South Benfleet memories
Here are memories of South Benfleet and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of South Benfleet or a South Benfleet photo.
Caught in A Storm by Christine Swanson
When I was 4 years old I lived on an ex troop carrier which we named the Rembrant (its name was originally the Martello, I think). There was a storm and the moorings gave way and we were adrift at the mercy of rough waters and towering over the smaller houseboats. Mum had to throw my baby sister Heather down into the arms of someone in a dinghy, while we children were standing on the gangplank. A photographer took a photo of me playing marbles and posted it in the local newspaper. My mother was Muriel Swanson who was known for her paintings and did many for the local people.
Painting.
I have a small picture hanging on my wall, which is a print of a painting by my late father Harry Russell. It depicts the view shown in the picture, but from an era slightly before. Not a lot different. I can remember the cockle shed that was there, and who can remember the orchard behind the pub, the Hoy and Helmet?? We used to climb over the wall from the graveyard and pinch carrots of all things. I vividly remember clambering back over the wall and down onto a headstone, a firm hand gripped my leg and a voice roared 'what are up to then'? To my horror it was the local bobby, Sgt Wally. Who remembers him? I also recall going with my friend Maureen Cunningham's brother 21st birthday party in the upstairs room of the pub, I think he was called Mick.
Benfleet Creek
I was born on a houseboat right near the bridge to Canvey. I don't remember too much as we were only there for 4 or so years. But things I do remember are running round the rail on the boat and falling in, more than once! and getting hauled up by a rope and on the other end was a very unhappy father. And swimming with my sisters and trying to get out before those darn crabs snipped at your feet. I also remember the line up on the Canvey bridge, people and double decker buses alike. I found it quite amusing when I returned in the 1970s to find they had filled most of the creek in as that very bridge was only about the length of 2 Mini Minors. If I didn't have many photos to prove that it was quite a long bridge I'd have put it down to everything appearing bigger when you're a kid. I'm also the proud owner of an oil painting of our... Read more
Wreck ('Wrack') Hall Farm
My grandmother's family originated on Canvey Island, farming at Wrack Hall from some time in the early 19th century until the death of my great great grandfather, Edward Morley, in 1863. Wrack Hall was so named because it was built from the timbers of a ship named the 'Ajax', which went aground on South Shoebury - if anyone knows when, I would be grateful for the information. My e-mail address is jmikedean@googlemail.com There seems to be no record of the wreck of an 'Ajax' on the Web in the appropriate period, possibly c.1770 (again, information, please), except in relation to the building of Wrack Hall. The timbers for the main building were bought by a Mr Richardson, a nearby houseowner. In view of its origins, the building must have been at least interesting. Perhaps someone was moved to take a photograph of it, but none seems to be recorded. Wrack Hall is known to have been sold at auction, first in 1770, for £110 and again in 1815 for £1,300 (it... Read more
Church
If this is St. Mary's church my grandmother painted a picture of it and donated it to either the church or the vicar. The signature is either Muriel Swanson or M Swanson. I wonder if it is still in existence?
The Crown PH
I remember that accident happening - I think it was in the late 60's. My Dad had the sweetshop in the High Road opp the Police Station - and I remember my uncle coming in and telling us. We were quite amused by the name change. I also remember the old jellied eel stand nearly opposite the Crown, which has recently been revamped. I used to play on the marshes as a child, and remeber seeing sticklebacks in the stream that ran at the bottom of Brook Road - it was so much more countrified then. Wish it was still so.
Hopes Green
This looks very much like Hopes Green Parade to me. On the left, next to Burnetts the Chemist, there was a hairdresser's shop which looked as if it were stuck in a 1930's time-warp. It was there until about the 1970's.
Aggies
This is looking down Station Road, the station is at the bottom of the hill. To the right centre can be seen the smoke and steam of a train rising above the trees. I remember walking up here as a boy when it was still unmade. The large square building at the bottom of the hill was a kind of general store that sold all kinds of things as I remember. It was an off licence too and was run by an old lady during the 1970's known locally as 'Aggie'. Of course the road is now all made up.
The Old Bridge to Canvey Island
The bridge that this photo was taken from used to open so that boats could get through it to the Yacht club. The Yacht club had to be moved downstream of the bridge before the new, non-opening bridge was built.
Crown or Half Crown?
The pub on the right of the road shown in this photo used to be called 'The Crown'. In the late 1960s/early 1970s a lorry driving down this hill jack-knifed and demolished the front of the pub. After the building was repaired, the name of the pub was changed to 'The Half Crown'.
Benfleet Yacht Club
The building shown on the right of this photo was Benfleet Yacht Club's boatshed. The clubship is the large, dark boat moored near it. When I was a child, we used to swim in the Creek from the slipway at the Yacht Club. We could swim whilst the tide was coming in, but had to get out as the tide turned before the stuff from the sewage outfall got washed downstream to the Yacht Club!!!!
Early Memories
I was thinking of my early days in Tarpots and I had one of those memory flashes, I'm not sure exactly how old I was but it concerned my first "pocket money" sixpence a week as it turned out, the first issue was a Saturday and with this coin in my pocket I went a got my friend Austin and we walked down to the main road and along the parade of shops and walked along to the Cafe, at that time not run by Ben Matthews but I don't know who it was, as you went in there was a glass cabinet and inside were shelves with CAKES, but been a bit canny we didn't buy cakes at first because sixpence would get you a bottle of Tizer, the one were the bottle was bulged at the top and bottom, having got that we retired somewhere to drink it, and then back to the cafe to get the twopence back on the bottle and then to buy a Nelson... Read more
Florrie's Stores
As a child my family moved from Leytonstone, London to Church Lane in South Benfleet. Memories are sketchey but I remember clearly living in what were called at the time a 'bungalow stores', it was a pre-war pebbledash type building, I can remember my parents extending the bungalow and improving the layout of the shop, and also giving it a new title of 'Florrie's Store's, aptly named after my mother Florence. As I remember, it was a bright yellow fascia with blue capital letters across the front of the shop, very 1960s! The gardens on these old propertys were huge, especially having been used to living in terraced streets in London. The sense of freedom was immense, it all seemed so spacious. Happy memories are of going to Hadleigh bakery on Saturday to fetch bread for the shop, I can still remember the treat of a piece of hot 'cottage loaf' with butter. I also remember visits with my elder brother to Hadliegh castle and bus trips to 'new town'... Read more
Memories of Essex
War Years
I remember, in what must have been June 1944, when myself and our neighbours the Brays were watching what seemed like an endless stream of lorries loaded with soldiers coming down the hill (High Road) and on to somewhere, with hindsight probably Tilbury or some other port, for embarkation to the D Day landing beaches.
We kids were jumping up and down and shouting and waving and the soldiers were waving and shouting back and to our delight throwing sweets, except one who threw one of those hard tack biscuits which hit Austin on the head and felled him like a pole-axed ox, which brought the cheering to an abrupt halt as we were all convinced he was dead, which he wasn't, merely unconscious. It wasn't long before he recovered but it made us a bit wary about cheering them on.
I was in Hockley one day where my grandparents lived, Uncle Lou was away fighting in Burma and Auntie Rae was some where with the ATS. Julien and... Read more
Tarpots
I remember the north side of the London road much as has been described by others with some differences, the last shop before the garage was Jones the butchers, owned by Mr Jones and run by his three sons, Roy, Owen and the third one whose name escapes me, Owen is still living in Paignton.
On the other side on the east side of Hatley Gardens was a cafe known as the Busy Bee, owned or run by an Indian family. Next to Aldersons was a grocery shop which I think was called Maypole, it had two half-size doors with wooden and brass handles to open the doors. As you went in there was a counter straight in front of you with a rack of glass-lidded biscuit tins from which you could make up your own selection. Then I think it was the cafe owned by Mr Ben Matthews and his wife. One more, then Mr Gamage the greengrocer's, with its alleyway at the side, then the lady with the... Read more
Jones The Butchers
My Grandad is Owen Jones! (I'm Elaine's daughter). Grace and Owen are still in Paignton. I'm seeing them tomorrow and have printed out your comments. Nana loves talking about the good old days!
When Tarpots Had Real Shops.
I remember when I first moved to Tarpots that we had proper shops. We had a butchers, greengrocer, baker, newsagent, and post office. You could get all you wanted without having to catch a bus to another town. Now most of the shops have gone only to be replaced by fast food outlets. There is fish and chips, KFC, Wimpy, in fact any hot food outlet you can think of. I also learn that another shop at Tarpots has applied to be another hot food shop. How many more of these shops do Tarpots need. It is such a shame as the area used to be great.
The Village Shops Etc.
Born & bred 'Tarpotion'. The shops? The best I can remember, starting (1) Junc/Rushbottom Lane/London Rd - NAT, parcels & goods service (later Essex Carriers, Atlas Express), now the bank, cycle shop. (2) - Pie shop (Mrs Copphing). (3) - Fish Shop (Mr Davy) (3) Green grocer (Mr Roberts, later his son-in-law Mr Stovel). (4) - ?Tarpots Hall, Dance to Les Allen and his Band, and HQ of our brave Air Cadets, I think the only thing they flew were kites. (5) - I think this was a bakers and posh caff. (6) - The alley way down to the rear of the hall, this was the billiard hall, the dark underworld of Tarpots, local shopkeepers and others? would meet and wheel and deal. Now the Co-op, (7, the next block of shops) - Tobac/sweets (Mr Tom Prior was Alf's market man) (8) - not sure 2/hand goods? (9) - Gen grocers (Mr Clarke) (10) - chemist (Mr Cross) (11) - small corner shop, menswear etc, was electrical shop. (12)... Read more
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