Memories of Battersea before the flats
JW 06/02/04:
I was born in Battersea (Millgrove Street) in 1945 and well remember Blondel Street. It was a longish road running towards Culvert Road and I recall there was a bakers on the south corner of the junction between those two roads (Bloomfields?). Culvert Road had quite a few shops. Franks the greegrocers, a fish and chip shop, an off-licence, a delicatessen/grocer, a bagwash, two newsagents, a pet shop, two pubs, a bombsite on the corner of Culvert Road and Sheepcote Lane.
RM 08/02/04:
Although I must, as a small boy, often visited my grandfather's house in Blondel Street I have very few memories of the street. I do recall the house, crowded with furniture, the copper boiler in the back scullery, the tiny back yard still with a bomb shelter, the narrow front "garden" with the stubs of iron railings which were cut off during the war.
The front room was only used for "best", I recall an old upright piano and a plant on a stand (an aspidistra?) and there was a table and chairs, the chairs had polished wood backs of "balloon back" type; the only "easy" chairs were one or two cane chairs, dark with age. Under the plant pot and ornaments were "dollies" crocheted by my aunt. In the back room as a large table with a scrubbed wood top and draws under where the knives and forks were kept, I think there was a dresser and a large fireplace with a large mantelpiece above carrying various jars in which things were kept. A cloth hanging hung around the mantelpiece. The back kitchen had a gas cooker, china sink with wooden draining board and another large fireplace, there was aslo a larder where food was kept (this was before the days of refridgerators for all). All I recall of the back scullery is the copper, this was a large copper tub in a brick built surround and with a wooden lid, it was heated by a gas ring below (it was probably converted from an earlier coal fired copper) and was used to heat water for washing clothes and for bathing water. The back kitchen and scullery had what I recall thinking of as a stone floor but was probable concrete painted red with the same paint that people then painted their front doorstep. White sheets were boiled in the copper and then dried in a mangle. For bathing a galvanized iron bath was used in front of the fire in the back kitchen, hot water being carried in from the copper in the scullery. I cannot recall upstairs; I presume that there were two bedrooms in the main part of the house and another over the back kitchen and scullery. The toilet must have been in the back yard behind the scullery. The back wall of the yard must have backed onto the yards of Millgrove Street, but that was another world.
Another odd memory is visiting a sausage factory, I think near the corner of Blondel Street and Culvert Road run by a Mr. Bigwood, I may be wrong about the location and it may have been after the demolition of Blondel Street as I think Mr. Bigwood was a customer of my father's shop in Battersea Rise. From what I've heard my grandfather would have known the pubs you mentioned well.
JW 08/02/04:
Your grandfather's house sounds very much like ours in Millgrove Street. It also had the cut-off railings at the front. There was a passage inside the front door. First on the right was the sitting room - only used for visitors. Then there was a living room, followed by a kitchen and a scullery. Outside in the yard was a bomb shelter and a toilet. Half way up the stairs was a door opening onto a "flat" which was a flat area sitting on top of the scullery and toilet. Then the stairs made a 180 degree turn and continued to the "landing" where we had a "copper" (gas powered boiling apparatus for washing clothes) and a mangle. The copper was certainly made of copper inside though the outside was enamelled steel - blue/white fleck as far as I can recall. There were three bedrooms, I think.
In Millgrove Street we had a couple of debris (always used to think it was "debbry"!) - bombed out houses. At the top end of Millgrove Street there was a woodyard in Orkney Street which ran left to Blondel Street and right to Battersea Park Road. I remember rumours of a burglar called locally "flannelfoot", who was supposed to hang around in the woodyard.
We lived at number 22 Millgrove till about 1953/4 when we got a council flat in Reform Street. My grandmother continued to live there for a couple more years till it was pulled down to make way for flats. She moved to Surrey Lane, Battersea. The bakers on the corner of Blondel and Culvert used to sell miniature Hovis loaves for a penny each - always a pleasant treat. I think the sausage factory was in Carpenter Street which ran parallel to Blondel Street. It was near Culvert Street.
JG 18/11/04:
The bakers was called Gilfords and they had a machine to slice bread while you waited. I lived in Austin Road until I got married when I moved to Warriner Gardens. Battersea was very much a village where everybody knew one another, or were related.
RA 30/03/06
My name is Roger Adams and I have lived in Perth Western Australia since 1969. However, I was born in St. James Wandsworth in 1942 and lived in Atherton Street Battersea (Latchmere) from then until 1965.
During the late forties my Uncle Fred Magnus owned what was probably the most patronised fruit and veg shop in the area. It was located on the corner of Battersea Park Road and Inworth or Bullen St ?? and provided jobs for most of our family -my Mum Irene , Aunts Polly Magnus, Mary Phillips (nee Magnus) and Pat Wright ( nee Magnus). Pat also owned the cafe in Latchmere Road - corner of Shell Road on the left hand side travelling towards Lavender Hill and just before the long railway arch. The cafe was very well used by truckies etc for early morning breakfasts. Pat and her husband Reg also owned a little sweet shop halfway up Plough Road opposite my good friend Tim Schooling's Bakery.
Incidentally Pat and Mary both worked for awhile at Fryers dressmakers somewhere around Dagnall Street.
David Barry 2/5/2006:
Hello, my name is David Barry. I was born at No. 9 Duffield Street, next to the railway embankment, in 1947. As a boy I used to look from my window at night to see the great glow from the boiler furnaces when the steam locomotives 'parked' on the line on their way into or out of the station. There was an air-raid shelter in our back-yard, and we used to climb up it then over huge wooden pylons to get on the embankment. There, we would make our 'den' then do a quick vanishing act if any railway officials turned up. I recall how troops passing by on a train threw sticks of chewing gum and sweets to the kids on the embankment; I think these generous soldiers were Americans, probably enroute to a post-war base. There were quite a few houses in our row, and a smaller number facing us, but elsewhere, all around, were prefabs built on the rubble of the debris, which we called 'debree'. There was still a massive area of open land, all of which had been flattened by the German bombers aiming for the railway lines. Duffield Street ( now long gone, unfortunately) led into Stainforth Road, which always seemed a much tougher and more violent area. I used to walk there most days on my way to Latchmere Junior Mixed School, and remember seeing naked children playing in the dust. Sometimes, there would be the sound of a violent 'domestic' taking place or the sight of a full-blooded fist-fight on waste land between the houses. Close to the school was the site of the swimming baths where we would have fun splashing about in the 'penny bare-bums' section. My earliest memory is of hiding under the covers of my pram as mum pushed me down the road towards the market near Arding and Hobbs. On the way we would pass under the long railway bridge which seemed so shadowy and mysterious, especially on hearing the massive metalic rumble of the trains passing overhead. So, with the hood up on my pram, I sought refuge from this strange world. Much later, I would go with my pals to a storage yard just pass the bridge and play by sliding down the steep earth slope on old sheets of corrugated iron. Quite often, we would go to Battersea Park and catch fish in the 'breeder' area while one of us kept a lookout for the 'parkie'. Sometimes we carried the fish home in jars or cans and put them in a metal bath in our yard, but we stopped doing that because the fish didn't like tapwater and always died. Later, we loved going to the fun fair at night. Because we were naughty boys, we would gather at the Rotor, a ride built like a huge drum. As it started to spin, the floor would drop away and the unfortunate customer 'victims' would be pinned to the walls by centrifugal force. Of course, the same force would cause the girls' dresses to ride up, to the delight of all the lads. As kids we would go to the cinema on Saturday mornings, to join all the other young 'Tooting Granadiers' at the big cinema at the top of the hill behind the station. Sometimes, there was a singing session on stage, and you got some sweets if it was your birthday (or you said it was your birthday!). As for the station itself, I can remember feelings of apprehension walking through the long pedestrian tunnels that led from the Approach to the exit below; there was something sinister about that route. On leaving that exit. I would walk pass the station warehouse units. One of these stored bananas and sometimes the men working there would throw us a banana or two. Although we were very young, sometimes we went to a corner shop on the way to buy a packet of five Weights for a quick smoke. I think we were aged about nine or ten at the time. As for the Station Approach itself, I recall an amusement arcade there with a large 'singing sailor' puppet in the entrance. It would rock about in its glass case, roaring with laughter. I can picture all this so vividly. Unfortunately, it's now part of 'another life'. We moved when I was eleven to Tooting and the old houses of Duffield Street were bulldozed to make way for new council property.
Ron Wilkins, 12 May 2006
I have just stumbled across this website and I am fascinated to read the memories of Battersea people – I was born in Benfield St. in 1950, the third son and fifth child of a brood which eventually numbered eight. My early memories of Battersea include going to the Schoolings bakery in Plough Road for daily bread, going to the Public baths across the road from the bakery every Saturday morning and playing on the bomb-sites on what is now the Winstanley Estate – a kid’s paradise. Many of my evenings and school holidays were spent in Battersea Park, usually playing football on the cinders or splashing about in the paddling pool beside them. I can clearly recall the Guinness clock in the gardens, and the Fun Fair where we went when we had some money – which was not very often. In the 1950’s we could play in the street outside our house with virtually no regard to road traffic – there was rarely a vehicle to be seen unless you went to the top of the road where it met York Road, almost opposite to Lombard Road at the traffic lights.
I have a vivid memory of standing on the bridge which crossed the railway tracks at Strathblaine Terrace, just along from the Granada at the top of St. John’s Hill, waiting for the steam trains to pull out of Clapham Junction. As they passed underneath, the whole bridge was enveloped in steam and noise from the huge engine – I have had a passion for steam engines ever since.
Another fond memory is of the “penny bare-bums” at Latchmere Baths – I cannot see that happening in this day and age. We would splash about and try to swim underwater from one side to the other, without being jumped upon by some other little monster. My elder sister would take me and my younger brother there, where she would meet her girlfriends and we could amuse ourselves until we were thrown out – it also saved on us having to bathe at home, which had no bathroom and only an outside toilet with no electric light behind the scullery. Bathing at home consisted of a zinc bath which hung outside the back-door, which was filled with hot water from the copper as there was no hot water tap in those houses, then used in turn eldest to youngest until the water was too dirty to use – I can still recall the smell of Lifebuoy soap from those long-ago days.
My Nan lived in the first turning off the Northcote Road, I cannot recall its name but if you walked to the top and round the corner you were back on Battersea Rise. Her house was filled with small tables loaded with nick-nacks, so we were very, very careful not to knock into things as she had a very thick walking stick with which to poke you. Her house always smelt of lavender polish, and I will not allow that to be used in my home today – funny how small things like that can stay with you for over fifty years.
My eldest brother worked at Garton’s Glucose, he used to help unload the sacks on the wharf. He was incredibly strong, as were all his mates who did that sort of work, and I recall sitting on the wharfside watching the River Thames flow past while I waited for him to finish work – we would then go up to Wandsworth Common and play football – I used to play in goal as they were too big for me otherwise. On Saturday afternoons we would either go to watch Chelsea or Fulham play, whichever was at home that week. My Dad was an ardent Fulham supporter and my brother a Chelsea fan – I must admit I follow the True Blue path, but still have a soft spot for the Cottagers.
I went to Falconbrook School, as did all my brothers and sisters who were born post-war, and have memories of teachers named Mr. Holland, Mrs. Allen and Mr.Shelswell in the Junior School. One abiding memory is of the dare to go up the stairs at one end until you reached the roof, on which was the girl’s playground, cross to the other stairs and descend – this brought you outside Mrs. Allen’s classroom. She was feared by everyone in the School, with good reason as in those days teachers were inclined to punish naughty children with more than a stern look. Boys and girls were segregated in the playground, the boys using the playground on the ground floor and the girls upstairs on the roof, probably because the girls were too rough for us to play with!
Writing this has brought back so many other memories of those times, and I have to say it was definitely a different world in those days – so much different my own children cannot grasp what it was really like to be a kid in the 1950’s
Iris Cole Morris, 23 May 2006
My name is Iris Cole Morris, reading your website brought back a lot of vivid memories to me, I am a senior citizen now, but remember Battersea so well, being born there. I remember swimming at Latchmere baths and later as a teen dancing there. My mother was born on Carpenter street, but I understand it later became Banbury street, we lived in so many houses, my fondest memories was living at 10 Stormont Road, and dancing at Stormont Road Hall, it was run by the Congregational church, which I know is no longer there. I visited England last in 1995. I went to Honeywell road senior girls, and left at the tender age of 14 and a half. I have lived in the States since 1946 but never have forgotten my roots.
RM 2006 - Belleville School in the 1950s – A few random memories
Of the Infants school I remember little. I must have started about 1952. My first year was in Miss Paterson’s class on the ground floor in the southeast corner of the building. Mrs. Sidebottom was headmistress at that time. We must have learned to reading and writing as well as some rudimentary arithmetic – I recall boards round a classroom with multiplication tables and with “..th” “..sh” “..ough” type word lists which were learnt by rote.
From 1954-59 I was in the Junior Boys School on the top floor, 1st year Miss Gibson’s class, 2nd year Mr. Davis’s, 3rd & 4th Mr. Clark’s. Most of the kids in the Junior School had come up from the Infants but there were some from the St. Mark’s Infants School in Battersea Rise.
Mr. Harris was headmaster of the Junior Boys School over this period and probably longer before and after. About 9.15am, after register, he would lead the assembly in the hall; this was a Church of England service and members of other religions (if my memory is correct these were Catholics and Jews – there was a much smaller ethnic mix locally in those days) were excused, I think Mr. Clark, himself a Catholic, brought them into the hall for announcements at the end of assembly. After assemble Mr. Harris disappeared into his room to do whatever headmasters do - little boys did not ask what. He may have had a secretary, I cannot be sure, but I guess he did have a lot of administrative work to do. Should a teacher be off sick he would take over the class. On one occasion, I'm not sure why but can only guess it was a national teacher's strike, he was saddled with the whole school to look after; he had us sat, cross legged, in the hall and related to us, without book or notes, the story of HG Well's "The Invisible Man", it was a memorable performance that kept us all enthralled. I can still remember the scene where the invisible man removes the bandages from around his head to reveal nothing underneath. Although we did not see much of Mr. Harris except at assembly I do not recall him as a remote figure, he seemed to know us all and seemed kindly, fair and sympathetic as well as authoritative, much more my ideal of a headmaster that anyone I saw in secondary school. Of course occasional pupils were sent to him for caning, or sometimes for praise; if I’ve ever seen him for the former reason I’ve managed to erase it from memory but I still have a “Certificate of Praise” signed by him for ”A good drawing of a Viking Long-Ship”.
Miss Gibson, I think, normally took a first year class transferring from the infants. I remember her for teaching us “italic” handwriting using scratchy pen nibs and inkwells (the ink for which was mixed from a powder and seemed to turn from blue to a sort of metallic brown after drying) or Osmiroid fountain pens (I blame this well meaning but misguided action for landing me with awful handwriting ever since) and for nature study lessons, which left me with little knowledge but some enthusiasm (which is far more important anyway).
I’ve not got any stories to tell of Mr. Davis, I just remember him as a teacher of the best sort and well-liked. Mr. Clark once hinted that Mr. Davis had had a nasty time during the war in the Far East.
Mr. Clark was again as a teacher of the best sort and much liked. He was a practicing Catholic and, without pushing any religion at us, seemed to display the best moral principles associated with Christianity. I think that, although I am an atheist, Mr. Clark is at least partly responsible for my current outlook on life; in retrospect perhaps Mr. Clark’s example was more important than his teaching.
Both Messrs. Davis and Clark held the respect of their classes naturally. Others made more use of the cane.
I must mention the school keeper, Mr. Harrington who lived in the lodge adjoining the Infant’s playground, a hero as the 1936 ABA Middleweight Champion. He had a tame blackbird, which he had rescued with a broken leg or wing; this bird had learnt to talk (sort of).
Any school day started in the playground below the school. At nine a brass hand bell would be rung and the kids would line up and climb the stone stairs to the Junior School on the top floor. The register would be called in the classrooms and I have already mentioned the assembly, which would be followed by lessons. About mid-morning milk would be taken and cod-liver oil capsules issued to those kids deemed to need them (many of these capsules ended up squashed under someone else’s deck lid). During cold spells in winter the milk would arrive frozen and the bottles would be placed along the tops of the cast iron radiators to thaw it. It was delivered in 1/3 pint glass bottles.
At 12.30 I would go home for lunch, or dinner as it was then called. In those days many mothers were at home and would feed their children there - probably most people now days do not realise how much work there was for a mother then – start thinking no dishwasher, no washing machine, no fridge meant shopping every day but no car and no supermarket meant walking from shop to shop, etc, etc. Many other children must have had school meals but I don’t remember what provisions there were at Belleville.
I cannot recall for sure if we had a morning break but in the afternoon had a playground break and would leave for home about 4pm.
Once a week we would have sports. Football at Clapham Common on the pitches or the ashes, we would walk there up Wakehurst Road in our heavy leather football boots with thick leather toecaps and nailed leather studs. In summer cricket was on Wandsworth Common.
Annual events would include the school play at Christmas, a nativity play with plenty of angels and shepherds. The school photographer came once a year; unfortunately he took individual photos and not the traditional class photographs which would be of more historic interest. The prize giving was at end of the school year and the governors would always “surprise” us by awarding a half days holiday afterwards.
During summer the last year would go on the school holiday to Shanklin on the Isle of Wight were we would sleep two to a bed in a guesthouse near the station. I think Mr. Harris must have organised the holiday, he also produced a little booklet with the programme, map of the island and other information – I regret that I did not keep this.
As I recall we visited the Needles, Alum Bay, Carisbrooke Castle, Bembridge Lifeboat Station, Brading Roman Villa, Quarr Abbey, St. Catherine’s Lighthouse, Blackgang Chine, walked over St. Boniface Down to Ventnor, went boating on the lake at Sandown, had a sports afternoon and more – were we only there for a week? On Sunday we went to a service at the Congregational Church in Shanklin, why this choice (now the United Reformed Church) I don’t know. I think most of the other kids were used to going on holiday, to B&Bs in Margate or Hastings or maybe Butlin’s, but my parents kept a shop and could not afford to close down for even a week, so the school holiday was quite an event for me.
A couple of times we all trooped off to Honeywell Road School who had a film projector, we saw “The Dam Busters” and Norman Wisdom’s “The Square Peg”.
At one time we had a guest teacher from Ceylon (Sri Lanka), I forget his name but it was something as unlikely Defoe’s Mr. Friday, in fact it might have been Mr. February. He was a very nice guy and once took us up to the Ceylon Tea Centre that was then in Lower Regent’s Street.
The school had no special teaching facilities other than blackboards, pull down canvas maps, and a radio for the BBC schools broadcasts. Also the posters for nature study produced by Shell Oil and some old pictures that might have hung there since the school was opened, I recall a print of Holman Hunt’s “The Light of the World”.
Toilets were in the playgrounds, down umpteen flights of stairs and than along to the bottom playground for the junior boys. Cloakrooms were on each floor and they got pretty steamy with rows of wet blue Macs on wet summer days.
Roy Evans July 2006:
Noting a few letters printed there is not many from the some say better end of Battersea. I lived in Winstead St and tales was said it was called Piano St. because nearly everyone owned a piano. Built approx 1870 as it just passed 100 years old when they had the audacity to pull them down. In the Parish of one of the best Churches in London and one of the oldest recorded pubs, i.e. The Swan this was the Swan Uppers first stop up River and was right next to St Mary's where J Turner would sit to paint Chelsea and The Thames I and many others in that vicinity went to Bolingbroke Jnr and then onto Surrey Lane (Latter William Blake ). Check out the School site you will find Surrey Lane was very famous for it's sporting prowess any shield that could be won in the country they won. Even down to Boxing they would have contests then with New York and Dublin in the Dublin match year approx 1951/2 out of the 10 bouts Surrey Lane had all ten boxers. In this period they made a film for B.B.C. Newsreel doing Gymnastics. On the boundaries of Winstead St you had the dreaded Police Station Hyde Lane and Battersea Bridge Rd and within 1/2 a mile some of the richest people in the land, The Boltons, D Fairbanks Jnr, Duke of Bedford, Beaufort St. I could carry on all day with some brilliant memories as Dickens would say Oh what happy times Pip.
From Jane Hoare (nee Dack)
My Nan Mary Violet Dack (nee Hearne) born 1917 used to live in Stainforth Road in Battersea - I believe in the prefabs. My father was Leonard Dack (Nobby) born 1948 and his brothers are Tommy born 1940 and Peter born 1944. When the prefabs were demolished she went to live in Blondel Street - 14 Barloch House..
Mary is now in Old Coulsdon Surrey after out living all her older brothers: Teddy, Victor Solly, Siddy, Peter (believe there were more - but I can't remember them).
I wonder if anyone remembers them?
From George Colliety October 2006
Hello! My name is George Colliety an old pupil of Battersea Central School. I notice that St. Mary's Parochial School, which was situated in what is now called Vicarage Crescent, does not seem to be in in your list of Battersea schools. This is the school I attended between 1927 and 1935 before transferring to Battersea Central in 1935. I stayed at B.C.S. until 1937 when I went to The Wandsworth Junior Technical College in Wandsworth High Street. I do not know the date at which the St. Mary's building was turned into private costly apartments as has happened to the old Battersea Central (William Blake) building. St. Mary's was just round the corner to Orville Road which, in 1930, was named as the most dangerous road in London.
Although I was still a pupil at Wandswoth Tech. in 1939 I was not evacuated and at that time was living just off Wandsworth Road, S.W.18.
I have very few memories of B.C.S., but through having made contact with Henry Withers we discovered that we were neighbours until 1939.
I did meet up with Mr. Ling and Dr. Raine in about 1972/3 when Dr. Raine was the head of a school in Wandsworth and met up with Dick Raine in about 1977/8.
Very best of luck to Hawkley 1939 and best wishes to all the old Battersea boys involved in the project.
From Ernie Race November 2006
Hi there, I was browsing your site and saw my old school Bolingbroke Walk, I am 67 years old and went to that school in the war years and it brought back memories, I remember clearly that Pigs where kept at the end of the playground and children used to be picked out to feed them with the dinner left overs in a bucket. My mother used to work at the school in those days so I started school young.as she took me. I moved from Battersea in 1964 to Bracknell.
I noticed your name Milsom and I wondered if you are or was related to a Pat Milsom that I used to know in the 50s [RM I am not related as far as I know], I remember she used to live somewhere up near East Hill Battersea and I think she was related to my brother in law William Balkwill now deceased who had a sister called Jean.
From Connie Hatch, November 2006
I lived at 15 Lindore Rd. when I was a little girl and went to Belleville Primary School where there was a 'magic lady', Miss Cox, as headmistress. She was a true pioneer of education for children in poor urban areas and she turned me around from being unable to read and write at the age of 9 years old to being one of the best readers in the school - all in six months. She made sure that I got the opportunity to sit for a scholarship, which I got and I spent six years at a boarding school in Cornwall, leaving with 5 GCE's.
I wonder if anyone else has reported the Great Road Tear-Up of Battersea Rise? I can't remember how old I was but 'they' decided to re-surface the whole of Battersea Rise. I got my old and trusted 'barrer' out and along with every kid for miles around spent 2 days collecting the wooden tar-treated bricks and carting them home. We didn't spend a penny on coal for the rest of the winter and I earned a whole shilling. Downside was, the bricks had little stones in them which flew out of the fire like bullets.
I wonder if any of the kids who, like me, used to take their barrers up to Clapham Junction railway station and filch the huge black, shiny lumps of coal off the railway lines are still around?
One was called Johnny Goddard. His Mother ran a vegetable stall in Northcote Road market
From Dennis Thomas, Dec 2006
Have only just found your Old Battersea Page [Famous Boys and Girls], Don Cockell was employed as a Blacksmith by H & C Davis & Co; Ltd at their No. 88 Clapham Park Road Works. I was an apprentice with that company [started August 1949], for a period of approx. 8 weeks I was placed with Don as a 'Gopher' and an occasional 'Striker'. As he - through necessity [having been married in 1946 at age 18 & that he worked broken time -time off for training etc.] he was working on piecework. I can tell you had to be a bit nifty in order to keep up with him. My wage at that time was One Guinea per week and on several occasions he would give me a few bob, I don't think that he told his wife [Linda?] about that! I hope that you will find this little bit of information of interest to you.
I have, for the past 34 years lived in South Wales [near Pontypridd], previous to that I lived in Clapham. I was, for a number of years a member of 'The Wellington Boys' Club' in Gideon Road [No. 21?], which was run by a Mr George Vibert - during the war it was a drop in centre for natives of the Channel Islands which he called 'Ma Cabine'. Mr Vibert was himself a native of Jersey. The then Duke of Wellington was a patron of the club and I believe that he also made some financial provision for the Boys Club - also Ma Cabine. I do hope that you find my contribution of interest. [RM I do!]
From Mrs E Shackleton, Dec 2006
Is there anybody who could give me any info on Chivalry Road,
Battersea, especially the home that was for unmarried mothers I
believe it was number 3 or 4? Also does anybody know any
info on 36 Sabine Road as my mum's mum was born their in
1872. Any info on these subjects would be of help to me or
if there are any photos in circulation, thanking you kindly.
From Sheila Vickers (nee Jones), Jan 2007
Hi, I have just come across this site and was most
interested to read all your memories of growing up in Battersea.
I also grew up in Battersea during the 1940's/1950's, we lived in
Ascalon Street which is at the Dogs Home Bridge end. I thought I
would give our end a mention as the other memories all seem to
be about Latchmere/Princes Head end. I went to St. Georges
Primary School in Thessaly Road and then to William Blake at the
Latchmere, which I understand has now been turned into luxury
apartments. I was at William Blake until it became an all boys
school which was probably about 1957, when I went to Balham &
Tooting College at Tooting Broadway. We did all the usual things,
swimming at Nine Elms Baths, Saturday morning pictures at the
Wandsworth Road Granada, spent many hours in Battersea Park,
remember well the Festival Gardens and going to the Fun Fair if
we had the money.
We left Ascalon Street when the houses were demolished and the family moved to Streatham to take up residence in a Council Maisonette. We had an indoor bathroom and hot running water - what a luxury. People I remember from that time are the Halseys, Davies, Wooller, Mays, Chorleys. My Nan Jessie Halsey lived in Battersea all of her life, her youth was spent at Nine Elms. Her parents were the landlords of a couple of pubs one called "The Dewdrop" and the other was "The Steam Packet" which was known as The Wedge. I had cousins who lived in the prefabs at Ethelburga Street, Latchmere so did spend a lot of time with them. I remember walking from Dogs Home Bridge to the Latchmere, used to walk along the road by the park where the mansions were - and still are. Hope some of this/names might jog some memories. I am now a grandmother to three (soon to be four), and live in Surrey.
From Janet Marment (nee Lebby), Jan 2007
Hello my name was Janet Lebby( are there any more Lebbys out
there I should like to hear from you). I was born in Chesney
Sreet, and went to Latchemere School, and Surrey Lane School
(later William Blake). I have some good memories of the street,
and the kids I grew up. Like going to the Super Palace (the local
bug hutch as it was called) and the Savoy Cinema, someone must
remember the Saturday mornings and the pie and mash shop in
Battersea High Street, we moved when I was about 13, to Rawson
Court (the posh flats as they were called then).
From Mick Hill , March 2007
Hello I’m Mick Hill, I was born in Tonbridge, Kent, and
moved to Battersea at a very young age, I always considered
myself a Londoner, and although I have been in Australia for over
30 years, still do. Dad was a Train Driver at Streatham Hill, and
we made the move for his job. I grew up in Patcham Terrace, which
was a street of 8 houses, directly opposite Battersea Park
Railway Station; all of the houses were railway houses, and we
lived beside the arches. I served an apprenticeship as an engine
Fitter/Turner with British Railways, at Nine Elms yard, I was
there for about 2 years then I was moved onto diesel and electric
trains, I finished my apprenticeship at Slade Green. My fondest
memories are of growing up in London in the 60’s, the dances
at the Streatham Locarno and the Lyceum, in the Strand. Saturday
at Stanford Bridge, when Chopper Harris was captain, Nine Elms
baths as a kid. Does anyone remember the explosion and fire at
Truckels yard in the early 60’s, we lived next door to the
yard and caught the full force of it, Talking about football, Ron
Tindall, lives in Perth, I used to see him occasionally. My
grandchildren can’t believe that I saw the Stones and The
Who for free.
From Ray Palser , March
2007
Hi, My name is Ray Palser and my association with Battersea is
through my Mum and Dad also my Grandfathers and
Grandmothers lived there and my Great Grandfather Mum lived
before marriage in Austin road Battersea number 39 and also at 34
also my two aunties and there family lived there to. My dad
llived in Linford street so did his father and grandfather and
grandfather before linford street lived in savona street, Ascalon
street and firstly in Sleaford street. If there are any people
who would like to discuss this letter I would love to talk to
them . My mother is still alive but sadly my father died
in 1999. Ray
From Ernie Brooker , April 2007
Hi Richard ; My name is Ernest Brooker please call me Ernie.
I was taken back by the messages as many of them brought back memories of the Battersea that I still remember vividly, but one in particular caught my eye was Roger Adams who now lives in Perth Western Australia who mentions a lot of names of people who are related to my mothers side of the family in fact the uncle Fred that was mentioned was my mothers youngest brother & of course my uncle.
I was born in August 1927 in 13 Barmore St. Battersea & we were bombed out of 18 Stainforth Rd, Battersea. I will be 80 in August & I have lived in Crawley West Sussex for over 50 years. I was 27 when I moved her.
I have a website which could be of interest to ex Battersea people as there are some rather interesting photos on the site......... [ed: the link is Ernie Brookers Website - put on your sunglasses!]
....... and from Ernie Brooker , April 2007
I was just reading Ron Wilkings memories of Battersea, he was born in Benfield St in the 1950's I was born in Barmore street in1927 , Benfield St backed onto our street & I wondered if any of the old names that I knew as a boy were still in residence in his days ie the Peacocks, Patersons, they were big families like most were in those days, I was a life savinig bath attendant in the penny bare bums a little before his time, also I would like to know when they actually demolished these streets, I would l would like to contact with Ronald & would be most grateful if you could arrange this for me, Best Regards Ernie
from Mike Harrison. Canada, June 2007
I was born at 39 Newcommon road in 1946, our backyard had a gate onto Darien road, my Grand father was George Watts and my Mothers name was Matilda Watts, her married name was Harrison. I would just like to say how nice it was for me to find your web, it has brightened my day. I am lost in a world of thought recalling my childhood and youth in good old Battersea. St Peters were we played many hours, Clapham Junction, steam trains and of course dancing from platform to platform, Battersea Park the Pleasure gardens and of the so vivid memories of our wonderful Fun Fair. Post war Battersea was a play ground and a very happy memory.
I love being an old Battersea Boy
From Dave Goode, June 2007
I was born in Latchmere house in 1948 and have an elder brother, John. We used to climb on the sheds that backed onto the railway lines which ran past the flats and make dens in the grass embankments or put halfpennies on the line for the train wheels to flatten them. boy did we run when someone shouted "Navvies" (the line workers) Kids from 4-10 yrs would scatter in all directions. My Dad would bring us home big ball bearings for us to make our scooters with bottle top numbers on the front, I can still remember the clickerty clack the wheels made on the old paving stones. I tell my kids about the "penny bare bums" but they dis -believe me saying I'm kidding! It couldn't happen now could it? I've got so many memories of a great childhood with no apparent worries, do we really think things have got better?
From Cliff Brett, June 2007
I looked for Bowleys Paints which was established in 1744 near Battersea Bridge next to Philip mills which employed mainly Battersea people and still used old methods to mix and grind powders to make paint. Unfortunately burnt down in the sixties then moved to mitcham where more modern machinery was used but not such good quality paint.
From John Carter, July 2007
Greetings from South Carolina in the US. I was a student at Shaftesbury Park in Battersea from 1949 until1955-ish. What a trip to see the picture on this website. Thanks. John
From Fred Willoughby, Trowbridge Wilts July 2007
I have just come across this wonderful website of my old birthplace. Reading the letters from other old residents left quite a lump in the throat. I will tend to give a brief history of the time I spent there. Born in 1933 at Kelmscot Road, off the Northcote, my parents moved three more times, Eland road, off Lavender Hill, Robertson Street, off Queenstown Road, and finally to Stanley Grove off Queenstown Road. My Schools were Bassnett Road, Holden Street, Tennyson Street, and Battersea County, Culvert Road. My most vivid memories of my younger years of course were of the War, this being something I will never forget, but also a lot of good memories of growing up with other kids. I have never forgotten my roots and will always tell other people where I came from. Hope this might help you in any way and if you need to know anything I might know of the area please ask.
From Gloria Sofflet, Dublin, August 2007
My name is Gloria Sofflet nee Long, I was born in 1949 and was brought up in Ravenet St that was once called Russell St. I went to Chessington primary school when it was next to the polly in Battersea Park Rd and then to Battersea County in Lockington Rd and Calvet Rd, my entire family lived in Battersea and had for a lot of years, my g.g.g. granddad was a German called Konrad Huck; he had a Bakery near the dogs home somewhere, and sadly my g. grandmother who lived in 53 Duffield St in 1903 committed suicide there., I had a happy childhood eldest of 6, and I didn’t visit Battersea funfair; I worked there for a man called Pat O’Neil. Now live in Dublin but I loved Battersea, my brother still lives there
From David Smith June 2007
I lived in Beaufoy Road 1945-1950 and Tyneham Close until 1954, I would love some photos.
From Bob Tillyer July 2007
I went to Belleville and was taught by Mr Davies and Ms Gibson in around 1964. Mr Harris was Headteacher. I lived in Leathwaite Road until 1979. Thanks for posting the pics
From John Turner, Sept 2007
Battersea area has so many memories for anyone
who lived there, particularly in the 40s and 50s, since we were
all in the same boat. Bombed buildings to play in battersea park
later on, pubs, the sunday beanos that pubs used to organize and
the kids would scramble for the coins that were tossed along the
road before the guys took off.
I lived in Bogner Street, off Thessaly Road.
There was the train turntable at the end of the street and
somtimes the train would burst through the wall into the street.
So many memories to recount and it would be great if all of the
Battersea pals could get together to reminice about the good old
days.
I went to Larkhall Lane school and then onto Clapham Secondary
School (Aristotle)
Thanks for listening
From Rachel Simpson Oct 2007
Although I have never lived in the London area
myself it was great to hear what life was like having just found
out that my family used to live on Sleaford Street.
I was wondering if anyone could remember or tell me anything
about the Royals? They lived at number 7 in the first
quarter of the 1900's. My great-grandparents Henry and Elizabeth
lived there with their three sons Ernest, Frank and James.
greetings to all battersea ites
ive just surfed in by chance , what a pleasent way to relive the
memories, my name is chris wild late of duffield street (
1945-1959 attended william blake sc i would like to make contact
with anybody remembering me or my family ,
cdwild@blueyonder.co.uk
From Fred Gray Nov 2007
My name is Frederick Gray. I was born in
Orville Road in 1937. My parents names were Polly and David Gray.
My father's nickname was Dodger. I had 3 brothers, Charlie, Joe
and George. I had 2 sisters, Jean and Margaret. Unfortunately the
only brother I have left is Joe and my sister Jean. Joe and his
family live in Dagenham, Essex and have done so for many years
whilst Jean is living in Taunton, Somerset.
I can remember a lot of things that other people have mentioned,
especially the 'penny bare bums'. swimming baths. Does anyone
remember the other swimming pools, called the threepenny joies
and the tanners plus the slipper baths.
I went to schools called, St Marys and Surrey Lane (changed to
William Blake).
I had an uncle and aunt who lived in Stanforth Road, Battersea
and my uncle's name was 'Uncle Harry Gray'.
Can anyone remember any of the 'Gray's' who lived in Battersea.
During the war we were bombed out whilst living at Orville Road
and were evacuated to Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. After the war we
moved to Totteridge Road, just off York Road, Battersea.
I left Battersea in the early 1960''s to Bedfordshire. I lived
there for over 40 years and have now retired to Dorset, where I
have been living for the past 6 years. I have one daughter and 2
grandchildren.
Would be interested to receive any emails from people who knew me
or perhaps some members of my family.
I have some vivid memories of Battersea although no photographs
unfortunately.
from Colin Clifford Solman Nov 2007
Found your site fascinating and it has certainly whetted my appetite for more old views of Battersea. I have lived in Hamburg, Germany now for many years, but I always come back to London to see the family once a year.
I was born (May 1950) and bred in Battersea, where I spent the first 20 years of my life in 19 Shuttleworth Road, SW11, with my mother and father (Betty Lilian and Clifford Percival Solman) and my grandparents (Lilian and Arthur Wills).
I went to a nursery on the rooftop of a building in Battersea Park Road, then Bolingbroke Primary (My first teacher was called Miss May, who I had a crush on at 5, my history teacher, Mr. Winkler, was fabulous) and after the 11 plus I went to Sir Walter St. Johns Grammar School (Sinjuns).
Our house (19 Shuttleworth) was one house but one from Trott St, where on the corner I used to play on what we termed a "bomb site" as a child, gleefully throwing pieces of asbestos on fires we had made when no one was looking! Opposite our house was Southlands, complete with the entrances for girls and boys (seperate), which I could see from the windows of our house. Behind Southlands was the library and the cordoned-off ruins of a railway station on Battersea High St. As kids, we used to sneak into the derelict buildings to play, where we found a great number of shells from incendiary bombs, thereby increasing our excitement. We were obviously friends of the caretaker couple (I have forgotten their names), because when my dear grandfather died in 1961, I couldn't bear to go as I was distraught, and so my sister Susan, then 3 years old and I spent the afternoon in their living room.
I used to work as a schoolboy on Wednesday afternoons at Buckley's the Chemist on the High Street and vividly remember Notariannis Ice Cream Parlour opposite, the stalls and the opening of an early supermarket. On the corner, there was an oval-shaped building which eventually housed a shop called Jonjax, if I remember rightly.
My parents married in St. Mary's on the Thames and I often went there to the small pebbly "beach", next to the Old Swan pub and the adjacent Smithy's. At the end of Shuttleworth Road stood the old Castle Inn, where my grandmother often sent me to see if I could find my grandfather, who invariably paid for rounds there and was hugely popular, as one can imagine.
Opposite our house diagonally, there were a row of shops, the corner one was a fish and chip shop, then a printers with blacked-out windows, then Berridges, the sweet shop, which I remember dearly. They had a stiff cardboard house in the window, which was an advertising gimmick for a sweet company and I wanted to have ot from an early age. The owners promised they would give it to me when the day came to close - a promise they kept several years later! Next to Berridges was a fruit & veg dealer and chimney-sweep (!) by the name of Hagen. Next door to that there were private houses, the first of which belonged to the Jones's, whose children were friends of mine.
Whenever possible, we children used to go to Battersea Park, either on the boating-lake, in the hideaways we found behind bushes (wooden buildings, all of them derelict) and of course the funfair, the zoo, the boating-lake and the tree-walk. I also remeber the Guinness Clock and the pools we used to swim in, surrounded by fountains. What a fabulous childhood, I am so grateful that I could experience it.
Colin
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Last Updated 10 March 2008