Nostalgic memories of Barking's local history

Share your own memories of Barking 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 81 - 90 of 111 in total

What a place! If you're not born here, run for the hills! But I love it, I still see faces of long ago that do too, or why didn't we move away a long time ago!! My mum and dad were the best, I never got hit by them but this place turns you when all your school days are who's the best at beating up others. I encounted this as did all the children I went to school with, nice children turned by kids that got ...see more
I remember going to the pictures on a Saturday and watching 'Old Mother Riley', also going to Timothy Whites and buying a Christmas present for my mum in there.
I was born in Upney hospital in 1954, lived in Barking in Esex in St Aldrey Street, attended Ripple Middle School, loved going to Barking Park as a kid, we moved to Australia in 1966.
The summer of 1959 goes down as the hottest in my memory. It started at the end of April and continued right through until the end of September. I was ten years of age that year and I spent most of that glorious summer hanging out with my pals over the outdoor pool in Barking Park. I remember bus drivers and conductors who had finished work at the adjoining bus garage, asking the girl on the turnstile if it was ...see more
I was born at 16 Roding Avene, the prefabs right next to the River Roding. Across the main London Road was Delayneys, also the Masters Match factory with its tall chimmney. I remember seeing the chimney being knocked down, the man at the top looked like an ant. I have many memories of Barking. I went to St Margarets C of E School [played the recorder in Mr Gray's Orchestra] then Park Modern Secondary. I danced at the ...see more
I went to Eastbury boys school, lived then in Blake Avenue, had vert fond memories of Barking town centre, also played in Eastbury House. I remember the pie mash shop and the coffee bar next to the picture house called the Electric or known as the bug hole.
I was born in Shirley Gardens in 1935, right opposite Barking Park where I spent most of my childhood at Barking open air lido. What a magnificent place that was! My father was a policeman in Barking so we always knew what was going on! In winter we would go swimming at Barking indoor pool and always have Pesci's chips when we came out. How exciting to go to Barking football on a Saturday down the ...see more
I was born in Upney Hospital 53 years ago. My husband and myself were married at this church on October 15th 1977. It was a very nice warm day and we were lucky to have a beautiful sunset when we had our pictures taken on the steps at the back of the abbey. There were about 100 guests all standing on the steps. As we walked through the tower they rang the bells of the church. My husband and myself still live in Barking, ...see more
I was born in Gascoigne Road in 1946, right opposite the school, 2 doors from Molly's sweet shop. My sisters Brenda and Betty along with our parents Rose and Arthur Cox. I have wonderful and happy memories of our life in Gascoigne Road, all three of us attended Gascoigne School as did all the kids in the nearby roads. Everyone knew everyone, the houses in all the roads were very small, two up two down, with a scullery ...see more
Eastbury House was just around the corner from where I lived in Pelham Avenue from my birth in 1940 to the time I moved to Kent with my parents in 1956. There was a huge wall that concealed beautiful gardens of Eastbury House & we used to climb up on the wall to get to the plum trees that overhung; it was all harmless fun. I remember my Mum & Dad having a row one day & my Mum said she was leaving; we went ...see more