Ardleigh, Essex

timber yard

I worked at Mayfield Timber, the first shop on the right, when I left school, 1972 to 1976. Great memories.

Bakery turned car park, Station Road, early 1940s

I grew up in Upminster (from 1935) and there used to be a great old stone bakery on the left hand side, going up Station Road. I think the owners were called Abraham. It was taken over by the council and torn down for a car park, very sadly. I remember that Mr Abraham then drowned himself in a nearby gravel... [more]

Greengrocers shop

My dad Eddie had a greengrocer's shop in Upminster in 1952, the year I was born. I know we lived in the flat above the shop, and it was quite near Upminster Bridge. Does anyone remember the shop?

Carefree days

I remember Bedfords from my childhood. When I was about 12 years old my friends and I used to cycle to Bedfords Park from nearby Elm Park, about 7 miles away. Bedfords Mansion as we used to call it, was being used as a Natural History Museum and had numerous stuffed animals and birds all said to be from the local... [more]

When buses ran past Lloyds Bank .....

I am told that once upon a time buses ran through Romford Market towards Gidea Park. Apparently I was happily standing in the queue with my mother and newly-born sister in a pram waiting for a 174. I held tight to Mum's coat so as not to lose her. Imagine my surprise to find that the coat in question belonged to... [more]

Romford and Havering-atte-Bower,very fond Memories

We moved to Romford in 1951 from Havering where we lived with Nan and Grandad in Pinewood Road. It was an exciting time for me but also an unhappy time leaving Nan and Grandad's house. We moved in a council house in Chelmsford Ave, I made friends with a boy called Raymond Crane, we started school together ,his mother and father... [more]

Doing the Shopping

I lived a mile or so east of Rush Green, in Barton Avenue but my Mum would send me with a note to get the shopping for the family. She would give me sometimes had eight half crowns or £1 a lot of money then. I would cycle down, first to Brown's the butchers, the first shop after the... [more]

Memory Joggers

We moved to Romford in 1954. First we lived at Mawneys and attended the primary school there. In 1955 we moved to Oaks Avenue and I attended Pettits Lane Secondary Modern School. I left in 1959. The pillars just below the trees in the photo, was the gateway to the Whykam Hall which belonged to the church. I remember spending many... [more]