Brentwood memories
Here are memories of Brentwood and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Brentwood or a Brentwood photo.
Happy Days
Ah Brentwood swimming pool, such happy memories. Taking the Green line bus from Romford, Mum with picnic packed would take my sister Noreen & I to the pool regularly during the summer holidays, arriving early and leaving late. I remember paddling in the kiddy pool & swimming in the big one, buying rainbow popcorn in the shop & lots of children to play with, sheer bliss. My Auntie Jenny worked in the Thermos factory which backed on to it, and in her lunch hour would give us a few coppers over the fence to spend in the cafe.
Fond Memories
I remember St Faith's hospital very well. I was the Head Porter there for a number of years until it was closed down. I met my wife there. She was a catering assistant. We were engaged with two other couples in the social club.That was thirty years ago. I didnt think of the patients as patients. They became more like friends. I have only fond memories of the time I worked there. To me it felt a friendly building, although as a workhouse it must have been very bleak. I remember that most of it was brown and green paintwork. One of the wards was used as a unit for women in service that were pregnant. As I understand it, if they agreed to have the baby adopted then they could go back to their job. If not.. well who knows what happened to them. I was contacted by an elderly gentleman whose mother was in there and agreed to have him adopted. He asked if I might be able... Read more
Auntie DID Have TB
I have recently been doing some research into our family history. I was always told by my mother that her elder sister, Bessie Dubora, died from complications following a tonsilectomy but, having now obtained a copy of the Death Certificate, I have discovered that she died at High Wood Hospital in 1925 from TB at the age of 12 years.
My family originally came from the East End of London, so I was at a lost to understand why the Death Certificate originated in Billericay. Having studied some of the entries on this site, I can now see that High Wood must have been what used to be known as a "sanitorium" for children with TB.
Obviously I never got to meet my aunt Bessie but, if there is anyone out there who survived this terrible disease and remembers her, I would be delighted to hear from them.
I Didn't Have TB!
Just before Christmas in 1953 I was admitted to St Giles' Hospital in Camberwell, south London. It was thought that I had TB. I was allowed home for Christmas, although confined to bed. After Christmas I was taken by ambulance to Highwood Hospital in Brentwood, which my parents told me was a 'convalescent home'. One of the boys on my Ward quickly disillusioned me, as of course all of the patients had varying degrees of TB. The "older" boys, myself included, had beds on the outer part of the building, which had a glass roof and long glass windows, which were left open at night. It was quite cold, and I quickly learned to sleep on my back, to keep out any draughts. During the first week of my stay, still confined to bed, I underwent a number of chest X-rays and tests. On the second Monday the Ward Sister came to my bedside and told me that I did not in fact have TB and that I could go home.... Read 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 monkey, ducks and chickens, with many fruit trees in the orchard, which is sadly now a car park! John would send Rose down to the Thatchers Arms with a jug to bring back some of the opposition's beer for him to try out. I have a framed picture of the Headley with the Holloway pony and trap outside which I bought from the Landlord of the Thatchers in Aug 2008. The family lived here until John Holloway lost his licence because he let people in after hours. They then moved to Camberwell. My grandfather, the Smith family, had 3 generations in the Army here at the... Read more
Highwood Hospital. Ingrave Rd. Brentwood. Essex.
I was in a hospital called Highwood Hospital, in Ingrave Road. It was for children who had TB. I remember lots of friends there, the girls were separated from the boys. We had open air wards where we slept, unless it was very cold. Most of us were in our early teens. I was on a ward called Firs 5, I found out years later that it was the only hospital of this type in the country, as the chidren had adult type TB. I was there for about a year, and was completely cured. We did live quite near in a village called Hutton, we lived on a estate which was newly built, and we had moved from London to there, so we were not far from the hospital. The name of our little row of houses was called Claughton Way. I would love to hear from anyone who may have been there from about 1951 to 1953. My surname then would have been Fisher.
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 continue to rest in peace Dear Brother Barry.
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 and have photos of my brother and I and parents at these functions. I remember one Matron, a Miss Hopkins, who was a lovely kindly lady and friend to my parents. She gave me a gold cross and chain which i still have to this day. it was her own cross and chain and i can remember feeling so touched that she should give it to me. she probably had very little money so it was a lovely thing to do. Although a massive place with huge long dayroomsl which today would not be allowed, the atmosphere was happy and the staff gave a lot... Read 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 when we would have a swim and afterwards, after dodging the boys flicking their wet towels (i am sure you know who you are out there!!) which was horrible because if it caught you it hurt like hell, we would queue up at the kiosk and buy hot bovril and a bag of crisps. i can remember there being a children's pool as well. it was always crowded in summer. by janet aldridge (nee leggett)
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 a pond in the garden, I used to watch the fish and there were also ducks. This was a favourite pub of my Dad who was a regular every Sunday lunch with a neighbour and friend. Quite a lot we would come to the Black Horse as a family and sit in that lovely garden. Dad with his pint, Mum with her Babycham with a cherry and me with my orangeade and crisps. This pub has many happy memories for me. It was quite a few years we used to come here, from the mid 1950's until 1966 when we moved away. I have always... Read 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 bus fare to buy a bag of chips at the fish and chip shop opposite the Green Dragon in Shenfield). We went to the Ursuline Preparatory School (The Grange) and then on to the secondary part at 11. The swimming pool was always cold but as teenagers we were more interested in posing and looking for boys than doing much swimming! The boys used to show off by diving, jumping etc off the boards so we always tried to sit on the area near the boards. When we were ready to go home or too cold to sit there any more we often bought a hot chocolate to drink... Read more
Highwood Hospital
I was in Highwood Hospital at Brentwood from September 1954 until December 1955. I made a lot of friends there and have some very happy memories. I was on Rowans 1 and 2 Ward and would love to hear from anyone who was there at that time.
The Lion And Lamb Inn
Amazing to see the photo of the Lion and Lamb, I worked there as a cocktail barmaid in 1962 or 1963, the manager was Harvey Storch. I have a lot of fond memories from my time there and to see it has hardly changed is remarkable, and it was the place I met my daughter's father, we never got married but he was the fish buyer for J. Lyons when the hotel was a satellite of theirs. I will always have my most fond memories of the prepration chef at the time, as he took my under his wing and taught me so much about cooking.
Ole Tramps Band/Brentwood Essex
No memories, BUT would like to connect with someone whose ancestors perhaps played in this band...it was connected with the Brentwood Railway Inn.
My aunt and her husband were managers of the Inn..Henry and Florence Emily Proctor Pope.
ANY info will be welcomed!!!
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 reality we were dirt poor and had hardly any furniture upstairs, just mattresses. There was a wonderful automatic piano on one of the floors though, and it played Back to Sorrento and other classical music. One of our neighbours was Edie. There was an alleyway at the back of the parade and as I walked up there one day, someone shot me in the chest with an airgun. It stung, but my sternum stopped the slug from doing serious damage. I used to walk all the way to Barnstables at Upminster Common ( called Tylers Common now), and beyond, just to be with horses. On some evening of the... Read more
Memories of Essex
Children's Home in Shenfield - Around 1965 - 1969
I wish to communicate with anyone who may remember a children's home that used to be located on a large field in Shenfield.
The individual wood and brick 2 floored (Swiss styled I think) homes were dotted around the perimeter and of different names. One I know was called 'Thames.'
Children from the London Borough of Hackney were housed there.
I believe there was an Infant or Primary school nearby and the children's home was not far from a small garage with one or two petrol pumps in the dip of the main road!
I believe there was also a field and forested area not too far away.
Anyone who may have memories, photos or can help would be appreciated.
I Remeber Hutton Residential School.
I was a 'student' at the institution from about 1948 to 1953. I remember some of the staff. Head master was Mr Higdon, Teacher of wood work and house master was Mr McFadon. there was Gov Reily, Mr & MrsCreasy, I think a Mr Banister. I also have an aerial photo of the institution which does show houses around the perimeter of an oval. I left there in 1953 to take up an apprenticeship with the London Electricity Board as an electrical tradesman. I then emigrated to Austalia. One thing that always sticks out in my mind is, the end of 'sugar rationing'. We all rushed down the road to a shop called Mustgraves, after we received our weekly allowance.
St Peter's C O fE Junior School
I started at St Peter's in South Weald at the age of four in 1955. This was in the old school which is no longer there. Our teacher was Mrs Fox and we were taught to write on slates. When we became proficient we were allowed to use thick black pencils on paper. I will always remember the carbolic soap in the sinks and the outside toilets with spiders and shiny Izal toilet paper. Mrs Waite's classroom next door had a big stove with railings round it. I lived in Brentwood and arrived at school courtesy of Mr Tiffin's taxi, later replaced by a Tiffin's coach as numbers rose. I think the Mivvi ice lolly was invented while I was a pupil at St Peter's and I can remember purchasing Mivvis and assorted sweets from Mr Pottle's post office in South Weald village. The conker tree was just outside the shop and there was great competition to get the best conkers. The new school was completed before I left and... Read more
St Peters About 1958
I went to St Peters in about 1958, my brother must have been there 2 years before me. I joined Mrs Fox's class in the old school and remember the chalk and slates. Mrs Rogerson was the head teacher and I moved on via Mrs Hurlestons class to Miss Christies class. We farmed in Navestock, and my mother, aunt , uncle and cousin lived in High House and all went to St Peter before me, my sister followed.
The caretaker was called Mr Harris and Pottles was a regular haunt. Col and Mrs Laurie hosted the local fete and gymkana. I sat next to Susan Bennet whose family farmed in South Weald.
52, The Meadows
My sister, Joan, lives at No.52, and several years ago she gave me a copy of a book prepared and published by one of her (recently deceased) neighbours. This man, with friends and acquaintances all suffering from the postwar housing shortage, formed an informal group committed to developing a new neighbourhood for themselves and their families. As masters of their own destiny they didn't have to wait interminably for their "number to come up" on some official housing project list.
The book records the extra-ordinary talents and dedication shared by a now formally organized "co-operative" that, with its members holding down jobs and pursuing careers, developed everything below and above ground to create a neighbourhhood for themselves, designing and building not only desirable homes, well in the forefront of amenably-designed houses of that time, but the roads, curbs, side-walks, street lighting, and all other features of a practical and picturesque infrastructure that still stands today.
What a legacy, what an example!
From my Canadian vantage point, and having... Read more
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