Elm Park And Maylands
A Memory of Hornchurch.
I lived in Elm Park Avenue and was brought up there with my two older sisters. In the 1950's you knew everyone along the street my end. We spent a lot of time in Harrow Lodge Park, jumping across streams and climbing the sewage pipes making sure we never fell into the stinging nettles or swamp. I went to Benhurst Primary School and do not have good memories of it as I got older. Often i was I was slapped on the back of the legs by Mrs McGuinnus for not picking my feet up in country dancing, she seemed to enjoy humiliating me in front of the class. Mr. Clayton was the Headmaster and on a Friday would play Air on a D String in school assembly. If boys misbehaved they would be sent to Mr .Jones for the slipper. He kept different sizes along the pipes.
Secondary School I went to Maylands which was virtually new and was in the same class as Margaret Sheppard who has also made a comment. I seem to recall your close friend was Caroline and we stayed on a further year.
I also admired Mrs. Barnyard who I thought was really 'Mod' and chic like Mary Quant. I have always remained useless at maths as I was too afraid of Mr.Carr. the maths teacher who once quoted 'The way to a man's heart was through the stomach' and was married to the cookery teacher. We had to walk through the park to the school each day.
I also recall Skinner's Shoe shop and remember Joy who came to our house once or twice with my sister. The Co-op along that side where Skinner's was had sawdust on the floor when I was very young and i loved playing in it.
I remember Funnels a delicatessen shop up 'the hill' towards the station as I had a saturday job there. In earlier years my sister and I would skate on our roller skates from the station all the way down the hill and round the corner of 'The Tuck Shop' and along towards Dellins in one sweep. On the other side was Elm Park Hotel and I used to love running through the back of it if the gates were open and coming out the other side. In all these years even though I have moved around I have never met anyone from Elm Park. Pauline
#689151
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