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Acton
Acton maps
Historic maps of Acton and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Acton maps
Acton area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Acton and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Acton
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Acton.
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When I Worked in The Park
I was a park keeper and gardener, I used to cut the grass in Acton. I met Sean Connery when he lived in Central Road, the house was where nuns used to live and he bought it.
West Acton
I lived in West Acton for all my childhood (apart from the early war years when my school was evacuated). I attended Acton Wells School (now demolished !) and then went to West Acton School which had just been built, and which was near to where I lived in Saxon Drive. I started at Acton Wells School when I was 5 years old, and used to go there on the Central Line to North Acton Station. All the children from my road and surrounding streets used to go there too. Nowadays I doubt if anyone would send a 5 year old to school by tube unaccompanied !At one end of my road there was a small parade of shops - a tobacconist's, butcher's, newsagent, grocers, off-licence and chemist. I remember the excitement when one small shop became a branch of Acton Library, though I don't think it remained there for very long.
Acton, The Good Old Days
We moved down to Acton from Stafford in the midlands in 1949 when I was 4 years old. We were given a flat in The Vale, my first school was East Acton infants up East Acton lane, a cracking little school. I was very happy there until they moved me to East Acton House close to Bromyard Avenue. Oh happy days there, the sun always shone or so it seemed, not so when I went to my next school, John Perryn, I didn't like it there. The headmaster used to shout all the time. and it was further to walk to get there, not good, I couldn't wait to leave, it still gives me the shudders to this day to think of it. After that I went to Bromyard Avenue School, much better, it was closer for a start, and I could go home for lunch, not that I ever did. I liked school meals. The school was new when I first went there, very modern, very posh, which is more than... Read more
Tony Bros Ice Cream
I worked in the Tony Bros Ice Cream factory as a school holiday job in 1967 or 68. I vividly remember Tony Tedeschi, who chain smoked Benson and Hedges, Derek the gentle giant who took me under his wing and the lovely Yolande. It was hard work, but good fun and it's a shame it's all gone now. We definitely made the best choc ices in the area.
Chiswick High Street
I can remember my father having a bump in his car in the High Street and a lady took me into the Catholic church and told me not to worry as all I did was cry and I wanted to know how my daddy was, back in the early 1960s.
Corner Tuck Shop.
I remember as a small child living in a flat at Spencer Road, Acton. My cousin lived with his parents in the flat above. We always enjoyed our trip to the corner tuck shop where we could buy brill ice cream and drinks. I remember Acton as a clean, lovely place to live with its tall well-kept buildings and people were very friendly, we moved in the late 1950s but we often went back for a visit until my cousin moved too.
Tony Bros
My friends and I have just returned from a trip down memory lane. We all grew up in Acton and remember Tony's ice cream parlour. We trawled the streets but alas in vain. I have fond memories of my nan taking me there every Saturday for a treat. Acton used to be a lovely part of London. What has happened to it?
Early Years
I was born and bred in Acton and lived in Allan Way, North Acton. I went to school in St. Vincents Convent school. My family had an ice cream business in Acton: Tony Bros. I have many happy memories of Acton, such a wonderful place. So clean and tidy and I remember vividly all the well kept gardens where I lived. I drove past a couple of months ago and was almost reduced to tears: what a dump!! It is so very sad that such a wonderful part of London could be destroyed. Is this what progress does???
