Nostalgic memories of Woodford Bridge's local history

Share your own memories of Woodford Bridge 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 52 in total

Date is.. Dec.16.th.2022.... I added memories ages ago (2015 ?), & they all seem to have been erased !! Shame. Name is Doug Parrott.. & lived in Crownhill Road for a happy 20 x years, including WW/2. Am now aged 90, in case anyone is left who may have known us. Just to add that my dear wife, Margaret, died last December, after a 2 x year battle with dementia, & little help from the ...see more
My Dad, Thomas Brisland lived at the BGC for 9 years from around 1924. He was housed in Natal Cottage with 34 other boys and they were cared for by a matron and a house mother. The matron was Mrs. Woollard and Dad described her as strict but fair. Her favourite saying was “The Lord helps those who help themselves, but God help them if I catch them!” Dad’s entire education at BGC ...see more
I was at Angus house garden city woodford Essex. in the 60s I used love going on holidays to yarmouth we used put our mattresses in the back of a van and go to the church hall it was great every day uncle that was mr and mrs Collins used to give pocket money to do what we like with I went straight to the joke shop. Other memories go kart racing down the hill .boxing and playing football. Love the swimming the ...see more
I used to be at Acworth House before the Second World War. We used to play cricket and football at the Top Field. Our school was called Temporary School but we called it "Tin School"! After each meal to avoid a crush, each House was called in order to exit the huge dining hall. I remember clearly the first few called which were "Kings, Brittania, Natal, Acworth, Empire, ........ I wonder if there are any other old Acworth boys around? John Hing, No: 17
We moved into no 76 in 1958. Mum still lives there. It was when there were allotments behind the houses that you could walk through (as long as you weren't caught), then cross a ditch before the Ashton.You could walk across the Ashton to the river Roding and walk to Luxborough Lane. We used to make dens along the ditch and climb trees. They've all gone now. I was called Sue Stone then ( now Slater).
My Grandfather spent some time here in the early 1900s as a Barnardos boy put in care from Highbury via Dr Barnardos in Mile End in London, he stayed here until he was old enough to be moved on to a naval college in Norfolk in order to train for the Royal Navy. He had a hard childhood. When he went up to Norfolk he got so hungry he had to eat raw swedes and turnips growing in the fields. In order ...see more
My mum worked as a secretary at Claybury, first for one of the consultant doctors at the Tower and then down in Claybury Hall with the School of Nursing headed at the time by Christine Hancock, who was also the leader of one of the two nursing unions. Mum got me a summer job during my first year at college in the laundry. That was an experience. Those corridors were very long and echoing and there ...see more
Hello Frank, I know you have sent a message to me as I managed to get a quick glance of it before it disappeared and I was unable to find it again but I did read that you were asking where abouts I lived in the Bridge. Well Frank, if you look at the photo of the high road with the estate agents in the foreground, that is where I lived, the estate agents of R. Cheeke & Co. was run by my Mother from about 1921 ...see more
I have good reason to remember the above mention photo as I lived in the featured estate agents R. Cheeke & Co. from 1934 until I married in 1955 when I moved to 13, Gains Hill Road. I have read some of the articles written by past residents of "The Bridge" as it was known but have not known any of them but I think perhaps that Frank Bedford may have been related to a member of ...see more
I was intrigued and interested to read Valerie Sims, (nee Stow) memories of some residents in Waltham Road, as I grew up there, and lived at no. 123 until 1969. I married a Cornish girl, and we moved to Cornwall then, where I have lived ever since. I also had a younger brother called John who lived in Woodford Bridge for some while after I left, until he also moved away to Norfolk. I ...see more