Hilltop Cafe on the corner of Anglesea and Crescent Roads
I used to live on Anglesea Rd right across from the cafe I used they my tea and Sarnie and hang out With the GreenGrocer next door, if I remember right he guy used to cycle from Erith every day to open up. As I got older we moved to Kidbrooke and we would Caddie at The Royal Blackheath Golf Course at the end of the day we would all head up to the Wimpy Bar in Eltham for Burgers and Finish it off with a Knickerboker Glory Oh Boy Happy Days.
I grew up in Conduit Rd, the GreenGrocer next door from the Hilltop, was Bill, he was a lovely man, he used to rent he's space from the guy who had the café Harold, you are right he used to cycle from Erith every day, if I was passing I used to get him a cup of tea from the café, you must have lived near the Robert Peel pub, where I had my first pint of bitter
I lived four doors down from the Peel the houses I lived in were demolished they were old Victorian shitholes owned by St Peters church. I hung out with. kid who’s dad owned the sweet shop next to the green grocer they were called the Nelsons I remember I had the hots for their daughter she was a looker.
I also went to St Peters school, I guess I maybe a bit older than you, I left St Peters in 1955 when I was 11 and went to Bloomfield Rd school, when I was a boy a family called Gittings had the sweet shop, when they left, II never went in there much as I was going to work by then, do you remember the school caretaker at St Peters, Jack Curtis?
Hilltop Cafe on the corner of Anglesea and Crescent Roads
I used to live on Anglesea Rd right across from the cafe I used they my tea and Sarnie and hang out With the GreenGrocer next door, if I remember right he guy used to cycle from Erith every day to open up. As I got older we moved to Kidbrooke and we would Caddie at The Royal Blackheath Golf Course at the end of the day we would all head up to the Wimpy Bar in Eltham for Burgers and Finish it off with a Knickerboker Glory Oh Boy Happy Days.
I grew up in Conduit Rd, the GreenGrocer next door from the Hilltop, was Bill, he was a lovely man, he used to rent he's space from the guy who had the café Harold, you are right he used to cycle from Erith every day, if I was passing I used to get him a cup of tea from the café, you must have lived near the Robert Peel pub, where I had my first pint of bitter
I lived four doors down from the Peel the houses I lived in were demolished they were old Victorian shitholes owned by St Peters church. I hung out with. kid who’s dad owned the sweet shop next to the green grocer they were called the Nelsons I remember I had the hots for their daughter she was a looker.
I also went to St Peters school, I guess I maybe a bit older than you, I left St Peters in 1955 when I was 11 and went to Bloomfield Rd school, when I was a boy a family called Gittings had the sweet shop, when they left, II never went in there much as I was going to work by then, do you remember the school caretaker at St Peters, Jack Curtis?
Yes I remember him and yes you were way ahead of me I didn’t start at St Peters till 1960
Hilltop Cafe on the corner of Anglesea and Crescent Roads
I used to go in the Hilltop as well, when I was about 14 me and a couple of mates, used to try and make a Pepsi cola each, last as long as we could while listening to the juke box
Lived in Crescent Rd went to St Peters, use go into the old disused pub that they turned into a "coffee bar" Weekdays lunch in the Hilltop, Saturday in Manzes,, Worked as a paperboy in WH Smiths in Woolwich Arsenal station. Also had a job on the market on the corner of the high pavement Powis St
Hilltop Cafe on the corner of Anglesea and Crescent Roads
I used to live on Anglesea Rd right across from the cafe I used they my tea and Sarnie and hang out With the GreenGrocer next door, if I remember right he guy used to cycle from Erith every day to open up. As I got older we moved to Kidbrooke and we would Caddie at The Royal Blackheath Golf Course at the end of the day we would all head up to the Wimpy Bar in Eltham for Burgers and Finish it off with a Knickerboker Glory Oh Boy Happy Days.
I grew up in Conduit Rd, the GreenGrocer next door from the Hilltop, was Bill, he was a lovely man, he used to rent he's space from the guy who had the café Harold, you are right he used to cycle from Erith every day, if I was passing I used to get him a cup of tea from the café, you must have lived near the Robert Peel pub, where I had my first pint of bitter
I lived four doors down from the Peel the houses I lived in were demolished they were old Victorian shitholes owned by St Peters church. I hung out with. kid who’s dad owned the sweet shop next to the green grocer they were called the Nelsons I remember I had the hots for their daughter she was a looker.
Hilltop Cafe on the corner of Anglesea and Crescent Roads
I used to go in the Hilltop as well, when I was about 14 me and a couple of mates, used to try and make a Pepsi cola each, last as long as we could while listening to the juke box
Lived in Crescent Rd went to St Peters, use go into the old disused pub that they turned into a "coffee bar" Weekdays lunch in the Hilltop, Saturday in Manzes,, Worked as a paperboy in WH Smiths in Woolwich Arsenal station. Also had a job on the market on the corner of the high pavement Powis St
I often went in Manzes on a Saturday, before going to the football, me and some mates use to bunk in the Granada and the Odeon, in the Granada one used to pay, then go in the toilets open the emergency exit and let the rest of us in. I cant remember the disused pub that was turned into a coffee bar
I Boxed for St Peters about 1965, got a couple of photos into the Kentish Independent, Mark Penfold also boxed that night.Mark and i went on to play for Woolwich district a few years later, and of course Mark played for us. He had a trial at Man Utd. But a had a terrible knee injury.
Hilltop Cafe on the corner of Anglesea and Crescent Roads
I used to live on Anglesea Rd right across from the cafe I used they my tea and Sarnie and hang out With the GreenGrocer next door, if I remember right he guy used to cycle from Erith every day to open up. As I got older we moved to Kidbrooke and we would Caddie at The Royal Blackheath Golf Course at the end of the day we would all head up to the Wimpy Bar in Eltham for Burgers and Finish it off with a Knickerboker Glory Oh Boy Happy Days.
My mum and her sisters and brothers were brought up in Anglesea Rd, my nan and grandad lived on the right hand side, about 3/4 of the way up the hill, houses demolished years ago( The Russell family) my aunt use to work in the bakers at the bottom of Anglesea Rd.
Rickmans? We lived at Number 66 my best friends mum worked at the bakery a Mrs Lee she lived number 11 or 13 my primary school was right over my back fence St Peters was never late for school. The family name rings a bell as well as the Lee's and Barrys.
I remember my mum and aunts talking about the Lee's
Eaglesfield Park, Oxleas Woods, 5 Arches, The Crypt (Woolwich?), Daylight Inn, Chinbrook Youth Club, Coldharbour Estate, Bickley Arms, The Crown Chistlehurst (now getting into my hippy era), all nighters in various London cinemas (blame the speed), The Witchdoctor Catford, Three Tuns Beckenham...
The Castle Pub in Eltham high street - ideal for underage (15 when I started going in there) drinking. Absolute cess pit though.
First pub I ever got told to leave. I was still at school.
Any reference to the Castle pub in Eltham, always brings a smile to my face. My uncle (a life long Charlton supporter) and a boozer, my aunt and two cousins lived in a prefab in the Vista in Eltham. I remember as a young boy my mum taking me to see her sister and my uncle at the prefab. As we entered the living room my aunt said to my mum pointing to my uncle slumped in his chair with a silly grin on his face. "Look at him Marie, look at him". "He's been up the castle again". "Come here boy". said my uncle with a very silly grin on his face. I remember going over to him and he gave me a big cuddle.
Now I should explain. We lived on coldharbour and a very sheltered life. My dad worked all hours to raise us four children and booze was something I had no knowledge of apart from the bottle of brown ale my dad would consume with his Christmas dinner. I also had a model castle with soldiers, so when my uncle cuddled me i assumed he had been climbing up a castle, eating bread (he smelt of beer) and that made him very happy. Many years later I told him about my observation as a child and we had a good laugh.
The Castle Pub in Eltham high street - ideal for underage (15 when I started going in there) drinking. Absolute cess pit though.
First pub I ever got told to leave. I was still at school.
Any reference to the Castle pub in Eltham, always brings a smile to my face. My uncle (a life long Charlton supporter) and a boozer, my aunt and two cousins lived in a prefab in the Vista in Eltham. I remember as a young boy my mum taking me to see her sister and my uncle at the prefab. As we entered the living room my aunt said to my mum pointing to my uncle slumped in his chair with a silly grin on his face. "Look at him Marie, look at him". "He's been up the castle again". "Come here boy". said my uncle with a very silly grin on his face. I remember going over to him and he gave me a big cuddle.
Now I should explain. We lived on coldharbour and a very sheltered life. My dad worked all hours to raise us four children and booze was something I had no knowledge of apart from the bottle of brown ale my dad would consume with his Christmas dinner. I also had a model castle with soldiers, so when my uncle cuddled me i assumed he had been climbing up a castle, eating bread (he smelt of beer) and that made him very happy. Many years later I told him about my observation as a child and we had a good laugh.
Sorry chaps, my memory is failing (it was nearly 60 years ago) I think they lived in the prefabs at Strongbow Cres. Eltham not the Vista.
I went to boarding school on Blackheath (1976 to 1981) and we used to hang around the Riverdale Center and the bowling alley in Lewisham, as well as skateboarding and roller skating in Greenwich Park. With my parents living abroad, my uncle, a lifelong Charlton fan, who lived in Woolwich was my legal guardian and I used to go and stay with him every other weekend, which just happened to coincide with Charlton’s home games. We also used to hang around Blackheath Village, the Standard, Greenwich and Welling.
Comments
Weekdays lunch in the Hilltop, Saturday in Manzes,, Worked as a paperboy in WH Smiths in Woolwich Arsenal station. Also had a job on the market on the corner of the high pavement Powis St
Lionel was the lads name can't remember the girls
I cant remember the disused pub that was turned into a coffee bar
I was in the same class as Lionel Nelson at Notre Dame School Eglinton Road.
Approximate chronological order:
Eaglesfield Park, Oxleas Woods, 5 Arches, The Crypt (Woolwich?), Daylight Inn, Chinbrook Youth Club, Coldharbour Estate, Bickley Arms, The Crown Chistlehurst (now getting into my hippy era), all nighters in various London cinemas (blame the speed), The Witchdoctor Catford, Three Tuns Beckenham...
...and then I moved away.
My uncle (a life long Charlton supporter) and a boozer, my aunt and two cousins lived in a prefab in the Vista in Eltham.
I remember as a young boy my mum taking me to see her sister and my uncle at the prefab.
As we entered the living room my aunt said to my mum pointing to my uncle slumped in his chair with a silly grin on his face.
"Look at him Marie, look at him".
"He's been up the castle again".
"Come here boy". said my uncle with a very silly grin on his face.
I remember going over to him and he gave me a big cuddle.
Now I should explain.
We lived on coldharbour and a very sheltered life.
My dad worked all hours to raise us four children and booze was something I had no knowledge of apart from the bottle of brown ale my dad would consume with his Christmas dinner.
I also had a model castle with soldiers, so when my uncle cuddled me i assumed he had been climbing up a castle, eating bread (he smelt of beer) and that made him very happy.
Many years later I told him about my observation as a child and we had a good laugh.
With my parents living abroad, my uncle, a lifelong Charlton fan, who lived in Woolwich was my legal guardian and I used to go and stay with him every other weekend, which just happened to coincide with Charlton’s home games.
We also used to hang around Blackheath Village, the Standard, Greenwich and Welling.