How the village has changed

leefender

Sitting here on nightshift at work (Perth Australia) and thought I'd use google street view to remind myself of certain shops in the charlton village.

Well didn't I get a surprise when the only places I recognised from growing up in Charlton are the dry cleaners, the Co-Op, the bookies and bloody Bowes shoe shop (Looks like they still might have the adidas kick and adidas harriers I used to drool over as a kid in the 80's).

So I remember these shops from many moons ago. Working my way from the Bugle end

Left hand side

Express dry cleaners
The Jade Garden (Chinese)
Solicitors
Indian sweet shop (The old girl always gave me extra in the 10p mix ups)
The post office
E. Coomes (bookies)
Co-op
A.G. Fry newsagents
Bowes shoes (How the hell has that place survived all the others? They must own the freehold on that place)
Proper greek fish and chip shop

Right hand side (Starting from the closed down bogs which always had a couple of suspect looking blokes outside)

Tudor rosette (Florists)
Penny Gee (Sold all sorts)
Bugle
L.L. Chapman (Mechanic)
Indian food shop (Painted orange and gave out green shield stamps with your change) Owned by the family who had the sweet shop
Mobi Deque record shop (Think it was Les Chapmanthe mechanics son who owned that)
Hardware shop (Cannot for the life of me remember the name)
The Swan
Some picture framing shop
Trims


Can anyone jog my memory and name anymore?

Elthamaddick

Hardware shop was 'Bates' wasn't it, some great memories there, lived just behind the village for 20 yrs

Elthamaddick

...and my mum used to buy me Adidas kick from Bowes and I thought it was a real treat!

Gillis

Tudor Rosette is still there as well.

Baldybonce

Elthamaddick said:

...and my mum used to buy me Adidas kick from Bowes and I thought it was a real treat!

used to be the place to get your DM's and Monkey boots from.

leefender

Bates, cheers mate, That's the one! I remember they Had the Calor gas sign outsite. Surely those Calor gas heaters were death traps

leefender

I remember a kid on my street worked Saturdays on the turnstiles at Welling Utd and used to pocket haf the money, he nicked about a grand one day and got himself a complete DJ setup from Mobi Deques. Wellings attendance was always less when he was working there

Tom_Hovi

My memories of the village are as a kid in the late 60s, early 70s - starting on the St Luke's side you had the dry cleaners, (been in the same family for years), solicitors (was an estate agent I think and a bank in the 1940s so I'm told), Harding's Greengrocers (where the Chinese now is), Wells Fishmongers (where the Indian newsagent is - Mr & Mrs Wells are still alive, in their late 80s but still live in the Village), Jones Drapery store (I think became Co-op bakery for a while), Chemists (been owned by the same chap for years), Deeks' Hardware shop, Sandeman's Sweetshop, E Coomes (used to be Seppings Butchers), Post Office, Co-op, Leader's Newsagent (was once another pub according to my Mum), Woodwork Protection Services(!), Bowes (not owned by Mr Bowes any more but the new owner kept the name), Barbers shop, Chippie, can't remember, ladies hairdresser. On the opposite side starting from the bogs, Harris's hardware, Penny Gee (A wool shop I think), Tudor Rosette (used to be called something else but always a flower shop), The Bugle, Chapman's Motors (Les sold up and ran the Swan for a while), Hedley Vicars Butchers shop), Indian supermarket (I think), two shops I can't remember, Bates Builders (was Wells Builders - no relation to the guy who owned the wet fish shop), White Swan, Curtain/Blind Shop, Hairdressers, possibly a bakers at one time, Charlton Reptiles (was a pet shop). The shops on the St Lukes' side have always been mostly freehold as far as I know, whilst on the Bugle side, they are owned by a mixture of the Council and Lord Gough, hence they have tended to change hands more often. I have got some old photographs of the village, which I will try to put up on here when I get a chance.

leefender

Great memory there Tom, I was born in 74 and remember the fishmongers now you mention it, I heard Les Chapman won the lottery in the mid 90's but kept it very hush hush too.

I also remember climbing over the back of the sweetshop to get the empty Corona (Soft drink, not mexican beer) bottles to get the 10p deposit.

And of course Billy Paton running the Charlton park cafe next to the Putting Green and the other one by the Football change rooms on Sundays. Always stopped in there during summer for a can of Panda Cola and some 1/2p Mojos

fossdeneboy

Did CAFC once own some properties in the village as I can clearly recall seeing Sam Lawrie his wife & baby comeing out from a doorway between the shops around about 1960 .Can anybody also remember the youth club in St Lukes church was it called the 2Ks .

Elthamaddick

leefender said:

Great memory there Tom, I was born in 74 and remember the fishmongers now you mention it, I heard Les Chapman won the lottery in the mid 90's but kept it very hush hush too.

I also remember climbing over the back of the sweetshop to get the empty Corona (Soft drink, not mexican beer) bottles to get the 10p deposit.

And of course Billy Paton running the Charlton park cafe next to the Putting Green and the other one by the Football change rooms on Sundays. Always stopped in there during summer for a can of Panda Cola and some 1/2p Mojos

Lived 2 doors down from Bill and his wife Barbara

leefender

You must have lived on Lansdowne lane then mate, I went to school with Caroline.
I lived in Wolfe Crescent then moved up close to Littleheath after that

ross1

fossdeneboy said:

Did CAFC once own some properties in the village as I can clearly recall seeing Sam Lawrie his wife & baby comeing out from a doorway between the shops around about 1960 .Can anybody also remember the youth club in St Lukes church was it called the 2Ks .

Yes it was the 2Ks, every Wednesday , if I recall and no alcohol. Also had some good live groups their

Elthamaddick

leefender said:

You must have lived on Lansdowne lane then mate, I went to school with Caroline.
I lived in Wolfe Crescent then moved up close to Littleheath after that

Fletching Road

leefender

I know Fletching Rd well, An old friend grew up there Darren Irving. We're sort of related as my Aunt was married to his uncle years ago

Elthamaddick

Yep I knew Darren, lived just over the back from me

E_cafc

Wasn`t 2K`s disco down in the assembly halls?

ross1

E-cafc said:

Wasn`t 2K`s disco down in the assembly halls?

YES

ken from bexley

Tom Hovi said:

My memories of the village are as a kid in the late 60s, early 70s - starting on the St Luke's side you had the dry cleaners, (been in the same family for years), solicitors (was an estate agent I think and a bank in the 1940s so I'm told), Harding's Greengrocers (where the Chinese now is), Wells Fishmongers (where the Indian newsagent is - Mr & Mrs Wells are still alive, in their late 80s but still live in the Village), Jones Drapery store (I think became Co-op bakery for a while), Chemists (been owned by the same chap for years), Deeks' Hardware shop, Sandeman's Sweetshop, E Coomes (used to be Seppings Butchers), Post Office, Co-op, Leader's Newsagent (was once another pub according to my Mum), Woodwork Protection Services(!), Bowes (not owned by Mr Bowes any more but the new owner kept the name), Barbers shop, Chippie, can't remember, ladies hairdresser. On the opposite side starting from the bogs, Harris's hardware, Penny Gee (A wool shop I think), Tudor Rosette (used to be called something else but always a flower shop), The Bugle, Chapman's Motors (Les sold up and ran the Swan for a while), Hedley Vicars Butchers shop), Indian supermarket (I think), two shops I can't remember, Bates Builders (was Wells Builders - no relation to the guy who owned the wet fish shop), White Swan, Curtain/Blind Shop, Hairdressers, possibly a bakers at one time, Charlton Reptiles (was a pet shop). The shops on the St Lukes' side have always been mostly freehold as far as I know, whilst on the Bugle side, they are owned by a mixture of the Council and Lord Gough, hence they have tended to change hands more often. I have got some old photographs of the village, which I will try to put up on here when I get a chance.

Hi mate I see we are back on the Village nostalgia posting.
Bert Harding was the owner of Hardings, I remember Sandeman's so well it sold hand made chocolates, in glass shelves must have been quite a novelty in the early 60s. A good old fashioned sweet shop. You could smell the sweet smell of 'Chocolate bananas' licorice pipes, and those funny little sweets like Parma violet's. I do remember the newsagents selling a range of toys. The post office was one of the main shops in the village, and was it Mr Jones who used to book the coach tours. Exotic places like Ramsgate, and far flung Eastbourne, which seemed to take hours to get there, stopping off at Catford Coach station. My mother and grandmother never travelled there entire life further than Great Yarmouth..........as most people on the estate never had a car, well not till the late 60s. Motor bike and side car was the limit of personal travel brought up in the 50s. Hedley Vickers alway's had a slightly middle class air, with the lady in the cashier's hut inside the shop, probably a left over from rationing, but then I was brought up on spam fritters, and fish fingers during the week. There was a great envy of everything American being new and contemporary, I think we were one of the first to have a fridge on the whole of Springfield's, I remember the neighbours came around to see it?. The barber's was Paddy's I think, remember the posters American/Italian tony Curtis type models with the latest, and Sam Costa on the radio...... another world, another time......People were friendly, and were part of a community, or at least it felt that way.

leefender

Don't remember Paddy's barbers. I always got my hair cut at Andrew's. Originally at Wellington Gardens before he moved onto Charlton Church Lane. He used to put laquer on your hair even if you had a skinhead

ken from bexley

leefender said:

Don't remember Paddy's barbers. I always got my hair cut at Andrew's. Originally at Wellington Gardens before he moved onto Charlton Church Lane. He used to put laquer on your hair even if you had a skinhead

think you are right..... stand corrected.

leefender

Ah, so we were talking the same barber. £1.50 for a haircut I remember. Now it costs me $40 Aussie for pretty much the same haircut

Tom_Hovi

Hi Ken - Yes, the barber in the village - his name was Paddy, little dumpy bald headed chap. Used to get my hair cut in there as a lad and I hated it! Mr Harding's nickname was 'Spud' and he used to be in and out of the Bugle during the day for a pint or two as and when he had a quiet 5 minutes. Eric & Jean Sandeman were good friends of my Mum and Dad - Eric and my Dad had actually served together in North Africa during the War. As you say, a proper tradtional sweet shop with rows of the old glass sweet jars on display. They retired to Sevenoaks Weald and later to Derbyshire - both long passed away sadly. Basil Jones and his wife Jean ran the Post Office as you say and we too used to book our coach trips there. My Mum worked in the Post Office for many years and kept in touch with the Joneses after they had retired down to Broadstairs - Basil died quite a while back but Jean passed away in 2008 - same year as my Mum. I don't remember much about either of the butchers shops other than they had the traditional sawdust on the floor and I think at least one of them was completely open fronted as was the wet fish shop. A tad draughty to work in during the winter! It was as you say, a real local village community - something quite special, at least to me as a young lad at the time and sadly something which seems a million years away now.

Tom_Hovi

leefender said:

Great memory there Tom, I was born in 74 and remember the fishmongers now you mention it, I heard Les Chapman won the lottery in the mid 90's but kept it very hush hush too.

Yes, I believe Les did win the lottery, which is how he ended up running the White Swan for a few years. The Village used to be a real local community.

leefender

I will be returning for Christmas this year and sadly, I think my happy memories of the village will be gone. Oh well, just have to get plastered with the family at the bugle and get a couple of games in. Last time I was at the Valley, Mesh computers were the sponsors!!!

Baldybonce

leefender said:

Don't remember Paddy's barbers. I always got my hair cut at Andrew's. Originally at Wellington Gardens before he moved onto Charlton Church Lane. He used to put laquer on your hair even if you had a skinhead

same here, saturday morning, skinhead with a razor cut on the left hand side.

Rob

Baldybonce said:

leefender said:

Don't remember Paddy's barbers. I always got my hair cut at Andrew's. Originally at Wellington Gardens before he moved onto Charlton Church Lane. He used to put laquer on your hair even if you had a skinhead

same here, saturday morning, skinhead with a razor cut on the left hand side.

Is that why you're Baldybonce? :-)

tangoflash

There's only the village, number 6.................

Charltonparklane

My memories of the village all day at Charlton Park watching and playing football football from dawn til dusk (literally)

Honeycombe from the Indian shop, rola Cola, Coca pina, lager and Lime from Coop, 35p portion of chips, yep, Adidas kick, after progressed from the trainers that were army camouflage and tank along along the sole, Mitre Delta, £9.99 from argos, Osca Kit, fella called Kevin always kicking ball in Charlton Park, me and Jamie Chapman in and out of the mechanics, getting money money for for chips of his grandad, huge black kid called Angus, beating man utd away, vidieprinter, for results, playing in hockey goals, Bill in the cafe, Parkkeepers moving us from playing against the tennis nets, shitty horrible toilets we'd never dare go in, putting in the summer,

Baldybonce

Rob said:

Baldybonce said:

leefender said:

Don't remember Paddy's barbers. I always got my hair cut at Andrew's. Originally at Wellington Gardens before he moved onto Charlton Church Lane. He used to put laquer on your hair even if you had a skinhead

same here, saturday morning, skinhead with a razor cut on the left hand side.

Is that why you're Baldybonce? :-)

you may laugh but that was 69 ish, early 70s was long hair and flares.

leefender

Anyone remember Steve ferdinando the glue sniffer? Is he still alive?