Nostalgic memories of Chingford's local history
Share your own memories of Chingford 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 11 - 20 of 25 in total
Had an after school job cleaning graves. Had the fright of my life when the bell started up.. fled in terror and never went back!
I well recall helping to pull the 40th Epping Forest Scouts trek cart with its iron shod wheels loaded with camping gear, along here on the way to Gilwell Park.
I've never heard of this being referred to as Queen Bodicea obelisk. I have always known it as the Royal Observatory obelisk, created as a referral point for the Greenwich 0 (zero) deg line of longitude which it is placed on. The area close by on top of Pole Hill was private land once owned by Lawrence of Arabia and in my youth it had a range of fruit trees - pears, crab apples etc which we utilised to full effect - the land was incorporated into Epping Forest at Lawrence's bequest
Somebody just described the River Ching by the Hatch exactly as I remember it as a child. The sandy path running along up to the football club where I remember getting Jimmy Tarbuck's autograph at a charity event held there. The cottages in the forest were always a mystery to us...we used to imagine witches lived there! The Horseless Carriage replaced the Manor Pub I think, they always used to have an old fashioned ...see more
I remember the Manor pub, it used to have an air raid warning siren on the building. I remember hearing it once, testing it I think as the year was about 1956. I too remember the tea van which had an awning on it in the rain. As small children my sister and I always frequented the friendly atmosphere of the tea drinking bus men, so that we could buy a sweet lollipop from the tea van owner. When we first moved to ...see more
Coming down from a castle in rural Scotland to live in Chingford....I never forgave my parents; soon however I discovered Joan - an early girlfriend and love of my life; but she left with her family for the tea plantations of Kenya in 1957 despite my poem to her beauty and the biggest easter egg I could buy. Although by the late 60s I couldn't wait to leave, I have so many happy memories; pals at Whitehall ...see more
Although I have put 1961 for this shared memory, any year between 1959 and 1966 would fit the bill, because I used to be there most days from early morning till late, from early May till early September when the pool shut.
I went to New Road School and was in Mr Hethrington's class, I hated it, then went on to Wellington Ave (Welly Boots), where I made friends with so many girls, I wish I could get in touch with ...see more
This cemetery building and a smaller one at the top of the hill fell into ruin, and during the 1960s these used to be our camps where we used to hang out as kids. The dilapidated chapel in the middle of the cemetery was also open to being explored and played in. It was quite dangerous by today's standards, but in those days nobody really cared.
Does anyone remember the Manor pub at the bottom of Friday Hill? It was replaced by the Wheelwrights some years later, there used to be a van selling teas and coffees to the bus drivers and conducters in their breaks at the bus terminus opposite. I think it was called Bill's cafe. Next to that was a little bridge that went over the River Ching, turn left along the Sandy Path and you came to Chingford football club ...see more
Sundays were memorable, after a proper Sunday roast we would walk from our house at Chingford Hatch, up to the Royal Forest Hotel, then through the woods to the Owl pub, we would sit in the gardens with a drink and a bag of crisps, they had some donkeys in the field next to the garden, which we used to pat, there was also a kettle on a chain in the pub garden with a sign that said 'water 'otter' ... my dad had to explain it ...see more