Northcote Road

I was born in Annie McCauley's Nursing Home on the Lambeth Road, and was then bought up by my parents - Les and Stella Annison - at 18 Bassnett Road until 1968 when we moved to Wimbledon. My maternal grandparents lived in the flats in Oldgate Avenue that you went The Approach (where the pet shop was where my first dog came from) by the side of Clapham Junction Station - I still remember climbing and swinging on the very ornate gas street lights and falling off them regularly as well! One of my Aunt's (Edna Lane, her husband Stan and my cousins Diane and David lived in the top part of my parents house, another aunt, Dorrie Godfrey, her husband Len and their son Alan lived fairly close to us on the William Bonney estate.
I fondly remember Millers Bakers on one corner and Sheffields on the other corner at the top of Bassnett Road where it joined Lavender Hill. And, of course, Godbolds where my mum used to by my socks, vests and knickers as well as wool and fabric. There was also a grocer's on the same short stretch of road called Charlies - my mum left me outside this shop and was almost home before she remembered me :(

I went to John Burns school which was at the bottom of our road and remember Fox's Dairy next door to the school. I was there when Mrs Hughes was the head mistress - does anyone remember the gorgeous (to my childish eyes!) green satin tea dress that she used to wear to any special events such as the school fete? I also remember when the caretaker used to fill up two or three enormous round swimming pools for us to play in after school.
I remember a couple of the teachers there, Mrs Jones was my very first teacher there. I remember her as being very pretty - she always wore her hair up in a beehive and straight skirts with high heeled shoes. She was called something else, but I can't remember her name, and she got married during the Easter school holidays and came back as Mrs Jones. My second teacher was Mrs Colley, but I don't remember her very well. After that I was in Mr Airy's class for my last two years at the school. He was a wonderful New Zealander and taught us so much about New Zealand and the Maori people - he taught us some tranditional Maori songs as well as the wonderful day when he bought in a Maori cloak made of kiwi feathers. I was friends with Tina Beckett, Susan Bolsom, Shirley, Stephen Webb, Yvonne (Jones, I think) and Linda Garrard.
I used to love going to the Junction and the Northolt - we used to buy all our vegetables and fruit from Jackie May's stall. There was also an enormous toy stall that was pretty near to Jackie May's stall - a great place to buy clothes from dollies (knock off's but we didn't care when we were that young!)
I also remember the Key Market shop and there was a Co Op on Lavender Hill where my Aunt, Edna Lane, worked for a while and a launderette almost next to it.
One of my very strong memories is being sent up to Shelfords after Sunday lunch to get a block of ice cream to go with whatever pie or crumble mum had made.
Does anyone remember the Arding and Hobbs Father Christmas Grotto? I remember once when we went there we all sat inside a huge (to a five year old!) white swan and it was so exciting when it started moving and we passed so many places before we got to the grotto. It was only when I was an adult, thinking about the 'ride to the grotto' that I realised it didn't actually go anywhere, and that the 'places we went past' were in fact projections - but that hasn't stopped me having such wonderful memories of the grotto.
Does anyone remember Arding and Hobbs Bargain Basement? I never understood my mum's excitement when something she'd been saving for appeared in the Bargain Basement, so she was on a head start for the next thing she wanted for the house. This was how our washing machine and fridge were bought - both in a matching cream colour and American design features - she loved them!
I have so many memories of my first 10 years living there - the chippy in Boufoy Street, the toy shop in Queenstown Road and having a Knickerbocker Glory at the ice cream parlour (who's name I just can't remember) at the Junction if I'd been a very VERY good girl, the excitement of going to Woolworth's at Christmas time to buy presents - so many memories, mostly good ones as well.
It was such a shame that the council decided to pull down all those houses and destroy all the wonderful communities that existed there.