Former residents of Church Street

Photo:reg and violet waters

reg and violet waters

Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Former residents of Church Street' page
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Former residents of Church Street' page
Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Former residents of Church Street' page
The people at Number 14
By Gillian Waters

My grandparents lived at number 14 Church Street, above Jordan's bed showroom.  Their names were Reginald and Violet Waters. I don't know when they moved there but I should imagine it was around the time that Marylebone Station became an important route into London.

Grandfather worked there and worked on well into his retirement years. They had twin sons who were born in Tewin and the family moved to Church Street and my dad and his brother attended Gateforth Street School. 

You could see the school yard from Nan's kitchen. Dad went to fight in WW2 from there. My uncle was not well enough to fight so he stayed at home. We often visited our grandparents on a Saturday. We would travel up from Hertfordshire, say hi to our grandparents and then my brother and myself would go down the market together.

We would enjoy roast chestnuts, also hot apple turnovers. Robin used to love the record stall ,I must admit it was good. He would buy jossticks and I would buy the beautiful indian bracelets. We remember Grandad listening to the cricket on the radio. He was a member of the Lord's Cricket Club. He had a pipe rack, different pipes lined up. I often wonder how a small family could live in such a small flat.

My grandmother was very well known. She stood out with her tight curly red hair. In years to come I could not walk down the market without stallholders knowing who I was. I have the red hair too. I remember Jo Silver who used to sell fruit and veg. My brother recalls a stallholder named Chocolate Joe, can't place what he sold. Does anyone else remember him? I used to love the ice-cream parlour in Edgware Road too.

My mum's brother used to live in Wey House with his family. I remember staying there once and looking out of the window at the coalyard. That was Joe and Josie O'Shea. They had a large family. They moved to Huntingdon- still there today. Nan and Grandad  had to move from the flat either late 70s or early 80s when Jordan's sold the building. They moved to Balcombe Street after the siege there. Lovely memories I have of that little flat.

This page was added on 24/03/2011.

Comments about this page

Oh yes Chocolate Joe! He sold household stuff but seemed to have anything you wanted. I seem to remember it smelt of cleaning fluid of some sort. Oh and the ice-cream parlour! I have never tasted ice-cream like it! AND the ice-cream sodas!! NEVER tasted one like it since!!

By AnN Metcalfe
On 27/07/2011

My nan & grandad (Lou and Jim Baker) lived at no 24 on top of George Moores' Bike shop opposite Jordans also backing onto Gateforth Street School where my mum Elsie Baker and her sister Lil went. I was born in Lisson Grove in 1947 and remember Taylors the sweet shop up that end and my grandad's local the Duke of York . There was a youth club called the Four Feathers where the Shadows, Marty Wilde, Joe Brown and the Vernon girls used to rehearse. And Marylebone Station where the Beatles filmed Hard Days Night. I also remember the Black and White Milk bar in Edgware Road that used to sell their delicious home made icecream. I went to Christchurch Primary and then Regents Park Secondary and Sarah Siddons. I reluctanly left the area about 1965 with such fond memories of a happy childhood.

By Valerie Jean Fletcher nee Miller
On 16/08/2011

Is Gillian Waters by any chance related to Fred & Rachel Waters who used to live in Enbook Street up towards Kensal Rise?

My gran (Maud Baker) lived at 104 Broadley Street (formerly Earl Street) until her death in 1961. As kids we used to spend most weekends with her and played in Church Street, especially after the market had cleared up.

I remember Chocolate Joe, Murrays butchers and a costermonger called Joey Wonsof or something like that. There was also a little corner shop in Penfold Street called Min's where I was sent to get eggs etc. Also there was Peter Keevils who used to deliver groceries, I believe.

By Alan Baker
On 27/09/2011

Hello again. I dont know if I am related to those Waters. My grandparents lived at 14 church street above Jordans bed shop. They had twin sons Reg and Bert. Their dad worked at marylebone station.

By Gillian Waters
On 18/10/2011

I went to visit my old dad in hospital a few weeks ago where he shared a childhood memory with us. London was so quiet when he was a small boy, he remembers hearing the lions roaring in london zoo, from where they lived.

He also told us my grandfather recieved a gold watch for his service on the railway which ended at Marylebone Station.

By Gillian Waters
On 23/11/2011

My husband tells me that the ice-cream parlour was called Alfreds.

By Brenda Nally
On 02/03/2012

I am convinced my mum, Glad King nee Coles worked here. Does anyone remember her?

By Kay King
On 21/01/2013

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