1934 To 1961

A Memory of Twickenham.

I was born in Grove Avenue in 1934. Was not evacuated in the war .attended St Marys Church as a choir boy, went to St Marys. Infant school , then on to Orleans. Sec Leaving in 1949., after winning the Twickenham Schools Cricket games. Many good times held at the Swimming baths. Always looked at the temperature which was displayed over the entrance to the baths, sometimes we would go from school in the mornings for lessons and it was rather cold, in the Summer it was great,and was always full.Had a couple of near misses during the war years, a 500lb bomb took away some houses bottom of Albert Road, and a flying bomb(doodle bug) hit Popes Grove, we lost all our windows and ceilings because of the 500lb bomb, and the blast blew a manhole cover up into our roof,but we survived... tucked up in our Anderson Shelter in the garden.Left school in 1949 and worked at
Bush Radio in Chiswick, leaving in 1950 to join the Royal Navy, following my farther who was in the RN
at the Battle of Jutland , my father died in 1947 due to injuries received by a Flying Bomb attack at ParkRoyal in 1945. Left the RN in 1959 And worked in a garage in ST Margarets, before coming up to BIRMINGHAM in 1961. Had some good times in Twickenham, including the old railway station , which then moved to the other side of the bridge, the platforms were laid before the war started, but could not be completed till after. Clifton Road also had a bombing , all the houses destroyed. Blocks of flats were built after the war,opposite the Girls School. It's very sad to see what has happened to the Baths, will see what has happened to Isleworth baths as use to go there aswell. Nice to see the pictures of the trolley buses.the 667 from Twickenham to. Hampton Court was a good trip. The Regal Cinema was also a place of fun on a Saturday morning.