BermondseyBoy

Hi Brian,
Great information and smashing photos, especially the one of the school, I really had given up on that, well done. I am a bit older than your mum but like her can only remember Canton Motors being there. This is surprising as I had been going down Millwall a few years before 1951, yet have no recollection of the Chaucer LCC Restaurant, but there it is.
As you say, “If the school did sustain damage during the war, It looks as if it wasn't substantial”, I agree with you on that as I have read it was an Airship, which meant they would probably have thrown the explosive out, which I assume would not have been to large.
Ray.

Hi Brian,

Yes that’s right, it’s where the traveller camp is now. I wonder why they never rebuilt houses on that stretch of land? I spoke to my Mum about it last night as she lived there with my uncle and Grandmother (plus her grandfather and family friend!) until she was a few years old and she said the houses had no bathrooms or proper kitchens.

Happy memories for you, it seemed like it was a place of great community. Very different now I’m sure as few houses left!
Looking at the old ordnance maps, seems like there was a lot of factories in the area. Was this where a major confectionery factory was? My Nan said she worked in one after land army service.

My Nan also spoke of the V2 bomb hitting Woolies in the war in New Cross, as I was living there a few years back, so when she was alive we went to Nunhead Cemetery to visit her Mum & siblings grave from the Blitz and told me the victims of the Woolies bomb were all buried together in the cemetery somewhere.

CharlotteD wrote:Hi Brian,

Yes that’s right, it’s where the traveller camp is now. I wonder why they never rebuilt houses on that stretch of land? I spoke to my Mum about it last night as she lived there with my uncle and Grandmother (plus her grandfather and family friend!) until she was a few years old and she said the houses had no bathrooms or proper kitchens.

Happy memories for you, it seemed like it was a place of great community. Very different now I’m sure as few houses left!
Looking at the old ordnance maps, seems like there was a lot of factories in the area. Was this where a major confectionery factory was? My Nan said she worked in one after land army service.

My Nan also spoke of the V2 bomb hitting Woolies in the war in New Cross, as I was living there a few years back, so when she was alive we went to Nunhead Cemetery to visit her Mum & siblings grave from the Blitz and told me the victims of the Woolies bomb were all buried together in the cemetery somewhere.

Hi Charlotte,

You're right, Ilderton road has changed beyond all recognition!
Very few of the original landmarks still remain.
The old Mission Church, on the corner of Manor Grove, is one of the few survivors... that went on to become Chapman's sweet factory; maybe where your nan worked?
There was definitely a community spirit that you don't see too much of these days, but the living conditions weren't great!
The old houses were virtually crumbling around us.
They were riddled with damp and I remember the mortar between the bricks literally turning to dust!
The only hot water was from an old Ascot cylinder in the scullery and heating was from a gas fire in the front room. the only other heating was from a couple of paraffin heaters, which didn't help the damp/condensation situation.
No bathroom and of course, the dreaded outside toilet!
Bath time was being dunked in the old Belfast sink when we were little, then in the old zinc bathtub that hung on the outside wall when we were older!
I remember one particularly hard winter, when I was about 7, when it wasn't unusual to wake up and find the net curtains stuck to the ice on the inside of the windows... and there was nothing worse than waking up in the early hours of the morning, busting for a wee, having to leave a warm bed and go downstairs, through the scullery, unbolt the back door and walk through snow to the outside toilet, flip the light on and allow whatever wildlife that had been sheltering in there to disperse before entering... I really couldn't see any of my grandchildren doing that... in fact, I think it would be classed as child cruelty these days!
But, character building it was... apparently!

Brian.

Fantastic stories Brian! Great to hear, although I understand very difficult living conditions at the time. I can also appreciate why many of the houses were knocked down now. It would’ve been lovely to see a new community take over but such is life, the area obviously needed space for the more industrial aspects! My children are 2 and 3 and can’t imagine them now waking up to ice on the inside of their windows! My Nan was made of strong stuff and easy to see how compared to us yoof with central heating and Amazon prime

I think these were roughly opposite Barkworth Road.

129-131 Ilderton Road.

1. 60a & 62 Hatcham Road, 134-140 Ilderton Road.
2. 310-303 Ilderton Road. 3. Iberia House, Hatcham Road.
4. 78-94 Ormside Street. 5. 180 Ilderton Road. 6. 313-349 Ilderton Road.
7. 79-161 Ilderton Road. 8. 8-24 Sylvan Grove. 9 & 10. 1 & 2 Varcoe Road.
11. 6-12 Verney Road. 12. Ruby Triangle, Sandgate Street.
13. 596-608 Old Kent Road. 14. Cantium Retail Park. 15. Nyes Wharf, Frensham Street.

School at 873-879 Old Kent Road (later Cantor Motors)

I'm not sure if anyone gave the answer, but this was the Hatcham LCC school for "physically defective" children. In the 1910 PO directory it's called the "London County Council School (special school for cripples)" .
On a ?1940s map the building is called the Hatcham Occupational Centre (Southwark 1936-1952 map.)

Christine

ChristineC wrote:School at 873-879 Old Kent Road (later Cantor Motors)

I'm not sure if anyone gave the answer, but this was the Hatcham LCC school for "physically defective" children. In the 1910 PO directory it's called the "London County Council School (special school for cripples)" .
On a ?1940s map the building is called the Hatcham Occupational Centre (Southwark 1936-1952 map.)

Christine

Hi Christine, welcome to the site. Yes, we did skirt around the information about the school, so thank you for the correct information and taking the time to post it. Kiwi.

ChristineC wrote:School at 873-879 Old Kent Road (later Cantor Motors)

I'm not sure if anyone gave the answer, but this was the Hatcham LCC school for "physically defective" children. In the 1910 PO directory it's called the "London County Council School (special school for cripples)" .
On a ?1940s map the building is called the Hatcham Occupational Centre (Southwark 1936-1952 map.)

Christine

Hi Christine,

Thanks for tying up the loose ends!

Cheers,

Brian.