Park Chapel, Crouch Hill

Comment by Peter Brooks on August 20, 2023 at 10:48

 We lived in Coleridge Road in the early 70s and I remember going to the playgroup that was held in the Park Chapel on Friday mornings. My Sister and Brother were already at school so it was just little 4 year old me and the reassuring hand of mum. I like to think my mum took me there to help me socialise as I was quite a shy boy but maybe it was so she could get a break from a very boisterous boy for at least one morning a week.

 I used to enter via the big daunting arched door that faces up Crouch Hill. I remember the old historic smell that comes with a building of its age, old wood and stale air comes to mind. I had never been in a Chapel or building of that size before so I was well impressed but the lack of light, heat and echo from my footsteps made me nervous. There was nothing to fear as the lady who held the group was very pleasant, shame I can’t remember her name. To the left of the big door if my memory serves me correctly was a piano. A little further into the Chapel and I was greeted by 8 other children all sitting in a circle on chairs. Songs and games, the usual theme for a playgroup and for refreshments I remember being given orange squash and ginger biscuits.
 If the weather was good we would walk through the Chapel to a door that lead to a small play area. In the image above the play area was to the left of the gentleman with both hands on his hips wearing a white shirt. There were and still are gates that ran parallel to Crouch Hill, I would look through them to hopefully catch a glimpse of mum if she was out shopping or going to Flares hairdressers on the hill. On the odd occasion I did, she would make her way to me and check if I was ok or was it possibly to check I was behaving myself. Most probably the later.

 Just a little memory snippet that this image provoked.

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