High Road, Balham c1914
Very much as Gracie and Archie would have known it.

On her marriage in 1923, Gracie was listed at 149 High Road, Balham (now demolished), which had been Archie Pitt’s home and business address since 1915. On their marrage Gracie and Archie moved to 72a Upper Street, Islington.

The site today.
How many people shopping in Sainsburys realise they are picking their potatoes up where Gracie cooked hers !

How many people shopping in Sainsburys realise they are picking their potatoes up in the same spot Gracie cooked hers !

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The Balham Tube Station Disaster 

Taken from almost outside Archie & Gracie’s Balham residence.

During the Second World War, Balham was one of many deep tube stations designated for use as a civilian air raid shelter. At two minutes past eight on the evening of 14th October 1940 a bomb fell in the middle of Balham High Road killing 64 civilians in the tube station below, also creating a large crater into which a bus then crashed.