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My family moved to Northwood Middlesex from Manor Park, Essex in 1929 when I was 2 years of age, recalled Wally Reeve.
I believe we first lived in a flat in the High Street but later moved to Chestnut Avenue by the recreation ground. In 1932 we moved to a council house at 43, Townsend Way where my parents lived until 1964.
I attended Emmanuel Church Infants School where Miss Ford was the senior teacher and Miss Payne taught the first year.
At the age of seven I went to Pinner Road Primary and then at the age of 11 to Potter Street Secondary which I left in 1941.
I attended the 1st Northwood Scout group where Frank Holmes was the scoutmaster assisted by 'Tubby' Armitt. The scout hut was in a field at the top of our garden and during the war this field was dug up for allotments.
I had one sister called Constance who married a bloke in the RAF and they now live in Wales.
The main thing I remember about Northwood in those days was the freedom we had to wander where we wished. Hogs Back was a favourite playground and especially the pond where we used to make very unsafe rafts to sail on.
Another great place was the Gravel Pits at the end of Green Lane in Ducks Hill Road. A gang of us would leave our homes about 8 o'clock in the morning and on our way to the Pits we would call at a cake shop called Garners.
There we would get two pennyworth of stale cakes (they were called stale but were only what had not been sold the day previous), a large bag full. Enough for 4 or 5 of us together with a bottle of water would last us for the day until we went home about 5 or 6 o'clock.
I suppose it was about a one and a half mile walk to get there and what with plenty of running about during the day we were ready for bed.
There were two policemen living in Townsend Way, a Mr Foster and a Mr Young, so we were reasonably well-behaved as kids.
Besides which in those days the copper would think nothing of giving you a clip round the ear or a cut across the legs with his rolled up cape.
They would then tell your father and you would probably get another clip when he got home. It was accepted though because you always knew the policeman was always there if needed.
The Ritz cinema in the High Street was always well populated on a Saturday morning. One of the events of the year was Pinner Fair held in Pinner High Street. I think it may still be held but I shouldn't think it is as popular now as it was then.
I also remember going to Callow`s the baker in the High Street to buy fresh Hot X buns on Good Friday morning.
When the war began, soldiers of the London Scottish Regiment were stationed in Northwood, and when they were on a route march, all the kids used to follow them listening to the bagpipes.
My particular mates in the thirties were George Garner, 'Ginger' Farrington and Denis Ram. I last saw George in 1964 but have not seen the others since the early fifties.
As I have tried to explain, Northwood was a really great place to grow up in back in those days in the Thirties.
Wally Reeve, New Zealand, 2001
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