|
During the1960s many long established shops situated between Rosebury and Townmead roads were demolished to make way for redevelopment, unlike the businesses further up Wandsworth Bridge Road which simply changed ownership or what they sold. Well known names like Lamming's, Godfreys, Morgan's and Hammonds disappeared over night. Below are some of your recollections. Sue Kettle nee Hallam (De Morgan Road) writes; "Where the tower block is on the corner of Stephendale Road and Wandsworth Bridge Road (Barton House) there used to be a fish and chips shop called Hammonds. We used to go in there and buy a penny's worth of crackling." Maureen Hughes nee Elster (Wandsworth Bridge Road) says that "you could buy two pennyworth of crackling if you hadn't got the money for fish." Derek Sayers (Stephendale Road) describes Hammonds as "the only fish and chips shop in the area that used dripping to cook in." Rose Thornton nee Davies (Sullivan Court) went there to buy fish and chips when visiting her friends in Carnwarth House. "They tasted fantastic and not a bit like now. I swear the newspaper made it all taste better." Quite a few of you remember Skelton's, a mens' hairdresser or barber as they were all called in those days. Keith Eyre, once of Rosebury Road says "Skeltons the 'demon' barber up by the Bridge used to cut all the local kids hair. You would sit on an old biscuit tin and get the same haircut whatever you asked for." Michael Cheesman (Stephendale Road) describes how "old deafy" would sit children on a plank of wood and use those old fashioned clippers. Again, you got the same haircut every time. Rosie Greenslade nee Pitchard (Marinefield Road) asks if anyone remembers Lucy Cross? "She was the florist who at one time used to be situated in a tiny little cubby hole in Hugon Road which wasn't big enough to be known as a shop. Her son Alfie Cross used to be our milkman." Lucy later moved into larger premises in Wandsworth Bridge Road. Sue Kettle says "Lucy Cross also did flower arrangements for funerals, weddings etc and was a very skilled lady." Brenda Cassell (Wandsworth Bridge Road) describes her as "quite a character." Brenda lived along the parade between Hugon and Carnwath roads . "I remember most of the shops across the road from me that were pulled down to make way for new flats (Townmead Estate). There was a chemist, a drapers, the Beescroft cafe and a greengrocer's." A dairy shop opposite the Wandsworth Tavern was owned by the parents of Vivien Rees (nee Hicks) and that too was pulled down. (Left) picture was taken during the 1960s. (Right) same parade in 2007 with modern shops. Brenda Cassell adds; "My father worked in the motorbike shops close to our house for several years. There was Dave Payne's and Peter and Andy's motorbike shops and also Cullingsworth sweet shop on our side of Wandsworth Bridge Road, run by an elderly couple. They bought the shop on retiring and Mrs Cullingsworth was always very precise. When measuring out sweets she would even cut a sweet in half so that we had the exact weight." Keith Eyre used to buy his maggots for fishing from one of the motorcycle shops. Mike Lyons (Wandsworth Bridge Road) recalls a shop next to St Matthew's called Penny's (fags, sweets and papers) and Maurice Timlin (Hazlebury Road) went out with the owner's daughter, Penny Rickyson for a while. "I can never remember getting any sweets out of the relationship." he laments. The father and grandfather of Maureen Mason nee Wale (Hamble Street) both used to deliver newspapers from the shop, when under previous ownership. The shop was also known as Wrigleys and Wright's in its time. On the opposite corner (pictured below) was Rosebury Stores. "The owner's wife worked in the shop and her husband worked for Prudential Insurance, " writes Mike. Maureen Mason remembers the wonderful smell of fresh bread which came from Godfrey's the bakers, which was situated between Rosebury and Stephendale roads. Keith Eyre used to buy "Penny Nelsons" from there, which were in his own words "slabs of bread pudding." Sue Kettle recalls a grocery shop along this stretch known as 'The Dairy.' "Mr and Mrs Morgan ran it and there used to be a milk machine outside where you put sixpence in and got a carton of milk.They also used to have a milk float and their son made local deliveries." Interior of Morgan's shortly before demolition. Below is the parade of vanished shops.  
Sally Casey nee Charman says her grandfather William (Bill) Charman ran Bembrook's General Store on the other side of Wandsworth Bridge Road between Narborough Street and Ashcombe Street, from 1955 until 1969.* She recalls; It was like the shop from TV’s ‘Open All Hours’ with goods on display all over the pavement." Sally describes the shop in greater detail in her piece about William Charman in the Snowbury Road section of 'Where We Lived.' Mike Lyons mentions a newsagents called Staniforth's on the parade between Woolneigh Street and Hugon Road, which also sold sweets in jars. "I remember it was run by a miserable elderly couple and was later taken over by a Chelsea footballer called Frankie Blunstone." ( pictured below)
Mike also mentions the taxi firm Mann & Overton whose vehicles used to leave by Woolneigh Street, which has been renamed South Park Mews - another sign of the gentrification of the area. Black and white photographs (except Blunstone pic) courtesy Hammersmith and Fulham Archives .
|
Where We Lived 
