The padded cell.

[billbaker]

In 1945, across the Beckenham Road from Peter Pan’s Pool there was a large partly bombed building called Flower House, it was at one time the home of one of Lord Forsters sons. Vic Greenwood who lived on the corner of Goudhurst and Glenbow road and I were exploring the ruins like twelve year old kids do, one of the rooms still intact oddly enough was a padded cell, it had a small leather flap on the door and a large rusty spring loaded bolt on the outside, being curious I stepped inside to take a closer look and Vic, for a lark, slammed the door behind me, I yelled at him to stop messing about and let me out, I had visions of my mortal remains being discovered many years later, after what seemed like ages he managed to open the door saying he couldn’t pull the rusty bolt back and swore he never heard me shouting, being locked inside a padded cell I suppose that was understandable.
I discovered some time later that Flower House had at one time been a lunatic asylum.

[Brenda]

What a fascinating anecdote, Bill.  More please.

Bren

[billbaker]

Hi Brenda, it does sometimes cause a few raised eyebrows when I jokingly tell friends that, yes, as a young lad I did spent a small part of my childhood in a padded cell in a lunatic asylum.
.

 

[sixtieschick]

Well Bill, to say I am shocked is putting it mildly!!! I'd live on Downham, Pontefract Road, until I married at 23...I now at  65, live just up the road from the Flower House Estate, Southend Road, Beckenham end...I had a friend who used to live there and used to go there quite often..Very interesting!!!  Also to think it was a lunatic asylum!!!

[billbaker]

Hi Pam, you can read about it and see a photograph of the house at; http://www.ideal-homes.org.uk/lewisham/assets/galleries/southend/flower-house

[Brenda]

I followed that link and looked at the photo, Bill.  Really interesting.  I wonder why, during so many years of living on Downham, I never heard of this place before and, I suppose, never thought of the origins of names of places and so on. 

I do remember the time, as a very young child, when I first discovered Downham had been farmland not so very long before. I remember the surprise I felt on learning that Downham hadn't always been there! 

Bren