Charlton Parks Reminiscence Project Exhibition, June 2012. Private viewing, a thank you to the many volunteers who had participated in the project.
Mr. Wray: I was born and bred in Woolwich but played in Maryon and Maryon Wilson Parks. We would slide down Cox’s Mount on tea trays.
One day, his mother had made him a new pair of (Milton?) shorts. Sliding down the Mount he caught his shorts on a twig, which took the bottom out of them. He had to borrow his friend’s coat to walk home in. Expecting a clip round the ear, his mother just laughed.
Charlton Manor School outing – on Cox’s Mount. Greenwich Heritage Centre
The sand in Gilbert’s Pit was special as it was slightly damp, this meant you could mould it into a cricket ball which would burst if it hit someone.
Barnards Music Hall, Woolwich. He recalled that Bert Tyrell, music hall star, would come to his father’s house when he was small, for a meal. he would then ask his father if he could loan him £5 until ’The ghost walked on Friday”
Charlton Cemetery Lodge, 2012
Ian Caller, past resident of The Lodge, Charlton Cemetery. Ian was visiting Charlton and other places in the Borough to show a friend where he had grown up and on the recommendation of Felicity visited the exhibition having just been to St. Luke’s Church. Ian said he had lived in The Lodge during the 1960’s as his father was the Cemetery Superintendent. His father he said, was the only Superintendent who did not die on the job.
Cyril Young: While looking at maps of the area Cyril explained that the unused railway lines at Charlton Station had been lines for the coal trains.
St. Luke’s, Charlton Village. The house is on the right. Greenwich Heritage Centre
The house in Charlton Village, now occupied by the dry cleaners had been a shop that sold all the equipment necessary for the maintenance of coal fires.
St. Luke’s Church had two boundary walls off Charlton Church Lane as the slope of the hill had been reduced to make it less steep for the horses pulling the coal carts. This was done after several horses had died as a result of the effort to drag the carts up the hill.
Mrs. Cass, headmistress of Woodhill School died at the age of 104 years 364 days.
He believes the postcard of Maryon Park ( see The Parks – Maryon Park & Gilbert’s Pit banner photograph) is probably taken in the 1890’s as the girls are wearing white, therefore before Queen Victoria died. If it had been after her death in 1901 the girls would be in black. Mrs. Cass recalled that at the age of 15 she had to wear mourning black for Queen Victoria.
Springfield showing the pig farm on the left. Greenwich Heritage Centre
Edna Bratton-Hardy: recalls the pig farm, probably Springfield Farm. A boy she knew kept rabbits in a bombed-out house next to the farm, this when she was 5 or 6.
The Starbuck family had a rag-and-bone yard in Floyd Road
The barrage balloon, a story given by George Burton, also hit her home on Coxmount Road. It covered the front door and her mother had to cut through the fabric of the balloon to get out of the house. They used the cut out piece to waterproof the chicken coup.
When I was a young girl I used to stand and watch the girls and soldiers dance round the Bandstand all the night in summer, about 1951.
Anon: Two Charlton ladies, one in Prince Henry Road daughters crossed the road to the Lido in the morning, stayed all day, and had to be hauled back for their dinner after everyone else had left.
Maryon Park, bandstand and tennis courts. Greenwich Heritage Centre
Anon: When was the Bandstand taken down? We believe the original bandstand was erected in 1893 and replaced in 1895. But have no date for when it was finally removed ……….. as yet.
Anon: After we had been in Maryon Wilson park with my toddler she said “force, force”. I realised that she meant ‘horse, horse” – we had just been talking about the animals. c 1982.
Karen Hennings: I love all the parks in Charlton, I can remember playing as a child and now making new memories with my own baby.”
Bob and Beryl: “Memories!’
Dan and Valerie: memories – especially at the Lido, lived in Charlton and married Dec. 1957 at St. Luke’s Church. We are still Charlton Athletic supporters.
Maryon Park and Woolwich Road,possibly 1948. Greenwich Heritage Centre
Mrs Batchelor: her friend first lived on Woolwich Road then moved to Sutledge Road 18 years ago. There are no Nos. 1 – 4 but she was told at the time it had been apple orchards. (this was before the motorway had been constructed).
Dorothy and Gordon Marsh: Lived in Charlton for 27 years at 99 Lansdowne Lane (now flats). Lovely memories. Wonderful place to have lived, schooled and worked. Waterman from 1950 – 1962 “wonderful”.
Bee Twidale: I can remember fossil hunting in Gilbert’s Pit late 50’s. I slipped on the cliff face and tore the seat off my jeans!
Anon: Shops in Charlton Village, pre War to 1950. Bugle Horn (public house) towards Woolwich; J. Humphries & Sons, Bicycle Shop; Clarke Motor – petrol tank in yard; after Humphreys Guyers – butcher, with a cellar.
Opposite the Bugle: Hardings greengrocer; P….. fish shop; Co-op and Post Office – Basil and Jean Jones; …..? Place; Sandinian – sweet shop.
The Rouse Family and neighbours, Maryon Wilson Park 1950. Photo annotated by Alan Rouse.
Ann, Alan & Barbara Rouse: Ann Rouse visited the exhibition with her youngest son Alan and his wife. Ann Rouse had first lived in Flamsted Road with her family, she recognised herself and her two elder sons in the photograph of Miss Etherington delivering the Exmoor ponies to Maryon Wilson Park. She said she had no idea that the photograph had been taken and talked through the names of the people in the photo, some Flamsted neighbours. Both Ann and Alan recalled the United dairies farm, off Cemetery Lane and Alan recalled buying milk, butter and cream from the Dairy shop.
Alan recalled the allotments being replaced with prefabs along Canberra Road.
Ann recalled the pond in Maryon Wilson being bombed by an incendiary bomb. She believed there had been a small sweet shop nearby the pond.
