Grant Road

I don't recall a off licence in grant road at the top end of grant road there was gogays off licence and ffyfes bananas were before the war stored in the railway arches at Clapham junction station. my mum would use the gladston pub regularly or the Essex arms on the corner of grant road .I was born in 1938 and lived in that area until national service call up

My grandparents lived in Grant Rd moving there well before world war1. When world war2 ended my parents had moved next door to my Gran, Grandad having died in the war. An aunt had also moved back. Gran lived at 74,we lived at 76 and my aunt and her family at 80. There were also James living in Grant Rd who were related to Gran. As I remember the street, the Essex up Plough Rd end. Halfway down, just over the road from us was Gaylors, a grocer shop where Mum had our ration books registered. I think they had a licence for ales but not spirits. At the end of the road where Winstanley road crossed was a paper and cigarette shop and on the other side The Winstanley Arms pub. But our biggest asset was the street bookmaker. Honest as the day is long and cherished and protected by the local community.

It’s wonderful reading this .My Dad and his brothers,my Grandparents and Great Grandparents lived in Grant Road .They lived at 59 Grant Road,my Dad was born there in 1931 and my Grandparents were living there from 1911 maybe earlier.The family surname is Hunt .Just a few days ago I was talking with my Uncle (Dads brother) who is 96 about Gaylors .I would love to see photos of Grant Road back then .Thank You Everyone for sharing .

My father lived in Grant Road until the start of the war, when he married and moved to Tooting, and was a street bookmaker amongst other things. He had his own building business and I know a part of the family used to have an ice cream barrow which they used to take out to sell ice cream with. I remember him taking me to see the old Essex Arms as a nostalgia trip. He used to know the Schoolings and used to tell me stories of the war years and the various things that had gone on. One of his memories he told me of was the old Battersea dog track in Lombard Road? Also he used to run in what were called powderhall races where there was handicapping. I .e someone would start from scratch whilst someone else would carry someone on their back with half the distance to run. I presume this was at the track. I remember him telling me that his older brother Freddie had been birched for stealing sugar off the boats on the Thames,

My Grandad lived at 75 Grant road. Frederick Symons, With Norah Warner. My dad, also Fred Symons was born in 1939 and lived there for some time.. You may have known them?

I’m trying to piece together a few things.

Any photos of Grant Road would be great from back in that era...

My Grandad lived at 75 Grant road. Frederick Symons, With Norah Warner. My dad, also Fred Symons was born in 1939 and lived there for some time.. You may have known them?

I’m trying to piece together a few things.

Any photos of Grant Road would be great from back in that era...

My late mother, Olive (nee Casselden), lived at 10, Grant Road from 1931 until 1942. Her parents were Harry and Hilda. Harry was a GPO telephone engineer, as was his father, Ernest. I am trying to find out a bit more about mum's early life, because I have no photos from that era and very little information. Perhaps some of her old school friends might still be out there, or workmates from when she worked at Cramp's, the bookbinders, in Mitcham? A long shot, but you never know...!