Alresford, Essex

A Brightlingsea Boy

I was born at 10 North Rd in 1936 My grandparents house[Harry & Maude Hammond. My mother Mabel Williams[nee Hammond] worked in James Shipyard during war then Telephone Exchange.remarried George Genever[who was buyer at Aldous Shipyard] in 1947.We lived at 15 Eastern rd then 2 Ladysmith Avenue.Brightlingsea was a great place to spend your childhood,either by the water or in the countryside, My best mates where Eric Woods,Jim Crosby and Colin Francis [Lost touch with all of them]. The pictures [all of them] brought back many happy memories,Since leaving Brightlingsea in 1957 I have travelled all over the world and now live in Morecambe Lancashire, I would like to hear from anyone who remembers me,

Where  I  was  brought  up

I  was  brought  up  at  110  High  Street  then  at  the  top of  Backwaterside  Lane.  My  Grandparents  were William  and  Louisa  Barrenger.  My  Mum  Mabel  Barrenger (later  Mabel  Dutton)  was  born  at  9  Hurst  Green.  Many  of  my  family  were  all  born  there including  my  sister  and  two  brothers.  One  of  the  things  I  can  remember  about  the  High  Street  is  the  fair  arriving  on  Hurst  Green  and  also  watching  the  Carnival  go  along  the  High  Street.
Brightlingsea  holds  many  memories, the  shops  in  the  High Street, Bird's  the  newsagent, Phillip's  the  fruit  and  veg  shop  and further  along  there  was  the  bakers  at  the  top  of  Tower  Street.  On  the  opposite  side  there was the  Chemist  then  the  Grocery  Shop.
My  Mum  worked  at  Jacobs  Hall  when  Mrs  Wholmes ( I  think  I've  Spelt  that  right)  and  her  daughter  Celia  were  there.  I left  Brightlingsea  in  1968  but  Brightlingsea  is  where  I  spent  a  happy  childhood and  as  I  sit  here  I  can  see  the  High  Street as  I  knew  it.  I  also  belonged  to  The  Salvation  Army - people  would  know  me  as  Anne  Craig.

Donkey & Buskins public house, Layer-de-la-Hay

I was the licensee of the above for an all too brief time and had some regular customers who arrived every week-day evening at opening time and were called "The Club". Among them I remember a Ken & Penny Upton and a retired local Headmaster who was known as "Casey".
Time erodes memory, especially re: names, but I hope someone reads this and contacts me with any information regarding these very happy days.  

So sad

This picture of High Street is very dear to me because it is how I remembered it when I was a boy in the 1940s & 50s. In 1955 I was called up to do my national sevice and was posted abroard, when I returned, to my horror, the church in the foreground had been demolished.