40s/50s

A Memory of Buckhurst Hill.

Early memories of Buckhurst Hill.

Re. Mark Brazier's message. Yes I remember the Three Colts and the French family. The son David was a close friend so I spent a lot of time there. I remember your mother and father Audrey and Ged Brazier. I went to their wedding in the late 50s, and the reception afterwards was of course at The Three Colts. Your grandparents James (John) and Alice French.

Re. Barbara Mcauley's message. Yes Aunt Nell (Ellen) Salmon was also my Great Aunt. She lived next door to my grandmother (Eliza) and they were often in the Private Bar at the Three Colts in the 40s. They used to be the only ones in the small bar for their single evening beer. The bar which was really there to sell off sales only had the one table. As the shops like Gingers and Ayers closed early, we used to go in there for crisps or lemonade to take away.
Next to my grandmother's bungalow, as you say, lived William and Florence Street.

Other early memories. The bonfires in the middle of the road where Princes Road crosses King's Place on VE and VJ days. The trestle tables set out for the parties.
There was also another fire in the middle of the road further up Princes Road past the school.

The large underground air-raid shelter just inside the forest at Kings Place. It was just
filled in with earth and must still be there under the children's playground.

One of my dearest memories of the forties was Winston Churchill our MP making a speech outside my house for the elections just after the war. I lived opposite the Princes Road Primary School and there was a platform set up across the road and me and my brother hanging out of the two bedroom windows to hear him speak. After he had finished a local lady went up to him and asked if he would shake hands with an old washerwoman, and he did. She said "I am still not going to vote for you but I respect you for shaking hands with me".

Other memories. John Metson's outfitters shop. Auty's the jewellers, Judd the barber, Moores the newsagent (run by Mr Woodward) Murray's and Hobleys the bakers. I also remember rushing home from school at lunchtime on Mondays so I could get in the queue for ice cream at Atlees. They only had a delivery once a week.

The Toy Shop you talk of with the train in the window may have changed it's name later but was definitely called Pardoes when I was a child.

Yes, I remember Dr Lorimer as one of the old school. The building he had his surgery in was once called Kings Place Farm as well as other names like Potelles and was the first major building in Buckhurst Hill but that's another story.

Really enjoyed reading all the messages on here.

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