Brentwood, Essex

The Parade

We lived in the Parade, down by the station.  The fish and chip shop was run by a rather large gentleman. eventually something happened, and we took it over. The soldiers would pack it out and there would be a long queue outside on Friday nights, and anyone seeing that would think we were making money hand over fist, but in... [more]

i remember this as st faith's hospital for epileptics

i remember this not as brentwood hackney schools but as st faith's hospital for women and children with epilepsy and other mental disorders. my father worked in the administration offices until he died in 1959 and my mother worked there as a nursing auxiliary after that. i remember going to children's parties (both for the patients and staff's children... [more]

My House

I live in this house now, have restored it to original and I love the place. How unbelievable to find 2 pictures on this site.

Sam

In Loving Memory

I remember going regularly to Brentwood Cemetery. My Father would take us to visit the grave site of my baby Brother Barry who died at 8 months. My Sisters & I would help my Father maintain the grave. Lots of pretty floweres. I always remember the quietness, stillness, the total peace on our visits. May you... [more]

a cup of bovril and a bag of crisps after a swim!

I used to go to Brentwood swimming pool with my school St Martin's for girls and can remember going when it reopened for the new year - easter and it was absolutely freezing! I was not much of a swimmer so can remember it being torture for me. i also used to go with my friends during the summer... [more]

Social life at the pool!

I was five years old when this photograph was taken and would have occasionally been taken to the pool by my mother.  My older sister would have come too.  As we got older it was a great place to hang out as teenagers and we would often go for a swim after school and then walk home to Shenfield (saving the... [more]

Grandmother's childhood home

Probably more years than just 1910. My Grandmother Rose Smith (nee Holloway) grew up here. She was one of 10 children to John and Alice Holloway. She met my Grandfather, Sidney Fraser Smith, who was a Sergeant Instructor in Small Arms at the Barracks nearby. When she lived here the Holloway family had a pet black sheep, a... [more]

Family drinks

I used to live near this lovely pub which had a gorgeous garden. I was only a little girl when I used to come here with my Grandad and he had his whisky while I had my orangeade and a packet of Smith's crisps with the little blue salt bag inside where we sat in the garden. There was... [more]