Playing away from Trams and Trolleybuses

Notes by David Bradley

Besley Stores, Besley Street, Streatham Click on picture [S1961] for an enlarged version

Now just 97 Besley Street, Streatham Click on picture [S2006] for an enlarged version

The pictures on this page were probably taken sometime in 1961 and there is no real reason to include them on this site. But then this site is essentially a record of the pursuit of my hobby of trams and trolleybuses in the early 1960s and I frequently scan the net for further pictures of this era of my youth. I found in my surfing the suburbia in focus web site and offered my picture of Besley Stores which was next to my girlfriend's house. The picture was added to that site with material written by their webmaster:

Small, family owned shops, all featuring prominent tobacco advertising, were yet to be wiped out by the supermarket chains and there are no TV aerials to be seen. Motor scooters were very popular because they were "trendy" and relatively cheap, not because they provided an escape from traffic queues.

I subsequently provided some additional background information which was [unknown to me for some time] added to that page - it remains to this day so do have a read. The picture was taken while waiting for my girlfriend for a day out to Hampton Court where, much to her annoyance, picture 306 was quickly taken. I wish I had taken more of her instead at the time, but sadly failed to do so.

In May 2006 James Radley [jamesradley52@hotmail.com] emailed me to say that he had re-vistaed the places featured on this page [and indeed many locations featured on the 'Last Day Run' page] to capture the changes that had occurred over four decades. It is not surprising that the corner shop had long gone although how much beyond 1961 it survived is unknown. I gather the road is now blocked off at one end so there would not be much passing trade anyway. It reminds me of the store featured in the TV series "Open All Hours"! Interestingly the picture was of use to Tom Burns as noted here.

From: "Tom Burns" <Topshednj2@aol.com>

I'd just like to say your site never losses it's appeal with each visit I have made. It's actually been a great help to me in my efforts to create the late 50s/early 60s in model form, reminding me of things I'd forgotten or confirming the colour of this or that advertisement. The picture of the corner shop with your scooter outside is a particular gem and now my little café boasts Lyons Tea glass adverts on it's windows!

In fact, it's a pity that the area I choose to model my railway didn't have trolleybuses!

Best wishes to you and your site.

Footnote

I thought I would finish off this page by including a picture of my girlfriend, Pauline Jefford. It would be nice to hear how her life panned out since we went our separate ways so please do get in touch [my email link appears at the bottom of the page]. At the time she worked at Barclay's Bank in Brixton.

An internet search suggests that her married name is now Pauline Compton and was/is living in the Maidstone area. This page has been up for a decade or more with hardly a hit in all that time; that is until fairly recently, when exceptional interest has been shown in this page. I wonder why?

Update: November 2013. This backwater page continues to be popular and consequently the broken links have been repaired and also technical updates carried out. And for the sheer hell of it, another picture of Pauline has been added. Shame that over time the colours of the slides have deteriorated.

Of course, what is needed now is a modern day picture of Pauline; I'll wager she will continue to make my heart flutter!