Downham Online Discussion

Hiya Splinter, we lived at 98 Shroffold from about 1953 and I moved away when I got married in 1968. You'll have to let me know who you remember in that road. I have two younger brothers Michael and Graham (Pick), G went to Mallory and M went to Downham Boys.

Yeah Pecrys that's where Mum used to buy all our stuff too, on tick. Pirelli slippers, pyjamas, school stuff, they had everything in that shop.

Just past the Catford cinema was a big habberdashers shop where the money used to be put into those overhead things that flew across the ceiling and upstairs to the cashier and then you waited for that vacuum noise and your change would be sent down to you. Just round the corner from the cinema was an old secondhand shop where I used to take my old records and exchange them. Wish I'd had the sense to hang on to some of them, especially the covers!!

What about the wet fish shop on the left hand side of the road as you were going into Catford, can't remember what it was called but my Uncle Sonny worked on the front there for years, poor chap could never get the smell of fish off him.

Hi Snowdrop, shame our Smiffy wasn't your brother's mate  , it's so exciting when you find somebody you know on here  You'll have to check our Friends Reunited for him.

Thick fog here this morning, as long as it lifts before lunchtime so I can see my way to the coffee shop for a panini.

Just been reading all your lovely stories. Allneeds I remember that shop, Mum used to buy her Zamo disinfectant there and the paraffin for the stove in the bathroom, oh gawd how I hated that smell, it always seem to lay on my chest. We also used to buy paraffin from the pink paraffin man that used to come round in a van. I wonder if either of the men in Allneeds were called Arkwright?

My mum also used to say "up the road" for the Northover shops and it was a hell of a walk for our poor old mums, walking from half way up Shroffold to Downham Way for the shopping and then lugging it all back up hill.

I remember a little bakers shop probably the second or third shop on the left as you went to Downham Way, there was an elderly, very upright man that owned the shop and worked there for years and he used to sell fresh yeast, not that we ever bought any but the whole shop used to smell lovely. Then in the early 60's was a clothes shop close to that bakers where most of my wages used to go, used to pay off weekly. Talking about paying off weekly do you remember Pecry's (not sure if I've spelt that right) in Catford, mum used to get most everything in there, our shoes, bedroom slippers, bed linen etc and that was all paid for weekly. We used to see Tommy Steele's mum in there regularly.

The Muffin Man on a Sunday, how I loved the sound of that bell about 4pm, always knew what we were going to have for tea and the pease pudding van, I used to rush out there with a big bowl for that, never liked the faggots but hmmm that pease pudding.

Keep em coming folks, I'm actually at work but it's so quiet at the moment.

Would love to hear from anyone who lived on Shroffold between 56-68. Our neighbours were the O'Neills, the Brennans, D'Amiral, Mr & Mrs Jenkins and Brian, Kenny Ludwick, Susan Williamson (or Williams?).
 

I remember that monument/drinks fountain. When were kids it was a regular summer treat to walk from Shroffold Road to Crystal Palace Park and home again and what a welcomed site that fountain used to be, but I do remember it always had that metally taste to it, like the old drinks fountains in the school playgrounds.

Hi Sue, maybe your brother's mate Smiffy is our Smiffy on this site. If you look back through previous posts you'll see Smiffy is on here regularly.

Is it time to namedrop and say that I know Paul Jones from Manfred Mann. Well, to be fair, he's a friend of a friend, and we've had a meal at his home in Wimbledon a couple of times, and met Paul and his lovely wife Fiona Hendley (remember "Widows" - the 80's drama series anyone?)

Hiya Brenda, I love reading everybody's memories of Downham, my Mum used to get us three all ready for bed and then off she'd go to Glennifer Laundry, like all the Mums in those days they worked themselves to death almost didn't they, she'd go out about 8 and get back when we were all fast asleep. Her and her mate held the record of being able to hand fold 1,000 sheets a night! I don't ever remember her being able to bring home any jam though but of course when she had a job at the Pascalls factory we get a few mis-shapes, those lovely toffee almonds - yum.

I used to book an old book on one roller skate and whiz down that hill between the playing fields and we were very lucky as our back garden in Shroffold went straight into the field, we'd just lift up the railing and off we'd go for the day.  We used to gather all the grass cuttings and make it into a little house with all separate rooms, mind you it was only a few inches high as you can imagine and we'd take the old gramaphone player out with our 78's, Davey, Davey Crockett King of the Wild Frontier.

Oh well back to work and stop this reminiscing.

Bye for now