Discussion everything Bermondsey

Hi
I moved out in 1970

Hi. I've just joined so all this is very new to me. I was born in Alderminster Road and lived there until I was 21 when the GLC moved us out. I went to Alma School from 1954 then onto The Aylwin. I remember Mr Murphy, Mr Cresswell and Mrs Ledgington fro The Alma very well and also Miss Percy, Miss Morris, Mrs Ardity, Miss Pompa and Mrs Murtough from The Aylwin. Does anyone else remember these teachers? 

-kaybee

Hi kaybee!

I went to Aylwin in 1969 when I was 11 and I remember the headmistress Miss Percy but I don't remember any of the other's although Miss Morris sounds familiar!

Hi Kayb ee,

I lived in Fort Road and I went to Alma from 1951-1957 and then Aylwin from 1957-1962 and I remember all the teachers stated in both schools.  I also remember Mrs herdson the maths teacher and Mrs Blanchard the Italian teacher.  I had Mrs Sankey for French and Miss Vincent for music.  Miss Riley for science and Miss Drury for english.  I can't remember the name of the teacher we had for Latin or for Geography.

I loved my time at both schools but sadly Aylwin is notthe school we all came to love.  It is now an Academy and no longer called Aylwin

Does any body remember the Ice Cream palour in St Georges Road I think it was called Farrars? best Ice Cream ever used to go Sat morn pictures (ABC) then to the war musium up to see me nan and grandad, they give us the money for the Ice Cream luvely jubley

Hi,

I'm new to the forum,

LIved in the area from age 2 - 35.  Lived on Rotherhithe New Road, between Empress of India (I think) and Jacks (Greengrocers) and Dennys (Grocers) in an old shop unit, belonging to the firm my Dad worked for at the time who had a builders yard there, Szerelmey, which was opposite the Railway houses.  They knocked it down, we moved into the Bonamy whilst it was still a massive construction site, into Lenville Way, which seemed like a palace.  When they knocked that down, over to the new Bonamy and Bramcote Grove.  Only a year there and onto Sidcup and eventually now Whitchurch, in Hampshire.

Went to Galleywall School from Nursery through to going to St Saviours, then SE London Tech College.  I was a Saturday girl at Dolcis, at the top of East Street and remember the area very well.  I remember Saturday morning at The Astoria cinema, Southwark Park, the Lido, Grange Road Baths and especially some of the pubs.

Mum worked at Shuttleworths, Crosse and Blackwells, Edmundsons off the Old Kent Road.

I miss my home games at Millwall and was a regular visitor, taking my nephew to home games armed with a blanket and popcorn.

It is lovely to read about the area and other's memories.

Debs

Hi to the forum,

Born in Bermondsey in 1950, the eldest of four children born to Rose & John. All my family lived there my Grandfather and Grandmother ( May & John ) at 120 Amos estste ( Mays Cafe ) which was oposite a oil transport comapny ( Younghusband & Barns  ) my Father was a Stefevedore in Surrey docks as were most of my relations.
He left the docks in the early fiftys to become a lorry driver and then went on to become a Publican and licensee of The Queens Head 33 Paridise Street from around 1962 up to 1968. and then on to The New Portland Arms in Wandsworth up to 1972. Both my Father and Grandfather are in the documentry Walk Down Any Steet calling time in the usual manner for Publicans. Every night was party night for me imagine having your front room being a bar every night and you get the picture, sadly both my Father and Grandfather have passed on but great to see them in the documentry again after all these years.

Many happy memorys of Bermondsey and still a big chunk forever locked in my memory, great forum well done Bermondsey Boy.

John Miller   

i still trying to find any info on vine lane buildings ,   old tenement flats  lived there from 1946/1952  I think the mayor has his office on the ground were they stood ,  family name is  kelly

just watched the film  pool of london ,  boy did that bring back memories,   great shot of the bloke coming of the ship into tooley st   looking towards london bridge,  i used to play around there when i was 6 ,  when it was getting near guy Fawkes  i used to get my younger bro in the pram take him to the bottom of  steps that came from the station onto tooley st,   and catch all the workers as they came of the trains got a few bob as i remember ,GOT A PENNY FOR THE GUY

HI JOHN

I’ve been trying to remember the name of the café on Amos Estate for ages, and then up it pops. We used to stop there most afternoons on our way back from East London to Bricklayers Arms Depot; I was working as a van boy on the railway then, round about 1958/59.I see your Grandmothers name was May, was the café named after her and would she be the lady who served us. Can still remember the beans on toast I used to have, also though I could be wrong as Its such along time ago but did your Nan make bread pudding and sell It in the café, it just rings a bell. Strangely enough I would not be surprised if your dad had not pulled a pint for me when he was in The Queens Head in Paradise Street.   

     All the best KIWI.

Hi Kiwi,

Yes was probably my grandmother that served you and the cafe was named after her, bread pudding i do believe was on the menu and another few favorites were bread and dripping & bubble & sqeak to name a few a proper transport Cafe.

Both her and my grandfather retired to Cogoshall in Essex and lived into thier eighties, my father and mother following suit retiring to Caister on sea, sadly my father (John) passed on in 2007 but my mother is still alive ( Rose )  

John  

Hi bermondseyboy happy new year to one and all hope these pics can be added to the libary

danny 451

Hi Dan451

Happy new year to you too.
Perhaps a note explaining who they are and the occasion?
It nice to see happy smiling faces to start off the new year.

Cheers

Steve.

I'm salivating just looking at the plate of pie and mash, I haven't had any for a long, long time. Thanks for the recipe for the liquor, anyone come up with 'as close as possible' recipe for the pies? I believe they were steamed and baked (?) but would love to have proper instructions if there's anyone out there who knows the secret can I be part of it too. xx

Hi all

I attended Boutcher School until 1967 and in either the final year or the one before the class I was in one a major drama award. What made me think about this tonight was seeing Sandie Shaw on TV. Sandie was meant to come to the school to present the award to us but the Head objected as she sang in bare feet! So instead they sent Alan Freeman - he was OK as the Head had never heard of him...of course he had a far more dodgy reputation at the time...

I cant find anything on the web about the award (we did Moby Dick I think on tape) and I wondered if anyone else remembered this? It was probably the happiest time at school for me - most of the rest of my memories are I am afraid pretty miserable!

hi just come across your page i lived in Blendon row in the mid to late 60's you mentioned going out with a lass called sonia and could not pronounce her surname was it by any chance Bucyniak

Expectant Bermondsey Mums.
  Secrets first:- I am not strictly a real Bermondsey born boy, although I am a real conceived one, I hope that counts. But please don’t tell anyone.
  During WW 2 most of the real Bermondsey Mums who were expecting were evacuated out to a safer area. Mum ‘Ada Taylor’ & ‘Nan Ellen Page’ had already experienced the Blitz by being bombed out of their house at 313 Lynton Rd, Bermondsey in October 1943. That very same week Mum & Dad were due to marry at St. Augustine’s Church just along the road. Their house was completely destroyed complete with all the wedding presents, stored up rations from friends and family, tiered Wedding Cake and Wedding Dress.
  The details for these evacuations’ were arranged for them while their husbands or the fathers of the expectant children were away serving in the armed forces or where ever?
In one of these safe areas’ was a grand old house called LOCKINGTON HALL, situated in Loughborough, Leicestershire (and still there). The house with others being commandeered by the War Office in 1939 and turned into a maternity hospitals.
  While at LOCKINGTON HALL the pregnant & new mums soon developed and earned a reputation for being the wrong sort of - - - -Ladies?. This reputation was gained because a very high proportion of the expectant mums over the course of the war years (unbelievably) weren't married. And gave birth to various shades of coloured babies. After giving birth the new mums who were married countered the unwelcome disapproving looks and gossip from the locals by wearing their marriage certificates proudly around their necks when ever they ventured out. Just to prove that in fact ‘Look we are married’.
  At the time I was due Dad was away serving in the ‘DEMS' the Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships. These were ordinary merchant ships fitted out & equipped with a couple of Bofors and Orlican anti-aircraft (AA) guns. The guns were manned & operated by the army but surprisingly were under the jurisdiction of the Royal Navy. These ships through being able to travel a little faster than the normal Atlantic Convoys 8 knots speed, were sent out alone to make a dash across the Pond.
  Interesting but very sadly, this came about through a notice appearing on the army camps Company Notice Board asking for volunteers to join the DEMS. Dad went against his mates and the armies standing advice which was ‘to never ever ever volunteer for anything’. Lucky as it turned out Dad did volunteer. But sadly soon after his mob and mates were all posted out to Singapore where Dad said ‘they were taken prisoner by the JAPS soon after landing there’.

Hi
I knew the Apps family I lived 2 doors along from them (No 88) in Whites Grounds and was more your uncle David's age than your dad's so remember David more than George. Was he the youngest as I remember that there where quite a few of them.

Hi

I also remember Victor Gardner . He was in my class at Alma School.   I suppose we must have been about six. The poor boy wasn't toilet trained and used to mess himself most days.

I remember going in one morning and he was'nt there, the teacher said he had been moved to a  'special shcool' .
I didn't see him again for years, he was doing his paper collecting the next time I saw him.

Dose anyone know if he is still around, he would be about 67/68 now.

 All the best

Indiart

Hello Indiart,

Victor can still be seen today walking the streets of Bermondsey. Blowing 'raspberries' as he
goes on his merry way.

Phil.