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Here is a page displaying the reviews written about "A Norwood Boy". These are written by friends, family and local newspapers who have recently written articles on David Goldings book.If you would like to submit a review you are more than welcome, by sending it to the e-mail adress found on the contacts page, If you have read the book and wish to show your support and admiration, without writing a review, then this could not be easier, by voting on our brand new poll found on the link below!

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First Review...

David has written a trully marvellous book chronicling his life as a Norwood boy during the 1930's.Norwood was a Jewish orphanage and from the 19th century until its closing in the 1960's was the largest and one of the most respected of its kind.

Davids heart-rending tale begins with a crystal-clear recollection of the morning that would become the defining moment of his childhood:

" I was taken to the Jewish orphanage in West Norwood on a cold day in late january 1935.My mother had me get up and ready very early in the morning. I remenber sitting at the kitchen table, which also served asa bath when the top was raised, having my breakfast."

Like many of the childeren in residence,David was not a complete orphan but was taken to Norwood because of difficullt family circumstances following the death of his father.

David told me that he wrote the book so that his grandchilderen would be able to understand something about his history and that of many other jewish childeren of the period.He is incredibly modest about his bookbut truly has no need to be.The book is extremely well written and evokes a real sense of what he went through as a "new boy", his great friendships,particularly with Henry with whom he tried to escape to try to find their way home and sometimes the harsh discipline that he suffered.

I found chapters dealing with David's evacuation first of all to Worthing and then to Hertford the most fascinating.He paints a clear picture of what it was like to be such a young boy at the time. The hardships as well as the great fun he has when he was free to roam around the countryside of Hertford climbing trees and searching for pieces of shot down German Bombers. I am certain that David has another book in him as I was left wanting to know more about his life after he left the care of Norwood.

I thoroughly reccomend this book to everybody

Review By Mark Saunders of TLSE.Quoted from the 'Hakol' magazine.

"A Norwood Boy" latest quote...

"I have recently finished reading David Golding's book

'A Norwood Boy'. Many parts of it left me in tears and some of it reminded me of my father's early childhood. What strength of character those boys had to survive such sad and harsh circumstances. I really enjoyed reading David Golding's story. I'm so glad that he is happily married with a large and obviously loving family of his own."

Chris Ley Hill Chesham. Eng.

Second review..

The trials of life as an orphan in London may seem like the stuff of a Charles Dickens novel, but David Golding has penned a memoir of his own experiences in the 1930's which is not far removed from oliver twist.

He was born in Stepney, East London as one of eight childeren and his mother was forced to put him into the Norwood Jewish orphanage at the age of five, following the death of his father.

Mr.Golding now 76 said:" She was a loving mother and it must have broken her heart but there was nothing else she could do- there were no benefits in those days."

He was one of thousands of childeren who passed through the orphanage doors during its 200-year existence. Despite suffering the harsh discipline of a strict educational regime, Mr Golding insists that he was one of the 'lucky ones'.

He decided to document his experience for his seven grandchildren as a sharp reminder of the very different lives their grandparents lead.

This book is a vivid social history of a half- forgotten time- the orphanage closed in 1966- and a very personal amount of growing up during difficult times.

As one of the hundreds of orphans, Mr Golding was only allowed out of the institution for no more than 2 hours a week and was no stranger to the cane.

The book describes the characters in the orphanage, the friends he made and attempts to escape.

Despite the victorian atmosphere and the occasional bully, Mr Golding remembers the sense of comradeship that existed between the boys who 'became like brothers'.

Their young lives were dominated by the superintendant, Mr Rosenthal, who imposed iron discipline.

"He had to play father figure to 450 boys and girls there and there was little room for affection" said Mr Golding.

One of those girls was later to become his wife.After leaving the orphanage, he met Rita again at the age of 18 and they fell in love. Next month they will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary (21.11.05).

The book also refelcts on Mr Golding's evacuation from London during the war, and offers an intriguing insight into what Stepney kids thought when they found themselves amongst woods and fields for the first time.

As an adult, Mr Golding worked for more than 20 years as a lighting technician at Shepperton studios in Middlesex. " I worked on over 60 feature films (including Oliver!!) and was loaned out to Elstree studios on a number of occasions," he said.

His work brought him face to face with screen icons of the golden generation including Bob Hope,Bing Crosbie and Charlie Chaplin.

letters and e-mails have poured in since the book was written from former orphans of Norwood now all over the world." many of the people who have read it said it made them laugh and made theM cry" said Mr Golding.

Reminiscences Of A Norwood Boy is available from the website..

Review by Tommy Norton, BW Times,october 21st 2005 edition.