Potter Street memories
Here are memories of Potter Street and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Potter Street or a Potter Street photo.
The White Horse
I was born in the "White Horse" on 7th October 1937. Mrs Woolard helped in the pub and looked after me when my Mum and Dad were busy. Mrs Woolard and her husband Alf lived on the other side of the Green. There were lots of her relatives in the village and everyone was very friendly. We moved to Hare Street, Great Parndon in the early 1940's and I started at Great Parndon Primary School which was near to St. Mary's Church. We used to walk to school across the fields from Hare Street. during the war (WW2) Nazi Germany dropped incendiary and high explosives (bombs) and some of the kids used to try to pull the unexploded bombs out of the holes in the ground where the tail fins of these small bombs stuck out of the ground. I remember some bold children throwing the bombs into the brook (Toddsbrook?) where a bridge crossed the stream. There was no traffic in those days, but there were... Read more
Potter Street
Having just moved to Harlow new town my only memories of Potter Street then was the transport cafe because that was the original A11 trunk road coming from London. What a lovely caff that was, I ended up being a regular there till it had to close down, shame!
Perry Springs
I was born in the 'Potter Street' Perry springs in the 1960s, wow how Harlow has changed from my day, I remember Wellford's corner shop also Wrights Dairy... And it was great going to the schools in Potter Street. Now the swimming pool has nearly gone! Brays Grove School has gone! And how long will it be before the council builds on Harlow Common, the last bit of real green belt Harlow has left? I have happy memories of Harlow Common and I hope they do not go further with plans to build on it. I do not think the monks of Bury St Edmunds in the history books had these plans for it when they handed the grounds over to the people. Harlow was a great place to grow up in the 1960s and 70s, there was the play scheme on Harlow Common, I also have happy memories of conker collecting at the German propellor, also great bonfire nights on the Common. Harlow Town Park had great concerts in... Read more
Wellford's Corner Shop
I was born in the 'Potter Street' Perry springs in the 1960s, wow how Harlow has changed from my day, I remember Wellford's corner shop also Wrights Dairy... And it was great going to the schools in Potter Street. Now the swimming pool has nearly gone! Brays Grove School has gone! And how long will it be before the council builds on Harlow Common, the last bit of real green belt Harlow has left? I have happy memories of Harlow Common and I hope they do not go further with plans to build on it. I do not think the monks of Bury St Edmunds in the history books had these plans for it when they handed the grounds over to the people. Harlow was a great place to grow up in the 1960s and 70s, there was the play scheme on Harlow Common, I also have happy memories of conker collecting at the German propellor, also great bonfire nights on the Common. Harlow Town Park had great concerts in... Read more
Memories of The White Horse
We lived almost opposite the pub and my sister and I would sell ice cream on cricket match days from the little side room off the front car park.
My father donated a set of Matchbox yesteryear models which adorned a display case in the back bar which is where we held my farewell party when I left home at 16 to join the R.A.F. If memory serves, the publicans at the time were Joan and Jim.
I played cricket for the Potter Street team on a couple of occassios as I also did for the soccer team, but as a skinny teanager, I was not very effective.
Bakers Boy ,Poney's Bakery, Potter Street
I remember Potter Street as a nice quiet village and worked for Mr. Poney for a few months. His Daughters were Gladys and Edith. My home was in Colchester. I lived in at Poney's returning home some weekends. I recall a Mrs. Manning (politician) giving a talk in Potter St. and afterwards complaining her car tyres had deflated. The only one of your site pictures I can recall is the Church. There were three bakeries in the Street in those days Scotts, Clarkes and Poneys. The names I remember are Janet Clarke, Audrey Smith, Jelli Austin, and Dereck Banks. I met up with Dereck Banks while doing National Service in the RAMC. My age was 14 at Potter Street and I am 78 now. Obviously Potter Street has changed alot but I may return for a good look round before long. I have very Happy memories of your village.
Potter Street
I was born in the 'Potter Street' Perry springs in the 1960s, wow how Harlow has changed from my day, I remember Wellford's corner shop also Wrights Dairy... And it was great going to the schools in Potter Street. Now the swimming pool has nearly gone! Brays Grove School has gone! And how long will it be before the council builds on Harlow Common, the last bit of real green belt Harlow has left? I have happy memories of Harlow Common and I hope they do not go further with plans to build on it. I do not think the monks of Bury St Edmunds in the history books had these plans for it when they handed the grounds over to the people. Harlow was a great place to grow up in the 1960s and 70s, there was the play scheme on Harlow Common, I also have happy memories of conker collecting at the German propellor, also great bonfire nights on the Common. Harlow Town Park had great concerts in... Read more
Welford's Corner Shop
Rose (my mother) used to work in Wellford's coner shop. I was born in the 'Potter Street' Perry springs in the 1960s, wow how Harlow has changed from my day. I remember Wellford's coner shop also Wright's Dairy... and it was great going to the schools in Potter Street. Now the swimming pool has nearly gone! Brays Grove School has gone! And how long will it be before the council builds on Harlow Common, the last bit of real green belt Harlow has left? I have happy memories of Harlow Common and I hope they do not go further with plans to build on it. I do not think the monks of Bury St Edmunds in the history books had these plans for it when they handed the grounds over to the people. Harlow was a great place to grow up in the 1960s and 70s, there was the play scheme on Harlow Common, I also have happy memories of conker collecting at the German propellor. Also great bonfire nights... Read more
Memories of Essex
Messing About on The River
With my sisters, catching tiddlers on warm summer days. We would have picnics beside the river. We loved helping to change the lock for the boats that came through. Later, when a little older we would swim and for a while joined the canoe club. After my marriage and when I had children myself, my husband and I would take them for picnics. He would fish while they played and caught their own tiddlers. As they got older they too would fish or swim. On a trip back to England in 2005, my husband and I walked again along the riverbank and it was just as magical to us then as it was before. I have so many happy memories of growing up in Harlow.
Where I Grew up With my Sister Christine & Dog Judy
This picture is the view from the main road of Harlow lock, Old Mill Resturant and weir and the towpath where the rowing boats and canoes were moored when I lived there. They were moored both sides of the bridge at various times, next to the swimming pool and then by the boat house that was built late 50s. I spent many a long hour fishing on that towpath, rowing the boats and paddling the canoes. They were all wood in those days, beautiful boats then kayaks came in. They built a rowing club shed where they kept the boats. Big long rowing boats.
THIS IS WHAT OLD HARLOW MILL LOCK LOOKED 47 YEARS BEFORE MY FAMILY LIVED IN THE LOCK COTTAGE
MY FAMILY MOVED HERE IN 1950 TILL 1961 MY DAD WAS THE LOCK KEEPER 1950 - 1961
SEE OTHER PHOTOS OF HOW IT LOOKED IN 1955
THE BOATS WE LOOKED AFTER
While my family lived in the lock house 1950 - 1961, my father rented the rowing boats out and also the fishing permits. This is only one place where they were moored. At various times they were both sides of the bridge and on both banks. On the left bank of this picture there was the swimming pool and on the right they built a boating club in the late 50s with kayaks & racing rowing boats from 1 to eight people. Most of my childhood was spent either in the canoes, rowing boats or I was fishing, with my sister or mates .Finish this story later
THIS IS HOW THE LOCK LOOKED LIKE WHEN MY FAMILY LIVED IN LOCK COTTAGE 1950 - 1961
This is where I spent my life from 2 years old till I was 13 years old. Fishing, rowing boats, paddling canoes and riding Kitty the horse in the field behind our cottage that my dad looked after and stabled at night for the owner who lived in the big house in Old Road. See the picture at top of Old Road - that's where we took Kitty and the grey horse we later looked after to be shod.
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