Colin Grainger

Reflections of the past 3: The North Woolwich grapevine

photo (44)

An image that is so special to my family…and one that brings back so many happy memories.

My grandmother, Judith Myers in the garden of her home in Auberon Street, North Woolwich. A photo that appeared in an article about the North Woolwich community in 1977.

The grape vine that was grown from pips took over much of the back garden of the home of my nan, grandad Fred Myers and auntie Annie Sharpley, or Charlie as she was affectionately known.

The vine began its growth in the sixties and eventually covered the their old Anderson bomb shelter and eventually the whole garden, including the roof above our old outside toilet. The grapes that came from it were much talked about, and much enjoyed, by locals.

The picture was taken at  time of great change in the community as the old bomb sites I played on as a youngster finally began to be replaced with new housing. Eventually my nan’s home would also be bulldozed… but the memories live on.

 

Picture: Colin Grainger

6 Comments

  1. Name *
    March 6, 2014

    I knew lily and julie myers whilst growing up in north wool.. i too was born in Auberon Street in 1938. Unfortunately my sister Maureen, brothers John and Billy are no longer with us. We lived at no 15 and knew the myers family well. In fact julie kept in touch with my mum and dad when they moved away. Have loads of memories of north woolwich all of them happy. Met someone from from there whilst on holiday in Italy in 2013, we never stopped talking.
    I also remember the Grsinger family who lived in albert road, just past the Henley arms thebpub used by my dad!!

  2. Name *
    March 6, 2014

    I knew lily and julie myers whilst growing up in north wool.. i too was born in Auberon Street in 1938. Unfortunately my sister Maureen, brothers John and Billy are no longer with us. We lived at no 15 and knew the myers family well. In fact julie kept in touch with my mum and dad when they moved away. Have loads of memories of north woolwich all of them happy. Met someone from from there whilst on holiday in Italy in 2013, we never stopped talking.
    I also remember the Grainger family who lived in albert road, just past the Henley arms thebpub used by my dad!!

    • Colin Grainger
      March 7, 2014

      That’s really lovely Jackie. Thanks for that. You may know already but there’s a Facebook sub group called North Woolwich Silvertown which has loads of great pictures and memories for the area. If you type it into the search window on FB you click on it and any of us can help you join.
      Take care

      Colin

      colingrainger@btinternet.com and I’m also on FBook if you want to send me a message or have a look at more old pics on my page..

      Colin

  3. Peter Botley
    June 5, 2022

    I lived next door at 34. I was born 3rd April 1952 and remember eating the grapes. I must have played football with you back then. Do you remember the factory in the next road where they used to wash rags. We would climb the bails of clothes looking for football jerseys. The rag and bone man coming round in the evening with a carousel on the back charging a few pence for us kids to be spun in it, all feelings sick when we got out.

    • Colin Grainger
      June 6, 2022

      Hi Peter. Yes I do, happy days, thank you for your comments

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This article was written on 02 May 2013, and is filed under Colin Grainger, Communities, East London, History, Newham, North Woolwich, Reflections of the past.

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