Growing Up In Buckhurst Hill 60's 70's

A Memory of Buckhurst Hill.

I used to live in The Meadway, and went to St Johns infants School-a few memories of playing on 'the boxes' at play/lunchtime. These were actually old beer crates, and long before health and safety spoiled everything, we would pile them high into a spaceship, or a submarine, and play 'Voyage to the bottom of the sea.'
I remember a Rev Casswell?? who used to come and talk to us-seemed to be a very kind man, unlike the headmaster of Princes Road school. Like Jonathon Cox (who I remember) I have memories of being caned as a very young boy. He used to march you from the classroom to his office holding you up by a piece of hair next to the ear, so you were on tip toes the whole way. He would also twist it to inflict maximum pain. He was, looking back, very sadistic and would probably have been sacked or arrested if it were today. Like Jonathon, I transferred to Staples Road.
I have many memories of the shops in Queens Road-Tots and Toys at the bottom, the Lorelei cafe near Sorrells greengrocers, which must have been oposite 'Lana's' the drapers and childrens clothes shop. Specialists in jumpers with ladybirds on!
I clearly remember Les George playing his organ in the showroom of his garage on the corner opposite Hobleys bakers. Before that I think it was International Stores, with a dairy behind it.
One of my earliest memories is of running through the fly curtain at full pelt into the back area of International Stores, not realising another child was doing the same the other way. An almighty collision, tears, stars and tweety birds circling my head. I must have only been 3 or 4.
School, apart from Mr Carr and 'Fanny' Gardener, as she was known, was a constant adventure. The freedom we had to play in the Forest at break and lunchtime would be unheard of today. The two trees we used as a goal were still there last time I visited. Playground games were usually 'last one on the walls it' or 'off ground touch.' Failing that, 20 a side football, with the obligitory jumpers for goalposts. Dinner lady Mrs Glibbery would ensure we all (sort of) behaved. She was a formidable woman!
The brickfields were a great playground, which I believe are now the site of the 'new' school. I was friends with Nicky Hines (Hinds?) who lived in Cascade Close. Nicky was from a poor family, but perhaps the most brilliantly skilled footballer I have ever seen. I can rememeber my Dad seeing him with the ball, and saying he was like George Best. Once he had the ball he never lost it, and weave in and out of an infinate number of players. Like Best he was tiny, and given other circumstances, would probably made it in top class football.
Our footy was mainly played on either the 'top green' or the cricket pitch. Boys would just turn up, ask if they could play, and we would be out there literally all day. No bottled water, just kids running themselves ragged for hours and hours.
If I had more time I could revisit my memories of Gingers sweetshop (a quarter of sweet peanuts please) Silks, Broomes, Guyatts delicatessan (always the smell of ground coffee in the air) The Pink Clock-run by Giles Watlings sister, daughter of famous actor.
My pocket money (a shilling) would fill my hand completely (12 old pennies) for which you could get 8 blackjacks or fruit salad for a half penny, through to my first forays into adulthood where we would, as 17 year olds 'enjoy' a bottle of Lambrusco in Roccos wine bar. Prior to that, the only place we could get served was the Connaught Bar in the Roebuck. We managed to get a pint of Lager and blackcurrant in there ffrom the age of 15 onwards, courtest of Steve the barman. Must stop an re-enter the present day now....