I am searching for people who could be related to my ancestors who lived in Walthamstow. My Great Grand Uncle, Charles Peake, lived at 1a North Road in 1881 and then at 38 Pembroke Road Walthamstow in 1891. He was a Poultry Saleman by trade and was born in Shoreditch in 1836. He had six children. There names were Charles Frederick, Henry Peake, Alice Peake, Marian Peake, Arthur Peake and Grace Peake. Does anyone reconise this family.......

(no name) Private Reply Public Reply

Please help if you can!

I am writing a short book about what it was like to live, play ,and work in Walthamstow/Chingford around 1953. I would be delighted to hear from anyone who would can share any memories particularly of what South Chingford around the area of the Mount was like. I was only four at the time so need the help of others a little older.

Thanks,

Trevor Weatherley Private Reply Public Reply

Great fun to read your web page. I lived in Walthamstow from 63-69 and before that we visited my grandmother there. My dad was in the army and so we did a lot of travelling. During those years I mentioned we lived at 45 Pearl Road, I went back there last month just to see the place. The Granada still there, but under a different name. I saw the Beatles twice, the first time before they were famous, the second time we had front row seats! Went to the Cooks Ferry Inn often, called Blue Opera club on different days. I attended McEntee Technical School and in the 50s for a short time Winns Avenue. I worked in Woolworths on Saturdays, when I was still at school, is that still there? Have great memories of being a teenager in Walthamstow. Now live in Kansas USA. My name then was Janice Drew...Would appreciate any emails from old friends...

Janice Private Reply Public Reply

I found your website accidentally as I was surfing. I used to live at 43 Jewel Road in Walthamstow from 1975 to 1978 when I emigrated to Canada. I wonder what that house is worth now! I was stupid enough to sell it for only 14000 pounds. A beautiful three-bedroomed terraced house. Many regrets. Walked to Wlthamstow tube station everyday to go to work in the city. Among the memories I have is going to Walthamstow stadium for greyhound racing and of course the high street. My daughter was born in Walthamstow hospital and was only two when we left but we have fond memories of taking her to the park and taking pictures. We had a neighbour who was an ice cream vendor and his wife adored my daughter so ice cream was free for us. Does anybody remember Oxfam shop that used to be in the corner? Used to pick up a lot of goods at bargain prices from there.

Thats all for now and keep up the good work.

Kabir Waljee
Toronto, Canada Private Reply Public Reply

Hello John,

I hope you can give me any info on the current arms I have from my dad, he has seen this set of arms since childhood, I am not getting close to any info concerning them, the discription I have is this coming from the Edmondsons Baronagium Genealogium volume 4 page 344, Newberry library Chicago,Ill:it says: Maynard Arms
Arms: Argent ( silver), a chevron azure (blue) between three sinister hands couped
at the rist gules(red).

Crest: a stag statent or(gold), attired and ungiled ppr.

Supporters: dexter, a stag ppr. attired and unguled or (gold) sinister, a talbot argent pied sable, gorged with a plain collar gules.

Motto: "Manus justa nordus"(A just hand is a balm)

The two people mentioned in this article are Sir Henry Maynard of Essex Vicount of Easton lodge he was Knighted 1608 and received Baronetry crested 29 June 1611, Baronetry was extended 20 June 1775.
Charles Maynard received this title in 1766 of Baronetry with the Mich Easton

I know that I cannot use this coat of arms for myself for I am not in direct line nor am I the first male in the Maynard family.

I am the 8th generation back to the Maynard line. My dad's g-mother was Flora Pearl Maynard b)6 Jan 1875, d)18 Jul 1951 her dad was Morton Armand Maynard b)17 May 1840 d)24 Dec 1929, her mom was Emma Cordilia Medora Brashear m) 8 Nov 1871 b)30 Oct 1852 d)6 Jan 1942.I have more info on the Brashear (Brasseur) which I stand at 13th generation.

I'll understand if you are not willing to help me, but I'd appreciate it. Please respond to the email I put in cc area.I'll be glad to give you any info you want on the Maynard that I have, thanks to my sister who has put alot of time and effort to share this info with me.

Thank you very much

I''ve also found the name as Mesnard-Maynard in the French gene records, could this be right? Information on the coat of arms seems to be incomplete. But I still would like to know if my relatives did indeed have a coat of arms, I guess I would like to have some connection.

LeeAnn Stevens (no email address)

Hi!

I sent you some photos and info a year or so back. Now I have a couple of questions...
My uncle refers to the "Rec" school, off Higham Hill, back around 1928. He was a bit too young to go to Roger Ascham at the time. The Rec school appears to have been in a corner of the current Rec area, and when I drove past the area last week I think I saw what might have been foundations of a demolished building, at the side furthest from Higham Hill. The school was small, maybe just 1 or 2 rooms. Vestry House couldn't help. Any ideas?

Also:
Good Brothers ran Marmion Works around 1905 - I'd like to know the names of the owners, and also the names of the adjacent hosiery business also run by Goods. These were around 320 Hoe Street. I'd welcome just about ANY information on these businesses (I bought the poster at Vestry House)!

Also - does anyone know WHY Billet Road was renumbered around 1932 and the direction and odd/even value of the numbers changed (eg 106 became 247 I think).Please forward this email to anyone you think might be able to help!

Roy Good
Los Angeles Private Reply Public Reply

Can I join in? I was in W'stow from 47 to 67 so spent all my school days and mis spent youth there.

John Private Reply Public Reply

I was born in Walthamstow as was my Mother and Father. My mothers father moved to Walthamstow in 1889 from the Kings Cross area when he was 3 yrs old so you could say that my memories of Walthamstow go back over 100 years from the stories my grandparents and parents told me many of which I have written down. My fathers father moved to Leyton circa 1893 married and moved to Walthamstow in 1901. My mothers maiden name was Garraway her father and his brothers were very well known in Walthamstow Market from the early 20s to to late 50s in fact they were known as the Enamel Kings of Walthamstow selling pots and pans in the 20s & 30s having fruit and veg stalls in 40s/ 50s their veg stall was alongside the eel man and sarsperrila man.
Like you I have many memories of my own which I would like to share as well some photographs that may provoke some memories in others. I have also traced and proved my Garraway maternal male line back to 1350 and my Thompson male ancestors back to 1730 my Garraway family arrived in London circa 1520 and my Thompson family in 1840. So I could provide much more information than just Walthamstow.
If you think from what I have said above would be of value perhaps you can tell me how I become a Member and contribute to your web site.

Barrie Thompson Private Reply Public Reply

I live in Walthamstow and have done so since 1992 and I love your nostalgia website. I spoke to my Dad who now lives on the Isle of Wight as I had a vague memory that my Grandmother, who is sadly no longer with us, also lived in the area. She was Ellen Copping and lived in the High Street in the 1920s. She met my late Granddad , Frederick George John Adams and they were members of the Glade Cycling club Chingford, also in the 20s.
My Dad is looking up the dates for me once he lays his hands on the cycling medals he has put 'somewhere safe'... Jacqui Adams.

My wife and her mother were born and brought up in Walthamstow. My mother-in-law has jotted down a couple of her memories from her childhood. She was born in 1913.

"I remember in the High Street a draper's shop called Lidstones at the lower end of the street near Coppermill Lane. It was on the corner of Pretoria Avenue. On the other corner was a funny little shop called the Penny Bazaar. In Lidstones there were wires running overhead from each department to the office in the centre. When you purchased something the assistant put your money in a "cup" with the invoice, then pulled a lever which sent it to the office. It was then returned with your change.

During the First World War, when I was about 4 years old, I had to have surgery for my tonsils and had to go to Tottenham Hospital. After the operation my mother had to carry me on foot from the hospital to the Ferry Boat Inn. Walking over the bridge it was really only a muddy track and then the tram service started back to home. Just as we reached the tram an air raid siren sounded. The driver waited for us then set off. No air raid shelters then."

My wife and I are post-war baby boomers born in 1948, but the memories of others have struck a chord with us. I particularly recall the pie and eel shop Manzee's as my best friend's grand-father used to work there. It was great fun (except for the eels!) to see him chopping up the eels on the stall outside. I'm sure that I would be drummed out of the East Ender's Club but I hated the eel liquor that usually went with the pie and mash.

All the best to you and many thanks for hosting this interesting site.

Dave
in New Zealand (no email address)

I stumbled upon your web site about the Walthamstow area, Wow what a nostalgia trip. I was born in a house on Chingford Road, by the bus garage in 1948. I went to school at Winns Avenue and subsequently William Fitt Secondary School from about 1960 to about 1964.

The Bell pub was well within walking distance and was a regular hang out as was the Palmerston, The Green Man, Whipps Cross and later the Wake Arms. We used to go to the Bell to see the bands and share a half of brown ale. I remember a blues band called Alexander Patton who played regularly at the Bell.

As a child, Lloyd Park was a favorite hang out. I remember there was a pavillion on one of the fields, and they used to play cricket on Sundays. Saturday morning pictures at the Granada with six pence worth of yesterday's cakes from the bakers in Hoe street.

I remember an actor, Bernard Bresslaw from the army game made an appearance at the Granada and there was a near riot. He had to take refuge in the pub on Hoe Street. I think it was the Rose and Crown.

A trip down the High Street on Saturdays was a ritual. We used to con our way into the Carlton Cinema to see crummy X movies for half-a-crown. I have not had any contact from the area since the seventies when I emigrated to the USA and I now live outside of Boston, Massachussets.

If you come across anyone who might have known me or any of the guys from William Fitt I would love to hear from them. I was at school with many of the members of the band Sam Apple Pie

Alan Clements Private Reply Public Reply

I have no memories of Walthamstow as I have never been there but I am thrilled to see your site. I live in Canada, have ancestors from Walthamstow, so I looked at all the pictures and read every single word. At first I thought that we had some connection as I had Warrens in Walthamstow, they lived on Howard Road, and I also have somebody else who had a hairdressing and tobacco shop on Hoe St. But as I read more I see that your Edith Warren is not my Edith Warren. However, I still wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your efforts on this page.

Joanne MacLeod
(no email address)

What about Al's Record shop at the Palmerston where all the teenagers used to congregate on Saturday afternoons, to chat and listen (for free) to the records being played inside. The crowded High Street at Christmas time, with the smell of hot chestnuts (had some last year and they didn't taste anywhere near as nice) and my children thought they tasted of roast pork!?
The Dolls Hospital toy shop; the piano shop at the top of the High Street with the bowed window, which we used to try and touch from across the wooden front; I went to see the Beatles (almost before they were famous) at the Granada, and had a Migraine so came home before they appeared (I didn't even realise what I was missing). Unbeknown to me, my now hubby was in the audience, and he saw them. Cooks Ferry Inn where I used to dance to The Who and get bored stiff when they did their drum solos!; Long John Baldry as well. Dave Clark Five at the Tottenham Royal. I used to go to Whipps Cross Pond (on the back of an open lorry) to catch tadpoles in jam jars, and on the way home they would all 'slop out' so that by the time we got home there were hardly any left! I could go on and on (and have done so)- but let me know if you want more. Hubby is also a Walthamstow-ite, so has also got a lot of memories.

(No email address)

What a great many memories your e-mail brought back. I actually lived in Leyton, went to school in Capworth Street but shopped in Walthamstow market. We moved from London 21 years ago to the Midlands, this year my Company gave me a sum of money to provide a Christmas function with and I have managed to book a show and hotel in London which will give me all of next Saturday to myself - off to Walthamstow I think.

(No email address)

I grew Up in Leyton, near the Orient ground, and have also had a similar exchange with a woman on this list who lived in Capworth street, near bakers Arms. We went to different schools, but went through the old "We had it tough " routine, with outside toilets, and the great snow of 1963 being mentioned.
I only remember swimming at Leyton Baths, so missed all the excitement . I never knew the beatles performed there!. I also remember the live eels in High street, and if you were lucky you could see them being chopped up and watch them wriggle when they were dead. I also had a saturday job in Hookers, the bakers who were in the market. Do you remember the sarsperilla stall? My Brother In Law, now in australia went to George Monaux school in the 50s. His name was David Heslop. Any Bells?

(No email address)

Your posting struck a note - not least because I also have a link with Walthamstow.

I actually come from Woodford and now live quite close to Cardiff in South Wales but I worked in the Walthamstow area from 1975 to 1982 and have many happy memories of the place. I have the same thoughts and feelings about Woodford and although I left the place 20 years ago, I still visit as often as I can to 're-charge' my memory banks (people here think I'm mad).

My memories are a little later than yours - but I did take my Welsh wife to the high street to sample 'pie & mash' and a bit of the East End they don't show on BBC. I can't take her to the 'Crooked Billet' any more though as that's under tons of concrete (same as Charlie Browns).

My mum (she's 73 now) was born in Walthamstow and lived in Folkestone Road (off Church Hill Road) during the early part of the war so if you need any stories of life around Hoe Street etc... I'd like to help.

Tiddlers at Highams Park Lake - you didn't do too well. There were roach there at least 4 inches long! Didn't the stickles on sticklebacks hurt?

Oh Dear, O.K. memories...Infants School..William Tyndale. Islington .then High School..we moved to Tottenham and owned the Black Boy Sweet Shop at the top of was it Boundary Road? then I went to..belmont primary..then on to ..st kaths..white hart lane..tottenham opposite the boys high school. (Whoopie!!)
Saturday afternoon at the Royal..with Cliff Richard and the Shadows used to play at the Edmonton Cinema'. The Wimpy bar and bowling at Stamford Hill...sorry not much time spent in Walthamstow.. vaguely remember the market..and what about apple fritters or a pennyworth of crackling!!but Some of the names rang some bells from my teenage years in the 60's.

(No email address)