Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Memories of childhood in wartime Harringay
Welcome to a new member of HOL, Pat Stuart, who has shared these evocative memories of a childhood in wartime Harringay
At 80 years, so pleased to discover this site.
I was born in January 1936, our family lived in a flat above Disney stores in Green lanes.
Early recollections are outbreak of war causing our front windows to be criss crossed with sticky brown paper to protect from blast. This made my view of the trolley bus and other passing traffic difficult to watch as they passed below.
Finsbury Park had huge grey barrage ballons that looked to me like huge floating elephants in the sky helping to keep enemy bombers away. There was also a big gun that I was told was named Big Bertha. During raids my brother and I sat on our flats staircase and felt safe when we heard the big gun.
Later on our family moved to St Ann's road into a ground floor flat of a block called Salisbury Mansions and I started school in Woodlands Park School Infants, later the Junior School whose entrance was at the rear of the buildings. On the way to school was a little bakery on the corner I think of Etherley Road where I could, once a week, buy a sticky bun for a farthing, my weekly treat.
Many children were unfortunate to catch ringworm and we were sent to the clinic in Chestnut Park where treatment was to be announced with gentian violet, sent back to school with violet markers to let all know our plight. I had ringworm on the head and when evacuated with the school in 1941 was completely bald.
For a time, many children were brought home for various reasons and I was one of a number who as schools all closed had the freedom to roam . We got up to many tricks and called ourselves the Chestnut Park gang. Hardly any cars meant the roads were our playground until the powers that be gathered us all up and got the school on again.
The Ever Ready factory in St Ann's road was bombed and our flat windows blew in and glass cut through our parents eiderdown and mattress. Luckily mum and I were in the Morrison shelter and had only few cuts to show for our adventure. My dad and brother were on duty that night dad as ARP warden and John as messenger. Dad was also in the Auxiliary Fire Service and was part of team who saved St Paul Cathedral's when it was hit. The blitz decided my parents that it would be safer to go to sleep in the underground shelter in Manor House tube and I have many memories of those nights .
Just a few memories stirred.
No doubt I'll have more to add as I lived in Harringay until I married in 1954. Good to have a spot for my recall of those times.
Tags for Forum Posts: world war two
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Edward Constable on
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Hi Michael,
Thanks for making this site so interesting, and for giving people the opportunity to relive there Memories of days gone by. So here goes another memory for me, in the Days of Harringay. I'm not quite sure of the Date, but I think it was between 1947 and 1949. There was a " Riot " at the Harringay Greyhound Race Track, one Saturday Night. Apparently one of the Greyhounds that was in a Race, suddenly slipped sideways and got caught in the Hares mechanism. The Race continued while the Dog was struggling, at which point he died. The crowd on seeing this, all went berserk and started to attacked the Tote Building and anything to do with the Race Organisers. What they couldn't smash they set on Fire,. Police and the Fire Brigade eventually arrived, but by that time there was a Large number of Buildings on fire.
This was the first night my Father and Mother never went, thank there lucky Stars, because they were regular goers to the Dog track, amongst may other Tracks in and around London. I use to listen every Saturday Night to the roar of the crowed at the start of each Races, I think every one who lived right next to the Track, must of been completely Deaf ha!ha!
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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The thanks need to go to Hugh and Liz who keep this site going!
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Much later than this Eddie, in 1984 when I moved here, my neighbour Nancy used to work at the dog track. At the end of the races she'd walk back home to Warham Road with the night's takings in a bag. Nancy was a tiny woman and in her early 70s when I first met her, but feared no one! You always knew when she was on her way back because she'd sing hymns at the top of her voice while she walked up the street.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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You mean this riot? It happened again ten years later.
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Hi Hugh,
I thought he ment another Riot, but, I think he ment, " He moved to Harringay in 1984 !!!!!!!!! " And as for Nancy carrying the Nights Takings Home, she must have been built like a brick Sh/ house and twice as Strong. ha!ha!
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Did you see my links to the old newspaper articles. Was one of those 'your' rout?
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No I did not see any links, you are talking about ??????
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Click the blue text in my post two above. "this riot" and "it happened again"
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Thanks for that information regarding the 2 Riots at the Harringay Dog Track. This is News to me, because I only remember the 1946 one, though I thought it was between 1947 to 1949. Also my account of what happen was slightly off the mark, no dogs were killed, but that was the story I heard, mind you, I was only 11 years old at the time. I can never remember Newspapers in our house,we didn't even have a Wireless.My Mother was flat out putting food on our table,which consisted of potatoes cabbage and carrots, all mashed up on bread. The 1957 Riot, I was working away most of that year, so never heard of the trouble at the Harringay Race Track. Sorry for not getting my facts right.
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Thanks Pat and Eddie.
Pat, I've added the Harringay Racers lyrics you shared on another post for posterity. Do you happen to remember what the tune was?
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