Paradise Street
Apologies for straying just into Rotherhithe, but does anyone know where I could find images of Paradise Street – particularly from the Sixties or earlier?
I’ve tried looking for some old photos of Park Buildings (where I was born) or my old primary school St Josephs (where I remember former pupil Max Bygraves making a VIP visit). Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any trace on the internet - apart from a small pre-Victorian sketch and a stock photo of the nearby former police station (attached).
I remember Park Buildings being knocked down in the early Seventies and the school followed shortly after (moving to Gomm Road). The only building left standing at the eastern end of the street now is St Peter’s Church (see two photos attached).
Thanks, Deegs
Nothing like replying to your own post. I dicovered I already had this photo from Stephen Humphrey's brilliant book - Southwark, Bermondsey & Rotherhithe in old photographs. I can't quite work out from what angle its taken, but it does look like a pretty awful area.
But still no photo of Park Buildings or St Josephs school!
I can't quite work out from what angle its taken, but it does look like a pretty awful area.
-deegs
I think you'll find the view is from the corner of Cathay Street (probably other corner to the Police Station) looking across Paradise Street in a south-east direction. The school was located behind St Peter & the Guardian Angels RC church which is in the far left of the picture. The site of all the buildings is now a park which also covers the site of Christ Church that was in Union Street (now Jamaica Road)
after exhaustive research i've come to the conclusion the pic is taken from the corner of west lane looking to the right with the hall on the corner of prospect place opposite is wormald place where me dad was born he went to st josephs so did i i left in 58 when were you there deegs?
Jimmika,
I'm afraid my older brothers and myself were there after you left.
Funny how there's so little information about the place now, though I've only just stumbled upon this video elsewhere on this website: - http://www.bermondseyboy.net/2010/09/16/walk-down-any-street/#post5 The school, church and Park Buildings are all there at the end of the final film.
deegs do you remember the name of your headmaster or any of the teachers
I remember Mr Farmer was the headmaster and two teachers called Mrs Flaxman and Mrs Green. I'll ask my brothers, who'll probably remember the older ones better than me.
Hello to all, Let me introduce myself-- I am macporage, I was born at the end of 1938 at 76. Paradise Street. I come from the Gullivers of Bermondsey, and Deptford, the other half were the Greens of Lambeth, the Aves of Cathay Street were also part of the family, so if there anybody is anyone who has any knowledge of these people to share I would be very grateful. Now, I am sure that jimmka has put the picture of the shops, and other building (Hall) in just the right place, I recognised it straight away from my playing on the bomb sites right up that end of Paradise Street, the other clincher is that the church has a plain roof whereas the Hall has roof vents, all the shops were blown to smithereens, but the hall was just badly damaged.
Is there anybody out there who can remember feeding the pigs on the corner of Cathay Street, and Paradise Street opposite the fish, and chip shopon one corner, and the police station on the other?
I have enjoyed reading of other peoples' remeberings I thought I would not be able to recall any of my early days with anybody, my own memories come flooding back, many thanks to one, and all.
An aerial view of Park Buildingswith Jamaica road to the left
Here's a long shot. A few members of my family lived on Cathay Street. One of the chaps was known as 'Johnny Pickles'. He and his wife Mary (Burke) would have lived there any time between 1915 and 1939. They had a son who would have been born around 1915 to 1920 but I have no idea of his first name. Does anyone recall a 'Johnny Pickles' from before WWII?
Thanks
Ted
