Photos tell tales of Doreen’s early years in Portsmouth
Some of the regulars at the Mystery, Somers Town, Portsmouth, outside the pub with Nellie Sheppard third from the left.
Eighty-five-year-old Doreen Loo got in touch with Remember When with a series of photographs from her younger days in Portsmouth.
She now lives in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, but was born at 76, Grosvenor Street, Somers Town, opposite Jim Cole the butcher. She remembers women queuing for their meat ration there during the war.
Doreen (nee Sheppard) has fond memories of the old Mystery pub which she says was the hub of the community. Among her photographs is one from 1917 of a pub charabanc trip to Chichester with her mum Nellie on board.
Another picture shows the local community outside the Mystery in Warwick Crescent which also includes Nellie. The pub, designed in the ‘brewers tudor’ style, burned down in an arson attack in 2005.
Doreen says: ‘When I was about four my mum and dad always had a drink in the Mystery on a Saturday night and I was left outside, happily on the doorstep, with a glass of lemonade and a packet of crisps.’
During the war her house would ‘sway from side to side’ with the tremors caused by the falling bombs and one of her photos shows Doreen with bombed-out houses on the corner of nearby Radnor Street.
She went to Cottage Grove School but her education was interrupted by bouts of tuberculosis.
In later life she joined the Naafi and says she was asked to present the then Princess Elizabeth with flowers when she opened the Naafi club at Cambridge Junction in 1946.
When she left the club, Doreen married and had two sons but still found time to run the Popular Cafe in Goldsmith Avenue, Fratton, opposite the footbridge from the railway station.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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There are 3 comments to this article
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jeffloo
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:02 AMYes this is my mother Doreen May Loo (nee Sheppard) and my grand mother Nellie May Sheppard. My mother married my father Loo (Lu), Chi Chong and had two sons Alan (now Sheppard) and my self Jeffery Loo. My father was from China outside of Shanghai and fought in the Chinese Nationalist Army firstly against the Japanese invaders and then against Mao's Communist Red Army before escaping to Hong Kong and joining the Royal Navy as the ships tailor. He had various contracts on RN ships including the Ark royal and Thesis. He was Nationalised in 1949 and came to Portsmouth in 1951 and met my mother Doreen at the NAAFi. My father opened his first tailoring shop near Grovsvenor St, trading as L Jacksons in Portsmouth. After a compulsory purchase he opened a new shop at 81 New Roard East Copnor. He retired in the early 1980's and died in 1989. He made bespoke suits for Sir Alf Ramsey! I have fond memories of both my mothers cafe in Goldsmith Avenue and my fathers shops. Kath is my cousin whom I have not seen since they emigrated and I will be in touch soon. For myself we run the5 star self catering "eco barns" as holiday homes in the stunningly beautiful Pembrokeshire countryside. www.eco-barns.co.uk. I have 3 wonderful children, Jasmin 25, Sebastian 6, Francesca 4mths. I have a fouth daughter Jade May Loo-Mitchell whom I dont see and is 14 now. I also have relations in China and the UK from my fathers side whom I would like to trace. Any news of my cousins would be much appreciated. I can be contacted on:~ jefferyloo@hotmail.com, or home is Asheston house, Pen Y Cwm Newgale, Pembrokeshire SA62 6NH Tel. 01348 831781
Kathryn Houtby
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 06:32 PMHi! this is my Aunty, I was born in Radnor Street in 1954, her eldest brother, Reg's daughter. We emmigrated to Canada in the early '70's. My father is now 91, and has been regaling us with stories from these times, it is lovely to be able to show him this photo and article. I am at present reading the amazing book Goodnight, sorry for sinking you. About the S.S. City of Cairo, dad was aboard this ship as a Royal Marine, and she was sunk on her return voyage to the UK, fortunately, dad had just been dropped off. Kathryn Houtby 40 Hawkley Valley Road N.W Calgary, Alberta Canada T3G 3B2 403-547-2190
Kathryn Houtby
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 06:30 PMHi! this is my Aunty, I was born in Radnor Street in 1954, her eldest brother, Reg's daughter. We emmigrated to Canada in the early '70's. My father is now 91, and has been regaling us with stories from these times, it is lovely to be able to show him this photo and article. I am at present reading the amazing book Goodnight, sorry for sinking you. About the S.S. City of Cairo, dad was aboard this ship as a Royal Marine, and she was sunk on her return voyage to the UK, fortunately, dad had just been dropped off. Kathryn Houtby 40 Hawkley Valley Road N.W Calgary, Alberta Canada T3G 3B2
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