Nostalgic memories of Leigh's local history

Share your own memories of Leigh and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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Displaying all 6 Memories

I wonder where my class mates from Leigh school are now (ie the Years from 1940 to 1946) Ken Hatton ,John Beadle May Botting Judy Behag, Margaret Harrinton, Mildred and Audrey Everest John Couling Eileen Huggett and John Hugget.
In the Leigh Surrey Website headed "History from Parishioners" is a photo of the Forge, Leigh taken around 1900. The people in the picture from right to left are; In the doorway Mr Frank Flint who later ran the Petrol station Mr George Flint the village blacksmith who was badly kicked by a shire horse and died of these injuries several months later on Christmas Eve 1909. Mr Salmon who worked for Mr ...see more
The last name on the World War 1 memorial in Leigh Church is Rifleman William Winkworth. Mr Winkworth from Ashford in Kent was for a time a baker at Dawes Green ,Leigh. He married Bessie Lemmon and for a while just before WW1 lived in the Old Shepherds Cottage, Tapners Road Leigh. Mr Winkworths name also appears on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium After his sad death ...see more
My sister and I used to spend every summer in Leigh, so much so that we even attended the School. I think it helped that our granny was Mrs Faulkner (Dorothy)the Infant school teacher. Grampy was Sandy, our mum Jean was born and brought up in or very near Leigh. Till she met dad, they married at Leigh church and moved to London. Granny retired in 1965 and they moved to Yorkshire with us, then on to Nottingham with us ...see more
There were quite a number of bombs dropped in and around Leigh during WW2. This was probably due to hostile aircraft jettison bombs after leaving London or Croydon area. The largest was in the orchard just past Leigh Church which blocked church road for about a week. There were also several smaller bombs in the area where the Glebe houses are now built. One cold night around the winter of 1941 2 ...see more
My great grandfather was the village blacksmith from the 1870's until his death in Dec 1909. In 1925 my grandfather, Mr F G Flint, changed the blacksmiths to a small garage and Petrol station, he also ran a taxi service. He lived in the Forge Cottage adjoining the garage. During the second world war when petrol was rationed the pumps were closed for a while and he just had the taxis. Upon ...see more