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) in the playground at Dycorts, scratching the metal walls of Dycorts Junior School with our nails (EEEEK!...just the thought!!), Stephen Barnard, Martin Loible (neither of whom I can trace), Harry the mobile greengrocer, Wally - the mobile sweetshop, the charity box in the chemist's shop at Petersfield where a wooden spotted dog would place your penny into the box, (I was only allowed to put one in!) - Ingrebourne 42895, the number of the local phone box, the old boy who wore a brown workcoat and who was the baker who delivered Price's bread. Di Marco's ice cream van (early 50's)and of course my dear Mum, Dad and Brother, really great memories and I often go back to reminisce.
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RE: RE: I Lived Here From 1951 to 1977
Yeah, I lived in Harold Hill from 1954 to 1983, and after that my parents still lived there. I certainly remember the house on the green at the A12, gubbins and gooshays, although I don't remember it being a manor house, more like a house with a fenced-off garden which we all thought was haunted but we used to climb the fences to go scrumping. There was another big, more substantial house on the corner of the A12 and the end of Dagenham Park Drive, nearly opposite the Dutch and Little, which was on the corner of Harold Court Road and the A12, the Dutch and Little was actually a shop. Further down Harold Court Road, on the corner of that and Church Road, was Wallys shop, he also had a van and he used to drive around the hill to sell his products. As for the manor I certainly remember the ponds, lily, perch, etc and the white lady ghost story, also my brother (being older) remembers the concrete pond just off the dirt track in the manor, which belonged to the manor, or farmhouse, which was still there when he visited the manor, his memories of that are that the pond was a working ornamental pond, surrounded by a garden wall, but mine are of a circular, concrete pond as we used to call it, which invariably had an old car stuck in the middle of it, plus all sorts of other debris. I could go on and on about the manor, but I won't bore you any further, so I'll sign off now.
Comment from Malcolm Hookings on Saturday, 26th December 2009.
RE: RE: I Lived Here From 1951 to 1977
I was born here in 1982 and still live here, I wondered how Amy's Park got its name, did you know her? The red park behind Hilldene Garage is now gone and the rocket park by the red house no loger has a rocket in it. As for the manor (Dagnam Park) I think it is the best thing about Harold Hill, I am up there most weeks flying birds of prey. Does any one know how 'the white lady' ghost story started? And is she really burried under the mud hill (Elephant Hill)? The round concrete pond was apparently a bathing pool - you can still see the steps into it today. The best time to see this is in the winter as it's not as over grown. The manor house footings can still be seen where Sir and Lady Neave lived before and during the Second World War. Check out the facts and pictures at www.friendsofdagnampark.org.uk I love seeing hundreds of deer running around, its' just a shame there is so many burnt-out cars and motobikes around. The manor now has its very own residents that camp out every night. I can remember swimming in the outdoor pool in Central Park - they should get that working again. You can still ses the sand bunkers on the hill from the old golf course. The tree that has concrete in it at St Neots Road is still there, Ingrebourne Primary School is now closed as well as Bedfords School.
Comment from Ben Miller on Sunday, 3rd January 2010.
RE: RE: I Lived Here From 1951 to 1977
Thanks for those replies, I do remember the Wally shop and the mobile shop he had and bought loads of sweets etc. from him over the years, I can see him now! We used to play near the railway line near the shop in Harold Park / Court, at the r/wbridge there and put ha'pennies on the line for the train to squash 'em!! How daft can you get!
Amy Crockford ran the Adventure Playground in St. Neots and yes I remember her, she was one dedicated lady I can tell ya, she should have been given an M.B.E. or something for her work with the kids.
I didn't know the Red Park by the way, too old I suppose and The White Lady is a mystery to me too.
Comment from Ken Hatfield on Sunday, 21st February 2010.
RE: RE: I Lived Here From 1951 to 1977
Dear All,
The BBC is examining 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'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 contact us and let us know a bit about your experience.
And if you are interested in appearing on the film, that would be great!
Below is my e-mail and telephone number.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
William Steel
E-mail: real@reallife.co.uk
Tel: 0113 237 1005
Comment from Real Life Media on Thursday, 31st March 2011.
RE: RE: I Lived Here From 1951 to 1977
Actually I lived on Harold Hill from 1947 as soon as some of the houses went up, Gooshays Drive was a lane arched with trees, two little cottages on mound opposite Gubbins Lane (Harold Hill side). I went to Hilldene infants, Harold Ct Church Road then when Mead was built went there, followed on to Heath Park Girls at Gidea Park. I have many pleasant memories of the Manor, it was in a way my playground with a number of friends, my very first boyfriend Stan Shadbolt backed on to the woods I often wonder how he is now, I was very young but had pleasant times with him, the only one my father took to in fact, so Stan, if you read this, hope you are keeping well and family. My mother had to go Harold Wood to Greens to shop and the corn merchants by the station for the chickens we had then, I will be going back before Chirstmas this year for few weeks, did go back every year but since my mother passed away it is not as much. I live in Malta, have been here 25 years now, daughter has a thriving watersports company here called Flo-Jos. Many many pleasant memories of Haroild Hill and surrounding areas x
Comment from Patricia Hamilton on Monday, 22nd August 2011.