Southend-On-Sea, Marine Parade 1898

Warm childhood and teenage years

My mum visited Southend-on-Sea during her childhood years.  She was born in 1917.  Her family made a day trip there once per year, on public transport.  They could only afford one visit per year because they were poor.  I was more fortunate and visited there regularly with my parents throughout my childhood, sometimes with other relatives in tow, my aunts and uncles and young cousins.  I was born in 1948.  My parents were fortunate enough to own their own motor vehicle, a black Ford Prefect, so they would motor there every Sunday.  We would eat a plate of cockles, a huge chunk of white bread and drink tea from mugs before returning home to East Ham.  The tide was always out, the sand like squishy mud between my toes and crabs were plentiful.  Always we walked the length of the pier, it was one of my favourite things to do.  Later on, as a teenager, I motored there with friends to take part in ten pin bowling on the pier, until I left England in 1969.  During one of my husband's visits to England from Canada, approximately 30 years ago, and during a day trip to Southend-on-Sea, my father-in-law purchased some 'olden day' pier prints for my husband.  Upon his return to Canada we had those prints framed.  The prints were on show in the framing store until we collected them and many people asked if they could purchase them.  Never would we sell them because they bring back fond memories of our childhood and teenage years.  Next year I hope to travel with my granddaughter to England and yes, Southend-on-Sea will definitely be on our itinerary.  I'll introduce her to cockles, sprinkled with vinegar and pepper, and we'll walk forever on the sand trying to reach the ocean, watching the tide in the process.  I live nowhere near the ocean in Canada, so I cannot wait to experience the smell of Southend-on-Sea.  I don't think I'll ever forget that salt breeze smell.  Even now my mouth waters at the thought of cockles, drenched in vinegar, with a slight sprinkling of pepper.

Churchill gardens and the Sherbooms

My father lived in Tunbridge Road and was employed as a landscape gardener by Ian G Walker Ltd of South Godstone, Surrey from May 1946 until July 1959. Churchill Gardens was one of the Gardens he was involved with, it was started by Mr and Mrs Sherboom, who lived in a house adjacent to the old sand pit. The Sherboom land was called Havengore, and my father worked closely with the Sherbooms to create what later became Churchill Gardens. I believe it was Mr Sherboom's choice to have the Churchill name given to what he created.

I have many photos similar to the photographs here of Churchill Gardens of the same period showing Mr and Mrs Sherboom with their dogs in the gardens (they had many Great Danes) and a newspaper cutting of the time details what Mr Sherboom acheived. It's a little sad that I find no mention of Mr Sherboom's contribution to Churchill Gardens and their creation in any Southend Council info, not least because of my own connection.. I was concieved in Tunbridge Road...:)

Electric trains on Southend Pier in 1957

I remember exactly when I first went to Southend. It was October 1957 and I can be so sure as I remember seeing newspapers on sale with the fantastic news about the successful launch of the Sputnik Russian satellite. It was exciting news to round off an interesting day as my family took my on the outing of my choice to celebrate my twelfth birthday.

I recall the green and cream electric trains which trundled us up and back along the mile long pier. My four year old brother wouldn't walk that far but I was glad he was the excuse for my ride on the train! Ice creams, the amusement arcade and a fun filled day were followed by a bit of a problem with my Dad's car. We had an old 1953 Ford Prefect and he parked it for the day in the street in Southend. When we first arrived in the morning my mother was sitting in the back of the car with my young brother while my Dad and I went to some nearby shops - she heard a strange hissing noise and opened the car door to find some kids unscrewing our tyre valve and letting the air out. They got such a shock as they had seen my Dad and me walking away and thought the car was empty! Anyway he decided to park in the next street. When we returned in the evening after our lovely day on the pier he found a parking ticket on the car. He was so cross as there were no parking restriction signs so we had to find the police station to go and sort it out. Apparently there had been yellow lines in that road but it had been resurfaced and the lines not yet repainted. The police let us off as we were visitors and were not to know about this. Can you imagine this happening these days!!

So that was my memorable visit to Southend recalled in detail over fifty years later!