Wonderful Memories

A Memory of Aveley.

I was born in Blenheim Gardens in 1964 at my parents' house. I have great memories from the Tuffty Club through to starting school at the Primary in Aveley. Teachers that come to mind were Mrs Sykes and Mrs Southgate. The sports days were great and yes, I cheated in the egg and spoon! I remember going to Minehead and enjoyed every minute of that, although I missed home. My good friends were Sue Ward, Georgina Shaffer, Marina West, and my best boyfriend was Glenn Weaver. If you know who you are, get in touch. I thought Woodjacks Fruit and Veg shop was a legend as was Wolli Fyrers, (shoe shop). I remmeber the Scottish lady who ran the fish and chip shop, best for miles, also the sweetie shop next door where you had to ask for The Box which had 1p sweets in it. I spent a lot of evenings at The Mill in Purfleet Road, now The Fireman's Club. My dad worked at Purfleet Deep Whalf and enjoyed being allowed to go up in one of the cranes. My mum worked at Purfleet Board Mills (crowned Mrs TBM). I made camps over the pits, one of which is now Lakeside! I swam for Thurrock Swimming Club from 9 years old to about 14, as did my sister Marilyn. Senior School was OK, we were the first year at Neathan Drive, good and bad teachers, Mr Cobb, Mr Mangan, Mr Riley, I got on great with, wish I could say the same for Bommer Brown! Aand who can forget Mr & Mrs Elvin (or was it Elvis) in the typing pool! The school discos were... well what can I say! But they were on a par with the choir discos and Youth Club discos. One year it snowed that hard we made a snow ball in the Youth Club car park (Love Lane) and rolled it inside down the corridors! I have grown up a bit now, only in body, certainly not in mind, and still live in Aveley, Purfleet Road in a house where the rafters have broken bits due to a bomb landing just outside the house. Yes, Aveley has changed but hasn't everywhere. I am now Andrea Hatfield.