Hall Road Friends

A Memory of Aveley.

I have fond memories of growing up in Aveley. We first lived in the pre-fabs in Dacre Cr. or Ave. when I was about 5. I vividly remember my first day at the infants school. Marching into the hall to the 'soldiers tune' played on the piano by Mrs. Ward (I think). Getting the slipper from the headmistress (Mrs. Branch or Blanch) at 5 or 6 years old for running up the school drive towards the High St.
Playing in the wartime concrete bunker in the school orchard. Laying out under the trees on our rubber mats in the summer learning to read our Janet and John books. We later moved to a 3 bed house in Hall Rd. My playmates were, Joan Edmeads, Brenda Branch, Susan Hoare, Janice Smith and Joyce Williams to name but a few. We moved to the new Belhus Estate in 1952 and experienced the excitement of Queen Elizabeths coronation. A street party for the children and fancy dress in the morning with our lounge full of neighbours watching the proceedings on our television and in the evening we all celebrated with a show.
We moved back to Aveley Village in 1956 when my parents, working class people bought their first house at 2 Davis Road for about £1,500. I started the senior school, affectionately known as Bushy Bit in the September at the age of 11. My first form teacher was Miss. Broughton who taught music, others were Miss. Gresham, Miss. Bolt, Miss. Meredith, Mr. Woodward, Mr. Rice, Mr. Napier and Mr. Barnaby to mention a few. I loved my years at this school although I was not a very academic pupil I'm afraid to say. I left school aged 15 in 1960 to work as a typist in an insurance firm in London.