Balham Collection

Girls with their books in Balham, SW London
Four girls with their books and drawings, sitting on a pavement in Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Boys outside a sweet shop, Balham, SW London
Four boys on the doorstep of a sweet shop in Balham, SW London, with bottled drinks. Date: circa 1961

Blitz in London -- Balham High Road, WW2
Blitz in London -- a bus in a bomb crater over an underground station in Balham High Road, SW London, 14 October 1940

Children doing handstands on a Balham street, SW London
Two children, a boy and a girl, doing handstands against a concrete wall on a Balham street, SW London. A smaller child watches them, backed into a corner. Date: circa 1961

Children with ice lollies on a Balham street, SW London
Five children eating ice lollies in the doorway of a betting shop on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

BALHAM MARKET / 1950 S
Balham market, showing vegetable stalls

Little boy lifts his jumper, Balham, SW London
A little boy lifting his jumper on a street in Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Girl climbing tree, line of washing, Balham, SW London
A girl climbs a tree under a line of washing in the Zennor Road area of Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Children doing handstands on a Balham street, SW London
Two children, a boy and a girl, doing handstands against a concrete wall on a Balham street, SW London. A smaller child watches them, backed into a corner. Date: circa 1961

Girls with dolls and prams, Balham, SW London
Two little girls with dolls and prams on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Girl with doll in pram, Balham, SW London
A little girl hugs her doll in a pram on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Boy with bicycle wheel, Balham, SW London
A little boy with a bicycle wheel on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Epsom Traffic Jam
A sketch by John Sturgess, showing a traffic blockage on Balham Hill, encountered during a homeward journey from that year's Epsom Derby. Date: 1887

Balham, London, The Duchess Theatre (b / w photo)
6030044 Balham, London, The Duchess Theatre (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Balham, London, The Duchess Theatre)

Royal Duchess Theatre, Balham, London (b / w photo)
3656843 Royal Duchess Theatre, Balham, London (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Royal Duchess Theatre, Balham, London)

Vintage paper bag, Watkins record stall, Tooting Market
Vintage paper bag for Watkins record stall at Tooting Market, Tooting High Street, SW London. 20th century

The Bravo Mystery, Sketches at Balham (engraving)
1616020 The Bravo Mystery, Sketches at Balham (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Bravo Mystery, Sketches at Balham)

Nuns and nurses, South London Hospital for Women & Children Nuns and nurses
Nuns and nurses, South London Hospital for Women & Children. Reverse reads Outside back of Balham Hill Walls still not repaired after bombing during 1939-1945 War

Wandsworth SW12 9 Map
Postcode Sector Map of Wandsworth SW12 9

Photograph of Balham Hotel, Balham, London. The main side of the print (shown here) depicts: Corner on view of the pub. The back of the print (available on request) details: Trading Record 1928

Old man laughing, Balham, SW London
An old man laughing, Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1960s

Boys with toy guns, Balham, SW London
Four boys with three toy guns on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Blitz in London -- Balham High Road, WW2
Blitz in London -- a bus in a bomb crater over an underground station in Balham High Road, SW London, 14 October 1940. Date: 1940

Little girl climbing on a fence, Balham, SW London
Little girl climbing on a fence on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Old man with prams and junk, Balham, SW London
An old man with a line of prams containing junk on a street in Balham, SW London. He is outside a rag and bone merchants premises where he hopes to get money in exchange for the junk

Boy and girl on a street in Balham, SW London
A boy and a girl sitting on a wall on a street in Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1960s

Tramp on a Balham street, SW London
A tramp sitting on a bench in a Balham street in SW London. Date: circa 1960s

Kitchen at Weir Red Cross Hospital, Balham, London, WW1
Red Cross nurses in the kitchen at Weir Red Cross Hospital, Balham, South London. Mrs Tytler, head cook, manages the kitchen with a staff of Kensington Red Cross VAD members. Date: 1915

Two children on pavement, Balham, SW London
Two children, a boy and a girl, sitting and lying on the pavement on a street in Balham, SW London. The boy is holding a shovel, and they are both rather dirty. Date: circa 1961

1960s, 60s, sixties, boy, boys, girl, girls, child, children, childhood, balham, street
Three children, a girl and two boys, wondering what to get up to on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Group of children at a gate, Balham, SW London
Group of children standing round a wrought iron gate in front of a house on a Balham street, SW London. They are all smiling and looking at something interesting, perhaps in a window

Group of children sittiing on kerb, Balham, SW London
A group of children sitting on the kerb in a Balham street, SW London, playing with a battered old suitcase. Date: circa 1961

Little boy crying in Balham, SW London
A little boy sitting on the kerb and crying on a street in Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Boys playing football in Balham, SW London
Three boys playing football in front of a concrete wall in a street in Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Boy keeping goal in Balham, SW London
A boy keeping goal in front of a concrete wall in a street in Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Boys playing in street, Balham, SW London
Boys playing in a street in Balham, SW London. They seem to be playing a game where the loser has to take off an item of clothing. Date: circa 1961

Children with sweets on a Balham street, SW London
Five children in their Sunday best explore a bag of sweets in the doorway of a shop on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Children buying ice cream on a Balham street, SW London
Children buying ice cream from an ice cream van on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1967

Boys playing football in a street, Balham, SW London
Four little boys playing a game of football in a Balham street, SW London. One boy is holding the ball close to his chest. Date: circa 1961

Boys playing a game, Balham, SW London
A group of boys sitting in a circle, playing a game (spin the bottle), on a street in Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Two girls with gramophone, Balham, SW London
Two little girls with an old wind-up gramophone and a 78rpm record on a pavement in a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Boy climbing drainpipe on a Balham house, SW London
A boy climbing the drainpipe of a house in Balham, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Group of children playing on a Balham street, SW London. One has a bicycle, another has a toy car, and others are sitting in the remains of an old suitcase

Children eating ice cream on a Balham street, SW London
A group of six children eating ice cream on a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Group of children on waste ground, Balham, SW London
A group of children on waste ground in Balham, SW London. The girl standing up seems to be giving a speech or singing a song. Date: circa 1961

Girls with their dolls in a Balham street, SW London
Four girls with their dolls, sitting on the kerb in a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Boys on a go-kart in a Balham street, SW London
Three boys on a go-kart in a Balham street, SW London. Date: circa 1961

Little boy with freckles, Balham, SW London
A little boy with freckles, Balham, SW London. (2 of 2) Date: circa 1961

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"Balham: A Tapestry of Memories from Blitz to Post-War Delights" During the Blitz in London, Balham High Road stood as a testament to resilience. Despite the chaos and destruction surrounding it, this vibrant street remained a symbol of hope for its residents. In the aftermath of World War II, children could be seen enjoying simple pleasures on a Balham street in Southwest London. With ice lollies in hand, their laughter filled the air as they relished carefree moments amidst the remnants of war. The bustling Balham Market became a hub of activity during the 1950s. Locals flocked to this lively marketplace, where vendors proudly displayed their wares and shoppers reveled in discovering hidden treasures. Handstands became an art form on Balham streets as children showcased their acrobatic skills with infectious enthusiasm. Their playful spirit echoed through every corner, reminding everyone that joy could be found even in everyday moments. A girl fearlessly climbed trees while colorful laundry fluttered above her head - an idyllic scene that captured both innocence and domesticity within Balham's charming neighborhoods. Boys gathered outside sweet shops, eagerly eyeing sugary delights that promised blissful indulgence. These establishments served not only as purveyors of treats but also as meeting points for friendships forged over shared love for confectionery wonders. Books were cherished companions for young girls strolling through Balham's streets. Lost in literary worlds, they embarked on countless adventures fueled by imagination and curiosity. A boy proudly posed with his bicycle wheel - a symbol of freedom and exploration that epitomized childhood joys experienced throughout Balham's welcoming community. Once again defying gravity with boundless energy, children continued to perform handstands on Balham streets - an enduring display of youthful exuberance against any backdrop life presented them with. Football united boys across generations as they kicked up dust playing passionately on these very same streets.