I'm looking for any information/photographs reflecting life in Pender Street (off Deptford Church St and Berthon St), particularly between the two World Wars, and wondered whether any one on Old Deptford might be able to help.
My father grew up at 25 Pender Street between 1920 and 1937 with his younger sister and, early on, with an older married sister and her husband who lodged there. For some of this time, his mother (my grandmother) worked as a charwoman at theRachel McMillan Nursery which Dad also attended from age 3 to 9 before transferring to the Clyde Street School for Boys.
Dad later described the area as 'a dreadful slum area by the Thames' and, with no other financial support (as far as I know), it must have been a poverty-stricken up-bringing. How my grandmother managed to keep the family together and a roof over their heads in such circumstances I can't imagine so any insight into day-to-day life at that time would be fascinating, or any recollections at all.y
Dad did record some of his experiences many years later and recalled these names among his nursery schoolmates - Katie Seymour, Dorothy Amstead, Hilda Court, the Fergusons, the Rossiters and Bertie Shear. So perhaps these might ring a few bells?
Any feedback would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
Christopher Snowden
5 comments:
My grandmother lived at 19 Pender Street and her first child was born there in 1922. I don't know how long she lived there because a number of her other children were born in Mary Ann Buildings, so I am not much help sadly. I was looking to see if there was a photo of Pender street that I could add to my Ancestry file. My Nan's surname was Symonds
I also went to Rachel McMillan nursery .. remember the sandpit , singing 'here we go round the mulberry bush' and having a daily nap in their beds prior to parents coming to pick up - they put beds outside in the summer sometimes when it was hot.
My grandmother and parents lived at 15 Pender Street until it was due to be demolished. Their family name was Cowburn. I also went to McMillan nursery. My grandmothers name was Alice Cowburn and she had 5 boys.
My Dad, Ron Richards (now in his 80s) spent his early years living with his Mum and Dad, Alice and Alfred Richards at 23 Pender Street, Deptford. My Dad also attend Rachel McMillan Nursery and Creek Road Infants School before going to Frankham Street School.
I lived at 17 Pender Street from 1959 to 1963. Stan and Vera Cowburn were our neighbours. I attended Rachel Macmillan nursery and then Clyde Street school. We were moved from Pender Street as part of the slum clearance to Mottingham. My dad was born in Berthon Street. Our family name was Blackmore.
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