Teen age Days

[kingsmark]

Terry.
I have been wanting to make a contact with you and to ask you if you remember the days when a group of us lads hung around together in the fifties, it was a time when you were just leaving school. One of the characters was Frankie Stringer who was a talented piano player and played on and off in a few pubs. His family had a green grocers in Balaam St. Another was a lad who had just got a job in Fleet Street as an assitant to a press photographer. I think he lived in Fisher St which was just opposite the Red Coffee Stall in Beckton Rd that we seem to congregate. Another place was Bianco's in Barking Rd.
I was the odd boy out as I was younger than the rest as I was still at school and so probably still owe for my coffee.
I hope you remember this short period in yourlife.

Cheers

Alf

[TerryMurphy]

Hi Alf,well you are right on the mark,Frankie Stringer past away a few years ago,He got us in all the Pubs because he could play the Piano,we all being under aged,we were about 14 years old,he would go in first get on piano then we would walk in ,imaging it, 8 or 10 14/15 years old going up the bar and ordering pints of mild and bitter,unbelievable. One of the first pubs was opposite the shop in Balaam st, it is not there any more.I have seen a few of the guys over the years Roy Ashman,Johnny Wincup,Terry Scott, Micky P,To many to mention, you must no our gang anyway, good of you to make contact,what is you name?Alf
Bradley Walsh, married in to Franks family?

[kingsmark]

Hi Terry

Well well, after many years of your name coming into mind when I think of those days. I suppose it gave me a good inste into being street wise. I left the area in 1952 when I joined the RAF as an apprentice so I lost contact with the life style in Canning Town. 
I run a yahoo group devoted to the Hams, it was set up to suppliment the official Newhm board as we can carry photographs and files. I would be most interested if you had any photos around the time that we are talking about.

What happened to Frankie S and how did his life turn out?  The other thing what was the name of the lad who started work with the press?

So pleased that you made contact.

Take care

Alf Pagden

[TerryMurphy]

Hi Alf, i did mention in my last post to you, that Frankie, S died a few years ago,i would have seen him not more than 6 times in the 40 years , so i cannot say about his life, Bradley Walsh (comedian/actor)kept me a little informed when i saw him at corperate do,s. I will have a search round to see if there are any old pixs of that time.

My Brother John joined the R.A.F about the same time as you, he was posted up north somewhere.he was a boxer as well,i will try to remember some more detail and let you know, Regards