Hi
I just wondered if anyone remembers using these old milk vending machines, which used to occupy many street corners up until the 1970's
They contained ice cold half pint tetrapaks of milk, and also that great staple of summer, the 'Jubbly' royalty free image
I remember there was one on the corner of Stanstead rd, outside D. Sole's tobacconists, and possibly another at Brockley rise crossroads....I just thought it might be interesting to see how many there were, and their locations in the area, they were such a familiar sight, now gone forever.
Last edited by will greenwood on 20 Aug 2010 13:15, edited 3 times in total.
Oh yes I remember these! In the days when ALL the shops in Sydenham Rd had shut by 7pm on a weekday I was often sent down to the Express Dairy shop near Woolworths to get milk from the machine there. I used to love the satisfying thud it made when it dropped into the huge cold drawer at the bottom. It meant we would have milk for our tea that evening after all!!
But does anyone remember the hot chip machines that delivered hot chips within 5 minutes? They flourished briefly in the late 1960s and they had one outside the parade of shops in Newlands Park between Tannsfield and Studland Rds. Magic after a cold evening playing in Alexandra Park......
I remember Jubbly, and a host of old sweets you don't get any more. I remember taking corona bottles back to get 5p (later 10p) back to re-use the bottles. Drinks tasted better in glass (plastic gives off a gas and taints food). Corona Coola was much nicer than coca cola.
Funny how we were more environmentally friendly years ago than today with products and packaging. Only now are we moving into recyclable, reusable and reduced packaging.
I don't remember the milk stations, but I do remember the small milk bottles with the wider lids for kids. And proper sweet shops where you knew the owner by their name.
I definitely remember the milk machines but can only remember the site of one and that was in Penge, I think it was opposite the Police Station, MICKY that lovely cold chocolate drink was my fav. I used to love frozen jubblies, they were so fruity tasting. Does anyone remember that tiny little sweet shop in Sydenham High Road, opposite Harry's Bike Shop, I'm talking late 50's early 60's. It was a dark and dingy little shop and always full of pigeons. Thank goodness the sweets were all in jars. The little old dear that owned up used to turn up on her bicycle each morning and I was straight in there for my penny toffee arrows and a quarter of Merry Maids (if I had the money).
Maureen wrote:I definitely remember the milk machines but can only remember the site of one and that was in Penge, I think it was opposite the Police Station, MICKY that lovely cold chocolate drink was my fav. I used to love frozen jubblies, they were so fruity tasting. Does anyone remember that tiny little sweet shop in Sydenham High Road, opposite Harry's Bike Shop, I'm talking late 50's early 60's. It was a dark and dingy little shop and always full of pigeons. Thank goodness the sweets were all in jars. The little old dear that owned up used to turn up on her bicycle each morning and I was straight in there for my penny toffee arrows and a quarter of Merry Maids (if I had the money).
I lived in Sydenham until 1958 and I'm trying to place Harry's Bike Shop, my Aunt was the manageress of the Cake shop opposite Velenti's (Criterion) ice crem parlour, was Harry's just along from there?
I remember the milk machine near the United Dairies in Brockley. It was just outside St Cyprians by the launderette. You could also get "Chocolate Micky" in a carton too. A real luxury in those days.
Don't remember a bakers opposite the Criterion, I worked in the criterion in the late 70's. Such a shame it's all gone now.
jackieboo wrote:I remember the milk machine near the United Dairies in Brockley. It was just outside St Cyprians by the launderette. You could also get "Chocolate Micky" in a carton too. A real luxury in those days.
Don't remember a bakers opposite the Criterion, I worked in the criterion in the late 70's. Such a shame it's all gone now.
There was a garage opposite Tewksbury Road and the bakers was a couple of doors to the left. When you worked in the Criterion was it owned by the Valenti family? I knew Billy Valenti in the fifties when we were teenagers so by the seventies he might have been the Boss Man!
jackieboo wrote:I remember the milk machine near the United Dairies in Brockley. It was just outside St Cyprians by the launderette. You could also get "Chocolate Micky" in a carton too. A real luxury in those days.
Don't remember a bakers opposite the Criterion, I worked in the criterion in the late 70's. Such a shame it's all gone now.
There was a garage opposite Tewksbury Road and the bakers was a couple of doors to the left. When you worked in the Criterion was it owned by the Valenti family? I knew Billy Valenti in the fifties when we were teenagers so by the seventies he might have been the Boss Man!
I wonder if the Bakers might now be the car showroom Brian? By that I mean opposite Tewkesbury Road that garage is now one of those 'hand car-wash' places that seem to pop up all over the place (very popular though and I have to say they do a very good job). On the left of that is a Jeep/Dodge/Chrysler car show-room owned by S.G.Smith...could that be the bakers you refer to?
It's quite a large building, over 3 floors and must date from 50s? Or was the Bakery a Victorian affair like Slatters and this 50s building has replaced it (from memory it was also the Hexagon Housing building also prior to them moving to their swanky new office block on the corner of Knighton Park Road and Sydenham Road). I think there may have once been a Garage on the site of the new Hexagon housing offices also? Can anyone confirm or deny?
jackieboo wrote:I remember the milk machine near the United Dairies in Brockley. It was just outside St Cyprians by the launderette. You could also get "Chocolate Micky" in a carton too. A real luxury in those days.
I wonder if the Bakers might now be the car showroom Brian? By that I mean opposite Tewkesbury Road that garage is now one of those 'hand car-wash' places that seem to pop up all over the place (very popular though and I have to say they do a very good job). On the left of that is a Jeep/Dodge/Chrysler car show-room owned by S.G.Smith...could that be the bakers you refer to?
It's quite a large building, over 3 floors and must date from 50s? Or was the Bakery a Victorian affair like Slatters and this 50s building has replaced it (from memory it was also the Hexagon Housing building also prior to them moving to their swanky new office block on the corner of Knighton Park Road and Sydenham Road). I think there may have once been a Garage on the site of the new Hexagon housing offices also? Can anyone confirm or deny?
Without sounding melodramatic Greg, it's all begining to come back like a dream. The garage was a filling station called Cutts at one side was Berryman's Lane (?) where the old dye works was and I think the Bakers was next door or next but one on the other side a bit down from The Dolphin(?) pub. The owner of the Garage had a beautiful Daughter called Terisa (I'm sure that's not spelt right) so Terisa if your reading this (some chance) in 1955 you were the best looking girl in Sydenham.
brian stimson wrote:
Without sounding melodramatic Greg, it's all begining to come back like a dream. The garage was a filling station called Cutts at one side was Berryman's Lane (?) where the old dye works was and I think the Bakers was next door or next but one on the other side a bit down from The Dolphin(?) pub. The owner of the Garage had a beautiful Daughter called Terisa (I'm sure that's not spelt right) so Terisa if your reading this (some chance) in 1955 you were the best looking girl in Sydenham.
Well, the garage is still there but the pumps have been removed and Berrymans Lane is still to the right of the garage. As previous, it's now a hand-carwash place. The old dye works is now residential after the previous building fell into disrepair.
I'm heading out tonight and I'll try to take some pictures are I think the row that the bakers is now on is now either a pizza joint/kebab joint or the chippie (all high-class eateries I know!).
I'm very curious to know what was there. Can you remember what was on the corner of Knighton Park Road and Sydenham Road? I'll take a picture of the new Heaxagon building for you if you wish- it was being built when I moved into the road in 2001.
Well, the garage is still there but the pumps have been removed and Berrymans Lane is still to the right of the garage. As previous, it's now a hand-carwash place. The old dye works is now residential after the previous building fell into disrepair.
I'm heading out tonight and I'll try to take some pictures are I think the row that the bakers is now on is now either a pizza joint/kebab joint or the chippie (all high-class eateries I know!).
I'm very curious to know what was there. Can you remember what was on the corner of Knighton Park Road and Sydenham Road? I'll take a picture of the new Heaxagon building for you if you wish- it was being built when I moved into the road in 2001.[/quote]
In between Berryman's Lane and Hazel something or another was a Newsagents, I did a paper round from there in 1953 covering Tewksbury, Cator and Wood something Roads. Opposite and between Tewksbury and Knighton Park I seem to remember very overgrown waste ground, but I can't be certain sure. Just down the road on Knighton Park side and just before Kent House Road was a building and civil engineering company called Mears Bros, they had a big yard at the rear of their premises which I think they may have made an archway in the buildings to gain access but again I can't be absolutely certain.
On the site of the Hexagon building next to Knighton Park there used to be another garage run by a Sikh fellow. It was knocked down about 10 years ago I think.
I'm sorry I haven't taken pictures for you yet Brian but the newsagent (between Berrymans Lane and Hazel Grove) is still there. It's called Bannings (if memory serves). I take my daily and Sunday papers from there still but I don't have them delivered. The earthworks you write of is still there (undoubtedly to the chagrin of the locals within earshot). It is now called Sivyers. I think the building is called...
Actually, I'm off to take some pictures for you tonight - then you can make the visual link between your recollection and what I see today...
Ginge wrote:On the site of the Hexagon building next to Knighton Park there used to be another garage run by a Sikh fellow. It was knocked down about 10 years ago I think.
Thank you Ginge. I did think when I viewed the area all that time ago it was more of a 'repair' garage than a pumping station but very run down.
OK Brian, in order, I've taken a picture of the following:
Dye works (right aspect) - Dye works (left aspect) - Criterion Ice - Michelin*** restaurants - Jeep showrooms - old Cutts garage - Your newsagents? - Smart new office block - Mears & Co.
I've uploaded them to Flickr (see link below). For a quick explanation, when I moved to Sydenham from West Greenwich (literally just off Point Hill) 7 years ago the Dye Works was abandoned and falling down. It's now quite a well-heeled development with expensive cars outside despite the view toward Hazel Grove et al. Criterion Ice was also dilapidated (no roof etc) and became quite an acceptable Turkish Meze affair. For no obvious reason it closed down and became this gaudy and offensive monstrosity which I have no wish to set foot inside - Puerto Mexico is only slightly more acceptable than the building site the Criterion Ice once was. I'm not sure if it's the parade of 'salmonella vendors' or the car showroom your bakers was once in but you can see what became of your Cutts. I assume Bannings was always your newsagent? The new Hexagon housing office is on the corner of KPR and Sydenham Road and Mears&Co is now Sivyers.
Do please let me know if you have any problem accessing the pictures and I apologise for referencing all as ‘yours’ but I’m trying to reconcile then and now.
There was a milk vending machine in the doorway of the dairies opposite Jews Walk back in the late 1950s I think it was the Express dairy, it cost 6d for milk and was very handy when you had run out
I’ve recently seen the movie, ‘Sparrow’s Can’t Sing’ at the Sydney Film Festival as part of a retrospective of women film makers. It was made in the East End, around Stepney (sorry, not Sydenham) and though not a great film it does include some great shots of the old terraced houses being knocked down and the new tower-blocks going up!
In one scene actor James Booth is buying a bed, a milk machine is clearly seen in the background.
Last edited by spitnolan on 11 Sep 2012 03:46, edited 1 time in total.
