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Badgers Dene

Badgers Dene maps

Historic maps of Badgers Dene and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Badgers Dene maps

Badgers Dene area books

Displaying 1 of 18 books about Badgers Dene and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Badgers Dene

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Essex memories

Memories of Grays

High Street c1965
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Hello, my name is John Ryan and I was resident at Grays during the fifties - I was in partnership with a long-standing schoolfriend of mine (Billy Watts). We ran the Reliance Taxis for a few years, which was situated in a lane just off Orsett Road near the War Memorium and Police Station. I remember there was a photographer who had the corner shop where we used to park the cars for fares - his name Was Jack? Does anyone remember this? There was also a builders yard adjacent to our taxi office. We employed a driver whose name was Ernie, he had been a taxi driver for years in Grays, he used to work for the previous owners from whom we purchased the business. We were quite busy in the fifties, we had contracts with the local florists and other businesses. We also carried crew from Tilbury Docks when the ships arrived. We mostly took them to the London Main Line Stations (Euston etc). I recall the fare... Read more

50s & 60s Memories

I was born at 13 Alma Place (up the small alley from Argent Street) in 1952, moving to number 6 when I was 5. When I was 9 we moved to Sherfield Road, where I lived until 1970 when we finally moved to Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, where I live with my wife Christine, who also comes from Grays, having lived in Russel Road. I attended Arther Street Infants and Junior schools, before going to Torrels until 1967. Like Mike Walker I have fond memories of playing up Bruces Wharf, and in the old kilns next to the Wharf Hotel, coming home covered in chalk. I used to have paper rounds at Jimmy Carter's shop and for the Evening Standard in New Road. Grays was a great place to live in the 50s & 60s: the annual carnival, followed by the fair on Fishers Field, catching sticklebacks at Jumbo Bridge, and mucking about on the boating lake down Grays Beach. When I went to Torrels, I made new friends in... Read more

Grays When it Was A Proper Town.

The High Street c1955
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Despite the cement dust from West Thurrock, if the wind was in the wrong direction, Grays had everything available, from a baking tin to a new car, such a variety of shops. Good bus service, Eastern National, London Transport, Greenline and including "Our Bus" which is pictured. Regular train service to London or Southend, which ran on time, three cinemas, library, a beach with boating pond that used to be a swimming pool, a small swimming pool called the Exmouth, taken from a training ship that was moored just off the beach. The cadets trained in this pool originally. An extremly low crime rate, historic olde worlde wooden shops and houses lined road.  And now...... due to big headed short sighted, know it all Council Members who just strutted their stuff, Grays has been destroyed, gone is decent market, gone is the wooden old high street, gone are the cinemas, a joke of a bus service, what trains?, a swimming pool that that is run by jobsworths, and costs a... Read more

GRAYS WAS A LOVELY PLACE TO LIVE

The High Street c1955
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I was born in Exmouth Road in 1945., Growing up in Grays was lovely, we had everything, no need to go far for anything, even shellfish was delivered on a barrow on Saturdays by Mr Going who also had a stall in the market, or you could call at his house to buy some all cooked fresh. We had a beach, a park, swimming pool and good shops in the High Street, even a dolls' hospital in the old high street opposite Grimes newsagents. I have such memories of growing up. I left Grays in 1966 to go to Australia but did not like it so returned in Jan 1971, what a shock. In 5 years they had destroyed a lovely town, where I was born was now tower blocks and maisonettes, even Mr Going's house had gone, and the old high street also, and Grays High Street was hardly a shopping place any more. Over the years it went downhill very fast and how sad that my children never had the... Read more

My Mum. Grays, Essex.

The High Street c1955
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My mum's family came from Elm Road and my grandad (nickname "Ocker" Salmon) was (I believe) fairly well known, as he had a greengrocery round that he did by horse and cart, then I believe he had a greengrocer shop round the corner from where he lived. I am not certain of the year he did this? He had a riding school some years later down past Manor Road, at the back of the train lines. I just had to visit the overgrown yard a few months ago and it brought back all kind of memories. My mum (Daisy) always took me to Grays High Street to do her shopping (was it Tesco?). Some weekends we would go round the old Grays market and all I could smell was fish and crabs. After we would go in a cafe near the market where I would sit on a high stool and have a milkshake. There was a shop called Joys which was just round the corner. I believe the pub... Read more

Rev Joseph Herrick

My memories are of 1813
My GGG Grandfather the Rev Joseph Herrick was a non-conformist .I believe from reading his diary of 1813 he preached at Grays between 29March and 29th September 1813 residing at Billericay. From 29th September 'till 25th December 1813 he resided in Grays. has anyone any information of this time for me please

Julie Herrick x

Growing up Years

I was born in Old Argent Street 1945 (VJ Day), only one in Grays as my old mum used to tell everyone, she was so proud of that, living in a 2 up, 2 down, mum, dad, 3 brothers, 2 sisters, overcrowded, nah, we got by. We spent summers swimming when we could find some bottles to take back to The Castle pub to get in, if not from off the coal jetty up the beach, we played football and cricket on the field by the yacht club, working on my grandad's veg stall (first photo of 1955), on the market,( 15 bob) for two days, watching Grays football, loved it when they played Tilbury. I remember the smell of the steam trains when standing at the gates, the chestnut man by the Railway pub, Frank and his horse and cart delivering to Woolies, coming out of the Regal and going in to Mumford's for fish and chips, Mr Groover (Beakey) at Arther Street, cross country runs from Grays Park... Read more

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