"Chris Smith................what an absolutely brilliant post. Loved it. I've only just seen it. But you finding photos of your late dad was truly the pot of gold at end of rainbow. Having few photos of my own father I can…"
Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
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Chris Smith
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- Goldhanger, Essex
- United Kingdom
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Chris Smith's Groups
Chris Smith's Discussions
63 Pemberton Road - Tracking Down My Family History
Started this discussion. Last reply by Angela Nov 25, 2019. 13 Replies 0 Likes
Stop the Violence in Gaza
Started this discussion. Last reply by tigha Jan 20, 2009. 17 Replies 0 Likes
Formative Years in Harringay
Latest Activity
"Hi Chris. I've found two entries for your ancestor in the appointment books from 1905 and 1907 but there's almost no additional information apart from his name. I have found his WW1 papers, again not a lot of information and…"
"You're definitely right about his job potentially being a "reserved occupation", but if it wasn't (or even if it was and he chose to go to war), he might have served - conscription was introduced in 1916 for men aged 18 to 40,…"
"My great-great-grandfather was 34 at the time of the census so may not have served. His occupation was Electrical Instrument Examiner for the Post Office so he may well have been kept back to continue in his trade.
Thank you very much for keeping an…"
"No problem. I will need your great grandfather's name and DOB though - I'll send you a connection request."
Profile Information
Formative Years
I lived in a top floor flat above what was then Lilley & Skinner shoe shop on Grand Parade, Green Lanes from about 1 yr old to the age of 10 (1955 - 1965). I remember trolley buses, the first 'pelican' pedestrian crossing almost outside our door, the sound of dogs and cars and the roar of the crowd from Harringay Stadium, watching the smoke and steam from the trains from our kitchen window. I also remember hearing screaming arguments from up the road, which I later learned was Barbara Windsor and her husband/boyfriend.
I started school at the infants on the corner of St. Ann's Rd and Black Boy Lane and then went to junior school around the corner. On our sweet money, my brother and I used to catch the bus to Wood Green and back without my mothers knowledge and considered it a great adventure.
I started school at the infants on the corner of St. Ann's Rd and Black Boy Lane and then went to junior school around the corner. On our sweet money, my brother and I used to catch the bus to Wood Green and back without my mothers knowledge and considered it a great adventure.
Chris Smith's Images
Chris Smith's Blog
I just had to share this ....
Posted on April 1, 2009 at 23:00 26 Comments 1 Like
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MY FRIENDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 1930's 1940's, 50's, 60's and early 70's !
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese, raw egg products, loads of bacon and processed meat, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes or…
I've often wondered ....
Posted on December 16, 2008 at 0:36 3 Comments 5 Likes
For various reasons I haven't seen my dad's face for 35 years. He's been dead since 1974 and I have no photographs. I've often wondered.
Joining this site brought back so many memories and deepened my curiosity and to cut a long story short I managed to get in touch with my dad's sister last week and visited this weekend. I haven't seen my aunt and uncle since my dad died either.
Yesterday I came home with an armful of photographs of my father and I haven't stopped looking… Back to Harringay Online
Joining this site brought back so many memories and deepened my curiosity and to cut a long story short I managed to get in touch with my dad's sister last week and visited this weekend. I haven't seen my aunt and uncle since my dad died either.
Yesterday I came home with an armful of photographs of my father and I haven't stopped looking… Back to Harringay Online
More Memories of Living in Harringay in the 50's and 60's
Posted on October 19, 2008 at 20:30 21 Comments 0 Likes
It's been quite amazing for me since signing up to Harringayonline. I have always had a lack of memories about school, particularly, in London and I have trouble picturing friends and classmates but I've been regaining memories I thought were lost to me. Partly, it's because I'm writing about them here and exercising my memory anyway. But it's also about feeling re-connected to a place I left behind a long time ago. The responses to my blog posts and to my discussion have been warm and… Back to Harringay Online
Disney Mews?
Posted on October 16, 2008 at 14:30 5 Comments 0 Likes
I see from one of the many aerial maps that the little cut-in off Chesterfield Gardens, behind the flats I lived in, is called 'Disney Mews' (Yuk!). Has it always been called that? I don't remember it being called anything in my day.
I was also sad to see the tree that held our washing line has gone. I guess it would have been pretty ancient by now. I remember it being taller than the flats about 40 years ago. Pigeons used to nest in it and we would watch the development of the baby… Back to Harringay Online
I was also sad to see the tree that held our washing line has gone. I guess it would have been pretty ancient by now. I remember it being taller than the flats about 40 years ago. Pigeons used to nest in it and we would watch the development of the baby… Back to Harringay Online
Harringay Community
Posted on October 15, 2008 at 21:22 2 Comments 0 Likes
Although I haven't lived in Harringay for over 40 years I still feel an affinity with the place. I guess it's because it's where I first went out on my own to explore the world as a young boy. In those days we were out playing in the 'Gardens' on our own on the proviso we checked back now and again to let mum know everything was OK. This entailed going to the back of the flats and calling up to the third floor, "Mu-uuum". She would throw open the window and tell us either to come in for tea or… Back to Harringay Online
Comment Wall (8 comments)
- At 10:17 on January 12, 2009,
Emma said…
- Thanks Chris. I will certainly use the comments from your post. Please can you also let me know your age and where you live? If you don't wish to post this information on Harringay Online, my email address is emma.youle@archant.co.uk.
All the best,
Emma
- At 0:47 on December 17, 2008,
Hugh said…
- Glad you liked it Chris. (Great film too!)
- At 17:59 on December 16, 2008,
Arthur Astrop said…
- Well done, Chris. Even at my advanced age I still continue to be astonished from time to time at what drifts to the surface of the thing I laughingly call my memory. And HoL with its comments from so many people I've never met, and almost certainly never will (because I live in Warwickshire), has acted as a splendid 'prompter'. Keep writing. Meanwhile, have a good Christmas.
Arthur Astrop
- At 16:55 on December 12, 2008,
- Chris,
Agree with everything you say regarding recapruting memories. And I was born in Harringay in 1923, and left it for good in 1933, when my family moved to Surrey ! But I never really forgot my 10 years in and around Wightman Rd, Green Lanes etc etc. I too have found the responses to my few contributions to HoL most warming.
Best wishes,
Arthur Astrop
- At 9:04 on October 25, 2008,
Flower said…
- Welcome Chris .. it's good to read your memories of Harringay. The other night Barbara Windsor was depicted on tv here in Sydney in "Who do you think you are?" and I thought, "I know something they don't" Fascinating!
- At 16:50 on October 16, 2008,
Liz said…
- Thanks Chris, you are most welcome.
Hugh has written extensively on the area especially the Arena and Stadium on wikipedia (link on the group) and we both are very keen to get people to contribute their memories/photos etc to ensure they are not forgotten. We find that people are fascinated by the words and pics on the site and that it triggers all kinds of memories for people.
Liz
- At 23:23 on September 29, 2008,
StephenBln said…
- I was at Woodlands until 1965.. The Indian teacher... I think she was the only non-english teacher at that time.. I seem to remember that the classrooms were repainted the teachers/children chose the colours.. hers was a deep blue, if I remember correctly.
- At 22:37 on September 29, 2008,
- hello Chris, have just read your little bio above. Did Babs Windsor really live round here? That's a brill snippet of info!
Liz
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