Village Life

A Memory of Corringham.

I was born in post-war Corringham into a large family that had been evacuated from the blitzed East End of London. I was christened and married at St. Mary's Church and I lived in Chamberlain Avenue (down the left fork of the road) until 1974. Lampits Hill holds many memories for me.

At the end of WWII (before I was born) my brother stood just past the phone box on the left when a lone German fighter plane flew low on its last run to bomb the refineries at Coryton (this may have been the bomb that hit St. Mary's churchyard).

As a child I played on the haystacks in the fields on the right before the houses were built and walked by here to and from Herd Lane School. In the 1950s I watched the Queen drive by to celebrate her Coronation. I had my first kiss here. In the 1960s I used to catch the bus here to work in London. In 1968 I had to walk to this phone box to call the midwife when I was in labor with my first child and later walked that toddler past here to play-school at the Hall next to the Shell Garage (it used to be a school). In 1974 my mother waved me off from here when I left to live in Canada. (I now live in Texas).

Growing up I walked everywhere in Corringham and Fobbing passing this spot every time. Thanks to modern technology I can now virtually "walk" those same places and although I see many changes I am pleased to find that some of the old areas are exactly as I remember them including this part of Lampits Hill - minus the phone box I believe! Thank you for bringing back so many good memories.

Added 13 January 2012

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Comments & Feedback

I was born in the white bungalow just down the hill. My parents said they remembered the fields opposite before the Wiggins Estate was built and also the fields next to the bungalow going further down the hill. Mum said the cows would put their heads over the fence! I was born in 1953 so I don't remember the fields there which is a shame as it would be nice to have seen it them.
Pity there aren't any photos of that scene pre-houses.

By Mike Webster on Wed Jun 24th 2015, at 7:54 pm

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My parent's friends lived in Chamberlain Ave during the 60s, their name was Lloyd and they had gas lighting in their bungalow.

By Mike Webster on Wed Jun 24th 2015, at 7:57 pm

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I lived on the Wiggins estate. Itsvwherebi grew up. My mum and dad both worked for Shell. Mum left when she had me. My dad helped to run a local football team called Corringham and Fobbing FC was also on the committee for the Stanford charity football held at shell club every year. His football team played on the pitches of the recreation ground off of Digby road. I lived in the house mum and dad moved into in 1956. Until I got married in 1996. My mum lived in the same house till 2012 when she had to go into a care home. My cousin now lives there., so I kept it in the family. I went to school in herd lane but then transferred to another school because of my physical disability. My dad was born in Fobbing in a cottage opposite the church. Him and mum are both buried in the churchyard. I have many happy memories of growing up there. And the sweet shop in woodbrooke way was very special to me.

By curlyden59 on Tue Jun 12th 2018, at 10:18 am

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