The above picture was taken after 1966.

My uncle who has just recently passed away had a barber's shop in Patcham for many years, his name was Peter Tamlyn.  I wonder if any one remembers him?  I don't know the name of the street where the shop was.

I lived up Ladies Mile Road in the 70s. I used to walk down to the shops with my friend Liz from over the road, and her labrador, Saba. We always used to stop at the butcher's, who used to give Saba a bone, which he carried lovingly back up the hill! I also remember dear old Charlie who ran the Unwin's store.

I remember 'Pete's', the barbers. You can see the barbers poles in the photo of Ladies Mile Rd. The salon was squeezed into one of the hallways that led to the upstairs flats. He was next door to Holyers the butchers. Pete was a quiet and polite chap who cut my hair from about 1950 until 1961 when I joined the RAF.

I lived in Ladies Mile Road on the corner of Warmdene Road from 1950 to 1970 and went to Peter's for a haircut. There was also Penna's over the hill in Old Patcham - cheaper but a scalper. I used to buy Lights (offal) and whale meat at Holyers for our dog. 'Gibbo' was the caretaker at Patcham school and lived in the school house next door to the library. He was a miserable and officious old boy - but maybe it was us being mischievous kids. The old dragon in the library made us put our hands on the counter so she could check if they were clean before accessing the shelving. There was a grocers, Tommy's, in the parade opposite Gravely's Stores (cheap broken biscuits and Energen slimming rolls) and Tommy used to sell us single Dairylea cheese triangles on the way to The Old School in Old Patcham. In WW2 there was a barrage balloon anchored in the school's small playing field backing onto London Road and the Brangwyn Estate. The concrete and iron hoop anchor points were still in place in 1952 and on the walls of the schoolroom were drawn/painted several swastikas which we were told represented 'planes shot down by the balloon/anti-aircraft gun crew.

Neville I remember 'The Soldiers of the Queen' float, with your Mum bashing out the tune on a piano hidden behind a curtain. Somewhere I think may still have a picture of the float. Others in the picture Jane Rutherford, Terry King, Colin Botting.

Well hello Neville. What a blast from the past. I wonder if you ever wish you still had your prized mini? I first met you at the tender age of 14 when I walked my dog past and we had a chat about a tiny sticker you had on the windscreen. My sister Wendy and I went out with you and your friend (John?) and got into dreadful trouble when the parents found out you were 21 and John even older. I had forgotten some of those days. Thank you for triggering the grey cells.

Goodness, Pat, surely Wendy was so much younger! Didn't you live in Stoneleigh or Dale Crescent or thereabouts? Yes, John (Trendell) had an old M.G. (he sadly passed away two years ago) and when we called to meet you one day your Dad's eyes were like saucers when he answered the door as he looked over our shoulders at the M.G. which we'd left with its engine running, as there was just a cloud of smoke in the road. I'm in Hurstpierpoint now, retired, but still spending my summers getting into scrapes touring Europe with a 60 yr old motorbike and a tent. Plus ca change!

Don't you just love these sites? Neville, I was sorry to hear about John. Maybe he and Wendy have gotten together for a drink in the spirit world as she passed away from cancer in April. It's been a long journey since the Wilmington Way days. I was in England (I live in Australia) from April to July and went over all the old stomping grounds, including having a drink at The Ladies Mile pub.. not much change there, oh the memories!. I can see you on a vintage motor bike cruising around Europe, what a life!. And why not. May you be able to do so for many more years yet.

I remember having my hair cut at the barbers 'in between the shops' in Ladies Mile Road. I was quite young and for the small kids like me he had a plank of wood he put across the arms of the chair and I sat up on that so he could cut our hair at a comfortable height (and we could see the mirror I suppose).

Myself and my family now own Unwins shop and flat. Does any one know what it was before?

I know Charlie who worked for Unwin's in the late 60s-70s and he used to help us out with raffle prizes for the 44th Scouts. Shame, I used to like old charlie. I think he had a wife but she died before I knew him. Any one remember the VG stores run by Norman and Joyce Reed after Gravleys stores or the hardware store opposite, Home'n Hardware run by their son in law Ron Edmonds and Linda Reed. Maybe you remember Starns hardware shop over the hill run by Norman Reed. ron101@ntlworld.com

Zack, I have just finished writing up my PhD on interwar Patcham, so, rather sadly live in the near past. My Kelly's directories show that address -39LMR- as having been since the interwar, until well into the 1950s, as the Petersfield Laundry and Flinn's Dry Cleaners.