hi, as a child I lived in the prefabs on Rye Hill Park, now flats. I remember the Rossi ice cream horse and cart that used to stop at the bottom of the hill and lemon ice was my favourite. The park was our playground and my brother fell in the stream on numerous occasions, much to my mum’s horror. We had a white westie called Snowy who used to chase the postman.

The prefabs were lovely and everybody in our little close was very friendly. I remember the street party we had in 1953 for the Coronation.

My parents names were Grace and George Evans and my brother was Eddy and I am Carol. Our immediate neighbours were Vi and Ernie Fletcher and they had 2 sons Brian and Alan. Mr and Mrs Banhan and their daughter Pat, mr and Mrs Parker and son Peter, Mrs Saunders, mr and Mrs Hobday and their son Ronnie.

I lived there from 1947 to 1954 and have wonderful memories and wondered if anyone else remembers the prefabs and our little community.

Did anyone else use the library? It’s now the Buddhist place. When I was a kid in the 70’s and 80’s I’d trek up to Spa Road from Surrey Docks where I lived to visit, it seemed to take an age to walk there with my little legs. But it was worth the walk as they had a fantastic record library where you could borrow vinyl lp’s. I think Danny Baker also mentions it in one of his biographies as his Dad would wash the records in soapy water before returning them

I've only been living in the area for just over a year but I am interested to hear more about what was along particularly Spa Road 5,10,20 or more years ago so I can picture it. I'm just somebody who's interested in what came before, no other reason, particularly as so many apartments around Spa Road, Abbey St, Jamaica Road and Long Lane appear to have been built in the last decade or less.

I first came to the area in 2008 when I was working at a local school, just before Del Aziz opened with the Shortwave Cinema, so I remember those changes. I also remember the tower blocks where Tesco on Jamaica Rd now lies, beneath the new apartments. I also used to visit a friend on the Neckinger estate but frustratingly I can't remember what was on the other side of the road where The Exchange now lies. I once also went in the one-stop council offices which are now luxury flats, but again, I can't remember much else as I wasn't living in the area at the time.

What was where the Bolanichi building now lies, or those apartments above the betting shop and Cafe Del Amore?

And what was where those apartments round by Coop are, or around St James' church yard?

Would love to know more, memories of the neighbourhood, what's been lost and gained, and pictures would be even better.

I remember when C&A a department store had their shop in Peckham high street over two floors just opposite alongside Mcdonalds. That was in the 1970s, 1980s, early 1990s. After C&A it was Woolworths on just one floor so shops along there must have capacity to move upwards

Allynys is indeed a different school to what it used to be.
I was a pupil there from 1965 when it was a boys grammar school.
The majority of pupils then lived locally and had a free place.
Since becoming independent the fees are way outside the reach of most local people, hence the need for coaches to transport the pupils from afar.

Two of my favourite London pubs in the 80s and 90s. I used to look at the Fox with some disdain, but that would be the place I go to now. I didn't like the last big refurb at the Grove as it lost much of its charm, but hey ho that brings the punters in.

The demise of the Phoenix is just shocking.

i moved to peckham rye when i was 2 yrs old and lived there till i was 24, moved there in 1971.ish and lived in the same maisonette smack bang opposite peckham rye park. it was a small estate horse shoe shaped with the maisonettes at the front and 3 10 storie tower blocks behind it with four flats on each floor next to us where what we called the old blocks one being called medina house.
im writing a book about our life, but some of what i need to know i was so young i cant recall the dates for. so im hoping there are some people on here that can help me with any of the following

1 the name of the old blocks apart from medina and which order they fall in from the maisonettes running left towards rye lane.

next to the 1st old block as we called it on the grass verge was a air raid shelter anyone rember memories of this? and it being filled with concrete in the 70s because some kids had gone down it and got hurt because it was unstable?

2 they built a comunitte hall on the estate that is still there today, what year was it built?

3 there was a murder on peckham rye, common a teen age girl, she was supposed to meet her boyfriend but never turned up, boyfriend went searching for her, and claimed he found her body but was convicted of her murder, he used his own scarf!! anyone know the year?? ? or more details???

4 there was huge news paper coverage in 1982ish of a man who admitted indecnt assult and rape of an under age girl he pleaded guilty, and got 3 1/2 years his name was anthony john filmer any one remeber him or the case?

5 did anyone grow up on the estate at the time and have any memories of it, ie the heat wave 76 ish going to the stand pipe for water every day.
the flasher that plagued the park in the 70s
the lil tea rooms in the middle of the park? and the shops that were on the high street in the 70s???

oh and peckham lido??

Any pics of Peckham train station or Peckham Rye park?now live abroad would love to see more from the area? I went to Peckham secondary

Hi I remember the Lido well. Those were the good old days? Lido was the place to swim back then, until the swimming pool at Elephant and Castle opened. It had artificial waves. lol

Thought your page was very interesting. I live in Tasmania, & my brother Myles lives in East London... he sent me this page to give me a bit of an idea of what's happening (& happened)in his area. Will definately Visit again

Hi there , i was born in Earl road which was just round the corner from dunton road . i enjoyed my childhood in and around bermondsey but as adulthood came i moved away not by choice but by circumstance . i now live in canada but i keep in touch with my friends in facebook who either still or luck enough to reside in bermondsey .i`m very interested in its history and wished i had studied about it when i was younger.anyway i`m happy to have joined this site and to get new friends in here

i was born 1940 in elim estate great place great people went to webb street school moved 1946 to st olaves estate then to st johns estate two more great places you never forget bermondsey thank you

Hi everyone I'm a slightly younger bermondsey lass I lived at 88 swan mead 2nd floor at the end over looking the park Leroy St in the 80s mums name is Anne had a dog called wolf he was a bermondsy dog let him out in the morning and he would find us kids and just follow us about good time's

Hi All,

Does anyone have some images or memories of the adventure playground and mini-lido that used to be located between the Imperial War Museum's gardens and Brook Street?

By the late 70s I was too old to go there, but my brother did, and I used to often take and pick him up from there

I am looking for anyone with pictures of Alderminster road bermondsey sel the property's have been knocked down and my grandparents lived in 194 an I lived in 198 I would really appreciate any information I can find. Many thanks

hello to everyone i grew up in waterloo campbell blds
and went to johanna primary school. i am living in sutton surrey now was anyone around the waterloo area
between 66-78 would love to here from anyone who
lived there or knew me

Mr Mills was the Principal and he introduced country dancing and we all loved that and we put on a show for our parents and all feeling very proud to do so. Just before I left the school we had a surprise visitor who was a movie actress Paulette Goddard, who was once married to Charlie Chaplin who also came from the East End, she looked so beautiful in her white rabbit hooded long coat with gold sandals.It was the only school in London that each child received a large 20 pound weight box of goodies of tinned butter, a huge bar of chocolate which was so good as we had rationing for almost everything and confectionery was almost non-existent and other food stuffs that our mothers were grateful for.
I had the honour of accepting a parcel from Paulette on behalf of my class and a child from each class also represented their classmates.

After passing my 11 plus exam I went to George Green’s Grammar School which was in East India Dock Rd at that time and the playing fields were in Millwall where we bussed weekly to play netball and hockey.

I used to walk through Chrisp St market on the way to Grammar school and the barrow people were friendly and would say hello and I used to buy a 1d – penny speck apple or pear and eat it on the way home, often I got a nice red apple with no specks.

I was born in Guys Hospital in 1942 & we lived in Guinness’s Buildings, Pages Walk, flat 366, from 1942 till about 1962 in Q Block near Swan Mead. In our Block, there was four flats to a landing, two flats to one toilet & washroom. Our bath was in front of the fire in a tin bath, which you shared with the family using the same water just topped up with pots of hot water when needed. We still had Gas lighting until about 1960? & no heating in the bedrooms. My Mums name was Annie Hamilton (Oliver). After my brother, Bob got married he lived in T Block next to Pages Walk with is family. living in Q Block with their families was Peter Emmerson (I think that’s how you spell it), the Bonds (no not 007), I can only remember two names John & Barbara. The Lawsons Jean & Maureen lived on the top floor as did Johnny Porridge. The Kent family lived next door to us at one time & mum Peggy Kent was a lovely lady who help my mum out when times were hard, wish I could meet her again to say thank you. The Grimwoods lived in S Block the same square & Brian now lives in Blackfen/Sidcup, we are still in touch. Rosie Comber & her brother lived in T Block & I think they were related to Johnny Porridge. Two other names I remember from the Square are Ronnie Oliver & Geraldine Jolly.
Guinness’s Building Showing Arrow to Right where Kiwi lived, Arrow left where Bobby lived

I was born and lived in Bermondsey till 1969, I had an uncle that worked for a roofing material suppliers called Macguires in Raymouth Road for a number of years.wonder if it may be connected with your family

I thought I would post this, as I was looking for pictures of Paragon School which led me to this great website - full of history.

My Grandad, Joe Bent, was the live-in school caretaker at the Paragon from the late 1920s to sometime after the war (not sure when). He later worked at Guinness, throughout the 60s (and maybe the 50s too) as a commissionaire/door-man (in a United Services Corps uniform) until the year he died at the age of 85 in 1976.

He was as hard as nails. He had a very tough a rural upbringing in Stowmarket, brought up by an uncle because his parents couldn't keep him. He left home at 14 (1905) when the East Lancs Regiment was passing through and joined up as a drummer boy. He went off to war and was awarded the VC at Ypres.
http://www.lancashireinfantrymuseum.org ... ent-vc-mm/

He retired from the army in 1926 as a Company Sergeant Major, came to London and did a few jobs, such as hotel porter, before settling down in Bermondsey. He and his wife Alice had three children, Spencer (aka Joe), Beryl and my mum Pauline. If you look at the photo on the Paragon thread, it is possible that the girl in the front row in the middle is my auntie Beryl, but I am not sure.

My Mum was born and brought up at Paragon School. She went to secondary school at St Olaves. She and her sister Beryl were evacuated to Chertsey with the school. Beryl was homesick and came home for the rest of the war. My Mum was sent to relatives in Scotland - which was pretty harsh.

Mum got married to my Dad (from Enfield) in 1956 and moved away. I'm not sure if she had left home by then or whether they had left the Paragon, but I do know my grandparents were at the school throughout the war years.

It would be interesting if anyone remembers them. My grandad bred standard Poodles and had an apricot one called Suzie (people sometimes remember dogs better than humans!). During the war people would keep rabbits and chickens, which they would take to my grandad (being a countryman) and he'd wring their necks, as the owners had got too attached to them.

He had a few mates, including someone called Patrick and someone called Paul from the pub he drank in - he named my mum after them because he had promised - she became Pauline Patricia as a result.

He was very keen on the horses and was down the bookies every day making a small flutter. He watched the Arsenal and Rugby League.

After the Paragon, they moved to a new flat off the Coldharbour Road - now a Riverside Housing Association property on the Lambeth Estate - apparently it is due for redevelopment. They stayed there for the rest of their lives.

You might also be interested to know about my uncle Joe Bent. He stood for election as Southwark's Communist Party candidate between 1950 and 1964 although unsurprisingly never got too close to being elected. But I guess someone may have known him as he always lived in or around Bermondsey or Camberwell.

Anyway, keep up the good work with this super website.

All the best