Goldsmiths community center

[alf]

Hi All,
        May have said all this in the past ,but you know how it is when your 85 .I was born at 178 Riegate rd ,but was evacuated to Biddenden Kent 1939-43.
While away,a parashute mine  damaged 178 badly ,and so Mum ,sister Betty and little brother David Bushnell (1939) were rehoused in Castillon rd.just round the corner from the Community Center.About 1945 we were kept busy with Table Tennis ,Snooker,&Darts,and we had a fabulous Gymnasion .Every summer we would go to an organised camp at Reculver,Herne Bay for a week .I remember Tom Brooker,Alf Pritchard, Ron Green,Bill Crump,Ron Crump,Peggy Brown
My sister Eileen Bushnell,Ted Mann,Tom Allson ,memories fading,! Can anybody help with remeniscing ? Left Downham 1952 for REME,Wiltshire,and finally Australia in 1966..Can anybody remember roller skateing around the square near 178 Riegate RD 1937 ? no cars in those days.!
                                                                                     Alf Bushnell

[Brenda]

Hallo Alf,

Good to hear your reminiscences although the people I knew in Reigate Rd were a bit after your time.  I lived in Durham Hill for many years and my roller skating involved going down the hill towards the main road and hoping I'd be able to stop in time! 

My family moved to  Downham in 1948 - just before you were leaving - but many of the forums contain people's memories and you might find something familiar.

Whereabouts in Australia are you?  We came out in 1974 and now live in country Victoria.  Blinking cold down here at the moment!

Bren

[billbaker]

Hi Alf, I too was evacuated to Rolvenden in 1939 aged six, I never could understand why we were sent nearer the Kent coast where the Germans would have landed, do you think the government might have thought that when the Germans saw us scruffy Downham kids they would give up and go back home again? 

Bill.

[Frank (hutchsky)]

Hi Alf, Arrived in Downham with Family around 1948 (6 years old) and left in 1960 for the Army in Germany (4 years) return 1964 married and migrated to Perth Western Australia 1968, live in Rockingham WA for the passed 21 years with my second wife. Regards Frank H

[alf]

Hi All,
         Thanks for replies , Re evacuation 1939 ,When Hitler personally looked out from Calais in 1941,he was closer to us evacuated to Kent,,than our Mums&Dads in London ! I was walking home from Downham Central,on the day in 1943,when the 4 messersmits bombed Sandhurst School.I was just opposite the Northover pub,and as soon as I heard the machine guns ,I dived over a garden wall.
        I live in Armadale ,Western Australia,and this morning,had 4 hours of Snooker,compliments of local council community centre.$1.50 includes tea &2 biscuits.better than Goldsmiths !
                                                Alf
 

[Splinter]

Hi Alf, Just To Add To Where You Were Evacuated To. My Mother Was Evacuated To Folkestone. She Was Nearer The Germans Than 98% Of Our Forces. But If They Did Invade They Would Not Of Got Passed Her. A Stern Look From Her Could Sink A Battleship.

[Brenda]

My sister and I were evacuated with my mother to Fleetwood from Catford (just off Verdant Lane).  I was just a baby so obviously don't remember.  My mother couldn't stand the people we were boarded with.  She said she was expected to keep me and my toddler sister quiet and used to say, "So, I came back home because I'd rather put up with the bombs that those miserable sods."

I've still got the identity card showing the move.

She remembers the plane that bombed the school coming over.  She said she was cleaning the windows in the 2nd floor flat at the time and looked out to see what the noise was and said she saw the pilot's face clearly.  I used to think she was imagining it but with the advent of the Net, I've seen quite a few reports of the same from other people.

Bren

[Ken Catlin]

Hi All. Have not posted for some time, but as an ex-`Downhamite (Southover 1940-60 approx.) I should be ashamed of myself. I went to Downham Central from 1951-4, didn't get on with headmaster Mr Dorrington at all. Happy memories of Goldsmiths - I belonged to the G.A.D.S. and did several plays with them. The "star" and producer at the time was Ken Loveday - anyone remember him ?. Plays that come to mind include "Dial M for Murder" and "See How They Run" among others. I still have photos. A good mate from those days was Ron Gibbons. We went on to form a singing group "The Three Personalities", managed by Eddie Bubbly - the best boy in Catford. Oh happy days.

[alf]

 I think it was about 1951 that at the Saturday night dance at Goldsmiths ,Johnny Dankworth was the band,and he introduced Cleo Lane. I dont think we knew
of her ,and I think she was being auditioned by Johnny Dankworth.The rest is history !
                                                         Alf

[Ken Catlin]

Hi All. Can't help noticing the inactivity on Downham Discussion compared to a few years ago. An idea - what if all who are interested were to take a page each of email addresses of members and send out a message to re-ignite interest. The same message to each would not take long. Let me know what you think. Regards to all. Ken Catlin.

[Brenda]

Hi All. Can't help noticing the inactivity on Downham Discussion compared to a few years ago. An idea - what if all who are interested were to take a page each of email addresses of members and send out a message to re-ignite interest. The same message to each would not take long. Let me know what you think. Regards to all. Ken Catlin.

Perhaps the idea should be run past Mike.  Mike - what do you think?

Brenda