Great Wakering memories
Here are memories of Great Wakering and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Great Wakering or a Great Wakering photo.
Halfway House
I lived in Halfway House, Common Road, Great Wakering (near Potton Island), from 1957 to 1963. I lived there with my parents, two sisters and three bothers, all older than me.
The primary school was a small red brick building in the middle of the village and the County Secondary school was where the current primary school is now (near the post office). As we had no lights or brakes on our cycles (not legal) we had to walk to school. The winter of 1962/63 gave us a brilliant snow storm, and we thought 'great no school today', but my parents insisted we go, so we trailed along in the tracks made by a tractor. The snow was 6 and 7 foot high in places where there had been drifts, especially along the common. Once at school, there were just a handful of children who walked in from the village.
Just around the corner from the church was a small shop called Meads, they sold groceries and home made... Read more
Too Many to Mention!
I spent the first 3 years of my life in a nissan hut situated on the common. In 1953 after the flood we moved to Twyford Avenue where my brother now lives having purchased the house. I was married in St Nicholas church and in 1960 there was a fish and chip shop opposite the church. Every saturday either myself or a brother or sister would cycle to the fish and chip shop and buy eight portions of fish and chips for 1! School holidays were spent building camps on the common where you met your friends and just hung out. Sunday morning we would walk to the village rec and pick mushrooms for breakfast, you had to be there early though. Does anybody remember the Cozy Cafe next to the bakers? I can still smell the wonderful aromas coming from the bakers. Of course if you had a problem with your bike you took it along to Mr Alp (he would shoe your horse as well) I can still visualize the... Read more
Great Potton House
My Great Grandfather was an agricultural labourer lodging at Great Potton House in Great Wakering - does anyone have any memories of pictures of this house?
Little Wakering
I lived in a cottage close to Little Wakering church until the late 1970s and then several properties in and around the village. I have so many happy memories of a close family, good neighbours and brilliant friends. Walking or cycling to Barling School whatever the weather, days spent on the Parry and best of all the time spent on Wick Farm with my grandparents. Grandad was horseman and those lovely horses were just like big sofas to ride upon. In those days we knew everyone up and down the road it was uncommon then for people to move very often. Victory Parade(now more commonly known as Five Shops) supplied our day to day needs, and it was a treat to go into Southend on the bus! Oh I could go on for ages... Those were the days!
Memories of Essex
Note The Lack of Cars
Looking at this photo made me remember the first car we ever had as a family. It was a Ford Prefect, one of the 'sit up and beg' models. How things change !
The Yogi Bear Test
Hi, I was born in 1960 next to Little Wakering church, my dad Dennis, mum Babs and big sis Sue. The Yogi Bear test refers to a large square of trees at the end of the Parry that you had to climb round without touching the ground, many years were spent doing this and if you did complete the task you had to go round the opposite way which was very difficult for some reason. Without a doubt the Parry and the Wick gave me some of my greatest memories of Little Wakering. Mark Deeks.
Jellicoe Square
Shoebury Hall Farm was owned by Capt H R Townsend RN and his wife Margaret I think. There was also a daughter Pamela. They were like the country squire and his family. Their house was between the church and the camp site. I recall going inside the house once with Dad. He was one of the oldest campers on the site after all. Captain Townsend could often be seen riding round the camp on his bike making sure that all was well and the campers were not getting up to any mischief. The Townsends were treated with great reverance and they reciprocated.
I remember one occasion on a hot summers day Dad and Uncle Steve were larking about. They were chasing each other about dressed in womens coats and scarves on their heads chucking buckets of water over each other. Capt Townsend nearly received the contents of one bucket when he came cycling round the corner of one caravan.
This I am certain was Jellicoe Square looking north. I... Read more
West Beach 1948 - 1966
This beach was the one we used to make our way to on a regular basis when we were staying at Shoebury Hall Farm campsite. We used to take the boat trip out to the Mulberry Harbour. Cannot for the life of me remember the name of the boat now. Seem to recall there were two operating at the same time.
The Pub
When Mum & Dad went to the pub, which was not very often, I would stand outside with a bag of crisps and a lemonade and patiently wait. They were never in there long anyway. I think there was a family bar there as well which sometimes we would use. Opposite the pub was Dolls cafe where we would usually go and have dinner when we arrived at Shoebury and also on Sundays if we were there for the week. It was owned by husband and wife Frank and Doll. I remember once I did not eat all my dinner and Frank chased me all over the bit of green opposite with the leftovers in a paper bag. Always a warm welcome though.
Memorybank total
We're very pleased and excited by your response so far to our "Share your Memories" community.
You've shared 28,866 memories of 5,949 towns & villages across the UK - keep them coming!
Find Memories
Simply search for your favourite places to read others' memories and share your own.
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write?
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:
- Slough, Berkshire
- Smallthorne, Staffordshire
- Oswestry, Shropshire
- Blaenllechau, Mid Glamorgan
- Ealing, Greater London
- Shelsley Walsh, Worcestershire
- Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire
- West Hartlepool, County Durham
- Luton, Bedfordshire
- Nant Ffrancon, Gwynedd
- Hawley, Hampshire
- Maidenhead, Berkshire
- Bethesda, Gwynedd
- Strood, Kent
- Knaphill, Surrey
- Oban, Argyll
- Barnston, Merseyside
- Lundin Links, Fife
- Taxal, Derbyshire
- Cwmaman, Mid Glamorgan
- ... 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.
