{"id":442343,"date":"2025-04-27T11:12:41","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T10:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/?p=442343"},"modified":"2025-04-28T13:41:38","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T12:41:38","slug":"nostalgia-the-bermondsey-bank-girl-that-dreamed-of-running-her-own-pub","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/rotherhithe\/nostalgia-the-bermondsey-bank-girl-that-dreamed-of-running-her-own-pub\/","title":{"rendered":"Nostalgia: The Bermondsey bank girl that dreamed of running her own pub"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Pamela Hallam was born in Guy\u2019s Hospital to proud parents Joe and Rebecca Hallam who lived in Webster Road, Bermondsey. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Jamo was on the corner of our street,\u201d Pam says as an opener, referencing the old St James Tavern now St James Bermondsey on St James&#8217;s Road.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"69959\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448384\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">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<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Joe was a painter and decorator for the old London County Council, while Rebecca did \u201clittle bits and bobs\u201d locally that included cleaning jobs, shifts in<a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/history\/history-plus\/broken-biscuits-and-paternalistic-capitalism-was-the-bermondsey-biscuit-factory-a-workers-paradise-or-is-the-truth-less-sweet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Peek Freans Biscuit Factory<\/a>, and a job in Shuttleworth\u2019s, the chocolate factory, which meant regular bags of the legendary broken biscuits indoors and a constant supply of chocolate for the household, too. Very handy for Pamela, the only child.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"716\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Rebecca-Joe-716x560.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-442356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Rebecca-Joe-716x560.jpeg 716w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Rebecca-Joe-358x280.jpeg 358w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Rebecca-Joe-768x601.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Rebecca-Joe-1536x1202.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Rebecca-Joe-1320x1033.jpeg 1320w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Rebecca-Joe-750x587.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Rebecca-Joe-1140x892.jpeg 1140w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Rebecca-Joe.jpeg 1990w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Pam&#8217;s parents Rebecca &amp; Joe<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Pam\u2019s first school was Alma, where she enjoyed \u201csums, writing and reading, and bunking off to play on the bombsite\u201d.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"68153\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448385\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMzg2NjY5NjEzNSIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWNvbnRlbnQgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCIgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi1sZWZ0OiBhdXRvO21hcmdpbi1yaWdodDogYXV0bzt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOiBjZW50ZXI7Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtMngxIj4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLTJ4MScpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICAgICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Out of school hours, Pam and her friends would play skipping, rounders and two-balls up the wall. All in the confines of Webster Road due to the strict boundaries set by her mum, who also wouldn\u2019t allow Pam to attend any local youth clubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cShe was a nightmare,\u201d reveals Pam as she gives a fierce impression of Mrs Hallam: \u201cYou do not go out of sight, you do not go round that corner, you play here!\u201d<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71156\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448386\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMjQ5MTIxMjQwNSIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1OSBzb3V0aC1lbnRpdHktcGxhY2VtZW50Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtbXB1OSI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHU5Jyk7IH0pOw0KPC9zY3JpcHQ+DQo8L2Rpdj4gICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Pam didn\u2019t mind that much because there were lots of kids to play with in her street. \u201cMy mate opposite had a big shed in her garden where we could play housey,\u201d she remembers with a whimsical glint in her eye.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"454\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-young-454x560.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-442355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-young-454x560.jpeg 454w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-young-227x280.jpeg 227w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-young.jpeg 622w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 454px) 100vw, 454px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pam as a child<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-1-age-10-in-Webster-Road-683x560.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-442350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-1-age-10-in-Webster-Road-683x560.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-1-age-10-in-Webster-Road-341x280.jpeg 341w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-1-age-10-in-Webster-Road.jpeg 740w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pam aged 10 in Webster Road<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Aged 11, Pam moved on to Walworth Comprehensive when it was brand new and improved her English and maths: \u201cI didn\u2019t like PE but I did like hockey,\u201d she claims.<br>Plus, she was now able to leave the confines of her street and go to local parks with friends: \u201cI liked Patterson and Southwark Parks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Family holidays and weekends were often spent at their caravan in Monkton, a Kent village with easy access to Herne Bay, Whitstable, Margate and Ramsgate.<br>\u201cWe spent a lot of time down there,\u201d Pam recalls. \u201cEspecially during school holidays.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Travelling to Kent was fun for the young Miss Hallam. She rifled through her box of photos to find one of her and mum on dad\u2019s motorbike and sidecar. But as Pam outgrew the sidecar, they purchased a Morris Minor.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71157\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448387\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMTE0MDA1MzA4OCIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1LTEwIHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCcpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"760\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/On-the-motorbike-at-caravan-760x560.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-442347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/On-the-motorbike-at-caravan-760x560.jpeg 760w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/On-the-motorbike-at-caravan-380x280.jpeg 380w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/On-the-motorbike-at-caravan-768x566.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/On-the-motorbike-at-caravan-750x552.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/On-the-motorbike-at-caravan.jpeg 1036w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">On the motorbike <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The love of maths and English got Pamela a GCE in both and took her straight into a job at Barclays Bank on Borough Road \u201cwhere you had to start at the bottom doing dogsbody work\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The young Pamela Hallam now had a few quid and could be found at the local hotspots of the day: The Fellmongers, The Fort, The Jamo, The Colleen Bawn and The Bridge House near the bank that she would sometimes frequent after work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI used to love The Foresters \u2018cos it was so lively, so friendly and so happy and always full and everybody knew everybody, and there was never any trouble in there\u2026You could get drunk just on the aura of it,\u201d claims the young banker who could never reveal to her teetotal mum that she had been anywhere near a pub!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"504\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ancient-Foresters.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-59482\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ancient-Foresters.jpg 900w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ancient-Foresters-500x280.jpg 500w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ancient-Foresters-768x430.jpg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ancient-Foresters-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ancient-Foresters-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ancient-Foresters-696x390.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Ancient Foresters pub in Southwark Park Road.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019d stay over at a mate\u2019s and go home in the morning with a hangover and hope I didn\u2019t look too rough,\u201d she confesses like a naughty girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Blue was always a favourite place for Pam: \u201cI loved walking round all the stalls and having breakfast in the caffs\u2026 I also had a part-time job in Thorowgoods, the furniture shop, doing the accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"fTNFwJE5jufKXasDiTSr831OONZqweizY4AVF4HBQWdpUxtM5mRcXoys86gnkrIbvLcGG0972MRAblqkVxedomphCZ\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"oi7Q7HzBez\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/bermondsey\/plans-for-multi-arts-centre-on-site-of-vacant-furniture-shop-in-the-blue-market-square\/\">Plans for multi-arts centre on site of vacant furniture shop in the Blue Market square<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Plans for multi-arts centre on site of vacant furniture shop in the Blue Market square&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/bermondsey\/plans-for-multi-arts-centre-on-site-of-vacant-furniture-shop-in-the-blue-market-square\/embed\/#?secret=bIvCidThfy#?secret=oi7Q7HzBez\" data-secret=\"oi7Q7HzBez\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1970, Pam married and had two lovely daughters, Samantha and Donna, although the marriage didn\u2019t last. It was also the year that her beloved father died while on holiday in Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the bank, Pam got to know a lot of the local publicans who were customers, and she would often visit their pubs. \u201cI used to watch \u2018em joking and laughing with the people, but there was one that stood out, Eugene Ward, an amazing Irishman with ginger hair who had the Albert Arms near the Elephant, who talked me into doing a few nights behind his bar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, Eugene trained Pam up to know all there was about the pub game. \u201cI really enjoyed it, and from then on I always wanted a pub of me own \u2013 I didn\u2019t want to be a barmaid, I wanted me own pub! I wanted to be that person laughing and joking with customers,\u201d she says. But the bank job paid the bills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another Barclays customer, Dave Griggs, who had a local printing firm that employed a lot of staff, would ask Pam to supply him with all the right notes and coins he needed for the weekly pay packets. This went on for some time and Dave would take Pam for lunch as a thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lunches turned into dinner dates, they eventually became a couple and Dave adopted Samantha and Donna.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"315\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-Dave-Wedding-315x560.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-442348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-Dave-Wedding-315x560.jpeg 315w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-Dave-Wedding-157x280.jpeg 157w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-Dave-Wedding.jpeg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 315px) 100vw, 315px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pam &amp; Dave&#8217;s wedding<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Pamela worked her way up to being in charge of standing orders and direct debits and stayed at Barclays for over 20 years: \u201cIt was having to get the girls ready for school, off to school and picked up later. That took its toll, so I left.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Pam became bored. She tried various part-time jobs, but none satisfied, while all the time, at the back of her mind, was the dream she had of running a pub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dave realised this and said: \u201cIf that\u2019s what you want to do, do it.\u201d So, they bought their local pub \u2013 The Old Manor House on Bush Road, by Silwood Estate, which was turned into the Villa Romana restaurant near the McDonalds drive-thru and Lidl, on route to Deptford. It&#8217;s now converted into flats.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"502\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Old-Manor-House-Bush-Road-1000x502.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-442373\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Old-Manor-House-Bush-Road-1000x502.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Old-Manor-House-Bush-Road-500x251.jpg 500w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Old-Manor-House-Bush-Road-768x386.jpg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Old-Manor-House-Bush-Road-1320x663.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Old-Manor-House-Bush-Road-360x180.jpg 360w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Old-Manor-House-Bush-Road-750x377.jpg 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Old-Manor-House-Bush-Road-1140x572.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Old-Manor-House-Bush-Road.jpg 1416w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Pam was happy. She was the perfect host and was loved by all her customers. \u201cOne day,\u201d she begins, \u201cDave says, \u2018Why don\u2019t we get married?\u2019 So that\u2019s what we done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Running the Manor was a great five years for Pam: \u201cThe people in that pub were the most friendliest, helpful, nicest people I\u2019ve ever met,\u201d she remembers nostalgically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this time, it was Dave who couldn\u2019t get the work-life balance correct and wanted to go back to printing and leave the hectic pub life behind. \u201cHe wanted to live in a home, not a pub.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Griggs moved out of Bermondsey, the girls grew up and gave Pam and Dave four grandchildren, and they all live around Welling these days.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"421\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer-421x560.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-442352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer-421x560.png 421w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer-210x280.png 210w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer-768x1022.png 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer-1154x1536.png 1154w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer-1539x2048.png 1539w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer-1320x1757.png 1320w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer-750x998.png 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer-1140x1517.png 1140w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pam-daughter-Donna-and-a-former-pub-customer.png 1710w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 421px) 100vw, 421px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pam, daughter Donna, and a former pub customer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Sadly, Dave passed away in November 2024 and Pam finds solace in having had \u201ca good life, where I met some amazing people and made some wonderful friendships\u2026 I don\u2019t think I could ask for anything more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"Qz7Bpai3gqcKw4ObrlkPDuAndWRsUJL50Yo\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"hsSFCE3gzU\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/bermondsey\/the-kirby-has-always-been-patriotic-war-baby-remembers-the-england-loving-estates-post-blitz-party\/\">&#8216;The Kirby has always been patriotic&#8217;: War baby remembers the England-loving estate&#8217;s post-Blitz party<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;&#8216;The Kirby has always been patriotic&#8217;: War baby remembers the England-loving estate&#8217;s post-Blitz party&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/bermondsey\/the-kirby-has-always-been-patriotic-war-baby-remembers-the-england-loving-estates-post-blitz-party\/embed\/#?secret=8KZNOqgqiu#?secret=hsSFCE3gzU\" data-secret=\"hsSFCE3gzU\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pamela Hallam was born in Guy\u2019s Hospital to proud parents Joe and Rebecca Hallam who lived in Webster Road, Bermondsey. \u201cThe Jamo was on the corner of our street,\u201d Pam says as an opener, referencing the old St James Tavern now St James Bermondsey on St James&#8217;s Road. Joe was a painter and decorator for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18771,"featured_media":442351,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"1","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"Capturing the lives of ordinary folk from a by-gone era"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"65"},"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,7375,13539,13618,13602,18168,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-442343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bermondsey","category-community","category-featured","category-history","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-rotherhithe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18771"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=442343"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442343\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/442351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=442343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=442343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=442343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}