Favourite Memories
Reconnecting with our shared local history.
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.
Search for Local Memories
Search for your favourite UK places and read memories of the local area in days gone by.
Add a Memory!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write? It's easy - just think of a place that brings back a memory for you and write about:
-
How the location features in your personal history?
-
The memories this place inspires for you?
-
Stories about the community, its history and people?
-
People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
-
Has it changed over the years?
-
How does it feel, seeing these places again, as they used to look?
This week's Places
Here are some of the places people are talking about in our Share Your Memories community this week:
...and hundreds more!
Enjoy browsing more recent contributions now.
Subscribe
Join the thousands who receive our regular doses of warming nostalgia! Have our latest blog posts and archive news delivered directly to your inbox. Absolutely free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Displaying Memories 851 - 900 of 2029 in total
I spent 3 years at Dumbrell's Farm, Milton Street, Sussex. I was a little Birmingham evacuee (aged 9 years). I went to school at Alfriston, my 'Uncle John' took me fishing in the River Cuckmere and we went shooting wild duck at night. It was an unbelievable experience for me, as I had never been out of Birmingham before. One dark night in 1940, I was alone in 'Pond Cottage'. My 'uncle' ...see more
I was born in Walthamstow in 1952 and moved to Drayton Road in Leytonstone in 1953. We lived there for 10 years and my brother and sisters were born there. I went to Goerge Tomlinson School from 1957 to 1963, my teachers as I remember were: Miss Maslin, Mrs Isaacs, Mrs Hawkes, (infants), Miss Martin, Miss Howells and Miss Lynes (juniors). As schools go it wasn't too bad although I do recall ...see more
I can add information about the September bombing and suggest that one reason for the low number of casualities was that it was a time bomb that landed on Bell Vue Terrace. Aunt Alice and Daisy lived at number 6 and tell me that they heard the bomb come down but then there was no immediate explosion. They were told to smash all the windows to allow for the blast to go through the ...see more
We moved to 160 Devon Street in 1957 which is the top end, over the road from the outdoor. As we were a black family people didn't have much to do with us. I went to Bloomsbury Sec. Modern where the head was Mrs Hinchliffe. My teacher was Miss Clift, other teachers were Miss Pratt, who lived in Sutton Coldfield and Miss Hastilow - can't remember the other names. I hated school as being the only black pupil, the ...see more
I was born in Sheardale in 1948, it was a warm and friendly place with around ten or twelve houses and a village hall. Everyone looked out for each other. As time went on new houses were built in Coalsnaughton and later at Dollar, and people moved out of the village to modern houses with electricity and indoor toilets. The village was then used by many as a means as a stepping stone to getting a council ...see more
My parents spent annual holidays at Taberners boarding House in Albert Road, Blackpool Central, when they were young children, and upon hearing of their eventual courtship and engagement many years later, the then owners vowed to postpone the sale of the boarding house until they were to marry and have their honeymoon there in 1948. Later on the boarding house was sold on to a family by the name of Hill. Of ...see more
I remember my father's house in Station Road, it was called 'Wheatfields' and, as far as I know, had no street number back then. He had made a beautiful garden around it, flowers at the front and an orchard and vegetable patch at the back. When the apple harvest came in there were so many apples that he would put them in crates at the bottom of the driveway just outside the gates, and they were free for ...see more
Hi, school holidays down the den consisted of endless hours playing comandoes and building the dam at the Ladies Brig, Eddie Thacker the Mackays, Tommy Johnstone, Gareth Bruce, Shug Torrance, Harry Caulder, Podge Allan, Frogy and Donald Fraser, and many more all joined in hauling shalogies (i.e cut turf the size of carpets to dam up the burn). As soon as we finished, along came the farmer and pulled it down, waste ...see more
Although I only lived in Woodford for a couple of years at most I was happy there. We lived at 17 High St, which I suppose might be called a cottage these days. It was a 2 up 2 down place with a strange sort of tiny extension built on the back which my mother called the kitchenette! There was a brick built coal store and toilet across the yard, no bathroom! Our next door neighbours were Mr and Mrs ...see more
Our parents bought Little thatch in the 1970's as a weekend cottage, and we loved it.
One night, staying there with my husband, we heard a rapping on the front door.
The time was very late pm, and we thought ''could it be [relatives] who live at Manton calling''? I thought it was very late for them, as they were elderly, but opened the door anyway, and there was no one there. [maybe 10 ...see more
Most of the family would help to do this, it took several weeks to complete. Some looked very good according to the people’s skill.
The Children
All played together, boys and girls, all age groups and all stayed out until called in, generally about 9.30pm summer or winter. In daylight hours we played football, cricket and rounders. After dark we played “Kick the Tin”, “Jack Shine the Magi” and other games. ...see more
Hetton Council then cleaned up the remainder of the site, put on topsoil, and turned it into a sort of small park. There are some articles I have from the local paper published at the time giving a bit more insight to what happened. The final demolition was started about 1963, families were gradually re-housed, and the last property, the old Fox & Hound pub, the last to go about the end of 1964. Ralph Peter ...see more
I remember sliding down the slag bing on breadboards we stole from behind the Co -op on Westwood Road. My granny lived on Westwood Road near the sweetie shop which was later bought by Dan McArdle. My granny's house had an outside toilet whitch was about 30 yards from the back door - not funny. I remember an out building where the woman did their washing together in a big wooden tub called a bine, I think. I ...see more
Our annual summer camp for many of my East Kilbride Scouts in 1977 was a choice between an expensive long distance coach trip to Switzerland or a cheaper and fun District Camp at Glentrool, just an hour and a half ride away on a service bus! Along with Douglas Johnston - a fellow Scout Leader - I took a patrol from the 3rd EK to join the District Camp and we were blessed with ...see more
I went to this school from about 1935 until I entered Bedwellty Grammar School .A war time memory comes to mind. One afternoon Miss Davies, our teacher, told us that we were going to help the war effort. We were all going to scour the countryside and collect hips (the fruit of the rose hip. Much later on in life I discovered that it was turned into rose-hip syrup). To continue ... Off we ...see more
Trawlers go out for quite a while. The first catch goes into the bottom of the hold, and ice put on top.
Later catches go on top, iced again and on until the hold is full. Depending on the size of the catch, this can take a different amount of time. The bribe was for the fish from the top of the hold, as you can see this was the newest catch. This was then kept by Patterson’s, and delivered daily by lorry to ...see more
My name is Elena Zoerman. We were the American family that lived in the cottage right the across the street from the church. I loved that cottage. I remember one winter being snowed in and my sister and me playing in the snow. My father was Kenneth Million, he was in the United State Air Force and was stationed at the airbase of Upper Heyford! I remember having a milkman, meat man , produce man and even a bread man! I ...see more
I have a lot of happy memories of living in Peterlee. My mam, dad and me moved there when I was 6 months old from Hartlepool. We lived in Bailey Rise, a new house then. I can still remember the smell from the Tudor crisp factory which was just at the bottom of our garden, I am sure that is why I love crisps. Then there was the big house where I can remember going for injections and I think other things happened there, ...see more
A St Marychurch boy, I lived at Hampton Farm Cottage, St Marychurch... and I can still smell the tar and the salt from old fisher and other boats pulled up on Oddicombe beach... and I can still feel the beautiful shining pebbles.... Together with my friends Brian and Roy - just two of many wonderful pals - we would spend school holidays at the back of Hampton Farm, scrumping apples, making camp among ...see more
I was born in the July of 1952,to my parents Frank and Bette Coxon. We lived above a butchers shop, on the corner of the Wednesfield Road and Heath street - the shop belonged to Mr Sammy Hall. My father worked as a butcher at Downs of Bilston,and part time at Sammy Halls. My mother worked at a newsagents, some five doors away towards Wednesfield. My only recollection of her employment was when the shop owner David (?) ...see more
I remember the shopkeepers; Rees Jones & Fred Palmer (the butcher) also Sgt Brace at the Police Station. I also have very fond memories of the Bedwellty Show and the ink stamps on your hand to let you back in and trying to imprint them on friend's hands who hadn't been able to go in! I remember frog spawn excursions to the Mansion Pond (my poor mother had to put up with jars of the stuff ...see more
Hello Willesden Kids, I was born in Willesden, Dean Rd. in 1947. grew up there until I was about 12 -14. I remember the Davis family across the road, (particularly Janet Davis - I was sweet on her, my first love, ha ha), and my mates named Alan Shaw and Rodger Wright, who lived in Grove Road; we were good friends then. We all played in the street in those days, marbles and knock down ginger, that was fun. We also ...see more
Hi, my name is Liz Ely (maiden name O'Connell) and I was born in Melrose Ave, Willesden Green in 1953 and I still live in the same house. I remember doing my mother's shopping in Sainsburys in Willesden and going across the road to the Co-op. My mum would give my brother Tim and I £5.00 to do the week's shopping. We would know all the bargains - any change from the shopping we ...see more
I lived in 1 Rockcliffe View Carlin How, from about 1946 to 1952, then my father retired and we then moved to Loftus. My father was Jim Conway the Police Constable. I went to Skinningrove Senior School, was in the choir of St Helen's, Mr Cox was the choir master. I remember a few of the people I knew in those days; Jean McLean, Thelma Peel, Brian Rodgers, Peter Libby and Harry Thirsk to ...see more
My grandfather, Mr Lambert was the village blacksmith and lived in Pier Road. The smithy, I recall, being at the end of the row of cottages in an alleyway. His home was flooded out in the 1953 floods and I would be very interested in anyone who could supply a photo of the smithy. I was only 5 or 6 at the time and have very vague memories of it. He used to do repairs on the Lodge Hill railway line and over ...see more
My father was in the Fleet Air Arm during the war and in about 1949 he was stationed at the camp in St Merryn, my parents lived at Towan Farm House where I was brought back to from the hospital after I was born at Redruth hospital. My maiden name was Wells. The couple that owned the farm was called Mr and Mrs Old, they did not have any children of their own. I was calling them auntie ...see more
I used to live on Windsor Street. My name was Rita Meuse, my mum and dad were Sid and Irene. I used to go to the Tin School and had a brother called Cyril, he was in the cubs. I used to swing on the lampost with my friends. We went to Brennans for a hot vimto and one penny bar of cadburys. My dad had a works van that did not have any brakes, as the street was very steep we had to wait for him to get home with ...see more
We lived on Chatsworth Road and used to walk to the Bridgewater, or on to the Mersey by the Bridge pub for a swim and to fish! Not that we ever caught anything in the Mersey. We used to also go to the Ship canel by the swing bridge at Eccles or for a dare we would go to the locks near the Red Lion (end of the 23 route) and then face the walk beyond to the Penny Ferry. At the locks, we would walk along ...see more
My Saturday and school holiday job was working for the greengrocers, can't remember their name, next to ABC bread shop. Really nice people and gave me a life long understanding of quality fruit & veg. My bike was a new greengrocers gas pipe special with a flat frame on the front for orange boxes full of fruit & veg. Was young an fit then and used to ride very fast down the side ...see more
David, Kim, Angela and Andrew Littley. We grew up in Bonvilston at number 2 Glanmorfa Cottages; our grandparents lived next door at number 1. We went to school in St Nicholas and later to Radyr Comprehensive. We emigrated to South Africa in 1975.
Bonvilston was the best place to grow up.. we played in the fields and ran amock on the farm Tyn-y-Coed owned by Mr & Mrs Jones and their son Gareth. We had huge ...see more
I was born in Forfar in 1928, and in 1940 after the fall of Poland, I was taken by my mother to see a march past of Polish troops at County Buildings, Forfar. I seem to recall that General Sikorski was taking the salute, but I might be mistaken.
My previous memories caused quite a bit of interest and several people who either knew me, or the area got in touch. I thought I would add a bit more to those memories. I mentioned how close we were to the bombing range which the RAF had fenced in. Some ten thousand acres were involved and after the war the RAF kept a small bomb disposal section to deal with unexploded bombs. They were based at ...see more
I was astonished to see today in Google (Streetview) the name 'A.T. Roberts' on the fascia of a company building close to Bushey Station. I was a 16-year-old apprentice there in 1941, with Mr A T Roberts as my boss and teacher. At that time the building was simply three (it might have been two) small cottages knocked into one. It was full of overhead-belt-driven machinery, including two lathes, ...see more
I came to live in Stadhampton in 1954 from Henley on Thames. My father was the village Policeman. I found that even for 1954 life in Stadhampton was comparatively primitive compared with what I was used to! But it was a very good life for all that. Life was gentler, slower and bore far more comparison with Victorian England than I had been used to. The village was full of 'characters'. George the ...see more
I remember summers being summers & winters being hellish with feet upon feet of snow. Being snowed in for weeks, but Mam always had a full pantry. You had to be really organised and I dont remember ever being hungry. Summer was for picnics up byrness hill, or swimming at the ford, where loads of mothers would meet for gossip and tea from a flask. All us kids played together, the older ones looking out for ...see more
Born in Glaskhill Terrace 1952, (McCutcheon) eldest of 6. Dad George a miner and Mum (Sarah) a full time job caring for us all,.The street had lots of of families who had moved through from Blantyre, Burnbank, for the pits - Moat, Bilston and said words like watter etc A jumble of childhood memories - seeing the hills every day and memories of playing with the gang - Corrigans, Hendersons, Steins, ...see more
My father was transferred to Handley Page, Radlett from London in 1955. We moved to Bricket Wood where I lived until I got married in 1970. Remember playing on the swings and roundabout on the green, which was opposite Lawrence's bakery. The times I got fresh bread from them for my mother, and started to eat it! Used to walk to school to Mount Pleasant Lane infant/junior school. We never worried about ...see more
I was born in 1930 in Chelsea but moved to Haines Street, Battersea (demolished to make way for New Covent Garden in the 1960's) in 1933. Moved to No.3 Sleaford Street Battersea in 1935 and went to Sleaford Street School until 1939 (Mr Hilton and Mr Baker, two teachers). First swimming lesson with school and nearly drowning in Nine Elms swimming baths; playing on the Monkey Steps in Battersea Park (glorious flower ...see more
I went to what we used to call the school on the hill. I lived in Knott End and sometimes when we were rich we'd go to school on the bus, but if not it was your two feet that got you there, anyway my memory relates to the roundhouse, it was a toffee shop when we were kids, things you could get for a penny and when you had tuppence, well I guess you were rich, anyway when I had bus money for coming home after school and ...see more
I was born at 15 Currie Street in a modern prefab which had electric lights when most other houses still only had gas. We had an inside toilet and bathroom luxuries that others could only dream of then. At one end of Currie Street was Ponton Road, which is still there and which has taken over what was Currie Street, and Woodgate Street, at the other end Everet Street. We had the Nine Elms Rail goods yard on the ...see more
During the last year of the war I was evacuted to Allerton Bywater. When I arrived we were stood on the stage of the village hall and I was the last one left when a Mr and Mrs Parkinson, who already had 4 children, took me in for the last year of the war. Mr Parkinson was in charge of the pit ponies down the local mine. Mrs Parkinson used to make the local ice cream for the village. On Sunday's, with ...see more
I was born at 27 Croft Court, Smallthorne, in 1948, my father was born at 8 Back Crof in 1920. From when he left school in around 1934, he went to work in the coal mines. During the war years he went to join the army and was told he could not as he is in a reserved occupation. He worked Norton Mine, I believe it was called Bellerton pit. He also worked at Chaterly Whitfild, and Snyed - he was on ...see more
Watching the coal miners sit and talk and smoke. I miss the valley. Have been in the USA since 1982. Loved my time teaching at Ffaldau from 1971 to 1982. Kids and parents were great. Mam and dad died the last 5 years. Want to talk to old friends, take care Dai Harris.
There were four bakehouses in Kilbirnie; we had the Co-op bakery famous for their rolls, this was in part due the recipe and part due to the rolls being baked in the auld scotch oven. This type of oven gave a good soul to the roll, the underside of the roll was crispy, people say the roll was most enjoyed with butter and milk. 'Millers' were bakers of distinction, they were famous for their pies and meat stuff ...see more
I remember going to Battersea park on Sundays and going in the paddling pool by the jungle. We used to make a day of it having a picnic there. Mum used to get us to save a place by the tennis court so we could hang our costumes up to dry, there was six of us kids. I used to go in the Jungle and be in there all day. The best was climbing on the high platform and jumping on the big rope then everyone piling on top ...see more
I was born at 105 John Street Blaydon on 25/8/1943. Moved to the big house above the schools on the left hand side,The Curatage. Above that was Tweddles farm; Thornton Weddle ran the farm and his brother had a butchers shop at Blaydon. I remember the picture hall just down from the railway pub, it was called the Empire and had a slopping floor. Years later it became Woolworths store. I was in; the cubs, scouts, JTC, ...see more
I briefly attended Charlestown Infants' school in 1942 as it accepted children a years earlier than Mount Charles Infants (just a mile away) which I lived just a few yards from on Porthpean Road. I was four years old at the time. During those war years the quaysides around the inner dock had corrugated iron buildings that were used in the fitting out of inshore mine-sweeper vessels. These boats ...see more
We used to live on East Hill estate, the bottom end number 69 Peter Head House. My mum Bobby, my 2 brothers, graham and Steven, me (Lorraine), and my sister Michelle - we had great fun there playing in the playground at the back of our block. We used to go to the sweet shop on the corner to get our black jacks and fruit salad chews, traffic light lollys; and if we crossed over the road and cut through the other ...see more
When we went to "Dick's" for lunch, there would be me, my kid sister, my parents and my maternal grandparents plus Mum's youngest sister. She was only 5 years older than me- "Auntie Betsy"- and more like a big sister. She was the prodigy of the family, learning to play the piano, and Grandma always used to pressure a reluctant Betsy to play something on the pub piano. This was at the time when Fess ...see more
I was child of Ramsey St Mary's in the period 1939 to 1960. My family lived in the last 'grey pebble-dashed' council house going north out of village (3/4 of a mile from Ponders Bridge). My father's name was Harry Stafford Jacobs and my mother's Francis Ellen Jacobs. As well as myself, there were four other children, George, Bernard, Claude and Pearl. Anything about this area, ...see more