In 1940 he joined the army, after a period of out-patient treatment at Lewisham Hospial for back pain apparently caused by overdoing weightlifting at Ladywell Recreation Track in an effort to impress the women working at Catford Labour Exchange ('Spike Milligan' by Humphrey Carpenter). Do you remember the rhythm clubs? The Number One Rhythm Club-and the local one, at the Tiger’s Head at Lee?'. In a 1970 interview he recalled 'we used to go to the jazz sessions at the rhythm clubs. He played with local dance bands including the New Era Rhythm Boys and Tommy Brettell's New Ritz Revels in South London dance halls. He taught himself the ukulele, bass and trumpet and guitar ("My mother bought my first guitar for eighteen shillings from Len Stiles’ shop in Lewisham High Street") and took music classes at Goldsmiths in New Cross. Meanwhile he had won a crooning contest at the Lady Florence Institute in Deptford, come second in a talent show at Lewisham Hippodrome and sung at St Cyprians Church Hall in Brockley and Ladywell swimming baths. After being sacked from a tobacconist for stealing cigarettes he worked as a labourer at Woolwich Arsenal. In 1934 Milligan got a job at Stones' Engineering in Deptford (Arklow Road) and later worked at Chislehurst Laundry. In 1933 his family rented part of a house at 22 Gabriel Street, Honor Oak Park, later moving to 50 Riseldine Road nearby. As mentioned here before, he went to Brownhill Road School and then to St Saviours School in Lewisham High Road. Spike Milligan (1918-2002) was born in India but spent many of his formative years in South East London from the age of 12 in 1931.
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