were mostly House of Hammer type films , that always starred Peter Cushing or war films that always starred Sam Kydd and Sidney Tafler or Harry Fowler, the next famous shop we come to is known by every female from the age of 15 to 85 and that shop was Marla,s it was on the junction of Mare St and Well St facing the Regal a beautiful ladies wear shop that specialised in wedding outfits , now we can stroll down Well St past what must have been the worst hotel in the Borough it was called Shuttlewoths , in all the time I lived in South Hackney I never saw anyone go in , or come out, do any of you boys remember Nat & Micheals hairdressers , if you had your hair cut here you were one of the lads , I only went there when I got a yearly bonus , and now I am nearly at the end of my walk , I have passed the Well St bus depot , ( Number 6 Hackney Wick to Kensall Rise) ( Number 30 Hackney Wick to Roehampton) I can now see my old infant school Orchard Rd , my first teacher was Mrs Fiory , Mr Williams , and the sports master was Mr Haize , my first ever girl friend was Pauline Wright who lived in Morning Lane we were about six , I'm sure all who read this remember their first love at school and wonder where they are now , a quick walk back along Cassland Rd and I am back home at Bramshaw , I hope you have enjoyed the walk with me back in time, Byeeee VB

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