Early shopping memories (oral history)
Tea cakes and memories
[Where did you move from ?]
Shepherds Bush. Well, coming out of Notting Hill – Portobello Road – that was our shopping centre.
I came out in 1950, 7th January. I remember it all, my baby was 5 months old and she’s 62 now.
(Oh no !!).
In April she’ll be 62 so I’ve been out here for 60 odd years.
[Were there shops here when you moved in ?]
No, nothing. Mr. Barker came with his big van .. it was a big van and it was green and it was Barkers and he used to come Wednesday and Friday. We used to queue up and get our bit of shopping. I used to go over the Carpenders Park .. go under the tunnels and get my shopping there because there was nothing.
But I registered … because you were still on rations … I registered over at Perks then … over at Carpenders Park . I used to get my shopping then .. a few bits that you could get.
[You still had your ration book ?]
Oh yes. You had to have ration books then.
[How long did the ration books go on for ?]
About 1954 I think. Every week we all 4 of us walked with our babies to Watford with the buggy .. the pram, you know…
[What, you walked all the way to Watford ?]
Walked all the way and back.
[Oh my goodness ? That must have taken a very long …]
Well we sat in Bushey Park and had a drop of lemonade … we was all young and silly you know as we was. We were happy and .. I loved it.
[So you liked it .. after you moved here you liked it here.]
Oh yes, I loved it.
[What do you think is the best thing about living here then ?]
The friendliness and our little clubs .. I love it here .. I don’t want to live anywhere else.
[How long have you been coming to the Clitheroe Club .. here .. how long have you been coming to this club.]
Oooh God (!)… when it first opened .. years now .. 40 odd.
[Yes … and you come for the bingo ?]
We used to come to different (things) but I don’t bother now. There used to be all different things.
[Yes .. now you just come to the bingo now?]
Yes. And I was always in Oxhey Drive .. 60 odd years in Oxhey Drive … supposed to have had my knee done but I’ve cancelled it. [Oh dear!]
Silly fool .. but never mind … 86 next week.
[You’re wearing well]
Thankyou !
[So, how has it changed here then since you first moved in ?]
It’s got friendlier … but no difference to me.
[Is there a lot of new building .. a lot of new houses.]
Well there was no shops or nothing when I came here .. nothing.
Add your comment about this page
I remember Mr Barker’s van, as a kid. He used to come to Farm Way in Bushey. It was a long removal van, as you walked in there was green grocery and tins down the end, and sweets. It smelt of vegetables. It seemed huge as a kid, massive, like an Aladin’s cave. He was there before they built the shops in Bournehall Avenue.