Nostalgic memories of Hockley's local history
Share your own memories of Hockley 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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Displaying Memories 11 - 20 of 25 in total
Memories! I grew up on Merryfields Avenue and I can remember this like it was yesterday, only the shop fronts were different. Back in the 70's I used to have an evening paper round from the newsagents. I always recall on a Friday when I'd finished and dropped the paper sack back, I would always nip in the fish & chip shop, for a bag of chips & batter bits. I remember the butchers, one of my school ...see more
Once a week I would be allowed to spend my pocket money (a silver sixpence) in the sweet shop. My favourites were the Blackjacks and Fruitsalads, Barratts Milkbottles, white chocolate mice, liquorice catherine-wheels, sherbet Dib-dabs and sherbet fountains.
I walked past these shops on my way to and from school, and the young man working in the butchers shop would always give me a wave. I also remember hippies ...see more
Just to the left of this pub was the entrance to the woods where my parents used to take me for walks when I was very young.
When I was very small, my mother brought me here to play on the swings and slide in the park opposite the pub and shop. On hot days I was allowed an ice-cream or ice-lolly from the shop. In the distance Rochford Hospital chimney could be seen, surrounded by fields.
This view was in my earliest recurring dream; I would stand at the top of the hill looking down. In the dream as I looked at the beautiful ...see more
Well, I did visit Clements Hall last spring/summer 2011, after not seeing C.H in about fifty years ago. We parked at the keep fit-gym club and as soon as I got out of the car I turned around and saw the the playing field, known then as the cricket field, it was as nothing had changed or moved, the swings and slide were just the same, the openings were there. We started walking towards the muddy lane then runs alongside ...see more
I rather enjoyed my young days at Clements Hall, Hockley children's home. We use to go scrumping and the corn on the cob field was right next to us, so we never went hungry, just ended up with tummy aches the next day. The playing field next to us was known as the cricket field and we used to make the tea for the cricketers. Then we would have days out to Southend and had one of those sun huts to do ...see more
I must have been about six when I stayed at Clements Hall with my brothers Edwin and Terry in the 1950s. Christine story brought back memories. I also remember the geese, the matron often made me sit on the step to shell the peas. The geese would gather around pecking at me, I was very frightened of them as a small child. I too remember the tram, we spent hours playing in it and painting it in mud. I can remember ...see more
I remember Clements Hall children's home. My mum worked there in the early 1950s and my Uncle Reg also worked there, until much later. It was a fun place to be and it's a shame there are no photos because my brother lived there with our mum and I'm sure he would have liked to have seen it again.
My parents bought a house in Willow Walk, which is on the right of the photographer, in August 1954. At that time there were no shops, no pavements, just muddy concrete roads. We were the first to occupy a house in the road, and watched the builders (A W Deavin) complete the other houses, bungalows and finally the shops. In the photo, the shops look very established, so I guess it must have been taken late ...see more
My memory of Hockley is staying in a children's home called Clements Hall in 1960/5. It was near a few orchards where we would go scrumping for our midnight feasts. It really was a great place to stay as a kiddy. We had geese running loose in the grounds and each Christmas we had geese for Christmas dinner. In the second part of the gardens was an old tram we use to play on, great fun again.
We went ...see more