Duppas Hill Lane & Old Town Croydon.

A Memory of Croydon.

Hi,

I just stumbled on this fabulous site as I was trying to find some photos of the Duppas Hil Lane area.

I lived at number 23 Duppas Hill Terrace from around 1963-71 and I would have been 12 or 13 ish when the lovely Croydon Council decided to tear our house down and build the block of flats that now stand there.

In the winter when it snowed and it often did, I remember vividly making a 'sledge' out of just about anything we could get hold of and sledging down Duppas hill towards what could have been Heath Clark school! ....Was pretty impressive stuff for our ages. I'm now 57 and live in West Sussex but I have always felt that the OLD Croydon was my real home.

It's so sad, when I go back there now I feel like a complete alien. They've absolutely destroyed any spirit the town once had. I remember Abbey Road, & the Old Town Boys Club From the top of Duppas Hill Terrace (it was a cul-de-sac back then) there was a tiny roundabout and a slope cut through down to Duppas Hill Lane where there was a Tobaconist/sweetshop That was called Brooks or Brooksies, something like that at the bottom of the slope.

Carry on towards the fire station and there was the chip shop and opposite was a grocery store called Packman's, on Howley Road?

Also does anybody remember the 'Church Street Toy Shop'?

I went to the Parish Church schools starting from when the very old infants school was just behind the big church, then on to the primary school in Warrington Road (I think) and then onwards to St Andrews C of E secondary school.

Last thing. Does anybody have any photos of the sweet shop or chip sop, or just any pics of Duppas Hill Lane area?

Love this site!

Simon Charlton

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Added 06 December 2015

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I remember so we'll Duppas Hill. I lived close by in Violet Lane from 1954 to 1980. I remember when Father Christmas came by helicopter and landed on Duppas Hll that must have been around 1960. I remember the swings and slides and the lady who sat in a room waiting for some child to fall over and she would give us a plaster and send us home. Remember the water fountain which I drank from many times. I guess this has all sadly gone.

By brendaveiter on Sun Mar 29th 2020, at 5:16 pm

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Oh boy I remember all of that and yes!....I believe the fountain is still there. There was another drinking fountain where the flyover ends at the Duppas hill end. I also remember violet lane well, my friend Colin Rothwell and his older brother Ian lived in the first block of flats opposite Duppas hill Park itself. I spent many a long hour playing around that area and when they built the walkway from Duppas Hill Terrace to violet lane, we used to let off bangers in there..........Boy were we naughty!!

If you have any other memories I would love to hear them and thank you for writing,

Take care

Simon.

By Simon Harlow Chalton on Sun Mar 29th 2020, at 5:46 pm

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My Grandparents and mother lived in violet lane , I used to stay there back in early 60s.
There was a rock somewhere up Duppas hill I used to walk by .
They live I a cottage the other end of violet lane which if I remember was wood paneling around it , I also remember the air raid shelter in the garden.

By Laurence Pearman on Wed Sep 18th 2024, at 11:40 pm

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