Pie 'n' Mash and Prefabs (27 page)

Riding my tricycle in the Coronation procession along Millfields Road while Dad looks on proudly.

A corner of Rushmore Road Junior School. The door on the right at the top of the small flight of stairs was one of those I could never find from the inside.

Home time! Rushmore Road Infants' School.

Our group of seven at a Christmas party at Rushmore Road School (
back row left to right
): unknown, me, Johnnie Walker, Peter Hannaford, Bob Marriott, Howard Bradbury, Andy Shalders, Terry Gregory.

Dad arriving home from work. Over the road is Pete's off-licence, the Chippendale Arms. Right from there are the residences of Ginger, the woman no one talked about, the Laneys and the Gatewallers.

John demonstrating the art of cricket to me – though I seem more interested in playing football…

Off to play cricket on the field with the back entrance to the Greyhound Stadium behind.

Aunt Clara, Grandpa and Nanny Jacobs on Christmas Day in the prefab.

With Mum and Nanny Sinnott in our back garden.

Arthur Toms Pie 'n' Mash shop closed in c. 1973/4 and a Chinese restaurant opened up in its place. When I visited Chatsworth Road in 2012, the restaurant had closed and the new owners were stripping back the frontage, revealing Arthur Toms. You can just make out ‘LIVE EELS' written in the glass of the right-hand window.

Dad, Mum and me outside our Butlin's chalet in 1955.

Our first car, Arnold Pentecost, arriving at Nanny's in Chingford Hatch.

1A at Parmiter's. I am at the back right. Just in front of me to the right is Murray Glickman. John Hill is far left on the front row, while Herbert Tyler is directly behind him, and Bob Marriott immediately to the right of Herbert. Our form teacher, Mr Blake, is in the centre of the front row.