Jamaica Road/Union Road.

Yesterday & Today
How we lived then & How we live now
fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby fosney » Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:07 pm

Posted by Lefora guest



Hello Lesley,

I knew the park well, but not what it was called- till i was chased by a policeman one day, had,nt done anything wrong other than call him a name, well you did just for a laugh when we were kids (not recommended) anyway i ran down Ness st planning to go thru: the park, i could feel his breath on my neck! then disaster, THE GATES WERE CLOSED, I would have got a gold medal for leaping over them as i ran towards the Jamaica rd gates i looked back and was relieved to see him hands on his knees panting for breath, moral of this story is,1 dont call a copper a b_ _ _ _ _ _, 2 make sure the park gates are open, thats why i never knew the name of the park-cos i never went back again in case that copper was hiding in the bushes, so thanks for telling me, by the way coppers only had whistles, no radios,

thanks Lesley.

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby fosney » Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:11 pm

How wonderful this forum has become. We start with a picture of Armour Meats in Old Jamaica Road which leads us to a military parade with Albins shop in the background.

Then we find Grace Kimmins Gardens. Then petefred2 being chased by the Police ( when we had Police on the streets to chase us ). Then bermondseygal gives us the history of Grace Kimmins who the gardens were named after.

You are right they were " The good old days "
And I thank Bermondsey Boy for enabling us to remember the past.

Thanks Steve you have created a wonderful forum for us to enjoy.

kiwi
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:53 am

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby kiwi » Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:21 pm

HI EVERYONE

I can remember the park called Grace Kimmins Gardens also Albins funeral Parlour. There was also another undertakers called Knox Bros but can’t think we’re it was. I never realised that Bros was short for Brother until someone enlightened me, come on I was only ten. I don’t know if it’s any help to you Petergrimes but I can remember a Shirley Prosser and her brother whose name I think was David, they did live near Weston Street and we use to meet them in Pussy Park. They also used to come round to GUINNESS BUILDINGS, Pages Walk, but I can’t remember if they had relations there. You’re quite right Robebdon regarding wind up Gramophones in Guinnesse’s.I bought my wind-up (His Masters Voice) in about 1955 from East Lane Market. It was just a black box but I thought it was great. Trying to think of the first record I bought, it was either I'm Walking Backwards for Christmas by the Goons or Someday I'm Goner Write the Story of My Life by Michael Holliday, just shows you my taste in music in those days. Being vinyl they probable ended up as flower pots. Spa Bakery, Crusty Vienna Loaves what memories I've started to dribble or is that because I am old. I wonder if anyone can remember a car repairer,? (garage) under a railway bridge, probable around Druid Street or perhaps Lucey Road,this would have been roundabout 1958/59, after all these years I'm not too sure just were it was. The place was owned by George Owen who lived in Gomm Road off of Lower Road. We use to work together doing weddings. I had an Austin Princess and an Austin Cambridge, George had an Austin Sheerline and I believe a Ford Zodiac. Maybe there is someone on the Forum whose wedding we actually did. I remember doing a wedding for a Navy Officer whose Navel boat was moored by Tower Bridge; they were good enough to invite us back to the ship. At the time I had never seen that amount of food or drink anywhere, you name it they had it.

All the Best KIWI

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby fosney » Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:25 pm

Posted by jimminca


as we used to walk past knox bros we used to sing. if you want to have a rest knox's box's are the best, anyone else remember that little ditty?

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby fosney » Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:37 pm

Jamaica Road / Cathy Street

I have tried to re-create with a series of old pictures, what areas of Bermondsey looked like, possibly forgotten due to redevelopment.

Today we have pictures of Jamaica Road from Cathy Street looking towards Rotherhithe Tunnel.

2a.jpg
Christ Church Jamaica Road on the corner of Cathy Street
2d.jpg
Sorting Office looking towards the Church


2b.jpg
Vicarage behind the Church

2c.jpg
Houses and shop next to the Vicarage

2e.jpg
Map of the area (between red marks area covered)


2fcathystreet.jpg
What we see today from Cathy Street

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby fosney » Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:58 pm

Posted by crosby34

1934a4e0ef0525bf844047991e1282309129ef4a.jpg
One to add to Fosneys sequence above, an aerial view of Jamaica Road.
I think Vine St buildings, or what remains of them of them is on the right.
Aerial view. Bing Maps.jpg
Jamaica Road --Cathy Street --Paradise Street
Aerial view as we see it in 2012


jamaica road aerial shot.jpg
Another view of the same area this time pre war

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby fosney » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:11 pm

Posted by deegs

One to add to Fosneys sequence above, an aerial view of Jamaica Road. I think Vine St buildings, or what remains of them of them is on the right. [image]

-crosby34

Great photo - must be the late 60's as the buildings on Rotherhithe Street have gone as have those up to Park Buildings.
Deegs

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby fosney » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:12 pm

The crosby34 pre war aerial view of Jamaica Road gives as an insight on what Pardise Street was like it shows all the old buildings a must for those that wanted pictures of Paradise Street and surrounding area, note the tram passing the top end of Paradise Street.

A great picture well done.

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby fosney » Tue Mar 14, 2017 3:28 pm

Jamaica Road
ChristChurchVicarage.jpg
christchurchVicaragetoday.jpg


The Vicarage building that stood behind the rear of Christ Church Jamaica Road still stands even after the redevelopment and road widening that took place betwen Cathay Street and Lower Road, it would seem this building is the only surviving building that remains on this end of Jamaica Road.

The Church was demolished in 1979 and built in 1839. Was this building built at the same time as the Church?

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Jamaica Road/Union Road

Postby fosney » Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:03 am

Posted by Ian Martin

Jamaica Road

For me personally this will always be the centre of my little piece of Bermondsey, my era (50s & 60s) was relatively short, all the people I knew, as well as family, have either passed on or moved on, most of the buildings that I knew or went to have gone, even my particular part of Jamaica Road had it's name changed to Old Jamaica Road, when I lived there (briefly) it was the start of Jamaica Road, busy, bustling and noisy.........I loved it!

The following 2 photos show that particular section that felt so much like home to me, sadly neither are from my era (I so wish I'd got a pic from the 60s), the first is from 1938 looking west towards the start, the junction with Abbey Street and Parkers Row, you can just see the church spire above the buildings on the right, also you can make out the side wall of the Lilliput next to the row of houses on the right. I'm guessing these must have experienced a lot of damage during the war, does anybody have any information perhaps? Anyway, they were replaced by Giles House after the war, which you can still see in the second photo, which is just a screen shot from street view, shown from a similar perspective though, obviously Giles House has gone now, but you can still see the Lilliput, it seems to be the only thing that is still there, that and the War Memorial (out of shot in 1938).

I just noticed the petrol pumps on the left in 1938, I remember there being a garage there in the 60s as well, I would often stand on my Nan's balcony on the second floor and look down on the buses and over at the trains....if I close my eyes I still hear the door chimes of no 13 and as I enter the flat I remember the smell, for some reason, even today, whenever I eat celery the memory transports me back to the dinner table in the front room at Giles House.

I hope to go to Bermondsey next Thursday, I want to take some more pictures of Old Jamaica Road from the same spot and post them here.

1938.jpg
OldJamaicaRoadlateJamaicaRoadlookingwest2010.jpg


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