Basildon memories
Here are memories of Basildon and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Basildon or a Basildon photo.
Band Meeting Place
I can remember in my youth, meeting here as a member of the Basildon drum and trumpet corp, we used to march up the slope and into the town square where we did our display. That was in the 1970s.
I Still Live Here
My mum and dad came from Tottenham and Edmonton, they moved to Danbury Down, my mum and dad were offered the house because my dad worked for Mobil Oil. The nearest shops were Staceys Corner, the 16 shops. Then on a bike ride my dad found Little Bentley, he asked the foreman who was building a 4 bed house if he could have one and he said yes (that would be nice these days). Then my brother and my sister were born at the house... then I came along in 1972. We all went to Springfield, my sister and brother went to Fryens and I went to Woodlands in 1984, it was a girls school for a year or two then it was mixed. There have many changes in Basildon, some quite bad..... My dad died in 1998 and my mum in 2010 and we sold the house this 2011, it was a very sad time as it's been a lot of memories, 50 in total.. I still live here,... Read more
Before The Town Centre Was Built ...
My family came to Basildon in 1957 as part of the overspill from London. My late father was a toolmaker and was offered a job and a house.
Money was tight and we made out own entertainment. Collecting wood from the fields where the town centre now stands, fruit picking from the cleared lots waiting for development.
When the shops started being built (my memory is that Woolworth was the first opened in that first block) we would go down there to watch them being constructed.
My mother had to use the only shops available which was Staceys Corner (I think) and all the different vans that would visit individual streets.
Both my parents became teachers - Mrs White at Manor and Bryn schools and Mr White at Nicholas.
I am proud to have been involved with Basildon since the very beginning of its development and to watch its growth into a vibrant town.
First Families
We moved to The Gore, in about 1962. My brother was born here. Our family lived at number 83, and up until 2000, no other family had ever lived there. We moved in when the other end of the road was still being finished. I went to Gyhllgrove School, and can remember my first teacher, 1965, being a Miss Mehtha, an Asian lady. On special occasions she would bring in saris for us to try on and teach us dancing, all back in 1965! One of my favourite teachers ever was in the junior school. His name was Mr Wrankmore, a South African man. He had beautiful skin, and we all used to wonder if he ever changed tone! We were such innocent little 9-year-olds then!
I Hate Basildon
Having moved at the horrid age of 13 years to Basildon from Hornchurch in the early 1960, I found the surrounding countryside a wee bit scary. Now I love the countryside and could never live in a town again and with that moved to the S.W. I hate Basildon because what started as country town ended up as a thug-filled town full of dimwits who never respect the good things in life. We who came from the hell hole of London in the early 1960s got a better start in life because of Baslidon and the schools within it. The wholesale destruction of this town is due to the poor planing of the planners with small minds and less life experience. I am sorry those idiots have wrecked a little piece of heaven that once was Basildon and Laindon. You who live there make them fix it for the sake of the children to follow, let them enjoy the good things that were once Basildon, not the hell hole and suburb... Read more
All Countryside
When I was born, Basildon was not built. I was born in Pitsea, when it was all country side. Although my mum took me back to London after the war, I returned to Pitsea often to stay with my grandparents. It was the happiest time of my life, the freedom of walking across the fields and buying fresh eggs and getting the old noisy bus to Pitsea market on a Wednesday. We got the water from the well outside the back door, no flush lavvy, no electric light, just oil lamps. But I was far happier than the kids nowadays.
Memories of Essex
Laindon High Road
This photograph shows a car with a lady coming out of a shop.This car belonged to my neighbour Arthur Pearman who now lives in Billericay. The lady was his wife who is now no longer with us. Arthur had bought this car as a wreck and rebuilt it.Obviously he was and still is proud of it because few people had cars in those days it was indeed a luxury.He is also sad about the High Road no longer being there,it was over a mile long with shops all along both sides. It was compulsory purchased by the then Basildon Corporation so he says.Evidently his family owned much of the land in Laindon.On the other side of the road there is a white van from which goods are being sold. this man is the same man who kept lions along the Crays Hill Road for many years and became very famous because of that.
My Fathers Workplace
This memory of the Fortune of War, was a photograph that my mother has. This is of my father Reginald Waddingham who was a barman at the hotel. They all wore white jackets. The photo showed all of the employees and the boss standing outside. It was amazing that a lot of people worked there. I can remember catching a no 14 Eastern National bus outside the Fortune of War to Southend and watching all the coaches coming into the public house on their way to Southend on Sea for the day. It is now a shame that the Fortune of War is no longer there, only houses, but what a lot of memories that the hotel holds.
Margaret Pearman
As Sheila mentions, the above photo shows my grandfather Arthur Pearman collecting my grandmother Margaret Pearman (whom I never met unfortunately). He didn't even realise someone had taken this photo.
Family History
It was a very sad day when Laindon School closed and even worse when it was demolished. I have fond memories of my days at Laindon, I joined when Mr Chadband was head, and made many friends there. Apart from attending myself I was part of the PTA group that tried to keep it from closing, as my daughter was one of the last to be taught there. My son also attended, or so I thought at the time, I have since learnt his schooling was more in the field!
But it doesn't end there, as both my parents were students as well as other members of our family. My dad Leslie Hymas was there the same time as Sylvia Simms. He thought himself a bit of a stud and was a local football hero, having scored many goals for local teams.
Guy Fawkes!
This is another part of Laindon that is no more. I can remember waiting outside the Fortune of War with a Guy leading up to Firework Night, I always collected lots of change from the kind patrons of this local drinking establishment. I don't think anyone noticed that it was really my sister dressed up in the wagon, if they did they kindly didn't say. Other times of the year we would return beer bottles to the off-licence for a few pennies, they didn't know we were collecting them from the forecourt. And if we were lucky Daddy would be inside and buy us a bag of crisps and some pop. Oh happy days.
Memorybank total
We're very pleased and excited by your response so far to our "Share your Memories" community.
You've shared 26,187 memories of 5,732 towns & villages across the UK - keep them coming!
Find Memories
Simply search for your favourite places to read others' memories and share your own.
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write?
It's easy - just think of an important place in your life and ask yourself:
How does it feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of this place?
How has it changed over the years?
How does it feel, seeing these old photos of your favourite place?
Do you remember stories about the local community, its history and people?
Start now!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the orange "Add your Memory" icon to begin.
Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Newhaven, East Sussex
- Borth, Dyfed
- Jaywick, Essex
- Coalville, Leicestershire
- Blaydon-On-Tyne, Tyne and Wear
- Earlestown, Merseyside
- Twechar, Lanarkshire
- Rockfield, Gwent
- Bredbury, Cheshire
- Orpington, Kent
- Perivale, Middlesex
- South Woodford, Greater London
- Osterley, Greater London
- Padstow, Cornwall
- Padgate, Cheshire
- Chadwell Heath, Essex
- Savernake, Wiltshire
- Hounslow, Middlesex
- Maltby, South Yorkshire
- South Shields, Tyne and Wear
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
Your memories
To jump straight to the memories you have added already to the Community, click here
I Remember When...
This stunning compilation highlights some of the best stories selected from the thousands contributed here on the
Frith website. The result is an absorbing chronicle of British life from the Second World War to the mid 1960s.
A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
