Nostalgic memories of South Harefield's local history
Share your own memories of South Harefield 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.
Add a Memory!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin
Displaying all 10 Memories
Anybody know ice house ruins north east corner left of church...memories..and Bunny Park 1940s and 50s.
I went to Grange Junior and Senior school for Girls. I was in Miss Moons class, she was such a nice teacher. I used to walk through an alley near the allotments on my way to and from school and also through St Mary's church grave yard. I sang in the choir when I left school. Miss Barnes was our head teacher, she too was so very nice. I enjoyed netball and gym in our lovely hall that ...see more
I went to see 'The Jungle Book' in the Odeon and remember the restaurant opposite - dead posh. I worked in the tiny TESCO supermarket which was opposite Rossis. In the 1970s Rossis was a mecca for teenagers as it sold records and you could stand in a tiny booth and preview the record before you bought it. The queues for soft icecreams were incredible on Sunday. The Sainsbury shop was where the ...see more
I remember using the Larkswood swimming pool in all weathers, even having to break the ice. I also remember the horrible changing rooms and sitting for hours on the hills - sometimes never bothering to swim. You could leave all of your stuff and go off to buy crisps and stuff and no one bothered you or took your things.
Does anyone remember the small hall at the entrance to the pool where shows were held for the pigeon, canary and budgie fanciers?
We moved to Leonard Road Chingford in 1951. I particularly remember the trolley buses and how the poles on the top used to come off and the conductor would get a long bamboo cane from under the bus to rehook the pole onto the electric cable I also remember Larkswood lido, the Odeon cinema at Chingford Mount. After attending Chase Lane Primary School I went to Wellington Avenue Secondary Modern School near Ridgeway ...see more
I remember when Rossis ice-cream opened and free vouchers were worth more than gold. Rossis shop was right by the last bus stop before the trolley bus turned around and headed back to London. On the corner, a few shops along, was I think Freeman Hardy & Willis the shoe shop, and around the corner was Barkers of Chingford, the bicycle shop where my mum bought my first bike. Around the ...see more
I remember Tony Bros ice cream parlour off Acton High Street. On some Sundays my father would take me for a treat for a cornet or wafer scooped out of the big drum on the counter, it was always after giving our dog Sally a run either in Acton Park or on the scrubbs next to the prison. We lived in East Acton off Old Oak Road. 1963 stands out as it snowed at Christmas. We walked up to Acton Park with a ...see more
up to the age of seven from 1939- 46 i lived in middleton close i to remeber the war years , walking across sopers farm to feed the pigs on acorns , catching newts in the little pond , which is now unfortunatly rugby field and golf range, one of my aunts use to be a conductress on the trolly buses during the war, we use to have some wonderful christmas's when all the uncles came home from ...see more
Used to wait for a trolley bus here which took the family to see Granny and Grandpa at Winchmore Hill. Always great excitement. Remember waiting here for my father to return from a builders' trip to Rotterdam - wonderful to see his face in the bus window - probably from Liverpool Street station on the 38 bus. Remember standing in the queue at the cinema. It was my treat for having taken ...see more
As I attended school at St. Egberts College on Ridgeway in North Chingford, we did on occasion get to go swimming at Larkswood Pool. Swimming in any pool was a treat for most of us as the only 'swimming' we usually did was at the sea-side on summer holidays. It wasn't till later in 1947 after we moved to Elm Park Essex, that I had the opportunity to go to Kennylands School, a summer school at Sonning Common near ...see more