computedshorty

We welcome you to Dawson's Heights, it is high enough to see out, over the sights. There is so much to see, so much on show, as long as you don't suffer from Vertigo. Look over London and see the sights, when its dusk you can see bright lights. To your flat climb the stairs or use the lift, shortly a list of friends will start to exist. If you want to find where shopping is best, there are many that will answer your request. Travelled here by Bus, Car, Plane or Train, I bet you will soon feel you want to remain.

It may be possible to live until we are a hundred, but consider a person who is not all that fit and already has many ailments that will not be cured, does that person want to live to a hundred getting worse, and being in need of care by those who does not know that person? A person living many years after retiring will be using any savings that might have been saved when that has gone belongings or property will have to be sold to keep up the standard that a person enjoyed. When all of your kin older, and far younger ones have gone, you alone are the last of the line, why would anybody wish to continue? For my part when my time limit is up whether it hurts or is peaceful does not matter as there will be no memory for me. Live for today keep fit that will be the natural way to live a long life. Do not hope that a long life is available to a person who has abused their body and expect a perfect extension of healthy life.

.

I predict that Hill Dweller will post his 100 th message in eight days, as it stands today it at 98 "oh I forgot the one that got removed " 99. Mind you you do stay up late.

Could it be the soil that you dug from the garden to plant the tree in?

This series of Upstairs Downstairs is very detailed in the rooms and fittings. My father bought a house not unlike that in 1926, I lived in it from 1931, the below stairs entered at the side of the house was defiantly the servant?s area, and the rooms were pretty bleak and dark, the top floor was the servants bed rooms bare boards and low ceilings. The first floor entered up a broad flight of stone steps through the columned arch was the masters accommodation Dining Room & formal Sitting room, the open cast iron grate and the marble fire place and the Adams style Overmantle with three glass display cabinets with the fret work in front of the glass. The double doors that when opened made a large Hall of the connecting rooms, The centre ceiling rose and Alabaster Cornish and 18 inch skirting boards and the very wide doors to the rooms, velvet curtains tied back with tassels, with an Aspidistra placed centre of window on tall stand. The Mahogany Grand Piano with ornamental carved legs, with the music stand raised and paper music sheet open, and the music stool with a folding seat where the books of music were kept, the chaise lounge and two arm chairs the six curved high backed chairs, the Gramophone cabinet where a seventy eight size record would be placed and the handle at the side wound the spring ready to play the record when the brake was taken off and the pickup arm with the steel needle placed on the revolving record, the sound came from a trumpet that could be seen when the pair of front doors were opened. The family bath room complete with a gas water heater called a Clover Gezer and flush toilet and a towel stand and small stool for getting in bath, a mirror that would become misty with the steam. The main hall with all the alabaster coving and had an arch with a sea shell under each side, the stair case had a mahogany hand rail that started with a coil unwinding up the stairs above the shaped spindles to turn at each floor level, it was possible to look up to the forth floor and see all the turns. The second floor were the main bedrooms of the family, again very grand. We as a working family only used the lower two floors, as they were the only ones furnished. Today the house would not be recognisable as it suffered a lot of damage during the war, ceilings doors windows are now replaced to a simple style. But for me in memory they are still there.

It is always an easy way to find an address, if you remember that when towns were first built the main roads leading from the centre of the Town or Village started with number one the closest radiating out the numbers got higher, and roads got added look at any one of these the lower number is nearer London. Take Dulwich Village it is in alphabetical order, Ayesgarth Rd Boxall Rd Calton Av. a little Estate all ?D? s Dekker Rd Desanfans Rd Druce Rd Dovercourt Road Eastlands Crescent. There have been new roads added and some removed so there is the few that don't comply. I used to know London very well but it has changed now and I don't get to see it.

Have you ever asked a person to direct you to a place? If it was the man sitting out side the pub it might go like this: Go up to the Plough turn left right to the end turn left at the Clock House, turn left at the Kings Arms, take the left at East Dulwich Hotel, its on the corner of the third road. This is a typical circular tour, that you don't need. So how good do you know your own area, how would you direct a person to your own home? Describe a place without giving number of house or name of road. I.E. From Goose Green roundabout along Lordship Lane, third left a hundred yards on the right what will I see? Have you stood for hours waiting for the bus looking at the shop facing? Can you describe it. Has it one door or another to the side for the upper occupants. Has it two glass windows to the shop. What colour is it painted, What is the name above. What style of sign writing How high is it two or three story's. How many windows on each floor. Is it red or yellow brick. Can you see the roof. I know you can look at it on Google earth but just test your self first before you look, then you will know if you are observant.

There will be segregation of walkers on pavements a slow lane and fast lane, the slow lane in two directions would be to the built up side allowing pedestrians to view shop windows, but as those coming in the opposite direction in the slow lane would be some distance from a shop window, and could not see past those walking slowly. The fast lane would also be two way nearer the roadside, here more caution must be taken as should any pedestrians collide with those coming toward them, they could be knocked into the road. There is the problem of slower walkers crossing the fast lane to cross the road, and the stationary Bus queue in the fast lane. No doubt the Traffic Wardens Powers will extend to issuing tickets for who violate the regulations by coming to a standstill or taking too long looking into shops. The public benches would be replaced by fold up seats to give more space and stay dry in the rain and not in use. All metal posts on pavements that display Parking Signs and Direction Pointers, will be removed and replace with a solid rubber posts that will not cause any injury to a person coming into contact with it, and it would return to its normal position without costly repairs. Cyclists using these lanes would be fined and if a persistent offender have their bicycle confiscated and crushed. Pushchairs and Buggies Wheelchairs would have be registered and have a number plate. There would be a concession on the use of Zimmer frames, these would be fitted with a Tachometer that could be read by a Traffic Warden who could assess the time that it was not in motion and have its user banned from using it.

Many years ago when the local lakes froze to about five inches thick everybody got onto the ice, at that time Dulwich Park Lake used to have 12 Rowing boats that could take two in them one rowing and the other in the rear seat, then as the winter became too cold for the boats to be hired by the hour, they were taken out of the water and taken to store at the Keepers and Groundsmen's area near the Art Gallery Gate. There was no wooden walkway over the lake at that time so the whole lake was available. The Keepers had no say in the mater of keeping anybody off the ice, as they were outnumbered by hundreds of people skating with ice skates, kids sliding and Toboggans being pulled along on the ice, the island could be explored, not very large but a secure place for the ducks when nobody could get to it. The Peckham Rye Open Air Swimming Pool that was a the Kings Arms crossroads, this has long since been demolished and grassed over, behind that in line with Whorlton Road was a large Oval Stone Pond that was used a lot by those who had built model sailing ships or steam tugs, dads would start the model from one side and the child would go to the other side to turn it back, on a windy day many of the sailing boats tipped over and would not turn upright due to the weight of the wet sails, so dad would have to take off his shoes and socks and go out and bring it back, dogs used to use the pond and would go in and drag out a sailing boat much to the anger of the owner. When this Pond froze over it was so crowded that nobody could skate. There was another pond on the Rye that was near the three way junction of Strakers Road, not so popular as the trees overhung it and it had many leaves in it, if that froze we did not like to venture on that one but a lot of people did, I think that we decided not to go on it as if we did fall through we would be about a mile from home and would get very cold walking home. That pond has now been filled in and grassed over and is a flower bed, but you can still see the Oval outline. None of these Lake or Ponds were more than eighteen inches deep. What a shame that it is no longer possible to use these, think of all those children who will never experience that.

Could it be that the build up of snow has slipped off the roof to below hitting something such as a leanto or a Bin, this could happen as there are many high houses where you live so you might hear it again.

There was a family of starlings born this year one of them looked very white it has fully grown now to be an Albino white bird. Pictures here it is in the garden this summer and in the snow.

If your main stopcock is out in the pavement and you have no key get a peice of wood about three inches wide ( seven Milimetres, and about three feet ( I Metre ) long, and Saw cut a VEE in the end, three inches ( seven milimetres )deep by four Milimetres wide, this willl act as a temporary key, turn clockwise to turn off water.

A Happy Christmas Card from Computedshorty You might need to use the zoom in, by holding down Ctrl front left corner of keyboard and Tap + ( Plus ) till you can read it.

.

Cinema at Goose Green East Dulwich. The site of the first Cinema the Pavilion, was built close to the School keepers Lodge of the adjacent school in Grove Vale SE 22, this had only a small front with two floors above possibly the managers accommodation with four Crittal galvanised window frames with very small panes of glass, it was one of the few that boasted a car park, that was next to the cinema and occupied the space up to the corner shop of Tintergel Crescent. It was sited behind high Advertising Placard Boards, these were supported by a heavy wooden structure of timbers that inclined back and took up a large part of the parking space, this did not matter as there were very few cars then. The back of the simple red bricked cinema backed onto the pavement in Tintergel Crescent, the only clue of what the building was the emergency pairs of exit doors. In the thirties it was renamed as Odeon taken from Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation, Odeon Cinemas was created in 1928 by Oscar Deutsch, the colour scheme was light green and cream, of the Art Deco architecture style. Inside the entrance was the central Cash desk to purchase your tickets a long vestibule led to the auditorium in front and the stairs to the upper circle to the right. The auditorium floor slopped down towards the screen, the cream safety curtains that were always drawn at the end of a show had a display of coloured butterflies on the lower part, to each side of the screen there was a tower on a plinth of three sections high with four green glass panels that reduced in size as they got higher and illuminated light green, and an electric clock to the right. The cinema was very popular and had two shows a week day, a main film that lasted about an hour and a half, a News Reel, and the 15 minute interval the lights came on and when the sales girl stood under the clock selling ices and sweets, still advertisement slides were shown, the seats were self folding up and when the patrons rose to go to the toilets there was a constant banging. The second half was a B movie and lasted for about an hour, then there was the showing of future films that would be coming soon. Although there were two separate shows you could come in at any time the film was showing and stay for the rerun and left when you got to the bit when you came in. Saturdays there was the Children?s Club Matinee in the morning Cowboy films, Mickey Mouse, Buck Jones Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger, Laurel & Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers, all the kids loved it and shouted like mad. When the very peak of films were available it meant that you had to stand in a queue that was inside to the left of the entrance hall, where you waited until the Commissionair dressed in his green uniform overcoat with gold braid all over it, and a peaked Military style cap with ODEON on it, he would come over and count about dozen then put his arm behind that number and let those go and purchase their ticket, Some times there were so many waiting in the queue that it led in from out side and down the side passageway, I remember waiting there several who had to wait a long time used the Public Phone Box to tell their family they would be home late. Those who walked home after, some bought chips from the fish shop in Lordship Lane and ate them direct from the broadsheet newspaper as they walked along, getting home to find that their hands were covered in black ink from the print. During this time there were some horse drawn vehicles, outside the East Dulwich Hotel was a Granite Horse Trough where the horses could get a drink, there were two lower long troughs underneath for the dogs and at one end a drinking push button to get a jet of drinking water direct to your mouth or use the Puter cup on the chain. The trams passed the Odeon, to Goose Green some went on to Dulwich Library or Forest Hill or terminated at Blackwell Tunnel, there were two branch lines, one that entered Sterling Road to allow the trams to terminate there and stay until their time of return, the other branch was used by a man changing the points for the trams to proceed to Peckham Rye then terminate at Stuart Road. Goose Green has as far as I can remember been enclosed possibly to prevent the livestock of the early days from roaming onto the roads. The Pointsmans wooden hut also acted as a passengers waiting shelter, the style reminded me of the sea side shelters on the Promenades.

I think that simplicity is what is needed, as for getting the members vetted is not in my mind needed as we are only thinking of using our already member to help each other, we must have formed an opinion of the members from their messages, and would you if offered help by one accept it. It all boils down to the Co-ordinator who should know enough about a person to send him or her to give help. A volunteer who is upset by Dog Pooh should not be asked to clear snow from the path of a known owner of dogs that drops the Pooh in the area, as there could be a confrontation. Likewise a request from a healthy young man asking to have his path cleared, as we know he only needs to get to the nearest pub. We have all formed a vision of many members Male or female, how old they are ( From Birthdays ) if they work and where they work, what their job is, their local pub, their interests and pastimes, based on this whether your assumption is correct or not, it is only what you have to go by. So a Co-ordinator must make a decision to send help that is given on the understanding that no responsibility can be taken by him for the actions of the person giving help. Take anybody what do you know of them? Take computedshorty who is he, where does he live, what does he look like, nobody has ever seen him ( or ever will for that mater ), we don't know only come to our own conclusion. What is your vision? That would be interesting. (?)

.

Just trying It does look strange when you type but it comes out OK Volunteer.....................Area of help........................Help in Snow...........Shopping............Lifts.......Visiting computedshorty...Lordship Ln Goodrich/Crystal.......Make Tea.......Store Shovels Alec John Moore zeban Pugwash ryedalema espellii caro ed Lucyd30 JS33 Sue

Several members have now put forward their readiness to help their immediate neighbours, it is a shame that nobody has come forward to make the list so that it is at least available somewhere. I have added the names of those that have indicated that they are available in an emergency only. If your name is on the list and if you are still available to help, would you copy and paste this list into a new reply and type below the heading after your name, where you are available to help and the help offered. Please add anything that might help, and any more willing add your title Volunteer.....................Area of help........................Help in Snow...........Shopping............Lifts.......Visiting computedshorty...Lordship Ln Goodrich/Crystal.......Make Tea Alec John Moore zeban Pugwash ryedalema espellii caro ed Lucyd30 JS33 Sue

Memories. Horror film. House on Haunted Hill I remember seeing this film at the Cinema at Catford 1959 we had been given a pair of 3 D. Cardboard glasses with one green and one red plastic lense these were very frail, the baddi was Vincent Price. Eccentric millionaire Fredrick Loren and his 4th wife, Annabelle, have invited 5 people to the house on Haunted Hill for a "Haunted House" party. Whoever will stay in the house for one night will earn ten thousand dollars each. As the night progresses, all the guests are trapped inside the house with ghosts, murderers, and other terrors. A guest had fallen into a vat of acid and as he struggles he was dissolved, Vincent got a long fishing rod and fished into the acid bringing out the skeleton with one yank it came out of the acid, but was sent over our heads with a spotlight shining on it, I was sitting in the circle and it came straight at me, and went over my shoulder, I think every person screamed and ducked, then it all went black after a while the film continued. At the end of the film when the light came back I could see that there was a wire from the screen to the back of the cinema, and the skeleton was just visible behind a drawn curtain.

The Cino Cinema was at 121 Lordship Lane as I remember that building was later a BATA shoe shop, with the loss of that Cinema, the Salvantion Army Hall in Shawbury Road backed onto the Old Cino, so they showed Films in their Hall, many an hour I spent there for just a Penny. The the building that replaced the Old Cino Building was in the Second World War badly damaged but it was not a Cinema then. This is the Offical Record of the incident my father was one of the Air Raid Wardens that attended this where 23 people got killed. This was a very serious V1 incident, one of the worst in South London. The V1 hit the co-op store at the corner of Northross Road in Lordship Lane. The Co-op and 6 other shops were demolished and 20 houses damaged in Lordship land and 40 in Shawbury Road. A Salvation army hall was also damaged. It is stated in ARP reports held in the public records office that damage extended across a 700 yard radius, greater than the normal blast area. This is probably due to the fact that later V1's were packed with a heavier, more deadly warhead. It was also reported that Anderson shelters in the area stood up well to the blast. Bulldozers were called in to clear the debris and one tram track was cleared by 20.30 of the same day. The whole block where the Coop stood has been re-developed with post war shops. The opposite side of Lordship Lane also shows significant signs of re-building as do houses up Shawbury Road. This is an extract from Steve a member of this website's recording the Vi & Vii Bombs. The Bata shoe company had a factory at Tilbury and as many large copmpanies they bought thier own Fire Engine and trained members of staff to man it during the war, I show the picture Below. The three siblings who ran the company one joined the army and one got married the remaining one carried on but died in a plane crash later.

If he had not won he could have tried to get the part in the coming film as Jock Strap in Loose Cannon

Number 207 Upland Road was demollished it faced onto Upland Road it was on the corner of Crebor Street, when a new terrace of houses were built they faced onto Crebor Street so I think about four houses were lost in Upland Road. I dont remember any damage in this area during the War, all I do recall was a small sweet shop near the end on the right facing Dunstans Road. Your Grandfather would have been four years older than me.

Memories. Water. I cant remember the exact date now it must have been before 1943 that?s when I left Heber Road School to go to Friern Road School facing the Rye. We had returned to Heber Road School after a holiday, during lessons there was a lot of noise in road outside, I had entered school by Jennings Road gate and did not know any of this, dinner break we went out into Heber Road to find workmen digging up the road on the school side, they were using a steam Roller with a spike fitted at the back that was lowered to dig into the tarmac Road it would go about two hundred yards ripping up the surfaces then go up and down the road making a trench about ten feet wide, A Ruston Bycrus track mounted mechanical digger then dug a trench as it reversed about twelve feet deep Lorries took half of the clay away. There were low lorries that brought long pipes I think they were about fifteen feet long and five feet wide these were black bitumen covered, they were lifted off the lorry by the mechanical digger by using two thick ropes these were lined along on the road, they filled the trench back with about a foot of small pebbles and sand, and made it level, then they brought timbers with railway lines fixed to them and put two iron gantries on the rails astride the trench, then two very thick timbers across the trench all the men pushed and rolled the pipe section across the road and onto the two timbers that spanned the trench, they then moved the gantries over each end of the pipe, there was two chain tackles that lifted the pipes off of the timbers that were taken away, the men all pushed the two gantries to position the pipe to be lowered close to the last pipe laid for connection, the pipe was lowered and levelled and eased into the other pipe by pushing the gantries along, there was a connecting strap seal, I think it was filled with hot tar. All this was fascinating to us when we played out that evening we avoided the night watchman sitting in his hut boiling the water for his tea on an open coke brazier, we climbed down the side of the trench and looked into the pipe we shouted and got a muffled echo, we decided to see how far it went we could nearly stand upright and moved along inside gradually it got darker the only light coming from where we had come in, we came upon a bend this was to the right going up Crystal Palace Road a few feet on it was pitch black, so we came back, we could not come out of the pipe as the watchman was going round lighting the red paraffin lamps that were lined all along the road where wooden three legged stands were placed with wooden poles to stop anybody falling in to the trench. I had nightmares for months about being shut in that pipe. We wondered where they had started from, so we followed the newly repaired surface back along Heber Road it went up Crystal Palace Road, along Goodrich Road to Goodrich Road School there the road had been dug up in branching ways it was not clear where it went as the road had now been laid some weeks as it had taken them all this time to get to Heber Road, it looked like the repairs went up Underhill and Langton Rise then Woodvale Benchley Gardens to the Waterworks, we had no idea if the water was going to go to or from there. So we knew where it came from but had to watch the daily progress as it was laid along Heber Road, when it came to Lordship Lane to turn right they did not put a sharp bend in the road but dug all the wide pavement up outside the first house that was then a Dentist, dug across the road to Townley Road and put a bend in and dig along on Alley's side of the road, it went to East Dulwich Grove where we lost interest I think it went past the East Dulwich Hospital. I have over the years tried to get a map showing the route of the pipes that was laid for the Metropolitan Water Board. I believe those pipes were cast iron, by now they will have worn off all the bitumen coating on the inside and must be rusting away.