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Barking
Barking maps
Historic maps of Barking and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Barking maps
Barking area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Barking and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Barking
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Barking.
There are 35 shared memories to read.
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1949-1966
I was born at 16 Roding Avene, the prefabs right next to the River Roding. Across the main London Road was Delayneys, also the Masters Match factory with its tall chimmney. I remember seeing the chimney being knocked down, the man at the top looked like an ant. I have many memories of Barking. I went to St Margarets C of E School [played the recorder in Mr Gray's Orchestra] then Park Modern Secondary. I danced at the Town Hall in aid of cystic fybrosis with The Joyce Williams School of Dance. Joyce lived in Bradfield Drive, next door lived Susan Bigwood who later went into the Black & White Minstrels by the name of Sue Lyn [Lyn I believe was Joyce's daughter who passed away with CF]. Susan's mum made our show costumes for ballet, tap & acrobat performances. I believe the Barking Advertiser took photos of our shows. My cousin Elaine's grandfather Alex looked after the boats at Barking Park Lake. My Aunt Pat worked in... Read more
Faircross And my Early Teens
I was born in Upney Hospital 1944, my mum and dad lived in Stratton Drive, went to Park Modern School as did my 2 older sisters and my brother. Most of my parents families lived in the same area ie on the so called 'Leftly Estate', we were considered to be upper class living there!! My best memories at that time are of Barking Park, the small train that ran at the end of the park, boating on the lake, and there was even a paddle steamer. Barking Carnival held in the first week of September was always special! I was sixteen and finding out what girls and rock'n' roll were about! Bright lights and Elvis and Buddy Holly - best time of my life! One last thought...Does anybody remember the fish and chip shop 200 yards from the park entrance? With 2 large walls covered in tiles depicting Lowestoft Trawlers in Heavy seas? Absolutely wonderful!! Probably in a landfill site now? In 1960, I now owned a motorcyle! But my... Read more
J.Sainsbury Ltd
Sorry to one of your correspondents, males never wore hats in the shops of J.Sainsbury to my knowledge. The females wore nylon head scarves. I worked at the Barking branch for several years, are there any more of the staff still around ? I loved the Christmas's there, working with Mr Harris the super. We had the big front window open and yelled and served from it. Frank Smethins was the manager, Whip Henwood the assistant manager, Sal Sawkins the clerk. They were happy days, how the rest of the staff put up with me I just don't know! Was the cinema in Ripple Road (The Bug Hutch) called the "Electric"? It cost ninepence to get in on Saturday Afternoon, and we had to queue.
Thanks to All ....
Thanks to all for bringing back memories. I was born at 66 Napier Road, East Ham. I moved to Essex in 1958 and later emigrated to New Zealand. I have good memories of Muddies Pie and Mash, jellied eels and whelk stalls. I still remember people I knew back then, including my best mate Mavis who I have recently reconnected with. I often wonder what happened to others like my first boyfriends Eddie Manders and Alan Pearson. Memories have flooded back like trips to the local swimming pool and coach trips to Southend, holidays to Butlins Holiday Camps in Norfolk etc. Other memories like lighting fires in tin cans on the old bomb-sites, playing Knock-down Ginger (we must have been real pests). Dancing at the local Palais was a must too. Thanks for the memories guys!
Durell Road, Martins Corner
What a place! If you're not born here, run for the hills! But I love it, I still see faces of long ago that do too, or why didn't we move away a long time ago!! My mum and dad were the best, I never got hit by them but this place turns you when all your school days are who's the best at beating up others. I encounted this as did all the children I went to school with, nice children turned by kids that got beatings from their dads and mums. People live here because there's no chance of moving to a better place, not because the parks so good or the houses are solid, I wish for one I had a childhood without a beating at school or on the street, and I feel so bad for the ones that got it in turn from me.
Saturday Morning Pictures
I remember going to the pictures on a Saturday and watching 'Old Mother Riley', also going to Timothy Whites and buying a Christmas present for my mum in there.
Fond Memories of Barking - Essex
I was born in Upney hospital in 1954, lived in Barking in Esex in St Aldrey Street, attended Ripple Middle School, loved going to Barking Park as a kid, we moved to Australia in 1966.
Born in 1946 in St. Mary's Road
I went to Eastbury boys school, lived then in Blake Avenue, had vert fond memories of Barking town centre, also played in Eastbury House. I remember the pie mash shop and the coffee bar next to the picture house called the Electric or known as the bug hole.
