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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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 36721 - 36800 of 36961 in total

Galanos house, Long Itchington, Someone famous opened this British Legion home
My great aunt Alice was a teacher at Five Ashes village school in the early years of the 20th century. She was born in New Brompton, Kent on 29.8.1879 and died 23.12.1966 and is buried in the village. She married Fred Eastwood on 4.8.1903. Sam Hocking was the headmaster; he came from Camborne in Cornwall. If anyone still living in the village remembers Alice, or who knows of her grave, I would love to hear from them.
It seems that my great great grandparents lived in Blackfriars Tower, sometime in 1920/1930s. Though my mum had told my sister that she remembers visiitng her grandmother in the Tower, she felt that Mum had confused it with somewhere else. A couple of years later we asked my mum's brother and he too remembered his grandparents living there. Unfortunately both are now dead. Does anyone know anything of the Tower? ...see more
The Wyggeston Girls Grammar School put on a Dance display for Parents. I remember my mum & younger sister coming to watch and my friend and I took them to a local espresso bar afterwards. I also recall a visit with my dad to see Swan Lake c1949. And I've seen Ray Charles a couple of times in the 60s, also Oscar Peterson, Jacques Loussier, and Elton John at the start of his career. I haven't lived in Leicester ...see more
So much has changed here, it was Newington farmland. I know it is good to get across to France but it has spoilt the countryside.
I remember living in Shirebrook Miners Welfare for years with my parents Mick and Joan and having some fantastic times. Everybody seemed to get on with each other and it had a real community feel. I remember trying to watch TV whilst hearing the sound of the brass band rehearsals coming through from the rooms next door. This seems very basic but I had such a great time growing up in this club and I have never forgotten ...see more
I remember as a small kid growing up in England I couldn't wait for the summer holidays to arrive.  As the days drew closer I could hardly sleep at night knowing that any day now we would be packing our suitcases and heading to the caravan site for the whole summer, 6 weeks without any school, life was just great. When the big day arrived we headed out of our house to the bus stop to catch ...see more
RICHARD & HILLARYS WEDDING DAY 3 AUGUST 2006
Millport to me was, as I'm sure it was to most who have visited over the years a place where cars were few and pedal power ruled. All my memories of Millport as a child involved a long walk over the hill from the ferry, then to one of the bike hire shops to pick up my transportation for the day. Even though I was quite capable of riding a bicycle I often hired a trike as they were big and stable and a bit ...see more
These houses are in Maes-y-llan.My father Den and mother Hilda Wildblood with my sister Anne were the first to live in Number 6 when the houses were built in 1948 I believe.I was born in 1954 and it was my first home and initial imprinting.The houses were built on piece of land between Dyfrynn Hill (a wooded Celtic hill fort) and Church Field.My extended family lived in the village for 110 years and so ...see more
It was 20th April when I married Joscelyn Hellier, who lived in Pear Tree Cottage. We were married by Rev. Reginald Kaye in St John the Baptist Church at Colaton Raleigh. It was a windy Saturday but it did nothing to spoil the joy of the event. Forty-three years after, we are still together, we have three grown up children living in various parts of U.K. and we live in sunny Southwest France in a lovely little ...see more
Brings back memories of watching the driver remove the 'Limited Stop' board from the front of the Bus and to change back to Number 19. Use to live above Strattons Shop; my Bedroom use to overlook the Bus Stop and Overtons Garage.
My parent's (and myself) first home - above Strattons shop - mother's maiden name as my mother's father & brothers were joint owners of the business. Head branch was in Beacon Hill where my mother was born. I myself was born not far away in St George's Wood Nursing Home, Grayswood (1959). Moved in 1966 and have been in Frensham ever since. The photo itself may prove interesting as it may prove that one of the two people in ...see more
This photograph is taken from the playing fields of Magdalen College School and shows the Botanical Gardens.
I was born in Ilford in 1928, I now live in Australia, came here in 1948 so my memories are of that time. This picture is of where we used to shop every week. We lived in Dunedin Road.  Is the railway close by? I was in the Gaumont Super cinema when it was bombed. But that is another story. I remember the Hippodrome too.
The Baths was the family home during the First World War. My great grandfather was Albert Henry Milledge, formerly a schoolmaster at a school in St Michael's loft of Christchurch Priory, who gave up teaching to help Alfred Roberts manage 'Roberts' Baths' which were then just private baths, after William Roberts, his father, died. The Roberts were formerly coal merchants. My great grandfather was ...see more
The cottage in the photograph is known as Luxford Cottage and owned by Hampshire County Council. It was formerly known as Keepers Cottage.
The gentleman and lady standing on the corner outside the shop with the blind out are my uncle and aunt HAROLD and LILY PLYMPTON. Harold along with my aunt NORAH and my mother IRENE PLYMPTON, lived in Wootton Grove with their parents CHARLES and ANNETTE PLYMPTON. I visited my grandparents on numerous occasions from where we lived in Exeter.
My grandfather's family lived in Brighton/Hove near Seven Dials and attended Belgrave Road Congregational Church.  Their surname was WOOD and his forenames were WALTER EDWARD.  He had a brother PERCY and sisters ADA, POLLY and AGNES.  His father (my great grandfather) was reputed to have been very tall and also to have held the position of Head Postmaster in Brighton/Hove.  This would have been around 1890 onwards approx.
My grandma Edith Emily Alice Patching was born in the Bridge Inn on February 2nd 1885. Her father, Richard Elias Patching was the landlord.  He died in 1889 aged 32.  Edith and her mother moved to Brighton.  They were related to the Elms family of Beeding.
According to my research, the Wangford Post Office was, in 1901, run by Philip W. Champ (Sub Postmaster) and his brother Septimus S. Champ (Post Offfice Assistant). I am related to them by marriage. I believe that Philip died in the First World War.
My Mum, Nesta Smith (nee Sprake) was born in No. 3 Eype Cottages and lived there up until she married my Dad (Ron Smith) in July 1949.  They met when he was stationed close by with the Royal Army Service Corp.  They used to do their courting by the old phone box apparently!  Dad proposed to Mum up at Golden Cap and they were married in Symondsbury Church.  I believe that my Great. Great Uncle made the wrought iron ...see more
To the left of where the photographer was standing was the junior's playground of the old village school (St Mary and St Margaret's.) In 1963-4 we would have vacated the old buildings and moved into a new building in Southfield Avenue on the Hall Estate. The old school was basically a large room divided into classrooms by immense sliding concertina doors. The windows were very high and so were the ceilings. ...see more
Amongst my grandmother's collection of photographs and newspaper clippings, I have a very similar postcard but with much stronger light coming through the windows. Mine was produced by A.J. Way, 65 Mill Street, Ottery St. Mary.
When I attended the Church School Miss Kinraid was Headmistress. Miss Price and Miss Hattan were also teachers. My father Frederick Charles Clarke attended before me. My brother Frederick Charles and my sister Olive May also attended this school. When I went to see the school in 1983 I was disappointed to find it had been demolished. My brother, sister and I later attended the Council School which I had a look round in ...see more
My parents, Fred & Marjorie La Touche, always took us to visit our great aunt & uncle Curtis,who lived at Cottage of Content in Harris Barton.At one time this was a pub, (perhaps someone has a photo of it ) but then it was a smallholding. Coming from the town of Swindon, it was marvellous to be able to go & pick plums from the orchard & tomatoes from the greenhouses. We used to arrive by train at ...see more
I lived in Bradford from birth 1944 until 1965 when we moved to Canada. So I have lots of memories. One of them was on Saturday mornings in the 50's walking to town down Manchester Road. There were so many shops to look in and then when my friends and I got to town we would go to the markets and spend part of our spending money. We used to try to save some so we could buy chips from the fish shop at the ...see more
I left school at 15 in 1953, and like many others of my age went to work at A R Taylors timber merchants.  I first worked at the Tunstead road site.  It was hard work and unlike today there was no such thing as a contract of employment so you did whatever anyone who was older than you told you to do.  I remember one of my jobs was to go around every morning to take orders from the workers for cigarettes, tobacco and sweets ...see more
That was when I was born along with a bunch of other kids who grew up  with  me and with whom I played during the WW2 years and eventually went to C of E school together.  Mr Porter was a teacher there, he was still watching for enemy aircraft after it was all over and the boys would tell him "not one of ours sir" and off we would go to the air raid shelter yet again and wait and wait but ...see more
MY RELATIVES FROM THE 1800S FARMED AT BODDEN FARM N/R DOULTING. THE VILLAGE IS VERY PICTURESQUE. MY FAMILY ENDED UP MOVING TO CARDIFF IN 1881, BUT AS IT IS NOW I LIVE IN WINCANTON YOU COULD SAY I HAVE COME HOME.     
I remember the Fir Tree Inn in its hey day. My Aunty Peggy was the landlady; she was a wonderful person; she always wore spectacular dresses when behind the bar. The Inn was at the top of the village just where Wellfield Road began. Sadly Aunt Peggy and Uncle Dick are with us no more but memory is a marvellous thing, a part of me will always remember the atmosphere behind the bar even though I  was(technically) too young ...see more
St. Cross Church opposite where Crosstown School once stood. (see "memories" below)
Knutsford holds a special place in my heart as I was born there in 1956 and spent nearly eight years of my childhood growing up in this then safe and close community. I have very strong memories of family, home, school and friends and the environment during these years up until late 1963 when we emigrated to Western Australia as "10 pound poms". Our family home was 65 Mobberley Rd., Crosstown right next door to the ...see more
I had heard of The Great Linford and can trace genealogy back to the one subjects that lived on the Great Linford although it is not named after any of my ancestors. In 2000, I had the opportunity to vist London and rented a car and drove out to Milton Keynes and the Great Linford just to see what it was all about.  It is amazing that the buildings have endured as long as they have.  I found it peacful and ...see more
I'm not sure whether this is the correct place but it looks like Woodlands Road where my grandparents live. My Cousins and myself spent many a school holiday here during the 80's and very early 90's, mainly playing around the Beck at the bottom of the road, and in the adjacent 'playing fields'. Very happy memories. . . .
I can remember moving to Bilsington village when I was just over seven years old. I attended Bilsington Primary School and have clear memories of Miss Fellows (the Headmistress). She had a kind heart I think but at the time she seemed very strict to me. She would take us off for nature walks and it was during these times that I learned to love the soft greens of the countryside. She would point out to us ...see more
What fun was had by many children on a Saturday morning by going to the picture house. There were two in Walton so we were spoilt for choice. The ladies that looked after us all did a grand job. I was allowed to get the 218 bus from the barley mow bus stop. l felt really grown up - l could only have been 10 or 11.
The picture of the school brings back lots of memories of my childhood. I left there after passing my 11 plus and went to Hawarden Grammar School. I am now 57 years old and a school teacher in Bangkok, Thailand. Paul Hughes. Formally from 5, Elm Grove, Saltney.
It is often stated that the village shop was also the Post Office, but this is not true. There was a letter box (bar) in the wall, but the nearest Post Office was at Monk's Heath. The village shop was very small but sold a variety of products from chicken feed to postcards.
This building is known as "Studley Castle" and after the demise of Rover, who owned it, was sold to a hotel chain.
My Grandmother used to live opposite The Cottage in The Cot  -  she used to "do" for the people who lived there  -  it brought back such memories  -  I last saw it when I was on embarkation leave during the war.
I lived in Mountain Ash and my husband to be lived in Cardiff, we both used to travel on the bus to Pontypridd to meet up. From there we would walk up to the monument for a kiss and a cuddle. We spent many happy hours up here thinking of our future together. Some times it was so cold we could hardly walk back to the bus as we were frozen. Now 47 years later we sometimes travel to Merthyr and every time we pass the monument we have lovely memories.
I was 5 years old the year this photo was taken. The Packhorse looks the same but the area around it seems different. Funny how memories are. I loved this town, Gerrards Cross, because this is where my Nana and Grandad lived. Every tree, every house is precious. In 2001, I brought my daughters to England from America. It was a sad year for our country after Sept. 11th. This picture reminds me of the one bright ...see more
What a lovely vacation we had that year. When I see photos of Buck's Mills, like this one, I am transported back to those precious days under the sun. People that live on in my heart are there. I remember so clearly the path by the store, I remember running up and down this road with my sister. We thought those moments would last forever. They do.
I've lived in the two cottages on the right of the picture since 1994. Two cottages? They were knocked into one in 1973 when the entire row was sold to a developer and refurbished.
As local village children we used to walk from Fairy Cross meeting other children from the council houses along the way and wind our way through  the narrow lane, sometimes picking wild strawberries in summer - moving out of the way of cars that needed to pass us - usually on their way to church also - untill we arrived at St. Andrews, Alwington. We always sat up in the choir stalls with Mrs. Elston (who ...see more
We lived in Headon's Cottage, Fairy Cross - it had been an old German doctor's cottage in the 1700s, a Doctor Wacerill who is buried in St. Andrew's churchyard,  and his faded plaque was still above the front door - walls made of cob and thatched roof etc. We were just up the road from Portledge drive - my grandfather William George Harris was woodsman and forester on the Portledge Estate for the Pine-Coffin ...see more
My husbands Aunt, Cicely Minnie Day, was the post mistress at the Post Office in Lower Slaughter when it was situated in the house on the far right of this photo. The sign above the door denoting this fact. When she died in 1954 the post office was moved to another house in the village. As a child my husband spent happy holidays in this house when his Mother and Father visited his family there.
I was born in Little Baddow and was familiar with the story of Alice Mildmay and Jesse Berridge's book. One summer night three of us rode ponies down Riffhams Chase to Great Graces and down Grace's Walk, arriving at midnight. We crossed the bridge (the one in the photo) and all I can remember after that is that all three ponies turned and galloped back up towards the house. We returned home up Colam Lane, ...see more
This is closer to Salt Hill than Cippenham.  The road on the left is Twinches Lane, the factory on the right is probably Crane Packing, and the view looks west!
The 1841 Census says that my 3rd great grandfather, William Little, with wife Ann and family, lived at this Windmill. His occupation is stated as 'Miller' so I guess he worked on the premises. One of his sons, George, grew to marry Mary Ann and run the Barley Mow Beer House on Chapel Hill. His daughter Mary Ann was a barmaid there at age 19 and at George's death his wife took over the running of the premises. It passed into the hands of other family members later.
The chalk pit at Odiham looks much the same today as it did over 100 years ago, except that most of the buildings are no longer there. An old story I heard in the The Bell Pub, mentioned the local hunt gathering in the Bury Square on boxing day some years ago. They left in the direction of the Chalk Pit on a foggy morning, only to lose half of the poor hunting dogs over the shear face of the cliff. It seems the wily old fox had the better of them on this occasion.
Around the 1920s this building was known as Perry's Place and was located diagonally opposite the Black Jug, known then as the Hurst Arms. It was dismantled and moved to nearby Mannings Heath. It now forms the clubhouse and is called Fullers. A stunning web site featuring photos of Horsham comparing them to the Frith originals is at www.hiddenhorsham.co.uk
My friends and I spent many happy hours playing on the old platform and under the old railway bridge before they were both demolished. We used to play hopscotch on the platform and had a camp amongst the trees at the back. We made a rope swing there and used to take a packed lunch down on school holidays and spend all day there messing about. We had a secret club and had to give a password before you ...see more
We used to go to saturday morning pictues at the Dominion Cinema which was opposite the Manor House. Oh the joy of seeing Roy Rogers, Old Mother Riley, The Cisco kid, The keystone cops etc.... I think it was 9 old pence to get in and we had a few pence for sweets.
I would love to hear from anybody that remembers WYNTON CAFE that was situated on the south cliffs at Barmston. My parents, Terry & Ida McGuire owned & ran the cafe from approx 1966 to 1970. I was just a boy at the time and have very fond memories of Barmston, the hot summers and the cold, isolated snowy winters. I remember standing and watching several bungalows and chalets disappear over the ...see more
When I was a little girl in the early 60's I often used to take long walks along here, and I used to visit the farm to watch Peter Jenner milking the cows. I also had a crush on Peter but I was only 6 and he was 14.  I wonder what happened to Peter.  My late mother went to the school in the picture and was born in Hermon Cottage in Catsfield and that is where my auntie Violet lived for most of her life until it was turned ...see more
My grandfather, John Williams, lived in a victorian terraced house in Seymour Road with his parents and four brothers. The house was knocked down and replaced with the large block of flats you can see in the distance to the centre of the photograph. It stands right next to the Boleyn ground, West Ham United's stadium, which has been there for over a hundred years. My grandfather and his brothers were regular visitors to ...see more
Frome's 'Oldest House' or 'Pepperpot' has a chequered past even in recent times. I moved to Frome in 1992 when it was being used as a Travel Agents and looked fairly run down. It then remained closed for a number of years except at christmas time when it was used as a charity card shop. The upper floors of the building have faux tudor styling, the ground floor is laid out to plate glass. It fell into disrepair and ...see more
My sister, parents and I lived in Florence Road with my Aunts. We had the recreation ground at the bottom of the road and in those days we used to play for hours there with other neighbours children.  I used to go to the bowling green there and watch with my Dad the bowlers playing on the immaculate hedge enclosed green in the rec. There was an outdoor swimming pool where we learnt to swim, it got very crowded on hot ...see more
This is the hill that appeared in the Hovis television adverts - supposedly in a northern town, but in reality in deepest Dorset! At the top it is about 700 feet above sea level. It is now the scene of the once a year Gold Hill Festival in July.
This shot of the High Street presents the signage for the Cadena Cafe, a chain of national cafes (in the 'Lyon's' mould) where shoppers met for coffee and light meals. I have fond memories of visiting the cafe with family and friends, and in particular the stairway down to the coffee lounge, below street level. The coffee lounge was, as I recall, adorned with plants and greenery in subdued lighting and a 'cozy' ...see more
I have lived in Urmston all my life, the only better places are Benllech and the Lakes.
I can remember it as the same ,what a wonderful place when I was a child.
A view from my local pub, the buffett room, used as a bar in the 80s when the pub was being done up.
I spent many holidays in Benllech, although Golden Sands holiday camp needs bringing in to the 21st century as it is still the same as it was in the 70s.
My employer - does not look as nice today.
I used to work at Barrets butchers in about 1982 with my mate Pete Bennett (r.i.p.). A blonde girl called Sharon used to come past everyday on her rollerblades - fond memories.
Me and my friends camped on the circle for a dare untill the police moved us in the early hours. Date was about 1980.
When I was a child i used to play in the white house just past the garage just to the left of the picture when it was derelict.
I was born and raised in Redhill. It was a wonderful childhood and many great memories. I was born in 1941 at Thornton House. We lived on Ladbroke Road, and remember the fish and chip shop, Mrs Fentons Store, and Mr.Winchesters shoe repair. I attended St. Matthews School then attended Frenches Secondary School, then to Pitmans College in Croydon. After school I worked for the ...see more
My first memories of the Ffrith beach are of my grandfather who started the fun fair, which had an arcade, bingo and fair ground. There was also two boating ponds,cafe, ice cream kiosks etc. Many good days were spent on the beach, it's a shame that the Ffrith is no longer a family-oriented place to be. Back in my grandfathers day the Ffrith was packed with holiday makers and day tripers, what happened? Later on in the ...see more
We moved into the parade of shops in 1938. Our father opened a green grocery and florist shop at No16 I think? I recall that although the war years were devestating to many people I recall many fond memories growing up in Chipsted with my older sister Valerie. Our father was serving in the national fire brigade and managed to come home from time to time to help our mother run the shop and raise me and ...see more
The white building in the forground is the Nell Gwenn public house, a well-known hostelry.
Note in this photo that the war memorial has been moved back and the wall lowered. Flats have been built on the Banstead house site. You could always see the green houses over the high wall from the top of the 164a bus. The corner shop, which I think used to be a bakery (top left) has gone and the road widened. The bus always used to mount the curb on this corner when turning towards the downs and Greenacre school roundabout.
The large oblong building on the left was Bassett House of which the ground floor was Waitrose. The Bassett Family lived at Hunters Lodge, Banstead and the three children grew up to represent England. Sheena in running and swimming marathons and Pippa and Karen won bronze medals for the British team in the horse four in hand World Driving trials They are both short listed for this years team [2006] and Karen is the leading lady driver in GB and the World.
Does anyone else remember the chain railings and posts, painted black and white around the green in front of these shops? I used to jump over them as a small child. They enclosed all the grass area.
This slipway was built in 1960. Prior to that time ferries left from Portsmouth Point.
The first time my father took me under the Hengoed viaduct I remember looking up and said to my dad that one day I would like to walk across it and wondered how long it would take us. When I got a bit older and a bit more interested in the viaduct, me and a mate got over the fence on the Hengoed station side and made the trip to the other side.  Once half way across we stopped to take in the incredible views.  I'll never ...see more
Volunteer was built in 1703 and as far as we can find out, it possibly became a pub in 1840s.  It ceased trading in 1973 when it was sold by the brewery to the Gray family.  The Grays converted it back into a house.  We bought Volunteer in 2001 and it still looks much the same from the outside. The door between the two windows (beneath the pub sign), used to lead into the Saloon Bar, which is now our study; ...see more