Billericay memories
Here are memories of Billericay and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Billericay or a Billericay photo.
St Andrew's Hospital
I was born in St Andrew's Hospital which was once a workhouse, I wasn't sure of the year it became St Andrew's Hospital. I was born there in May 1967 and my sister was born July 1968. I am not sure of year the hospital became Billericay Burns Unit before it moved to Broomfield, Chelmsford, where it is to the present day.
Chantry Cafe & Billericay Secondary School
I had a weekend job at the Chantry with my friend Pat Barker. I visited Billericay many years ago and the cafe had long since gone. I also have fond memories of my secondary school - Norsey House (blue) Stockwell (green) Chantry (Red) and my memory escapes me regarding Yellow House. I believe the houses have changed now. I have tried to find my friend Brenda Rogers (nee Theobald) to no avail. All my memories of Billericay are up until I was 15 as my family moved away to Berks/Hampshire I was about halfway through a shorthand typing course at school.
Billericay
I used to work for Lord Rayleighs Dairies and my area of delivery was Billericay I used to deliver milk to the Chantry Cafe and most of the Town then out to Norsey Road and surrounding areas, happy days long gone.
Catholic Church, Laindon Road, Billericay
This old church was modernised, including an extension at the front, sometime in the 1980s (I believe). My cousin Marion got married here, early 1980s, and the modernisation work took place sometime later - need to find dates. Personally, I did not think the modernisation work was in keeping with the original architecture.
Chantry Cafe
I remember this old cafe very well - not too well lit inside, but friendly atmosphere - my Mum, her friend Joan Slaney and son Michael (who was the same age as me) used to have tea and cakes etc. in the cafe on some occasions after our Mum's had picked us up from school. The last time I went to Billericay (many years ago now) this cafe had become an Indian Restaurant.
Memory Lane 1950 - 1957
I have wonderfull memories of Billericay, Church. As a child my Mother would take my Brothers Paul, Barry & Sisters Margaret & Angela & I to the Sunday Service. Father Alawyshes Roch was the priest at that time. He was a good family friend to the Gurnett's. I believe Father Roch wrote a couple of books. While listening to the Choir we would always sit & try to pick out my Grandmother Alice Gurnett & Aunt Agnes Lyons voices. If we heard them we knew we would get to visit with them after the service. We would also look around to see if Auntie Jo & Auntie Eileen were there. I recall the Processions & the Benediction Mass along with all the incense. I distincly remember the wrought iron staircase leading up to where the choir was. The Baptism font seemed so big. The people always seemed so sad clutching their Rosaries & many would have tears in their... Read more
RELATIVES IN BILLERICAY
1929-1939
I didnt live there mydad's family lived there .they came down from tottenham.
they were in the building trade. an address for my uncle is st helens slicers gate mill
road. I wonder if any one remembers the family.
My uncle left to build his own house over the river fenn creek woodham ferrers.
My dad Gordon helped to build broomfield hospital.I would love someone to give me some memories of my dad. manningvc@aol.com
Memories of Essex
The Wheatsheaf Pub at Little Burstead
It seems this is the first memory to be posted. My grandparents (Florence and Max Vetterlein) had the Wheatsheaf pub for about six years to 1957. They were tenants of the brewers Charringtons. There was the saloon bar and the public (known as the spit & sawdust bar). An extra penny was charged on a pint in the saloon. There was a very large garden at the back and so overun with nettles that a goat was borrowed to devour them. My brother and me were given our first Levis and we were thrilled that we could kneel in stinging nettles and not be stung. The customers' loo flushed but the living quarters was a bucket type with Jeyes fluid poured in, then emptied into a hole in the garden. Mrs Scroggins in the next door cottage called it the bumbee hole. Once we heard a dog whining all night. Next day we found it had been standing in the sewage and died when its strength gave out, unable to... Read more
Wheatsheaf Cottages.
Lovely to see the mention of Wheatsheaf Cottages. My grandparents lived in the opposite end cottage to Mrs Scroggins. Their surname was Pond. I remember the name of Mrs Scroggin very well as I believe she helped look after my Nana Pond who suffered with diabetes and was blind. My Nana died in 1953 and Granddad died in 1954 both died in St Andrews Hospital Billericay. I remember as a small child visiting every other Sunday. We caught the bus from outside the Wheatsheaf Pub back into Billericay and then another into Brentwood. Quite a journey for a couple of hours visit. Do you remember the Dell? Bluebells galore! My dad was brought up in the Wheatsheaf Cottage. Sadly he died before his parents. I remember the hole in the ground only too well. I have just written an article about Wheatsheaf Cottage for a couse I'm doing and was telling my husband only this morning about the stench from the hole in the ground. The cottages had no... Read more
The Bear Inn
My name used to be Marilyn Jesse and my memories of stock back in the late 60's early 70's are delightful. Since my boyfriend of the time lived next door to the Bear Inn, the pub became a bit like home from home. Many weekends were spent in the lounge bar with the roaring, wood, fire warming all who entered from the cold british winters. The aroma of the true sunday, english, lunch wafted from the kitchen to the delight of the local patrons, followed by an extremely full, satisfied stomach and a half pint of real guiness to wash it all down. Many evenings were spent with the guys from 'DEAR MR TIME' Barry Everitt the lead singer lived next door, which is why I was able to enjoy the village stock experience for a few years. Village cricket on the green, walks through the churchyard and over the fields after lunch, chats with locals along the way........
The village hall with its variety of entertainment. one of them... Read more
Buses in The Snow
I remember the green double decker buses revving up Crays Hill in the snow and jamming their tyres against the curb to try and get up. We lived in Elm Bank on the hill and sometimes witnessed the buses sliding side-ways back down again. Time to retire to The Shepherd and Harold and Elsie for a beer.
Part of my Early Schooldays
I remember fragments about living at Hutton - I lived in Lilian Crescent, in a new bungalow, having moved from Hawskmoor Green. I learnt to ride a Fairy cycle - as little 2 wheelers were called then - by pushing myself along with the aid of a low brick wall.
I remember my first day at school, saying prayers, and how I ran away - all down Hanging Hill Lane, back home - maybe I didn't like it! Mum had to take me back again on the back of her bike. We had a chicken house (quite large), in the back garden with 3 pullets, Sally, Hoppy and Perky, and my sister, Pauline hid in it at the tender age of 2.
I had friends who were twins who lived just across the road by the surname of Grimm and their dad always reminded me of Bing Crosby (though I didn't know that at the time).
I can remember going to Brentwood on a Saturday morning with my... Read more
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