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Hornchurch
Hornchurch maps
Historic maps of Hornchurch and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Hornchurch maps
Hornchurch area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Hornchurch and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Hornchurch
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Hornchurch.
There are 19 shared memories to read.
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Aley's The Bakers
To left of the bus is the bakers.
Boyhood Reminiscences
I was born in Vicarage Road and went to Rainsford Way Primary School. This was near the Hornchurch Bus Garage and us boys would watch the big red Routemaster buses swinging round in that tight space with screeching tyres. We used to play in the streets or have dens in our gardens. We would climb trees in Harrow Lodge Park and get chased by the Parky. We had to keep a look out for the Teds, who would throw boys into the boating lake. My father made me a box-cart out of pram wheels and bits of board. Our shoes were the brakes - so, they got well and truly scuffed. Crossing the main road at speed, unable to stop, meant the soap box was thrown on top of the garage and I got spanked for trying to liberate it. Rocket cap bombs were thrown up in unison to explode in the road - they were confiscated. We went through the roller skate craze, the cycle craze, collected car numbers - boring!... Read more
Milk Delivery
I lived in Minster Way from 1947-58 in one of the bungalows in this photo - but there were trees along the front of the house by this time. I remember milk being delivered by horse and cart - the milkman would go quickly up and down the front paths to put the milk bottles at the door and call out to the horse when he wanted it to move along. My father used to go out in the street with a shovel to pick up the droppings for our garden.
Happy Days
I lived in Hornchurch 1946-58. Went to school at North Street Primary and then for a brief time to Dury Falls before we moved in 1958. My father ran Cramphorns Corn and Seed Merchants, which can just be seen in this photo. My best friend was Elaine Collett whose parents had the Toy/Pram Shop opposite the White Hart Pub. Aleys Bakers was directly opposite and Enid Aley and I used to go to Madam DeVere's School of Dancing near Harold Lodge Park. Later I attended Shirley Dunton's Dance School. I remember The Dell and St. Andrew's Church where all our family's weddings, christenings and burials were held. Also in the High Street were Fentiman's Greengrocers, Boots,Pollards, The Green Lantern Cafe, and the Home & Colonial Stores. Further along was Timothy Whites and Burton Tailors. Going toward Billett Lane was The Bull, Woolworths and Finlays (my friend Janet lived above there). I had friends in Grey Towers and we all played in the woods opposite Harold Lodge (where... Read more
Elm Park 1950-1985
The MORLEY family of nine who squeezed into a new house in Rosewood Ave, Elm Park 1950s - 1980s, did a 'down memory lane' trip 28 July 2011 (Romford Recorder), brilliant to go back to your roots. Some shops literally have not changed and some shops are long gone. Harold Lodge Park still beautiful with lake, Maylands Girls School now called Albany. Did the trip to school from old home, which was long and tiring after school but today its only a hop, skip and jump. Dunningford School now sadly demolished (our infant and Jnr.School). Mum had job at Hornchurch Fire Station, Dad at Elm Park Coach Works, Fossies. Saw an old friends Dad in his front garden and exchanged phone numbers. Some people never move away. We had lovely neighbours and still think of them. Old Airfield was our playground, bare-back riding on wild horses near Bretons Manor and nights out at the Elm Park Hotel. Ancestors lived Lambs Lane Cottages, South End Road, Hornchurch and... Read more
Spar Shop Run by Eric Pearce
My father used to run a shop in Hornchurch. I have lovely memories of those days, playing in what I think was an old quarry at the back of the shop. The lady who ran the sweet shop gave me a bride doll which I adored. Helping my dad pack the cardboard boxes for home deliveries. I have a photo of my twin brother and I playing at the front of the shops. We moved away when I was seven and unfortunately I have no memory of where the shop was or the name of the road. If anyone remembers the shop or my father I would love to hear from you.
School Days in Hornchurch
I was born in Hornchurch and attended North Street School, I can still smell the greens from the canteen. We had little beds put up in the hall and after dinner we had to have a little sleep before afternoon school, then they changed the boundaries and I had to go to Suttons Junior School. I was at school with the Wilton twins and Mrs Wilton who was very gentle and kind. I also remember all the teachers that Elizabeth mentions and I also liked Mr Moore. So many menories came back when I was reading her story, the horse and cart with the milk and the baker who had to pull his cart along and the lovely smell of the cakes. We shopped at the Towers end of Abbs Cross Lane as I lived in the Avenue, there was Clarkes the butchers and the Yorkshire Cake Shop and a greengrocers so you did not have to go right into Hornchurch, then on other days we would go to the... Read more
The Pool House
I was a resident at the cottage homes from about 1960 for a few years, and again in the later 1960s and early 1970s. The building on the right is where the swimming pool was. We used to collect the key from the lodge at the front gates. There were 12 houses, all named after trees. Hawthorn House, Laurel House, Laburnham House and so on. We had orchards behind the houses on the right, a sports field and sick bay right up the top on the right. Behind the houses on the left you could see Harrow Lodge Park and the swimming pool complex. I remember the Candy Box sweet shop, Hornchurch bus garage and my first school, St Mary's. I think they were happy years, even though we were in care. I remember the years fondly.
