Happy Birthday Siouxie Sioux. Funny how your grim roots are the start of your career path. #SiouxieSioux #Bromley Contingent #southlondon #Bromley #HongKongGarden #escapinginsuburbia #art #GramHilleard #painting #1970s #Chiselhurst Grim Art

Bob Monkhouse; legendary comic and obsessive collector would have been 95 today. #BobMonkhouse #Comedy #southlondon #ChineseGarage #escapinginsuburbia #art #GramHilleard #painting #1970s #Beckenham Grim Art

J.M. Barrie, born on this day in 1860 allowed the name Peter Pan tobe used by the creaky fun fair near Catford.
#JMBarrie #Peterpan #southlondon #Beckenham #escapinginsuburbia #art #PeterPansPool #Catford #Bromley #Southendpond #painting   Grim Art

The Laughing Gnome was reissued 50 years ago this week; At the time I always thought it was about 'Dells' gardening shop opposite Beckenham, Police Station!
#Beckenham #Bowie #LaughingGnome #Beckenham HighStreet #EscapingInSuburbia #beckenhamhistory #GramHilleard
Grim Art

This day in 1866 HG Wells was born in Bromley Market Square. Here he is 1971; the future, after buying his bread in ‘Maunders’
#HGWells #BromleyMarketSquare #Maunders #TheTimeMachine #EscapingInSuburbia #bromleyhistory #GramHilleard
Grim Art
hilleard.com

17th July 1926 the foundation stone was laid for St. John Catford; but who cares? Peter Pans pool was opposite! #PeterPansPool #Catford #Bromley #Beckenham #Southendpond #PeterPansPlayground #Escapinginsuburbia #GramHilleard #painting Grim Art

Getting hot in 1976 and Peter Powell the Stunt Kite inventor born June 29th 1932! #StuntKite #PeterPowell #southlondon #Beckenham PlacePark #CrabHill #escapinginsuburbia #art #GramHilleard #painting #1970s #Beckenham Grim Art

The Rover P4 was launched today in 1948. My Aunty Vi had one, always driven by her husband Ken playing the part of the chauffeur!
#Rover P4 #Beckenham #Clockhouse #Rover #EscapingInSuburbia #beckenhamhistory #GramHilleard
Grim Art
hilleard.com

September 1978 with the release of Grease saw the ABC as a single cinema for the last time.
#Beckenham #ABC #Regal #GramHilleard #cinema #art #painting #EscapingInSuburbia
#OdeonCinema #beckenhamhistory Grim Art
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Once, going home from school a man whom I had been walking behind disappeared in the blink of an eye. Ever had a paranormal experience?

#Ghosts #Paramormal #Beckenham #EscapingInSuburbia #Autumn #Beckenham history
Grim Art
hilleard.com

My aunts Sydenham prefab, surrounded by dahlias certainly wasn’t grim; for me it was a cosy paradise!
#Autumn #prefab #1970s #Sydenham #sydenhamhistory #southlondon #DillwynRoad #londonhistory #EscapingInSuburbia #GramHilleard
Grim Art
hilleard.com

September 28th 1984 Homebase opens in south London on the site of the children’s much loved funfair; Peter Pan’s Pool.
#PeterPansPool #Catford #Beckenham #Bromley #EscapingInSuburbia #Southendpond #GramHilleard
Grim Art
hilleard.com

OTD in 1974 Sparks released their 4th album Propaganda, finally putting those ‘Beckenham Years’ behind them.
#Sparks #Propaganda #Beckenham #EscapingInSuburbia #Sparks Group #Beckenham history
Grim Art
hilleard.com

Grim Autumnal thoughts of junior school in the 1970s where my evil woodwork teacher Mr Griffiths, would beat you up for wasting balsa wood!
#Autumn #schooldays #1970s #Beckenham #beckenhamhistory #EscapingInSuburbia #GramHilleard
Grim Art
hilleard.com

Nearly 45 years ago on 25th July 1978 Beckenham Arts Centre burnt down; a few weeks their famous life-model, Quentin Crisp had retired!

#Beckenham ArtsCentre #Beckenham #QuentinCrisp #Fire #GramHilleard #EscapingInSuburbia Grim Art hilleard.com

Growing up in Beckenham during the1970s I always thought Ron Mael from ‘Sparks’ was working in my local out-of-date 1930’s hairdressers.
#Sparks #southlondon #Beckenham #escapinginsuburbia #Ernies #RonMael #painting #1970s #gramhilleard Grim Art hilleard.com

Petunia Winegum (Peter Wyngarde) may have been born on 23rd Aug. 1927; though he didn’t half look like the stall holder in Bromley Market!
#PeterWyngarde #JasonKing #Bromley #ElmfieldRoad #escapinginsuburbia #painting #1970s #southlondon Grim Art hilleard.com

OTD in 1980 'Gentlemen Take Polaroids' was released, but wasn’t that David Sylvian at the Dry Cleaners last week in the High Street?
#Sydenham #Penge #GentlemenTakePolaroids #Japan #EscapingInSuburbia #DavidSylvian #Sylvian
Grim Art
hilleard.com

A day for the eccentric gentleman, Russell-Kitchen who collected vintage and veteran cars, who lived along the road from using the 70s.
#veterancarrun #1970s #Beckenham #beckenhamhistory #EscapingInSuburbia
Royal Automobile Club Royal Automobile Club Motoring
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