Short Back And Sides.
It always seemed to be winter when I had my hair cut, those ice cold clippers up the back of the neck. The barber I went to was opposite Bacons School in Grange Road.
I can't remember the name of the Barber, always had a fag hanging from the corner of his mouth. He would clear the ash from it by blowing through his lips, the ash would go everywhere including the top of our head's.
I HATED! having my hair cut, it was the classic Short Back And Sides Going in with a good old mop of hair keeping one's head nice and warm, and coming out almost bald. As I said it always seemed to be winter, and going out into Grange Road with an icy blast from the north, straight from the Artic, I REALLY HATED IT!!!
Did anyone else have their hair cut there, perhaps we sat next to each other. It was almost as bad as waiting to get the cane.
Rod.
Yes I remember going there, the fags, the people waiting for there turn.
He would put a board across the arms of the chair for me to sit on, as us kids were too short and the chair was not ajustable at least not to suit us.
I'm sure it had a funny sounding name like Menditters? but not sure, maybe someone will know?
I hated it to, especially when my mates spotted me, always caused a laugh.
Bermondseyboy
Certainly was Mendetta's in the 1960s (I'm not sure about the spelling) .. he was happy to provide us mid teenagers with 'something for the weekend'
.
I remember it as Mendittens - and sitting on the board over the chair, used to hate getting a hair cut, always too short!
Thank you all for that. It's funny when you start to ponder things like places names, draging up names from deep inside the old memory. They are all very similar, and yes the board across the arms of the chair.
I need my haircut, so I shall be thinking of The Short Back and Sides and makeing sure I don't ask for one by mistake.
The Barber certainly was Alfie Mendetta,i think his wife Marjie used to work there as well.He was a very tall man but had really bad facial skin,with weepy sores.He was in fact an Ex-Army "Barber",which explains the Short Back and Sides....He lived almost opposite us in Major Road,and had a Big Red Indian motorcycle combination.His Son Teddy was a few years younger than myself,and as we all Bought Triumph Motor cycles as soon as we came out of the Army,he and his dad(Alfie)went to Pride and Clarkes(Otherwise known as Snide and Shark) and Bought a 1950 Sprung Hub T100.Which Alfie taught him to ride up and down Major road,with several trips ending in disaster.That was in the days when there was some Freedom in this country ..And you could ride your bike without looking like Robocop. LOL Bill.K.
Alfie Mendetta, so thats it then. I do remember him being tall, and the bad skin ( I did'nt like to mention it in case it caused offence ) Ex- Army Barber, that does explain all those nearly bald Bermondsey boys.
I sometimes went to Pride and Clarks with my brother, but I never bought a bike from them.My first bike was a 250 BSA, then a 350 Matchless and my last one Velocette Venom,
Good to here all that from you bilko, is it sgt Bilko.
Thanks Rod.
Hi Rodebdon your article was right on, it WAS always winter when you were sent for a Short Back and Sides, the hairs were always down the back of your neck which made it seem colder. I didnt go to your Barber but to George in Spa Rd at the bottom of Spa Mansions. Being kids they made wait while they did all the adults first while all we wanted to do was get out and play.. You mentioned Bacon School in Grange Rd I went there when the blitz was on and we only did short days, I thik that school would be long gong now? Johno
I got my haircut at George's in Spa Road as well. When you were quite small he made you sit on a plank on the arms of the chair so that your head stuck up above the chairback.
It was definetley Menditta.He was a horrible bloke who yanked your head from side to side.Once in about 1963 when l was 11 l ignored my mum and went to Daves the Italian barbers down the Blue.I got a Tony Curtis with the laquered parting.I looked so cool until my Mum dragged me immediately,by the ear,to Mendittas for a "proper cut".I went from hero to zero in a minute>Did anybody go to the Dentist close by-Mr Dobson?
Hi Andrew
Yep I remember the Dentist, it was the scariest place in Bermondsey for me even worst than having my haircut in Menditta's.
When I got a little older I also went to Dave's, I think i had the college boy look, parting on the left and blow dried.
Bermondseyboy
Hi,yes i did use Dobsons ...he confessed to me that he was terrified of Dentists,and did in fact have awful breath lol
I lived just off Albion Street in the 1950s. At the junction with Swan Road was a barber shop run by a chap with the name of Harry Anflick. I had my hair cut by him when I was a child. A short little chap of american descent I believe. He always told me that he had cut the King's hair Which king I never did find out! He used a homemade potion to keep your hair in place. It made your hair go stiff as a board and lasted for about two days.
George61
yes all my family went to dobsons the dentist,blimey i forgot all about him.
Thank you so much George61!
I'm doing my family tree in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., and Harry Anflick is on it! You are almost correct about him being American. He was born in Odessa, in what is now the Ukraine, circa 1887. He came to America with his brother, Henry Anflick circa 1901. Harry lived here in Philadelphia until 1915, when he left for England. He joined the military almost immediately upon his arrival, and saw active duty in France during World War I. Here is a picture of him (I believe) in his later years(?), wearing his Silver War Badge:
Autofrysto,
Thank you for your note. I had my hair cut by Harry for years and often wondered what became of him. I felt that his background would be very interesting. The photo is just how I remember him all those years ago.
His barber shop was at the junction of Albion Street and Swan road in Rotherhithe, London SE 16, England. This area was redeveloped years ago, so the shop is no longer there. Perhaps other readers of Bermondsey Boy may have old photos?
What was your relationship to Harry? have you any idea when Harry and his wife moved to the area? The shop was just a stones throw from the London Surrey Docks which was badly bombed during the Second World War.
George 61
Harry was my great-granduncle. He was my great-grandfather's brother (or half-brother?). His daughters and at least one of his granddaughters used to write letters back and forth to my mother's aunts here in Philadelphia. Occasionally, they sent photographs. The one that I posted is the only one of Harry that made its way to my household.
Upon returning from the war, Harry took up residence at 49 Jane Street, which, judging by Google Maps, looks to me like an alley off of Commercial Road in Whitechapel, just north of the Thames. He married is wife, Rose, in 1919 at the East London Synagogue, 52 Rectory Square in Stepney. His twin daughters were born the next year in Whitechapel, so he was always in the general area. One of those daughters was married in Bermondsey in 1946, so the move across the river apparently took place before then.
I saw your post on the other thread, where you recalled that he was always telling stories of his life. If any of these or any other memories come to you, please share! I'd be much obliged!
