Langley memories
Here are memories of Langley and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Langley or a Langley photo.
Reeling in The Years
Oh the wonderful warm penny bread rolls at the tiny Bakery on the right hand side of the street! I remember the smell, the texture the taste. And I remember Mrs Rhymes too thanks so much for posting this...
Langley Schoolboy Memories
I wasn't a resident in Minster Way, but as a small boy I used to visit my St Ethelberts School friend Adrian Kenny there every weekend. About 1960 it would have been. This road and its housing was really a relic of the Second World War - emergency housing made from prefabricated materials (the buildings were known as 'prefabs') As usual, they lasted for much longer than was envisaged and would have eventually been cleared some years later. Lovely and warm they were!
Mrs Rhymes
I remember buying cottage loaves at Mrs Rhymes' bakery and being given a tiny one to eat on my way home. I also remember the paper cones of chips my brother bought me for 3d! I used to have three pence to spend in the sweet shop and the choice was so huge - I loved the little sweets that looked like sausages, peas and potatoes - great for doll's teas.
Days Gone by
This particular photo holds a lot of memories. Tthe bakery on the right hand side was owned by an old lady Mrs Rymes. My friend Di and I thought she was at least 100 years old back then! She used to sit in a chair in the corner of the shop, her son was the baker and the baking was done in a small building to the right of the shop just out of the picture. They used to sell the most beautiful (and warm!!) current buns at a 1p each and ohh they tasted so good. Over the road I remember was the Crown, just in the foreground, a funny little pub with an old Bottle and Jug where we as children were allowed in to buy Ginger Beer and we would take the bottles up the road to the rec (Park) just past the pub, and up the alley by the large square building (flats) in the background on the left.
Prefabs
I lived in Maryside in the prefabs until 1960 when we moved to the new Parlaunt Estate. Such great memories of the prefabs and its terrific close-knit community. Has anybody got any photos of Maryside from those times?
Where I Was Born
The photo of Minster Way is of the prefab where I was born.
Memories of Berkshire
Datchet Under Water 1947
1947 was the year that my parents, my sister and I moved to Datchet and the shops in this photo, taken 2 years before, are so familiar, even now. Not long after having moved here, the snow which had lain thickly on the ground for many weeks, began to thaw. The Thames eventually broke its banks, due to the volume of water now finding its way from further up river and the whole of the village green was under water. Our house, very fortunately, was not flooded but I can remember my parents taking up carpets and moving furniture upstairs (just in case) Also coming down to the water's edge by the International Stores and waiting for punts bringing food etc. across the water and the people trading from their boats. As no buses could get through to take us to school we had to be picked up by lorry and taken to the main road in Langley to pick up a bus for the rest... Read more
1947 Floods.
Born in 1944 at no 2, Waterworks Cottages (later 123, Slough Road) on the corner of Castle Avenue. I have vivid memories of the floods, though only three at the time: Mother, Father, Sister and Self were confined to the (very small) upstairs for many weeks, as when the water subsided, downstairs was of course thick with mud and assorted unsavoury objects! (no main drainage in those days). Mother had only a single gas ring upon which to cook, washing facilities were rudimentary, and toilet facilities consisted of one Elsan bucket! Supplies were delivered mainly by ex-army DUKW amphibious vehicles, with Village Bobby P.C. Burr in charge, and well I remember him shouting at me to stand away from the window, and, having failed to do so, being struck between the eyes by a then very substantial Mars bar which he had launched with Constabulary zeal! The R.A.F. came around with huge hangar heaters in an attempt to dry out downstairs, but of course everything had to be thrown out,... Read more
Manor Hotel Bar
A load of local young lads took over the hotel bar about this time, of all classes, much to the horror of residents and no doubt the owners, but they served Youngers Scotch Ale No 3 from the barrel, powerful stuff and cheap. Eventually we were asked to leave and frequented the Lord Nelson at Old Windsor (or was it the Lord Nelson we were asked to leave?). I dunno whether I oughta say about what we got up to (I played only a small part) as some might still live locally but fond memories of parties at Weavers, mud plugging on Dorney Common, rowing to the Donkey with 1/2" freeboard. The barman was one of us and would say "Cheers so and so" making out we had bought him a beer and pour himself one! Happy days!
Move to Horton
I think it was about 1986 when I moved to Horton, I was around 7 years old. We only moved from Wraysbury Road near Staines but it may as well have been 500 miles, leaving all my friends that lived all along the road to moving to Horton. There wasn't that many kids in Horton back then. We moved into the house next door to the Five Bells pub, a large detatched 4 bed house, it felt like a mansion house. Darlaron was the name of the house because the owner of the house, Stan Errett's granddaughter, couldnt pronounce the real name...my mum and dad changed it to Forge Cottage. Horton has changed a lot in the years since I left. The pubs have had many different owners! A lot of new houses and apartments have been built. When I moved to Horton the close where my sister lived until 2011, Champney Close, was a paper mill. Me, my brother and our friends would jump the wall on the weekends... Read more
Growing up in Horton
I lived in Horton from my birth to my 22nd year. I went to the Horton Church School first in 1941. There was a separate playground for both boys and girls, and a small door leading into the shelters. When the air raid siren went we all had to go into the dark, windowless shelters until the all-clear. One day a Nazi plane machine-gunned the pavement near the school. Being a church school, we sang "Now The Day Is Over" at the end of every school day. I thought it very mournful! Mr. Brown had the Grocers' shop near the school, and one section was a post office. Opposite, was Mr. Dove the newsagent and his shop was divided into two, the other side being for greengroceries. A tiny Horton Bakery served the schoolchildren with buns for morning break. Not too far away lived the then Queen Elizabeth's aunt (Lady Bowes-Lyon) -down a long winding lane with a river running... Read more
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