Memories Of My Childhood

A Memory of Harold Hill.

We moved from East London in 1950 to Cricklade Avenue. Broadford School was still being built and this backed onto our garden. My older sister had to go to Heath park Girls School (Frances Bardsley) while Harrowfields was being built. I remember having two threepenny bits to go to and from school to Harrowfield Girls school although my friends and I used to walk to Petersfield shops and spend the money on sweets! I also have many happy memoriess of my time at the above school. Miss McGill was the head mistress and she always seemed to wear black but I liked her. Most of the teachers seemed to be Ms! I had Mrs. Salmon, Ms. Gates, Mrs Jensen & Ms Jones etc. Miss Jones was my commercial teacher. The typewriters we used were so old and would more than likely be in museums now! My brother went to the boys school and he quite often spoke about Mr Gregson. I remember having to stay on for the first extended year to the fifth year and left in 1966! Five years in secondary school! I have happy memories of the area though. The white lady on the manor (the ghost), the fights amongst Harrowfields and Quarles school in the Manor. I too remember Wallys Van outside the school. The midwife, Mrs Sexton on the corner of Faringdon Avenue and Straight Road. her husband ran Sextons shop selling most things. I also remember a washing machine man coming round the doors once a week. He had a grey Bedford van and he would knock and ask my mum if she wanted a washing machine for the day. He used to get the machine with the wringer on top (the old washing machines) off on a trolley and bring it up the path. I rember my mum saying he charged about 2shillings or 2/6d for her to use. He used to have about 5 machines on the van. Hilldene Shops, where todays Superdrug was then a tesco'!!!!! My mother had a job at Greens Paper shop at Petersfiled shops and then went to Blue Gates Furniture Factory. She then went to Lovables to do packing. My sister worked at Lee Coopers next door. I remember going to St Nneots Adventure Playground with Amy running it and myself and some of the other girls done a show called the Good Ship Lollipop! We wore red skirts and white tops. I also used to go to the Briar Road shops for a bag of crackling for a penny! My mother then paid for me to go to the Waverley Hall in Briar Road to do tap and ballet once a week. The history of Harold Hill is so rich and to know there were so many people around in previous years owning manors etc makes you realise what sort of area it had been previously. Does anyone remember the market as a chid with all the cattle, sheep etc!?

---

---