Sidcup Alma Road School 1954

A Memory of Sidcup.

I remember going to Alma Road school back in the early fifties when they still gave you a good hiding with a cane if you got into trouble. We changed schools to the new Secondary School in Bexley Lane when it first opened. My family lived on Sidcup Hill just down from Knoll Road and on the other side (my brothers and I used to roller skate down Knoll Road towards Sidcup Hill, don't suppose that would be possible now). During the war we had an Anderson shelter and a morrison shelter, one in the lounge and the other in the back garden. Can't remember which was which now. Us four boys and Mum used to pile in the one in the lounge during an air raid, Dad was in the Army so we could all just about squeeze in together. Loved watching the dog fights above but didn't see too much as Mum used to drag me by the collar back into the shelter quick smart!! I used to collect shrapnel off the local shed roofs. After the war my Dad bought a Austin Ruby saloon that had been damaged by a doodlebug that lander on the Alma Road Girls school and had been standing on bricks in the house next door. He replaced all the windows and sunshine roof and we were the only family with a car that I can remember in our area. I know at the time there were no cars parked in Oxford road Sussex, Lincoln or Warwick Rds. Much different now. I also remember Smokey Joe who was reputed to come from a quite well to do family in Sidcup or so I was told. I also remember him riding his tyreless bike down Sidcup Hill with a load of sacks over the cross bar (no saddle) and a spare wheel instead of handlebars. I once saw him having a shave with a candle and on Guy Fawkes night we used to give him bangers to hold in his hand when they went off for a penny!! Once he had enough money he went straight into the Black Horse pub for a beer lol. I also remember walking along Alma Road in the winter and there used to be a bakers shop on the corner of Birkbeck Road and standing outside was the bakers horse and cart. As I passed the b***dy thing turned and bit me on the upper right arm and scared the life out of me. I suppose it had been badly treated. Luckily I had on a shirt two pullovers a jacket and an overcoat so I only got a large bruise. I moved with my wife to Australia in 64 and have been back a few times since and have noticed many changes