The Roundabouts children's hotel was run by 2 spinsters called Gabriel Lemon (Auntie Gay) and one called Peggy who smoked a pipe and wore very masculine clothes, It was bought by Gabriels father who owned some larger properties further up the road near to St Pauls church. The Hotel, as it was called was like a private Barnados and was used mostly for single mothers who were shamed into giving up their children and ethnic children from white parents which was a major taboo in the 50`s. The majority of us their were illegitimate and given up to be fostered out eventually when a foster parent was found.
In the back garden I remember a raised concrete circular patio which housed for the early years an actual children's roundabout but was dismantled by the end of the 1950`s.
The 2 front rooms were the play rooms and were heated by 2 small single bar heaters high up on the walls, we ate in the back right hand room which lead to the kitchen. The "Office" was the room on the back left with toilets and wash basins with cold water only dividing the two rooms. The entrance hall was huge which lead up the stairs to the first of 2 upper floors, the 1st floor were bedrooms with 3 or 4 of us to a bed, no carpets and if you wanted a wee in the night you did it in the bed as you were kept in the beds by metal side bars. Any washing was done in tin baths and shared with other kids and was once a week if you were lucky.
The top floor was used as the owners residence and was strictly out of bounds.
From the eating room , it lead down a small corridor past a back door to the garden and past what was the food store (pantry - no fridges those days) into the kitchen which was a cold tiled floor with large hot water boilers and a large gas cooker, food seemed to be on the cooker at all times and I remember well that food was of poor quality and you sat at your table until you ate it, alternatively it was pushed down your throat by Peggy or Gabriel. Easter eggs were boiled eggs which had been painted. Anyway, past the kitchen was another corridor which had a massive coal fired boiler in it where clothes were hung over rope hung airers to dry. after that another room housed the laundry room and mangles ( clothes ringers) then that opened out onto the bottom of the garden.
During the late 1950`s Gabriel and Peggy retired and relocated to Chislehurst in Kent and fostered 2 of the kids there (Penny and Stephen ) I was fostered out to the lady who took over the place and ran it as the Roundabouts Day Nursery until she retired many years ago. This was my home from 6 weeks to 6 years as they could not find anyone who wanted me. The conditions did get better towards the end but it was what it was as that is what happened in those days but it is etched deeply into your memory and myself and countless others will have shared those memories and the respondents who say this was not a happy time for them I can totally emphasise with.
I am sorry if this is not the rosy story you were hoping to hear but I remember that place even as a small child very well.
Regards
Ashley
