Prospect Place, Wells Road

[Davidwallis]

Dear James,

We have already spoken privately but I should also like to pay a more public tribute to your mother. Muriel was my Sunday school teacher at the London City Mission on the corner of Bradford Road. The classroom was downstairs under the main hall. On the wall was a framed picture of the Lord Jesus with his arms outstretched welcoming all the children of the world to himself. This and the song we sang; 'Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight', was an early lesson in racial tolerance and equality, and that the message of salvation was for ALL regardless of race.

I remember that we children were awarded stars for attendance. These were stuck to a board as a visual reminder of how we were doing. And that mattered when it came to the annual prize giving and we received our awards How proud our parents were for us!.

Muriel and other helpers like her brother Leslie Tripp, introduced us to the Bible stories and had us singing children's songs that I can still remember; 'Wide, wide as the ocean; High as the heavens above; Deep, deep as the deepest sea; Is my Saviours love'. Another was: 'Jesus bids us shine with a clear pure heart; Like a little candle glowing in the dark; In this world of darkness Jesus bids us shine; You in your small corner and I in mine'. Later it was Mr Harman who taught us, perhaps that was after Muriel married Leslie Brannan. Mr Bulpitt was the minister of the Wells Park Road mission at the time, and his daughter Maureen was one of Muriel's bridesmaids.

I started attending the Sunday school sometime in the 1940's, not long after the end of the second world war when this country was proud to call itself Christian. With our Lord's help we had not fallen under Nazis domination. And under Muriel's tuition and guidance the Lord began His work in my life. It was at Sunday school that I came to know and love the Lord Jesus, and asked Him into my life. Despite this early commitment, I continued to say 'NO' to baptism, and was only last autumn that I realised that my response had to be, ''see here is water, what is to prevent me being baptised?'' [Acts 8:36]. I was able to tell Muriel all about this a short while ago, and hope that it was some comfort to her, to hear that the seed she sowed so long ago in a young child's life, was still bearing fruit.

I owe Muriel a huge debt of gratitude, which will be paid in full as Jesus welcomes her with the words, ''Well done, thou good and faithful servant''. I send my condolences to all the Brannan family, David.

[Julia field]

Hi it's Julia again I can not get the hang of this site lol any way thank you Maureen and David yes sadly my dad passed away nearly 8yrs ago and my nan Doris died 8yrs ago too but they still all lived together in brockley up till then and Doris still spoke to Mabel every week I can not believe they knew each other all that time ago my name never really spoke about the past really and I am actually still living in the house that they all lived in I have great memories here. Also I have a found pictures of I think my dad's friends on all there bikes but do not know who they are
Many thanks again
Julia field

[maureen barrett]

Hi Julia, I am so sad to hear that Terry has died and that Mrs Field has passed away too,they were a really nice family.
I remember Terry and Mrs Field, as they lived opposite my Nanny and Grandad and nextdoor to my friend Brenda Langridge,.
Its nice that you have photographs of Terry and his chums from that time.
Bradford Road was a lovely place to grow up in..as a cul de sac it was safe there were few cars and everyone was familiar and friendly.
It was a happy time...money was never an issue because nobody had any.Bikes were something to aspire to...
.I hope you are able to identify some of the lads in the photo at some point.I would recognise boys from Bradford rd, but Martin would probably be able to identify them all.
Kindest Regards...Maureen

[Julia field]

Hi Maureen
Thank you for your reply it is a shame that I did not ask my dad about when he was growing up I go up wells park road all the time and Bradford road is not there anymore which is a shame i did find loads of photos of my dad and his friends on there bikes also pics of my nan and grandad which r really lovely

[Davidwallis]

Hi Julia, I'm sorry to learn of the passing of your father. He must have died shortly after your grandmother Doris. What a traumatic time for you.

Terry and I were mates during our young formative years. We were 13 years old when our paths started to diverge. That's when I went off to a new school at Tulse Hill. Terry if my memory is correct, remained at Haseltine Road school. Of course it's only natural that we should go our own ways as we started to grow up. But there was nothing natural in the shattering of an entire community 60 years ago. As you say, Bradford Road is no longer there and nor are all the families who had their homes in this and the other side streets off Wells Park Road. An entire district was obliterated not at the hands of an enemy, but on the say so of the London County Council.

We only saw each other once after that, when very many years later I called into the shop that he managed in Catford. We had shared childhood memories, but that's all. We had left Wells Road behind us.

I'm truly sorry at your loss, David.

[Mark Simmons]

Does anyone know where Longton Terrace was in Taylors Lane. my great grandparents were there in 1891 and according to the census it was between 1 Taylors Lane and Warwick Terrace, and I would like to know where in the road this was.

Also does anyone know where Laburnham Cottages were on Wells Road as my ancestors were also there between 1879 and 1882 according to various birth certificates. However I cannot find them on the 1881 census so I have no idea of where on Wells Road this was.

[Mark Simmons]

There are several posts on this site about a V1 that destroyed some of the properties in Oaksford Avenue. However I cannot trace this particular rocket. Could someone advise when the attack happened.

[maureen barrett]

Hi there Mark, I was also puzzled by this address as I was also looking at the census return in 1871 as the subject of my research Th0mas Joseph Butler was living in Taylors Lane at the time with his Aunt and Uncle Samuel Randle.Their address was The Warwick Arms..(as Samuel described himself as a Beer House Keeper and Carpenter and was born in Warwickshire).I beleive it was at no 7 Taylors Lane .which was the row of houses just after the Church.The census shows that Longton Terrace is the next address in the form, so I beleive the 'Terrace' is just that, a row of houses between the Church and the Church Hall and not a road as I had also previously thought.Have a look at that census and see what you think.
As I recall they were very nice houses semi-detached(?)with a side entrance.I have passed on the Census return to my cousin Margaret Butler related to Thomas Joseph Butler...she also had an uncle Mac I recall who lived at that address or next door probably in the late1950's.
My mother later lived at no 10 Taylors Lane in the 1970's after they demolished Bradford Road
In 1891 my Gt Grandfather Kossuth Moorlen a Police Constable was living in Dallas Road along with his family...my grandmother Kate Moorlen and her siblings were born there....we stayed in Wells Park Road area (Bradford Road, Coombe Road, Dallas Road, Wells Park Road, and Taylors Lane.)until it was demolished by the council, although my elderly Aunt in her 90's only moved from a bungalow opposite the Mission Hall 3 years ago.Our families must have known each other...3 generations of our family went to St Phillips School and my brother in law was related to one of the Stone Masons who built the church a little earlier...he lived in the houses at the top of the lane opposite the cottages No 2, I beleive
Regards
Maureen

[Gemmanichols]

Hi
I’m new to this but am looking for the Family name Mason they lived on Rosamond street in the 1960s
If anyone could help me try to locate any of them that would be so helpful
Thank you
Gemma

[maureen barrett]

Hi Gemma, Sadly I dont recall the surname Mason, although I walked through Rosamunde Street every day in the 1950s on my way to Junior school..As children we just used Christian names when we were playing ...and only used surnames when addressing adults (if we knew them) out of courtesy.
it was also at the time of upheavall , demolition and re-building.I would have had a nodding aquaintance with most of the children from established families in that area, but once new people were moved in that familiarity and closeness was lost.
I hope you find someone who remembers your family and you are able to contact them.
Regards
Maureen