Dear N16,
Browsing various websites on Saturday, I came across N16. As a person
born and brought up in E5 it was great to see. I now live in Sunderland
and I must admit I miss the excitement of living in a big city with
all its good and bad points. Where I live is an ex-pit village, not
bad but very introverted in nature – not many cafes to sit in
(or out) and read the Guardian! Well, do your best to keep going and
give my best to the pubs and clubs of Hackney
Best wishes, Mark (ex-Brooke House pupil)
Dear N16
In your winter edition you featured a letter from, Adam Di Chiara
who was having trouble finding a cheap venue in N16 for a children's
party. I booked the ‘Red Room’ in the back of Clissold
Park cafe for 2 hours for a christening party and it was about £60(
ask for Sonny). The only downside is you have to use the toilets
in the park but it’s a good venue. Thanks.
Helen Coppock, Nevill Rd N16
Dear N16,
I could not believe my eyes when I read in your autumn edition,
that someone had written a book about the Routemaster. Now when
we were living in the middle of the road in a matchbox – that
was a time for nostalgia. The 38 bus with open top deck –
that was a work of art with all the comforts one could think of.
Wooden slatted seats so that the rain would go through – canvas
awnings that pulled out over your lap. If I remember rightly, they
were designed to ensure that the rain collected and then came towards
you. Consequently, nobody used them and were there until they died.
You have to admire that sort of efficiency. There were also open-top
trams, but I can not write about their demise without a tear coursing
down the tramlines that are now etched on my face. I’d say
‘kisser’ but that might date me.
One more piece of nostalgia. I noticed on the Christmas card my
aunt sent me, (along with your excellent magazine), a red post box
with ER embossed on the door. Does anybody know what happened to
the one that was set in the wall by the bus stop at the end of Green
Lanes? It had VR on it (Victoria Regina, for the uninformed).
And I nearly forgot – some idiot badmouthing cyclists. I
remember acting as pilot for the 73s in the pea-soupers. Only from
Church Street to Newington Green, but I did my bit. If you have
ever been in similar circumstances with a dirty great bus lumbering
up your backside and trying to keep parallel to the kerb at a magnificent
10 miles per hour, you’ll know what I mean. I reckon the world
would be a lot better off if we all got back on our bikes. The Arabs
would not be filthy rich and Bush would not have thought of going
to Iraq. Second thoughts: he probably would have invaded Holland
to confiscate their bicycles of mass destruction. They do still
ride bikes in Holland don’t they?
B.F.Errington, Taringa Australia, ozbert@acenet.net.au
Dear N16
My name is Doris. I was brought up in Stokey(as you now call it).
I was seven when we moved to Lordship Terrace in 1937. I loved living
there, and used to go on the boats on the ponds, and look at the
animals, deer etc. Is the mulberry tree still there? And the river
by Green Lanes? There used to be trees down Queen Elizabeth Walk
then but they had to be taken away when the war started. I went
through the Blitz, and was an evacuee for a while. I went to St
Mary’s school in Edwards Lane. I had a teacher named Miss
Phaff.
I came across your website on my laptop (by the way, I am 76 now
so was pleased to see all about Stokey). I have been inside the
two churches as a child at school and heard the two bombs go off
in the war. So, if you could tell me about the price of magazine
I would like to receive it. Thanks for the memories and look forward
to hearing from you. Byeee,
Doris Hacket (alias Relton), Todmorden, Lancs (Dorishacket@aol.com)
Dear N16
Thought you might be interested in this horror story.
My pregnant wife has just had a court summons. On June 30th last
year she got on a 73 bus, tried to swipe her oyster card but the
machine didn't work. She saw two ticket inspectors and asked them
for help. They took the card and tried it on another machine, and
came back saying it didn't have enough credit and that they would
confiscate it. They demanded all her details, refused to let her
pay a fine and said she would be hearing from them in a few weeks.
When she heard nothing for a month, she rang the helpline only to
be told that her case was not yet on the system (!) and that she
should ring back in another month. When she did so, she was still
not to be found on the system, but the chap promised to phone her
back when he'd investigated the situation. She heard nothing and
also has had no communication from them at all until Saturday last,
when a court summons arrived. Now we have to go through the horrendous
rigmarole of defending this complete waste of the court's time.
Orlando Jopling, Beresford Terrace,London N5
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