Downham Online Discussion

Joe Mudele the well known bass player who appeared with Johnny Dankworth, Nat Temple and laurie Holloway recently died and his  obituary appeared in The Times. Joe went to school with my mum in Moorside Road and he and my mum in their early teens would travel around the pubs in the area with her singing and him accompanying her winning talent competitions. My mum was Eileen Knights before she married George Bates my dad. Mum had a great singing voice and Joe and her would often play in the Downham Tavern with Charlie Goodacre on the Piano and Charlie Tostavine on the drums. There were some very good singers around at that time and the pub was brilliant on a Saturday night. After the Tavern changed the two Charlie's went down and played in the British Legion Club in Old Bromley Road. Mum would often sing there with her brothers Bobby and Pat knights. Others who also performed were Terry Blake, H Stevens and the ex boxer Peter Mahoney. Great days! Does anyone else recall the talent Downham produced?

My Nan and Grandad Jessie and Harry Knights lived In Geraint Road from about 1928 until their deaths in 1969 and 1973 respectively. They first lived at No 68 two doors down from the Blamires. On the corner with Lancelot on the right were the Kitchen family. On the opposite corner were Charlie and Nell Paye. Next door to my Nan was Becky Castle and her sons who would fight in the garden. Further down were Mr and Mrs Hogan and their sons one of whom was Dennis, a good footballer. My Uncles Pat and Bob Knights played for Delvin and Artillery House football teams and Downham and Bellingham. Further down weere the Seabrooks who with their sons Johnny and Charlie moved to Devon where I now live. I see Charlie occasionally in passing. There were the Cakebreads Jimmy and Phyliss and their kids Jimmy Jnr and Jaqueline. Peggy and Charlie Bateman and their daughter Joan lived on the opposite side down towards Ivorydown. Mr and Mrs Bonney lived oppsite the Cakebreads with their son Leslie. I have pictures of a massive street party in Geraint Road at the Coronation in 1953. Does any recognise any of these names ?