Wandsworth Revisited

Today I saw on the BBC website that people had been rescued from a fire in Sudbury House - a tower block in Wandsworth. I lived in Sudbury House a while ago (when I was 18-19 so quite a while ago!) and so I had a little poke around the Internet to see what it was like now. I loved it when I lived there, and it has changed loads.

In 1971 The Arndale Centre on Wandsworth High Street opened, built on the site of Wandsworth Greyhound Stadium. At the time it was the largest indoor shopping space in Europe*. The Arndale was a bit of a dump when I was there. I can't remember many shops being inside. There was a Sainsbury's, a post office and a cobblers, and a McDonalds (I could never afford McDs!). Now the shopping centre is called Southside and it looks quite posh. There is a Waitrose, Gap, Nandos, TK Maxx and Primark. There is also a Virgin Active gym and a 14 screen cinema. I can't picture all that being there.

In 1975 Sudbury House, a tower block built into the centre of the Arndale, was completed. This was 25 floors high and the flats were used to house some of the most disadvantaged tenants. I think I was on floor 17, and finding that there were 25 floors surprised me because I was sure I was closer to the top. Two lifts served the flats, and the entrance was at the entrance to the Arndale. When the lifts broke down your legs ached for days! I was high enough up so that if I stood in the corridor by my front door I could clearly see the building sway. The views were great. Running underneath Sudbury Tower is the River Wardle. Being 18 I wasn't too perturbed by the murder one Saturday night. Someone got stabbed and the next morning there were still blood stains down the back stairs. A poem depicting life in my flat was there when I arrived**. The photos are of the newly revamped Sudbury House, and the view from it.

My flat overlooked the Rams Brewery, home to Youngs beer. I could see into the yard and the shire horses would deliver the barrels to the local pubs. My flat also had the advantage that I could see when the pub door - The Brewery Tap - opened. Yes, in those days there were strict opening times. There had been a pub on the site (The Ram) since at least 1550. The brewery closed in 2006, and there are plans to build a 42 and 32 storey tower on the land.

I worked in Putney, probably a 30-40 minute walk away. Putney High Street had everything you needed without going into central London. The Oxford/Cambridge boat race sets off from Putney Bridge, and seeing the crowds on race day is amazing. The pubs next to the Thames near the bridge are heaving with champagne drinkers. The boat clubs are along the riverbanks and it was nice to see them practising early in the morning. On my walk to work I would pass Festing Road, home to Mr Benn (or Mr Benn's creater who changed the name to Festive Road). I read recently that a plaque is being put into the pavement. When I was there it wasn't well known that Mr Benn lived there although for a fan it is easy to make the connection (the houses are exactly like in the programme). It is only with the Internet that I've had it confirmed.

My flat was only about 15 minutes walk to the nearest tube station, and 15-20 minutes walk to Clapham Junction train station. It was also strictly speaking walking distance to the city centre. I walked whenever I couldn't afford the tube fare and wasn't in a hurry. The nicest way was into Putney, over the bridge, through Fulham and down the Kings Road through Chelsea, going past Sloane Square and Harrods, and eventually ending up more or less at Buck Palace. In those days the museums were free so I made the most of my days off.

OK history lesson over. I think I'll have to have a revisit as I'm very curious.

* Twenty two Arndale Centres have been built in the UK, and they were the first 'American style' shopping malls. The first was opened in Jarrow in 1961. The one in Manchester is the largest city centre indoor shopping mall in Europe. The Arndale Trust was set up by ARNold Hagenback and Sam ChippenDALE.

** (as much as my memory can get together):
17th (?) Floor of Sudbury House

Graffiti on the walls and
Garbage in the halls.
Furniture broken,
Oven won't open.
No big pots with which to cook.
No loo seat, pray take a look.
Windows let in water.
Would you let you daughter
Live in a dump like this?