Reading through my motorcycle news news this week and came across a picture of Forest Hill. The photo is an article about the great 2 and 4 wheeled legend John Surtees. The caption reads ' the Surtees family bike shop in Forest Hill. John's father was the main Vincent dealer for south dealer.'.
I'm not sure but I'm guessing either Dartmouth road or the top of Kirkdale.
Anybody know some more?
Keith [
attachment=2839]
It looks like Sunderland Road (the bit on the South Circular) next to the Railway Telegraph pub. I've looked at it on Google Street View (does this link work
http://goo.gl/maps/qYZuR) and the raised pavement and ornate building stonework look the same.
Wow, well spotted. Bit of a shame it's gone all shabby. Someone needs to add some chic.
Love the original pic. Very old school cool.
How ironic if it were to have been next to the Railway Telegraph - the Sydenham branch of the Motorcycle Action Group used to meet there!
Well done Blushingsnail. Marvelous piece of detective work. Over 50 years of life has certainly not improved the shop front - that's for sure!
KMM
Wonderful work to locate where this was. makes me think, does anyone have any other old photos of FH/areas, this has made me all misty eyed and nostalgic
Thanks for the plaudits but it really wasn't difficult! I knew that bit of Sunderland Road had a raised pavement so I looked at it on Google Street View and it turned out to be the right place.
Isn't the shop on the corner of that parade currently something to do with motor bikes? They might be interested in the local connection.
As for other photos, Steve Grindlay is always a good source:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevegrindlay/sets/
Reply to ForestHillier:The best book with photos of old Forest Hill is
Sydenham and Forest Hill
compiled by John Coulter and John Seaman
Pub. Chalford 1995
ISBN 0 7524 0036 3
My copy is priced at £9.99 and I have had it a long time, so probably a bit more now.
200 photos although rather more of Sydenham than FH
The shop was at number 2 Sunderland Road.
If I've got the hang of attachments, an image of the dealer's transfer is attached.
Nick
[
attachment=2920]
By the way, not all that far away in Sunderland Road was Harold Daniell, the Norton agent, and previous winner of the Isle of Man TT.
Attached his dealer's transfer.
[
attachment=2921]
[
attachment=2922]
He was related by marriage to Steve Lancefield, an engine tuner, who worked out of the front room of his house in FH.
Nick
That'll be 'Dartmouth Road'...
Sorry it must be somewhere else. I've checked with google maps, and ther is no double glazing.
And like Wikipedia it is infallible.
Who's that addressed to, and what's the relevance of the double glazing?
Nick
Never mind. It's a long and boring story.
Advert from 1950 motor racing programme.