all about me

[Matilda]

I was born in 35 Windmill Lane in Deptford in 1948. Moved to Hawkstone Road when I was two, When I was 13 we moved to Tapley house on The Dickens Estate at Dockhead. I have a photo of me and three of my sisters on our way to a holiday with the Childrens Country Holiday Fund, I found this photo on the CCHF site and they kindly posted a copy to me. Our name is Hatton. I really enjoy the content of Bermondsey Boy it reminds me of home.

[kiwi]

Hi Matilda, welcome to the site. Nice photo of you and your sisters, you all look so happy. Would be nice if you could point out you and your sisters and what year it is, are you still living in London?

The Children's Country Holidays Fund was set up in 1884 to provide "Fresh air for ailing London children” Its objective was to give ailing children visits in the Country within a 50-mile radius of London of not less than 2 weeks.

[Matilda]

Hi Kiwi,

Nice to hear from you! I left London to get married in Luton, (my husbands home town) December 1968, we have three children..all left home now and about 13 years ago moved to Lincolnshire where we still live. In the photo I have a dark bobbed hairdo and am leaning forward, my older sister (23months older) is on my right with side parted hair and her teeth on show! On the bottom row with fair hair and lovely smile is my younger sister and the other sister has a cardigan and looks as though she has funny eyes(she hasnt) I must have been about 10 years old...around 1958, we went to Chudleigh in Devon and two of us stayed with a lovely old lady whose main aim in life was to fatten us up! Ive never seen so much food!! We set off from Lady Gomm House and stayed in Devon for a fortnight.

I am 72 and have been married for 52 years...over the years I have managed to turn his Bedfordshire accent into a lovely cockney one!!

[kiwi]

Hi Matilda,
Thank you for the information on you and your sisters, it really brings the picture to life.
Congratulations on 52 years married may you have many more years together. We are one year in front of you and we are still trying to work out where all those years have gone.
All the best for the New Year to you and yours.
Kiwi (Ray).

[Matilda]

Hi Kiwi....well I might have known where you live, the name is a give away!!

As for Mike..he got lucky...I had a turn...my then boyfriend (husband later)...said...after my rendition...you should be on the stage!!...I said Oh! do you think so?....he replied....yes..sweeping it!! dear reader I married him!!

My ancestor John Brown Somerset emigrated to New Zealand....he was run over by his own pony and trap after leaving a local watering hole...the good news is....he left a hefty bar bill!!

all the best

matilda

[Matilda]

I was in Shirley Oaks in 1954........dreadful

[Matilda]

We have seen the best of Bermondsey...I was born in 1948...an old git if you like......but you will never see the comraderie we all had then....these days...oh the internet is marvelous....but we have lost the art of communication and banter...sarcasm is a speciality of the Londoner...we used as our form of humour.....I was hoovering in my pants.....I didn't realise my balls were so dusty!!!!!!

[Matilda]

Tattoos are like graffiti on a beautiful building....but that is just my opinion