School, Village And Friends

A Memory of South Ockendon.

I remember going to Benyon Primary school; we lived at 14 Celandine Road. I remember Mr Cowley the grocer and the bakers where we bought a piece of bread pudding for three old pennies. Also the little sweet shop were we bought sherbet. There was an elderly disabled lady who sat in her window chatting to the children and she made the most beautiful dolls clothes that we bought on our birthday or christmas. We had May Pole dancing on the green by the cross and we wound the silk for silk worms at school. Hoola Hoops were the thing along with swopping beads. They were the best memories - I moved when I was 9 to Dagenham. I lived opposite to my best friends they were sisters Barbara and Pamela and next door to Alan and Laura Down. Alan had a terrible accident whislt climbing the fencing on the green and nearly lost his eye. My dad went with him and his dad to the hospital.