Nostalgic memories of Elm Park's local history

Share your own memories of Elm Park 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 Memories 1 - 10 of 11 in total

I moved to Elm Park in 1960 when I was 4 years old with my mum and dad, from Hackney, East London. My dad owned and ran the Newsagents in Station Parade and we lived in the flat above the shop. I remember it was next to the green grocers, and have memories of being given slices of watermelon and eating it, standing in my paddling pool at the back of the shop, in the hot summer! There was also a pet shop and I was ...see more
Hi all I moved to Elm Park in 1950 and moved into a newly constructed house at 75 rosewood avenue. My dad Bert worked at Ford Dagenham, my mum Doreen was a dinner lady at my school Ayloff. It has only recently become evident that my terrible time there is due to ADHD? No diagnosis was available then. I was always the class clown, always in trouble, I lost count of the times I received the slipper on my backside, and ...see more
Hello everyone, my mind drifted back to an innocent time when life was so much simpler. Memories of school, friends, working in Hollicks the newsagent shop, the 165 red bus, the giants football on Hornchurch Aerodrome... Maylands girls school, red cardigan, white blouse and grey skirt... summertime, red dots on crisp white cotton dresses. Someone posted on here mentioning Chris Barnfather, who was ...see more
I lived in Langdale Gardens. From 1950 to 1963 then got married and moved away, went to Ayloff school then to Sutton’s secondary. As teenagers we used to drink at Hornchurch pub and a disco round the corner. Sometimes me and my next door neighbour Kenneth Walker used to go up Soho London to the two eyes and Heaven and hell bars. Lots of fun them days growing up in the 60s... Mike cole
I moved to St Andrews Avenue from a prefab in Harold Wood with my parents and my baby sister when I was 9. I went to Dunningford school which was really handy as our house backed on to the pathway that led to the school so I could nip over the fence if I was late. I remember Mr Morgan as one of the teachers there a portly Welsh man who used to shout at us but I liked him anyway. I then went to Maylands ...see more
I grew up in Elm Park from 1963 until moving away in 1978. I loved the carefree childhood I had, going over the park with the beautiful weeping willow trees, the huge lake and woods, the brilliant swimming pool, and doing penny for the guy outside the train station, such a safe area. All the neighbours watched out for each other, kids played on the street. And later getting the 252 or 165 to Romford market. I went to ...see more
Interesting to see Windermere Avenue mentioned. I lived at #57 Windermere from 1941 until I married in 1957. When we moved in and throughout the war, our house was 4th from the end of the avenue - the others were built after the war. Our house backed on to green fields with the Hornchurch Aerodrome beyond. Can remember watching "dog-fights" above and sleeping in our Anderson shelter at the bottom of the garden (probably the ...see more
I was born in Elm Park Avenue in 1937 and have memories of the Second World War and after. I can remember during the war, especially during the Blitz, bedding down with my mother under the stairs in a steel wire cage, and on hearing the Air Raid siren having to go to the shelter at the bottom of the garden. One night there was a loud bang and the bunk bed in the shelter collapsed. I can remember the ...see more
My parents moved to Elm Park (Mungo Park Estate) around 1957, when I was around 18 months old, with my two brothers (John and Terry). I attended Scargill infants and junior school, in Simpson Road, and in 1966 went to Brittons County Secondary School (as it was then known), leaving in 1971. My friends and I spent many happy hours at Harrow Lodge Park, and swimming in the pool at Hornchurch (and Saturday morning ...see more
I too lived in Elm Park from 1939-1955. I went to Ayloff Primary during the war years then on to Suttons in 1947. We lived in Carnforth Gardens when there were only 6 houses there, only 2 were lived in. Best mates were Hazel & Tony Barnard who lived on the corner of Rosewood Ave & st Andrew's Ave, as kids we had all the fields opposite us to play in so had good fun playing Hares & Hounds, & ...see more