Nostalgic memories of Hanwell's local history
Share your own memories of Hanwell 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 21 - 30 of 51 in total
After breakfast church was the order of the day, and Saint Thomas the Apostle was the church at 0930hrs. Mr Hawkins was the priest and Mr Pearce was the curate. Mr White led in the choir and Mr Gosling was the organist. As you filed out at the end I remember the Trumpet Voluntary was often played. The priest shook your hand and said goodbye. After lunch perhaps a trip on the trolley bus to Kew ...see more
We went to Broadway Cycles to get our tyres, bike lights etc. This was around 1960. Then a few years later we went there to get mopeds. These were often made to look like motor bikes but often only 49cc. Mobylette was a case in point. It was automatic! Very economical and of course brand new. We did not all like fiddling around with motor bikes. A really economical machine and pretty reliable. Also it took two people. This was a consideration with girls around.
Hanwelll to me was always synonymous with the Community Centre's Flower Show. My Grandparents, Jessie and Richard Wakenell had lived most of their lives in Hanwell and would show their prized chrysanths every year. My sister, Cindy, and I would enter the miniature garden competition and would always come home with a second or a first prize. The community centre had great history and was a large ...see more
When you are about 4/5 years old everything is an adventure. Well a trip with my mum to Westminster cemetery was just that. We went after lunch and the BBC programme 'Listen with Mother'. We went to my grandad's grave who died before I was born. We walked along Deans Gardens from Studley Grange Road where we lived. Going into the cemetery there was a man in a box wearing a uniform. There were ...see more
I remember in the fifties a MUFFIN MAN used to come down Studley Grange Road. He pushed a barrow with a white cloth over it, and rang a hand bell. You used to go out and purchase muffins, and then toast them on a special long fork over the fire.
Yes Nick I share your memories too, we always were out on our bikes, I remember your mother and father also your Uncle Bert who lived in Redruth in Cornwall , like you I was at LHR until my early retirement some 17 years ago ... Great memories
Can we ask a question to explore the memories of others? Would love to know more about Warren Farm in the past decades? And the area down by the M4 flyover which, it's been said, was once all woodland heading south. If anyone has any pictures, that would be great to see. What's your memory?
Perhaps the most important shop to a young man progressing through bikes, motor bikes, scooters, and finally a car, was Barnekells. This was opposite Hanwell Bus Garage. There is a picture of it with a trolley bus outside on the Nostalgic trolley bus site. Every thing could be obtained, oil, tools, etc. There was even old parts for cars long gone such as Jowett, Trojan etc. There was a man with one arm ...see more
Where the Boston Road divides into the Lower Boston Road, there were - The Queen Victoria Pub. Opposite was University Motors, which was BMC, and later Leyland cars. There was a line of shops, these being, Harris-Newspapers, Ibotsons sweet shop, Joffards the barbers, and finally Keepings leather goods which was made in shop. After an ally was a furniture shop, and finally a shop which bought lead and rags ...see more
The gift shop was a toy shop in the Boston Road. Dinky toys hornby trains etc. Two ladies ran it. There were also soveniers sold. The last thing I bought there was a LONE STAR LOCOS tank engine 0-6-0. The scale was 000 about half the size of Hornby DUBLO which was 00 scale. I still have it in its box.