1970 Bryan Simpson
When we had technical drawing we always had to have a 2H pencil, why would a normal HB not have done? I can remember my dad, at an open evening, taking the teacher to task over it. After that the teacher made my life hell. What was the name of the sports shop on the corner at the junction of Green Lanes and Goodmayes Road, and what was the name of the toy shop opposite? I bought loads of Airfix models from there.
Bryan, I think that shop may have been Ajax. The family run firm had one shop opposite the cinema in Ilford and I am sure they had the other on the corner of Goodmayes Road and Green Lane.
The shop on the corner of Goodmayes Road/Green Lane was called Bootings.The toy shop opposite was called Jones.
Steve is right re: both Bootings and Ajax. Ajax used to sponsor the Ajax trophy a yearly inter-club swimming competition run by Ilford Swimming Club which attracted some of the best clubs in Great Britain. Southampton who, in the late 1960s, were the strongest club in the country competed yearly with a team full of GB international swimmers and always won.
The shop of course most Mayfield boys will remember would be Hollicks the sweet shop at the bus stop near the school. I used to get the newly introduced Routemaster bus from Little Heath and get off at the stop. Also enjoyed visiting the small shop at Little Heath for penny sweets as well.
Re small shop at the Hawe Bush, also I remember buying 4 Domino cigarettes for a “tanner” in an open top paper packet.
Remember Bootings well I also use to get the bus from the Hawbush so I use to walk to Goodmayes Station on the way home to save an old penny on the bus fare. I use to stop at Bootings and look at all the new continental football boots on the shelves hoping one day I would have a pair. The butchers Warren and Son opposite was owned by Michael Taylor’s (who was in my class) dad. The Hawbush pub is now flats but the shop is still there.
Reading about sweet shops made me think of opening hours years ago. If you wanted sweets on a Sunday afternoon not many shops were open. There was a shop opposite Goodmayes station, I think it was called Berries, opened on Sundays. The woman in the shop’s son went to Mayfield, he was called John Sillcock. I can remember when I was young wanting caps for a cap gun and they were not allowed Sundays, but the people in the shop would give you caps if you kept stum. What a different world now with people selling “crack” outside Heathway station so I am told. The shop that sold bikes at the bottom of Goodmayes Lane, called Bakers I think, started importing the new Honda motorbikes which seemed amazing in those days, they were innocent times.
I just remembered something else the chip shop around the corner opposite Goodmayes Station, a red headed woman worked in the chip shop and her son went to Mayfield. I think she was possibly a dinner lady also. I was in there one day when Kenny Ball came in for chips, he said 4 cod and chips and some chips while I’m waiting because I am hollow. Chips tasted good in newspaper could be the ink. The last time I was in Goodmayes it had become very exotic. Anyone else remember the craze for the kazoo and the jaws harp?
Hi Peter
The Chip shop was called Sextons and the boy who went to Mayfield I’m pretty sure was the Sexton who appears in one of the Rugby team photos on the Mayfield website. I remember catching the bus to Goodmayes from Ilford swimming pool after swimming and then buying a bag of chips and eating them whilst waiting for the bus to Little Heath (Hawbush Public House). The bus was at first the 162 but later the 238. The bags of chips came in 2 sizes, 4d and 6d and an onion cost 1d
Malcolm Staight
The name of the sports shop in Goodmayes Road was called ‘Bootings’. The owners of the shop along with owners of the other shops in that row, Cayless fishmonger, Malcolm Jones florist, Mickie Kitchener greengrocer, all became customers of mine for their vehicles servicing and repairs. I remember the toy shop in Green Lane too but I can’t remember the name. Ajax was the big toy shop in Ilford High road.
Hello Bryan,
Were you in the infants class at Cleveland Road School about 1945-7 by any chance? The toy shop you mention near the Regal cinema was Ajax. My mother did the book keeping there from about 1947 – 1961.
Would love to see any photos that are available of the Ajax Sports Shop opposite the Regal Cinema in the early 1950’s. Brings back many happy times for me. Thank you in advance, John
I thought bootings sports shop was owned by a guy in my class, Barry Blerkham, a great footballer and sportsman. I maybe wrong.
What were the staff called in Kitcheners greengrocers? The sweet shop by the station was Jaggers.
The Kitcheners greengrocers were customers of mine with his car and lorry. Micky Kitchener was the owner and sometimes his brother Barry, who was at the time Millwall football captain, helped out. There was someone else who worked for him but I can’t remember the name. The sweet shop by the station became a Minicab office in the 1980’s also customers of mine.
Does anyone know where Mark Osborne is? I was a good mate of his but I moved away in 1974.