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.
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Search for your favourite UK places and read memories of the local area in days gone by.
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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:
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How the location features in your personal history?
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The memories this place inspires for you?
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Stories about the community, its history and people?
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People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
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Has it changed over the years?
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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!
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Displaying Memories 1401 - 1450 of 2029 in total
Since my birth coincided exactly with the outbreak of World War II in the September of 1939, my mum must have felt that childbirth was synonymous with calamity; I was Mum's 'war effort'. Home was a semi-detached two-storey house in Melrose Gardens, a cul-de-sac of thirty-two identical semis in Edgware, Middlesex. Dad was a printer by trade, and during the war years Mum worked at de Havilland's aircraft ...see more
I think this is a photo of me (note groovy sunglasses) walking my dog Zoe. I used to walk her along by the sea from Folkestone through Sandgate to Seabrook (in high heels!). I think it was about 1962-64 and I remember the coat, which was Kingfisher Blue.
I watched so many cup finals on black and white television when I was a boy never dreaming of the day that I might actually be there. But it happened in 1973! Would you believe my neighbour was a long retired football referee and received two tickets for every cup final! I don't think he had refereed since the 1940's and yet he continued to get his tickets - small wonder that real football fans ...see more
I was born at Corner House, at the bottom of Aerodrome Rd, Hawkinge on 31st August 1936. My parents were the local newsagents in Canterbury Rd, backing onto the famous airfield. I have vivid childhood memories of the war years and especially the Battle of Britain, the year I was 4. The photographs and nostalgic comments from your contributors 'ring bells' for me; as a teenager I often travelled by ...see more
My mother, Vera Brown, was born in Wooburn Green and lived at 135 Boundary Road until she came to America to marry my father after WWII. (My father was based in High Wycombe during the war.) As my gran and aunts never left the Wooburn area, my sisters and I spent many wonderful summers there. In 1965 (age eight) I remember passing every glorious daylight hour on The Golf with the ...see more
I remember when we lived in Perivale, we used to walk to Wembley High Street where my dad worked in J Davy, the car place. My nan and grandad owned the bakers across the road to the indoor market. I remember going to the clothes shop Snobs which was round, there was a toy shop called Zodiac, and the Golden Egg Restaurant, also C&A. The Times furniture shop, Savonarola food shop, Ravells ...see more
I was born in the same bedroom as my father at Penlee Stores, a little shop (now long gone) opposite Penlee House. My grandfather started the business, he was what is termed a hawker. He travelled the Roseland peninsula selling from his horse and cart anything anyone wanted or needed. His name was Stephen James Lidgey, known as Steve Lidgey. When he died, my father Leo Lidgey took over the ...see more
My father represented Great Britain in the 1948 Olympic Games. He (Thomas Patrick Holt) and his brother John and two sisters were on the swimming team. Unfortunately, Thomas came fourth in his event, as he was struck down with a tummy bug, prior to his swim, as he had over-indulged in the lavish food supplied for the competitors, and as it was just after the war, dear old Dad could not resist the temptation of ...see more
I lived in Wealdstone but went to the Wembley Majestic every Saturday evening to dance to the Roy Kimber band. It was a great place to meet girls, but there was no liquor sold there and we had to go out to the pub down the High Street to get a pint! If we met someone we liked, the first thing was to find out where she lived. If it was in the other direction than Wealdstone we couldn't afford to take her home ...see more
I arrived in Weaverham in one of its transition periods. ICI had built many houses to house its workers in all the surrounding villages including Weaverham. So Weaverham had already transformed in a way when I got there, but of course for me coming from a city like Liverpool it was a quaint, peaceful village, there just happened to be the old Weaverham and the new!
Several farms still survived and I was ...see more
After our family home in Trafalgar Avenue, Peckham was damaged by the 'blitz' for the 3rd time, my mother decided enough is enough. She got in touch with her sister who lived in the country (South Norwood) to try and get us accomodation near her - this she did. We moved from Peckham to a nice upstairs flat at 34 Whitworth Road. Both of these houses although suffering a pummerling (minor damage ...see more
My very first job was in Chiswick. Although I lived in Brentford, when I left school I went to work in the grounds of St Mary's and St Josephs Convent in Burlington Lane, opposite the Cherry Blossom factory..this was in 1955 and I worked there for nearly 3 years. Chiswick had always played an important part of my life. My Mum's aunt lived in Seymour Road and we often went there on a visit. Then of course there was ...see more
My grandfather bought Hendersons in c1911 and it was the principal drapers and furnishers in the town until my Dad sold the business c1961. It then became a John Blundells and is now I believe the Waitrose in the Old High Street.
In the just post-war days, apart from the normal shops like Woolworths and Boots, Stevenage was possibly best known for its innumerable pubs. From the Marquis of Granby on the Great ...see more
We sometimes stayed in a caravan at Anderby Creek. Every day we took a picnic and stayed all day at Huttoft Bank. We bought flags and buckets and spades at the shop on the bad corner in Sandilands. My father used to blow up the inner tubes from the lorry to float on, and my mother always tied it to a washing line so you didn't get blown out to sea. On the way home we used to go to The Rose Bowl. I remember the ...see more
Does anybody remember the radio shop which also sold records and record players? They used to play the modern hits over a loudspeaker in the doorway and it wasn't long before pupils from Lyndhurst school (me amongst them), used to gather at lunchtime on the pavement outside the shop to bop the hour away - much to the annoyance of Mr Fennell, the headmaster. It became quite a daily feature ...see more
Every year we set off from York for a two week holiday at Thornwick Bay. We used to travel by bus, and I well remember the bus always used to breakdown at the top of Garrowby Hill. Everyone had to get off the bus and then stood around whilst the engine cooled down. Then back on board, before getting off at Bridlington, and then getting onto the North Landing bus. We then had what seemed to be a ...see more
I attended Braintree County High School from 1944 to 1950. Nihil Nisi Optima I recall as the school motto, and the school song started with the words “With hearts close knit in comradeship …” When sung at morning Assembly, I remember some joker had changed the words to the last two lines of the first verse to “And, welcome him with half a brick; Who talks of school and arithmetic”. Giggling ...see more
1948 and onwards; I have always lived in Leadgate - born in Ponthead or 'Shanghi' as it was known then (sorry to one of your readers who said Shanghi was the bungalows). I remember we had a sweet shop called Wintrels, it was nothing more than a little hut, but the best sweets ever. In the front street we had Co-op chemist on the corner. Then there was a little greengrocers, can't remember the name, then Squeeky ...see more
I remember as a child in the early to mid 1960's taking many family holidays here in these wonderful bungalows. We spent many a day when it was raining playing Dominoes or Ludo as a family. My elder brother used to catch eels in the dyke that ran alongside of this place. I was very squeamish when he returned with them, thankfully they were never served up for tea. I have happy memories of going on ...see more
I joined the Norwich Post Office in 1948 as a telegram messenger boy.The entrance at that time was in King Street for us .I remember going into the loft above the counter from where the officials used to watch the counter staff.There were about 26 of us boys then aged between 15 and 18 when we were called-up for National Service. Hail, rain, sleet and snow were not taken as an excuse for non-delivery - we always had to ...see more
Born in Felsham Road, off the High Street, in 1927, I of course have many memories of the area in this photograph. One in particular, has stuck with me for the last 75 years or so. It is of terribly wounded and maimed men, only in their 30s and 40s, none of them employable, begging for money. There would be 15 to 20 of them, some blinded and shuffling along with their hands on the shoulders of the ...see more
I have such memories as a 17 year old of working in the 'Admins Office' in Oldchurch Hospital. I think I just walked in one day, got an interview and started on the Monday - no job centres or CVs needed then. The boss was Mr Totts and Mr Izzard and Mr Jarvis were his under colleagues. I used to have to walk across every morning to the Matron's office to collect the personal belongings of anyone who had ...see more
I had the perfect Job for me when I was 10. John (Jacky) Robinson had me working for him on the horse and cart. Fridays and Saturdays you could hear us walking the streets of Easington - our famous yell was "ANY STICKS OR LOGS MISSUS ORAYELUMBA". Sundays would be pop day "ANY POP TODAY MISSUS". I still remember the time we came back from a run down south and we were turning at the Black Diamond ...see more
I went to The Meads Infant school (Deansbrook) and then on to Woodcroft Junior School (born 1959 maiden name Bradley). Had fun times in Watling and Blundell park. Also Montrose Park when the fair was there and Silkstream. Worked at Fine Fare supermarket at the top of the Watling on a Saturday to earn a bit of cash. I remember bringing my mum home a bag of sugar when there was a sugar shortage, the ...see more
As a child my annual family holiday was spent in Shaldon, first staying at The Teign Crest as a baby and small child, later at The Clipper. Two weeks of blissful freedom - shoeless and carefree. Not many cars in the village in the 1960s, so we children ran wild, only turning up at feeding times. Great family mackerel fishing jaunts, or trips up river to Coombe Cellars in the Hooks' boats. Fabulous clotted cream ...see more
I remember going to Langold Lake, most weekends. They used to set the lake on fire, and Jack Revill used to dive off the diving board into it. He had a young girl who helped him, she used to do the same thing. I ended up living a few doors away from her, at Mansfield-Woodhouse. Used to go to the disco in the Langold Hotel. Can anyone remember the old man who used to have a snooker table in it, he had a sort of youth club thing. It was in a Langold.
Alma Allen was born at home in Asylum Road, Arlesey, now called Hospital Road. They later moved in with Herbert's dad, Big Jim, who lived in the Gothic Farm House that was at the bottom of the yet to be built Lynton Avenue.
One day her little brother George got out and was found cuddling the huge shire horse's leg. This obviously frightened them, but she said the horse stood dead still and never moved a ...see more
My father, John, was a doctor at his surgery/house, Corporation Road and I and my brother John plus mother and father were in the shelter when the mine was dropped. I remember a discussion later about loss of panel patients (Lysaghts and Mannesment) in that street - mother kept the books! I well remember the troops camping on the rugby pitch prior to D-day. I went out one morning and all the troops were gone. It took me ...see more
We were the first family to move into the newly built Padnell Avenue Council Estate, moving there in around 1947, our house was one of a pair on the corner of Winscombe Avenue. Where the Council flats are now situated was prefabs and I can name most of the occupants who lived there at that time. I lived there until I married my wife Maureen at St Wilfred's Church, Padnell Road in 1971. I have many fond ...see more
In 1955 I was 11 years old, I lived in New York with my parents and my brother. My mother was from Scotland, she and my father had met when he was in medical school there. 1954 was my mother's first trip back to see her family since she had left them in July 1943. My brother and I fell in love with Britain and everything about it. That summer we stayed in Scotland. We returned in 1955 and spent about 2 weeks in Tintagel ...see more
I have the fondest memories of Caister on Sea. We used to have a week there every year and my sister and I were the only kids in our street that had a holiday every year. Like most people in the East End of London, we had very little money, but my dad worked on the railway and got travel concessions as part of his employment package. This enabled us to travel by train to Yarmouth Vauxhall and ...see more
Though I have some recall of the 1940s - eg starting school in 1948 at the age of three and a half and being reluctant to get off a rocking horse on the first day, it was the 1950s that really kicked in - to the accompaniment of songs like 'McNamamara's Band', 'Open the Door, Richard', and 'Lovely Bunch of Coconuts'. We were still on rations, and it was common for my sister and I to share a divided egg, we had very ...see more
During the Second World War, as youngsters we would look forward to the Saturday mornig matinee at the Odeon cinema (4th building on the left of photo). Entrance was thruppence (three pennies). With our pocket money we would lash out on a penny peashooter with a packet of peas, the matinee used to start with a sing-along followed by a cartoon, then two half-hour films, the last being a western serial. ...see more
My wife Ann lived at 134 Preston Road, sadly no longer a 4 bedroom house. She moved there in 1962 and we both lived with her parents when we married in 1966; before we moved to our own home in 67. I remember that sometimes, before we married, if I missed a bus or train I would have to walk home to Camrose Avenue, Queensbury, it took about an hour. In the picture shown was a sweet shop on the right side just before ...see more
My first recollection of Dersingham was as a seven year old boy in 1941. My mother, sister and I were evacuated from the East End of London during the blitz and arrived, after a long train journey, at the Station Hotel one late afternoon which was owned then by a Mr and Mrs Parminter. After some tea and sandwiches we were billeted on a ...see more
All buses going to Pinner in the 1950's had the destination "Pinner Red Lion" as there was an old pub of that name on the corner of Love Lane and Bridge Street. The bus in this photo has continued its journey having passed The Red Lion and is lumbering up Bridge Street towards The Langham Cinema at the top of the hill (the photographer is probably standing on the pavement in front of either the cinema ...see more
We used to go as a family to the Tea Room which, if memory serves, was called 'Cornerways' for Sunday lunch, as a special treat in the fifties. My father took me to a wine tasting held in the cellar at the Queen's Head in the sixties. A combination of youth and too much 'tasting' - my first hangover! Memories of the annual fair; the roundabout in front of, I think, Woolworths ...see more
My family were the last people to occupy Glebe Farm House, Glebe Ave, Ickenham. The area is now called Cloverlly Close. It was built in the 17th Century as a rectory. We lived there from 1933 to 1936, then moved up the road to 3 The Parade Glebe Ave. The only lighting in the farm was one gas jet in the kitchen, now at 85 years of age I still shudder when I remember my journeys at night, through the house to reach my upstairs bedroom, all I had was this one pitiful candle. Eric Hazell.
I lived on Woodcote Valley Road from 1967 to 1989. The pictures from the 1960's is how I remember Purley - I don't recognise the place when I go back there now.
The shops were great - Morgans where you could buy individual farm animals, and I seem to remember one of the shops had a pulley system to take the money to the cash office at the back which sent your change back.
I loved the library - the ...see more
At the age of 7 I was told by my parents we all had to go to Wellesly Road to be fitted with a gas mask. I have a clear memory of this horrifying experience. It was one thing then another, upsetting my childhood world. First in 1939 I was no longer allowed to fly my kite in the rec at Thornton Heath, then there was all the blackout palava; now I had to have this horrible mask whose window quickly got steamed up and I ...see more
My family lived in Reigate Way, Wallington, Surrey. My twin brother and I used to stand outside our house to listen for the aproaching buzz bombs. On this particular day, one glided in and fell on the playing field and allotment killing a Mr Hunter, our local DIY shop owner.It also nearly destoyed our house, a terriblble time, we were only 13 at the time. My father managed to get us in to the Anderson shelter ...see more
I was baptised by the Rev. Brenn in 1945 and was sent to Sunday School from the age of about 4. I remember being scared to death by the head, the formidable Miss Hoof, who would give a loud blast on her whistle if anyone dared to mess about. My favourite day was the Tuesday after Whitsun when we all went to Bognor Regis for the day. We had to attend a 'short' service, which seemed to last ...see more
I went to Wallington County (no, we weren't 'Wally Boys' as people say these days), from 1957 to 1964. When our son followed me some 40 years later, I found the school very lttle changed from my day, apart from a new science block. They even still referred to the old science block as the 'New Block', and the new science block was therefore the 'New New Block'. Whilst I usually coped with academic lessons ...see more
I lived just behind the Duke's Head from 1945 till the late 60's, and I believe this was where my parents met before World War II. My dad was working as a part time barman and my mother was sent by my grandmother to inform my grandfather, that it was time for him to drink up and get himself home for his tea! Mr Parker, the pub landlord in the 50's used to keep a dog called Duke. He was a friendly ...see more
Having left Australia on an open-ended working holiday to England in January, 1974 with my girlfriend, it was hard to imagine that within six weeks of arriving in London we'd be living on a leaky old narrow boat in Braunston near Rugby, and that six months later - still living on the boat - we'd be calling Leighton Buzzard home for nearly two years.
The boat was called SADLERS WELLS, and in the ...see more
I recall Hides Department Store and a box of soft toy rabbits for sale. Jacksons Stores (the supermarket) and poking a bag of rice causing the whole stack to collapse to the floor accidentally as a child. The pub 'The Rose' perhaps is /was its name which had a wooden barrel outside which my father reminded me to kick each time we passed, as I had done first. Going to the cinema with my auntie Sesie, ...see more
In 1974 I left school in Durham and worked in Chigwell for 3 months, at a place I believe was called Grange Farm (?) Groups of mainly foreign young people stayed there as their base for trips into London. I worked in the kitchens and made many friends and had some great experiences there. The chef was a very fiery Welshman! I now live in South London and have often thought about revisiting old places there. So many happy memories.
I was born in 1942 and brought up in Walthamstow in NE London. We were a working class family and Dad always managed to provide us with 2 weeks' holiday somewhere. How we came to holiday in Wroxall is still a bit of a mystery. Neither Mum nor Dad had ever been to the Isle of Wight before. In August 1952 we had the first of three annual fortnights holidays on the Island.
The first year,1952, we ...see more
I worked under ground at Abercynon Colliery from 1951 until 1953. I worked on the coal face in the "S" district, a five foot coal seam which was about 100 yards in length and which had a slight gradient. I also worked on the roadway in the "F" district constructing the roadway which followed up with the coal seam. My Buddy who I worked with on the road construction in the"F" district ...see more
I have just spent the weekend with my father, his father was the keeper at the Dreamland Zoo in the summers of the late 1920s/early 1930s. My grandparent's (and my dad's) home was a living wagon. My grandad - Leonard Robinson - upset my grandmother by taking his infant son into the lion's cage, and sitting the baby on the lion's back. My father, & grandfather survived the jaws of the lion - and my nan's wrath! No too sure about the lion though?