Sibleys The Butchers.

A Memory of Hornchurch.

I was born in Oldchurch Hospital in 1943 and lived in Victor Gardens until I was married in June 1962. The garden of our bungalow (No. 22) backed on to Sibley, the butchers field, which we called " The Orchard". It was where the cattle grazed before slaughter.
One of the slaughtermen used to give my mum some chitterlings from the slaughtered pigs and these were placed in a very small galvanised bucket and hung on the elderberry tree just beside our back brick wall for mum to collect. I understand that these are now a great delicacy found in Michelin Star restaurants etc. Many happy hours too were spent in that field with my cousin and friends. We lashed chairs into the trees and made a den in the corner next to Woolworths.
I visited not too long ago and the elderberry tree is still there although the field has now become a car park.