Sydenham Town Forum

Dear Brannan,Thanks for your wonderful,important new photos and contributions to Upper Sydenham and particularly Wells Park Rd. area history! I can solve the mystery of the great 'Mum and Nanny' photo; what can be seen in the back ground is the corner of Oaksford Avenue and Wells(Park) Rd. The shop ...

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8446243086_84613cbef1.jpg Mr-&-Mrs-Scrobie by Michael Viner , on Flickr Dear Sue,Glad you liked the photo-I'm sure you'll like this one too! Yes,I remember Mr.Scrobie's German Shepherd-he was nearly as big as Mr.Scrobie(he was only a small chap)! All the local...

Dear Dick,Sorry to say I believe Iris Scroby passed away a few years back-some 5 or 6 years ago,if I remember hearing rightly.Another great Old Sydenham person gone ;she was a nice,gentle lady.
Kind Regards,Michael

After The Duke Of Edinburgh there was a ladies hairdressers,which closed down late 1972-I'm pretty sure- and became the 'new' Rays' Newsagents/Sweet Shop,as his original shop further down Wells Park Rd.(opposite Mylis Close) had closed down and was due for demolition along with the rest of the shops...

Dear Mary,Yes,it's a lamp over the doorway advertising Charrington's Toby Ale.Glad you liked the photo,kind regards,Michael

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7605707838_49a7697f28.jpg Scrobies Taylors Lane by Michael Viner , on Flickr Hello there-in response to your request,here's a photo of great old Mr&Mrs.Scrobie's shop,37 Taylors Lane c.1971,kindly lent by John Seaman from his collection.As can be seen it was a...

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8156/7442880208_d4edc0ba9a.jpg No's 45 to 49 Wells Rd.1929? by Michael Viner , on Flickr No.'s 45-49 Wells Rd. possibly 1929,during demolition. No.47 is the one in the middle,with the chimney.Note the boy with the handcart,who might be helping his demolition man dad(or...

47 Wells Rd by Michael Viner, on Flickr

From John Coulter & John Seamans' book.

Dear nickyjane,47 Wells Rd.was one of a row of small two-up,two down cottages which were built c.1830 and were demolished in 1929(thus probably having been on 99 year leases)The site is now mainly the turning of a 1930's- built side road 'Mylis Close' There is a fine photo of them(inc.No.47) in the ...

Dear Veejay,Thank You! I'm so glad you liked the photo-it must have been wonderful to see yourself;I was hoping it might be a nice surprise for someone.That's made my day.I wasn't there,I'm afraid,I was'nt even born in 54'.I'm a little bit of an amateur local historian/writer/collector,having lived ...

Hello there-I was interested to read your memories,and thought you might like to see a photo I have of Gladys Groom and a couple of her dancing girls at a Summer Fete on 10th July 1954 held in the garden of 'Forest Holme' in Taymount Rise,Gladys' house which she used as her dancing school.I presume ...

From the Shorts'sweet shop down to the Fox & Hounds there was only one other shop still open and running in the early 70's(the rest were empty or had become residential)and that was the last shop before the garages-now demolished for housing-next to the Fox& Hounds.It was a great old-fashion...

This shop was one of my childhood sweet shops and holds many memories -it was run by the aptly named Mr.Short with his wife,who was twice the size of him! It sold general goods and provisions as well as sweets,newspapers etc. it was handy as,like good old Scrobies in Taylors Lane,it used to stay ope...

Giles-thanks for the reply.I'm afraid I don't get that much time to myself to do this sort of thing,as I'm a full-time carer for my mother who is 82 and in poor health mentally& physically,but I'll write a few lines which may I hope be of interest.There was only one statue on Sydenham Hill Estat...

Dear Sir/Madam,The two mystery buildings you mention opposite the junction of Wells Park Rd and Longton Ave.were 'Claverhouse',a large early Victorian house which stood where the garages behind and to the left of Tynwald House(Sydenham Hill Estate)are now,and Greyfriars,another grand 19th c. villa,w...

Dear kenny,I don't think Mrs.Lidle had a dog-perhaps you may be thinking of the old Sydenham lady in the late 70's/80's who used to push her dog(Jack Russell)in a pram around Sydenham Rd.She had glasses and always wore a white wooly hat.Sydenham has a proud little tradition of eccentrics,kept alive ...

Dear Sir,in reply to your query,there was a good reason for my buying the Sydenham Recreation Ground postcard at that price(for me anyway)and indeed it was for the house in the background-the first really clear view I've ever seen of Stannington Grange,No.90 Dacres Rd. There is a Philips card of a s...