Harold Hill memories
Here are memories of Harold Hill and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Harold Hill or a Harold Hill photo.
Childhood Memories
I was born at 5 Cricklade Avenue on the 1st of December 1951, my name was Christine Bundy. When I was old enough, I went with my brother Robert, to Broadford School. I had quite a few friends that I used to play with, some of the names I can remember are: Maureen Mann, John Mann, Angela Ray and John Kirby. My best friend was Maureen Mann, who used to live in Chatteris Avenue.There was a park opposite their house, which Maureen and I used to spend many hours there - I used to love the swings and roundabouts. Our neighbours were the Kirbys, their son John used to take me out in my pram. I can remember being in the Romford Carnival, on a float dressed with a pretty net skirt and top. At Broadford, they used to take us to Mawney Road Swimming Baths, where I swam my first width of the pool. Maureen's mum used to take us with John, her brother, to Raphaels Park at Romford... Read more
Memories of Penrith Road Harold Hill
I was born Beverley Hemmings, in the upstairs bedroom of 19 Penrith Road, Harold Hill in 1955. I lived there until 1969 when we moved to Australia. Back then, we had a big rosebush in the grassy front garden and a privet fence. It seemed huge to me. (Looking at it now on showmystreet.com, it looks tiny, cold, concrete and bare.) Every year there appeared a fair on the green at the bottom of the street which was so much fun. On that same green, we burned a Guy on Guy Fawkes night annually. At that time, anyone could have a fireworks display in their back garden. Friends who lived in Retford Road had a fireworks night every year!
My friend June Blomeley lived above the end shop at the start of Petersfield Avenue and I visited her often. The Saxon King pub is still there I see... Sometimes my Aunt and Uncle would visit from Liverpool and we would... Read more
Those Were The Days
I lived in Harold hill, from 1956 till 1970. We lived in Chudleigh Rd - Mum, Dad, and my sister Susan. I attended Dycourts, then went to Quarles - what memories of Miss Knapton and her dog, Pickles, who she would often make me take for a walk. I used to go to Harold Hill Methodist Church and was in the Girls Bridge untill I was 18. I have such fond memories of Harold Hill, going to Amy Crockford Park and putting on shows then with the Hilltones, going to old peoples homes and concerts at the commuinty centre in Ghoshay Drive. Disco's at the Shack, The Blue Angels, Scrooge and the Misers with Pete Harper and Robin Adams the roadie. Living on the Hill was the best days of my life. I now live in the West Country, lovely as it is, the Hill will always be home. What do I miss? Romford Market, Pie and Mash, the big Bonfire parties to name a few.... Read more
My Childhood Memories
I lived in Harold Hill from 1952 till the early 70's. My first school was Bosworth Junior, the Headmaster, a nasty old man named Gridley and our form teacher the great Miss Worril. When I left there I went to Quarles where once again the Headmaster was an overbearing bully named Mr Laws - the only salvation being the Deputy Head who I believe was Mr Gerard. Our form master was a skeletal man and the science master. I remember I won the annual prize for English and he was so convinced that it couldn't be me that he put another boys name inside the front cover of the book that was my prize. What with him and the Welsh maths/gym teacher who taught me nothing, its surprising that I made my way in life. However I was exceedingly lucky in being taught by a great teacher of english, Mr Dickman. He made the subject interesting and understandable and I owe him much. I lived first in Dorking Walk, where in... Read more
Harol Hill in The 1950s
My family moved to harold Hill during the early 1950s from Dagenham. We lived on Paynes Brook Way first which must have been one of the first roads built as I remember lots of houses being built. We then moved to Brosely Road (up by the Duckwood Pub) and lastly on St Neots Road close to the Adventure playground. I remember when there were people (probabaly council) blowing up trees along Paynes Brook. I also remember an old house at the end of Goosehays Drive and picking horseradish roots from the back of the house. I played for many years at the Adventure Playground on St Neots Road and remember Amy Crockford very well - I won a prize for building a small garden in the park. Amy was a real Londoner who did a lot for the kids in the park and when Amy spoke we all listened - she was tough but loving. I clearly remember "Wally" who had a shop on Church Road... Read more
Tin Tan Tommy
I moved to the hill as a child with my brother and sisters in the early 1950as to Dagnam Park Square. We had a lovely wood there to play in. Tin Tan Tommy was our best game, standing on the sand bin spying out the other kids and calling out their names once they were spotted. We had to cross the old A12 to get to Harold Park shops, or Dutch and Little as it was known back then, where we would shop in Fairways grocers owned by a Mr Christian. I used to catch a coach to London Road School the other side of Romford, it was a long journey in those days. There was no Harrowfields Pyrgo Dycourts or Priory for some time. We would hang out up the manor, walk to the back of Maylands golf course and into the deer woods or walk up to Southweald where there was an old Second World War army tank in a ditch we could play in. We would get... Read more
Where I Consisder Home.
My name when I lived on Harold Hill was Susan Bryan (and then Shepherd when I married for the first time). My parents moved to Newbury Road, Harold Hill in 1950 when I was just two years old. There were no shops in Hilldene Avenue and no bus service. There used to be a guy called Wally (I think) who would come around with his van selling food. Another man used to come around on a bike with a basket selling shellfish and I can also remember a man coming around on a bike who used to sharpen knives, sissors, etc. I went to Bosworth Infant and Junior School and have very fond memories of those years. My mum was a dinner lady at Bosworth. I remember Mr. Lincoln was the games teacher and his wife worked in the office. Mr. Gridley (probably spelt wrong) was the head master of the junior school. There was also a Mrs. Shields and I remember a Mr. Jenkins too. I had some good friends there,... Read more
Memories of my Childhood
We moved from East London in 1950 to Cricklade Avenue. Broadford School was still being built and this backed onto our garden. My older sister had to go to Heath park Girls School (Frances Bardsley) while Harrowfields was being built. I remember having two threepenny bits to go to and from school to Harrowfield Girls school although my friends and I used to walk to Petersfield shops and spend the money on sweets! I also have many happy memoriess of my time at the above school. Miss McGill was the head mistress and she always seemed to wear black but I liked her. Most of the teachers seemed to be Ms! I had Mrs. Salmon, Ms. Gates, Mrs Jensen & Ms Jones etc. Miss Jones was my commercial teacher. The typewriters we used were so old and would more than likely be in museums now! My brother went to the boys school and he quite often spoke about Mr Gregson. I remember having... Read more
BBC Documentary About Harold Hill
The BBC is looking at the day that Margaret Thatcher introduced the 'Right to Buy' scheme, allowing people in council houses to buy their own homes.
The film will look at the benefits for several million people who became homeowners, and the difficulty for councils in replacing the stock of social housing.
We have BBC footage of the time when Margaret Thatcher visited Harold Hill when the scheme started.
We're trying to track down people from Harold Hill who bought their council home using the scheme in the 80s and find out how it affected their life.
If this applies to you, please could you tell us a bit about your experiences?
Or if you know anyone else who bought a house in Harold Hill in the 80s, please do let us know.
Below is our e-mail and telephone number.
Thank you for reading.
E-mail: real@reallife.co.uk
Tel: 0113 237 1005
I Lived on Harold Hill From 1953 to 1967
I lived in Sedgefield Crescent, opposite Dycorts School main entrance; I had Mr Smith as a teacher; across the road from our house lived the man who hung himself! We used to make camps on the island, crossing the moat on the log; we fished for sticklebacks in the green lake, we virtually lived in The Manor, particularly around a massive log near the Harrowfield Girls School (my school) entrance. I remember the concrete pond and the beautiful lilac growing all over the walls. I met my husband 'over the manor' in 1963 and we married in 1967, he has his own adventures of 'the manor' to relate. I remember Wally's van parked outside the school when we came out, and I used to buy Palm Toffee, either strawberry or banana, it didn't matter as I loved them both :) I remember walking to Petersfield Shops on Good Fridays to buy hot cross buns at the bakers, which was the only shop that would open... Read more
I Lived Here From 1951 to 1977
Petersfield, Hilldene and Whitchurch shops, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd woods starting in Dagnam Park Drive and heading towards Petersfield shops, the 66A bus, Dycorts School (an excellent school with Mr Tanner the head and a truly excellent teacher called Mr. Smith), Quarles School with a bully for a head but with a true gent as the deputy head, Mr Gerrard, the moat, the green lake, the perch pond, the lily pond, The Manor, the old house at the junction of the Colchester road and Gubbins / Gooshays, the adventure playground in St Neot's with Amy Crockford running it, the A&BC Chewing Gum factory, the Eastern Electricity Board canteen where my dear mum worked, the White lady (ghost!), the mud hill, the death track, Central Park, the toy shop, sweet shop, shoe shop, Fairways (Roy), Pearks, the fish shop, the hardware shop, the cafe, all at Petersfield shops, the tennis courts at the manor, a Mr Hill? who hanged himself at the manor (sorry about that!), the Jungle Jim (Gym)... Read more
Memories of Essex
Harold Court School
I remember moving from the east end of London in 1947 to a then new housing estate that is named Harold Hill. The nearest shcool then to where we lived was Harold Court, we used to have a very long walk either down Gooshays Drive, continue down Gubbins Lane, turn off at Arundel Road and proceed up Court Drive to Harold Court School, or we could cut across fields, one of which was known as Guys Field which was a short cut to the school, in those days it was a long walk to school in all weathers, but very happy carefree days. I would like to hear from anyone who used that way to school.
Gubbins Lane Harold Court Primary
I lived on Shepherds Hill and attended this school until I went on to Redden Court Secondary Modern at age 11. My name was Marguerite Valentine at the time. I would be interested to hear from anyone who attended during this time and especially those who lived on my route to school. Linda who lived just before the bridge that crossed the river Ingrebourne. Or Ann Swain who also lived on Shepherd's Hill. I have been in Toronto Canada since 1966 and am married to Alan Wong who I met in Hornchurch in 1965. We eloped in September 1965 to Scotland . Married in October 1965 and came to Toronto November 1966. I lived at 22 Shepherd's Hill with my sister Valerie, mum Ivy and my dad Walter James Valentine who worked at Warley Hospital as an electrician. My brother John was 11 years older than I and got married at 19. I don't remember too much about him as a kid except the ear... Read more
St Peter's C O fE Junior School
I started at St Peter's in South Weald at the age of four in 1955. This was in the old school which is no longer there. Our teacher was Mrs Fox and we were taught to write on slates. When we became proficient we were allowed to use thick black pencils on paper. I will always remember the carbolic soap in the sinks and the outside toilets with spiders and shiny Izal toilet paper. Mrs Waite's classroom next door had a big stove with railings round it. I lived in Brentwood and arrived at school courtesy of Mr Tiffin's taxi, later replaced by a Tiffin's coach as numbers rose. I think the Mivvi ice lolly was invented while I was a pupil at St Peter's and I can remember purchasing Mivvis and assorted sweets from Mr Pottle's post office in South Weald village. The conker tree was just outside the shop and there was great competition to get the best conkers. The new school was completed before I left and... Read more
St Peters About 1958
I went to St Peters in about 1958, my brother must have been there 2 years before me. I joined Mrs Fox's class in the old school and remember the chalk and slates. Mrs Rogerson was the head teacher and I moved on via Mrs Hurlestons class to Miss Christies class. We farmed in Navestock, and my mother, aunt , uncle and cousin lived in High House and all went to St Peter before me, my sister followed.
The caretaker was called Mr Harris and Pottles was a regular haunt. Col and Mrs Laurie hosted the local fete and gymkana. I sat next to Susan Bennet whose family farmed in South Weald.
Happy Memories of my Time at South Weald
I started at St. Peters School South Weald in the Infants class with Miss Clough in 1950. She was a lovely lady. My first few months were very worrying as I was a shy only child and I cried a lot as everything was so new. However, I was soon made welcome and found a friend who was a bit older and she took care of me! Yes, having read other people's memories, I also recall the toilets and the old fires and the school dinners of mince and mash and a chocolate biscuit like pudding and thick creamy custard made and served by Mrs Taylor who lived on the premises, Mrs Caley and Mrs Wright. I remember our teachers, Mrs Waite, Mrs Fox and of course Mrs Rogerson, Pottles shop and post office in the village and the chestnut tree. Also Mrs Davies a teacher who was a sweet lady who left to have a baby and kissed all her class goodbye! ....probably unheard of nowadays!? I... Read more
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