My Early Days in Sydenham.

[Eddie Greer]

I was born in 1937 and lived at 15 Peak Hill Gardens Sydenham untill moving to 77 Fairlawn Park Lower Sydenham. We emigrated to Australia in 1951 and I am now married and have 4 children and 7 grandchildren and am aged 68. I see questions in forum about the Granada picture theatre in Sydenham Rd. I am sure that it was one of the bomb sites that we kids used to play in, I can remember getting inside the theatre and finding reels of film and all the seats were still intact. Maybe this was not the Granada, if not what was the name of the bombed out theatre that I can remember. I also remember catching the train from Sydenham station to Norwood Junction to watch my team Crystal Palce play at Selhurst Pk. at that time they were called The Glaziers now they are the Eagles. Also I remember the barrage baloon and ack-ack guns and searchlight that was situated on the bowling green in Mayow Park. I started school at St Barts when I was five and can remember the policeman taking me accross the road at Cobbs Corner, I think the school must of been in or near St Barts church, Believe it or not I can still remember my first teacher who was a Miss Partridge, I then went to a school up Kirkdale Road for which I can't think of the name, from there I went to Forest HIll Secondary school in Brockley Rise. Anyone know of two of my good mates Alfred Tagg who lived in Forest Hill and went to Haseltine school, and Derek Ansett who lived in a street off Brockley Rise and whose Father had a Turkish delight factory. We often used to play in the Crystal Palace grounds and climb inside the dinasaurs etc. Someone mentioned about when the Upper Sydenham station was closed, and it was said that it was in 1954 which probably is correct. But I know the station that was by the Crystal Palace grounds was closed when us kids played there, which would of been in the late 1940s. Anyway would love to get any response from forum members.
Eddie Greer

[netty64]

Hello Eddie,

I grew up in Peak Hill just off Kirkdale in the late 60's untill I left in 1988. I am 41 now so a little younger than you, but I also went to st.barts school and the school up the hill in kirkdale which was called Kelvin grove!
I remember going to cobbs and it being a wonderful place. There was an air raid shelter at the bottom of sydenham hill leading to cobbs and we would break in and tell ghost stories in there. We also went to Peckermans woods at the top of wells park road where there was a dissused railway tunnel. We used to dare each other to walk through it to the other side! We had such a good time without computers, mobile phones and all day t.v!!

I am going to Sydenham tomorrow on a sort of Pilgrimage so I will be interested to see all the changes.

Take care,
Jenny x