Nostalgic memories of Southall's local history

Share your own memories of Southall 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 91 - 100 of 130 in total

I remember the club advertising swimming lessons in the 1950s. So many people turned up that we could not get into the pool. We all stood outside on the grass where someone demonstrated the crawl and breastroke. We all copied these movements and that was our first lesson. I gave up after 2 weeks having not entered the pool and eventually learnt to swim in the sea in Cornwall. Laurie Dormer lived in Greenland ...see more
I have been trying to locate Eileen Marie Blake (maiden name). The only contact address that I have is for her mother in 1951. The address is 207 North Road, Southall, Middlesex, UK Does anyone know of the mother Mrs Blake or of Eileen Marie Blake (maiden name) from this address in the 1940's or early 1950's?
This was a year that the war finished, my sister and I had not long returned home from Nottingham having been evacuated to avoid the V 2"s. I remember that tables had been set up in the middle of the street and food appeared from everywhere not sure where it came, from but it was more food than we had ever seen. There was a piano playing and everybody was dancing, I remember there was a row and nearly a fight ...see more
I worked as a lifeguard there for the Summer of 1974. I loved working for the manager called Colin Nancarrow an ex PT Army Instructor. He was a very easy-going, nice guy. We set up the trampoline out in the park to drum up some business and he taught myself and a great local guy called Chris a lot of moves. I was down from Edinburgh to work for the Summer after University and landed the perfect job for a ...see more
I lived at 130 Derley Road for a lot of years and went to Western Road School, infants, juniors and senior school; ground floor infant and juniors, top floor seniors. I remember Mr Neame, Mrs Clayton, the Headmistress, and Mrs Nias who had a daughter in my class. I was a brownie at the little hall in Western Road. We had quite a few Youth Clubs, one off the King Street, one off the Uxbridge Road. I remember the ...see more
Does anybody have any memories of my lost grandfather? He was a Welsh man called Emlyn Morgan, and lived in Southall during WWII. He was from a farming family and was born near Neath. He worked as a baker in Southall or nearby, so must have been known to the local community. He was also in the army. He married Eleanor John (also known as Madeline), his son Brian was born in 1941. I never met Emlyn, which is a great ...see more
I used to live at 22 Clifton Road. Tin baths, outside loos, newspaper on a nail in toilet, all of that. I went to Clifton Road School so I only had to skip a few yards to get there. I remember a teacher called Mrs De Orfe and the headmaster Mr Constable. I went on to Southall Grammar and was so proud to have passed the 11+. It all went downhill from there with my education!! My sister went to Western Road and ...see more
I was born in Grange Road but soon after my parents moved to West End Road, my grandmother lived at number 35. I attended Beaconsfield Road Infants School and my best friend there was Ronnie Cornwall who also lived in West End Road. Further down the road from us was an old gentleman who would sell us sweets from his front door. In the mid thirties we moved to 18 Dane Road. When the blitz started, I and a ...see more
SIRENS WAILING, Get up, wrap a blanket around yourself, stand on the bed and wait for Dad (Alfred Roger) or Eddith Mary (Mum) to come and go down 13 stairs and out to the shelter that was in the garden. Joyce my older sister would have already been there. Bang, clang, tin doors closing and down among the spiders. Yes I saw that doodlebug, I believe it took out half Hownslow Station. On clear nights when they were over ...see more