[cite]Posted By: March51[/cite]You can take the boy, and girl, out of South London but you can't take South London out of them. I feel a tug of the heartstrings every time we come of the A2 and make for the Valley. As Bigstemarra said earlier sentimentality is a strong emotion and can cloud your vision so would I return to SE2 to finish where it all started? The heart says yes but common sense prevails, besides have you seen Woolwich lately?
Despite my saying I wouldn't move back I agree with this too.
My heart still misses a beat when I see the Water Tower at the top of Shooters Hill when approaching from any direction. I also like to sit quietly at The Valley sometimes before a match with my memories.
Memories though are not the here and now and that is why the answer to Chunes' question, in reality, has to be "no."
Born north side of the river in The East End of London.Lived the first forty years of my life on the Southside of The River,time spent in Bexleyheath,Charlton Westcombe Parkhill and Sidcup.Time goes by and everything changes not for the better.If the above areas were as there were forty years ago the answer would be YES.Now live the other side of the channel within five minutes walk of woodland and afew minutes drive of waterway.Can still drink real ale and watch my football at home ,just takes abit longer to travell to The Valley plus six hours.It is people that change a place and not the buildings and for me life is sweet at the moment .Still love to visit London but its the people who make me long for the woodland and waterways of my wifes land.
Sparrows Lane Lion: "What's Chicago like? Heard great things about the place."
I no longer live in Chicago, I am now one of the burgeoning Bermuda set - Ken, get your arse down here :-)
I lived in Chicago for 5 years and absolutely adored it. Fantastic city and as I often said one of America's best kept secrets from overseas visitors. Even came across the odd Millwall fan.
I have been in Bermuda coming up two years. Before Chicago I actually spent 18 months in Hornchurch. Prior to that West Malling and Paddock Wood in Kent. I recently worked out that I have lived in 10 houses in 12 years, and we move again in 3 weeks. Before that I had a great little flat in Catford, which I really wish I kept (my ex-wife hated it though) and then I was at my parents in Catford, but they had just moved into my Nan's old house (5 minutes away) from the house that I was born and grew up in.
Coming back to the UK is a constant topic in our house. For family, friends and football (and the BBC) yes in a heartbeat goes without saying and I have got my eye on that Blackheath Common. Will we come back though? I don't honestly know.
[cite]Posted By: Colin in Thailand.[/cite]Eaststandmike
interesting see my post above.
for some reason the quote button will not work.......
Hi Colin, yes I spotted your Sevenoaks connections, we love it down here, we actually live in St Marys Platt which is rural enough for us but close enough to Sevenoaks for a bit of life.
If you come home and are in the area get in touch and I will buy you a beer.
[cite]Posted By: ChicagoAddick[/cite]Sparrows Lane Lion: "What's Chicago like? Heard great things about the place."
I lived in Chicago for 5 years and absolutely adored it. Fantastic city and as I often said one of America's best kept secrets from overseas visitors. Even came across the odd Millwall fan.
All Millwall fans are "odd" Chigago, what you mean is you bumped into one in the States.
f Hi Colin, yes I spotted your Sevenoaks connections, we love it down here, we actually live in St Marys Platt which is rural enough for us but close enough to Sevenoaks for a bit of life.
If you come home and are in the area get in touch and I will buy you a beer.[/quote]
That sounds a good idea mate--my house is five minutes from you Kemsing.
I live in Charlton and love it, even with some of the social problems it has. Yes it is a bit edgy these days but for someone to say their wife was shitting herself in charlton I find upsetting. We have so much on our doorstep and I would miss it all if i ever left.
I also think its unfair when people say... never in a million years would I move there etc etc. Yes we would all like to live beside the sea side beside the sea but thats just not possible for some. I wouldnt be able to afford a 60% pay cut if I moved out and worked locally and would never ever spend 4 hours a day on a train commuting - thats just a waste of valuable free time for me. May be in the future.
Like Cardinal Sin - if i won the lottery i woudl be happy to just move a mile up and live in one of the beautiful roads in Westcombe Park / Maze Hill. Lovely.
Lived in Barnehurst , Deptford, Thailand Kidbrooke an 6 months Qatar.
Never hated any ofthem. Sure Deptford was a shithole Leroy but great for live music in the 80z. Parts of Kidbrooke need blowing up but then there some great bits as well. Thailand well see some parts of Bangkok and tellme it aint a shit pit, other parts are truely stunning.
Sarf London will always be where my heart is , although i dont recognise parts of it any more. In the garden after work and its as good as anywhere.
If i had the cash id live somewhere near the sea in Dorset but id probably also have a place in SE London somewhere.
[quote][cite]Posted By: Curb_It[/cite] I also think its unfair when people say... never in a million years would I move there etc etc. Yes we would all like to live beside the sea side beside the sea but thats just not possible for some. I wouldnt be able to afford a 60% pay cut if I moved out and worked locally and would never ever spend 4 hours a day on a train commuting - thats just a waste of valuable free time for me. May be in the future.[/quote]
Are you having a dig at me Curb_It ;-))
I totally agree that having a 4 hours a day commuting is not for everyone, hence why I work from home 2 days a week. I did it every day for 5 years and it was tedious mate. But it is worth it for the evenings/weekends beside the sea side beside the sea, as you put it. I moved down here 10 years ago to live with my girlfriend(now the missus). I loved it for the nightlife in Brighton, which is 15 minutes away, as you get less hassle than if you have a night out in London. Since I now have 2 young boys, my perspective has changed and the schools, low crime etc. are more important to me. I made the point that I have no need to move back to SE London but having spent many a year living there, it's always in my heart. I still visit family and friends and always have a great time. I just prefer my life how it is now, but am still very proud of my past at the same time.
Not a dig but peoples circumstances are different. I dont believe commuting 4 hours is worth it as i would be too tired to appreciate anything during the week apart from my weekends. Perhaps if i was lucky enough to be able to work from home two days a week I would but thats not possible in my job.
Still i can be in one of the most beautiful parks within 20 mins of leaving work (i.e. 6pm). And can sit down by the riverside outside lovely pubs without getting any hassle off people so life isnt too bad.
[quote][cite]Posted By: Curb_It[/cite]Not a dig but peoples circumstances are different. I dont believe commuting 4 hours is worth it as i would be too tired to appreciate anything during the week apart from my weekends. Perhaps if i was lucky enough to be able to work from home two days a week I would but thats not possible in my job.
Still i can be in one of the most beautiful parks within 20 mins of leaving work (i.e. 6pm). And can sit down by the riverside outside lovely pubs without getting any hassle off people so life isnt too bad.[/quote]
Absolutely mate, I am guessing you are talking about Greenwich Park, if so, I couldn't agree more. There are some fantastic places in SE London and it definitely get's bad press. I am very proud of my roots and certainly would not try to put people off living there either. It's just that I have moved away now, but still love coming back to the place I came from.
I love SE London - born in Charlton, raised in Lewisham, and the majority of my immediate family live in one or the other. However, I got a job in Hammersmith twelve years ago, and got so fed up of nights like tonight where the trains were totally screwed, and having to race back to Charing Cross after a night out to make the last train that I moved out west. It's more expensive in general, but the area I live in doesn't have a vastly different feel to it really, even though it's a lot further out.
As things stand, I can't really see me moving back, but that's more down to work, housing and transport issues than anything else. When I come back for football or to visit the relatives, it still feels like "home" and as others have said, if I won silly money on the lottery, I'd probably buy a nice place in Greenwich or Blackheath.
Interesting thread. My family are from Charlton and SE London (grandparents are buried in Charlton Cemetery) but I grew up just outside in Kent. I live in Islington now but lived in Lewisham/Blackheath before that. Islington is a great place to live for a young person (I'm 24), going out and close to town if you work in the City or West End. But it is so gentrified and very busy and intense. SE London is almost a compromise if you want to live in London - it is a bit more relaxed with parks etc and more real locals/community but still with the buzz and excitement of London. Property is so expensive in Islington / Shoreditch area and I hate the mix of bigshot city boys and rich cool kids from entirely different parts of the country who have turned up from entirely different parts of the country and taken the area over to the extent that you would probably walk into most pubs on Upper Street on a Friday or Saturday night and struggle to find somebody who actually grew up anywhere near the area (although to be fair i obviously contribute to that!). That makes it exciting in a way but I love south-east London because whilst it is also gentrified to some extent, I think it retains some of its original character and people.
I can see the appeal of the West Country and the countryside, especially in the summer. But on the rare occasion that I go and visit my parents (who are only just outside London!) for an evening or weekend, I get home and think how nice and quiet and relaxed it is but after a couple of hours I want to go out and do something. I went down to Salcombe for the late May bank holiday with a few mates for 4 days and there are only 4 pubs and a couple of restaurants in the town. By midnight on the first day everything was shut and we had done it all and were twiddling our thumbs the next day! Obviously people's priorities change as they grow etc though.
The majority of jobs and opportunities in England are in London and I would prefer to live here than any other city in the UK. For those reasons I imagine I will spend a majority of certainly the next 10years or so living in London, and I would like that to be in the Greenwich / Blackheath area as I have done living right in town for a couple of years. But I also fancy the idea of at least some time abroad, whether that is travelling or working. Somewhere like Barcelona or Valencia appeals with the city life but beaches too etc. It is difficult though with work and other ties, and obviously a risk... so we will see.
Comments
Despite my saying I wouldn't move back I agree with this too.
My heart still misses a beat when I see the Water Tower at the top of Shooters Hill when approaching from any direction. I also like to sit quietly at The Valley sometimes before a match with my memories.
Memories though are not the here and now and that is why the answer to Chunes' question, in reality, has to be "no."
I no longer live in Chicago, I am now one of the burgeoning Bermuda set - Ken, get your arse down here :-)
I lived in Chicago for 5 years and absolutely adored it. Fantastic city and as I often said one of America's best kept secrets from overseas visitors. Even came across the odd Millwall fan.
I have been in Bermuda coming up two years. Before Chicago I actually spent 18 months in Hornchurch. Prior to that West Malling and Paddock Wood in Kent. I recently worked out that I have lived in 10 houses in 12 years, and we move again in 3 weeks. Before that I had a great little flat in Catford, which I really wish I kept (my ex-wife hated it though) and then I was at my parents in Catford, but they had just moved into my Nan's old house (5 minutes away) from the house that I was born and grew up in.
Coming back to the UK is a constant topic in our house. For family, friends and football (and the BBC) yes in a heartbeat goes without saying and I have got my eye on that Blackheath Common. Will we come back though? I don't honestly know.
Hi Colin, yes I spotted your Sevenoaks connections, we love it down here, we actually live in St Marys Platt which is rural enough for us but close enough to Sevenoaks for a bit of life.
If you come home and are in the area get in touch and I will buy you a beer.
All Millwall fans are "odd" Chigago, what you mean is you bumped into one in the States.
Hi Colin, yes I spotted your Sevenoaks connections, we love it down here, we actually live in St Marys Platt which is rural enough for us but close enough to Sevenoaks for a bit of life.
If you come home and are in the area get in touch and I will buy you a beer.[/quote]
That sounds a good idea mate--my house is five minutes from you Kemsing.
Do not need any tempting..... I was looking at photos on the internet..... Not far short of paradise really ...
I have not booked my holiday yet!....
I also think its unfair when people say... never in a million years would I move there etc etc. Yes we would all like to live beside the sea side beside the sea but thats just not possible for some. I wouldnt be able to afford a 60% pay cut if I moved out and worked locally and would never ever spend 4 hours a day on a train commuting - thats just a waste of valuable free time for me. May be in the future.
Like Cardinal Sin - if i won the lottery i woudl be happy to just move a mile up and live in one of the beautiful roads in Westcombe Park / Maze Hill. Lovely.
Never hated any ofthem. Sure Deptford was a shithole Leroy but great for live music in the 80z. Parts of Kidbrooke need blowing up but then there some great bits as well. Thailand well see some parts of Bangkok and tellme it aint a shit pit, other parts are truely stunning.
Sarf London will always be where my heart is , although i dont recognise parts of it any more. In the garden after work and its as good as anywhere.
If i had the cash id live somewhere near the sea in Dorset but id probably also have a place in SE London somewhere.
Are you having a dig at me Curb_It ;-))
I totally agree that having a 4 hours a day commuting is not for everyone, hence why I work from home 2 days a week. I did it every day for 5 years and it was tedious mate. But it is worth it for the evenings/weekends beside the sea side beside the sea, as you put it. I moved down here 10 years ago to live with my girlfriend(now the missus). I loved it for the nightlife in Brighton, which is 15 minutes away, as you get less hassle than if you have a night out in London.
Since I now have 2 young boys, my perspective has changed and the schools, low crime etc. are more important to me. I made the point that I have no need to move back to SE London but having spent many a year living there, it's always in my heart. I still visit family and friends and always have a great time. I just prefer my life how it is now, but am still very proud of my past at the same time.
Sounds like a plan, send me a whisper when you are over next and the offer of a beer still stands.
Still i can be in one of the most beautiful parks within 20 mins of leaving work (i.e. 6pm). And can sit down by the riverside outside lovely pubs without getting any hassle off people so life isnt too bad.
Still i can be in one of the most beautiful parks within 20 mins of leaving work (i.e. 6pm). And can sit down by the riverside outside lovely pubs without getting any hassle off people so life isnt too bad.[/quote]
Absolutely mate, I am guessing you are talking about Greenwich Park, if so, I couldn't agree more. There are some fantastic places in SE London and it definitely get's bad press. I am very proud of my roots and certainly would not try to put people off living there either. It's just that I have moved away now, but still love coming back to the place I came from.
As things stand, I can't really see me moving back, but that's more down to work, housing and transport issues than anything else. When I come back for football or to visit the relatives, it still feels like "home" and as others have said, if I won silly money on the lottery, I'd probably buy a nice place in Greenwich or Blackheath.
I can see the appeal of the West Country and the countryside, especially in the summer. But on the rare occasion that I go and visit my parents (who are only just outside London!) for an evening or weekend, I get home and think how nice and quiet and relaxed it is but after a couple of hours I want to go out and do something. I went down to Salcombe for the late May bank holiday with a few mates for 4 days and there are only 4 pubs and a couple of restaurants in the town. By midnight on the first day everything was shut and we had done it all and were twiddling our thumbs the next day! Obviously people's priorities change as they grow etc though.
The majority of jobs and opportunities in England are in London and I would prefer to live here than any other city in the UK. For those reasons I imagine I will spend a majority of certainly the next 10years or so living in London, and I would like that to be in the Greenwich / Blackheath area as I have done living right in town for a couple of years. But I also fancy the idea of at least some time abroad, whether that is travelling or working. Somewhere like Barcelona or Valencia appeals with the city life but beaches too etc. It is difficult though with work and other ties, and obviously a risk... so we will see.