Hawk vs Halt Cafe 1947-1951 . Edgeware road area .

[frederickay]

I was bought up to believe my mother Mollie Elizabeth Williams of 24 Paulso Road Kenton met my father Jim Wharton at the Hawk cafe somewhere near Paddington/Burnt Oak . I have now been told it was at the Halt Cafe Colingdale off Edgeware Road . The Halt Cafe was a den of iniquity for truckers , fascist ,rebellious youth and petty criminals . I can safely say my father was not a neo fascist. I will leave the rest open . My grandmother was a proud descendant of a Marquis so I don't know how she coped with her 16 year youngest child going there ? I have googled each cafe and can only find Halt Cafe described above . Does anyone know of either cafe in the area pre 1950 . Could I have heard my mothers cockney accent say Hawk instead of Halt ? Thanks Fred

[mckha489]

The Halt Cafe appears in the newspapers prior to 1950 (Edgeware road not Edgewater).
And interesting reading the pieces are! 
There are no hits for Hawk cafe in the newspapers. (Well I don’t get them anyway).

[frederickay]

Thank you . I corrected the Edgeware Road mistake . Interesting that at almost 70 I find I might have had wrong name of cafe . Mum was only 16-17 and then shortly after came to NZ so she may have been mistaken as well .where would I find those newspaper reports please . Fred

[mckha489]

I am looking at newspapers on FindMyPast, but you can also see them by signing up to the British newspaper archive.

[mckha489]

This sort of thing

[frederickay]

Hi , I am going to send you private message … thanks Fred

[MonicaL]

Fred, just thought you would like to see a photo of the general area in that period. See www.francisfrith.com/uk/colindale/colindale-edgeware-road-the-hyde-c1950_c580002

Monica

[cockney rebel]

Hi Fred
just for clarity, it is Edgware Road (without a second "e")... some search engines take things literally!
I've just checked all the London stuff I have for that period and can find nothing for a Hawk/Hawks Hawke etc Cafe in the London area. There are references to several Halt Cafes but I agree, the one most likely is that in The Hyde, Edgware Road. Sadly, no reference to which number/house anywhere.
The last listing for the Cafe is in 1952, perhaps it closed then.

 In the link to Francis Frith Postcards which MonicaL gave you , on that page someone has left their memory of Colindale. There is a contact email, perhaps you could ask if they remember the Cafe and where its exact location was ie what shop was it next to, nnear the next street corner etc. The row of shops looks very much the same today if you take a look with Streetview.

I think mishearing Hawk for Halt is very possible....and Hawk would have sounded far more interesting to a young lad!
If I turn up  anything else, I'll let you know
Rebel

[frederickay]

Hi , Thank you . I have sent this off around the family . My mother was only 16 when she was going there and 19 in 1952 when she came to NZ . She may have mis remembered or it was us Kiwi children who mis heard . My cousin lived in the Greenway for years and he remembered the correct name . I have had to let him know he was right as I eat humble pie … not a thing I do lightly . Thank you for your help . Fred