Gay Dog, The

A street. Supposedly of a Northern miner. But the houses I knew in the North of England were much poorer and in a different style.

Gladstone Road (Queens Road end), Southall, London UB2. Always a car parked in exactly the wrong spot.

A couple of paces along the street.

These days we have rather larger "wheelie bins".

And that excrescence by Wilfred Pickles' right ear. These were always described to me as "volcanic rocks". They were used throught London, in Edwardian times, to decorate garden walls and gate posts. Black, dark-blue, mauve, glassy with hardened bubble holes.

I remember them too and they are still there at No 23 Gladstone Rd, Southall.

The alley adjacent to Pickles' pad.

No 23 Gladstone Road, Southall and the passageway beside.

The side entry.

Eeee, no coomfy central heating boilers in them days!

The dog's home, but not the one in Battersea. But top right, is that a "German" gasholder? And there was one of those in Battersea. Still there I believe. The one in Southall was, is, located in The Straight.

It is the one at Southall visible from the passageway between Gladstone Road and Hartington Road, Southall.

A nearby street, with an alleyway across the road, not a "back". And of course the miners generally didn't have gardens, just a yard. And what do you know about lamp-posts?

In them days you could leave your back door oonlocked and be safe! Still the same passageway going across but access is barred and bolted to where the milkman stands.

Same, or similar street. And east London, Leytonstone for example might be a location, but popular opinion names Southall.

Still Gladstone Road, Southall, No 23 in fact and the old wall contour remains visible.

Probably Pickles'corner. And more of that "volcanic rock" by his head.

The "volcanic rock" on those corner posts were clearly a Health and Safety issue! Not quite the right angle due to a parked car.

Across the street, but at a different time of day, look at the shadows, they're falling the wrong way! Come on Watson, pay attention, it is elementary! And that square inspection chamber? Telephone possibly, and very few Northern miners had those.

Eventually you get there Watson, it's the other end of that alley, No 35 Hartington Road, the BT chamber and the unchanged wall support my theory.

Another street with variegated wall styles. And most Northern working class streets didn't have trees, but Queen's Road in Southall did.

Amazingly, this short concrete wall to the right survives. (PW)

More different walls on Queen's Road, just around the corner from Southall Studios.

We are obviously not a wall-loving society. (PW)

The "local" church hall. Peter Lines confirms the location as Hartington Road, Southall, London UB2. (RL)

Whatever it was in Hartington Road, Southall, London UB2 has long gone in favour of industry.

Slightly better shot.

...and a better view of that landmark Southall Gasometer .

Wilf, two vans, shops and a couple of gas holders. Peter Lines confirms the location as Dudley Road, Southall, London UB2 and adds that the busy shop was 'Malbys', later 'Brophies'. (RL)

Dudley Road, Southall, London UB2, no vans, no shops and one gas holder.

Two vans and two gas holders, maybe pre-fabs and a church hall on the left? This same view used in 'One Jump Ahead' and the street also appears in 'Do You Know This Voice?'. Still Dudley Road.

Still Dudley Road. The church hall (May have been Hope Hall) now a children's play area and one gas holder remains. Not quite the right angle without trespass.

The manse. Steve Randall has found that this was Barnes Green School, The Green, Church Road, London SW13 9HE. It is now the Barnes Green Day Centre and not too easy to see from the road these days given the growth of tree and greenery.

Antony Blair arrived at the location 70 years later.

Panning . . . and look at that little tower.

A more colourful scene today, captured by Antony Blair.

Back to Gladstone Road, Southall. The area was also seen in 'Miss Robin Hood', 'The Oracle', 'Three Steps to the Gallows', 'The Big Chance' and 'Date with Disaster'.

Gladstone Road now has parking restrictions and more cars.

....and that curious cut-off lamp-post?

Whatever it was, it has gone, along with that tree.

The house again.

No 23, 21 and 19 Gladstone Road, Southall.

The house again.

Yes, 23 Gladstone Road, Southall with a built up wall the same "volcanic rock" gate posts but a different car.

...and the street with lamp-post, tree and telephone posts.

but they drive off down Hartington Road, Southall where the telegraph posts remain in the same places.