Reliving Addiscombe Memories
Addiscombe residents who poured out their memories to researchers of a local history book have seen their recollections brought to life on the pages of the second volume of the Book of Addiscombe.
The book has been a collective effort of the people of Addiscombe combined with the work of a dedicated team of researchers form the Canning and Clyde Road Residents Association and Friends.
Volume Two of the Book of Addiscombe follows on from its hugely successful predecessor in 2000.
In the first volume, the response from residents was so overwhelming that the researchers could not include all of the recollections and photographs so they decided to start planning a second edition.
In the book's introduction, the researchers, which include Steve Collins and Anne Bridge, say: "After painstaking research, we thought we had covered most of it. The subsequent feedback we received from readers was that we seemed to have unlocked many memories and they felt a bit miffed that we had not included them.
"Extraordinarily we have some 108 contributors, the oldest of whom is 97 years of age, whilst the youngest is just 11. Many of the excellent photos come from family albums that otherwise would not have been seen."
The Croydon Guardian played a pivotal role in getting the contributors coming forward when we ran an appeal on our, heritage page last October urging Addiscombe residents to contact the book's researchers with their memories of the area.
One of the most extraordinary developments which occurred was the story of long-lost Addiscombe cousins Brian Roote and Cliffe Marlow, who both independently responded to our appeal.
It wasn't until researchers were interviewing Cliffe that they realised they were due to meet with Brian later that day and the pair were reunited, 60 years after they had last seen each other.
The pair also helped with a chapter on well known Addiscombe families, which included their own relatives.
The Book of Addiscombe: Volume Two is priced at £19.95 and is available from WH Smiths and Waterstones in Croydon, Gordons Toy and Stationers in Lower Addiscombe Road or direct from the authors, the Canning and Clyde Road Residents Association.