Living in Laandan..

[A-Four]

Unfortunately, you are not giving enough information for me to work on. The sea cadets in the 1950's operated out of a number of docks, therefore, in the words of the great detectives, let's start at the beginning.

When you walked out of ALDGATE EAST tube station in 1950, like today, it would have been quite busy during the day and in late evening. As you walked towards your destination you would have passed certain land marks, such as a fire station, police station ? Did you notice lots of shops? (who's window would have some form of lighting) Did you pass mainly office buildings ? (therefore the street would have been much darker, as you seem to suggest in your post).

When you got to Stepney, did you take another short underground rail journey ? The reason why I ask this is because just over the river was a large docks complex, part was large areas known as Surry Docks. The rather smaller collection of docks were known as the Commercial Dock Co, however that was up to 1865, in that year they were merged to become the Surrey Commercial Docks. Having said this, I know they were often referred to as the Commercial ( or Commi) Docks.

The East End has changed an awful lot, people who look for an area called Limehouse, discover that the rail station there, along with the DLR station are called Limehouse, but in truth it's real name was East Stepney, and true Limehouse is more than half a mile down the road. For this reason I am seeking what ever memories from your walking through the East End that may help. .

P.S.- I do not visit this site every day.

[Who2]

Some of you probably met Carrie, one of my 7 Xmas guests.... 11 long months ago.
She pretty seriously nuts, but an amazing mosaica artist.

So, she has just finished a commision during lockdown, pretty cool and not too far from here.....


Ps: She bought me my very own 'blue plaque as a xmas prezzie, nice...

Pss: I have a cunning plan for a 1 month holiday for her to do her stuff, when covid ceases..

[Who2]

Just read the end of your post A4, I got nicked in Limehouse accused of stealing a lorry load of cigarettes.
At the nick they said they found shards of window glass in my coat pocket.(planted)
Their inspector belted me about a few times with his leather swagger stick, never even taking off his hat.

Later, the copper who nicked me admitted 'it was better in the warm, drinking tea than walking his beat..
I was 16 years old.ffs......take note MT...

Ps: Reading Norman Pilchers' autobiography Bent Coppers. the copper who nicked the beatles & stones..


Ps: Oh! by the way they let me go 6 hrs later..c****

[Who2]

Haircut day today avec camera...

First off Zetters, posh boutique hotel, I used to clean the windows when it was Zetters Football Pools.
All wooden dusty floors & tables with loads of old girls, all flipping through coupons under acetate sheets.

Then to the pop-up urinal I instigated for Fabrics 'e-heads...

It's located outside the Hope 1790, which opens at 7am for meat porters..

It's alleged that the pub was erected over the Path of Hope leading to a sanctuary church,
which condemned prisoners from Newgate Prison were led, if and a big if, they received a last minute reprieve.

Round into Charterhouse St to the now defunct Fabric Club, it used to be the old
Metropolitan Cold Store. Now or was owned by the Rileys, another... Clerkenwell crime family.


Then into the barbers, very busy and well PPE'd...

This is George from Essex, they pay and train for 9 weeks..

It's only slightly better than was Simona's.

Round the corner to Cock Lane & Pye Corner, where the great fire of London ended..

Past the tastefully named Bishops' Finger another good old boozer.


Then a slow walk through St John's Gate, where the Knights Hospitallers partied after
they stole some of The Knights Templars land & monies.


And this beautiful building Farmiloe's, was where parts of Batman and Eastern Promises was filmed.
I ran a bar next door called Vic Naylors, 2am licence where they filmed Lock Stock and Two Smoking ect.....


Then into Cafe Kick for a swift beer and then home to find my Amazon, birthday present awaiting me.
An 8ft stock whip, I've always wanted one, ever since I watched a Red Indian at a circus aged 6..
I've only waited 56 years for one...kids eh?....

Ps: I did buy 2 kilos of Pork Belly in Smithfields Mkt, and only £12 quid a snip!

[Grandad]

@@Who2
All interesting stuff Who2. Maybe I shall do a walk (well scooter ride) around my city, Canterbury, and tell you about it. My city is so small you can almost spit across the old city centre but it is highly ranked as a visitor destination, probably for its association with the Anglican church and also the martyrdom of Thomas Becket.
I have two observations from your last post Who:
Firstly we also have a Bishops Finger pub just down the road from where I live.

20180323 The Bishops Finger.jpg

And secondly, I love pork belly and my missus bought some at M & S yesterday

[newcastle]

@Grandad

Your Bishops Finger is closer to the original source of the name....the finger shaped signs that used to point the way for pilgrims to Canterbury. As you say....the scene of the martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket.

[Grandad]

@A-Four

Unfortunately, you are not giving enough information for me to work on. The sea cadets in the 1950's operated out of a number of docks, therefore, in the words of the great detectives, let's start at the beginning.

A-Four, we weren't associated in any way with docks but late forties/early fifties, as sea cadets, we had quite a few opportunities that other kids didn't get. I spent a short spell on a submarine on exercise's in the channel; a week on HMS Dido where I gained my gunnery qualification, a day on HMS Portchester during filming of The Cruel Sea, my first flight and my trips to Hamburg.
What I remember most about going to Hamburg, so soon after WWII, was the devastation of the city and in particular the ship yards on the Elbe with all their gantries twisted and bent. The police all caried side arms which I do remember as being somewhat intimidating. There was another cadet from another unit on board with me and we travelled by river bus from the ship to the city. I have always been quite tall and DO remember being propositioned by a prostitute on a ferry.....perhaps unwisely I declined....there has to be a first time for everything
But back to my quest. It was 70 years ago so the memory is a bit vague. I am now piecing my thoughts together and realise that I had been advised to take the tube to Aldgate East then walk along Commercial Road for about a mile to a road leading to Regents Canal dock. Stepney Green would have been closer but as a young lad I guess it was thought better to take the route suggested. Walking along Commercial Road (A13) I think I recall there being a number of 'Rag Trade' manufacturing establishments.
Anyhow, looking at Regents Canal dock today on Google, it doesn't look a bit like it did around 1950.
Thanks for your help A-Four
And sorry to hog your thread Who2

[newcastle]

@Grandad

The Regents Canal Dock would, prior to 1969 have serviced sea- going vessels so could well have been your destination.

It looks as if the guesswork in my earlier post on the subject was correct as the Regents Canal Dock transformed into what is now the Limehouse Basin.

That was a fair walk from Aldgate East! Stepney Green tube station wouldn’t have been much easier.

There’s some interesting history and photos of the dock here :

https://isleofdogslife.wordpress.com/20 ... use-basin/

[Grandad]

@newcastle
Thanks for that Newcastle and the link was most interesting. Strange how just talking about past experiences can bring back memories that have layed dormant in ones mind for many years. I can now quite vividly remember the ship. It was a coaster type vessel of around 2,500 tons. Something else that has surfaced in my mind is the fact that the crew were involved in contraband. They would take bags of coffee and hide them under coal in the small coal bunker. The ship would be inspected before unloading in Hamburg and there were tense moments hoping the customs would not search the coal bunker.
The Germans were desperate for their coffee and beans were just not available.
On the return trip, if we were carrying something interesting, a small 'sample' would find its way under the coal.

[A-Four]

Grandad I pleased you got this sorted and to give you further proof your 'Dock' was infact exactly what you called it, but times change, like I wrote earlier, Limehouse is certainly not in this area, even though the DLR station, main line rail station (C2C) along with the 'Dock' are all called Limehouse, where infact it's ALL part of Stepney.

Up until 1930 the Limehouse Basin, as it's called today, was an open Dock with no bonded warehouses, and known as Limehouse Dock, but this often caused confusion with another small Dock at the western end West India Dock. Therefore, because the old railway with three arch viaducts that ran just above the Dock where you was, until again 1930 was called The Commercial Railway, it later changed its name to the London and Blackwall Railway, though all the old dockyard workers always called it the Commercial, and yes, the small Dock also was known locally as the Commercial (or Commi) Dock. This Dock, along with the railway closed in 1968.

For many years I kept a house in York Square, which is across the road from this place, and over the years watched as all the new development took shape. I should note that I am most grateful to an old friend who's father and grandfather worked in that very Dock help to bring this information for you,.........and who knows, one of them could have met you. .

[Who2]

Well Grandad, Shepherd Neame is a Kent Brewery based I believe in Faversham.
When at catering college in Ramsgate, I went out with a young lady whose name was Cobb.
Her family owned a brewery in Margate....

[Grandad]

I DO remember the name, Cobbs Brewery, Who2. Apparently Whitbread took it over in 1968 (re wiki) and closed it that year. Buy out and shut down the competition I suppose.
Yes, Shepherd Neame is in Faversham and claim to be the oldest brewery in the country. One of their ales is called 'Spitfire' and the county cricket ground here in Canterbury is now called The Spitfire Ground.
Here we go again, triggered memories. 1948 Australias UK tour, I watched Sir Donald when they played Kent at The Spitfire Ground which was then St Lawrence Cricket Ground.

With help from A-four and newcastle I have pieced together my memory of walking Commercial Road in 1950. Thanks to you both and I will now let Who2's thread get back on track.

[Grandad]

@@Who2
Ramsgate catering college eh? Didn't happen to be there when, the late, Gary Rhodes was at the college???

[newcastle]

@@Who2
Ramsgate catering college eh? Didn't happen to be there when Gary Rhodes was at the college???

Not unless they were taking “mature students “

[Who2]

1967, I doubt it but I probably left my mark.......

[Grandad]

Miserable day here in the South East so maybe Who2 will not be taking a Sunday walk and adding interesting pictures and comments, so, as it will be dropped from the current active list today I would like to keep this thread in prominence.
Around 1959/60 we lived in Harrow and I worked out at Colnebrook. A popular Sunday afternoon trip was out to Heathrow, then only a fraction of todays airport. It was very open access and we would go to the observation level of The Queens Building and watch the aircraft. This is a snap from that time when passengers often walked across the apron to their aircraft.
In the top left corner of the picture is what I believe to be a Vickers Viscount, lovely little four engined turbo prop aircraft. Of particular interest to me because as an engineering apprentice I did machine work on undercarriage parts for that aircraft........and happy to say they had an excellent flying record
How things and planes have changed......

19590000 Heathrow from Queens Building.jpg

[BBLUX]

That took me back Grandad. I first flew out of Heathrow to Malta in 1968 in a Vickers Vanguard which was the successor to the Viscount. I do remember it as rather noisy and shaky.

[carrie]

Shepherd Neame, once had it in Canterbury. I liked the sound of the name. Once tasted never forgotten, UGH.

[Grandad]

Shepherd Neame, once had it in Canterbury. I liked the sound of the name. Once tasted never forgotten, UGH.

They've been brewing at Faversham since 1698 Carrie so they must be getting something right.

[carrie]

No doubt Grandad but if it doesn't taste like Baileys it's UGH!
Very limited palette don't you know.