Funny how names contain our past, isn't it? This name Aldermans Hill never meant anything for me than: the main street next to Derwent Road, the thoroughfare to such places as Broomfield Park, to Green Lanes, to Southgate via Cannon Hill, yet somehow it meant a great deal because it was all that. It was the street where my first English shops were situated, where Palmers Green station straddled the railway line. I remember a time when I was too small to look over the bridge and actually see this amazing phenomenon: the rumbling train leave the station underneath and depart towards Winchmore Hill and Enfield (where one day I would go, when I joined Mark at St Ignatius). To actually see the train roll away, taking its passengers to unknown destinations contained a thrill I don't know how to explain (check here).

At the end of Aldermans Hill, the Triangle was at one stage the furthermost point known to me:  only later was I allowed to venture in Green Lanes and further. For a long time, I couldn't connect Arnos Grove Tube station, where Grandma came to fetch us with her car, and Derwent Road: it was just too far! And even later, when I was perhaps 16, I knew very little of Palmers Green. Let's see: I was familiar with the area around Broomfield Park (Auntie Olive took us to the Library), down Green Lanes to the Catholic church, Fox Lane to Selbourne Road and back to Derwent Road. I would have been able to find my way back if I had been forgotten at Southgate Tube station, and how to go to AB's home in Hamilton Crescent. One day I remember I ventured around the corner and discovered Hazelwood Lane Primary, where I had been told we had gone to school as infants... I realize that my geography of Palmers Green was strictly restricted to the places where I needed to go, and that the rest was out of sight and out of mind. I simply enjoyed my little comfortable world around Derwent Road!

Below is an extract of this website, which strives at giving some historical background of a number of Palmers Green historical changes. Very interesting! (Hmm, the link now seems dead. Check other link at the bottom of the page.)

"Aldermans Hill was named after Alderman William Curtis who lived in a large house called Cullands Grove, later to become part of the Old Park Estate. To the east side of the house there was a small lake or fish pond roughly triangular in shape which contained two islands. The lake was roughly where Derwent Road now joins Aldermans Hill. Each side of the triangle was roughly 140 metres. It was one of many ponds in the area which have now disappeared along with their wildlife." "The long water on the south side of Aldermans Hill was used by horses and carriages to quietly splash their way through on a hot summers day. Sometimes the horses refused to budge further until forced to by their driver. "

And here's another picture of the pond!

Here are some photos and views of Aldermans Hill from here and there on the net:

Wow, there was this tall tree in the middle of the pavement! Below is almost the same view but under the snow.

(above) The info says 1896!...

And this one 1905... or so!

(above) this could have been the ramp coming up to the station

The tree was still there at The Triangle.

If you have any material, or testimonies or, whatever you would like to post, please contribute!

Here's a new photo from the top of Alderman's Hill, a bit blurry, though. Probably taken in the 1910's or so.

some extra photos:

Above is Coronation day in 1937

Wartime pic

1/11/2014: Noel send me this link, which contains an interesting article about the history of the Alderman's Hill:

http://issuu.com/tonyourris/docs/pg_s_life_sept14_f

Time for a fun post: Washing!

At 9DR, like in all other houses of the world, there was a big amount of washing going about. The Aunties washed... a lot! So here's a selection of washing pictures and stuff - nice and clean!

In case you hadn't followed, this blog has already dealt with washing issues: there was recently a discussion about Auntie Olive's special stack of soap (here), she also taught me a particular way to wash my hands (also here) and I mentioned the Aunties' compulsive need to wash up as soon there was enough to do so, that is to say, as soon as people started eating. I think one day they managed to finish the washing up before we had ended our meal! Today Frédérique tells me I have inherited their dreadful tidying up technique before people have actually left the table, not quite as bad as washing up the food which hasn't yet been eaten, but not far!

Washing has to be taught young otherwise bad habits in the technique can develop later on in life. You can see on the picture above the natural taste which empowers girls, and the scowling face of the boy when looking at the washing device...

You can see above that Mummy comes to defend her boy, who was shocked by the possibility that washing might have to be done by him too. In her arms he is safe and can rise above such contingencies.

See? Left on her own the girl exults: the washing need not be shared with grumpy boys!

Boys and girls can always share other occasions, can't they?

Washing is a democratic invention which has been carried down the centuries, but some people have taken advantage of it.

Here you can see how washing has crossed over the limits of homes and extended to many other people and animals. The line wasn't toed any more! I for one vote for this trespassing to be terminated, and to remember that in 9DR there was such a thing as a washing line:

I've already got one voter on my side!

I have only got a few pictures of the English family abroad, and most of them naturally refer to Mum's trip when she left for France in the 1950's. There are also a few not shown yet on this blog when her sisters visited her there. But as for the rest, I'm sure there must have been some other trips; I remember seeing photos of Monsieur Père and Grandma in Israel (they called it the Holy Land), and we have some snapshots of Auntie Olive in France, with Nick... So you crowds of blog-readers, don't hesitate, send me your foreign photos! (remember, nothing after 1986). We start naturally with Mum leaving for the enemy! Hop on board:

I wonder how come she had all those young men posing next to her... Here is proof of her stay in France, rural first:

Of course she led a life which her family would have disapproved of thoroughly, but she certainly did seem to enjoy herself. These are more city-oriented:

Then again she had the best of pretexts: her studies!

Can you spot her? Third row, in the middle.

She had the visit of her sisters; and here I think only 2 of them, the person on the far left isn't Jo :

This column (Colonne des Trente) is actually in Guillac; here's a contemporary picture:

Lil' sister Veronica came to Brittany to see her:

And she came again in 1959, after Cath's marriage (she wanted to make sure no doubt):

Now a few other pictures which will no doubt be supplemented by all the ones you'll send me. Here's Auntie Olive with Nick in 1968 in the garden in Bonnebosq: there was LOTS of work to be done!

and Nick again at the seaside:

This time it's Auntie Olive and Noël:

Since November 2014, this blog has covered the 1966 trip to Holy Land: check it here!

Looking at some pictures which had been posted here and there, I noticed that a series had been shot in 1962 at Trafalgar square: Mum Dad Hélène and myself: here's all the collection! (I've erased them from the other pages where they appeared):

 Don't we look a little tired??

Recently Noël sent me some pictures of those big suitcases which used to belong to Auntie Olive and our Mum, so I thought I would post or re-post all the pictures of suitcases boxes etc. connected with 9DR. First here's AO's big fat suitcase (I understand now why they had porters in the old days):

Then a smaller version with which Cath came to France back in the swinging fifties:

It's even got her label on it:

And the ports of departure and arrival:

Then some other boxes which you might have seen elsewhere:

There! if you have more bags and boxes, they'll land here!