Bell Green, Dillwyn Rd in the 60's

[tracy]

Hi everyone

Just discovered this website and I think it's fantastic. I've been on a real trip down memory lane reading everyone's posts and looking at pictures.

I lived at 34 Dillwyn Road, near the gasworks from about 1962 to 1971. Dillwyn Road was compulsorily purchased by Lewisham Council around 1971/72 so my family moved to Trewsbury Road. I was 12 yrs old at the time.

I remember there used to be a concrete "playpark" (no swings or anything, just cracked concrete!) at the bottom of Dillwyn road and I used to go in there and kick a ball around. Round the corner from that there was an off-licence. It had a funny name, something to do with a ship or something. Does anyone remember it's name?. There was Spicers, the grocer shop, and a brilliant chippy next door to Spicers.

In the other direction (turning left out of Dillwyn onto the main road), there was a newsagents and a grocers run by a husband and wife team, which I think was called Blackburns. I would go there with a shopping list from my mum, hand it over the counter and the Mrs Blackburn would pick what I wanted off the shelf. It was like "Open all hours". Happy days!

There was talk of the Rolling Stones guitarist, Bill Wyman having lived in Lower Sydenham as a kid. I think it may have been Miall Road but I'm not sure.

I went to Sedgehill School and used to walk there via Southend Lane past the gasworks and the pub called the Bell (or three bells or five bells)

I know that the Bell Green area was modernised at some point. I haven't been to Sydenham in many years (now live in Australia), but I'm wondering what happened to the Bell Green Public Baths which I recall being near the pub I just mentioned. Was the baths demolished?

My mum told me yonks ago that she used to go to the baths and pay a shilling or less and have piping hot water and a relaxing soak.

Anyway, I'm wittering away now, so I had better stop!.
If anyone has any photos of Dillwyn Road or Bell Green from the 60's I would love to see them.
Would also love to hear your memories of Bell Green.

Great website - I'll be a regular visitor.
Tracy

[Ginge]

Hi, I live on Trewsbury Road, my sister lives on Dillwyn close and my partner went to Sedgehill!. The bath house is still there but is used as a scrap/antique dealers now, thats if it is still open! The bell is still there, nice outside, bit of a dump inside I'm afraid!!

[sarahc]

According to my dad - who is a Rolling Stones fanatic, Bill Wyman used to live in Penge and he got an invite to his flat!! It's his biggest claim to fame! In saying that -not sure how reliable my family are as my mum went to see the Beatles on Woolwich Common before they were famous and walked out cos they were crap!!!

[stuart]

According to my dad - who is a Rolling Stones fanatic, Bill Wyman used to live in Penge and he got an invite to his flat!!

That was later. Bill was born in Lewisham Hospital 24/10/1936 and lived at 18 Miall Road Bell Green. He was evacuated in the war and returned to 32 Mosslea Road Penge and went to Oakfield Road Junior School (his dad had gone to Haseltine School).

I keep meaning to add Bill to our Sydenham Town Heroes & Villains section (he qualifies for both!) when I have time ...

As mentioned elsewhere Sydenham has a remarkable musical history - both classical and rock with many of today's musicians choosing to live here.

Stuart

[GerryOB]

My Grandparents used to live at 20 Dillwyn Road. My Mum was born there. The family surname was Smith.

The concrete 'play park' referred to, was originally George Parker, the bakers shop, from 1890 up until it was bombed in 1940. Once flattened, it was never rebuilt. Hence the rather shabby looking 'play park' which was basically the remains of the floor of the building. I remember the park, but only having been born in 1962 myself, the shop was 22 years before my time.

If anyone remembers Frederick 'Fred' Smith and his wife Dorothy 'Dolly' Smith or their children Helen 'Winnie' (my Mum), John, Bill or Violet, then I'd love to hear from them. My Nan was moved out when the properties were demolished in the early 1970's.

I got given a book for Christmas called 'Forest Hill & Sydenham' by John Coulter and John Seaman. There is a great pic in there of the residents of Dillwyn Road at their street party to celebrate the coronation in 1953. I had no idea when I asked for it, that my Mum and her siblings would all be in the pic.

Gerry

[AlanM]

Hi All

Just discovered from their marriage cert that my great grandparents lived at no. 9 Dillwyn Road in 1889. Dont have any other info but would appreciate any comments.

Ta
AlanM

[linda]

hi my name is Linda and i lived at 41 dillwyn and my dad moved to Cornwall after the sale of his house i have 3 sisters Brenda Pauline Janet . I spent all my free time in the play ground what we called the bottom park it was our meeting place . i also knew the smiths at no 20 and we called her aunt y doll my mum and her were good friends i remember the lovely fire in the kitchen that had the kettle always on the boil . I knew violet very well she was our brown owl and i still send bill a xmas card.
we had a great community and i loved it there the chip shop was called bells and if you took news papers they gave you some chips .
at the end of Dillwyn rd there was a sweet shop that we called the top shop My best friend and her mum lived at no 10 Aunty Gwen and Retia my other friend live at no 7 we all got on so well what a great place to live its a shame it was knocked down i don't think they would have got away with that now shame on you Lewisham Coucil

[Annie]

Hi Linda,
If you don't mind answering,what was your surname back then? only I have been told that most households were known by their surnames ie "The Smiths" etc.it might help people remember you.

[linda]

hi Anne
our family name was Fossett hope that is a help and my Nan lived at no 41 before we did and her surname was Miles as was my mums maiden name .

[limeygent]

Anyone else remember the coal merchant, "Sawyer"s", right there at Bell Green. He used a horse and cart to deliver the coal in the 50s. The horse was called "Old Bill".

[Annie]

In the early fifties my husband went to Adamsrill school with a David Sawyer who lived in Miall road.
The coal merchant who also had a greengrocers shop at the end of Miall road was called Bretts not Sawyers.Does this ring a bell ! or is he mistaken?

[limeygent]

The coal merchant was definitely "Sawyer's", and there was a grocery store called "Clarks", I thought was at the end of Miall road, it was right opposite the toilets. I was about five at the time, so my geography might not be accurate, but I remember the names, Mr. Sawyer used to sit me on his horse.
Keith.

[jill hillery]

me and my brother lived in perry rise near the salvation army hall,we went to adamsrill school my brothers name was dave brooks and my name was jill brooks, dave was in a skiffle group and he played the washboard ,we remember a lot of the shops at bell green, my brother worked at the gasworks as a labourer opposite the gasworks was a dairy rowned by a man called mr hills,there was spicers and the off licence was called coasts, there was bretts the greengrocers in miall road and we think the shop at the top of miall road was run by mr trott.but we are not too sure about the name,there was a lovely fish and chip shop and they had two beautiful dogs .we used to buy crackling there,then there was a tv and radio shop run by two brothers,also was what my nan called the corn chandlers,there was a lovely toy shop and they repaired broken dolls my dad said they called it the dolls hospital haha ,there was crows the butchers who sold lovely sausages ,but had rabbits hanging up and sawdust on the floor,then we remember delahoys the grocers ,then ashleys the bakers , we remember the old bath house where you had to call out for more hot or cold water in whatever cubicle you were in, also they used to have w youth club next to the bath house called st michaels hall ,hope the some of you rcan share these memories from times gone by

[jill hillery]

In the early fifties my husband went to Adamsrill school with a David Sawyer who lived in Miall road.
The coal merchant who also had a greengrocers shop at the end of Miall road was called Bretts not Sawyers.Does this ring a bell ! or is he mistaken?

yes it was definitely bretts and they delivered coal , my nan used to have coal delivered from them nr bretts name was ernie ,and i think his wife was called una,do you remember the collyer family and the cook family there were twin girls pat and rosemary .

[Bill Davis]

I am Bill Davis and lived next to the bowling green by the Liversy Hall. This site for Lower Sydenham brings back many memories. I to remember Brett's the green grocer's. I always called them Aunty Una and Uncle Ernie. I use to have a weekend job at Mathers the butchers near to Toyland. Does anyone remember the horse trough at the bottom of Dillwyn Road and the Hole in the Wall off licence. If you were in Sydenham from 1950 can you reply to this it would be nice to hear from someone of that time.

[sophie]

This is such a lovely thread. I have nothing to contribute other than reading others' memories is making me smile and remember my own childhood which was not around here though.

[Castaway694]

I lived in Holmshaw Road and Sawyers was at the bottom of Holmshaw Road opposite the Post Office. Lovely couple it used to be up a little alleyway at the side of the very first house.
I remember the little park at the bottom of Dillwyn. There was a little Scottie dog that lived in the house right next to it. The damn thing bit me I finished up in the Children's Hospital having tetanus injections.
I do remember the horse trough at the bottom of Dillwyn but for some reason I thought it was at the bottom of Perry Rise. My Dad was born at 1 Bell Green right next door to the Liversey Hall his Sister lived there until she died in the 80s.My Mum was born in Holmshaw her garden backed on to the Hospital. They lived in that house right up until Lewisham Council compulsory purchased the area.

[davetheeagle]

I also thought the horse trough was further around the corner at the junction of Bell Green and Perry Rise. I have found a picture which suggests it has been re-positioned near Miall Walk. Although we knew them as horse troughs they were in fact donated by the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association

http://www.mdfcta.co.uk/details/t170.html

[SteveB69]

Hi
Sorry I can’t share any memories with you but just found out my great great grandparents lived at 66 Dilwynn Rd back in 1885, so was interesting to read all your stories. His name was James Sinclair Horton and he married Grietje (Grietia) while living there. Grietje was from Holland. They later moved to the Tooting/Balham area.
Steve

[Keith Elmore]

i used to play there between 1965 to 1969 we used to call it the bottom playground