You are here:
Laindon
Laindon maps
Historic maps of Laindon and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Laindon maps
Laindon area books
Displaying 1 of 18 books about Laindon and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Laindon
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Laindon.
There are 14 shared memories to read.
Add your memory of Laindon
or of a photo of Laindon.
A Long Walk
I was born in Devonshire Road in 1961. I remember walking with my mum down Powell Road, through Pellhams Alley, past the North Parade post office, past the police station and along the High Road towards Langdon Hills. My mum had friends in Lee Chapel Lane and the walk seemed to go on forever. Happy days.
Coach House
In the late 1950s my mum and dad moved to the Fortune of War and ran it for a few years. Bob and Betty worked for the brewery and this was the first house since Bob had left the navy. I went to Laindon Hill primary school and had the time of my life growing up in the vast rooms and yard of the pub with my older brouther Steve.
Flower Seller at The Fortune of War
My dad sold his flowers outside the Fortune of War hotel. He had a plot of ground opposite our bungalow in Florence Road, Langdon Hills (now Florence Way). He picked them, put them in boxes at the front and back of his bicycle, then cycled down Laindon High Road each night in the summer months. He sold them to the people on the coaches going to and coming from Southend, sometimes I would go with him and sell blackberries or mushrooms I had picked.
The Brook
Memories of Laindon High Road School, Enifors Cafe, 3 Walton Court. I remember being picked on by Paul Fletcher, Robert and brother. And my dad used to work at Pitsea refuse dump. Then for a while I was living off the High Road.
Houses in St. Nicholas Lane
These houses are in St. Nicholas Lane. I lived in the house on the left of the photo. It was named Neasden. We lived there until 1950 when we moved to London. The hill was a very good winter sports attraction with some very fast toboggan runs.
Family History
It was a very sad day when Laindon School closed and even worse when it was demolished. I have fond memories of my days at Laindon, I joined when Mr Chadband was head, and made many friends there. Apart from attending myself I was part of the PTA group that tried to keep it from closing, as my daughter was one of the last to be taught there. My son also attended, or so I thought at the time, I have since learnt his schooling was more in the field!
But it doesn't end there, as both my parents were students as well as other members of our family. My dad Leslie Hymas was there the same time as Sylvia Simms. He thought himself a bit of a stud and was a local football hero, having scored many goals for local teams.
Guy Fawkes!
This is another part of Laindon that is no more. I can remember waiting outside the Fortune of War with a Guy leading up to Firework Night, I always collected lots of change from the kind patrons of this local drinking establishment. I don't think anyone noticed that it was really my sister dressed up in the wagon, if they did they kindly didn't say. Other times of the year we would return beer bottles to the off-licence for a few pennies, they didn't know we were collecting them from the forecourt. And if we were lucky Daddy would be inside and buy us a bag of crisps and some pop. Oh happy days.
Bonnie
This is a part of Laindon we must preserve, there's not many left, but it should be safe on top of the hill. Many happy days were spent in the fields behind, flying kites and playing football, when I was a child and with my grandchildren in recent years.
The Crown was a favourite lunchtime haunt when the children were little and more recently for family gatherings.
