Walking from Ponders end Lock to Southbury Rd via South street

A walk from Ponders end lock along South street to Southbury Rd.

[@DEEN133]

I m planning to go ponders end but this video really helpful for my itinerary including traditional Islamic mosque. Thanks for uploading 💂

[@michawill6599]

Live in Southampton now, but this where I grew up. Lived in Merlin House for 8 years. And baptised in that church on South Street. Thank you. :-)

[@jf4950]

Hi Mich thanks for the comment , everything changes given time including me , got to bloody old for a start but pleased that this video has brought back a few memories for you. John

[@johndawson8350]

I lived in Ponders End from birth (in 1950) until 1971. My parents had the cottage at the end of Conduit Lane, off Wharf Road and then south about half a mile, on the site of the sewage works which my Dad designed - he was a civil engineer for Enfield council. Primary school for me was in Chingford on the 121 bus between the reservoirs (allegedly better schooling than Alma Road, anyway I passed my 11+). Secondary was Enfield Grammar to which I often cycled, who remembers the manned level crossing at Ponders End station or Mr Read the newsagent on South Street? I remember the River Lea well and used to take my dog for walks round there when I was a teenager. John - thank you for this - I wonder if we ever met back in the day?

[@richardm5283]

I am a year younger than you and went to Alma School (we always wrongly called it Alma Road School). I failed my 11+ so you probably made the right choice although I can't blame the school because many passed. I do not remember Mr Read in South Street, but the sweet shop was straight out of Dickens and the old lady who ran it seemed like an ancient character straight from one of his stories. I remember the manned level crossing and the exciting and protracted procedure for closing the road every time a train passed. I did the reverse cycle trip from Enfield town (where we moved to from Ponders End) to Brimsdown and and Albany Secondary Modern School) suppose it kept us fit. Interesting your dad designed sewage works, my favorite lecturer at college was a services engineer and he always used to say "you might call it sh.t but it's my bread and butter".

[@robertl2856]

Lived there till 1977 thanks for uploading

[@jf4950]

Thanks for posting the comment Rob, a lot of changes and not all for the best but sometimes it is nice to your memory jogged back to what I hope were happy times.

[@pxppy4167]

I live in Ponders end about three years ago thx

[@mohammadislam1986]

I have been living here for 15 years.... (2019 comment)

[@mohammadislam1986]

I used to live in curlew house (next to micha will's flat (merlin))

[@richardm5283]

Thanks for video. I have just posted song about Ponders End (amateur effort). I left fifty five years ago and see now that it is not as depressing and industrial as I remember. Perhaps I got it wrong.

[@jf4950]

Hi Richard thanks for the comment , the video is quite a true depiction of how it is today and a lot of things can change in the space of 55 years , the brimsdown area is still quite industrial consisting mainly warehousing and distribution units and job opportunities so you have to take the rough with the smooth . Unfortunately these days nowhere is perfect but there are many green open places in and around Enfield that makes me quite happy to stay put , plus the city of London which I enjoy is only a 20 min train ride away . ... All the best , John .

[@richardm5283]

@@jf4950 I remember the gas works. From Church Road one day we saw a great fire across the allotments and we thought the works were going to explode but luckily it was a furniture factory behind the works which burnt out and contained the fire. Scotland Green Road next to the park had factories and next to the railway towards Brimsdown. At Albany school we often heard the machine gun testing from the Royal Small Arms factory. Are they still there? I am glad things look cleaner and more hopeful. The Lea Valley has a great potential and since the Olympics the area should carry on improving. Regards Richard M.

[@jf4950]

@@richardm5283 Hi Richard I am an old Albany school boy boy myself and the sound of the guns on the small arms firing range are now just a distant memory , I have done so many videos of the local area i have lost count , i am not trying to sell myself as I only do it as a hobby but check some of them out to see how much has changed from when you lived here , try out " I LET MY MIND WANDER " . Also I was a regular in the Falcon pub for more years than I like to remember - HAPPY-HAPPY DAYS . John

[@richardm5283]

@@jf4950 My recollections of Albany School are tainted by the archaic school meal two sitting/serve yourself system. Before mixed comprehensive re organisation we used to have to queue up between the prefabs and the yobs used to mortar you with part used and rotting milk cartons from the other side of the prefabs. The serve yourself system was basically the older boys shared the allocated food such the you (the younger kids) had little and they had lions share. The non academic kids were in the Adventure forms and learnt to maintain and drive old cars, play rugby and box as well a terrorizing the other years. Luckily there were comparatively few of them. Apart from that it was a good school and the teachers supportive. Checked out LET MY MIND WANDER it is very informative. I live in Cardiff and it is reassuring to hear the familiar North London accent. Remember jumping fence to King George Fifth reservoir and catching perch before being chased off by warden. Cheers Richard M.

[@JanKowalski-oz6je]

I used to live there back in 2007-08

[@laurencenygate950]

I grew up in Falcon road.

[@ChoneyPony]

I stayed in a air bnb down the street from the picture palace when i was there on vacation. Why? I have no fuckin idea lol kept taking the bus and train into the city but i liked ponders end actually. I was walking around drunk as shit.

[@DCI-Frank-Burnside]

As to who Ponder was and how he ended, no one knows.

[@lillianrose7215]

Any one lived here in 2009 2010 Trying to find well known twin brothers. There nan lived on nags head Road. 2010 they helped me escape. I'ld love to re connect.