Born In The House Directly Across From The Shops Shown.

A Memory of Rainham.

I was born in Dec. 1941, in the house, 241(?) directly across from the butcher shop (where the lorry is parked) , only my mother and a 15 yr old aunt were present. Nurse Chalk, on her trusty bike, showed up a little later. My father was serving in Hornchurch Aerodrome and one of my earliest memories were spending nights in the air-raid shelter in our backyard. That street was my playground, Rainham Hall my nursery, the old Infant's school and Primary School nearly to the clocktower (the other picture must surely show a number 87 bus). The hardware store was at this end of the row, and from it we bought our bike innertubes, as well as the rubber band to make our catapults. Furbanks, at the far end, was the place to buy our weekly 4 ounces of sweets--everlasting toffee strips were favourite. This street and the people in it were my life until we moved away in 1950. Fond memories.