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Kingstanding

Re: kingstanding fireplaces

Al Banner With 48 children in a class its not possible to remember everybody. Do you remember the triplex firegrates that were installed in the Kingstanding houses, our house had one, it had two big ovens on the left hand side with a biscuit oven underneath and on the right hand side was a door the chimbney sweep used to poke his cleaning brush up.Underneath was open fire which had a water boiler behind.In front was a hob to boil a kettle on then underneath that was the ash pan. On this range my mom used to cook the whole of the sunday lunch. In the winter the oven plates were rapped in brown paper and put into our beds to warm them up. Then came that everybody had to have the "modern tiled fireplace" installed and the house was never as warm again.
Moss in Aus
 
Not all the fires was the same, ours was a WorkWell, the fire was on the left with a large and small oven on the right. The hob extended back into the chimney breast and had circular plates in that could be removed and the kettle and pans could be set over them, i seem to remember there was like a baffle plate that could be moved to give more heat either to the oven or the hob. Over the hob there was metal racks and then above them was a plate you removed for the chimney sweep and just like you in the winter, the plates got wrapped and put into our beds. Ours didn't have a boiler for the water, all our hot water came out of the gas fired boiler in the corner of the kitchen, mom did the washing in it and if you was having a bath the water had to be carried in buckets to the bathroom. It was great when the council fitted a tank with an immersion heater but mom and dad hung onto that fireplace for many years after they started fitting gas fires and as you said, the house was never as cosy and warm once it was gone.


bren
 
Bren, That description takes me back, it is exactly how I remember our house in Kingstanding. you probably also had a built in cupboard in the recess to the side of the fireplace with a glass cabinet at the top a large draw and a cupboard underneath. My wifes house was also in Kingstanding but they had just two bedrooms with an upstairs bathroom, this was also fed from a boiler in the kitchen but had a hand operated pump to lift the water up to the bathroom. and that was still in use into the early 60's

Goffy
 
Morning Maurice. Oh. yes. we had one of those and week ends it was my job to clear the ashes and light the fire. Did your sister ever do her
"housewifery" chores at a large house on the Kings Road [I think, by Beggars Bush] where some of the teachers lived [a Miss Combs for certain]. It was a change from the kitchens at the school. Remember we had to roll the news paper a certain way to form the basis of the fire, clean the house - cheap labour that's what we were, although it gave us a basis of house keeping - at least that was the general idea.

We also wrapped the plates up to warm the beds. Miriam
 
Al Banner said:
Remember we had to roll the news paper a certain way to form the basis of the fire, Miriam
Click to expand...

How funny, i was thinking about this last night, how we was taught as young kids just how to twist and roll the paper just right so it didn't just burn away before getting the coal going if we had no wood.

Bren, That description takes me back, it is exactly how I remember our house in Kingstanding. you probably also had a built in cupboard in the recess to the side of the fireplace with a glass cabinet at the top a large draw and a cupboard underneath.
Click to expand...

Yes we did but can't remember it being there nowhere near as long as the fireplace.
I still have our old cast multi tool hammer/chopper/ claw, black like the fire was and could be used for breaking the large lumps of coal, chopping wood and the claw on the end of the handle for removing nails or as a crow bar. Another permanent feature on the fire hob was two cast irons for getting fantastic sharp creases down your trousers using a damp cloth, these stood on a round cast stand until required, i can hear the sizzle of that cloth now LOL.


bren
 
Some photo's for Brum baby and Eric Gibson of Birdbrook road. We couldn't stop to take a photo of the two houses but 150 should be on here. Pete had a blue van up his back side and couldn't stop either due to double parking. Jean.
 
These are at the bottom of Warren Farm road. The first is the ex servicemens club and to the right where the old Kingstanding baths were. The next two the green and shops. The last where the photo's were taken is where the old clinic used to be. Jean.
 
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Jean - Was that a view of the Shops on the corner of Dyas road? Lathams and the green grocer Haynes? If if was Haynes? my elder brother worked there for a time after leaving the Army - he used to tell me how he gutted fish and skin Rabbits [but you may not want to know that!!!!] It seems all new to me. Miriam.
 
That's correct Mirriam the middle photo is where you were talking about and no worries I was taught how to skin a rabbit and gut fish when quite young. Bye. Jean.
 
Some photo's for Brum baby and Eric Gibson of Birdbrook road. We couldn't stop to take a photo of the two houses but 150 should be on here. Pete had a blue van up his back side and couldn't stop either due to double parking. Jean

Thank you so much Jean, brought back many memories of living in Birdbrook. It is hard to imagine I lived at 150 for so many years. Always have a vehicle up ones back side when looking for somewhere. Thank Pete for me
 
No problem but we will try again as the shops opposite your house are not on other than the one on the corner. It is a very busy road these days so will try to park up next time. Bye. Jean.
 
Re: kingstanding photo links

Hi Scrolling through the different sites on the history forum I came across an old photo of Holford House at the I C I Witton. This brought back memories of my first job after leaving Dulwich Rd school. I worked there as an apprentice gardener in the gardens behind. We grew vegetables for the canteen and flowers for the offices which we had to deliver on an old butchers bike every Monday morning. How many pupils of Kingstanding schools went to work at the I C I, Dunlops. G E C and other big factory's which have all faded into history now, Moss in AIs
 
First job on leaving Peckham Rd. school in 1950 was at Amal (ICI).Couldn't smoke in factory so used to nip outside every hour for a quick drag.Couldn't take to working indoors so only lasted about three months.There was that many jobs about for school leavers at that time it was possible to pick and choose at will.
 
I wonder if anyone can help, my father and his family lived in Kingstanding (148 Dormington Road), unfortunately all have passed on now and whilst they were alive I never found out any stories etc. which now I would love to hear to pass onto my children.

My grandparents moved there in the late 1930's (I think) and remained there until 1995. I know they originated from Winson Green back to backs (all now gone).

I remember going to visit as a child, and remember the circle, my last time I saw my Nan was down the circle sitting on one the the concrete benches, and my Aunty mentioning about "going up Hawthrone"? to get some meat for the dog.

The house had a downstairs bathroom off the Kitchen and the loo was out the back door and then went two steps to the loo, was this originally the coal house? I've also got some photos of their old shed which looked a bit like an anderson shelter, but didn't seem to be dug into the ground, and also a very long garden.

I would be grateful of any info anyone can supply with regards to Bill, Flo, Pearl and John Chambers.
 
Re: kingstanding dormington road

Hi John Chambers sorry cant help you there lived the other end of Kingstanding You could try the Winson Green site Plenty of old'uns on there. Or scroll throu the kingstanding pages to see if any info comes up re Dormington rd Moss in Aus
 
hi a nice lady from this site found out my granparents on my mums side lived at 83 kingstanding rd in 1930 does any one know what the area was like then ??
his name was fredrick albert cole my late nan was sarah fellows any other help with these names would be great
 
Does anyone know if the firestation is still on College Road. It used to be just up from the Perry Common Junction. There was also the site of an old isolation hospital close by. We used to go the station often as we had a good friend who lived there (although he was in the army) his father was the Chief Fireman.

My ex husband lived in Broomhill Road in the late 1960's early 70's.
 
Dovedale Road corner off college Rd. has now had a clinic built on the land [I think for respite care - not sure]. Haven't been that way for quite a long time. Miriam.
 
On the corner of College Road and Dovedale Road is a home for the Elderly
the clinic is further down in Dovedale Road.i had to go there a few month`s ago.
Carol
 
Re: kingstanding clinic

Al banner if you go on google earth Dovedale Rd the clinic is plainly visable what has disappeared are most of the houses that used to be on Dovedale Rd.My grandmother Sellars lived at no 92 she died in 1957. there are just a few houses at the the Colledge Rd end but they may be newer houses
Moss in Aus
 
Moss them houses on Dovedale Rd have been knocked down for about 10 years or more

Mossy
 
Cjeynes said:
I wonder if anyone can help, my father and his family lived in Kingstanding (148 Dormington Road), unfortunately all have passed on now and whilst they were alive I never found out any stories etc. which now I would love to hear to pass onto my children.
My grandparents moved there in the late 1930's (I think) and remained there until 1995.

I would be grateful of any info anyone can supply with regards to Bill, Flo, Pearl and John Chambers.
Click to expand...

Hi there, i was born in Dormington Rd, the other end, No17. Was 148 the other side of Wandsworth Rd going up the hill towards Lambeth Rd

bren
 
Hello Bren. The memories that the Mayfair Cinema and the Library visited often by me and friends reminded me of so many memories. The Saturday twopenny Crush - the first time I saw Duel in the Sun and Three Coins in a Fountain - Oh happy days.

The College Arms [now a MacDonald] and Crossway's use by Dad and brothers. Remember the British Legion opposite the College Arms?

" Ah. Yes. I remember them Well" Miriam.
 
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