Wannock Avenue

A Memory of Willingdon.

My grandad, Joseph Woodgate, was the builder that built a lot of early Wannock Avenue's houses and bungalows. He built Wee Cott - one the first houses to be built which had a very large monkey puzzle tree in the garden, until the hurricane of 1986 and my dad was born there. I have pictures of Hazel Grove under construction and my dad, Ernest Hazel, was named after it. I also have pictures of semi detached houses in Wannock Avenue being built. I spent my summer holdays in Wee Cott with my nan, Freda Lavender, and remember every day going 'down the bottom' to get our dinner and to go to Holters, the sweet shop and also the bakers (which is now a take-away) to get a jam donut. I still live in Wannock Avenue and have lived in the area since 1981. I have recently bought a lovely postcard of the parade of shops with Phelps the drapers, Holters the sweet shop and Flowers's shop on the corner, but cannot identify or remember the shop next to flowers, which is now the chemist - does anybody remember? I feel very proud of my heritage and my connection with Lower Willingdon and feel lucky to live in such a nice area so close to the downs and all my memories. Wendy Baldock, wife of Philip.