Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Wightman Road 190&something and not a thing has changed...

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Comment by StephenBln on February 15, 2011 at 14:34: Gas Lighting.. The typical TBC Tottenham dark green and yellow gas standard can be seen on this photo:

http://www.harringayonline.com/photo/844301:Photo:5919?context=albu...

Comment by John D on February 15, 2011 at 14:35: Re: Horse manure - since the road going off to the left is Warham Rd, no doubt Lady Elizabeth had contacted the Equine Evacuate Enforcement team who immediately sent round a man with a shovel.

Comment by Liz on February 15, 2011 at 14:38: We had lovely roses back then...

Comment by StephenBln on February 15, 2011 at 14:43: Liz, you laugh, but there was stiff competition for the manure and many a housewife would feel like ' a queen for a day' because the coalman's horses had done a load outside her house.

The property boundaries stretched out to the middle of the road in those days and woe betide anyone who nicked somebody else's .. My grandmother had a brush and shovel waiting and ready in the hallway..

Comment by StephenBln on February 15, 2011 at 14:52: and something else... there was competition on who had the most spotless doorstep and the tiles up to the doorway would be polished red. The hallway was also so polished and slippery that you daren't step on the runner (mat) else you went arse over tits.. (sic)

Comment by Eleanor Ward on February 15, 2011 at 15:31: This is great. I've just found out that my dad's grandfather moved from Shoreditch to Wightman Road when he was a child (the whole family packed up and moved into adjoining houses!), but had already married and moved to Palmers Green by 1908...

Comment by doreen russell on February 16, 2011 at 13:44: My two aunts and uncles lived in 125 from the 30's until my last aunt died in 2000. I have many happy memories as most of my childhood was spent there because one had the bottom flat and the other had the top flat so we all used to gather there at xmas etc. I have pictures of me and my brother at the V Day celebrations when the whole street was closed off. Ahh happy days.

Comment by Liz on February 16, 2011 at 13:54: Doreen, is there any chance of sharing those photos of V Day on Wightman Road with us? We would absolutely love to see them!

Comment by doreen russell on February 16, 2011 at 20:34: yes will get my son to put them on for me asp. I was recalling my aunts kitchen which was the basement of 125 that had the old range in it. It had a very low ceiling and had concrete floor and brick walls (no wallpaper) and it was huge. I realise now I am older that it must have been where the staff did all the cooking and washing for the household years ago. It always fascinated me as a child.

Comment by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on February 17, 2011 at 11:07: Indeed (as Liz has redirected me from the Slough of Polluted Despond I was up to my neck in last evening) this is a road as a road is meant to be, a pleasing vista rising fittingly at daybreak towards the Xanadu pleasure dome that is the OAE Residence in the distance (right).

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