Newlands Park shops

[budgiegirl]

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about the history of Sydenham on your forum, and this is my first post. I wondered if anyone had any old photos of the Newlands Park parade of shops (the ones halfway down, between Tannsfeld Rd and Studland Rd)? I have only ever seen one photo from around 1910 in which the shops can just about be seen. Most old photos seem to be taken either up or down Newlands Park, from around where the shops are! Does anyone know what sort of shops were there pre-1970s? I would love to hear any tales you have to share. Many thanks.

[brian stimson]

1940s and 50s, On the corner of Tansfeld and Newlands Park was a Greengrocer ( 7lbs. of King Edward potatoes 1/- (one shilling or 5 pence to the youngsters) ). A couple of shops up was a Newsagent (where I did my paper round) and the shop on the corner of Newlands Park and Studland Road was a sweetshop (where I developed my sweet tooth). Sorry no pics.
By the way on the left of Tansfeld opposite the entrance to Alexandra Park was a row of lock up garages and next to them a bomb shelter (great for playing in). In Studland Road was the Wayne Tank and Pump company factory until 1958.

[budgiegirl]

Thanks for that, Brian. I didn't know about the Wayne Tank and Pump Company being in Newlands Park, I only remember the Grundig Factory. The bomb shelter would've been interesting! I guess there were bomb shelters situated all over Sydenham, but no trace of them now.

[Chiny]

Good grief... I remember these shops from the late 50s and through the 60s, although I have not been down Newlands Park since the mid-70s. I certainly remember the sweet shop, in the style of just about every sweet shop of the era and in many, many areas. Photos no, far too expensive in those days to take pictures of what was everyday, unfortunately.

My usual sweetshop was on the corner of Newlands Park with Sydenham Road, next to the cobblers.

Interesting.

[brian stimson]

The sweet shop next to the Cobblers (Burtons) was owned and run by a blind chap in the fifties, a lovely Guy, who not only sold sweets but all manner of other "requisites".

[gremlin]

I was born at no 48 Newlands Park in 1950, and knew the shops, Wayne Tank, Grundigs and the small-scale roads in Alexandra Park. I have never seen any photos of the road system, it was by chance looking for photos (as some of my colleagues did not believe me!) that I came across this forum. The traffic lights and Belisha beacons used to work and there was a full set of road signs, roundabouts, dual carriageway, all about quarter scale I would guess.
There used to be motor cycle racing on the Crystal Palace circuit and we knew a hole in the fence we got in to watch for free, we could disappear all day in those times, with a bottle of Tizer and a packet of crisps, go on 'adventures' to Beckenham or Dulwich, and in about 1962 London Transport started 'Red Rovers' a ticket that let you travel on any red buse all over London for 3 shillings, then the 'Twin Rovers' for 5 shillings where you could travel on any red bus AND the Underground (except Waterloo & City Line), a mate and me planned a journey that let us jump out at every underground station and back on again to say we had been on every undergound station - I am not sure we actually did get as far as Amersham or Upminster but I like to think we did.
The first shop on the corner of Newlands Park and Tansfeld Road was a greengrocer, then I think a hairdressers, then a small grocers, then a sweetshop/newsagents run by the Newholms, I used to go on holiday with the Newholms after my father died in 1961. Next to the Newholms was, I think, a shop used as offices, but we kids never knew what for, a couple more shops (can't remember what), then the shop on the corner of Studland Road was a sweetshop (and sold other 'requisites') run by a Mr Lovell. The Newholms moved to Maple Road to run a wool shop, and we moved to Woolstone Road in Forest Hill in about 1964. I went to Forest Hill Secondary School, and did my ONC at SE London Tech in Worsley Bridge Road. I lived in Kingsthorpe Road and Champion Road in Sydenham and Anerley Park in Penge, used to use the Railway Bell, run by an amazing woman called Rita, had been on the stage at some time in the 40s. Also used The Dolphin in Sydenham Road, and in the 1950s Saturday morning pictures at the Granada. Haven't been to Sydenham for years, moved from Sydenham to the Norfolk Broads in 1978.

[Steve Hall]

I lived in the newsagents from 1961 until I moved out in about 1982. My dad Sid and mum Pat, took it over in 1961. The order of the shops were...Greengrocers, Hairdressers run by Mrs Morris, Our newsagents,then a sort of grocers, where they had one of those huge meat slicers. Next shop was always empty, but a little old lady lived there who we hardly ever saw. There was an electrical shop next to that selling radios, batteries etc, then a launderette which at diff times had a milk machine and a chip machine outside but they were short lived and lastly our rival newsagents. Great times spent living there, many many hours spent in Alex rec.

[gremlin]

Steve,
Your family must have taken over the newsagents from the Newholms, they moved on to a woolshop in Maple Road Penge at about that time. I think we moved from Newlands Park to Woolstone Road in Forest Hill in about 1963, I'm not sure exactly when.
Gremlin

[Steve Hall]

Yes, we knew the Newholmes, I remember us going to visit them. Sad to see how much that parade of shops has changed now.

[BobE]

My father worked for Grundigs in Kidbrooke which then moved to Sydenham back in the late 50's early 60's. His day time job was a foreman and a caretaker by night and lived in a flat which basically was a very large attic over the Grundig offices building, which looked like a very big house on the corner of Studland Road and this overlooked the corner sweetshop opposite. We then joined my father and moved into the flat when I was 12 in 1962. I think the corner sweet shop was taken over around about then by Reg Thompson and for a few years I did a paper round for him. He always liked to chat and while he did he was handing out the cigarettes to me and my friends. Reg had small advertizing boards under his shop windows and one of them was for the Granada Cinema on the High Street and for this he was given a yearly complimentary ticket for two people to see the films. Well he had no use for it so he gave it to me which was very handy especially if for taking out the girlfriend(s) !!
Very fond memories of Sydenham........

[Gilliantrelease]

I lived all my life in Tannsfeld road and can name all the shops which were collectively No. 44 Newlands Park. Firstly I will tell you of the history of the site of those shops. There was a toll booth at the end of Tannsfeld road - in Newlands Park which was once Penge Lane - because the border between Kent and London went through the alley by Alexander Park and across Newlands Park/Penge Lane. Tannsfeld road did not exist in Victorian times, just fields and a small footpath. Where the Newlands Park Shops are now, was a large Victorian House called 'Elmfield'(44 Newlands Park) - it was similar in size to the Victorian house which became part of the Wayne Tanks and Pumps and latterly Grundig complex. The factory was built on that Victorian house' gardens. Anyway the house 'Elmfield' was owned by Dr. Octavius Jepson who was Medical Superintendant of Stone Asylum in Dartford for many years and retired to Sydenham to tend his extensive garden which stretched from Newlands Park to the boundary with a field which became Alexander Park. Sadly there are no photos of this magnificent house, but it was similar to the Grundig house. When Dr. Jepson died in 1899 the shops of Newlands Park and houses in that plot of Tannsfeld road were built circa 1900.
In the 1950s and early 1960s the shops were: commencing at Tannsfeld road:- the first shop was a Greengrocers run by Mr. Ramsay with Rene his lady assistant - who reported me for wearing lipstick when I was 13 to my Mother! Next to that was a ladies' hairdressers - owned by the very blond Mrs. Morris - her husband was often seen in the shop a little bald fat man with glasses. Next came the newsagents, tobacconists and sweet Shop - Mr Newholme ran it in the 1950s with his lovely wife - he had a son Donald (I think) and often wore a bow tie. Then later the lovely Mr. Hall took over he used to deliver bread to houses, pulling a red cart along the road. Mr. Hall looked like the singer Michael Holliday! Then came 'Johnson's' the grocers, Mrs. Johnson was a very warm welcoming plump little lady. Then a haberdashers run by a little frail old lady, which soon closed in the 1960s and stayed a closed shop for some time, the blinds were not quite pulled down and dusty scissors, cottons etc. could still be seen. Then came the Laundry painted black and cream which was always full of steam, then Miss Slade's grocery shop - very dark inside - Miss Slade had dark hair in a bun with gold rimmed glasses, very genteel, then lastly a sweet shop on the corner - run in my time by a very tall grey wavy haired chap in a white coat - Mr, Lovell - he was very fierce not friendly like both Mr, Newholm and Mr. Hall - he sold Lyons ice cream whereas Walls was at the other shop! His wife helped him - she was nice - and he had two daughters the elder was very pretty called Carol, cannot remember the name of the younger daughter.
Back to the two Victorian houses 'Elmfield' and I think the Grundig house was called 'Newlands' there is a photo of it in one of the books on old photos of Sydenham. Studland road was their shared carriage drive. The whole area must have been very beautiful and much spoilt by the Wayne Factory. When I worked at Grundig there was still a fountain just outside 'Newlands' in a small area of garden left - one last remaining bit of the beautiful gardens which once stretched down to the park.