Town's Memories are Pocket-sized
Author: Ralph Rinmier
A new pocket hook explores the history of South Croydon and its surrounding areas through the use of more than 200 old photographs and illustrations.
The book's author claims his publication, Pocket Images of South Croydon, Selsdon and Sanders lead, captures a way of life that has now vanished and features pictures of hay making fields, schools, churches, chapels as well as the rigours of life during both world wars.
Drawn from a variety of local sources, including Croydon Library, church records, school archives, individual residents and the locally famous John Gent postcard collection, the book is sure to touch the hearts of many who know and love what was part of suburban Surrey.
The book's author, Ralph Rinmier, has lived hi Sanderstead for 46 years and has taught at Kingston University.
The book, Pocket Images of South Croydon, Selsdon and Sanderstead, is £5.99, published by Nonsuch Publishing and is available from bookshops now, ISBN number: 1-84588-107-9.
The chimneys of Haling Park Cottage were clearly visible across the forecourt of Davis's wood yard in Brighton Road in World War One, c1917.
The Albion motor lorry was, however, a pre-war product. The Davis timber yard was well established by 1907 at 85, Brighton Road, situated next to Hyde's Nurseries. Steam driven sawmills had also been introduced by 1914.
The name of Killick has been associated with 190 Brighton Road, as tobacconist, confectioner and newsagent, since about 1915.
The group posing in front of the shop must have been standing outside a fairly new shop as War Economy Tea from World War One was on sale.
The name Killick has long been associated with Croydon. At least six local Killick's perished in the Great Plague of 1685.
Despite the dramatic image this picture is not a wartime scene, but rather an accident resulting from the filming of a movie in 1928 about World War One.
A 'German' aircraft took off from Croydon Airport and crashed into a nearby house near the pathway between East and West Hill.
Charles J Oxenham was a tenant farmer on Pace's Farm, Riddlesdown, when these farm workers posed in about 1913 before their annual outing.
The Oxted railway line passed through the Riddlesdown farms.
The tenant farmers lost their farms when the owners sold them to Laing's for housing development.
In 1956 Addington Road did not have yellow lines along the road, parking was plentiful and shopping was a comparatively easy and pleasurable pastime.
All these images are taken from Pocket Images of South Croydon, Selsdon and Sanderstead by Ralph Rimmer.