A Happy Childhood

A Memory of Elm Park.

My parents moved to Elm Park (Mungo Park Estate) around 1957, when I was around 18 months old, with my two brothers (John and Terry).
I attended Scargill infants and junior school, in Simpson Road, and in 1966 went to Brittons County Secondary School (as it was then known), leaving in 1971.
My friends and I spent many happy hours at Harrow Lodge Park, and swimming in the pool at Hornchurch (and Saturday morning pictures there!).
It was a shock when I went back for an impromptu visit to Brittons Park in early 2007, to discover the old pavilions gone, and more shockingly the play area.
On talking to someone walking in the park, I was informed that the pavillions had to be demolished after the local hooligans tried to burn them down once too often - what a sad indictment of our times!
I also worked at Elm Park station, in the ticket office, for a number of years, before finally leaving in mid-1986.
Elm Park was part of Essex during my formative years, and even now (I left in 1976) I find it strange when I hear it described as being in East London.
I have no reason to return these days. My parents moved out of the area in the late eighties, severing my ties.