Norwood Green

A Memory of Southall.

I was born in Norwood Green in 1939. I also went to Clifton Road school. We were bombed regularly as the anti aircraft guns were in Osterly Park behind our house which was also opposite St Marys Church. Two Italian prisoners of war visited our house quite a lot and sat by the fire with me in their lap. I think they fancied my sister, we called one Calabria but I think that was the name of the area he came from - we always thought it was his name! They brought us home baked bread and once a live chicken for Christmas. My mother, Edna Lord-Castle, won a medal for being the best wartime village housewife.
She cared for the vicar's pigs and orchard gardens when he left, out to the quieter countryside.
My family were well known. My brothers, Arthur and Terry (rear bomber), used to enjoy their nights out in the Plough pub. Terry played football for the local team and now lives in a home on the south coast.
Mum went on to work at June's Gown Shop in The Green, Southall. After a few years she bought the freehold from Mr Smith, it was just two down from the Dominion Cinema. Next to her shop was Hawkins the grocers which had glass jars along the front full of biscuits, including one of broken biscuits. Every Saturday I used to go to the Saturday Morning Club to watch a serial and films (usually some space epic) after singing our song, "Happy boys and girls are we". Opposite mum's shop was the old manor house and park with a pond full of gold fish and a beautiful loganberry tree and rose gardens, then there was the hospital and I remember budgies nearby. Then the Library and up the hill to the station. Opposite the library road was the Gem cinema - locally known as the flea pit. Later I went to Western Road School, usually walking all the way from No.2 Verona Terrace Lane, Tentelow Lane so I could spend my bus money on sherbert dips or flying saucers.
When the war ended we were all waiting excited to see "the boys" come home when my sister came running in - "The Italians are singing" she shouted, "you must come and see". So we all ran out with the rest of the village and stood back as all the Italian prisoners of war stood around out on the Green waiting for transport back home. They stood under the elm trees in groups singing Mama Mia and Arevederci Roma. Their voices were full of emotion and tears ran down all our faces.
When I lived at Norwood Green I used to play in Osterley Park House, we swam in the lakes and the woodland around was full of bluebells. The big house was boarded up but the gardens were all mine, no one else about. I used to run home from school and squeeze through a broken fence and dream the house belonged to me.
At the top of Osterley Park Lane, the rectory house had a large paddock where Ron Brewer (The Donkey Man) kept his donkeys and two black Shetlands called Bill and Ben. I used to help him look after them.
Now I live in Devon.
Our house was pulled down to widen the road and mum and dad went to live in a flat on the Golf Links Estate, near three bridges. He worked at the Electricity Board opposite the old mental home.