Nostalgic memories of Hessle's local history

Share your own memories of Hessle and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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Add a Memory!

It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin

Tips & Ideas

Not sure what to write? It's easy - just think of a place that brings back a memory for you and write about:

  • How the location features in your personal history?
  • The memories this place inspires for you?
  • Stories about the community, its history and people?
  • People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
  • Has it changed over the years?
  • How does it feel, seeing these places again, as they used to look?

This week's Places

Here are some of the places people are talking about in our Share Your Memories community this week:

...and hundreds more!

Enjoy browsing more recent contributions now.

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They were happy years of playing in the street with pals (not many cars then), playing down the foreshore and in the many parks nearby. Itlings Lane was a fun place to go bramble picking, scrumping, making hideouts and rope swings over the ditch (covered over now). Another place to go to was little Switzerland - woodland, open fields and a chalk quarry. It was a young ...see more
I remember going there on many occasions in the late 50’s and early 60’s. Catching the bus from Hessle Road (we lived in Bean Street) and this was a great day out for kids “in the country” The method we used of getting to the quarry was to go under a low, dingy and usually muddy tunnel/bridge actually under the railway line. The “pond” in the quarry was full of newts and collecting brambles and eating them was always ...see more
My grandmother ran the candy store on Prestongate for many years. Many happy memories. There was Audreys next door and Pillings TV rental on the corner.
Fishing for eels here, especially during the school holidays. Loved watching the ships built by Dunstons being side-launched into the water - huge waves! Also saw the 'Winston Churchill' being built and eventually launched after it blew over during construction.
Mrs Hazel Homes moved the riding school from a farm (Mr and Mrs Wiles) Cottingham to Hessle. Date approx 1954. Does anyone remember? She had 2 sons Jeremy and Nigel.
I was born at Hesslewood Nursing Home in 1939 and lived in Kingston Avenue. The schools I went to were the infants school in Swinegate, Hessle County Secondary School on Boothferry Road and Tranby High School on Heads Lane which is or was a very old converted mansion and I think it was once owned by a gentleman who was a survivor of the Titanic. During my years of 11 to 15 I delivered the evening papers ...see more
My grandparents lived in a cottage fronting the River Humber where the Humber Bridge is now. My grandfather worked in the whitening mill near what was then called LITTLE SWITZERLAND. It is now, I believe, a country park. Their name was DIXON and they were my late mother's parents. We used to spend our holidays there every year, including the war years, and I can remember the light ship nearly opposite the cottage. ...see more
Hessle church was and is an example of fine architecture with one of the finest organs in the county. I joined the church choir and attended most services, we were paid for something we enjoyed. I remember weddings paid a half crown each. The church was well set for sound, the congregation could hear every word. When the organ was undergoing restoration the front pipes were taken away, some say they were stolen. The organist at ...see more
I walked and played down here. My aunty and uncle owned one of the house boats nearby and my father worked at Marshalls quarry/mill for a while. The area has changed a lot ,mostly to car parking. We rode our bikes round Little Swits and often visited Humberfield quarry to watch the train come out of the tunnel. There isn't much left of any of it now.
I spent many happy hours down at the Haven, fishing and playing in general. I also collected coke from the gas house round the corner down what was then the weigh bridge, dodging the steam from the locomotives.