Brightlingsea memories
Here are memories of Brightlingsea and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Brightlingsea or a Brightlingsea photo.
My Grandfather Fred Scales
I was born in Brightlingsea and spent most of my childhood growing up there, my grandfather was Fred Scales, who ran the Boating Lake for a number of years and looked after the chalets and caravans, he was also a coal merchant and lived in Colne Road. Jennifer Dance, nee Collins, nee Scales PS. Grandfather is the man in the picture.
Daughter of A Shopkeeper
I spent most of my childhood in Brightlingsea. My father owned several businesses in the town, Relf's Fruiterers in New Street and Victoria Place and the Happy Shopper shop for a time. I have wonderful memories of sitting on potato sacks in the 'back room' whilst the beetroot cooker steamed away and running up and down Hall Cut on a barrow with my sister, and watching my dad waltz the ladies around the shop to Max Bygraves music! Maskells (the newsagent next door) was great for emergency sweets! Even when we moved away, due to the shops we were always in Brightlingsea, spending most of our summers at the beach hut and swimming pool. I don't have any reason to visit Brightlingsea now as Dad retired from the shop well over 12 years ago - but I often think fondly of it!
A Brightlingsea Boy
I was born at 10 North Rd in 1936 My grandparents house[Harry & Maude Hammond. My mother Mabel Williams[nee Hammond] worked in James Shipyard during war then Telephone Exchange.remarried George Genever[who was buyer at Aldous Shipyard] in 1947.We lived at 15 Eastern rd then 2 Ladysmith Avenue.Brightlingsea was a great place to spend your childhood,either by the water or in the countryside, My best mates where Eric Woods,Jim Crosby and Colin Francis [Lost touch with all of them]. The pictures [all of them] brought back many happy memories,Since leaving Brightlingsea in 1957 I have travelled all over the world and now live in Morecambe Lancashire, I would like to hear from anyone who remembers me,
Where I was brought up
I was brought up at 110 High Street then at the top of Backwaterside Lane. My Grandparents were William and Louisa Barrenger. My Mum Mabel Barrenger (later Mabel Dutton) was born at 9 Hurst Green. Many of my family were all born there including my sister and two brothers. One of the things I can remember about the High Street is the fair arriving on Hurst Green and also watching the Carnival go along the High Street.
Brightlingsea holds many memories, the shops in the High Street, Bird's the newsagent, Phillip's the fruit and veg shop and further along there was the bakers at the top of Tower Street. On the opposite side there was the Chemist then the Grocery Shop.
My Mum worked at Jacobs Hall when Mrs Wholmes ( I think I've Spelt that right) and her daughter Celia were there. I left Brightlingsea in 1968 but Brightlingsea is where I spent a happy childhood and as I sit here I can see the High Street as I... Read more
Memories of Essex
Thorrington as A Boy
I spent many happy years as a boy living at 2 Fratting Road, Thorrington, enjoying country life, lots of friends and lovely people who resided there. I did attend school at Brightlingsea Secondary Modern School. I have returned on many occasions to see old school friends.
Wonderful Holidays in St Osyth
I remember St Osyth with great fondness, holidayed there with Mum and Dad for quite a few years, always the first 2 weeks of September for some reason. We stayed in a bungalow called The Retreat in Oakmead Road. I believe it was demolished some years ago and a new 'Retreat' was built ? I remember the Elsan loo and the big spiders and daddy long legs which always seemed to be in there!
I intend to go back and see if I still get a good feeling about the place. Hopefully my wife and kids will too!
Happy Days at St Osyth
I lived with my family in Kingsbury NW9 and we used to holiday at St Osyth from 1960 -1965. Mum, Dad six children, plus Nan, Grandad and Auntie! The first year we had a caravan on the then magnificent beach, then a caravan per family on the only site at the time. Nan particularly enjoyed our evenings up at The Monks Head clubhouse - plenty of Guiness! We also enjoyed searching for cockles and winkles when the tide had gone out!
The beach front had shops selling all sorts of goodies from buckets, spades, gifts, sweets, etc to bakery, butchers, paper shop, beach cafe. The sea has now claimed all of this.
Family walks into St Osyth village, Point Clear in one direction and Jaywick Sands in the other, provided us all with plenty of interest and amusement. Sadly, Jaywick Sands is not the place it was...
Happy days indeed. I would like to go back but part of me prefers to remember it as it was...... Read more
Brightlingsea Ferry
Back in the 1950s, as an extended family, we always went to Jaywick Sands for our summer holiday. A regular walk undertaken was along the beach to Point Clear then across the ferry to Brightlingsea. It seemed like a real adventure at the time!
Priory Lodge
My husband and I moved to Clacton on Sea year 2000 and soon afterwards we visited the Priory. We enjoyed the visit and recently 2011 I was doing more research on my family tree (May family) when I discovered an ancestor Edward Leverett on the 1841 census, who appears to be my 3 x Grandmother's brother (still have to be proved) who was Gamekeeper and address given as Priory Lodge. He was aged 50 and with him his wife Elizabth and their children Edward and daughter Elizabeth. Also Lucy Leverett aged 20 occ: Female Servant address also Priory Lodge. For all these Leveretts Res. district given as St. Osyth. I am very excited about this find as we used to own a holiday chalet in St. Osyth so the area means a great deal to me and my family. It is amazing to think that I was born in East London, then moved to Dagenham, Essex and on to other south east Essex... Read more
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