sydenham in the twenties

[regoneil]

Forest Hill & Sydenham’s “Pussy Butcher”
During the Twenties and Thirties (and maybe earlier) the feline population of the area was served with the luxury of a regular daily delivery of an evening meal from the “Pussy Butcher”, as he liked to be called. In fact one could hear his call of “Pussy Butcher” as he cycled along the streets delivering this token of luxury to the feline population (and in many cases, the Canine population)
of the area.
This all emanated from an establishment located in Stanstead Road, Forest Hill, where the “meals on wheels”, under the title of “Standen,” purveyors of horsemeat for cats was to be found.
Come rain or shine, the cats could rely on their evening meal arriving on time as he cycled along, singing out “Pussy butcher” and pushing pieces of horsemeat on to homemade skewers of firewood, as he pedalled along followed by a hungry group of feline admirers whose owners did not subscribe to this luxury for their pets.
Perhaps one would consider this to be a luxury for the cats, but was it? at 2p a stick. It must be remembered that the majority of the feline population in those times were fed on scraps left over from their owner’s meals, in consequence, there were many lean hungry cats to be seen foraging in scrap heaps or following the local fishmonger as he filleted his wares around the streets.
It should be remembered that there were many street traders in those days, in fact many households would put in a weekly order for their provisions which would be delivered to their door by an errand boy, on a shop bike complete with a huge basket fixed to the handlebars. employed by the shopkeeper. Often, the first rung of a promotional ladder for a higher position. Any additional item, forgotten in the weekly order could be obtained from a street trader doing his rounds; hence one would listen out for the cries of street traders, or put a card in the widow to invite a trader to call. So much business was conducted from doorways.
The “Pussycat Butcher” would call at our house in the afternoons where our cat and small dog would sit in anticipation on either side of the door-mat awaiting two small pieces of firewood with horsemeat attached to come through the letterbox for them to pounce upon and devour. The dog would devour hers in a couple of gulps whilst the cat would take his off to a quiet spot to devour in peace whilst the dog would look on enviously.

[leenewham]

Great posts Reg, I know they haven't had many comments but I for one love reading them.

I did laugh at this story of the pussy Butcher in a slightly carry on sort of way. It's lovely having these stories about Sydenham, I'd love to do some something with them at some stage....I have a few ideas which I will share with you when the timing is right.

Thanks for sharing this. They really are lovely memories that should be treasured and admired.

[Dorian]

Thats magical Reg , keep em coming please Sir

[buckaneer]

Great story, I was doing a little family research when I found it. My Great granddad was Robert Merritt Standen and the Pussy Butcher was his uncle Joe Standen. Robert worked for Joe as a young man and may well have been the boy on the bike. We have an old picture of the Pussy Wagon (believe it or not!) that they used being pulled by a horse.

[linda cherry]

My grandad was that Pussy's Butcher. His name was Joe Standen. He worked from Stanstead Road Forest Hill and later from Dalmain Road Forest Hill. He had 3 children - my father was Sidney Joseph Standen, When they were children and as they grew, they took their bikes with baskets loaded with horse meat on skewers, through the local towns whistling a specific call. The cats would all come running. It was 1penny a stick.

My grandad continued to trade as the Pussys Butcher until the Home Office closed down the business and those like his at the start of the 2nd World war, as the horse meat was needed to be canned and sent to the front for the troops. My grandfather fought long and hard as it was his livlihood, but the decision had been made by Parliament.
I have pictures of his father William ( my great grandfather)- with the horse and cart, who started the business in the 1800's, and still have the metal advertising sign which was fixed to one of the bikes.