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East Meadway 1956.

Recently came across this pic. of new shops being completed on East Meadway in 1956..The unfinished one second from right was mine from 1974 to 1994 !View attachment 84036
HOW WONDERFUL. I was a paperboy at the newsagents,which was about half way up. I used to deliver around Gerardsfield and Shirestone Road. I used to go to Shirestone and then Central Grammar in Gressel Lane As I lived in the prefabs in Leycroft Avenue,next door to the school -this suited me !! Colin Stark
 
HOW WONDERFUL. I was a paperboy at the newsagents,which was about half way up. I used to deliver around Gerardsfield and Shirestone Road. I used to go to Shirestone and then Central Grammar in Gressel Lane As I lived in the prefabs in Leycroft Avenue,next door to the school -this suited me !! Colin Stark
Further..I have been informed that the newsagents in East Meadway was owned by a MRS MOORE. My mum used to send me to the newsagents for 5 PLAYERS WEIGHTS. The other 5 were kept for a few days. No Vaping then !!!!!!!!
 
East Meadway shops I remember:- Greengrocer, Billingham’s sweet shop, Chemist, Collins grocers, Moore’s newsagents, Brayley’s carpets, Delicatessen, Boyce’s grocers,a butchers, a sport shop and two hardware shops, one which sold Pink paraffin, one sold Esso Blue. When I shopped for my mother, the paraffin cost 2s2d a gallon. There may have been a funeral director there too. I think Boyce’s enabled mum to shop when there was too much week left at the end of the money.
 
My Dad and Mum had CLARKE’S Drapers shop next to Sweet shop. I think it’s a funeral parlour now. I lived there 1954 to 1962, went to Shirestone.
 
Shiela. What years did you go to Shirestone? My favourite teacher was Miss Pullen(later Mrs Walker). Remember.
I was head paperboy at Newsagents. Downhill since then!!!!!!!!!!! Colin Stark
 
I was at Shirestone 1956 - 1962/3. We left the area and, although my sister stayed at Byng Kendrick, sadly, I went to Grammar School in Solihull. Missed my Shirestone mates! Yes Miss Pullen was great, class teacher one year (old 4th. Year I think?). Mr. Penny was headmaster, I only had to see him once, for playing marbles on the grass with the boys. What were your dates?
 
Seems that I am much older than you ! I went to Shirestone when it opened in (?) 1953 until I went to Central Grammar in Summer of 1958. I lived in Leycroft Avenue next to Byng Kenrick and Central Grammar. I loved the BK uniforms !!! Miss Pullen was my form teacher in my last year. In these pages I met Barbara Tidball who sat next to me in that last year.
 
Seems that I am much older than you ! I went to Shirestone when it opened in (?) 1953 until I went to Central Grammar in Summer of 1958. I lived in Leycroft Avenue next to Byng Kenrick and Central Grammar. I loved the BK uniforms !!! Miss Pullen was my form teacher in my last year. In these pages I met Barbara Tidball who sat next to me in that last year.
You may have crossed paths with my older sister, born in 1947. Janice Clarke?
The son of the caretaker of the boys Grammar (Central) was in my year and we used to go and play in the gym during school hols.....I bet that doesn’t happen now ! I’ll ask her if she recalls you or Barbara. Great site isn’t it?
 
Don't tell me ! Can't be. I once went out with a girl called Janice. Only for a couple of weeks or so. I think it would be around 1962. I was still at Central,we were only 15- but I had managed to get enough money to take her to see an Elvis film. Can't remember anything else. Anyway I was always too shy !! Colin
 
I’ve asked her the question, but she doesn’t seem to remember anything I bring up about our childhood so we may never know !
 
Hopefully they were still happy days.
Sheila, I would love to know where you lived when you went to Shirestone.
I lived in Leycroft Avenue from 1952 until 1970. Colin
 
Yes, Colin, I loved school, although we did go bankrupt, hence leaving the area ! I think a second drapers shop opened called ‘Bobbies’? (Middle of the parade) ...the parade couldn’t sustain two shops the same. We lived above the shop at East Meadway. It was next door to Billinghams Sweetie shop about four shops down. We visited a few years ago and I think it is now a funeral directors ! Lived there from when the shops opened (1954/5ish) until 1962 ish. My sister remembers being the first intake of students at Byng Kendrick, but not necessarily Shirestone, but she may not have gone to Shirestone until she was 7.
 
Sheila - I remember shops very well. Mom used to send me to greengrocers every Sat. Billinghams ...a quarter of lemonade powder, a quarter of pineapple rocks and a frozen jubbly = dental plate at 70 !!
When I was a little older it was the Off-licence at the other end of the shops!
I've enjoyed our few words together. You are right it's a great site. See you soon Colin
 
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