Recent 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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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!

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Displaying Memories 35921 - 36000 of 36887 in total

This 1955 view of Pinner High Street brings back my memories of haircuts after school. About half way "up" the High Street on the right is a gents' barbers. During my schooldays at Pinner Grammar School from 1956 to 1963 I would stop at the barbers' shop every two weeks (!) on my way home. If I cycled furiously I could get to Pinner before the 209 bus and therefore beat the queue. If my distant ...see more
THIS IS MY GRANDA'S PARK WE HAVE AWE OOR MEMORIES HERE OF HIM ON HIS BENCH, WINTER, RAIN OR SHINE YOU'D SEE MA GRANDA SITTING WAE HIS WEE RADIO+WEE CUP 2 KEEP HIM WARM !!! I REMEMBER HOW EASILY THE SQUIRRELS TOOK TO HIM - THEY CAME RIGHT UP TO HIM +WEE ROBINS +EVERYDAY, FAITHFULLY, HE WOULD HAVE THEIR FOOD OR SEND US FOR MORE. THIS IS JUST MY MEMORY OF MY GRANDA'S PARK. A LOVED GOING UP THE HAUGH JUST TAY SEE DAVY ...see more
In the early 1940s I went to Manor House School. It was run by Dr and Mrs Wallace, and occupied the former Rectory in South Street (the site is now covered by a housing estate and the motorway to Portsmouth). Some of the names I remember at school were Sam Butt, Ray Tribe, Dinkie Bartholamew, Lewis Strong, R? Conyers (all more senior to me), Thelma Bugg, Jennifer England, John and Stuart Shoesmith, the ...see more
I attended Kingsdale school and lived on kingswood estate, I remember doing the cross country at school through the toll gate and my dad used to be a taxi driver and there used to be a man standing there as you had to pay to go through.also remember cutting through St stephens church just up from the photo and going into low cross woods with the dogs. Great memories. 1970 to 1986
The vicar for many years was the Rev Jack Thickett. As well as his cleric duties he was a part-time farmer, he had a field in Sipton where he kept pigs and as two of his sons had a butchers shop in Peasenhall, he kept them supplied with meat. In fact they still have the shop today (2006). I lived in Church Road for many years and I can still remember waking one morning to find a flock of sheep grazing in the churchyard at ...see more
I used to have my horse Shogun there and its a real part of Lympne and the castle!
I used to work at Burnside high class stationers which was opposite where this photo was taken. Opposite Burnsides was the National Provisional Bank where there was a suspected bank raid - all the detectives were dressed as window cleaners and odd job men. At the time I was dressing one of the front windows when a detective came up to me and told me to keep quiet and he would help me with the window, which he did, but at the ...see more
I have my own website of old photos of Saltash Passage at http://freespace.virgin.net/derek.tait/passage.htm which I hope will bring back memories.I'm compiling a book about Saltash Passage and I'm searching for any old photos and I wondered if anyone here could help me either with pictures or memories of the area. Thanks for any help that you can give me. Best wishes, Derek Tait. derek.tait@virgin.net
This town is where my ancestors started to spread far and wide, beginning in 18th century or thereabouts. Some distant cousins still live there, I'm sure.
My grandfather, Isaac Smith, had a hardware and bicycle shop on these premises, known universally as the 'Tudor Cottages', from some time towards the close of WW1 to the late 1930s. The premises were owned by Rylands Bros, the nearby wire works, at which Ike (also Ikey) had worked at one time (I infer from census records), and at which his oldest son Arthur later worked until 1955. He set up ...see more
I remember my Grandma telling me that our ancestors used to make garments for the salmon fishers of the Dee. My Grandfather was born at no 11 Handbridge in 187? and he and his sons and grandsons were and are Freemen of the City of Chester and belong to the Merchant Taylors' Guild. I believe that it is now possible for female children to become Freewomen
I think this photograph no. C82013, is of Bridge Street, not Eastgate Street and is taken from the southern end of Bridge Street towards St Peter's Church? The church appears to be the same as photo no 28876 of Bridge Street 1891, and also taken from the same position. Thank you for this - it prompted us to do a check, however our Archivist has double checked and it is actually Eastgate Street, so we have not changed our title on this occasion.
The gap between Woolworth's and the next building was known as Pitts Place where Bert Mellor (my grandfather) ran a garage workshop where he maintained the vans for Devilles, the butchers, and the Uttoxeter racecource ambulance, which was an old WWII canvas sided vehicle.
I worked at Evans Concrete Products employed as factory maintenance fitter; my job was to keep the factory machinery in good condition and attend to other projects in the making. The people I worked with were Jack Travis, fitting shop manager, Bill and Ron Hardwick and Ernest Finny, the best engineeers you could find, who taught me well - those were the days!
Hi My family (The Watsons) owned the bakery which was a substantial building in the village centre. It housed the bakery itself (my Uncle Dick Watson was the baker in those days). It was also a hotel with six bedrooms, plus it had a shop on the front corner, shown in the above photo. I was 12 years of age at the time and used to visit my Grandad Watson in the long, triangulated room above the shop. He was well ...see more
This was the Hounslow cottage hospital on the Staines Road, Hounslow at the top of Hibernia Road. It was demolished in about 1985-1990 after being left empty for a number of years. On the site today stands a Halfords car spares (2006). The only time I ever went inside the hospital was to visit a friend who had just had a boil on his backside lanced!
To a man in a million - Grandpa you're just simply the best. We love you millions Angela, Paul and Courtney. and all your family - you have too many to write them all here I love you Grandpa - Angela xxx
We lived in Derrinton Road, it was a very long road. I remember the sweetshop that we called 'the old girls'. She had a window full of toys that we used to spend ages looking at. Even at the age of 5 and 6 we had so much freedom, we went everywhere on our own; to friends houses, the shops. My friend and I put on our mum's shoes on one day and just went off for hours, walking around the shops. My mum worked in a greengrocers ...see more
John's Cafe - 10p for a single ciggy and space invader games, the snooker hall, old man's park. - Julie Tovey - Cutlers  used to live in Syndicate Terrace.
I was born in England and lived at 399 Wightman Road for seven years of my life from 1961 t0 1968. My parents were poor immigrants from Jamaica, W.I. Our family consisted of myself, my sister, my brother and my parents. I remember our apartment building had two storeys. We lived in the flat above an older couple named the "Grandons". Across the street to the left was a meat store and further down the street to the right ...see more
I lived on the Roundshaw estate through the 70's and have great memories of playing runouts. I knew every nook and cranny of that estate. I had many friends that lived on nearly every close. I lived in Wallington for nearly 20 years.  I loved going to Croydon shopping with my friends on a Saturday and walking across the fields at the back of the estate to the open air swimming pool, many a happy time there.  It has ...see more
I visited Liverpool for the Liverpool v Portsmouth game and did some sightseeing. I noticed the Georges Dock Ventilation Tower. Not knowing what the tower was I later tried to identify the tower on Google. I came accross your aerial photo and noticed it was behind the Port of Liverpool Building. I typed in the words "behind port of liverpool building" and success! I got the answer. It was the Georges Dock Ventilation ...see more
My gran bought 3 caravans in 1957 which were on the caravan site at Lower Largo.  My parents, brother, me, my aunt, my uncle and their 2 children all spent all our holidays there - summer, easter, bank hols, etc. Us children practically spent our whole summer there. When I started work in 1960, my mum and brother still stayed at Largo during the 5/6 weeks of the summer hols, and the working adults (me, dad, ...see more
Glad someone remembers the Majestic Cinema at Fair Green. We lived in Norbury, just over the border in Croydon, but my Dad was a Cinema Manager with the ABC chain, and regularly did relief stints at the Majestic when the regular Manager was away. The cinema had a Hammond organ, and Dad remembers allowing the late Roy Budd, then a teenager, to practice on it regular - Roy later became a successful jazz musician and ...see more
I lived in Croydon until 1969 (the year I got married and moved away). My Dad - Len Marsh - was a Cinema Manager with the ABC chain, and we lived very near the Rex Cinema, Norbury, closed in 1962. Dad was based there for a time, but acted as Relief Manager all over the South London area : cinemas he managed at various times included the Regal, Purley, Mayfair, Tooting, Ritz, Balham, Majestic, Mitcham and the Regal, ...see more
Eastenders without gardens used to flock to Chingford Plains on a Bank Holiday to enjoy the grass and forest. Crowded buses used to terminate at the Royal Forest Hotel and then park in the front of the hotel ready for departure. Later in the day, 5pm onwards, queues of people used to stretch back into the forest opposite the Royal Forest Hotel standing behind temporary bus stops ready to catch their bus home. The ...see more
I can remember visiting this nursery on east hill. It belonged to my grandfather and I spent many happy days going around the plants with him, I remember him growing yellow tomatoes. His two elderly sisters lived in the cottage. Can anyone else remember this nursery it was demolished in the 60's and was made a car park.
My memories of the old Dewsbury swimming baths (at the back of the police station) feels like memories from an earlier era older than myself. I used to visit the baths with my school once a wk for swimming lessons/excerise. I was always fisinated with the internal structure/decor and thinking back to the rows of changing rooms either side of the pool, with their swinging three quarter doors makes me shiver. What trust ...see more
Cove was a special place, a place where I was born, at 11 Sydney Smith Close...now stands Beverly Crec.... My grandad Matthew Smith lived at 39 Holly Rd, and worked on the railway as a plate layer. Growing up we lived in Hazel Avenue, and I spent all of my childhood on Eelmoor Farm, with Uncle Eddy Arrow. It was a great time for me, he was the local woodman and also kept pigs, we used to do a swill round in RAF ...see more
Old Redding is a hilly rural lane connecting Hatch End with Harrow Weald. It is notorious for its connection with The Grimsdyke Hotel where Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan fame met his death in a drowning tragedy. It is also famous for its reputation among local young people who congregate in the car park for different purposes by day and night. On a clear day you can look south all the way as ...see more
I remember well living with my nanny in Neames Forstell, she was Rose Beake, a formidable lady, but oh how I loved her. I remember going to Selling school, and if it rained or snowed being brought home in the police car by Sargeant Onions. I remember going to play "up round the ring", going to find uncle Harold and aunty Edie, oh so many memories. I was happiest staying with nanny, going to play in the garden of the ...see more
The deck of this bridge was removed in 1966/7 and only the piers remain. There is an inscription on the Eastern face of the piers, in english and some other language (maybe greek) (I have a photo). The photograph shows one of the Clutha River Buses, which operated from 1884 to 1903, coming into Jamaica Street pier, The Cluthas eventually became uneconomic when the Electric Trams were introduced and the Underground Railway was opened. The history of the Cluthas has largely been forgotten.
Remember when I went for a walk with Nana and lost my ball off the edge.
I was moved to Wickford with my family in December 1963, a hard winter, removal van had trouble getting up the unmade road. Coming from London, it was a bit of a sleepy village for me and especially for my teenage siblings. Had to wait for 2 weeks to be able to buy a number one record, from Eagans the music store. The chickens and sheep being sold in the market place located where the car park is now beside the community ...see more
The little house next to Mary Newman`s Cottage is where I live now...but I first walked past it with my mother at about the time this photo was taken. We got off the steam train at the station just up the hill, to walk to the waterside. I also remember the house about 8 years later as a young teenager with our gang from Plymouth...over to scrump the apples and pears which were once grown on Old Ferry Road. It was ...see more
My dad had a barber shop near there if I remember correctly.
I spent many holidays in Bridlington as a child, my aunt and uncle lived here in a prefab near the Priory Church so each summer this is where we came. I have fond memories of the Yorkshire Belle, it seemed much bigger somehow then but perhaps it was me who was much smaller! I have now retired to Bridlington and the Yorkshire Belle still does it's sailings to Flamboro Head and back.
My nanna and grandad Noden lived at Island Cottage. Grandad was a bridgekeeper along with Jack Powell and Syd Bebbington at Acton swing bridge from 1945-1960. There was an enormous flood in 1946 when my grandparents were the first to be rescued. The water rose over 12and a half feet.  A Bulldog Drummond film had its location at Acton Bridge when his car was supposed to go into the river and he had to be rescued. ...see more
This is a photograph of the house where I was born. My parents bought the house in Long Street, Tetbury when they got married in 1937, I was born in 1939 and my brother followed five years later. This house is very old and very beautiful and fifty three years later I still miss it. The empty road on the photograph speaks volumes, because now it has disappeared under constant streams of HGV lorries, cars, white vans and ...see more
In fact these are not Lotmore Cottages, which were along the road that leads to the River Wylye, immediately left in the photograph past the front of the Royal Oak pub on the left, about 50 metres down on the right.  I know this because I lived in Lotmore as a small boy, in the first of two semi detached cottages.  There was a hilly field opposite that led up towards Grovely Wood.  Chipperfield's Circus ...see more
We built our 60ft catamaran at the farm at the bottom of this lane. I met my husband in the Schooner Hotel on the 13th November 1970. I was attending Alnwick College and we lived in Nether Grange as opposed to the castle. Wonderful village, friendly people.   
There were a few sizeable department stores in Bromley, including Harrison Gibson and Wolf and Hollander (whose flag you can see waving on the left).  I am pretty sure it was Wolf and Hollander that suffered an extraordinary fire in the early 1960's - the smoke was visible for miles around.  I was in the crowd watching it from the street itself - a significant operation with many firemen struggling to control the blaze, which lasted for hours.
I used to come down and up this road from the bus stop every day to and from school. One of the boys who grew up in this street (a house on the right as I remember) started playing for a very influential rock band called the herd. It was either Andy Bown or Peter Frampton - Andy Bown I think. They were at the forefront of psychedelic Bromley, and he was a pretty stylish resident. They are both still making great music.
My family moved here, to no. 57, just beyond the tree on the right, a year after the photo was taken.  At the time of the photo the houses were still being built (ours was probably not yet up), to the right (in the wedge with Pickhurst Lane) were a number of survivng wartime 'prefabs', and beyond was a stretch of farmland, almost as far as Bromley South.  Within, I would say, two years of the photo being taken, all that farmland had been built over.
Happy days in the paddling pool and on the swings, the old parkie taking your name for riding your bike in the park, what did he do with all the names? Remembrance Day in the park in 1963 as a cub, Mr Metcalf leading us. Church services in the little chapel, now a wood yard. Spring is coming, you can tell just looking at the large rookery in the park. Summer's here - listen to the band. Fond childhood memorys. P.S DON'T touch the Kenyons pump.
I was 11 years old and allowed to attend a pop concert at the Broadway. Top billing was The Kinks supported by Gene Pitney and Marrianne Faithfull. My memory tells me that it was The ABC; Broadway being the name of the main shopping street. Wonderful memory.
It was the summer of 2006 and it was the greatest summer for me, my life is not the same boring life. I want only one thing .... I want to return in England, one of the greatest countries in the world.
Just being dropped off at Hamoe School down on Westhorne Avenue, having Mr.Greytricks as our headmaster. Playing on the climbing frame in the play ground, then shifting myself to Eltham Hill School up on the hill. God, walking that hill in all kinds of weather done me in! Then becoming one of the faces of Eltham in 2000 and then drinking in the pubs up and down the High Street up until 2003. Then I moved away and don't ...see more
I remember going on our holiday in dad's car to Nan & Grandad's holiday bungalows, driving over the railway bridge and on to what I always knew as Gronant (The Warren). The first thing we would see would be the little wooden shops. My dad would carry me on his shoulders to buy a windmill and a bucket & spade and then on to the sandhills for a day of fun. The picture is just how I remember the ...see more
We used to walk down to Red Wharf Bay on the first night at my aunt's who had a house in the village at the bottom of the steep hill called Journeys End. It was wonderful to go to the paddly bridge as we called it and gaze out at the bay, knowing this was the start of our six week holiday. We went here from about 1950 to 1963.
I lived in the cottage at the right hand end of this picture, from 1987 to 1999, it made us sad when we had to leave.
The four detached houses to the left of the picture are numbered 2, 4 ,6 and 8 Furzefield Crescent, built by my Gt grandfather, George Elsey. I lived at number four between 1960 and 1978 with my parents. The railings on the right of the picture surround an area of grass and trees, the railings were removed in the second world war.
The picture shows the alleyway that runs between Cockshot Hill and Smoke Lane, I used this cut through to take my children to school in the 1990's. Today (2006) the cottages shown are still there.
I lived in Mayfield Road, which is where the foreground bollards are situated, from 1961 -1979. The junction was a little bit treacherous when cycling in the wet as I found out to my cost. Although a Girls school, boys could attend in their primary years. At weekends and on many nights the footbridge over the station was closed (there must have been wierdos then too) so when I went to church (St.Augustines) I had to walk ...see more
I lived at 6 Eltham High Street, my dad ran the off licence there.  Every morning before school or the shop opened he would take me to the swimming baths. I went to Roper Street school until I was 10.  We moved to Canada in 1973, I still think about Eltham quite often.  I loved it there.
Unfortunately vague memories of my sister and I rowing on the lake at Danson park, that's really all I can recall at this stage.
I remember staying at my Nan and Grandpa's house in Woolwich, we could actually look out of our bedroom window and see the ferries going back and forth. Most times we stayed we were allowed to ride the ferries back and forth sometimes up to 4 or 5 times. It was an experience I will always remember. No-one worried about you then, there was virtually no violence and cases of children going missing and the like were ...see more
In the foreground of this photo (the road known as Normandy) some almshouse have been built. The church itself has developed a loved or loathed carbuncle on its left hand side - a nice building that does not blend with the church.
In the year this photo was taken the property was transferred from the Hurst family to the council. The building has had many notable owners since it was built in 1720 and remains a treasured property to this day. Current photos of this scene and the park side can be seen on http://www.hiddenhorsham.co.uk/18/18.htm
In the year this photo was taken the property was transferred from the Hurst family to the council. The building has had many notable owners since it was built in 1720 and remains a treasured property to this day. A sensory garden now stands in the foreground of this view.
In the year this photo was taken the property was transferred from the Hurst family to the council. The building has had many notable owners since it was built in 1720 and remains a treasured property to this day.
Although the car park has been tarmacced, very little else has changed. Much has been extended and developed around this building. See current photos of this same image on http://www.hiddenhorsham.co.uk/39/39.htm
Although no longer a grammer school this does remain an educational establishment, effectively a sixth form college for Horsham. It goes by the name of The College of Richard Collyer, in honour of the man who left money in his will to set up a school for '60 boys'. Originally set up on the site of the current St Mary's C of E Primary School in Normandy, Horsham.
I was baptised in this church in 1927.
I was at St Joseph's Home from November 1947 to july 1953, and had many happy times.
This picture is of some houses in Methven, Perthshire now demolished. The village of Drumtochty was a made up name by a Perthshire author on or about 1880. It was based on a Perthshire village. This has nothing to do with Drumtochty Glen, Auchenblae, Aberdeenshire. Please remove the mention of Aberdeenshire in connection with this picture. Eddie Cairns
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 cycle ...see more
I remember the old school on Wigan Road, it was called Ormskirk Cross Hall High School. It has now been demolished and replaced with a newer building.
The island in the middle of Market Place had a unique feature. Between the two zebra crossings on the island each Saturday was a man with a barrel organ. The music could be heard all over the town centre. You had to walk past it when you wanted to cross the road. This lended itself to the man with the organ collecting money for charities. I used to like listening to the music and was fasinated with the organ. The people ...see more
This picture reminds me of the time when a petrol tanker careered down Wakefield Road and crashed into the side entrance of the town hall. This road (pictured) was closed off for a day while the fire brigade dealt with the crash. I can remember the fire brigade telling me off for standing at the bottom, looking up at the crash as there was petrol running down the road into the town centre. I will post other memories later. Keep looking! Richard Hagger
Living in Boundary Walk, my grandmother and I used to walk up the hill to the Coop butchers, which I seem to remember was at the far end of the row, nearest the pit entrance.  The building at this end was a cinema but the name escapes me.
The garage, owned if memory serves by the Harrison family, was always a magnet for a small boy, because in addition to selling petrol and repairing cars it also sold Meccano and Dinky toys. I also remember my grandmother buying me the Sunny Stories magazine from the newsagents to the right of the picture. I was born and lived at that time in Boundary Walk and following my family's move to Peterborough. I used to regularly ...see more
.... as a little girl, I always remember going here with my Mum, my Aunt Edith and my cousin Dick. Mum would say we are going to 'Burnham Beeches today'.  I could never quite understand when we got there, where the sand and sea was ... and I realise now that 'Beeches' meant 'trees' .. and not the 'seaside'!
I used to go to Innellan when I was young to stay with my grandparents and what great memories I have, I used to get the bus from the pier and get off at West Church Lane where they lived. On Sundays we walked up to the church and my Grandfather sang in the choir. I also liked to walk up to the village and sometimes go to the icecream shop call the LIDO I can still see the big round steps up to shop. I can also ...see more
I lived in a caravan park in Hullbridge 60-64. My memories are of bats that swooped after dark and the year it snowed so bad that the gas froze in the bottles. It started Boxing Day and went on until Easter and we had to leave the van and live with family.
My great grandfather Henry Braun owned the Vale of Health Hotel (shown in the right of this photo) overlooking the lake, from 1877 until the early 1900's. The hotel was used as an Anglo German club called the Athenaeum and by 1908 had 1200 members - 500 English, 700 German, including many political radicals. The hotel became a factory during World War I and then remained derelict for some years. The hotel ...see more
I can clearly remember pushing my doll's pram up to the shops with my mother from our home in South Mossley, Hill Road.  I was always fascinated by the overhead cash delivery system in the Co-op shops.  The very end shop was the Co-op selling haberdashery and shoes, I think that was where my love for shoes was born! A cake shop called Wallers was next door, another favourite place of mine! The Co-op food shop ...see more
Born on Mersea island- what a haven we school children had to live and grow in. Endless poppy fields and bluebell woods, golden beaches and primrose banks flanked the leafy lanes. Greedy land grabbers have spoilt its original charm, but thankfully its still possible to take a walk down The Lane by the coast to step back in time. Sit on the beach, take in the salty breeze from the marshes,and ...see more
 Please someone anyone join in .There must be a telephone operator out there somewhere                                                 I started as a telephonist in Tunbridge wells Sept. 8 1948. ended up at relief exchange opposite bus depot until the 60's. My married name is Russell now divorced.  I have many photos of us girls. We were a handful, we went on lots of outings .   We hired a man to drive ...see more
My mum and dad bought this house in the 70's I remember the large door on this picture, it was some sort of mill. They gutted the place (helped by brother and me on cement making duty) and made it a family home. The large door is now the garage door. The sheds have long gone in the garden (before they bought it) but mum wanted this picture and so I have bought it for her Christmas 2007 (well the one with the crossroads and church in). Happy Christmas mum!