Nostalgic memories of Purfleet's local history
Share your own memories of Purfleet 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 1 - 10 of 11 in total
I was born in Purfleet in 1947 and lived in Riverview Flats opposite Thames Board Mills until leaving for University in 1966.
The flats were owned by Esso where my Dad, Herbie Jarvis, was a manager. He worked there for 46 years from age 14 (pushing barrels) until retirement at 60. The flats are still there but now all privately owned.
I remember all the people others have referred to and can add my ...see more
Hi I used to work for Monks and Sons in the 1970's, it was a very nice place to work. There was Dennis Monk and Jack Monk who used to run the business. They repaired Fords steel pallets and made 14ft dia by 400ft long steel chimney stacks for oil refineries for other countries. They were made in 50ft sections for transport. In the 1960's they made barges and launched them from the yard. The two square buildings were ...see more
I lived in Mill Road during the war years until I was about 18 years old. We used to walk to Purfleet Primary School every day which was quite a stretch. I seem to remember that the infant teacher was a Miss Pond who I believe later became Mrs Paige. I remember Mr Springham was a head master at one time. We used to go down Tank Lane to collect leaves to take back to class to draw and paint.
I was a paper boy at ...see more
Wrongly assigned to Kent - always in Essex
Many thanks for letting us know about this glitch - now corrected. Editor
I worked at TBM from 1949 until 1991. I started as a laboratory assisstant and became asst chief chemist. I was very involved with building of No 11 machine and then after I became Marketing manager for the opening of our Workington mill. Finally I was in charge of Sales and Marketing for Purfleet after we had to close Warrington and South Mill. I retired in 1991 andfor the past 23 years have lived on Long ...see more
Early memories of Aveley Village are going into Woodyats green grocer with my mum for fresh veg. Old Mr Woodyat always wore a brown shop coat and had his hearing aid unit in the top pocket. You had to speak at his pocket so he could hear you. My nose was always up against Reads the toy shop and Fryer's boot menders gave out he best smell of leather ever.
Major Harrison used to swan around in his big black ...see more
My earliest memory of 'The Yard', as everyone called it, was 1953 when the Queen sailed up the Thames on her return from her Commonwealth Tour (I think) just after her Coronation. I remember waving my Union Jack. My grandad was there (Frank Monk) and my dad (Dennis). Does anyone remember Harrisons Wharf (next to the Royal Hotel)? The Yard was sold after my dad died in 1975 but I don't know who to. If anyone has ...see more
The Royal Hotel was one of the "whitebait inns" which drew custom down-river from London in the nineteenth century. In both World Wars Purfleet was a transit camp for thousands of soldiers waiting to be shipped abroad from Tilbury docks. The Essex shore was called the Erith Rands. Rand was Anglo-saxon for border or Edge. At Purfleet, in medieval times Pilgrims on their way to Canterbury crossed to the Kent ...see more
I started at Purfleet Infants & Primary School aged 4, I put my head on the desk and cried for ages, but there was a lovely elderly lady teacher (I can't remember her name?), she blew my nose and washed my face, I'd arrived with my older sister Kitty, that was ok, but she went off to her classroom across the playground...
We used to have a sleep mid-morning after milk, Mr Walker was the Headmaster ...see more
We moved from the garrison to the village just after the floods, I was 12. We moved into Malakwa, next door to the post office run by Mr and Mrs Smith and their daughter Silvia (I had a crush on her but that is another story). The paper shop by the railway station was run by Mr Eaton and family. People I remember are Mr and Mrs Busby and family, the Stocks who ran the grocery store, who lost their ...see more