Old playmates

[Splinter]

Hello Robert, Nice to hear from another ex Downhamite. What year would you know Len the Park keeper as my mum worked in the Parks and her boss was called Len, but he got Parkinsons and had to retire. That would be about 1967. Best wishes John.

[Robert]

Hello John. Len was in charge of all the local Downham parks, and had a large staff he gave me a job in the 1950's as a labourer it was great out in the open air all day. He was a tough nut but a great character and he lived opposite the main gate of Durham Hill school. He had an office in Durham Hill park I got news he had died around 1978 to 80. Vandalism was unheard of in those days and he kept the parks to a very high standard. Regards Bob.

[Brenda]

It's taken me a while to catch up again.  Yes, I knew Mr Bucket for as long as I lived in Durham Hill.  He was just four houses up from us.  As a park-keeper, yes, he was pretty formidable but as a neighbour he was a very nice and friendly man and always had a greeting for me.  He married a lady from Scotland, Mrs Ingram, whose husband had been killed during the war.  She had a daughter, Betty. I've often wondered what happened to Betty. She was a clever girl and went on to university.  The Buckets then had a son, John, who was a really nice lad.

My friend in Whitefoot Lane was Andree Jackson. She had a brother (Barry) and a younger sister (Ann). Lovely, lovely family. 

Bren

[Robert]

Hello Bren. Small world yes I knew your Friends the Jacksons, Len Jackson worked in Chiltonains biscuit factory in Lee Green. I heard that when Andree got married she went to live in Sweden or Norway. I also knew the Wilson family who lived next door, Bill Wilson drove the old 124 bus out of Catford garage for many years. Going back to Len the park keeper his wife that you mention died quite young and he lived alone at Durham Hill for many years and his parks were his life. I think he ran Durham Hill, Woodland Walk, Fosters,
Shaftsbury, & Beckenham Place. Can anyone tell me the name of the estate the other side of Whitefoot Lane from Downham.? My Mother called it the New estate, others called it the Catford estate. Regards Bob.

[Brenda]

Hallo Bob,

How very nice that you remember the Jacksons.  That's right, Mr Jackson was a manager at Chiltonians.   He died comparatively young (about 74 years,).  Andree married a Norwegian.  They lived first in Norway - which Andree described as 'cold and bleak' - but soon moved to warmer Denmark where she and her husband remained.  Sadly, she died almost ten years ago.  Her husband, Jens, died a couple of years ago.  I still look at the photos of them when they were young, healthy and 'in love' and it's hard to believe they are both gone.

 Mrs Jackson is still alive, aged 92, and was living independently until she was 90. Then  failing health and being partially blind and several falls and a broken femur (the usual story) meant she had to go into care and is now very frail but living in a nursing home in Bromley.  We kept in touch until a couple of Christmases ago when I spoke to her on the phone but it was the last time she recognised who I was.  Very sad.  I am still in touch with Andree's younger sister, Ann, and Andree's eldest daughter.

I remember the Wilsons.  I once threw a ball in Andree's back garden and it crashed through Mr Wilson's greenhouse.  Ooops.  Being a good little girl, I knocked and told him about it. He wasn't too cross!  Mrs Wilson died fairly young - breast cancer, same as Andree.

Mrs Bucket also died of cancer. I remember the day Mr Bucket came home from the hospital and spoke to my mother, saying she didn't have much of a chance.  I'd love to know what happened to Betty and John. They were really nice.

Did you know Janice Burgess a few houses down (up near the pub) from the Jacksons?

So Bob, should I know you by any chance?

Bren

[christine]

Gosh Bren - I remember Andree Jackson from school - had no idea that she had died - that really threw me cos all my memories, like yours, are of our class at Churchdown up until the age of 15 and thats where the faces have stayed. Also remember Janice Burgess - she and I were friends at school and remember that she lived in Whitefoot Lane and had a birthday party one time which I thought was very grand and to which I was invited! Thought she was very posh - well she was to me anyway!!!

[Splinter]

Robert, I knew the estate as Waters Road but now its called North Downham.

[Brenda]

Gosh Bren - I remember Andree Jackson from school - had no idea that she had died - that really threw me

I'm so sorry Chris that you got such a shock.  I am very surprised I did not tell you when we became reacquainted via Friends.   I will tell you more when I answer your email very shortly.

I did have brief contact with Valerie Langford through Friends who told me she is still in touch with Janice Burgess. I sent Janice a message via Valerie but never had any response and there has been no more contact with Valerie.

Bren

[Robert]

Hello Bren & Splinter. Sorry if I make mistakes I'm not very good with computers. Very sad to hear about Andree, I remember her as a fair haired school girl playing in the garden. No I never knew the Burgess. I don't think our paths have crossed Bren, I only knew these people thru my pal Terry from Durham Hill school he lived about 6 doors up from the Wilsons. I recall he got tired of motorbikes and bought a huge American car the sort you see in old ganster movies. Bill Wilson was always working on it for him. We felt like kings of the road going round the estate in that. One day some very heavy looking guys called on Terry to take it back .He'd forgotton to keep up the payments. Re Park Keeper Len I recall he told me he had a son only a teenager at the time who had gone to live at Nunhead near Peckham. Thanks for the info about "North Downham" Splinter. You say your Mum worked on the parks. Back then the was a large work force of Ladies, they worked mainly in charge of the kids play areas most parks had them full of swings roundabouts slides etc. Elf & Safty wouldn't allow it today too dangerous.!! Nice times nice people sad but nice memories. Bob

[Brenda]

Yes, you remember Andree correctly.  If you saw Andree playing in her garden, it is quite possibly you have seen me even if you didn't know me. I say this because Andree and I spent most of our childhood together.  If she wasn't coming home from school for tea with me, then I was going home with her for tea at her place. In fact, it got so that the only day we didn't share was Wednesday and that was because she had her piano lessons!

There was a big shed and a little shed in the Jackson's back garden. The Little Shed (yes, the capitals are deliberate) was what today's children might call a cubby house. It had a little table and chairs etc.  We used to play in their often and if you ever heard shrieks of laughter, it would have been us!

Good to talk to someone who remembers Andree and her family.

Bren

[Pauline]

Yes, you remember Andree correctly.  If you saw Andree playing in her garden, it is quite possibly you have seen me even if you didn't know me. I say this because Andree and I spent most of our childhood together.  If she wasn't coming home from school for tea with me, then I was going home with her for tea at her place. In fact, it got so that the only day we didn't share was Wednesday and that was because she had her piano lessons!

There was a big shed and a little shed in the Jackson's back garden. The Little Shed (yes, the capitals are deliberate) was what today's children might call a cubby house. It had a little table and chairs etc.  We used to play in their often and if you ever heard shrieks of laughter, it would have been us!

Good to talk to someone who remembers Andree and her family.

Bren

This was exactly the same as me and my friend Eileen Hughes who lived in Gareth Grove.  Her garden almost backed onto mine, we had gates in the fences where we could walk though to each others garden.  We also had sheds, one was supposed to be for my outside toys, and the other was the old chicken run.  I recall the fun we had with left over wallpaper decorating them! And the mess we go into painting the outsides with a horrible shade of green paint.  Oh dear, how sad the kids of today are stuck in front of their gameboys and the such.

[Splinter]

Yes Robert, My Mum was a Park Warden and also helped in the Childrens play area in the following plces Durham Hill, Valeswood, Forster, Chinbrook, Elmstead Woods and the park in Old Bromley Road. This was after she was a school crossing lady in Northover at the top of Pendragon Road.

[novotna]

I have been teaching at Pendragon School for some 15 years now ( live in Grove Park over 30 years)I would like  to make  a documentary film with the children as a memory of the school for them and the local community and perhaps even prevent this criminal waste  millions of pounds by the local authority lead by government to demolishing this school and build a modern plaster box probably painted in crazy colours and finished off with wooden cladding , this the latest craze to give it that garden shed look on the pretence of being ECO whilst importing the wood.  Pendragon school is brick built in keeping with the houses built around the school. It has parquet floors throughout, each classroom has been modernised with an interactive white board in every classroom and a computer for each teacher, new double glazed windows and doors, new internal doors and a catering kitchen for cooks to prepare lunch for the children on site. For the some 130 children on school role  we have 2 fully equipped science laboratories, 1 food tech. room ( cookery) even an adpted station for  wheelchair users, DT room ( woodwork), music room, fitness suite ( all those machines to do exercises on ) huge equipped gym, 2 changing rooms with showers, bathroom facility for wheelchair users,  large dinning room, library, 2 computer suites, 1 specialist computer suite, art room and a specialist recording studio and lots of large classrooms for English maths, MFL (foreign language), etc. Lots of outside space which  includes a caged football arena, basket ball court, small garden with a pond and many other features..
Thanks for any info you may have. Renee