Re Charlton Manor School - I remember Mr Gill & Mr Stead & the legionary story of how he broke the table in two with his bare hands - actually he thumped it one with his fist & it broke in half - we were deeply impressed & didn't piss him off any more!
Strangely, for some reason I cannot remember, I went round to his house once (near Well Hall) with another kid from the class. When he opened the door he was wearing an apron & had a wiping up cloth in his hand & was doing the washing for his wife while listening to the cricket. The domestic Mr Stead was a very different figure from the one in the classroom.
I also remember an Asian teacher named Mr Pasha who when we played cricket in the playground regularly wacked the ball over the roof into the infants playground.
Cheers,
Fossdene Rob
Rob - did you actually see Mr Stead smash the table? Very impressed if you did!
Mr Stead also got involved in later years with a spiritual healing group that used to meet in Charlton House. Not my scene but I used to bump into him occasionally on his way to these meetings and he always took time to have a chat and ask how my sister (also ex Charlton Manor) and I were getting on in the world of work. A really nice bloke.
I remember Mr Pasha as well - he once came out with the legendary comment at the start of a lesson - "I am not Peter Sellers" which was a bizarre comment to give to a class of 10 year olds. I laughed though!
Yes I did. I can't properly remember the details but I think there was some kind of school inspection going on & we were really badly behaved when the inspector was in the class & afterwards SIR went ballistic. Maybe he was searching for spiritual means to restore the table!
I borrowed my mates fixed wheel racing bike, and road it down Floyd Road going well I was until I came to the deaded bend by Sam Batrams shop could't stop the thing tried to freewheel ended up going over the handlebars ending up in the shop doorway dazed and bruised. The bike had its front wheel twisted in two with my mate going mad- he had only just got it!
How about the Lido in the summer then? I spent all my time there.
Yeh......The Lido was a great place to go on a very hot day coz the water always seemed to be freezing cold, but always seemed to me to be very crowded....preferred woolwich baths myself.......a tad warmer me thinks
We must know each other! do you remember Susan Smith and a girl with the name Wale, good looking with black hair.
I had better be careful about mentioning 'bunking in'
I would have been one of those 'smokey dopey' lot, although it was greatly exaggeratted, as most peoples drug was drink and fags...... how times have changed?
It may well have developed, but dope smoking and other exotic mixtures, went into another sphere when I went to art college, and in those days of course there was no restriction on smoking, you could smoke in the lectures!
Seems rather strange now, but I would buy fags before lunch, or drinking, it was part of the 'scene' .
I mainly drinked back in Charlton/Bexley with my school buddies and friends.
Some of my art college friends became highly dependant on drink/drugs! Several students got 'strung out' they probably became investment bankers in the families extended social network.
mmmmmmmm Susan Smith, the name rings a bell.......does she have 2 brothers? I knew the Smith Brothers and they had a sister but perhaps we may not be thinking of the same person?? I seem to remember that she was very attractive but could have been slightly older than me.....
We must know each other! do you remember Susan Smith and a girl with the name Wale, good looking with black hair.
I had better be careful about mentioning 'bunking in'
I would have been one of those 'smokey dopey' lot, although it was greatly exaggeratted, as most peoples drug was drink and fags...... how times have changed?
It may well have developed, but dope smoking and other exotic mixtures, went into another sphere when I went to art college, and in those days of course there was no restriction on smoking, you could smoke in the lectures!
Seems rather strange now, but I would buy fags before lunch, or drinking, it was part of the 'scene' .
I mainly drinked back in Charlton/Bexley with my school buddies and friends.
Some of my art college friends became highly dependant on drink/drugs! Several students got 'strung out' they probably became investment bankers in the families extended social network.
mmmmmmmm Susan Smith, the name rings a bell.......does she have 2 brothers? I knew the Smith Brothers and they had a sister but perhaps we may not be thinking of the same person?? I seem to remember that she was very attractive but could have been slightly older than me.....
I also think Total and I knew, or certainly knew of each other. The Smith brothers was it Peter and Mike? I think they lived in Marr House, Robin Walker was certainly another Charlton Fan that lived on Springfield. As for 'Bunking in' I heard it went on a lot by the laundry into the toilets and gone before the stewards could catch them.
We must know each other! do you remember Susan Smith and a girl with the name Wale, good looking with black hair.
I had better be careful about mentioning 'bunking in'
I would have been one of those 'smokey dopey' lot, although it was greatly exaggeratted, as most peoples drug was drink and fags...... how times have changed?
It may well have developed, but dope smoking and other exotic mixtures, went into another sphere when I went to art college, and in those days of course there was no restriction on smoking, you could smoke in the lectures!
Seems rather strange now, but I would buy fags before lunch, or drinking, it was part of the 'scene' .
I mainly drinked back in Charlton/Bexley with my school buddies and friends.
Some of my art college friends became highly dependant on drink/drugs! Several students got 'strung out' they probably became investment bankers in the families extended social network.
mmmmmmmm Susan Smith, the name rings a bell.......does she have 2 brothers? I knew the Smith Brothers and they had a sister but perhaps we may not be thinking of the same person?? I seem to remember that she was very attractive but could have been slightly older than me.....
I also think Total and I knew, or certainly knew of each other. The Smith brothers was it Peter and Mike? I think they lived in Marr House, Robin Walker was certainly another Charlton Fan that lived on Springfield. As for 'Bunking in' I heard it went on a lot by the laundry into the toilets and gone before the stewards could catch them.
Bought my first car from Peter Walker Robin's elder brother....... an austin mini...... His mother and mine were good friends.
Joanna Wale was the looker on the estate though, although Sue Smith was as we used to say 'a nice sort'. She used to wear one of those long mod leather coats, her dad was apparently a member of the 'lodge' which is some sort of 'freemasonary'......Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes. Really not my cup of tea, now and certainly not then. Middle aged men in bizzare rituals, in a mutual self help group!.
My grandfather was the manager at the dog track for a while.
Fifties or earlier though I believe.
I'd be interested in anything people know about the history of it. I know they had Primo Carnera (a great big lump of a world heavyweight boxing champion in the thirties) in an exhibition wrestling match once...
I remember Ronnie Chance his brother was Johnnie and they lived in Erskine house. It was great reading all the stories of Charlton Village and growing up in the 50's and 60's. I went to Fossdene school and then Eltham Green. It seems a small world, remembering back, a lot of those names I too remember. Does anyone remember Patrick Lee? he lived in Erskine House then moved over to Downe House. I would love to chat with him if anyone knows his whereabouts. Yes the HUGE bonfire and the tree at the spring, I remember that instance and getting into trouble for participating but we had good fun and great big bonfire.
I remember Ronnie Chance his brother was Johnnie and they lived in Erskine house. It was great reading all the stories of Charlton Village and growing up in the 50's and 60's. I went to Fossdene school and then Eltham Green. It seems a small world, remembering back, a lot of those names I too remember. Does anyone remember Patrick Lee? he lived in Erskine House then moved over to Downe House. I would love to chat with him if anyone knows his whereabouts. Yes the HUGE bonfire and the tree at the spring, I remember that instance and getting into trouble for participating but we had good fun and great big bonfire.
I remember Ronnie Chance his brother was Johnnie and they lived in Erskine house. It was great reading all the stories of Charlton Village and growing up in the 50's and 60's. I went to Fossdene school and then Eltham Green. It seems a small world, remembering back, a lot of those names I too remember. Does anyone remember Patrick Lee? he lived in Erskine House then moved over to Downe House. I would love to chat with him if anyone knows his whereabouts. Yes the HUGE bonfire and the tree at the spring, I remember that instance and getting into trouble for participating but we had good fun and great big bonfire.
I remember Ronnie Chance his brother was Johnnie and they lived in Erskine house. It was great reading all the stories of Charlton Village and growing up in the 50's and 60's. I went to Fossdene school and then Eltham Green. It seems a small world, remembering back, a lot of those names I too remember. Does anyone remember Patrick Lee? he lived in Erskine House then moved over to Downe House. I would love to chat with him if anyone knows his whereabouts. Yes the HUGE bonfire and the tree at the spring, I remember that instance and getting into trouble for participating but we had good fun and great big bonfire.
Yes remember the Chances...... a couple of likely lads. but good natured..... Mick McCarthey and his sister Sonia went to Eltham Green, as did my wife.
I think there were the Baily's, and the Swains,I went to Bloomfield with Tony, he was crap at football, and we had a few run in's, but in the end he came round to my way, and the bastard still has my jimi hendrix greatest hits album!. So many lad's that i have forgotten the names of.
Enjoyed all the stories of Charlton Village my memories are longer than most of the posters hear. I remember when Springfield was a swamp where we would catch newts and frogs.I lived first in Eastmoor St[1939]. down were the first Addicks team started.Our playground was a gap between "The Lads of the Village " and Siemans which led to a some smelly steps down to the Thames. We then moved to Charlton Lane[1940] opposite the "Royal Oak" my Gran used to have all the bikes in her front garden on home games, I would make a few shillings from this, I also sold "Larkins"roasted peanuts, my pitch was on the path which led along to the laundry. We then moved to Valley Grove,it was possible to see half of the pitch from a top floor flat in Gooding House.Often when the gates were opened just after half time we would go into the ground to see what we could find when the match was over---one prize was a nearly full packet of Churchmans I went off to the smelly toilets[I think they were old air raid shelters} and smoked for the first time,I choked, I was about 8, it never stopped me though. Not sure of Sam's shop before, but there was Maud's sweetshop, then a fish and chip shop, and then a greengrocers and coal merchants run by the Starbuck family, with a couple in between. I went to Thorntree Infants School, a great little school opposite the "Deer Park" a good conker park with some rather heavy handed "Pargies". Maryon Park Junior School[1945-49] was next and I remember many of the names, mostly girls, three Martin sisters Pauline Margeret and Doreen,Moya Boyce, Len Underwood, Harry Starbuck,Alan Martin.In the summer holidays we would live in the Charlton Lido, stopping on the way to buy a bag of plums at the greengrocers next to St Lukes in the village, they cost tuppence a bagfull [they were bruised!] As time went on I played for ROFSA at Church Manorway a good team but the ones to beat were UGB Pantiles. My best mate was Barry Smith he lived in Springfield around 1956 and I lost touch when girls came on the scene. In fact he was with me when I met my wife at the Ceilidh dance in the church hall at Our Lady of Grace opposite the Rectory Field. I wonder were he is does anyone know? We lived for a short time in Floyd road and I would collect the signatures of Sam,Charlie Vaughan,Frank Lock,[he always troubled Stanley Matthews]Jock Campbell,Benny Fenton, Chris Duffy,Sid O'Linn,Bert Johnson,Harold Phipps, I wish I had them now. My paper-round was all around the "posh houses" in Canberra Rd, Montcalm Rd. These were the roads we chose for "carol singing"always the best if you gave a lusty version and knew all the words.Always good to join in on a nostalgic chat.Syd Pawley
Great to hear an even earlier version of life in Charlton Syd. I didn't know the Starbucks had a coal merchants. They have been some family over the years (RIP Harry). I grew up next to Greenwich Park, so delighted to hear you had Pargies too in Maryon Park and that the word predated us in the late sixties.
Was talking to friends about how bonfire night used to be and what it was like on the Springfield estate when we were kids in the fifties. We would start building the bonfire in October and it would invariably be burnt down at least twice before 5 November. Not unusual for Roman candles to be fired from open windows six stories up to enhance the effect, someone's curtains were set alight one year. Creating our own IEDs from the contents of bangers and sundry containers was a normal activity in the lead up to bonfire night.
Pythonesque memories of living in a shoe box before we moved to Springfield with me and my two sisters living with our parents and in my Gran's flat above a shop on the corner of Malton Street in one bedroom and no bathroom, everyone washed in the kitchen sink, central heating was a gas stove in the scullery. It was like moving into a mansion when we moved into Priory House. Looking at the estate now it's hard to believe our mothers would polish the brass and sweep and scrub the floors in the communal areas and plant flowers around the porch entrance. One landing was red carpeted when one of the residents was elected mayor.
I think the girl "Wale" might have been Anne Whale who lived above us and went to Charlton Manor. Would have been above my station I fear.
Happy time at Charlton Manor. Fondly remember Mr Gill knocking me out with a right hander in the playground for a minor misdomeanor. His explanation to my mother was I walked into his hand as he tried to break up a disturbance. Never made the Charlton Manor football team beyond a sub after that. I won a class prize fom Mr Stead though, he mistook my fear of upsetting him and gave me a prize for politeness.
Also remember the hollow "oak", it was an elm tree and you had no street cred until you'd climbed to the top from the inside. In fact we spent most of our time climbing trees and looking for birds nests. Only ever took "cold" birds eggs, but don't remember ever finding a warm one!
Recall the Swains, we lived above them in Priory House, not unusual to see Alan or Tony being chased around the block by their father wielding a huge leather belt, never saw them get caught though. We left the estate in the sixties a while before I think it was Mick Mcarthy who trashed an old Ford Popular I sold him by rolling it down the hill in Springfield for a laugh.
Mick Macarthy is a common name but there is a MM who still goes would be 50ish, now lives in welling has 2 girls now adults and owns a successful bath polishing business.
Was sitting in the west stand a few years back when mate says "i saw Mick Macarthy the other day".At the time i was working in 5star hotels so i say " i have loads of work for him ,but lost his phone number".The mate says "what work?" me---"baths to polish"----him " why would the manager of Ireland want to polish baths ?".
Some of the people i go to The Valley with i have known for more than 30 years. At least two 40years. We met through CAFC and i have been to their weddings---seen their kids grow and sadly been to several funerals. That is also part of the thread running thorugh the above ---the people you meet and met at Charlton.
Was talking to friends about how bonfire night used to be and what it was like on the Springfield estate when we were kids in the fifties. We would start building the bonfire in October and it would invariably be burnt down at least twice before 5 November.
Including the odd bit of sabotage from Cherry Orchard ;-)
Thanks a lot Goonhater, I will have to see if I can track down the bath polisher in Welling ?
Mick was a big lad, even when he was a lad, in fact he introduced me to my better half when I was in the 6th form at Bloomfield school..
A lot of the lads used to hang about in the fox under the hill, and the standard pub, which had a dj that you could phone up!
All the lads were into soul, and reggae, and of course had short crew cuts, Dr Martens Ben Sherman's.
As I have posted before, I was into Hendrix/Clapton, and went to art school, so I became 'detached' from them, although I did play football on a Sunday down by the garages.
I used to stay in a lot, to study, and going to a school that was not known for it's academic status, ( Bloomfield) if you got 5 'O' levels they thought you were clever, so I tended to hang around with my future wife's friends at the time,
as they were arty types, went to concerts, parties etc.I stopped playing football , and stopped going regularly to the valley when I left the estate. The death of my father when I was 16 hit me hard, so I tried my best at school to get out of the estate.
I moved to Blackheath for a time, but came back every week to see my brother/sister and mother still living on the estate.
There were so many kid's on the estate, and I am appauling with names.
Although I went down to the valley for years with my friend's it was my father who introduced me to the valley at the age of about 6/7.
I took my twin's down there at the same age, and resummed my passion for Charlton/football.
'Tom Hovi ' on here was a very good friend of my brother?..... and Dave Rudd went to Sherrington and was in the same year as me?
Was talking to friends about how bonfire night used to be and what it was like on the Springfield estate when we were kids in the fifties. We would start building the bonfire in October and it would invariably be burnt down at least twice before 5 November. Not unusual for Roman candles to be fired from open windows six stories up to enhance the effect, someone's curtains were set alight one year. Creating our own IEDs from the contents of bangers and sundry containers was a normal activity in the lead up to bonfire night.
Although I was a mid to late 60s early 70s boy, the fireworks out the windows was something I was infamous for! I remember getting caught by my Mum and being foolish enough to take my b******* while still hanging onto the window, she slammed the metal casement windows on my fingers. Another stunt with Roman candles was to wait untill the others were inside the 'Oak' and fire one up the inside the tree!! I remember collecting for the bonfire, nothing was safe. Thieving allsorts as long as would burn, accessing the backyards of the shops in the Village via the Adventure playground behind St Lukes for wooden crates and pallets. I remember walking through the Village one evening with one or two others and hearing a banging noise turned to find a well known face sitting in the greengrocers window eating fruit!! That then became the well known way of all year round scrumping. Putting a lit Banger in a biscuit tin and slide in the tin the lift door just as it closed sent echoes thoughout the block as well as perforated a few eardrums.
Comments
Mr Stead also got involved in later years with a spiritual healing group that used to meet in Charlton House. Not my scene but I used to bump into him occasionally on his way to these meetings and he always took time to have a chat and ask how my sister (also ex Charlton Manor) and I were getting on in the world of work. A really nice bloke.
I remember Mr Pasha as well - he once came out with the legendary comment at the start of a lesson - "I am not Peter Sellers" which was a bizarre comment to give to a class of 10 year olds. I laughed though!
seemed to be freezing cold, but always seemed to me to be very crowded....preferred
woolwich baths myself.......a tad warmer me thinks
but perhaps we may not be thinking of the same person?? I seem to remember that she was very attractive but could have been
slightly older than me.....
I also think Total and I knew, or certainly knew of each other. The Smith brothers was it Peter and Mike? I think they lived in Marr House, Robin Walker was certainly another Charlton Fan that lived on Springfield. As for 'Bunking in' I heard it went on a lot by the laundry into the toilets and gone before the stewards could catch them.
Their not, but "Age Concern" are
So a bit bit of respect for your elders. your not to big for a clip round the ear. : )
"Come greyhound racing at Charlton Stadium" ........and, "Shaving with Erasmus saves you money!" Or something like that.
My grandfather was the manager at the dog track for a while.
Fifties or earlier though I believe.
I'd be interested in anything people know about the history of it. I know they had Primo Carnera (a great big lump of a world heavyweight boxing champion in the thirties) in an exhibition wrestling match once...
Claim to fame got married in the church at Charlton Village and had Reception in the Hall next to pub...just a magic about that 200 yard strip
Was talking to friends about how bonfire night used to be and what it was like on the Springfield estate when we were kids in the fifties. We would start building the bonfire in October and it would invariably be burnt down at least twice before 5 November. Not unusual for Roman candles to be fired from open windows six stories up to enhance the effect, someone's curtains were set alight one year. Creating our own IEDs from the contents of bangers and sundry containers was a normal activity in the lead up to bonfire night.
Pythonesque memories of living in a shoe box before we moved to Springfield with me and my two sisters living with our parents and in my Gran's flat above a shop on the corner of Malton Street in one bedroom and no bathroom, everyone washed in the kitchen sink, central heating was a gas stove in the scullery. It was like moving into a mansion when we moved into Priory House. Looking at the estate now it's hard to believe our mothers would polish the brass and sweep and scrub the floors in the communal areas and plant flowers around the porch entrance. One landing was red carpeted when one of the residents was elected mayor.
I think the girl "Wale" might have been Anne Whale who lived above us and went to Charlton Manor. Would have been above my station I fear.
Happy time at Charlton Manor. Fondly remember Mr Gill knocking me out with a right hander in the playground for a minor misdomeanor. His explanation to my mother was I walked into his hand as he tried to break up a disturbance. Never made the Charlton Manor football team beyond a sub after that. I won a class prize fom Mr Stead though, he mistook my fear of upsetting him and gave me a prize for politeness.
Also remember the hollow "oak", it was an elm tree and you had no street cred until you'd climbed to the top from the inside. In fact we spent most of our time climbing trees and looking for birds nests. Only ever took "cold" birds eggs, but don't remember ever finding a warm one!
Recall the Swains, we lived above them in Priory House, not unusual to see Alan or Tony being chased around the block by their father wielding a huge leather belt, never saw them get caught though. We left the estate in the sixties a while before I think it was Mick Mcarthy who trashed an old Ford Popular I sold him by rolling it down the hill in Springfield for a laugh.
Happy days...........
Including the odd bit of sabotage from Cherry Orchard ;-)
Another stunt with Roman candles was to wait untill the others were inside the 'Oak' and fire one up the inside the tree!!
I remember collecting for the bonfire, nothing was safe.
Thieving allsorts as long as would burn, accessing the backyards of the shops in the Village via the Adventure playground behind St Lukes for wooden crates and pallets.
I remember walking through the Village one evening with one or two others and hearing a banging noise turned to find a well known face sitting in the greengrocers window eating fruit!! That then became the well known way of all year round scrumping. Putting a lit Banger in a biscuit tin and slide in the tin the lift door just as it closed sent echoes thoughout the block as well as perforated a few eardrums.