Many faces of Christmas past

10:06am Thursday 5th April 2001

My father, the late Mr E Clarke (known as Nobby), worked at the brickworks for well over 30 years, until the early 1970s, when he was forced to retire because of ill health at the age of 72, writes Mrs Dawn Roe of Wentworth Road, Croydon.

He worked on the kilns doing shift work. The hours were 6am to 2pm, 2pm to 10pm and 10pm to 6am. What was the 50 bus route used to terminate at the Black Horse but did not run on Sundays.

My father used to walk from Canterbury Road, Croydon, to the brickworks (even at the age of 72). As a very young child I have vague memories of Christmas parties given to employees' children.

I remember watching flickering black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons.

Does anyone recognise themselves in the photograph taken about 1947/48 at one of these Christmas parties?

I have read the last two, very interesting, articles on Handley's brickworks and would like to make a contribution, says Alan Pollett, of Wallington. As a child I lived in Inglis Road, Addiscombe and attended Woodside Junior School and of course knew about the brickworks, with a special fascination for the heavy trucks which delivered the bricks.

Many Woodside and Addiscombe residents may not be aware that lorries used by Handleys were built locally in a factory in Turan Road. These lorries were badged either Manton or MTN and were built by a division of Manton Motors. The chassis, I believe, were fabricated on site. Prior to having bodies fitted, the finished vehicles would be road tested and one would frequently see them under test, driven by a man in a heavy coat with a leather flying helmet and goggles perched on a temporary wooden seat completely exposed to the elements. I wonder if there are any ex-Manton employees still living locally who could perhaps shed more light on this subject? I for one would be most interested.