Learning things about the town you grew up in.

Antique_Guitars · August 2013

Just got a bit bored doing uni stuff and was reading up on where I grew up.

Teddington, Greater London is where I spent my first 23 or so years of my life.

There is a massive church by the lock that many years ago became the Landmarks Art Centre. I have always admired it because it looks amazing and I always though it resembles some kind of crazy mini cathedral which is a really weird thing to have in such a small town as Teddington.

However as I have just read, the reason it looks like a cathedral is because: The Victorians attempted to build a massive church, St. Alban's, based on the Notre Dame de Paris; however, funds ran out and only the nave of what was to be the "Cathedral of the Thames Valley" was completed. It opened in 1889 with a "temporary" wall at one end where the tower was going to be. In 1967 the church congregation reverted across the road to the historic but much smaller church of St Mary's. In 1993 the temporary wall was replaced with a permanent one as part of a refurbishment that converted St Alban's Church into The Landmark Centre, a venue for concerts and exhibitions.

I love a good bit of history.

Van_Hayden · August 2013

That's an amazing looking building It's always good fun to find things like that out!

I discovered that the town and the pub we used to drink in when I was doing my A Levels was the inspiration for Saturday Nights All Right For Fighting. Bernie Taupin went to my old school and lived above the pub - plenty of mods and rocker incidents when he was growing up in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire.

The other famous person was Rod Temperton, who wrote a lot of Jacksons Thriller and a bunch of diso classics like Boogie Nights.

boogieman · August 2013

My future son and daughter in law are having their wedding reception in the Landmark. It is an amazing building, I didn't know its history though.

Nobody really famous went to my old school, well unless you count Mari Wilson and Mike Gatting.

octatonic · August 2013

The things you learn when you're avoiding finishing your dissertation, eh?

ICBM · August 2013

Chris Tarrant and Rik Mayall went to my old school.

stickyfiddle · August 2013

Bill Bryson lives round the corner from my parents, and Dan Hawkins lives a couple of miles away

octatonic · August 2013

I grew up in rural Tasmania.

All of the full blood Tasmanian Aboriginals have been dead since.... wait for it... 1876.

Killed by you lot (the British).

Kebabkid · August 2013

My findings are going to be mainly musical

I grew up in Tooting,South London and if you're old enough to remember, it was made popular by a young Robert Lindsay playing Citizen Smith in the TV series of the same name and heading the revolutionary Tooting Popular Front.

Marc Bolan went to my old school in Tooting, Hillcroft (now Ernest Bevin) and the teachers talked about him all the time. Our other school hero was Alan Knight, the Portsmouth goalkeeper and captain for many years.

When I moved to Sutton, Surrey, I was told the room at the back of the Red Lion pub on the High St was where The Rolling Stones used to rehearse. The guitarist Robbie McIntosh ({McCartney, Pretenders, John Mayer) was also a Suttoner, as was the rather posh Penelope Keith. Harry Secombe also used to live there, hence, we now have his legacy, the Secombe Theater, which plays host to many tribute bands.

Now living in Wallington where I've been told by many that early in their career, The Stones staged a concert at the small and provincial Wallington Hall. However, "my biggie" is that I live just a few doors down from what was once Jeff Beck's family home and where jams with Jimmy Page are reputed to have happened. Some of my older neighbours still remember him living at home when he made it and littering the street with cars in various states of repair, particularly Capris! One neighbour also recalls his niece being a fan and trying to jump over the fence and nab his undercrackers off the washing line! I have asked the current owners of the JB house if I can have a look up in their attic and they're aware of its history. If they still put blue plaques up, as with Hendrix's one on Bond Street, London, this, too, is a worthy contender.

Re:Landmark Arts, lovely gothic building and great interior. I'd love to play a gig there and 11 years ago, I couldn't convince Mrs.Kebab to put it on the list of potential wedding venues.

bertie · August 2013

coming from a small market town, who's history pre-dates the doomsday book...........and little has happened since WWII

- you pretty much get to learn everything before you leave school

Dickinstein · August 2013

Hi All

Being in the RAF and traveling around alot , I often think about where i grew up which is Bromborough , Wirral. As a kid you don't really appreciate whats around you at all ,and its only through googling where i lived I know no it was quite an interesting place.

As you get older i think you generaly start to notice history and /or gain an interest so I was amazed to find out a great battle was fought in my town (or possibly was) The Battle of Brunanburh .

The primary school i went to (Brombrough pool) was the 2nd smallest school in britian (has since closed down) , It had 63ish pupils when i left. It was also a fairly important place to industry and candle making.

Hopefuly one day i'll make it back to have another look around the old place.

Don't know if anything musicly intersting happened near,Will do more googling :-)

When i lived in Huthwaite ,Notts one of my next door neighbourghs used to be in a band with Brian May before queen. He was the singer (my neighborough

fatherjack · August 2013

I live in Dover. When I was a kid, the castle was free entry to the grounds, 5p to get in the keep. Consequently, it used to be my playground during the holidays and so I took it for granted. It's one of the biggest castles in the world (I know Windsor is bigger), and you only realise it when you visit some of the others and think 'aren't they small?'.

Not surprisingly, Dover's history is mainly military (the castle itself was an active garrison until 1958, and the built a nuclear fallout shelter about 50 feet under the main castle levels by the cliff). The hill on the opposite side of town from the castle is in fact a Napoleonic fort (the Western Heights), part of which is still used as an immigration removal centre. There's a triple staircase nearby that leads from what were barrack buildings down to the western harbour for rapid troop movement. There are many tunnels stretching out from both sides - there are rumours of one that used to connect the castle with the Western Heights.

During WWII, huge gun emplacements (Winnie, Pooh, Clem & Jane) were created at various points along the coast towards St. Margaret's Bay, about 5 miles along the coast. If you know where to look, some of the buildings associated with them are still standing. Some are underground.

There used to be an early 20th century gun emplacement at the base of the cliffs next to the Eastern Docks (Fan Bay to be precise), but this was wiped out in a cliff fall a few years ago. EDIT: Showing up my ignorance - it's Langdon Bay, and they were for searchlights to illuminate ships trying to enter the docks in WWII.

Half way along the Admiralty Pier (the pier on the Western side of Dover harbour), there's a fairly unassuming round structure. These are still inside.

They're two 80-ton 16-inch guns installed in the 1880s.

not_the_dj · August 2013

You can see Kenilworth Castle from my drive, and we get free entry (take that pushy guy from English Heritage).

I've got two young sons so most weekends we go to 'play at the castle'.

Plenty of history there, and connections with Queenie who came to stay a few times (it was Robert Dudleys gaff). Also the site of the longest running Siege in English history (1266).

Here's an old photo of the place (my house is on the left):

bertie · August 2013

is that you in front of the bricks ?

not_the_dj · August 2013

Yes @bertie, the edwardian street urchin look is all the rage round here

EricTheWeary · August 2013

not_the_dj said:

Yes @bertie, the edwardian street urchin look is all the rage round here

I've been to Kenilworth, he's not joking.

Bucket · August 2013

I live in Amersham, I think some episodes of Midsomer Murders have been filmed here.

chillidoggy · August 2013

I'm originally from Folkestone. My old school was founded by William Harvey, who discovered the circulation of the blood, and Noel Redding went there. Beyond that, I can't remember much, except that it used to be reasonably affluent at one time, but it's gone right downhill since I left. Not that my leaving was the cause, you understand.

boogieman · August 2013

fatherjack said:

They're two 80-ton 16-inch guns installed in the 1880s.

Surprised the local pikies haven't had those away.

Kebabkid · August 2013

@Fatherjack, isn't Dover Castle haunted? I seem to remember talk of a Hellfire Corner in there having a ghost or two associated with it being bombed in WWII.

fatherjack · August 2013

@Kebabkid - there have always been tales of ghosts at the castle - not surprising for a big old building. I hadn't heard about one associated with the WWII tunnels before, but I'm sure it's just as real as all the others.

ESBlonde · August 2013

I grew up east of Ipswich and developed a interest in WWII aviation, not surprising as Martlesham Heath (The Armement and Aircraft testing Estabishment before Boscome down). Bawdsey Manor (home of Radar) Felixstowe (Home of Seaplane developement) Orfordness (Bombing and airiel armement testing station) all existed between 3 and 8 miles from my home as the crow flies. Martlesham became a WWII fighter station and Woodbridge a major aircraft crash receiving runway the same size as Manston.
Whist the village itself was mainly uninspiring the recent local history featuring people like Douglas Barder, Bob Stanford-Tuck, Ian Smith (later President of Rhodisia) Robert Watson-Watt etc. made growing up a little bit interesting. That and the ability to wind the wick up on the marshall without worrying the neighbours!!!

chillidoggy · August 2013

I heard the Hellfire tunnels are supposedly haunted from one of the excellent guided tours. Can't remember the details, though. They are however well worth a visit.

Bucket · August 2013

chillidoggy said:

I heard the Hellfire tunnels are supposedly haunted from one of the excellent guided tours. Can't remember the details, though. They are however well worth a visit.

Near-ish me are the Hellfire Caves in West Wycombe, also supposedly haunted.

Dunno what it is about hellfire that makes it so special, it's a cool word though.

RocknRollDave · August 2013

I grew up just outside Dudley, and outside Dudley is pretty much the best way to enjoy the experience...

One bit of trivia though about Bearwood, where I currently live: Christine Perfect grew up there. You probably know here as Christine McVie, as in "the female one out of Fleetwood Mac that isn't Stevie Nicks"

Also, I was shocked to read an article on the wall of the local swimming baths (a modest place, called Thimblemill Baths, not a huge place by any stretch of the imagination) that listed the bands that had played there in the 60's - Beatles, Stones, Who, all the huge names of the day played there in the early part of the decade. Probably 30 minute sets, mid-afternoon, multiple bill efforts before they moved on to another town.. All very different in those days.

maltingsaudio · August 2013

Bucket said:

chillidoggy said:

I heard the Hellfire tunnels are supposedly haunted from one of the excellent guided tours. Can't remember the details, though. They are however well worth a visit.

Near-ish me are the Hellfire Caves in West Wycombe, also supposedly haunted.

Dunno what it is about hellfire that makes it so special, it's a cool word though.

Bit of history for you Bucket http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellfire_Club

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Learning things about the town you grew up in.

Comments