My Life in Bermondsey

hi paperboy
                 did you live near the sultan pub ? if so where abouts .

At the time (1950s and early 60s) my Nan Ripper lived at 259 St James' Road, my Aunt Maggie Saunders lived at 274 St James' Rd, my aunt Joyce Jacka lived at 261 St James' Rd, my uncle Albert Ripper lived at 173 Alderminster Road, my aunt Florrie Martin lived at 171 Alderminster Road; at various times my uncle Roy Ripper, my uncle Ron Ripper and my brother Bill Ripper lived in my nan's house at 259 St James' Road. We lived in Vauban Estate at the time.

my nan annie ebdon use to live 191 lynton rd i oftern saw her going over to the sultan with her jug my uncle edward ebdon lived in fort rd my mums friend jessie charlton lived to doors away from the dairy in st james rd the dairy was on the corner of st james rd and fort rd there was a sweet shop on the oppistate corner excuse my spelling my mum use to work shuttleworths chocolate factory i can remember the xmas partys there when i was a kid what fun we had

Hi shaddon

I didn't know our Nanny Ebdon got her beer from the Sulton.I remember more her lovely roast dinners, She had a special way of makeing gravy and yorkshire puddings. I have never bean in The Sulton, I don't know if it's still open, if it is I shall shall pop in for a pint. The Victoria in Pages Walk was my Dad's pub, I sometimes go in there.

Roderick

hi rod
         our nannie ebdon was a great cook i loved her rock cakes they were yummy and the sultan pub has gone they have built a school there now the victoria was in the new minder i did go in there a couple of times many years ago if i go to london i drink in the claremont in dunton rd

shaddon

The Sultan has long gone. Like many others, it's been replaced by a block of apartments.

I'm afraid I have no childhood stories of Bermondsey as I only came to live here in 1989. I was born and brought up in Nunhead. I first lived in Dockhead then moved near the Blue. 

It was only two or three years ago that I discovered that my Great great grandparents had lived a few minutes walk away in the 1840s, since then I've found many ancestors who lived in places that are now very familiar to me, one of which lived in my own street a hundred years or so ago and I think I have some distant cousins who are still in the area. My grandfather was born in what was Canterbury Road now Ilderton so not sure if he was a Bermondsey or Peckham man.

Hopefully, I can lay claim to having at least a little Bermondsey heritage.

I'm enjoying reading the interesting stories here and especially like the photos

So The Sulton has gone the way of many of the old places including my old school, knocked down and turned into flats. What a shame, although I must have passed where The Sulton was, in my minds eye I can only see the old pub. Thank Goodness!

Rod.

bermondsey has changed so much over the years i visit 4 to 5 times a year my brother still lives in bermondsey so i visit most of the time i now live in wales but i always let people know that i am a bermondsey girl and that i am proud of where i come from .

Hello there, just a brief intro from a new member, but first the horrible news....I am really a Camberwell Boy!! born in Neate Street SE5. However, when attending Paragon Secondary School for Boys in 1960 and making all my new school friends, it happened that they all lived in Bermondsey, so spent a lot of time in both areas. Memories? that chippy in Dunton Road where you got the most fabulous sav and chips. Menu had sausage people drawn on the wall? Looking over the parapet of Dunton Road bridge (Greyhound Bridge?) to see all the steam engines in Bricklayers Arms shed. Bloke on East Lane market selling hot sarsparella. My Nan buying live eels to take home for my Pop Pop and then stewing them....yuk!! So many things coming back to me now whilst reading through the site. More comments when i find something.

I have got a book called Bermondsey in War 1939-1945 by James D Stewart Librarian of Bermondsey which describes the bomb which hit Guinness Buildings.........." the night of 15th September 1941.. This raid was distinguished by the exclusive use of high explosive bombs with only a casual scattering of incendiaries....the most unfortunate happening of the night was the destruction of L Block of the high Guinness Buildings in Pages Walk, resulting in 18 persons being killed and 25 injured. In this case also, fire added greatly to the difficult task of rescuing the injured and recovering the dead. The difficulty of the work is shown by the fact that a baby trapped under the wreckage was saved alive after three days of effort".

My Mum says that the baby was actually blown into a fireplace on one of the exposed upper floors with no walls and a floor that was almost hanging off the building.

Vossy

Can anyone remember Shuttleworth Park. Also you could smell the chocolate there from the factory Shuttleworths. What happened to it. When I look on the web there is some big house in Hertfordshire called Shuttleworth House.....

hi bermondseygirl
                           my mum worked at shuttleworths chocolate factory when i was a kid which would have been 50 years ago i use to love the xmas partys there for the kids it was great i no courages the brewary moved on the land of the factory and if i am right the park was across the road had many a good time in the park when i was a kid but dont know if it is still there

Hi Bett, funny that, my mum used to call my dad bears breath and she was born in Long Lane. she did go to Laxon st school..

Hello everyone,
I originally posted this yesterday on the pie and mash debate but bermondsey  boy suggested i post here as well.

Im so pleased to have found this forum. Even though Im 51 and left London when I was young, I spent most of my summers at my grandparents. My grandfather had a barbers shop on Kennington Park Rd and his father used to sell ice cream from a small cart, going round the streets selling it. My late mother was a little girl at the time and used to go with him. I know part of the route was Stanley Rd. Im also [so family legend has it] related to the Manze's but am still researching that one. My grandparents lived in Manciple St, Huberd House, then moved to Wyndham Rd in Southwark and we lived in New Kent Rd till I was about 4.
Nice to meet you all:)
Roofybabes

hi kevin.i was born in leroy street in 1938 we got bombed out and moved to creasey estate in aberdore street. i allso went to english martyrs school i left there in 1953,i remember guinness buildings in pages walk when it got bombed out.they was a ally that led from guinnes buildings to leroy street. toby nobles club was just round the corner.i remembere the globe cinema and the fruit stall beside it. i used to help the owner aurthur noble to sell fruit and eggs from it my gggg grandfarther moved to the tower bridge road in1850 the were coster mongers and leather dressers they lived in woods place off webb street i still have relatives living in bermondsey and i am proud to be a bermondsey boy i visit every month.

tony marchant

Crikey, what a memory!
I was born in '57 - my brother Stan in '53. We lived above the BRW tele shop in the Old Kent Road.
All my cousins lived and grew up in Guinness Square - where we all would play (and the swing park).
Reg Hutton was the super of Guinness' then.
My uncle's and aunts lived in the square - my uncle, Jim Earls was rehoused in the new square - he has a bench with his plaque on it, after he passed away last year. I believe he first moved in about 1950ish - his wife (my aunt) still lives there.

born in guys as well----lived in Guinness block N top floor.poor old mum dragging pram up and down stairs.shared toilets on landings.Remember bomb site--had the time of our lives there.went to English Martyrs. Remember the Maloney gang --hehhee.
Moved to N.London in 60.They had baths under the kitchen tables and we thought it was paradise.
Mum and sis still live in the new guinness flats.lots of good memories.
Thats my cuz Lenny above.he lived in the posh side of OKR.
My dads bench is in the square.He was great character.everyone knew him.

Hi Shalamullery/Lennythepen

I'm intrigued about this bench and plaque?
What was it for, and have you any pictures of it to post.
I'm sure there is a great storey behind all this.

Bermondseyboy