Titanic Connections out of the Past
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
5 THE ARCHER Out of the Past JANUARY 2001 By Jessie Tanner (formerly Jessie Crook) who now lives in Bishop’s Stortford. An article by Robert Kent set me thinking about East Finchley traders of my youth -1930s - 1940s. How well I remember Bradshaw’s departmental store, next to the Black Bess cafe. Opposite, little single-storey shops included Myers, a general stores, and a cobblers where I lost a pair of shoes when the landmine fell. I remember visiting Gibbs the other was Andrews, the black wheel rims. I had much with my father to buy garden chemist. This shop has had the enjoyment from this bicycle, annuals, shopping at Gammons same name for as long as I riding out to Barnet, Potters with war-time ration books can remember, but the Phoenix Bar and Northaw. for groceries, and queueing was known as the Rex. I hope these memories will at the Co-op for our meat At Lacy’s I bought my first mean something to older East ration and weekly corned beef “big bicycle”, a BSA, with Finchley inhabitants, and cause allocation. wartime-black handlebars and them too to “dream awhile”. Monthly sweet rations were spent in the shop next-door to Gibbs. (My best buy was Fry’s Take a LEAP “Five Boys”, chocolate bars Barnet Council is set to take a leap forward in its with little boys’ faces on the wrappers.) community involvement in arts and cultural activities During the war, we went by becoming a founder member of a London-wide once a week to the British arts company. Restaurant in the Methodist The council will join The LEAP aims to raise achieve- Church Hall, or eked out rations London Education Arts Part- ment in the arts, develop policy with Market Place fish and nership (LEAP) alongside 14 frameworks for arts in educa- chips. other London boroughs and tion, promote links between the Sunday tea was graced joining the company will cost arts in and beyond school, and the council only £100. The Cottage in Cockfosters. Photo by Daphne Chamberlain with “fancies” from Rances, aid community development. the bakers on the corner of Kitchener Road. (I liked iced Titanic frogs best.) We also bought from Hahn’s, the master baker further along the High Road. HAPPY 2001 On one corner of Bedford from Connections Road was a stone-mason, and on the other the printers of By Daphne Chamberlain the Finchley Press. Creasey, DOMESTIC COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY Why a picture of a house in Cockfosters? Well, 2nd a well-known trading family, Officer Lightoller of the Titanic ran a chicken farm owned the greengrocers on 112 High Road, East Finchley, London N2 9EB 020 8442 0660 here. That was before he took Sundowner, his 60-foot one corner of Huntingdon yacht, to Dunkirk, to rescue 127 soldiers. Road. On the other stood His crew were his son, Roger, the memorable night in a local the United Dairy shop, next and Gerald Ashcroft, a young newspaper. to Bryson’s, stationer and The Manor sea-scout. Sundowner is still It’s doubtful whether newsagent. (Mr Bryson was a Health and Leisure going strong and in November “Lights” met either of them, but Mayor of Finchley.) M Maurice Kanarek told us how during the 1930s he drove his There was Pryce Bevan, w Fitness classes he saw her with Lightoller’s vanloads of eggs and chickens the butcher, and the Corn w Beauty clinic grandson among the Dunkirk to local shops, to Sainsbury’s, Chandler, which sold loose Sauna & steam rooms veterans. and even up to Fortnum and biscuits from glass-topped tins w Lightoller could hardly have Mason’s. along the counter, birdseed and w Swimming pool & spa been more different from his His chief interest, though, was dog biscuits. (No such thing as w Ladies & unisex gyms portrayal in the James Cameron Sundowner, which he moored at tinned pet food!) w Licensed café film. He started on sailing-ships Burnham-on-Crouch.She wasn’t The post office was within Crèche facilities as a 14-year-old apprentice, just for pleasure, either. Before another grocers (Dowlens, I £55 off w was shipwrecked four times, World War II, he took her and think), with an old wooden dabbled in the Yukon gold-rush his wife for a cruise around the floor and a public telephone membership and spent a little time as a Wild German coast for a bit of official - unique for its round extra on presentation of this advert West cowboy. espionage. earpiece for a second person He became a Naval com- After the war, in which two to “listen in”. mander in World War I, and of his sons were killed, he Cottons, elastic, vests, parted company acrimoniously opened a boatyard in Chiswick, knickers and liberty-bodices You are welcome to come in, look with White Star shipping line where he died in 1952. came from Battersby’s; jump- around and discover a new lifestyle in the early 1920s. After a The Cockfosters house, ers, skirts, men’s trousers Opening times: spell helping out in his wife’s called “The Cottage”, is oppo- and hats from Glover’s. I Monday - Friday 7 am - 11 pm Luxury health & fitness boarding-house, and eventually site a pub in Games Road, think Glover’s also provided a Saturday & Sunday 8 am - 9 pm becoming a multiple landlord, just off Chalk Lane. Graham gentlemen’s hairdresser. at affordable prices he arrived in Cockfosters. Not Dallin, Local History Librarian Sainsbury’s, with old-style The Manor Health and Leisure, a place with strong nautical at Enfield, would like to see a marble counters and marble 140 Fortis Green, Muswell Hill, London N10 3EF. connections, you might think, blue plaque put up there. mosaic floor, competed with Call now on: 020 8883 0500 but the Titanic’s electric light- Meanwhile, many thanks to Williams Brothers on either ing system had come from the Mr Dallin for identifying the side of Fortis Green. Cleaning Services Offered Ediswan factory in Ponders house and supplying the local In the window of the nearby Reliable and efficient domestic cleaning, ironing, garden clearances. End. Also in Ponders End was information. dry-cleaners, a young lady Also office cleaning on request a fellow Titanic survivor, Mr You can read Lightoller’s mended ladders in precious Oxenham, a tram-driver, who life-story in “Titanic Voy- nylon stockings. Refs supplied. Ring on 020 8883 8925 had been trying to emigrate ager”, by Patrick Stenson, On one corner of Barons- SOIL to America. In Winchmore published by Halsgrove Endur- mere Road, a shop sold instru- Hill, another survivor, Hugh ance Productions, ISBN ments and sheet music. On SEEDS Mike, Tricia & Jimmy welcome you to Woolner, wrote his account of 1-874448-81-7. Nouveau Décor flowers by HAPPY 2001 Antique Furniture Josephine’s from Sales•Repairs•Reupholstery 58/60 High Road, East Finchley PRICKETT & ELLIS TOMKINS Soft Furnishing Service London N2 Curtains•Bedspreads•Blinds GARDEN Estate Agents, Surveyors & Valuers SUNDRIES Tel: 020 8883 3598 & 020 8444 9569 020 8883 0755 36 High Road, East Finchley, London N2 9PJ 020 8883 0033 EST 35 Years PLANTS 2001Jan05.indd 1 06/01/01, 22:52.