Sydenham Road Now and Then
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Steve Grindlay
- Posts: 606
- Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
- Location: Upper Sydenham
Sydenham Road Now and Then
Following a suggestion on this thread here are extracts from Kelly's Directory of Sydenham, listing all the shops in Sydenham Road in 1939:
Sydenham Road Then and Now
Thanks Steve, your reply has made my day. I am studying the lists with great interest and am filling the blanks where I failed to remember or was confused. I can now trace every shop on the Google street plan and place the name of what it was.
There are a number of changes that came about after the war which I can identify. Likewise, I can remember many incidents relating to many premises such as when a 75 bus left the road and entered Charlie Clarks grocers shop on the corner of Elderton Road.
Thanks again and I feel certain that this post should bring back a few memories to many of ex residents of the town.
There are a number of changes that came about after the war which I can identify. Likewise, I can remember many incidents relating to many premises such as when a 75 bus left the road and entered Charlie Clarks grocers shop on the corner of Elderton Road.
Thanks again and I feel certain that this post should bring back a few memories to many of ex residents of the town.
This is fantastic!
Thanks a lot. I remember Buik's, had my ears pierced there in 1973, I had to wait for my 16th birthday and the day couldn't come quickly enough.
I also remember a double glass fronted women's clothes shop up near there where as a young lady you would get fitted for clothes.
*************sigh************ this was only the early 70's but life was so bloomin' different then. To be able to go back to the days where high streets were thriving permanent places, a feeling of permanancy, without awful ugly shopfronts filled with neon plastic buckets blazing at you. Where shopkeepers took CARE of their fronts.
Just another feeling you get as you get older I suppose hankering for what used to be.
Jackie ( who used to spend many a Saturday in treble Clef listening to music wishing I could afford the 50p for the latest no.1 single)
I also remember a double glass fronted women's clothes shop up near there where as a young lady you would get fitted for clothes.
*************sigh************ this was only the early 70's but life was so bloomin' different then. To be able to go back to the days where high streets were thriving permanent places, a feeling of permanancy, without awful ugly shopfronts filled with neon plastic buckets blazing at you. Where shopkeepers took CARE of their fronts.
Just another feeling you get as you get older I suppose hankering for what used to be.Jackie ( who used to spend many a Saturday in treble Clef listening to music wishing I could afford the 50p for the latest no.1 single)
Jackie, I totally understand where you are coming from. I remember exciting shops, more variety where rather than lots of shops that were all the same you had one or two and a greater variety of shops. Where are our toy shops, our cool boutiques, our sweet shops etc?
The 'cool' factor has gone out of our high streets and they have become cluttered and ugly places that feel sorry for themselves.
Hopefully one day Sydenham high street can feel proud of itself once again and actually attract people here as a destination. With a bit of vision I believe the high street can fight back against the large chains and supermarkets. It will take some planning, some design and a bit of vision, money and investment.
Anything is possible.
A strong, close traders association working together as one towards a better high street with all traders putting self interest aside in favour of the bigger picture would benefit all. Working WITH Julie Sutch and getting the most out of Lewisham resources would be a bonus too.
The 'cool' factor has gone out of our high streets and they have become cluttered and ugly places that feel sorry for themselves.
Hopefully one day Sydenham high street can feel proud of itself once again and actually attract people here as a destination. With a bit of vision I believe the high street can fight back against the large chains and supermarkets. It will take some planning, some design and a bit of vision, money and investment.
Anything is possible.
A strong, close traders association working together as one towards a better high street with all traders putting self interest aside in favour of the bigger picture would benefit all. Working WITH Julie Sutch and getting the most out of Lewisham resources would be a bonus too.
Sydenham Road Now and Then
Viewing Sydenham road via the Google street map, one is amazed to find the disappearance of what used to be the family food shops... not only have so many the elegant stores vanished but it would appear that they are replaced with “Takeaway” shops of all descriptions.
Just by perusing the Kelly’s street directory for 1939, between the Sydenham Railway Station, (I do hate the term “train station”) and Bell Green, there were: 16 Grocers shops, 10 Greengrocers, 11 Butchers, 5 Fishmongers, 7 Bakers, 17 confectioners and 5 Chemists. There were more situated above the station and along Bell green as well as many small general stores situated in converted front rooms of houses in the side streets. How many are there now, I wonder?
What is noticeable is the loss of choice that there used to be, just consider how many varieties of biscuit manufacturers there were on offer in the many grocers stores compared with what the supermarkets offer. The same applies with so many other items. We seem to have lost the pleasure of choice, a case of take it or leave it.
Sydenham Road was once a perfect shopping centre and was partly unique in that it did not have a tramway system, like most other suburban areas, AND, No traffic lights1
Just by perusing the Kelly’s street directory for 1939, between the Sydenham Railway Station, (I do hate the term “train station”) and Bell Green, there were: 16 Grocers shops, 10 Greengrocers, 11 Butchers, 5 Fishmongers, 7 Bakers, 17 confectioners and 5 Chemists. There were more situated above the station and along Bell green as well as many small general stores situated in converted front rooms of houses in the side streets. How many are there now, I wonder?
What is noticeable is the loss of choice that there used to be, just consider how many varieties of biscuit manufacturers there were on offer in the many grocers stores compared with what the supermarkets offer. The same applies with so many other items. We seem to have lost the pleasure of choice, a case of take it or leave it.
Sydenham Road was once a perfect shopping centre and was partly unique in that it did not have a tramway system, like most other suburban areas, AND, No traffic lights1