Thursday 5 November 2009

Deptford High Street

This picture shows the mid road toilets at the southern end of Deptford High Street joining to New Cross Road. Toilets are now gone and must have been filled in in the 60's. Opposite on the right of the photo there was the "Centurion Pub". Can anyone remember the one legged war veteran selling papers on the corner outside the pub entrance?




















How it is now 2010.

52 comments:

Iwillbedeadbysixty said...

Yes I remember the one legged war newspaper vendor outside the Centurian pub.He also used to go from street selling evening papers as well (I lived in Childeric road) You could hear him coming from streets away with his shouts "Star,news,standard!!"

Iwillbedeadbysixty said...

Does anyone remember Purdie the tramp?? He was a relation of Purdies the fish shop in the high street.

Andy said...

Well I never...I so glad someone can remember him. He was always there when we walk to Greenwhich...thanks

Anonymous said...

I was wondering if anyone can remember Cafe Milano somewhere down the high street? I am trying to research my ancestory and understand my family once worked or possibly owned this cafe. Any information would be useful :)

Andy said...

Hi Anon,

Where exactly was the MilanocAfe situated?

Anonymous said...

I'm not completely sure

Anonymous said...

i use to work there
was there a lady there named esterina who worked with her brother and his wife

Anonymous said...

Yes I remember Charlie the tramp who was a Purdie. They found him dead by the railway line in New Cross. Also remember the newspaper vendor.

Does anyone have a copy of the documentary called Sex Love and War which featured Alex Purdie who used to stand outside Purdies Fish Shop in the High Street, would love a copy.

Does anyone remember the fairgrounds just off Deptford High Street ? Can anyone tell me if they had a wall of death there, I remember bumper cars and I believe there was a boxing ring.

Andy said...

Hi Anon,

Go to to this post Thursday, 18 November 2010. Fairground etc.

Andy

Andy said...

Go to this link for the sex love and war series in two parts on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chcils6a7Og

Anonymous said...

I am a Purdie looking at family history. Alec Purdie and his sister Bibby were, I think, uncle and aunt to my father Wally. My dad left Deptford at an early age. We are also related to Catford Purdies. I have also heard of Purdie the Tramp. Any other info appreciated. Lesley at lesleyshowells@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

We are of the Purdie family. Our uncle Tom Caine owned the fairground behind Woolworths in Deptford. Our nan had a wet fish stall in Douglas Way & our dad used to get it ready before he went to Stanley Street School off Douglas Way.Eels were very popular in Deptford then and the stall in Douglas Way was always busy.

Malcolm Gill said...

Re Purdie family related to Tom Caine, Deptford fairground (Post of 10 October 2011) I believe he and his brother Charlie were joint proprietors of the fair. I'm trying to confirm a link between Charlie and one of my ancestors. If you have any family history of Tom Caine I'd be very grateful for the information.

malcolm.gill@talktalk.net

Michael said...

Does anyone remember Dr Conway? His practice was in the High Street just along from Giffin Street, next to Woolworths. It later became a wet fish shop.
Anyone remember the egg shop, called The Egg Box, one or two shops from Johnson's the bakers, corner of Douglas Street? A friend and I used to let off stink bombs in the shop. Great fun!

Andy said...

I can remember the Egg Shop. My Nan use to get her eggs from there. She once took an egg from half a doz purchased from there a put it under a hen in the back yard. We always had chickens. Anyway it hatched and turned into the biggest Blue Black cockrel you ever saw, and it was a spitefull cuss too! We kids couldn't go in the yard when it was out as it would attack you. They called it "tupence" cause that's how much the egg was. One day Grandad had enough of it went in the yard and that was tupence gone.

S Amis said...

Iremember Dr conway surgery in the high st first time ever went there about 1956 in his pin striped suit and massive moustace also the fair great times i believe there was a big wheel also not sure. charlie the tramp Would come to my Aunt Bets cafe behind the church near Deptford station knocked on the back window and she would give him a bottle of tea and sausage sandwich poor soul never ever bothered me allways looked Sad he you to live under the arches next to the rose Pub in trundleys rd

Dave Ellis said...

He was my mums doctor and she said he died in a plane crash on his way to France.

Jo said...

Hi everyone, my brother and I have just moved into the top flat at 13 Deptford High Street and we were wondering if anyone had any old pictures or stories to tell of the old Lipton building?? Thanks in advance and thanks to Andy! Jo

Doug B said...

my Nan and Grandad were Len and Ellen Purdie who owned the fish shop, i don't recall ever being told he was a relative though but i remember him standing on the broadway in a dirty old long beige coat and a milk bottle filled with tea mid to late sixties

Jim W said...

I remember 'Old Purdie' well and the little dog that used to follow him around for a while. He often had a cup of tea outside the cafe opposite Stones' entrance in Childers Street.
I also remember sometime in the late 50's a horse collapsed in the road alongside the old toilets at the Broadway end of the High Street. It upset me at the time I recall.
Another local character was Mrs. Townsend known as 'Old Ma Townsend' who enjoyed a drink or two in the 'Wheatsheaf' next to Purdy's Fish Shop. I was often woken up about midnight to the sound of 'Its now or never' as she sang at the top of her voice from her doorstep in Douglas Way. We lived opposite.

terry said...

as a teenager in 1957 we used to talk to purdie in deptford park. He always spoke verry well and he said that he was not a member of the purdies fish shop family

Anonymous said...

I lived in Childers Street in the 60's and remember walking over over the bridge to go to school at Sir Francis Drake and give Charlie the Tramp a bottle of tea and I was only 5 or 6. Rumour has said that his Wife was killed in the war with his children that is why he bacame a tramp

Steve Purdie said...

Great to read all these comments about my family the Purdie's. The Fishmonger business was started i believe around the 1830's and thrived until the mid 1920's with several shops across SE London. Deptford was the last to go in the early 70's run by Alec's & John.My Grandfather Bill , Alecs cousin worked in the shop as did many family members over the years. Steve Purdie

Maria Lee said...

DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THAT OLD LADY WHO USED TO SIT ON THE STEPS NEXT TO THE FRUIT SHOP AT THE OLD TOILET END SELLING FRUIT ALWAYS

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to find out more about the Fairground on Deptford High Street. My grandfather, William Bishop Snr., was listed as 'living' at the fairground on the 1901 census. It was at on near 32 High Street. I believe his wife owned/ran a tobacconist shop nearby. Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks

Hugo said...

Does anyone know the name of the fishmongers in the High Street run by 2 brothers who used a patter only the 2 of them understood? They were there in the early/mid-70s and were even featured on a TV programme. I'd love to find a recording of them at it.

Tanner London said...

I remember the eel stall very well. When I was a kid probably about 5yrs old all my friends and I used to rush to the stall after Saturday morning pictures from around the corner in the Deptford odeon we'd all stand around the stall watching the stall holder grabbing the live eels cutting it's head off then gut it in one simple move with a knife and his thumb. . Then chopped it into pieces and bagging them up. It was very busy stall I remember. 😊

Tanner London said...

I remember the eel stall very well. When I was a kid probably about 5yrs old all my friends and I used to rush to the stall after Saturday morning pictures from around the corner in the Deptford odeon we'd all stand around the stall watching the stall holder grabbing the live eels cutting it's head off then gut it in one simple move with a knife and his thumb. . Then chopped it into pieces and bagging them up. It was very busy stall I remember. 😊

John W said...

I remember Dr Conway very well. In fact there were three Dr. Conways,two brothers and a sister. Their surgery in Deptford High Street was made totally of wood panelling and patients would sit on wooden benches around the walls, waiting for a bell to ring to see the doctor or a buzzer to see the other doctor. In those days you never had to make an appointment you would just enter the surgery and wait your turn. The first thing you did when entering the surgery was to ask the other patients, "who was in last". This is how you found out when it would be your turn to see the doctor, and NOBODY jumped the queue!
I lived in Wallbutton Road, Brockley and when I was about 8 years old Dr Conway (with the moustache) made a home visit there to examine. I remember coming into my bedroom with is homberg hat in his hand and wearing a dark overcoat with an astrakhan collar. The first thing he did was to pick up my Observers Book of Aircraft and turn to an aeroplane, which I think was a Beechcraft Bonanza. He told me that he had entered a raffle to win the aircraft and had paid £1 for his ticket.
After his consultation he left and I can remember looking out of my bedroom window seeing him getting into his big black Lagonda car and driving to the bottom of the road. Shortly after his visit it was announced in the Kentish Mercury that he had won the aeroplane. It was not long after this that he lost his life flying over the English Channel on his maiden flight in the aircraft. His body and wreckage were never found.

rob said...

Hugo about the 2 fishmongers (think they were brothers) remember them well. They had a patter all of their own - remember them chanting something along the lines of ' abardee abardaa ' as it sounded like to me at the time. The high street had a real upbeat feel to it in those days.

Steve said...

My grandparents were born in Deptford Edward Amis he had brothers who would all meet up in Deptford high street he also had a sister who had a green grocers shop in Church street remember it being quite a big shop but they were all Deptford born also remember my mums aunt use to sing in different pubs/clubs Rosie hop may bring some memories back to some

Anonymous said...

Purdie the tramp always had flowers in his button hole - usually dandelions, my great aunt always gave him sixpence to buy a bottle of tea at the stall just outside the Lady Flo Institute across the road from Carrington house. I remember Carrington house had large brass railed turnstyles at the enterance. There was another pair of GPs in Evelyn Street Dr Johnson who was cut down by polio when young and who used to use an old fashioned invalid carriage that had three wheels he could hardly move poor man his partner was a soft spoken polish doctor who had once been an ear nose and throat consultant I think he was a refugee because his accent was too hard to undestand.

Does anyone remember Father Frost he was always half drunk especially at weddings he used to get sent away to a retreat to dry him out. Hard days but happy ones

Unknown said...

Yes he came to my family's cafe the staff of life in brookmill road. I have him tea from a milk bottle and dripping on toast. His brother stole his wife and that's why he became a tramp at an early age. He was wealthy. Sad event

Anonymous said...

i can remember the fairground in Deptford high street,also the dr's yes it was painted red.aslo dr hill and dr Langham in douglas street, how times have changed. the egg shop used to sell broken eggs which we used to get in a basin, also remember fineware and jeyrene hair dresser at the top end of the high street

JOHN SMITH said...

I am looking to make contact with David Hoare ,we went to life boys together at Princess Louise Institute in Frankham Street must be back in 1954 or 1955.Just wanted to say hi. I live in Canada .

John Smith

Kathy said...

Hi I’m Kathy, I lived in deptford from 1948 till 1962 I went to tidemill school and creek manor. I remember Dr Conway, and the plane, he asked my sister who was much older than me at the time,if she would like to join him on the journey to France, but she said no as she had a boyfriend at the time, I will never forget it, she could have died as well.does anyone remember the smiths who had a fruit and veg stall in the high st. What about the new cross empire, I used to love that, me and my brother used to hide under the seats after the show and wait for the next sitting, great. Of course the fairground, I used to win lots of boxes of chocolates to take home to my mum. Did anyone go to Laurie grove swimming pool, afterwards we would get a bag of cracklings day have to walk back home cos we’d spent the bus fare, which was a penny or tuppence. I love thinking back to deptford, great memories. Love to all deptfordites. Kathy, then ( Hall ). X

Kathy said...

Sorry I forgot to say, I also remember Rosie Amis who used to sing in the Robin Hood, I was too young to go in , but I used to peek through the off licence.X Kathy.

Unknown said...

My parents had the Leicester show shop in the High St. We all left for Australia in 1964. Mum and dad are no longer with us and I am now 83. Ron Bloom.

Tony said...

I lived in Deptford from 1942 to 1974. My great uncle Abraham Mandelstam owned the Prince Regent pub in High Steet from 1911 to 1934.i went to John Evelyn primary school.

Ashleydavis said...

Is barry amis or Michael amis still around they used to go to st astins?

John Purdie said...

my name is John purdie. I was Johnny Purdies Son. My dad used to own the fish shop in deptford high street.

I used to go there maybe every other weekend and loved it. always felt so grown up being there around all the other market traders. Alec and Bibby was my fathers uncle and Aunt.

Used to always sleep in the smoker out the back when it was cold with all the Haddocks hanging above my head.

Miss those days.

Anonymous said...

Hi does anybody remember Staples green grocers my family had two shops in the high street for years also my great grand father use to box up on blackheath when they use to have the big travelling Fair up there.

Anonymous said...

I used to live in Mermaid Tower in the 70's and attended St Joseph's primary school. Memories of living in Deptford as a black child is a bit of a mixed bag. Lots of freedom, loved the fairs, cheap sweets and the green grocers would give us fruit for free, however we were often beaten-up, spat on and called racist names by many of the white kids from the estate.

Unknown said...

Absolutely remember him, I understand he left a fortune when he passed away 🤷‍♂️

Unknown said...

Hello, my grandparents were Edward and Louisa Staples and they had a greengrocers in Deptford.

Anonymous said...

My favourite place was manzies .ple and mash shop .my nan used to take me regularly she used to get me 2pie and mash .seems impossible that I could have eaten it .I was always fascinated by the man who baked the pies .he stood bolt upright with a large waxed moustache

Unknown said...

Yes i was 10 in1958 snd my gran said i must never go there. Which is i didn't to frightrned of my nan

Anonymous said...

Wasn’t there 2 brothers called Dr. Conway working in the same surgery. I remember 1 of them did die in a plane crash

Anonymous said...

That’s so sad

Anonymous said...

Looking for info about 32a Deptford High Street; believed to be the site of the old green where the annual fairground used to set up. Opposite, there used to be a tobacconist shop. I am looking for info on both.
My Gran ran the tobacconists shop & grandad ran the shooting range at the fairground.

Anonymous said...

I remember Charlie the tramp I was living in napier Street from 1958 till 1968 when the street was going to be demolished

Carole Pridmore (nee Fever) said...

I lived at 54 Napier Street up until 1968 too which was directly opposite the old Police Station. We used to play in the coal bunker - very health & safety conscious. Went to St Joseph's School and definitely remember Charlie. Good times.