East Ham memories
Here are memories of East Ham and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of East Ham or a East Ham photo.
Visits to Brick Lane
Further to my other memories. I have just found a picture of My Father & I having just returned from Brick Lane. Everyone knows Petticoat Lane by Aldgate East Station. My Dad avoided it because he thought it sold mostly tat. We would always go further on to where all the Debris around Brick Lane were situated. On these ex bomb sites were 100s of stalls selling everything from China-plates (seeing those being chucked around whilst the stall holders dispensed machine gun chatter like it was going out of fashion, is still a fond memory) animals like pups (to be avoided because of poor breeding etc) & kittens & chicks each stall with their own unique smells. Chicks we bought a dozen at a time. These supplied us with eggs & a sunday dinner for the next twelvemonth until it was time to go again. Boots with real leather soles (were there any other then?) These to be broken in the hard way & fully studded with "Blakeys" & the like.... Read more
Christmas
I always think of East Ham at Christmas, going to the Co-op to see Father Christmas, it seemed like magic how they did it. Then when older I remember my dad sat down our shed at 61 Stokes Road plucking chickens, he kept chickens in our small garden along with rabbits and canaries in an avairy. He would be all done up in scarf and big coat, with a lead going down garden with a light on the end, no health and safety then. The chickens were then displayed in the kitchen and all the neighbours bought one for Christmas dinner. It made up the Christmas money. I remember New Year's Eve out in the street having a good old knees up and listening to ships' horns going off at midnight at the Albert Docks. They can never recreate those days. Happy Christmas to all that remember good old East Ham.
Plaistow in The 1940s & 50s
I was born in Sutton Road, Plaistow (Plaster to us locals) in 1944 and from the age of 4 I was free to roam. Things were different then! Barking Road for all the shops, and the pubs. Rathbone Street market on a Saturday, when it was down Rathbone Street not on the Barking Road. Seeing all the stalls with food overhanging the edges of barrows, which if you were quick or very little could be yours for the taking. If you were slow it used to hurt around the earhole something rotten. Up to Hermit Road for the park, which in the summer was a long day playing football or cricket or whatever. Mostly though it was playing in the street. No cars to worry about then. We had a lorry down there sometimes when Bill Keiller brought it home to have a bit of lunch or something. The only car was at No 1. We also had three different debris where houses had stood before the war. We didn't... Read more
Hammer of The Year Dance
At the end of the 1972/1973 football season, and at the age of 17, I went for the first (and only) time to the annual Hammer of the Year dance at East Ham town Hall organised by West Ham United. I went with my friend Diane Legg. There I was asked for a dance by a young man, which was a surprise to me as I never had much to do with boys. This time, for some reason I said yes to the dance. I found out his name was Brian and he worked in the City at the Standard & Chartered Bank in Bishopsgate, not far from my place of work, National Westminster Bank in Threadneedle Street. I thought nothing more about him until Monday morning, when Brian phoned the bank and asked me out to lunch. Well, we started dating, and going to see West Ham play at the Boleyn Ground together Saturday afternoons. Things progressed and in 1975 we married!! It's been a long 34 years, but we're still together.... Read more
Visiting my Nan And Grandad
I remember as a young girl going to visit my grandparents house in Monega Road, Manor Park. They lived in a three-up, two-down with a funny type coal shed under the stairs!
I can remember walking down the tree-lined street with my grandad, I must have been about 3 or 4 and he knew everyone he saw in the street. They lived a few doors away from the Monega Road School, which both my Mum and Uncle went to as little un's. They then moved on to the Grammer schools (separate ones, of course).
I can still remember the smell as I used to walk into their house, of stale cigarettes and old spice. The sight of my grandad using what I know now as a cut throat razor and his face lathered in special soap!!!!
These were I think the happiest days of my childhood, when they had upright wooden chairs with tapestry seats that you sat on in the back room, because the front room... Read more
Smell
Can anyone remember the smelly old factories? I think there was one one where the fire station is now, also there was some sort of works on the Becton bypass where I was lead to believe from my mum that they boiled up old animal bones, the smell some days in Stokes Road was terrible, then there was the smell from the Thames when you were on the ferry.
Fog
How funny, a friend got in touch with me through this web site, she said I got lost in the park because we had one of those terrible fogs that were green, couldn't see a hand in front of your face. I was wandering around trying to find the way out, could it have been that bad? I used to cut through to work at Fentocraft.
Notting Hill. London W.11 [ Originally Notting Dale ]
I was born in 1944 in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, but grew up in Notting Hill. I lived in a prefab in Lancaster Road, W.11. My childhood was full of happy memories and although, as with everyone else around, food and money was scarce, I was lucky enough to be able to enjoy playing outside till dark, with our neighbours. We didn't have posh toys, but had skipping ropes, balls, hopscotch, played rounders and cheap metal roller skates! Our mums and dads would sit outside chatting with the neigbours and exchanging cups of tea and maybe rock cakes or bread pudding. The fish man would come round on a Sunday and my job along with my sister was to take the black caps off the winkles ready to be lined up on the bread for sandwiches. The black caps were used by us as beauty spots. Most schools were very old, even to the point that the toilets were outside, very cold in winter, and the loo paper was either newspaper cut up... Read more
Christmas
When I worked at Fentocraft in St Johns Road it was a small factory that did hand painting on glass and pick-a-sticks, a game. We always had a Christmas party, they would put a table down the middle and our bosses, a M and Mrs Bound, provided the food, always a turkey and all the trimmings, even wine, which we never had at home, with our lunch. They even gave us all presents, not just one, of which I still have a Hummel figure. We had a great time. I'm still in touch with some of the girls all these years later. Great times, but if you asked for a new paint brush they would almost count the hairs on it, how funny.
Singing
I can remember sitting in our front room (every one had a front room) with my mum playing a card game called Happy Families and the house that joined us had all their family there and you could hear them stamping there feet on the lino (there were no carpets then) and singing all the old songs. I lived at 61 Stokes Road, that's how it was then. Also why don't you hear men whistle any more? Folk were a lot poorer but you could always here someone whistling, perhaps songs had more melody then.
Barking Road, c1965
The photograph on Barking Road c1965 brought back some childhood memories. I was born in Dukes Court in 1955. I can remember the shops in the photo, the Fish & Chip shop, Johns the Greengrocer's, Walkers, Aflecks, the Dry Cleaners on the corner. Before the Fish & Chip shop was Pat & Ken's (Eagle sewing machines), Burlin's, the oil shop & Woods the Bakers. We used to queue outside Woods for the hot bread & bags of broken biscuits. Where have all those happy years gone & what has happened to East Ham? Val Bethell (nee Greenhalgh)
West Ham Football
I have some great paper clippings of my dad who was a mounted policeman escorting a coach into West Ham football ground with all the players on, bringing home the cup in 1964. My dad loved football and always seemed to be on patrol there, where we lived in Stokes Road if West Ham scored a goal you could hear the cheer. Happy days.
Hand Painting
Can anyone remember Fentocraft Ltd, it was off St John Road. I left school, was good at art and got a job there hand painting on glass, I loved it, but it was so cold in there. The glass would come in tea chest unpacked outside, they were like ice. The Co-op was on the corner, opposite was a bus stop, 101. It went to the docks. My dad was a mounted policeman and rode a horse called Dan. He was often seen at West Ham football ground, he was there when they brought the FA Cup back in 1964. He also ran East Ham boxing club. Sometimes I wish I could catch the 101 back to our home in Stokes Road but sadly both my parents are now dead. They moved to Dorset but dad was never happy there. I like to think he stills rides his beloved Dan around the roads of East Ham and West Ham. Pamela Mather (nee Craddock)
Cock Tavern East Ham High Street
I used to go out with the daughter of the landlord of the Cock Tavern in the High Street, we would spend hours looking over the back yard from her bedroom. I wonder what ever happened to her?
Keppel Road
I grew up in Kepple Road at no 22, opposite the little flats between 1962/83. I went to Altmore/Napier-Nelson/EHGS/Langdon schools. I recall the High Street and I worked on the seafood stall outside the Cock for Pete. I remember the Wimpey bar long before Mcdonalds, and Atkinsons the motor bike shop, and chucking water bombs from the roof of Halfords, and going to Central Park and Barking rec for games of football against anyone who was there. I spent many evenings at the Shack at Brampton between 1973-75. I remember the old S1 route for 2p, East Ham swimming baths and the Granada (I remember seeing Rod Stewart there), and the Hammers cup celebrations in 1975 and 1980, following them all over the country, and drinking in the Denmark the Cock and the White Horse.
1970's And 1980's East Ham Memories
I left East Ham behind around 1983 for Essex, my mother and father told me we were moving because East Ham was changing, becoming dirty and run down, I was devastated. Recently I have met up with old class mates after a search via Facebook, and memories have just come flooding back. The shack, West Ham FA Cup parade, snow slides down the sewer bank on the way to Brampton Manor School, East Ham baths, donkey kong game in the chip shop at the White Horse, Crockers sweet shop, skate boards,s ilver jubilee street party, Star Wars swap cards and football stickers, chicken run with dad, grifter and mongoose bikes, next door's Escort RS2000, Mr Lucas, a teacher at Brampton junior, I hated him! golf putting at Central Park and nicking their fish in their pond, Saturday morning cinema at the Boleyn, pie and mash, Central Park fair, watching the Imps bike display, Smarty Pants dress shop, Nike Wimbledon, Winston's dress shop, I could go on forever, and so will... Read more
East Ham Technical College 1963 - 1966
This picture takes me back a long way. I was a student at this college from Sept 1963 to July 1966. I lived in East Ham at the time so I could easily walk to it in about 10 minutes. I had a lot of happy times there and can still remember some of the students I hung around with. I can identify some of the windows in this picture as those that were within the rooms I attended lectures in. Ironically at least three of the lecturers used to teach at the school I had left and they remembered me!! The PT instructor kept calling me Phillip for some reason!!
I seem to remember that my mates and I often frequented the Denmark Arms!!
Happy days!! Good music and Beatle haircuts!! It was great to be a teenager then!!!
Meeting my Future Wife
I worked for israels who had a fruit & veg shop opposite the town hall from june 1963 to 1965 in early 64 i noticed a pretty young girl walking past the shop each morning on her way to east ham station to catch the underground to the city (she had just left school xmas 63) we used to smile at one another but it took me till june that year to ask her for a date the rest is history we married in 66 lived in manor park then east ham we have 2 children sarah born in 1970 & david in 1971 and twin grand daughters chloe & jessica we are now retired and live near spalding lincolnshire
Up The Hammers
My grandfather, John Williams, lived in a victorian terraced house in Seymour Road with his parents and four brothers. The house was knocked down and replaced with the large block of flats you can see in the distance to the centre of the photograph. It stands right next to the Boleyn ground, West Ham United's stadium, which has been there for over a hundred years. My grandfather and his brothers were regular visitors to the ground, being avid fans, a tradition which he passed down to myself and more recently my son. As a boy one evening John and his brothers decided to honour the club by redecorating the football ground with colourful slogans such as 'Up the Hammers' only to be caught by the local bobby from Bow Street, who gave them a clip round the ear and made them repaint the ground as a punishment.
Growing up
I moved to Manor Park in 1948 aged 4 - my stepfather ran Chan's Restaurant. Memories - catching the 101 bus to Woolwich and spending all day going backwards and forwards on the Woolwich Ferry. Seeing the variety shows before the film at the Granada on Saturdays. Sat morning pics at the Coronation. Ice cream from Larkins by East Ham station. Bread from Simmonds. Playing at Itchy Coo Park (Little Ilford Lane).T he Palace Theatre - replaced by C&A next to station. School at Monegar, Shaftesbury, Cornwell and East Ham Grammar. Dancing classes at East Ham Grammar School for GIRLS! Bailey and Jean Shrimpton eating at Chans. Watching the Hammers from the Chicken Run - and loads more happy days.
Iris Jackson
Born in Upney Hospital in 1954. We lived in Davington Road, and later in Halibutt Street. I went to Dorothey Barley and Erkenwald School, as did my sister Jenny and brother Joe. In the early 70's I worked in Stanley Morris hairdressers in Barking, a very (at that time) fashionable salon and very busy, and I worked with a great group of men. I will always remember them and the people of Barking fondly.
Growing up in East Ham
I was born in what used to be the Aldersbrook Maternity Home and lived in Shakespeare Crescent, Manor Park until my parents moved in 1983 to a flat in Aldersbrook which had been the maternity home - talk about coming full circle!
I have so many memories of East Ham it's hard to know where to start. I went to East Ham Girls' Grammar School in 1964 and had a wonderful education from great teachers such as Mrs Jensen, and Miss Herbert who nurtured my love of literature.
A lot of my memories are coloured by the events surrounding West Ham United. My dad was a huge fan and season ticket holder. I remember going to see the team parade through East Ham after winning quite a few competitions (happy days!). We even met Geoff Hurst at an event in the big department store in Ilford (can't remember the name of it now) and even my mum was excited by that!
As a teenager I used... Read more
Mitchells Shop, Lonsdale Avenue, East Ham
My memories of my aunt and uncle's shop in Lonsdale Avenue spans from my earliest memory until 1978 when it was destroyed by fire. My aunt and uncle were Violet and Stanley (Mick) Mitchell. I'm not sure when they first opened the shop but I think it was the end of the 1940s. They had the shop until 1978 when my Uncle Mick suddenly passed away. The shop was being sold so they could retire but when he died Auntie Vi came to stay with us in Chigwell. Whilst she was staying at our house, the fuse box under the stairs of the shop blew and the shop was gutted by fire. This happened on Christmas Day 1978 a month after Uncle Mick died. I spent all my summers there and had some of the best times of my life. There was an off-licence across the road, I think I remember they were called Jolley. My friend Gillian Sweeney lived opposite and we raked the streets together and... Read more
Living in East Ham During The War.
I remember living in Rutland Road, Forest Gate in 1944, after being evacuated to Yorkshire, we lived at number 21 Rutland Road, my grandparents lived at no 19, and my uncle and aunt lived at no 17. There was a little penny drink shop just a few doors down, which very handy. I attended Monega Road School at first then to Shaftesbury Road School shortly afterwards. The Trebor sweet factory was still making sweets right through the Second World War and was situated on the corner of Shaftesbury Road and Katherine Road, my aunt worked there for many years. I made many friends there, and at school, where the old games were still being played out, like flicking cigarette cards, we were also still swapping shrapnal. We often lost our windows due to the 'Doodlebugs' (flying bombs) then later the V2s which you couldn't hear. We did our shopping in Green Street, and it was there when the cinema took a direct hit killing a policeman. I remember standing outside... Read more
Foggy Days on The Way to School
We used to live in Sherrard Road and I attended Monega Road School. I remember some real pea soupers where I'd walk to school by following the walls of the houses as I went along. Otherwise couldn't see more than a few feet. But also remember great Christmases as friends of my parents lived just down the road and they'd always spoil me rotten. Sadly I've lost touch with them.
MEMORIES OF BYRON AVENUE, EAST HAM
My late father, Don Lawes, grew up at no. 121 Byron Avenue on the Poets Estate in East Ham (off High Street North) during the '40s and '50s and attended East Ham Grammar School from 1938 to 1944. My late paternal grandmother, May Lawes, was a councillor on East Ham borough council (and mayor for a term) during that period. I remember the house was a typical East Ham terrace, with an outside toilet and a cellar, which I loved going down. Dad used to tell me how good East Ham Grammar School was, and how catastrophic the switch to comprehensive schools in the early '70s was to pupils' life chances (he used to call them "unemployment farms" - no kidding!). Was EHGS that good? And are the comprehensives that replaced it that bad? All I have to go on regarding Newham's schools today is the evidence of the NEWHAM RECORDER, which I read online most weeks. This weeks it gives a blaze... Read more
The Good Old Shops
I was born in Hatherley Gardens in 1951. My memories are of all the lovely shops that were around, I wonder if anyone can remember some of them? Salters Prams, Larkins Sweet Shop, Rowes Sports, Hamlets estate, Economic Stores, Cohens furnishers, Bertwistles chip shop, Slaters show repairs, Greenwoods, Eddy Grimsteads, Streletts Junk Shop, Greens Surplus Stores, East Ham Pet Stores, Hill Bros Fishmongers, Alex's Barbers, Ravels Shoes, Bricks Fashion opposite the Denmark, they are just some that come to mind. I hope they bring back fond memories to you. I remember by first Saturday job, working in the Co-op butchers opposite St John's Road, saving up to my my Mod shoes in Ravels, then my tonic mohair suit from Michael Throns Tailors, shirt from Take Six, Brent & Collins. Great times. Saturdays were always good for strolling down the High Street with your friends, having a pint or two in the Black Lion or the Cock before going home and trying on your new attire in readiness for the night... Read more
White Horse Road
My first serious girl friend lived in White Horse Road. She worked in her father's small grocery shop in Green Street. I recall I had to buy quite a few jars of jam before I could pluck up courage to ask her out on a date, as it turned out Linda was to give me a 'dear John', how shattered was a 17 year old? I also recall, I lived at 58 Higham Road when I would use the Erskin Arms public house, the landlord then being Joe Lucy, a very good East End boxer, there never seemed to be any trouble in that pub! I recall buying a movie camera (novel then for phlebs) from the then newly established Dixon Stores, it was on the road opposite the station entrance. I now live in South Australia and have done for the last 40 years, but when I take trips back to the UK, East Ham and the surrounding area is where I head first. I hear that the Green Man pub in Plashett... Read more
TOAST
Thank-you for your memory of "toast" at East Ham swimming baths. I can remember going with the school swimming back in the 60s & the treat of a slice of buttered toast afterwards costing 1 penny or 2 pennies for a topper -- I think that's the right price anyway !!! LOL
Toast
The best toast in the world was served by the two old ladies in the Town Hall swimming baths; then you'd come out and go in the library next door. Saturday mornings off to the shack at Brampton Manor, Peter Brewer was the youth leader there. Often wonder what happened to all the old crowd; We use to go down the Odeon in Barking Road or Snooker rooms at the Green Man and of course the central pub. Does any one remember the Galleons Hotel? How about the town show with fireworks in Central Park?
Coronation
Can anyone remember Coronation Day in Stokes Road? It's so clear in my mind but I have only one photo. We had a long table in the street . My sister was dressed as a Dutch girl and the boy next door called Lenny Moss was a jockey but his outfit was made of crepe paper and it split. I was dressed in baggy trouser and a crop top with a veil but I hid behind the curtains because of my bare tummy. We had our own Queen, Pauline, across the road, and then after she was crowned we all walked around the block. In the aftenoon it poured with rain but there was a man playing the piano in a tent-like building, I think it finished with a party in the church hall in Rman Road. The daft part was that my dad was in the Coronation because he was a mounted policeman but it was never mentioned that we should go and watch it. I really can't see... Read more
Growing up in East Ham
My family moved to East Ham from Mile End. We lived on White Horse Road, and I attend Brampton Manor. My brother and sister attended other schools. We used to to the reck centre in Central Park, on Saturdays, it was so beautiful and green. I used to work at the Shack at Brampton Manor, in the weekday evenings. I do remember also going the library at the Town Hall, I was supposed to be doing homework, but was really just hanging out with friends. I currently live in Las Vegas, have done for the past twenty two years, that's why all those good old days sure sounds good today.
Standard Chartered Bank
Hello Ann, I worked with Brian at StanChart, it would be fun if he remembered me, Chris Peckham. I worked as a messenger and then went to the 4th floor communications dept. I have such wonderful memories of my years at Bishopsgate and then the Clements Lane office...Cheers
Barking Road, Hartley Infants School, Granada, Etc.
My parents owned the Horseshoe Cafe, 146 Barking Road, and we lived in the apartment above. Next door on the corner was a bakery and next door on the other side was a 'removal' company. I also remember a tobacconist and further down a place where I would spend my pocket money buying a small bag of assorted beads. You never knew what beads would be in the bag, and it was so exciting to find really good ones. I've recently found Barking Road on Google Maps and am fascinated by it. I've been able to 'navigate' to my friends' homes (one was on Montpelier Gardens) and schools I attended and reconnect with the nostalgia I've had for so long. I went to Hartley Infants School and remember a toy shop on Barking Road and Hartley where my 'boyfriend' (he was about 9 or 10) bought me a tiny rubber doll, maybe an inch in height and his mother was really mad that he spent his money on a gift... Read more
CORSET SHOP
Does anyone remember ANN's Corset Shop in the High Street? Did anyone work in the shop or use the shop? Any memory at all would be great. Also of SARAH's Corsetiere in Barking.
BUT YOU CAN''T TAKE THE EAST HAM OUT OF THE BOY
I was born at Howard's Road Hospital in 1954. My parents lived with relatives in Walpole Road then Elm Park before coming back to East Ham. We moved about the manor a fair bit. Mountfield Road, Stannard Crescent at Becton and Napier Road. What a great place to live and grow up in. The High Street was like a golden mile, the clothes shops, Brent and Collins, the boozers, C & A where I used to stand at the edge of the mirrors and cock one arm and leg out just like Harry Worth did in his shows. I have fond memories of going to Vicarage Infants and Junior Schools, Windsor Juniors and Napier Road juniors. I went on to Thomas Lethaby and started work in 1969. The town show was always good, I think it used to be in June at Central Park. Used to go to the Barking rec, I remember an old plot of land opposite the Ferndale pub that we used to use for cycle speedway,... Read more
East Ham in The 1960s
In February 1963, when I was six and a half, my parents bought their first house, in Thorpe Road, East Ham. It was and had been a very cold winter, and when we moved in we had difficulty opening the back door, as there was so much snow.
Across the road, on the corner, was a small supermarket called Foodtown, which later became Tesco.
At first, our house had no central heating, no double glazing, and no bathroom, and we had an outside toilet. A few years later, my father installed storage heaters, had trendy new louvre windows fitted, and brought the toilet indoors by knocking down walls and converting the downstairs pantry into a bathroom: the window looked directly onto the garden shed, literally inches away.
I had been born in Forest Gate Hospital, and we had lived with relatives before renting flats in Canning Town (above a greengrocers) and Upton Park (Thorngrove Road). I had briefly attended Upton Cross Infants School, but now I went to the much... Read more
Growing up in East Ham
We moved to East Ham from Bow when I was about 3 years old. I lived in Clements Road there was Mum and Dad, Nan and Grandad and my brother. I went to Lathom School, where I met my first love. I also remember Mr Cordwell and Miss Gardener, teachers at Lathom, popular rumours were they were cousins, I also seem to remember they also smoked in the classroom but could be mistaken as the memory does play tricks at times.
I spent lots of time over at the 'Reck', also on the train bridge watching the steam trains passing underneath. Also remember jumping on a bus to go to Wanstead Flats and going to Wanstead Park. My Uncle Ernie was a bus conductor so the bus rides were free. Also Plashet Park and the East Ham Boxing Club bring back fond memories.
Sometimes we went to the Town Hall to have a swim in the baths, there was a small pool for little 'uns and the big... Read more
The Dumps
My mum and dad owned the Lonsdale off-licence during the 1960s and 1970s. I went to Brampton Manor, a few teachers stick in my memory but Dr Groom has to be the world's best physics teacher. I remember bunking off, walking over the dumps and going over to Beckton Lido during the summer, where you paid your entrance and then got a little locker key that you had to safety-pin to your shorts. I remember learning to drink and play pool in the Central pub, having a curry in the Rose of India opposite the town hall, buying records in WH Smiths, or clothes (well gabbicci tops and farahs) in Granditers or Take Six. Walking all along the sewer bank from the Green Man to High Street South, or walking down to the Galleons in Beckton, it was closed, dilapidated and 'haunted', of course we all broke in and it became our own personal palace for a year or two, it was that or spending time in the graveyard at... Read more
The Station & The Cinemas
I was born in Manor Park in 1937 but spent a lot of time in East Ham as my mother was a keen cinema-goer. The Granada in Barking Road used to have a four hour programme with two films and an hour long stage show. I recall seeing rock singer Charlie Gracie there. Remember the song 'Fabulous'? The stars appearing often used the cafe opposite before their act. The Premier in the High Street had an alley at the side where entertainers amused the people queuing. I recall you walked through what could have been an earlier smaller cinema before you stepped into the main area. Anyone know the story of the smaller area? Be interesting to know.
In 1957 I was a guard and train driver at East Ham. We had a depot alongside the eastbound approach to the station. It was like a wild west saloon!! Old timers told of the war when Woolworths opposite got a direct hit and the old timber depot just swayed a... Read more
EAST HAM FROM 1958
I was born and raised in East Ham and was very proud of it. We lived in Friars Road off the Barking Road and moved to Lincoln Road off High Street North. The postcards brought back memories of home. East Ham used to be a very good place to live. I can remember ladies washing their front door steps and paths down every day. As children we used to play in Plashet Park without fear. Sometimes venture to Wanstead Flats with a bottle of orange squash and have a good time. Do you remember the Town Show over Central Park with fireworks at the end. The fair over Wanstead Flats. Going on a boat over Barking Park? The Lido and the little train. It is so sad that the area has changed so much.
Memories of Greater London
1949-1966
I was born at 16 Roding Avene, the prefabs right next to the River Roding. Across the main London Road was Delayneys, also the Masters Match factory with its tall chimmney. I remember seeing the chimney being knocked down, the man at the top looked like an ant. I have many memories of Barking. I went to St Margarets C of E School [played the recorder in Mr Gray's Orchestra] then Park Modern Secondary. I danced at the Town Hall in aid of cystic fybrosis with The Joyce Williams School of Dance. Joyce lived in Bradfield Drive, next door lived Susan Bigwood who later went into the Black & White Minstrels by the name of Sue Lyn [Lyn I believe was Joyce's daughter who passed away with CF]. Susan's mum made our show costumes for ballet, tap & acrobat performances. I believe the Barking Advertiser took photos of our shows. My cousin Elaine's grandfather Alex looked after the boats at Barking Park Lake. My Aunt Pat worked in... Read more
Roding Avenue-Barking.
I remember Roding Avenue (No.33) with very fond memories. Those names you have mentioned are still floating about in my brain! I remember the Coronation celebration party well; I was dressed as a pilot. My mum and several other ladies sang on stage dressed as Zulu women - they sang "Dem Bones". I now live in Norfolk and several neighbours and myself are going to try and recreate those lovely memories this year on our village green, but there are no memories like old memories. We loved our prefab and it had a great family feel to it. We were the Wendrops.
The Capitol Cinema
I used to look forward to the weekend so I could pay my 'tanner' and go to the Saturday morning pictures at the Capitol (now Marks & Spencer I believe). I was born and raised in Barking, Sutton Road (off Movers Lane). Went to school at Northbury (infant)/Westbury (junior) and finally Eastbury Secondary Modern schools.
Looking at these old photos brings back a lot of happy memories for me. Haven't been back to Barking for many years, it's nice to see the old place again though.
I would love to hear from anyone who lived in the town in 'The good old days' of the 1950s and early 1960s. I used to spend a lot of time at and near the town quay, I was drawn to water and I still am. My local waters are now the Norfolk Broads but I still look back often and think of the quay. Happy days!
St John's Ambulance Brigade
In the early sixties I was a member of the St John's Ambulance Brigade and often on a Saturday morning I would don my uniform and present myself (as instructed by my leader) to do my duty at the Odeon.
Often there would be 2 or 3 willing volunteers and we would always pray that no-one would get sick or ill so we could enjoy the movie as well. Great days.
In those days the Odeon was massive with a balcony and lower stalls, it was huge and most times everybody behaved themselves - it would only show one film maybe with a cartoon or something unlike todays Odeons.
Living in Tanner Street Barkng
When I was four years old our family moved from Benfleet Essex to Barking. M y Farther took a position as Manager of a Corn Chandlers In Tanner Street, and we lived at number 81 next door.
I can recall starting school at Church Street primary, although it was called an infants school then. my memories are so many it's difficult to pin down the best, but I will try.
I used to walk down Taanner Street and over the railway bridge to school. Times were hard then and many of the pupils were very poor and badly dressed.
High lights were the the school holidays, when my father used allow me to go with the horse and cart to the London Docks to collect corn and molasses for and other supplies for the corn chandlers, we had two horses in the stables, I only recall Mary who was a large shire horse she used to carry the Mayor of Barking at the Lord Mayors show. This is only a... Read more
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It's easy - just think of an important place in your life and ask yourself:
How does it feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of this place?
How has it changed over the years?
How does it feel, seeing these old photos of your favourite place?
Do you remember stories about the local community, its history and people?
Start now!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the orange "Add your Memory" icon to begin.
Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Cefn Fforest, Gwent
- Wrexham, Clwyd
- Forest Row, East Sussex
- Nazeing, Essex
- Rochdale, Lancashire
- Stadhampton, Oxfordshire
- Carlisle, Cumbria
- Ribbleton, Lancashire
- Rustington, West Sussex
- Collyhurst, Lancashire
- Finchley, Greater London
- Cwmaman, Mid Glamorgan
- Easington Colliery, County Durham
- Chiddingfold, Surrey
- Southampton, Hampshire
- Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire
- Taunton, Somerset
- Winchmore Hill, Greater London
- West Hartlepool, County Durham
- Barnehurst, Kent
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
Your memories
To jump straight to the memories you have added already to the Community, click here
I Remember When...
This stunning compilation highlights some of the best stories selected from the thousands contributed here on the
Frith website. The result is an absorbing chronicle of British life from the Second World War to the mid 1960s.
A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
