The Dumps

A Memory of East Ham.

My mum and dad owned the Lonsdale off-licence during the 1960s and 1970s. I went to Brampton Manor, a few teachers stick in my memory but Dr Groom has to be the world's best physics teacher. I remember bunking off, walking over the dumps and going over to Beckton Lido during the summer, where you paid your entrance and then got a little locker key that you had to safety-pin to your shorts.  I remember learning to drink and play pool in the Central pub, having a curry in the Rose of India opposite the town hall, buying records in WH Smiths, or clothes (well gabbicci tops and farahs) in Granditers or Take Six. Walking all along the sewer bank from the Green Man to High Street South, or walking down to the Galleons in Beckton, it was closed, dilapidated  and 'haunted', of course we all broke in and it became our own personal palace for a year or two, it was that or spending time in the graveyard at St Mary's.  Winter time was the Town Hall baths and on the pull.
The end of the high street had a huge Co-Op store next to the Denmark, it was utterly useless unless you were 80 and wanted to buy wool, rubbish furniture or a knitting machine (of which they had hundreds). I remember the FA Cup parade (just), fireworks at Central Park at the town show.
East Ham was a great place to grow up, almost a village atmosphere inside East London. My first memories are of the brass slide, the swings and roundabout in Brampton Park when I was about 3-4 years old. I went back last year (I live in South Africa now). Shame it's changed so much, it just seems like it's lost its soul.