Hillfields

The brook used to run along the back of some of the houses in King Edward Road. My gran Ethel Smith lived at 87 and I remember opening the back gate as a child and going to see if there was any water in it. We'd often take a walk up to Primrose Hill Street to get some ham and milk roll for lunch, stop off at the Swansell to feed the ducks and then grab a colouring book or some crayons from the post office on King Edward Road - simple childhood pleasures!

St Peter's vicarage. 1961, I think, my wife was very ill in Gulson Rd hospital. I stayed with her for several nights getting little sleep myself. Got talking to the vicar of St Peter's who was visiting the hospital. He realised I was just about done in and he offered me a bed for the night at the vicarage, I accepted because I was so tired, woke up about six in the morning, left a note thanking him and then returned to Gulson Rd. Afterwards I was a little concerned that the vicar (I think his name was Peter) may have thought me rude for leaving like that, I phoned a couple of times without result. Les

Hi Les. Knowing the Rev Jones, he would have been more concerned about your concern for your wife. He was a very charitable man. I have tried to search about him but cannot find anything. I know he went to the Philippines as a missionary, came back and toured Britain giving lectures. Then nothing?

Hello all. I lived in Hillfields from 1956 until I got married. I lived at 3 Alexander Road. Across the road was Mrs White and her 2 sons, and at the bottom of the road was Mrs Hands and her son Brian. I remember Berdots batch shop which used to be Mr Hammonds butchers. Opposite to Mrs Hands on the corner of our road and King Edward Road was a house that was a furniture shop. I remember Mrs Jones at the shop, and Mrs Padbury and Harvey too. Drs Ball and Ballah too. Dr Ball was a lovely man. I don't remember much about Dr Ballah. I lived opposite the new slipper baths and used to go there as we had no bathroom. It was lovely there. There was Clarkes builders yard in Coronation Road. I remember a few people, Mrs Vickers, Nanny Leyton, Mr and Mrs Allen from the corner shop, and the second hand clothes shop on the corner of Augustus Road. My best friend lived in King Edward Road, her name was Eileen Vail. I worked at Rosemary's ladies fashions in King William Street for a few years, Rose had a sister with a shop "Rosalies" down in Primrose Hill Street. Nice memories. Thank you.

Hi Adele and welcome to our lovely forum. I grew up in Hillfields and lived in Coronation Road until I got married in 1964. I remember most of the people you mentioned and the name of Eileen Vail was one I had forgotten. I can't picture her at all but the name certainly rings a bell. Fancy you working in Rosemary's Fashions, I bet our paths must have crossed as I was always buying new clothes! Mrs Allen's shop was somewhere I was always sent if mum ran out of any groceries. I don't know if you were ever sent to her shop for a box of chocolates by your mum. Tricia and I often have a laugh about it, because we didn't leave the shop with chocolates, but some ladies sanitary product that were not mentioned by name in those days. I often wondered if any gents went to buy their wives a box of chocolates for her birthday, did they get the chocs or the unmentionables

Hi Adele, Was Rosalie's a boutique? If it was, then that is where all my wages went. Loved that shop.

Hi! We used to live at 52 Alfred Road. I have just joined after a message from Alison, my sister, after someone recognised us from Freddie's. Just getting used to this so will put more later.

I went to St Peter's for many years, as a choirboy and server. The vicarage was always open house for the youth of the church. The vicar's name was Eric Jones and his housekeeper was Mrs Robinson, lovely lady. If I remember correctly and it was after I left to join the Navy, Father Jones got married and left St Peter's and the last I heard he had died. St Peter's was also a training church so there was always 2 or 3 priests doing a year before being ordained and going on to their new church.

Just reading the post about all the shops in King Edward Road and round there, we lived at the top end of Alfred Road. I dont know if you remember but there used to be a sweet shop on the other corner. I always remember the guy that ran it wore a trilby hat. I remember the barbers. I was home a few years ago and popped in to say hi as that was always our barbers. I used to go to school with Bob Ansell, and his mother used to sing in St Peter's choir. I was trying to think of the other barbers that used to be by the roundabout in Swan Lane next to the cobblers. Also Berdots the batch shop opposite the doctors surgery. Mentioning that, when Dr Ball and Dr Bhalla were there, I think Dr Ball's wife was the receptionist.

Hi Primrose, We lived at the top end of Alfred Road. I left there in 68 to go into the Fleet Air Arm, but my parents lived there until the mid 70s and after my father died my mother moved away, but I must admit i don't remember any policemen's houses round there.

I remember going to the batch shop even after I joined the navy, in fact made a point of it when I was home on leave. Even tell my grandchildren about how good they were. Living in Hampshire now and you can't buy decent tasting faggots, they are so bland.

I was talking about Primrose Hill Park on another topic recently and I was also thinking about what you said about hiring the bats, balls, stilts etc. If I remember rightly they had a set of tennis courts which you could use. Also when I was very young, wasn't there a cottage just inside the park gate close to St Peter's vicarage?

Hi Ollie, Yes I remember the tennis courts and also the little cottage, never knew who lived there though. Did you ever use the slipper baths in Coronation Roac? I lived directly opposite which was handy on bath day! I recall the vicarage having broken glass all around the walls of the garden to stop the kids scrumping the apples. Not really very Christian of the vicar but it did stop people getting over the wall! Do you remember all the cars parked in the streets on a match day, as the crowds walked to Highfield Road? They were tail to bonnet. We used to ask some of the drivers if they wanted us to mind their cars and they would give us a couple of pennies if we were lucky. I sometimes used to walk up Alfred Road on my way to Freddie's so must have passed your house. Happy days.

Hi gang. You all bring back such vivid memories of growing up in Hilllfields. Have you ever thought how we can recall such minute details about our youth? Things that were unimportant at the time - the brain is amazing. Anyway someone (was it Tricia?) mentioned living in Alexandra Road, & Padbury's the cobbblers! I said awhile ago that my sister used to go out with Harvey Padbury (wonder where he is now). Talking about Alexandra Road reminded me of how my brother and I sometimes raced each other on our bikes along Coronation Road, down Alexandra Road into King Edward Road, and back round again via Alfred Road. One day I went too fast and crashed into a parked car in King Edward Road. My front wheel looked like a figure eight. I think so many people used the batch shop. The pork ones were divine, although if I was a bit short of cash, the stuffing ones were cheaper. I and my mates used to always call in there on the way home from the Locarno, or wherever we'd been on a Friday or Saturday night. The lady owner used to be watching TV in her living room if it was quiet, and would come out when she heard the shop bell ring. The slipper baths were popular too with people who had no bathrooms. Some youngsters may find it hard to believe we used to go there for a bath or shower, but they were really clean. Stainless steel baths washed down after every customer. You used to get a towel and a little piece of white soap, and then sit in the queue waiting for your turn. I always took my own shampoo as theirs wasn't enough to wash a mouse in. Someone mentioned Leopold Road. Does anyone remember the grocery shop owned by a Mr & Mrs Lawrence? Last time I saw them was when they lived in Shakespeare Street a few years ago. I used to go fishing with Robert Ansell of the newsagents shop (again haven't seen him for a few years). I used to be his postman a few years ago when he lived off Broad Lane. Anyway, been on long enough. Can't stop once I start. Best wishes again to our American "cousins" from Coventry. I want to visit the USA soon, so any tips on where to go would be helpful. New York or LA or Vegas or Niagara Falls. Can't make up my mind.

Hi Doug. Just read your latest post and excuse the pun but you rang my bell when you mentioned the shop bell. Very popular in the corner shops many years ago. Mum would be in the back de-boning a side of bacon and the bell would ring over the shop door and you would hear - be there in a sec, always the same. A lot of those shops were once normal houses before the war and now the little shops are gone and reverted back to houses again, those that are still standing of course. Must have been loads in Hillfields.