My Life in Bermondsey

lennythepen
                   does martin have a brother called gary if so my brothers were friends with gary martin and gary did live fort rd for a while and my mum and dad use to play darts with garys dad would be gratefull if you would let me know thanks       shaddon.

shaddon,
Martin (DoB 1957) had an older brother - it may have been Gary. He was very sensible and always looked out for Martin - looking back, Martin would always listen (very respectfully) to his older brother. Both brothers could handle themselves - fearless almost, but not scallywags.
Martin's Dad died at a young age - cancer I believe; obviously devastating. Mr Filkins was very well liked and respected in the community.
Filkins is not a common name, so we might be talking about the same family.

Martin went to South East Tech, I believe. I went to Bacon - until I was asked to leave (another story).
I used to hang about the Estate on there - can't recall the name of it for the moment (Longfield?).
Kenny Taplin, Peter Legg, Stephen Purvey, lived on it - and Terry (Hayes) Leonard, Colin Sefton, Mark Axford, Trevor Halum, Susan Phillips, Maxine Lawrence, Brian Payne, Ronnie McCrossen, Kay Burke, Brian Brand, Tony Newbury, Johnny and Keith Snell, Philip Nelson, Neil Dedman, Ian Yates, Bryce Phillips and co all used to 'play' round there, and St. James' Park SE1, with the carpet slide. Maybe not the world, but Bermondsey was our oyster. Hahaha!
Don't know if any of those names might ring a bell?

I ended up on the Tustin Estate, once the flyover was being built, Sept '66, aged 9. And slowly over the next three or four years drifted away.
I rember them as good times. Good kids.

lennythepen
                  yes it is the same family i remember colin sefton he lived on thr corner of lynton rd and monnow rd my to brothers ron and fred ebdon use to hang about with gary filkins micky nazier clifford and vincent queen bermondsey is not the same now but i am proud to come from bermondsey the old days was the good ones thanks for getting back intouch with me   shaddon

lennythepen,

   Did the Snells have a middle brother called Stephen? I lived next door to them in the 60s/70s off Long Lane. Their dad worked for the Railways at the Bricklayers Arms Depot (I think). John was the oldest and Keith the youngest. Stephen was born in 59/60.They all went to Bacon's at Pages Walk and Delaford Rd

crosby34,
No. They were a very large family - about 14 brothers and sisters.
I know Johnny, who was in my class in Alma, was younger by about a year to Keith.

hi,
 I'm very new to all this and very young!! ha ha ......I lived in macks road off the blue in the late 60's  till my parents moved us south...........the question I have is....both my parents  worked at 'KIT KATS' as they called it .... from them i gather it was a book binding company ..I would be grateful to hear from anyone who might remember this part of my parents past

thanks

julie

A few years ago I started looking into my Family Tree.
I noticed that my Grandad, who at that time lived in Alice Street but had died at 48a Lower Road?
I could not find out why he should be at 48a Lower Road, my imagination started running wild, was he having an affair and passed away at his lovers house, or was it a friends place that he had died?

Well now I think I Know?

48a Lower Road was the address that was giving for the death certificate, but was in fact a Workhouse Infirmary.
I noticed that many other people from different sites I have visited have had relatives pass away at this address, (please correct me if I am mistaken?)
What a Hard but Proud life our ancestors had.
I wonder if any of you had Ancestors that passed away at this address? 

In 1873-5, the St Olave Union's new Infirmary was erected at the West side of Lower Road
Rotherhithe, on a two acre site to the west of the former Rotherhithe workhouse.

The site Location and Layout are shown on 1888 Map

St Olave, Lower Road, Infirmary site. 1896

The Infirmary was designed by Henry Saxon Snell who was the architect of a number of London
Workhouses and Hospital Buildings at this period, including ones for Holborn, St Marylebone,
St George's Hanover Square and St luke's. His proposed design for St Olave is shown below.
The Initial phase of construction accommodated 175 patients, although the completed scheme would cater for 400.

St Olave, Lower Road Infirmary, architects drawing form the north, 1888.

The central block contained administrave offices, with male and female ward blocks to either side.
The infirmary was enlarged in 1877 and then further extended in 1890-2 to designs by
Newman and Newman.

St Olave, Lower Road infirmary entrance, 1920s

The establishment later became known as Bermondsey Infirmary, then St Olave Hospital.
All the buildings have now been demolished.

Bermondseyboy

I was born in Guy's and lived just off Tower Bridge Road, behind Sarson's Vinegar factory. I went to Tower Bridge Primary School but then we moved to Southwark and I had to leave. I went to St Saviour's & St Olave's Grammar School for Girls later.
What I remember most about Bermondsey is the smells - everything from tan mixture to vinegar and chocolate, along with spices in Bermondsey Street and the smell of nail varnish from the reptile dressing factory!
 

Hi
My father inlaw Fred Conroy belonged to the canterbury club where he used to box.  One of this friends there was Nobby russell is this a relation of yours.  Fred is 82 now, he lived in Abbey street and then when he was married moved to Peter butler house he married Claire hook who also came from Abbey Street.

My dad (Bill Gediking) worked at Shuttleworths shortly after the war.  We lived at 149 Alderminster Road (where I was born). I believe the house was owned by Rosie Edwards.  Her daughter, Rene Edwards, was a friend of my mum (Violet Barton), who was also born in Alderminster Road, although I don't know the number.  I went to Galleywall Road school.  We moved from London in the mid-50s.  Maybe your mum would remember some of these people?

Barb Jones

Hi Paperboy
Have just joined the site and read your message about living in the sweet shop in Linsey Street.  I lived in 12 Linsey Street until 1958 and my Mum and Dad lived  there until they moved out in 1967 was your Mum and Dad's shop called Parnells or the one opposite which I remember as 'Chicks' ?
As regards to Alma Primary School which I also attended the only teacher I can remember was called Mr Pink
Millylinseyst

Hi

I'd forgotten our shop was previously called 'Chicks' - thanks for reminding me. Parnell's was the shop opposite and like the greengrocer's next door was a lockup. Mr & Mrs Parnell lived at 3 Helen Taylor House, the block of flats behind the shop. The greengrocer's shop was run by Ivy who lived at number 19 (I think it was 19) Linsey Street. I think Ivy is still living in Bermondsey.

We had the shop from about 1963 to 1970 when it was slum cleared, along with all the old houses along the street and Joe Halpin's cooper's yard at numbers 33-37 Linsey Street. Joe and his family lived at 32 Alexis Street. Later they had a haulage firm, run by his sons.

I don't remember number 12 Linsey Street, but Mrs Miller lived next door in number 14. One of our paper boys, when we had the shop, lived on the corner of Linsey Street and Lucey Road, Johnny Gregg by name. He and Mrs Miller had a little falling out so when he delivered her paper he did so, through her letter box ... page by page. I can still recall how narked she was.

I was at Alma from1957-1961 and the head teacher was Mr Murphy. Long standing teachers at the time were Mr Archibald Cresswell (class 1), Mr Peter Creffield (class 1B), Mrs Randolph (class 2) and Mrs Legerton (class 3).

Hi Paperboy,

I too was at Alma but from 1957-1963, living around the corner in Drappers Road. The only teacher I can remember was Mr Cresswell in my final year.I often played on the grass by the shops in Lindsay Street as I had a cousins (John & Denise) who lived in the flats there and also recall Ivy. Makes me think we must have met at some time!

Freddie

Hi Paperboy
Well the lady called Mrs Miller was my Mum and we lived in 12 Linsey Street she was a very fiesty lady. Unfortunately Ivy Powell from no. 19 passed away some years ago but her sister Doreen, if I remember rightly, lived at no. 14 next door to us but I can not remember her married name, I do remember hert daughter was one of my sister's bridesmaid.  I think I must be some what older than you as I attended Alma School during the war and every afternoon after a bombing raid the night before us children were taken down to the basement where there were beds and we slept all afternoon. By the was the name Mrs Legerton rings a bell.
I am trying to remember the name of the family who lived next door to you I think it was Varney? but perhaps they moved before you lived in the shop.
Milly

Hi Bermondseyboy
Have been reading your posts with paperboy about Lucey Road which were dated 29 November last year so I thought I would share some memories. I lived in Linsey Street and I did know several families in Lucy Road but as I seem to be much older than paperboy perhaps your wife will not remember them. One of my best friends was called Joan Tinsley and she lived in a house pass the prefabs going towards St James Road also also about 3 or 4 doors down from the Lord Palmerston lived the Clifford family.  Then opposite the Lord Palmerston in one of those prefabs lived 'Wee Willy Harris' but perhaps that was a bit before your time.  I am trying to remember more names as I did know quite  a few people in  Lucey Road , I will keep trying.
Millylinseyst

Millylinseyst
 
I have asked my Wife about these names, but unfortunatly she cannot remember them as she was only about eight years old when her Family (Dickinsons) moved from Lucey Road.
Probably around 1958-59.
However we do remember Wee Willy Harris, I had seen him down Tower Bridge Road on various occassions, but i must admit I never new he lived there.
 
Bermondseyboy

bermondseyboy

                           i remember wee willy harris his mum had a sweet shop in st james rd i use to go there all the time when i was a kid with my mates the shop was just befor the railway arch on the right hand side of st james rd walkin from the blue end  

I remember micky nazier lived 4th floor hartley house longfield estate no 16 if im not mistaken. He played football for the ruby lions along with me johny holland mick cambell and the farley brothers arthur catlin and a few others who's names have now dimmed with the mist of time. Still pop into the claremont if the chance comes along happy days

lightandbitter

                        i no micky nazier he use to drink in the sultan with my brother fred many years ago and my brother drinks in the claremont now has done for many years so u prob no him the old days were the best still you have to make the most out of life as they say