Church of St John The Baptist 1923, Loughton
Church of St John The Baptist 1923, Loughton Ref: 73924
Memories of Church of St John The Baptist 1923, Loughton
September Wedding
St John's Church, Loughton is a lovely church much loved in our town. I was married there in 1963.
Loughton & local memories
Read and share memories of Loughton and Essex inspired by Frith photos.
Loughton Where I Grew up
Moved to Loughton in 1970, I was 1 year old and stayed in the same house in Spareleaze Hill till I was 19. I went to St John Fisher primary school then onto Loughton School just at the end of the High Road itself, which closed in the late 1980s, early 1990s I think, as houses/apartments are now standing there. Many friends were made through the family who eventually have moved away like ourselves. My maiden name was Lunken and I just disvcovered this site by trying to look at old pictures of Loughton High Road, I wanted to see the old site where Rumbelows stood and the supermarket across the road which I really can't remember its name now! I loved my time living there and have brought my children back to see the house etc, I think the people who bought our house off us have moved now so will just have to drive past and think of happy memories :)
Living in Debden, Loughton, During The 1940s And 50s
Hi all. We moved to Debden in 1948, and lived at the end of The Broadway, there were only a few shops open during this time, Sainsbury's, the Post Office, Woolworth's and a Cafe. The only bus service was the 254 single decker that we caught to Loughton to do our shopping, there was of course the London Transport Underground station of Debden, where everyone boarded trains for work, and there were also steam trains still running beween Ongar and Loughton. I had a paper job (after school) at the top of George Lane in South Woodford. I did fishing in the River Roding off Chigwell Lane, often cycled to Abridge and back, went to the Loughton Cinema at times, and walked home by Trapps Hill, after leaving school I worked at Woodford, and Leyton, and often cycled to work, traffic in those days wasn't as heavy as it is today. I doubt very much that anyone that I knew in those good old days is still there.
Wedding Day
My husband and I were married at St. Mary's on the 27th June 1959 and Rev. Wright performed the ceremony which was one of the last he performed there before he retired. I was born in Loughton attending Staples Road Infants School and Roding Road Secondary.
Re: Lopping Hall
If Lopping Hall was the hall behind The Crown pub, then that's where my sister and I went to Ballroom Dancing lessons. I think they cost 2 shillings and 6 pence a lesson.
Youth Club in Loughton Way / Valley Hill
There used to be a youth club held inside the Brook Secondary School of an evening & live bands on Friday nights. It was fun going there & 'being in school' when not being in school.. if you know what I mean! I was a member of the youth club 5 a side female football team, I don't remember winning too many games but when we won against the Debden team, we got away rather quickly. I remember one year that they put on a pram race from the school to Epping which was a rather long way but fun. I'm in Australia now & was told that the school was changed into a sports centre & now when I look on Google Earth all I see are homes where the school was - the rugby field on the other side of the pathway is still there though.
Barbers Shop
My dad Len Bayford had the barbers shop in Forest Road. I was born in 1948 and he died in 1955. My brother Mike came out of the army and took over the shop.
Murray's The Bakers
Does anyone remember Murray's the Bakers in Loughton High Road? My mother worked there in 1950s/60s and I spent many a school holiday 'helping her'.
When slightly older in the mid-late 60s, I attended a youth club, I think in Loughton Way/Valley Hill area. Does anyone remember it? If so what was it called and is the building still there?
PATMORE Brothers Loughton 1910 Onwards
I am the grandaughter of Ted Patmore who ran Patmore Brothers in the High Street Loughton. 1960 was the 50th anniversary of my grandpa opening the business and this year would have been the 100th if it had still remained within the family.
I have many photos from the early days of the business until the 1960s with many local people in them - would love to get in touch with people who might remember me or my family. My mum was Peggy Patmore later Saunders and my aunt Pam Patmore who unfortunately was killed in a car accident in the war. My Dad was Jim Saunders - anyone remember the celebrations of 1960? My email address is Jenniesaunders2001@yahoo.co.uk
Loughton Memories
I was born in The Drive, Loughton in 1937. I was in the Cubs and Scouts at St. Mary's and was married there in May 1960. The vicar was Rev. Vine. Brian Leach.
Dwyer's Newsagents
I used to cycle down to Dwyer's, the newsagents, with my brother to buy tins of coke, caps for our toy guns and comics (and half-penny chews). Dwyer's was in Brooklyn Parade, which is shown in this photo, I think it was two shops to the right of what was, until recently, Churchill Estate Agents. I think there was a Sketchley's dry cleaners there as well. I remember mum driving us down there one winter's afternoon and telling us to stay in the car as she wasn't going to be long and she left the keys in the car - naturally, being boys, we ignored her and got out to look in Dwyer's and we locked the doors. When she came back we were locked out of the car and my brother had to run down to Patmore's garage, whom we'd bought the car from, to get a mechanic to open the car for us.
Loughton High Road 2009
The post office is now a pub named The Last Post and the cinema building is now a newer row of shops, but apart from that the buildings are almost the same, right down to the chimney posts!
CO-OP AND TOY SHOP
We moved to Wanstead in 1968 but I still remember going in to the toy shop and my mum and dad buying me a matchbox mini car toy with a black roof, red front, yellow doors with spots on and diamonds for its lights. I also remember going in to the big Co-op store which would have been one of these shops in the picture. It was cold in there, lots of freezers and it makes me think of Ski yoghurts, because Nana Bennett used to buy them for us. If you looked up at the ceiling it was black and there were pipes. (I think!)
Dancing at Lopping Hall
Does anybody remember Julie Warren's dancing classes in the Lopping Hall? I was her cousin, Barbara Warren, and used to go to tap and ballet lessons every week. We used to have many concerts. Julie lived in Smarts Lane, and her dad Len was my dad's (Herbert) brother, and we lived further up in Smarts Lane, and my nan and grandad used to live at 80 Smarts Lane. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers, I now live in Norfolk, but will never forget the happy times in Loughton, during the war when I went to Staples Road School, and in 1945 to Loughton High School. I left Loughton in 1969. My e'mail address is bullock976@aol.com, if you remember anything please get in touch.
Shopping After 1956
We moved to Loughton from Preston, Lancashire in Easter 1956, and during the summer holidays that year I got to know the town. On the left can be seen the Century Cinema, where I often went to films and which was demolished at the end of the 60's. In the centre of the picture can be seen the handsome post office, which was purpose built. As I've not been to Loughton for many years, I don't know whether the building is still being used as a post office.
Shopping in Loughton
This picture was taken further down the High Road from the Century Cinema and the Post Office, going towards the war memorial, and in these modern blocks there were several shops I regularly visited, including a hairdresser's.
My Wedding
When we arrived in Loughton in 1956, we were visited by the then vicar and decided to join this church, which stands on the High Road, in the centre of Loughton. In 1964 my wedding was held there, and the vicar was the Rev. Vine.
Saturday Morning Pictures
I went to Saturday morning pictures here every week. We had a club with a badge that said "Grenadier" as it was a Grenada cinema, though the actual building said Century above it.
There was a confectionery shop next door that sold packets of fake cigarettes - they were hollow tubes with foil at one end to look like glowing ash. We filled them with talcum powder and blew it over the kids in front of us. The seats must have been very dusty!
At Christmas we had a competition to make the best decoration. I won it one year but for some reason they thought I was a boy and my prize was a kit to make a toy tank!
I don't really remember any films, It was a social thing as much as anything else, but there was always a serial and I never quite worked out that if the hero dies there wouldn't be anything on next week - was I daft, or what?
The New Arcade
This parade of shops always seemed very modern to me - flat glass fronts instead of the curved windows with recessed doors, and flats above the shops. It was the Traps Hill end of the town and so was the first place we reached when we walked from home. Luckily there was a sweet shop at the beginning of the parade so we could refresh ourselves.
One Lost Cinema
I love this photo of Loughton High Road as it shows just on the edge
the cinema we used to have. Kids could go to Saturday morning pictures.
We could see locally all the latest films. To depart this asset from our town
was not really progress I think.
Loughton School
I remember going to school in Loughton from 1961 until 1965 when I left to start work. I would love to make contact again with anybody that remembers me from way back then, especially my friends Susan Hunter and Sandra Stock, both Sue and Sandra had brothers but I can't remember their names, although Steven comes to mind when I think of Susan. I was in care in Buckhurst Hill, when I turned 15 I was sent back to my home town to work and lost all contact with my school friends, I can't even remember saying goodbye. I have been living in New Zealand for the last 30 years and on a trip back to the UK some years ago I went back to Loughton to look for my school but it had been knocked down and a retirment village built on the site. Anyone that remembers me or my brothers Terry and David please email me for a long awaited catch up: daveandlyn@slingshot.co.nz. PS they would be... Read more
