Happy Memories of Downham

[Snowdrop]

Hello I am a new member, 1st Post and certainly not the last!!!, I was born in Dagonet Gardens and I went to Ballamore School then Pendragon and then on to Mallory School, spent a very very happy childhood in Downham. Then I moved away to join HM Forces and now I live in Norfolk. I still have 2 brothers in the area, 1 lives in Peckham and 1 in Abbey Wood. Still have a childhood aunt, who lives in Moorside Road, lived next door to us in Dagonet Gardens and I grew up with them all. Don't really know what to write about on the 1st post..... I am just so grateful to have found a link with the past.

[JSmith]

Welcome to Downham on line Snow drop. There are a lot of interesting things to see, especially the memories of the other guys using the site, one of our best is Dickie, I guess we could call him the professor of history for Downham. Have a look at the photo's, there are trams, schools and other scenes which will bring memories flooding back. and of course we have the Ladies from Aussie keeping things going, my name is Smiffy I was born in Churchdown rd (opposite the Girls school wow) I live in Canada now. Good luck.

[Pauline]

Hello I am a new member, 1st Post and certainly not the last!!!, I was born in Dagonet Gardens and I went to Ballamore School then Pendragon and then on to Mallory School, spent a very very happy childhood in Downham. Then I moved away to join HM Forces and now I live in Norfolk. I still have 2 brothers in the area, 1 lives in Peckham and 1 in Abbey Wood. Still have a childhood aunt, who lives in Moorside Road, lived next door to us in Dagonet Gardens and I grew up with them all. Don't really know what to write about on the 1st post..... I am just so grateful to have found a link with the past.

Hey Snowdrop, good to have you on board.  We have some laughs and a few tears.  We Aussies brag about our sun, and sometimes even about the rain!!!!

[Brenda]

Hello I am a new member, 1st Post and certainly not the last!!!, I was born in Dagonet Gardens and I went to Ballamore School then Pendragon and then on to Mallory School, spent a very very happy childhood in Downham. Then I moved away to join HM Forces and now I live in Norfolk. I still have 2 brothers in the area, 1 lives in Peckham and 1 in Abbey Wood. Still have a childhood aunt, who lives in Moorside Road, lived next door to us in Dagonet Gardens and I grew up with them all. Don't really know what to write about on the 1st post..... I am just so grateful to have found a link with the past.

Hallo there - good to see another old Downhamite has found us.  You will see that we all have good memories of a happy childhood on Downham so you are in good company.  I, too, attended Pendragon School.  What years did you attend?  I lived on Durham Hill which intersected Moorside Rd.  Look forward to hearing more of your memories.  As for not really knowing what to write about ... well, some of us just call in to say "Hallo" from time to time.

[christine]

Hello I am a new member, 1st Post and certainly not the last!!!, I was born in Dagonet Gardens and I went to Ballamore School then Pendragon and then on to Mallory School, spent a very very happy childhood in Downham. Then I moved away to join HM Forces and now I live in Norfolk. I still have 2 brothers in the area, 1 lives in Peckham and 1 in Abbey Wood. Still have a childhood aunt, who lives in Moorside Road, lived next door to us in Dagonet Gardens and I grew up with them all. Don't really know what to write about on the 1st post..... I am just so grateful to have found a link with the past.

Welcome Snowdrop - I'm an old school friend of Brenda's (well, not that old!) and also went to Ballamore, Pendragon and then on to Churchdown Girls. I lived for about ten years in Woodbank Road as a child, moved away briefly in 1959 and then back again to Dagonet Gardens for a couple of years before moving to Lee Green.  Don't live anywhere exotic like the girls from Oz or Smiffy in Canada - just West Sussex - but we do all have the Downham link that keeps us together.  Looking forward to hearing your memories.............

[Snowdrop]

Well hello again everyone, it was so nice to be made so welcome and at least we all have one thing in common and thats good old Downham!!!. Smiffy I used to have a very good childhood friend from school she lived in Churchdown Rd, No 27 I think (now the old grey cells are working he he), there name was Siddle and their dad bless him had a motorbike and sidecar, they were a big family.

[Snowdrop]

Hello I am a new member, 1st Post and certainly not the last!!!, I was born in Dagonet Gardens and I went to Ballamore School then Pendragon and then on to Mallory School, spent a very very happy childhood in Downham. Then I moved away to join HM Forces and now I live in Norfolk. I still have 2 brothers in the area, 1 lives in Peckham and 1 in Abbey Wood. Still have a childhood aunt, who lives in Moorside Road, lived next door to us in Dagonet Gardens and I grew up with them all. Don't really know what to write about on the 1st post..... I am just so grateful to have found a link with the past.

Hallo there - good to see another old Downhamite has found us.  You will see that we all have good memories of a happy childhood on Downham so you are in good company.  I, too, attended Pendragon School.  What years did you attend?  I lived on Durham Hill which intersected Moorside Rd.  Look forward to hearing more of your memories.  As for not really knowing what to write about ... well, some of us just call in to say "Hallo" from time to time.

Hello Brenda its lovely to be made welcome, yes I did have very happy memories of Downham, I went to Pendragon School after Ballamore not very good with dates but I do remember the headmistress being very strict Mrs Lovelace? Loveday ?? and Miss Doubleday who had a bubble car that she used to turn up in schooltime this car opened up and this incredibly tall women got out she had high legged boots on WOW how cool was that!!!. Also at Pendragon School they had a thing called Rose Queen??where we all had to dress up in pretty dresses and take roses to school bit like a May Queen, my friend Sheila Dabin was chosen how did I envy her!!! well the memories are flooding back now!!

[Snowdrop]

Hello I am a new member, 1st Post and certainly not the last!!!, I was born in Dagonet Gardens and I went to Ballamore School then Pendragon and then on to Mallory School, spent a very very happy childhood in Downham. Then I moved away to join HM Forces and now I live in Norfolk. I still have 2 brothers in the area, 1 lives in Peckham and 1 in Abbey Wood. Still have a childhood aunt, who lives in Moorside Road, lived next door to us in Dagonet Gardens and I grew up with them all. Don't really know what to write about on the 1st post..... I am just so grateful to have found a link with the past.

Welcome Snowdrop - I'm an old school friend of Brenda's (well, not that old!) and also went to Ballamore, Pendragon and then on to Churchdown Girls. I lived for about ten years in Woodbank Road as a child, moved away briefly in 1959 and then back again to Dagonet Gardens for a couple of years before moving to Lee Green.  Don't live anywhere exotic like the girls from Oz or Smiffy in Canada - just West Sussex - but we do all have the Downham link that keeps us together.  Looking forward to hearing your memories.............

Hello Christine, nice to hear from you, thing I remember about Ballamore School is the afternoons we all had a little canvas camp bed and had them set out in the playground and the nursery teacher sat on a little chair and watched over us while we had a sleep and she was a white haired sweetest natured person and her name was Mrs Ward, lovely lady. Then Pendragon School had a grumpy teacher called Mr Evans who had a very large wart on the end of his nose(funny the things we remember!!), and would always throw blackboard rubbers!!! OUCH!! then on to Malory School, I loved living in Dagonet Gardens cos I was born there and remember lots of very good fun on the large green playing cricket etc!! I was born in 1954 and lived in No.19 but had lots of mates in the flats... Sussex is a lovely county I am so pleased to have found a link with the past and I hope we will continue to become good friends xx

[christine]

Hi Snowdrop
Had a little chuckle at your memories.  I always thought it was Mr Wallace who had the wart on his nose but you may be right - it was a long time ago - and yes, I remember the canvas beds.  You are about ten years younger than me so I am surprised that they were still around when you were at Ballamore.  A friend of mine from way back ended up as head teacher at Pendragon and may have been there during your time - Pat Powling - mean anything to you? I cannot remember the number I lived at in Dagonet but it was a ground floor flat.  I had a school friend who lived there as well - did you know Ann Woodgate - again she would be the same age as I am now - goodness where have the years gone!

[Snowdrop]

Hi Snowdrop
Had a little chuckle at your memories.  I always thought it was Mr Wallace who had the wart on his nose but you may be right - it was a long time ago - and yes, I remember the canvas beds.  You are about ten years younger than me so I am surprised that they were still around when you were at Ballamore.  A friend of mine from way back ended up as head teacher at Pendragon and may have been there during your time - Pat Powling - mean anything to you? I cannot remember the number I lived at in Dagonet but it was a ground floor flat.  I had a school friend who lived there as well - did you know Ann Woodgate - again she would be the same age as I am now - goodness where have the years gone!

Hi Christine, WOW how cool is that somebody else remembers the canvas beds YIPPEE!!!!! I don't remember a Mr Wallace but I do remember Mr Large Wart Evans he was welsh rather short and had a disgusting habit of nose picking!!!!UGH too much info is not good hehe!!  Do you also remember another teach there Mrs Henderson !! she was evil and she used to hit you over the back of the hand with a ruler!!. Never felt the wrath of it!! but there was plenty who did!!. I do remember the Woodgate family they used to live at No.2 Boy the old grey cells are really kicking in now, the Peaks lived at No.1, The Taylors at No.3 and I remember the Italian family The Mariners who had a very feisty mum, Oh Christine I am on a roll now!!!! The Willoughbys lived in the flats as well.

More nostalgia to follow ......

[Brenda]

Great to read your reminiscences, Snowdrop.  You are of a slighty different era to mine so our memories of Pendragon are not quite the same.  I would have preceded you by several years having been born in 1943.  However, I do remember Miss Rudolph who became Mrs Loveless and a more appropriate name I cannot think of.  She succeeded Mr Cutler, the headmaster who died suddenly. He was the dearest, kindness of men and Miss Rudolph was a different kettle of fish entirely.  I was not alone in being terrified of her.

Like Christine, I remember the warty teacher as Mr Wallace (or even as Mr Gibbs) who was tall and thin.  Well, perhaps Pendragon had two warty-nosed teachers over the years.  Who knows.

By the way, I have sent a message to Ann Woodgate via Friendsreunited.  However, as I did so a few years ago and got no response, I am not hopeful of a reply this time.  I shall let you both know if she makes contact.

[Snowdrop]

Hi Brenda, it was nice to hear from you, yes I was a little bit behind you, perhaps as you say there may well have been 2 warty teachers!!!he he, Mrs Loveless ruled with a rod of iron and had a face to match!!!always stern looking but apart from the odd couple of teachers names I have really struggled to try and remember them!! after all it was a long long time ago now!!. I remember when at Ballamore School my mummy worked full time so I used to go to a rather sweet elderly lady in Reigate Road and she was called Nanny Jack!! God I am really digging deep now!!! Brenda do you remember the Rose Queen event they had at Pendragon or it mat have been Ballamore cant remember now........more nostalgia to follow

[Snowdrop]

More nostalgia on its way.... when my mummy used say she wanted some shopping she would always say could you go Up The Top for me darling!!. trying to think what the shops were.. the Post office was first then a Hairdressers called Dubarrys where my mummy had her hair done most weeks!!Boltons the Newsagents think there was a Bakers as well also remember the chip shop where I always used to buy 6d worth of gorgeous chips after I had been swimming at Downham Baths, God they tasted bloody marvellous and lasted me all the way home!!.Also on the corner was a butchers  and also the chemist was Morrell and Dixon where I used to work. Over the road was a launderette then the Oil shop run but 2 lovely chaps who always wore brown coats and the change they would put in these metal little things and it would fly around the shop until it reached you with your change!!! How cool was that!!. I remember that a brand spanking new Co-op was opening and that caused great excitement!! and it was being opened by the one and only Bobby Moore!!!we all got a glimpse of him. I also remember a shop called Anne's and also a greengrocers on the corner, and at the bottom end of Downham, I remember spending many a happy hour sitting outside The Northover on a sunday with a bottle of lemonade and a Hardtack  biscuit, i think if you hit it with a hammer it would break!!. the only things  I remember about the parade of shops there was opposite the pub was a lovely sweet shop a fish and chip shop also think there was a little supermarket sort of shop that sold everything!!..... more nostalgia later

[christine]

Gosh Snowdrop you have a good memory - obviously youth is on your side!  You mention a brand new Co-op - this must be different to the one that I remember as my mum used to work there.  These were the days when you had to queue for whatever you wanted, possibly wait for it to be weighed, and then your money was whisked away as if by magic to the office at the end of the shop and your change returned. Believe it or not I still remember her 'dividend' or 'divi' number even after all these years and my daughter hooted with laughter when I told her and insisted I told the ladies in her local Co-op shop in Kingston.  They of course had no idea what I was talking about - these days you have a membership card which is swiped.

[Snowdrop]

Hi Christine, not sure about that!!! I suppose I have stored this all away in my head and now being on the site has jogged it all back!!!, some things I can remember as clear as anything but yet other things like the teachers names etc I am struggling with!! Cant have it all ways darling can we!!. I can only remember that Co-op which Bobby Moore opened. Ahhhh!!! those were the days Christine. I also remember I used to go to Sunday School it was a great big wooden hut in the middle of a great big piece of ground heading towards Grove Park cant remember the name of it though!!! and I also used to belong to St Luke's and go to Brownies there and spent happy times there jumble sales etc!!!...... more nostalgia to follow