Nostalgic memories of Chelmsford's local history
Share your own memories of Chelmsford 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 61 in total
In the late fifties I went to the Cathedral School in Chelmsford and we lived in Rainsford Road then. Sometimes after school I would come home via New Street, and also later in the sixties when I went to the Grammar School. There was a junk shop with sweets on the ground floor. I wasn't interested in the sweets, I just headed up the stairs to a treasure land where there were old books, records and assorted ...see more
Hi my name is Doug, when I left school at the age of 15 in 1955 I worked at the Hawkes sweet factory as a sugar boiler, amongst other things, and it was there that I met my first girl friend. Although she married someone else, as I did. I have kept in touch with her all my life, she, as I, have very fond and vivid memories of the place. I am writing one long letter to my ...see more
Pictured is the spot in New London Road where I used to wait for the school bus to Moulsham Schools. On the left was the Slyths Monumental Showroom full of sample headstones. If it was raining I would shelter in there out of the rain. To the left of Slyths (out of shot) were the Congregational church schoolrooms. I believe that the Boys Brigade were located there and on Sundays they could be seen marching their band down New London Road towards the Congregational church.
I was born in Chelmsford in 1937 and can remember going to the market every week and seeing all the farm animals such as cows, bulls, pigs, sheep, chickens, rabbits, etc. all there for sale. My favourite part, though, was where they sold dogs and puppies and my parents always said no to my plea to buy one every week. About 20 years later in the early 1960's I had two sons of my own and history repeated itself ...see more
My grandfather owned a music shop in Rainsford Road during the late 1920's and early 30's. It was called Crayfourd's Music Centre. Does anyone have any information on his shop?
This photo was probably taken soon after the newly built Civic Suite was officially opened for use as public offices. The town's population was expanding rapidly as the local big industries attracted more and more workers from far and wide. Chelmsford Borough Council was incorporated in 1888 and in its early years the small number of employees worked in rented rooms or buildings. In the late 1920's the building ...see more
To the left of the Chelmsford Infirmary and Dispensary (as it was known), stands the Ebenezer Strict Baptist Chapel which was built in 1848. This place of worship is still in regular use in the 21st century despite its congregation having to do so against the noise of the traffic from Parkway, which now crosses New London Road and past its east boundary wall.
The smell of coffee probably wafted out from the shop at No.10 Duke Street. Basil Harrison was the town centre's grocer for many years who specialised in coffee. His coffee grinding machine stood just behind the shop window from where he could watch the passers-by and the town's changing life. He left diaries of all the observations he had made over the decades. Many of his earliest memories were put ...see more
I remember Chelmsford, my dad used to work on the Eastern National Buses for twenty eight years as a 'clippy' til 1973 when he died. We used to live in Waltham where he cycled down to the village to catch the bus, which was two miles away. Does anyone remember him? He was Gorden Redman.I remember when the Queen came to Chelmsford and have picture of her in a car on Broomfield Road.
My great grandfather, Albert William Hawkes, his brother Charles and their brother-in-law John Burles had a sweet manufacturing company on New St, in Chelmsford. They also had a sweet shops on Duke St, Springfield Rd and two shops on Moulsham St. There was a wholesaler of Hawkes' sweets behind the shop in Springfield Rd. I have a vague memory of the manufacturing business being sold ...see more