Photo’s from Hackney’s History: 1920s/30s

History of Hackney, Photography

A while ago we published an interview with Ken Jacobs a former Hackney postie, where he talked about finding some glass negatives being thrown out in Chatsworth Road during his walk one day. Ken kindly scanned in some of those fantastic negatives and has passed them onto yeah! Hackney to share with all of you.

The photos were taken by a Mr Ellis in the late 1920’s / early 30’s, the descriptions are by Ken Jacobs.

Mother and Daughter

The “Mother and Daughter” looks as though it may have been taken of Mr Ellis’ own wife an daughter in his back garden.

Homerton Row

Homerton Row taken from Brooksbys Walk E9, shows on the right the ambulance station which was the first purpose built such place in the country back in the late Victorian period. Just beyond is the Eastern Hospital known locally as “The Fever Hospital” (now the site of Homerton Hospital).

Hackney Empire

Hackney Empire was built in 1901, Charlie Chaplin performed there in the early 20th century.

Girl's Head in newspaper

The girl with her head through the newspaper may well be the daughter of Mr Ellis.

Girl and Radio

I Don’t know where the shop is with the girl standing by a very early radiogram, but I think it’s a great photo from the time.

Train

I believe the train  photo was taken over the Walthamstow Marsh as this area was a place I used to visit and play on when I was a youngster.

Stamford Hill

Stamford Hill and Tram

Two photos taken at Stamford Hill.

Northwold Road

Next we are looking down Northwold Road from Upper Clapton Rd. The shops on the left of the photo were all destroyed by bombs in WW2 and Hendale House now stands on the corner.

Linscott Road, E5

Linscott Rd looking down to the Salvation Army’s “Congress Hall”, the original S.A. HQ from around 1890 to it’s demolition in the mid 1970’s. The portico is all that remains of a once splendid building, built between 1823 and 1825 as the “London Orphan Asylum”.

Dalston Lane

Next is a view of part of Dalston Lane taken from a point about fifty metres from Dalston Junction and looking east towards Graham Rd.

Clapton Park Tavern

The “Clapton Park Tavern” known locally as “The Black House” is on the corner of Clifden Rd, and Chatsworth Rd

Chatsworth Road, East

Chatsworth Road, West

The last two views are looking north up Chatsworth Road taken from the corner of Clifden Rd of both the east and west sides.

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Please do not reproduce these photos without permission, if you would like to use them please get in touch on the contact page

114 Comments

  1. omg. what a fantastic find. thank you so much!

  2. A great and important collection of photographs. Good find!

  3. Fantastic, love the one of the Clapton Portico!

  4. exciting, beautiful and quite moving too…

  5. Great views and brought back memories of childhood. The comments on what stands in place of destroyed buildings were helpful to get the orientation right.

    Thanks

  6. So glad these photos were found by someone with the interest and local knowledge to put them into context. Really enjoyed looking at them. Thank you, Ken.

  7. Thanks so much for posting these. Have you ever come across any old photos of Clarence Road? I’d love to see the changes over the years. In the 10 years I’ve live here I’ve regretted not taking photos of the various industrial buildings which have disappeared, such as the Vines Biocrin factory and button factory.

    • Hi Karlees.
      The only photo I have of Clarence Rd is a glass negative of Brooke’s Furniture shop when it was all decked out for the coronation of George VI in 1937.
      Will this be of use to you?
      I do have some video which I took as I walked through the Mothers Hospital when in it’s early stages of demolition.
      Ken

      • Hi Ken,

        Sorry – only just noticed your reply. I’d be fascinated to see anything of Clarence Rd, but don’t feel rushed to scan anything. I’m just glad that someone has actually got some record of this overlooked part of the borough.

        Your hospital footage sounds equally fascinating; my girlfriend was probably was one of the last to be born there back in ’85, so she’d find it even more compelling.

        Regards,

        Karl

    • If you check out the websit Flickr u can see some clarence road photos form a chap called Peter Kurton 1970s a lot of them takes a while to load but scroll down http://www.flickr.com/photos/69711221@N04/with/6797841162/

  8. Hi Karlees.
    I think that one of the largest factories in Clarence Rd was the old Venus Pencil factory. There was always a lovly smell of cedar wood in the area. I don’t have any photos of it myself, but you can view some on the Hackney Archive site. Another firm whose name escapes me, that used to have their workshop along Clarence Mews, used to make brass musical instruments.

  9. hi there i love all the pics is there anymore of mare street and i would love to see well street in that era too

  10. Hi Jason.
    I’ve just sent some more photos to Emily, and one is of Grays Mens Wear shop, taken in about 1928.
    I don’t have any of Well St I’m affraid.
    Ken

  11. Wow these are great! Thanks for posting them

  12. Beautiful photos. I’ll look differently next time I’m standing on the corner of Clifden Road.

    Any ideas where I should look for pics of the original Victorian Rushmore School building and (especially) the still-standing Edwardian infants building? I’m hoping to explore the history of the building from the inside and out with my class this year…

    • Hi Rache.
      If you could send me your contact email, I have an early photo of Chatsworth Road taken from Rushmore Rd which shows the school in the near distance.
      Ken.
      ken_n_jean@hotmail.com

  13. hi,love these photos of old hackney ,dose anyone have any photos of clapton beauty parlour at 21 Lower Clapton Road,as i am trying to bring back the history of the shop and have some photos to put up,it was founded in 1930 so there must be some photos somewhere..dawn

  14. Have been researching family, seemingly my grandmother had a shop with her husband , it was in Hackney High st, Jack Goldring was a pharmicist, Rachel his wife was my grandmother, nee Beckman.
    Any feedback would be great
    Robert

    • WAS THE CHEMIST SHOP TRINICK OPPOSITE NISBERT HOUSE .I USE TO GO TO THEM IN THE 30S. OR THE OTHER SHOP WAS BETWEEN RODING RD AND DURRINGTON RD ,NEAR
      THE BOOT MENDERS .AND THE PAPER SHOP . HOPE THIS HELPS .

  15. anybody remember Cambridge & Hackney Boys Club?

  16. Dear Ken,
    I am just trying to build up a family tree & my Grand parents both lived in Homerton Row & their parents lived in Templar Road (now Staveley Close) do you know where i could get any pictures of this area? or any information would be helpful.
    many thanks Steve.

    • Steve did u get any photos of Templar Road? I lived there and have a few Also you are partially right about its location It almost followed Conniston walk to Homerton Row the gardens backed onot the fever hossy where they filmed the Elephant Man film and I have a 1970s photo and a now photo. I lived at 66 from 57 to 62 and my nans family for decades. Tresham walk was once Tresham Avenue and it led into the top of TR.

  17. How these pictures took me back. I was born at the Salvation Mother Hospital and lived in a prefab two doors away from the Salvation Army in Linscott Road. We more to of Chatsworth Road when I was 4 and I also went to Rushmore Road School.
    Many thanks
    Jennifer

  18. Incredible to see the pictures of Chatsworth Road, especially the Clapton Park Tavern, I spent the first eleven years of my life living there as my Father (Danny Reidy) was the landlord. My mother Lilly was a bit of a glamour puss and revelled in getting up for a turn on the mike on a Saturday night, accompanied by Eddie the Pianist. Sad to hear that it deteriorated into violence and drugs in its latter years, we moved out in 1968. I have very fond memories of the place.

  19. My grandparents also had the Clapton Park Tavern (The Blackhouse) during the 2nd WW.Also landlord of The Railway Tavern Mare street at the same time.William and Elizabeth Firkins. Sadly neither trade as pubs anymore.

    • Yes, it’s a sad reflection of the way the country has changed, I can’t help thinking not in a good way, or is that just me getting old?

      I wonder if you have any idea why it was nicknamed The Blackhouse?

      I’m surprised that the Railway in Mare St is no longer a pub, it was a good pub as I recall and in a great location, another blow for the drinking classes!

      Brendan.

  20. @Brendan the area has swung from high society (in the 1800s) to notoriety and some way back again. There is a lot I love about living in today’s Clapton, as well as some things I don’t.
    The Railway Tavern fell to the bookies, I am passing it at this moment on the bus. They have fortunately kept the train on the front.

  21. I would imagine it will follow the profile of Islington and Stoke Newington, the deciding factor seems to be whether the local authority were foresighted enough not to demolish all their solid Victorian and Edwardian housing stock. I’m certainly not bigging up Hackney council here as I know that if they had their way in the 60’s and 70’s they would have bulldozed most of the De Beauvoir estate and replaced it with tower blocks. This process was only halted due to public outcry after they had already started this process, what a loss that would have been!

    Happliy, they seem to have stopped in their tracks before too much damage was done, I can’t bring myself to praise them for this as I worked for them for a number of years and know what an incompetent bunch of morons they really are. (rant over).

    Brendan.

  22. Hi Ken, I did not know Venus pencils had a factory in Clarence rd ? what year was that,when I worked for Venus Pencils , it was in Lower Clapton Rd about Halfway between Downs Rd and the mothers hospital. There was Willoughby Tailors, I posted a number Of Fred Canes photos but I can not Find them On here, they were Or Clapton way, Kenninghall Rd ,Rendelsham, Doctor Santas corner of Clapton Way Etc. perhaps I should log in with my full name like most others.
    David Turbut (Turbs)

    • David ( @turbs ) your photos are now posted here: http://www.yeahhackney.com/decimation-the-clapton-i-knew-and-loved/?#post-13333

    • THE VENUS PENCIL WORKS WAS IN LOWER CLAPTON RD .THE WILL0UGHBYFACTORRY.
      WAS IN PEMBURY RD OFF OF CLARENCE RD MY BROTHER AND I WORKED THERE IN .
      I WAS BORN IN MARSH HILL HOMERTON.

      • Hi Ron. My brother also worked at Willoughby’s from when he left school in 1958. He told me that he often used to do his Elvis impressions on the cutting benches during breaks.

  23. I agree with Turbs, I used to pass the Venus Pencil factory in Lower Clapton Road, does my memory serve me right that there was a brick chimney with the name on it?

    Jennifer

    • Hi Jen,
      You are right, I remember the factory chimney with the name on. Dix

  24. Hi Great pictures.Like you I love history of my home area.I was born in the Mother’s home at Lower Clapton Road,Hackney and have been researching it for some years.I am now trying to get a group going of people who were born there,its not easy as we are all getting on a bit,but I keep trying
    Best Wishes
    Alan R,Worsfold

    • Hello Alan, My daughter was born in the young mothers Hospital on the 4th of August 1965 will try to add photos of the finished event

    • I was born there too.

    • Hi Alan I’m Kens cousin I was born in the Mothers Hospital in April ’52 and so were both my children in ’69 and ’72.

      Regards Sue Wood

  25. Hi Ken, Great photos of years gone by – do you by chance have any pictures of number 5 Northwold Road as my great grandfather had a newsagents there in 1928 I believe. Also another shop earlier at 71 Hanbury Street Spitalfields. Would love to hear from you or anyone else who can help.

    Thanks and regards,
    Dave Ruderman

    • Sorry Dave but I’ve got no early photos of that end of Northwold Road at all.

      • Thanks Ken

  26. Thank you for the insight into Hackney in the 1920’s. My grandparents ran the newagency on High Street, Homerton throughout this period. It was wonderful to see what the area and era were like.

    • Hi Sanda. Do you know where your grandparents shop was on Homerton High St? As one of my glass negatives shows some of the shops that were right at the end of the road opposite Kenworthy Rd.

      • Hi Ken, my grandparents shop was 198 High Street, Homerton, Hackney … this is where my father and auntie were also born.

        • THE NEWSPAPER SHOP IN HOMERTON HIGH ST , OPPOSITE KENWORTHY RD WAS CLARKS.
          MY FATHER HAD HIS PAPERS DELIVED FROM THERE ,1939.
          THE NEWSPAPER SHOP ON THE CORNER OF RODING RD WAS WAKERS I KNEW THEM WELL.

  27. @DavidR it might be worth checking out Berris Conolly’s photos too http://www.yeahhackney.com/2010/11/berris-conollys-hackney/

    • Hi again Sandra. I’ve just looked on Google Street View to see where 198 would have been, and it seems Nisbet House was built on that part of the High St.
      Ken

      • Thanks Ken .. it’s a shame things can’t stay the same, but that’s how things go! Would have been wonderful to take a trip and see how it was. I’ll head onto Google and have a peek. Sydney is such a long way away, it would be wonderful to visit in person.

      • Hi My Gt Grandparents called PENN were in business with a General Dealers shop at 77 High Street Homerton (next to Homerton College) it was later called Brown run by my Gt Grandmother ..have you photos of this? in business c. 1890 – c. 1940.
        Also my Grandfather was a Hackney Mare Street based Policeman from 1907 – 1932. Sadly apparently all the day books do not exist..but have you clear photos please of Hackney policemen they lived in Blurton Road during this period.

    • Thanks Emma wonderful pictures but not where I am searching, good lead though.

  28. Please does any one have any picture of the street party that took place at Nisbet House, Homerton, at the Queens Coronation 6th June 1953.

  29. These are great photos. Does anyone have any photos or memories of Moundfield Road during the war? My aunt lived there from 1935 to 1944 when the road was bombed. The family lost touch with her at this time but after her death we discovered that she had survived the bombing. There is a photo on Flickr of the bombed out houses.

  30. I WAS BORN IN HOMERTON . MARSH HILL MY FAMILY WERE WELL KNOW . MY BROTHER WAS GEORGE STUBBS THE BOXER . MY YOUNG BROTHER WAS KEN .AN ETON MANOR BOXER.

    • Ron. If you would like to contact me on my email:- ken_n_jean@hotmail.com
      then I will be happy to send you a photo from my glass negative collection which was taken from Homerton High St and looking down Marsh Hill in about 1925ish.
      Ken

  31. I love these photos Ken. I’ve lived in this area for many, many years (now on Kenworthy Road), and wonder if you might have something I could have a copy of? Thanks and best wishes.
    Michele

    • Michele.
      If you would like to send me an email to the above email address, then I will gladly send you the Marsh Hill photo.
      Ken

  32. I wonder if any one remembers the army bomb disposal squad going down marsh hill to the hackney marshes during ww2. I remember it so well .

    • Well Ron. I’m a couple of years too young to remember the UXB’s being blown up on the marshes, but I do remember seeing in the very early 50’s, the barrage balloon with a basket slung beneath it and men jumping out wearing parachutes.

  33. KEN I DID EMAIL YOU WITH SOME STORIES OF MARSH HILL .IT SEEM YOU DID NOT RECEIVE IT. BEST WISHES. YOU SAID THAT YOU WORKED IN THE OPEN SPACES FOR HACKNEY COUNCLL WHO WAS YOUR BOSS ,BERT BYERS OR FRANK MAGEE

    • Hi Ron.
      Frank Magee was in charge of the gardeners along with Dave Ruddiman, but I was a Park Patroller from 1987 to 1990 based at Clissold Park.
      Do try and email me again by highlighting my above email address and clicking “copy” then “paste” it onto your email.
      Ken

  34. KEN WHY I ASK ABOUT YOUR BOSS AT CLISSOLD PA SECUTARYRK WAS WORKED IN HACKNEY TOWN .
    I WORK FOR MANAGEMENT SERVICES .IN WORK STUDY AND BONUS OFFICE.
    I LEFT IN 1990 ,AND RETIRED. AFTER 20 YEARS .
    MY BROTHER WAS LEN STUBBS THE NUPI SECRETARY.

  35. I think that the one of the Hackney Empire was taken in 1930 – Chefalo did appear there that year, and the women’s clothes look right for 1930. Am I right that the first Stamford Hill photograph is Amherst Parade and the second is the corner of Stamford Hill and Amherst Parade? It looks like it – my father’s shop was at 23 Amherst Parade, with the Regent Cinema across the road (I remember that for certain films, the cinema staff would dress appropriately – for ‘Man of Aran’, they wore sou’westers etc).

  36. Great photos thank you both my great grandfather and grandfather had stall right wear the photo are take of the market at that time and as a kid I al ways heard stories about the black house .great photos

    • I KNEW JOE WHO WAS A FRIEND OF MY FATHER , GREAT MARKET CHATSWORTH ROAD

      • When I first joined the Post Office at Clapton SDO in Brooke Rd in 1969, Chatsworth Road was my first walk for six months until I became a driver at the office. Back then, the market extended down as far as Rushmore Road.

      • Hi Ron I never new joe herd thing about the family anything about him you remember I would be gretaful thanks lee

        • HI LEO JOE LIVED IN DAUGBENEY RD HE WAS THE KING PIN OF THE CHATSWORTH MARKET
          HI WAS A SMALL MAN BUT WAS QUITE A NICE MAN THAT I CAN REMEMBER THAT MY DAD WAS A FRIEND OF HIS. I BEILIVE IT WAS TO DO WITH MY EADLEST BROTHER BEING A BOXER,MY FATHER AND FAMILY WERE WELL KNOW I HOMERTON HOPE THIS HELPS

  37. searching for any info on my Grandmother, a Rose Friedberg (nee Costa or Koster) who was on the stage in the 1920’s, stage name I believe was Marie Da Costa at the Hackney Empire any help appreciated. Please!

  38. Hi, I’m hoping someone can help me.First,my great x2 grandad died in Hackney in 1886,his name was Henry Joseph Masters.I have no idea what he was doing in Hackney as the last address I have for him in 1881 was Hunter St Camden.For years I have been looking for his grave,without success.I contacted Hackney council and was told that they don’t have any records of burials.I have contacted everywhere I can think of but nothing.Perhaps there is some-one who can suggest where to look. The second bit of help I would like is,I have a photo of a lady taken by a photographer in Hackney.This lady could be Henry’s wife,the photographer was George R Smith,342 Kew Road,I would date it about 1884 ish.Oviously the business is no longer there but I,m wondering if anyone knows what would have happened to all the negatives,paperwork,etc from the business.I know it’s a long shot but you never know if someone has generations of family that lived in that area they may know something.
    Thanks for any help,Regards Susan

    • Hi Susan.
      Can’t help you regarding what may have happened to the photographic work from Kew, but I had a look on line of the Abney Park Cemetery Trust site, where they have a data base of graves, but unfortunately no sign of the name that you have mentioned.
      Good luck with your searching.
      Ken

    • Hi Susan, Do you have your 2xgt.gf death certificate, this would give you where he died and who registered the death.

      Have you tried contacting the Rose Lipman Library Local Studies, they may be able to help you with the photographer, although I have never heard of a Kew Road in Hackney, which post code did it come under?

      Jennifer

  39. i was born in 1947 and lived at 173 banister house i think i still remember a few corner shops in homerton row there was a shop called Carpenters and another called Harris , and i still remember the Castle cinema on chatsworth road i think we called it the flee pit

  40. Many thanks for all the replies.Yes I now have the death certificate for my grt x2 grandad.Henry Joseph Masters died 14th June 1886 aged 66,at 30 Listria Park,Stoke Newington,The informant was his daughter,Catherine Sarah Bunch,nee Masters,my grt gran.
    I have contacted some funeral directors in the area that were in business back then to see if maybe they have any records.
    Re:the photo,it was taken by a photographer named Smith in Hackney,when I looked up businesses I found a Smith in Hackney at Kew Road?(nothing to do with Kew Gardens)This photographer was in business during the 1880s in Hackney,I found him on the 1881 census as well.I’m pretty sure the photo is my grt x2 gran,Henry’s wife.
    It would be so good to find where Henry is buried.Any ideas?

    • Hi Sue.
      I found this name of Masters in the Abney Park Records.

      Masters, John Henry (aged 40)
      1845 – 1885 (buried 15/03/1885)

      Ken

  41. Hi Ken,
    Thanks for trying to find my relative’s grave,it’s not him in Abney Park.Henry was 66 when he died and it was 14/6/1886.John Henry was his father’s name but he would have been born late 1790s.
    Thanks again Susan

  42. Fascinating images, I wonder if there is any connection to this Mr Ellis, formerly of Northwold Road?
    http://cemeteryclub.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/ghostsigns-gravestones-and-the-painted-history-on-our-walls/

    • Hi Sam.
      Our Mr Ellis who took the photos lived on Clifden Road from the early 20th century. Where-a-bouts on Northwold Rd did your Mr Ellis live? As that was my stamping ground.
      Ken

  43. He was at 13 Northwold Road, previously 230 High Street. Robert Ellis died in the late 1800s so it will be a different Ellis that took these photos, perhaps a relative?

  44. Anyone have any details about 129 Chatsworth Road about 1953 onwards? My parents owned the property and shop and called the business Central Electronics. It was later turned into a youth club called The Top Twenty Club but had to shut down due to noise. Dad also had a record stall in Chats as well as Pitsea, Chelmsford, Hemel Hempsted, Basildon and Maidenhead. Iremember other shops along that strip..131 belonged to Maud and Ralph(?) Leah as a catering supply shop, then came Frank Rashbrooks Men’s hairedressers, then possibly Dolly Pell’s sweet shop. Cafe across the roas was owned by Annie and called Annie’s cafe where we kids had our weekly beans on toast extravaganza for 10d on a Saturday morning. The Roote family had the newsagents on the cross roads of Chats and Powerscroft. Taking a walk down memory lane (Chats) in May this year with my sister and another friend, Shiela Feest. Anyone remember the Hewett family?

  45. Hi Tony.
    Have you read the piece on this website about the “Working Lives” book that I was in, talking about my time as a postman on the Chatsworth Road round?
    It’s here (I hope) http://www.yeahhackney.com/2011/05/catching-up-with-ken-jacobs-the-peoples-autobiography-of-hackney/

    Ken

    • I probably bought records off your dad in the early 60’s.

  46. Hi Everyone,I am still trying to find where my grt x2 grandad is buried,I found some funeral director who were in business in the 1880s but no-one has got back to me.Has anyone got a good knowledge of the area at that time? They could suggest the best places to try.
    Thanks for any help Susan

  47. My mother lived off Chatsworth rd with my Grand parents we used to catch the 22 bus from Liverpool st after arriving by steam train. Grandmother worked at the Eagle pencil factory putting lead into pencils, my grandfather was a master brick layer and worked all over Hackney. I will be showing these pictures to my mum how will be very interested

    • Hi Derek. So glad you liked the photos taken around the Chatsworth Rd area, hope that they bring back some good memories for your mum.
      I knew the Venus Pencil factory on Lower Clapton Rd, but must say, I’ve not heard of the Eagle Co.
      Do you know where it was?
      Best Wishes. Ken

      • Thank you memory playing tricks your are correct it was Venus factory will look it up on the net. I can remember all the market stalls,going down to Victoria boating lake,trolley buses and a milkman with horse and cart,and a few good knees ups round relations when we children slept head to toe whilst the oldies had a good old east end party

        • I’m sure you probably feel the same as me Derek, that for us kids then, they were very much the “good ‘ol days” and also carefree. I also spent the first six months of my life in 1947, living just off of Chats Road, in Elderfield Road, then we were moved to a prefab in Evering Rd, E5 end.
          I did so enjoy my childhood days in Hackney……and miss them.
          Cheers.
          Ken

          • Funny you should move into a Prefab,I spent my child hood in a prefab in Bishops Stortford all the mod cons fire with back boiler,built in cooker and kitchen cupboards.I think we lived there until I was about sixteen and the houses stayed until the eighties

          • Funny my Nan lived in Elderfield Rd if I remember correctly we walk done from high st with Pub on the left, Nan’s house was on the corner of first junction on on the right the house is still there as seen on Google.Nan had a high wall round garden with coke and glass in beded in concrete to keep out intruders.Nan rented the first two floors and top was rented to another person that I cannot remember much about.Their name was Kavanaugh and they lived there until the sixties when they moved to Bishops Stortford

  48. All mod cons indeed Derek, and not only that, but an all around garden to play in as well.We moved from there in 1956 to Florence Court in Kenninghall Rd until I got married on World Cup Day, 1966. Now we’re in a little village in Nth. Lincs.
    Ken

    • Small world we came up to a small village near kings Lyn in September to collect our new Labrador puppy

    • What about Mare St I can remember trolley buses turning round and the conductors un hooking the connecting contact arms and swinging them over to another circuit to continue back down the road.Also a double fronted china shop which had some amazing glass and china sets.Ging to Lyons Tea room was a treat for us as kids

    • What about Mare St I can remember trolley buses turning round and the conductors un hooking the connecting contact arms and swinging them over to another circuit to continue back down the road.Also a double fronted china shop which had some amazing glass and china sets.Going to Lyons Tea room was a treat for us as kids. Also just found out from my Mum that my great,great Grandfather helped to build the Hackney Empire and my Grandfather was and apprentice on that site

  49. My mum used to take me in the BHS in the Narroway where they had a refreshment section at the back. I used to love their mugs of Horlicks drink……..In Woolworth’s I used to love their cylindrical ice cream cornets. You just don’t seem to get the same taste of things like that nowadays.
    When I was only about 7 or 8 I would get on a 653 Trolleybus at the top of Evering Rd and pay a “penny half” get off outside the bus garage at the end of the Narroway, walk over the road to the bus stop outside Gibbons and get another penny half back home.

  50. It seems I have a lot in common with quite a few of you. I was born in the Mother’s Hospital, lived in a prefab in Linscott Road, right where the houses are in the photo of the Salavation Army. After that moved to a Road off Chatsworth Road (Blurton Road), Chatsworth Road market was a large part of my early life having gone to Rushmore School and Doctor Price in Brooksbys Walk with the chairs all around the wall.

    Mare Street was for the bigger shops, BHS, Dolcis, Woolworths even the tiny Sainsburys, more often we walked there but if funds allowed it wa the good old 22 bus. We thought nothing of walking to Vicky Park lido and back, or over the lea marshes playing on the cut. My granddaughter complains if I have to park a street away from school !!!

    Clapton Park School was my secondary school with it’s bottle green uniform. We would walk up Chats in our lunch hour and have a meal in the Orient cafe by the cinema, Valentie’s would come later.

    I met my husband in the Ritz cinema up by the pond, we are still together and will have been married 46 years this year, we married at the Hackney Town Hall.

    I think I am a true ‘ Ackney’ girl.

    • Hi Jen, (OK we are already old friends), but it was good reading your post. I could write a book about living in Clapton in the 50’s and early 60’s. As you know I too went to the Green School. It was then known as Pond House Central though. I worked in a solicitors’ office in the narrow-way, opposite the bus garage, and walked to and from work every day. I also worked in Woolworths on a Saturday when I was 14. We earned 14/6d (72 1/2p in decimal money). Did anyone out there live in Overbury Street? I have a couple of great photos of the whole street at the Queen’s Coronation and later on a busman’s outing. I’ll post them later.

    • Hi Jennifer I will,let my mum read your comments as she does not have a computer she lived in Elderfield rd as a child and worked at the Royal exchange in town, I will ask her if she has any more interesting facts about hackney.I remember the old sainsburys when you had to line up at each counter to be served .Do you remember their square flaky pastry fruit pies full of fruit but no longer available

    • Hi Jennifer
      Did you know a family called Wyatt – at 62 ?

  51. Some more good memories of our younger days.
    I remember those prefabs in Linscott Rd.
    My Jean went to Glyn Road School, they re-named it Clapton Park, the year she left.
    Jean lived on Marlow Road,which used to be behind Homerton Station before they were demolished.
    She also went to Berger Rd School.

  52. Hi Diane. I would like to see the street party photo please. Back in the mid 60’s I used to cycle down Millfields Rd and along the tow path to Sherry’s Wharf where I worked for a couple of years. I also took some photos of the Power Station and the Clapton Dogs Stadium in the 1970’s. I also have a photo taken in the playground of Mandeville School during ww2 of the local Rescue unit who were probably based over the road in the Millfields Council Depot. I will be happy to send them to you.

    • My mum was an evacuee from Elderfield Rd during the war and was sent to Bishops Stortford any body remember the rag and bone man calling out his song and the knife sharpener on his bike

      • Hi Derek, I am having a job setting up my Registration, I thought I had done it last night OK, but it is not recognising my e-mail or password.

        How do I upload these photos?

        • Hi Diana, you will have to hope one of the other readers can answer that one if you have no luck I will ask my Daughter in law next time she is over,sorry

          • I am helping Diana with getting some photos up too 🙂

        • Hi Diane, you have have signed up ok, your user name is Diane-Haywood if you can’t get your password to work, please head over to the forgotten password form here http://www.yeahhackney.com/wp-login.php?action=lostpassword and use Diane-Haywood to send you a reset email

          • Apparently, I cannot upload these myself. If you want to send me your email address, I’ll send them direct to you.
            Diane

    • Apparently I cannot upload these myself, so if you send me your e-mail I will send them to you direct.
      Diane

      • Hi Diane, you can get me on contact@yeahhackney.com

        The new website is coming soon (I hope!) and will likely feature images on comments.

      • Hi Diane, you can now upload at least one photo as a reply. Otherwise you an still email me the photos and I will upload them for you. You can reply to the email I sent you or use contact [at] yeahhackney.com

  53. Hackney dogs was grandfathers second home . Not sure what happened to all his winnings!!

  54. Every time someone mentions something it brings back more memories.The peanut man at the dogs and my dad going to watch the ‘O’s’ (Leyton Orient).

    There was a youth club in Banister House, we went on later to the Down Beat at Manor House and of course the Tottenham Royal, the bus from outside Bunty’s the florist near the Mother’s Hospital to Stamford Hill and then change to one down to the Royal.

    The school dentist, which I am sure someone will correct me was in Gunton Road and the clinic which was on the corner of Urswick and Lowe Clapton Road where you went up steps.

    Jasons opposite the Electric Board, with all it’s chandeliers and Italian glass and the Joke shop, did they sell stamps, I have a vague memory of collecting stamps from there?

    Jennifer

  55. Hi Jennifer.
    Great memories, just what we like on this site. One little teenie- weenie correction, the school butcher, oops sorry, the school dentist, was at 13 Goulton Road. When I used to HAVE to go there in the early 1950’s, the dentist was a German woman who, I’m sure, still thought the war was on, she was horrible…….
    Thank’s though for the (not so pleasant) memory.
    Ken

  56. I’m sure that many of you will recall Presburg Street which was at the end of Millfields Road and ran between Glyn Road and Pedro Street before the Clapton Park estate was built. Well I recently came across this 1924-27 National Insurance card in the name of
    Dorothy Grant of 33 Presburg Street, Clapton Park. I wonder if anyone recalls the name?

  57. Front and back of the card.

  58. Inside of the card.

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