Abridge, Essex

Living in Abridge by Carol Gook

My parents, Rene and Freddie Gook moved to Abridge in the mid fifties. They were eastenders who belonged to a cycling club and used to visit Abridge at weekends - their destination was Brighty's cafe. They were captivated by the village's charm, and bought one of the new bungalows, we lived at 5 Alderwood Drive.
My Mum had a job... [more]

Growing up in Abridge - roger walker

We moved to Abridge in 1948, I was 8 years old, with mum and dad Pat and Stan Walker.  We lived at no 41 Pancroft Estate later re numbered 45.  My early memories of the little villiage was of Brighty's shop and cafe where all the cyclists use to stop for refreshments.  It was the dad Burt and son Fred... [more]

Abridge in the 1950's

I moved to Abridge in 1950 when I was ten years old. My parents bought the white cottage on the London Road, which had a wooden building next to it. This very soon became The Poplar Cafe, my mother’s dream of riches!
I attended the little village school for a year until I passed the 'Scholarship' and went on to... [more]

Abridge picture A106012

This photo appears at the back of Essex Living Memories. The two ladies in the foreground with the prams appear familiar - The lady on the left may be Mrs Peagram with her son Colin in the pram. The couple with the child in the pushchair outside the butchers looks like and could actually be my parents and me.... [more]

River Roding

The bottom of Silver Street on the other side of the bridge ended at the river with some railings over a drainage outlet. This was a good place for children to get into the river from the middle of the village and paddle upstream under the bridge. It was quite shallow in the middle of summer and small fish... [more]

The Haunted House

This is the view looking down to the end of London Road where it meets the village. The road does a sharp turn to the left into the Market Place and behind the large tree is 'Top Bayles' grocers shop. Mr Bayles had served in 'Top Bayles' since he was a boy. He was a lovely old gentleman and very kind... [more]

Essex Living Memories

Here we have a quiet village scene, little changed by time. The weatherboarded building on the right has served as the post office for many years, and the white building on the left is the Blue Boar. Note the style of prams used by the ladies chatting on the right.

Chigwell Photographic Memories

We have turned the corner we saw in photograph A106020. The view is much the same today, with Gould's Cottages (c1840) on the left-hand side. On the right the weatherboard house is Retreat House, for much of the 20th century a post office, and now much extended.

Chigwell Photographic Memories

The White Hart building (right) dates from the 1880s, but the establishment is much older, being mentioned in a list of inns of the 1720s. A cattle fair was held in June at Abridge from the 18th century to the 1870s.