Early Years Clubs etc

[Frank (hutchsky)]

I wondered if we ever cross paths in out early teens or younger, I belonged to the the Boys Brigade at the same place I went to Sunday school (they did try once) near Burnt Ash school (1950/54) and the Scouts at the church in Downham Way (1955/56) and then the Army cadets up near Grove Park, I fired my first 303 at 14years nearly took my shoulder off. I was also in the band and was not very good, we did a concert at Catford Town hall and we all stood on stage and played our music.I was told to make believe and had some one behind the curtains playing. Well a very smart young girl in the front row with mum shouted out THAT BOY IS NOT PLAYING, well that's the last time I tried to play any music instrument.I also belonged to a youth club in Beckenham. I remember it was the start of the "Teddy Boy" days and us boys who only dressed the part (drain pipes, finger tip drape coats creeper shoes and little cowboy type ties around the neck, some had velvet collars) had some troubles with the Deptford boys who used to turn up at the club trying to pinch our girls and the odd fight. Then I got a job with Tooleys of Lee (Velo/Item dealer motor cycles)I was into motor cycles and went further a field. The Tigers Head with the trad/jazz Acker Bilk etc and the White Horse in Bromley and the caves in Cheislhurst for more trad jazz every Saturday Night, Salt Box Cafe Biggen Hill, Ace Cafe Biggen Hill, Dutch House, and Johnsons near Brands (first wife use to hang out) 59 club near one of the river tunnels.Catford Grey Hound track and many more. One would say I had a colourful teenage years with little trouble but fun.

[Brenda]

Hilarious anecdotes.  Keep 'em coming.  Good for you for having a colourful teenage-hood.  Wish I could say the same about mine but ...

Bren

[Splinter]

I talk to Bikers these days as i live near Brands Hatch. They dont realise how good their bikes are to the ones i had. I had a OILY Enfield, i spent more on oil and red hermatite than petrol. Do you remember the smell of a two stroke with Castrol R. Absolute heaven. ( can you still get Castrol R )

[Frank (hutchsky)]

We have vintage M/C races and Castrol R is a common smell at the race track great stuff, I use to put a cap full in the petrol tank, the smell made me go faster Ha Ha

[christine]

Hi Frank - do you mean St Luke's church in Downham as the place you went to scouts?  If so, you may have heard of my brother - Don Bourne and his friend (Peter) who, I believe, became the first Queens Scouts at that group although thinking about it - it might be a little before your time as I remember that as a Queens Scout he was giving out coronation programmes in 1953! Anyway, be interested to know...

[Frank (hutchsky)]

Hi Christine, I was with the 13th St Barnabas church scout group. I recon it was about 1952-53, cannot remember too much about the scouts apart from going to Down for an Easter camp with all of us and camping gear etc all in the back of a lorry and it rained most of the weekend.

[Splinter]

Frank i have recently been on a site about the old Nightingale Cafe at Biggin with a forum of old bikers who went their and all the other cafe`s and clubs in the area. just google the name. It might be of interest to you . John

[Frank (hutchsky)]

Splinter is Johnson s cafe still near Brands and is Death Hill still known as such? had some good times at brands, my first remembrance is Sertee's beating Geoff Duke , Geoff was Number one at the time. I will look for that site, we knew it as the Salt Box but Nightingale Cafe has woken up my brain.

[Splinter]

Johnsons cafe is no longer im afraid. Nightingale was past the salt box past the end of the runway then it was on the left slightly up a hill on a right hand bend just before Jail Lane. It is now a Builders Merchants. The Ace Cafe on the North Circular Road has reopened and they do a lot of filming their. I am still trying to remember the name of the small cafe i used to go to on Rushey Green near to Lewisham Hospital next to a Small bike shop /repairers.

[Frank (hutchsky)]

I have looked at the site and yes you are right its further up the road nearer Biggin Hill, when the Salt Box Closed in the late 50s we started to go to the Nightingale, one of our group dropped his bike right out side, and looking at the web site I now remember why we started using the Ace cafe just pass the run way at Biggin Hill. The group at the Nightingale, were the worse kind of Rockers ( Bikies now days) as the site quotes they were a bikie group and some of the things they did was well on the wrong side of the law. they wore patches on there backs and would beat the hell out of you if you crossed them. looking at there picture gallery they was a lot of places of interest, Johnson's Cafe, and the "Ace" the one they have reopened. They were full on Teddy Boys. away from there bikes.

[Splinter]

Their are still a few cafes around that during the summer have Bike meets but the police are all over them like a rash. But most these days are old bikers. I think if i got a bike now i would kill myself. I dont think my body could take 0 to 70 in 5 secs.

[Frank (hutchsky)]

There use to be a Cafe in one of the motor bike shops in Rushey Green up Nr Lewisham Hospital. I use to love that street all the car and bike dealers.

[Splinter]

Frank. Do you still ride bikes i would imagine the weather is a bit better for it where you are. I always remember that when it was raining it felt like needles hitting you in the face. in the days before crash helmets. In those days its amazing more of us wern`t killed, especially on Dutch House Bend!!

[Frank (hutchsky)]

No not these days I am into 4x4 and caravaning, I only give the bikes away a few years ago. I still follow my old bike group, I am off down south to their Agm soon, bikes and riders come from all over Oz to attend. We was in Queensland at there last agm. I did have a bike shop in Rockingham for a few years I was a Honda and Yamaha dealer,  I all so worked for Tooleys of Lee a Velo Dealer. I do get tempted to get another bike, it would be a vintage if I did. I did meet an old Johnson cafe rider at a run a few years ago and he still had his old Gold Star which he brought over from the Uk. I notice his crash helment was painted with yellow dots and told him I knew a rider from Johnson who use to paint the same and he turn out to to be the same person. (small World} Yes we do have some great weather for Bike riding, but can be a challenge when its 40 plus like it is now, the heat comes off the road like an oven.

[Splinter]

I Sold my 4x4 two years ago i had a Shogun and bought a Jaguar instead. I could of done with the Shogun this winter. No snow now, but i am told we could still be in for more soon. Summer here might start about July but i wont hold my breath.