I remember being taken to the gas Works when I had a cold because the smell would cure me. There were lots of unusual smells that I remember as a child like the smell of cut wood at Marstons the builders at the Wandsworth Bridge Road end Stephendale Road or the bread being baked around the corner at Godfrey's.

Wandswworth Bridge Road was where you could get all your shopping. My dad Bob Wale worked at Frosts Butchers for a long time. I used to have my hair done at Fontaines and there was a nice shoe shop nearby and a general hardware shop that my Mum used. Far different to what it is now.  
 
I also remember the coalmen coming and delivering coal. They used to bring it upstairs. The dust men used to collect our dustbin. Those were the days before recyling. Does anyone also remember the helicopters that regularly flew over our area? They were an attraction for us children. My brother actually pushed me off a chair because he wanted to see one and he broke my right arm and I had just started school.

Our doctor was Dr Guyer Snr who at one time had a surgery at the corner of Byam Street and Stephendale Road. He later had a surgery in Wandsworth Bridge Road and died there from a heart attack. His son took over from him but he later died of a stroke.  There was also a school chiropodist and dentist in Bagleys Lane which we all went too which was also where you went to for eye tests and the dreaded drops. Had teeth out there and it scared me and had a veruca sorted out as well which was painful. 

Life was hard living in Sands End but we were a community where everybody helped and spoke to each other unlike today.