BARA

As a long standing user of the audiology services at Kings, I have been in touch with the new provider InHealth. They are absolutely useless and cannot tell me where you can get urgent repairs or replacements of hearing aids. You can get batteries and tubing at Chadwick Road Medical Centre on Mondays. Wednesdays and Thursdays by appointment only. Chadwick Road could not tell me if they did repairs and gave me a person to contact, who in turn could not help and referred me back to the original main contact at In Health. They also could not advise me who now provided audiology tests for adults.

Forest Hill is closed off from Sydenham Hill to Forest Hill Station and my work colleague advises me that this will be closed the remainder of the week. Expect long delays in turning into Sydenham Hill

For those of us who are old and still remember the orignal NX Rd market in the 1950/1960s and to some extent the early re-emergence of the market in early 90s, todays market is beyond my ( and most others of my age) price brackets. I have purchased meat from the organic stall and also fish from the van, once purchased a small loaf of rye and carraway seed bread, other than that everything else is too pricey. I have a professional salary, kids all grown up so in theory I can afford a little more, but a large part of ED retailers are beyong my means. If anyone remembers the old NX market - please let me know for our local history post 1945 exhibition

The Barry Area Residents Association (BARA) campaigned last year for some improvements on this stretch of road. As a car driver, I too hate having to cross over from Underhill - and edge very slowly over the lines so that I can see on coming traffic. The railings by the lights restrict your view when looking right and you cannot judge the speed of on coming traffic. I am surprised that James Barber has not picked up on this new accident- I will email him for his comments.

looking for memories of those in the 'Baby Boom' eras who attended the Heber School Annexe in CP Rd/Darrell Road. Building now houses the east Dulwich Community Centre. The annexe housed 3 classes ( may have been infants) in the 1960s when there was a population explosion in Dulwich. Also photos of community events held in the community centre from 1980 onwards run by BARA, NARA (North Cross Area), PARA (Pellatt Area) i.e Chinese New Year, Diwali ( especially those run by George and Lily Narula of the CP Rd Post Office) Events at the centre would have been put on by Billy Stone and his family, Bob and Joan Blackwell, Elsie and Arthur Headley, Lil Bragg.

The Lib Dems were campaigning to save ED Police Station but the new cuts in Public spending have suggested that ED, Camberwell and one other station may be closed. The BARA Committee have over the years opposed the closure of the Police Station. Currently our police representative attends there for the Safer Neighbourhood Police Meetings every 2 months or so.

Hubby just investigated - it is a small black and white cat - I imagine being hit by a car and someone has put it to the side of the road. Whilst I am releaved that it is not our Gerry ( who is large and micro chipped) this will be someone's pet and they will be very upset. Many thanks for putting this on the forum.

i lived in Ondine Road at the time and everyone was fed up with the hoards of cars that came each week to listen to the Guru - this was around 1971/2 Toy shop was probably Binisters. Reseaching in the local studies library last week - the number of butcher's shops in LL in the 1950s and 60s - about 6 of them. Plus David Greigs, Co Op, Home and Colonial and United Dairies. I have a photo of the war damage in the stretch of land where the old co op was (Woolwich BS area) and United Dairies seem to be on the corner of Shawbury. Does anyone remember Mr and Mrs JOnes and their son who ran a dairy in the late 1950s opp the EDT - roughly where Just Williams is now? Mrs. Jones died and Mr. Jones followed her a few months later haveing died of a 'broken heart' Son had the local milk round.

I hope it is not my cat Gerry - have just phoned my husband to look. Gerry does not normally go out in the front of the house. I await my husband's phone call back.

Train to East Croydon from Forest Hill, tram stop outside station to Amphere (? spelling) Way (IKEA). Tram journey takes about 10 - 15 minutes. Trains go from Forest Hill every 30 mins.

A general jewellers - where you could get watch batteries, rings, clocks etc. A children's clothing store which is not expensive Small electrical store - for microwaves/ovens/fridges/cookers.

Binnesters Toy Shop was roughly where Le Petit Chou is now

Many thanks for the photo of CPRd and Goodrich - have taken copies. Please keep them coming everyone. Can anyone tell me a good internet site for post 1945 photos of ED? I hope to be going down to the local studies library shortly to do some more research.

Please see my posting re Did you move to ED post 1945 -we hope to have a photographic display of post 1945 ED at our local history event in October and asking for contribitions from local residents ( copies please of your photo's) also written and verbal stories of ED life.

The Barry Area Residents' Association in conjunction with the East Dulwich Community Centre are holding a local history event on Saturday 16th October and are seeking contributions from local residents. Did you move from abroad to East Dulwich post 1945? Can you recall how you felt?, what were your neighbours like?, what surprised you about the area and/or the people?. How easy was it to follow your culture/religion? Any problems with the language? Equally - did you move to ED from another part of the UK? the reason for your move - employment? family? etc. We are interested in hearing your stories, whether you would be willing to take part on the day in oral story telling, sharing your experiences with others Would you like to write to us about your life in ED post 1945?.Or to send copies of photos of your home or family or local shops buildings etc. We are also exploring the history of celebrations in the East Dulwich Community - there are a few of us who still recall the Queen's Coronation Street Parties, also her Silver Jubilee Street parties, other street parties which have taken place post 1945 - do you have memories/photos/funny stories to tell? Other community parties celebrating Eid, Diwali,St. Patrick and St Andrew's Days, also not forgetting St. George. I vaguely recollect celebrating a United Nations Day at primary school! Local shops and business in East Dulwich - especially those in and around Lordship Lane. Who recalls Goslings and Mesant the men's outfitters? Can anyone recall a Kennedys in LL? Anyone any photos of the the original North Cross Road market? Did you work in the Lordship Lane Woolworth's in the 1950s/60s? Please send any written stories, copies of photos etc to The BARA Committee, c/o East Dulwich Community Centre, Darrell Road, East Dulwich SE22 7ND or pop them through the letter box of the centre on the Darrell Road side. Finally - those of you are interested in visiting the centre to partiipate in a Multi Cultural evening on 18th September please pm me. The event is free to everyone who makes a dish of food of their choice to share. Many thanks. BARA Committee

James, At the Barry Area Residents Meeting on Tuesday - some of our committee spoke of the long waiting times in the Blood Test unit at Dulwich. One person arrived there at 7.30 am and did not get attended to until 10.30 am by which time all the seats in the unit were taken and people were spilling over into the x ray unit and corridors. Hubby went for his blood test and arrived at 6.45 am, was the 5th person there and came out at 8 am.The last time I was there, I waited over 3 hours for a fasting blood test. As a diabetic, this involves no food after 9 pm the night before and only water after midnight, so by the time I was seen as was feeling quite sick. I mentioned this to my practice nurse who advised that in future, I should make an appointment to see the health care assistant who attends my GP practice for one hour once a week purely to take blood as being without food for so long could reduce blood sugars to a dangerously low level in some people. With Kings cutting beds to reduce costs, and farming out diabetes management to GPs, it is anticipated that the Blood Test unit will become even more busy. There are only 3 staff members working in this unit and frequently only 2. BARA are looking for other people's views on this service and will be writing to Southwark PCT/NHS to put over local residents concerns. James - I know that Jonathan alsong with Stan Hardy and Ken Hoole are abreast with developments at Dulwich, so may also have other information. KCH is rather annoyed that the Intermediate Care Beds at Dulwich have been cut as it means that people have to stay longer on the wards for their rehabilitation. Given the news that hospitals will have responsibility of the health care of discharged patients for upto a month or face a fine, there may be additional pressure which could be put upon Southwark NHS to pull a few fingers out. However, many plans for Polyclinics have been scrapped by the Government.

Where is Hayes Grove? I have a friend who has been looking for her black cat for some months.

I have been asked to publicise an open and free workshop to be held at Christ Church, Barry Road around the issue of Domestic Violence. Please see attached flyer.

The East Dulwich Community Centre is used as a Polling Station - there has to be so many Stations in a Polling District as far as I can see and they should have disabled access. The Community Centre replaced the old St. Johns and St. Clements School when it moved from North X Road to Adys Road. Christ Church and the Childrens Library at Dulwich are Polling Stations. The Community Centre has to arrange for a caretaker to open up between 5.30 - 6 am and volunteers to close up at 11 pm. This will be the same for all Polling Stations. There also has to be access to toilets and kitchen/hot drinks facilities for Election staff and also an area where they can eat. Polling Booths arrive on the Weds and have to be stored and are taken away on the Friday. Whilst some non educational premises can be used - not all of them could cope with the requirements.

When BARA Committee initially booked the hustings, the General Election date had not been announced, and although we did think of changing this to a GE hustings decided against it as there was not sufficient time to write to all parliamentary candidates to have a hustings on that date. All the local election parties were contacted in March at their appropriate headquarters/email addresses, then written to seperately to their home addresses in April.

We have floodlights at the East Dulwich Community Centre. Because we are in a residential area, were compelled to have low levls of lighting and also on a timer switch so they only come on around dusk and switch off about 9 - 10 pm I would suggest that the schools lights are not on a timer. As far as I know, the school is not used in the evenings for activities so why have they got floodlights? Community Centre has a youth club twice a week, some community games input, and a after school club until 6 pm

Perhaps Jonathan would rather spend his time actually meeting the electorate in person. Having come second in the last General Election - overtaking Kim Humphreys the Tory candidiate, Jonathan obviously feels that the personal touch is more important to him and his team. The LD team have been working hard in both College and Village Wards as far as I can see. I was in the Village Ward yesterday and saw some LDs going round talking to people, plus loads of orange posters. BARA had a hustings last week for East Dulwich Ward, only the labour candidates and Jonathan turned up, no sign of the Torys or the Greens who had personal letters and also their party was emailed in March. On the same evening the Herne Hill Society held hustings relating to the Environment. Local Churches are arranging hustings for the DAWN candidates - you just need to look out for the various notices around the constituency. Since Jonathan is a councillor - he spends a fair time on his emails etc I would imagine so may be glad to get out and talk. James has already given his ( Jonathan )email - you can always contact him.

This was the pack that met up at Emmanuel Church Barry Road - now known as Christ Church. Anyone recall Marjorie Walsh, Kate Morley, Janet Cregan, Jean Halden (Brown Owl)? Or later entrants with Chris Budasz, Vicky Coy, Kathryn Taras? I went to a reunion there last year and saw loads of faces from previous generations.

We have an underground stream running under our house in Barry Road, which has flooded cellar over past 30 years a couple of times. Last flood we had was of sewage as building works ( subsidence) in the house opposite had got into the sewers and caused a back up.

Brighton is very bad for car parking throughout the year. Last time we went there, we drove around for 1.5 hours trying to get in a parking space anywhere. In the end we had to drive down to Goring (past Worthing) before we could park anywhere.